WCAI News Director Steve Junker hosts a roundup of some of the week's top local and regional news, including: town administrators are scratching their heads over revenues from the new short-term rental taxes; vape shops reopen – but without the flavored vapes; the Mashpee Rotary may be getting a makeover; and young deer are found on Martha's Vineyard with mysterious paralysis.

140 years ago Henrik Isben’s play A Doll’s House was first staged. It’s become one of the most produced works worldwide, but not without controversy: the play ends with the female protagonist leaving her husband and young children. Author Wendy Swallow wanted to explore what Nora Helmer does next as a divorced and ostracized woman in the late 19 th and early 20th Century. On The Point, we talk with Swallow about her novel Searching for Nora, After the Doll’s House .

Research shows that most faith communities continue to be segregated along racial and ethnic lines. With a roundtable of religious leaders, we discuss why segregation persists, and what is lost when we’re not exposed to a diversity in our congregations. We also talk about steps we can take to make congregations more welcoming to diversity.

Mark Faherty, Science Coordinator at Wellfeet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary , and host Mindy Todd sit down in The Point studio to talk birds. Mark fills us in on the annual Waterfowl Census, and the Christmas Bird Counts are coming up. We have reports of painted buntings in our region! We hear questions and comments from our listeners.

WCAI News Director Steve Junker hosts a roundup of some of the week's top local and regional news, including: the Coast Guard releases hundreds of pages about the Steamship Authority ferry crash in 2017; a stalemate at the statehouse puts local funding in jeopardy; and a study finds contaminated air around New Bedford harbor.

Anyone who lived through the Vietnam War era knows it was a fractious time in American history. The war grew increasingly unpopular over time and many Americans expressed disdain and hostility toward returning military personnel for their service in Vietnam.

At this time of year we can be bombarded by Christmas music: it’s on the radio, in stores, and all too often stuck in our heads. If you’re growing weary of the same old songs, but still want to get into the holiday spirit, there are many opportunities for live musical performances. On The Point, we talk with the leaders of the Cape Symphony and the Cape Cod Chamber Orchestra about the themes in their Holiday performances.

A group of middle schoolers on Martha’s Vineyard believe adults aren’t doing enough to protect the environment. Since 2018 they’ve been meeting during every lunch and recess to take matters into their own hands. Their first mission: to ban plastic bottles across the island. Laurelin Kruse has the story.

Giving Tuesday has gained momentum over the past few years as a way to encourage donations to non-profits. But giving doesn’t always mean writing a check: there are a number of ways we can give back to community organizations, and all of them have a good chance of making you feel good at the same time. On The Point, we discuss the needs of our community and how we can all contribute.

Our book experts talk plays on The Point. Have a house full of guests this week? Why not read a play together! We'll try to inspire you with plays that range from classics to recent playwrights, which are all well worth reading, by yourself or as a group.