The Point

Numerous books have been written about the Cuban Missile Crisis; by both historians and those who had first-hand knowledge of the people and events that took place. One aspect of the events leading up to the crisis that hasn’t gotten much attention is the story of the U-2 pilots who were performing top secret surveillance flights of Cuba. Michael Tougias and Casey Sherman, the authors of The Finest Hours , have teamed up once again to tell the story of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the U-2 pilots

In October of 2015 the El Faro, a U.S. flagged cargo ship, sank in Hurricane Joaquin northeast of the Bahamas. Despite a seasoned crew, state of the art navigation systems, and advance warning of the storm, the ship went down with without sending out a Mayday and without launching lifeboats. All 33 souls on board were lost. George Michelsen Foy , lifelong mariner and author, joins host Mindy Todd for this interview on The Point. They discuss his most recent book is Run the Storm: A Savage

WCAI News Director Steve Junker hosts a roundup of some of the top local and regional news of the week, including: two reviews conclude the Mashpee police chase that ended in 3 fatalities should have been stopped; t he victim of the mid-August shark attack in Truro speaks about the experience; some schools delay the start of the academic year because of the heat; and opponents of an offshore power line through Lewis Bay are mobilizing.

On The Point, we discuss what's on tap at this year’s Martha’s Vineyard International Film Festival with Richard Paradise, Festival founder, and Tim Miller, Features Editor at the Cape Cod Times. Amy Vince hosts.

The Black Iris Project is a ballet collaborative creating new ballet works celebrating diversity and black history. They’ll be performing on the Vineyard as part of the Vineyard Arts Project . On The Point, we talk with Jeremy McQueen, choreographer with The Black Iris Project. Mindy Todd hosts.

Pirates are the topic this month on The Point books show. Our guests Jill Erickson, reference librarian at the Falmouth Public Library , and Peter Abrahams, author, join host Amy Vince in the WCAI studio to discuss the great variety of books about pirates. From Captain Kidd's lost treasure, to the modern day piracy of huge container ships, we dip into the dangerous and fascinating world of pirate stories.

The US Coast Guard flight crews stationed on Cape Cod are at the ready 24 / 7 to respond to vessels in distress from New York City to the border of Canada. In this special re-broadcast, we talk with Coast Guard pilots, flight mechanics and rescue swimmers about their work, and tag along on a helicopter training flight to see them in action. We also hear the story of a woman who was rescued 300 miles offshore by a Coast Guard Helicopter crew in Hurricane Grace.

WCAI News Director Steve Junker hosts a roundup of some of the top local and regional news of the week, including: t he Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) is partnering with another tribe to build a gambling facility on Martha’s Vineyard; the town of Sandwich has state approvals for restoring Town Neck Beach – now it’s waiting on the Army Corp of Engineers; and a new tick species may be making its way to the Cape.

Cape Cod and the Islands are hot spots for Lyme disease. 2017 data from the State Department of Public Health showed Dukes County leading the state in Lyme disease, followed by Berkshire and Plymouth counties, Nantucket 4th, and Barnstable ranked 6th. On The Point, we discuss how Lyme disease affects the body, why it can be difficult to diagnose, and the toll chronic Lyme takes on psychological and physical health. We’ll also talk with researchers about their work tracking the spread of the

What are some of the reasons athletes use drugs? How is doping different from other technological advances we see being adopted in sport? What impact does doping have on young athletes? On The Point, Thomas Murray joins us to discuss these and related topics. His new book is titled Good Sport: Why our Games Matter and How Doping Undermines Them . Mindy Todd hosts. For more information on this topic, see the U.S. Anti Doping Agency website.