The Point

Alcohol is responsible for 71% of substance use related deaths in Barnstable County. On The Point , we discuss the difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence, some of the health risks associated with alcohol use, and treatment options in our region. Our guests on the program are: Vaira Harik , senior project manager, Barnstable County Department of Human Services; Dianne Wells , nurse practitioner with an interest in women in recovery at Mashpee Family Medicine ; Suzanne Robbins ,

To help us get in a good place for the new year, our book experts present a selection of titles that have to do with mindfulness and gratitude, and that will make us happy as well. Jill Erickson of Falmouth Library and Eric Linder of the Yellow Umbrella bookstore in Chatham join Mindy Todd in The Point studio. Click here for a list of the books we talked about.

We’ve all heard stories of medical miracles; cases where patients defy the odds and survive or recover from trauma or illness. Dr. Harley Rotbart has compiled stories of medical miracles in the words of the physicians who witnessed the events. The book is titled Miracles We Have Seen, America’s Leading Physicians Share Stories They Can’t Forget . Dr. Rotbart and Dr. Paul Skudder, a Cape Cod physician who contributed two essays to the collection, join Mindy Todd on The Point.

Twice a year students converge in Woods Hole to learn the art and craft of radio storytelling . Many arrive having never held a microphone but graduate from the Transom Story Workshop with a ready to air radio piece. On The Point , Mindy Todd talks with the lead instructor of the Workshop, Rob Rosenthal , and we hear several of the pieces produced by this Fall’s Class .

WCAI's Sean Corcoran hosts a roundup of local news stories with several area journalists. His guests this week include Geoff Spillane of the Cape Cod Times; Kathryn Eident of WCAI; Tim Wood of the Cape Cod Chronicle; Jim DeArruda of the New Bedford Standard Times; Ann Wood of the Provincetown Banner; Sam Houghton of the Mashpee Enterprise; and Bill Chaisson of the Martha's Vineyard Times. Among the stories they discuss this week: tragedy strikes in Falmouth after two teenage athletes are

The holidays are upon us, and in the midst of the festivities many people experience anxiety, nervousness, and depression. On The Point, Mindy Todd talks with psychiatrist Jonathan Schwartz and psychologist Michael Abbruzzese about the facts, and explore possibilities for help in navigating these challenges.

Doug Cabral has lived on Martha’s Vineyard for nearly 50 years and spent much of his career in newspapers, at both the Vineyard Gazette and the Martha’s Vineyard Times. His new book News Hounds: An Accidental Newspaper Life on Martha’s Vineyard isn’t really about the newspaper business, it’s about living on and off the island with animals.

This spring 22 homes will go up for sale in a new development on Nantucket. Alicia Briscol, a postal worker on island, is hoping to buy one. When Briscol first moved to Nantucket in 2006, she realized two things. First: she loved this island off the coast of Massachusetts. “I love the quiet and the quaintness,” she said, “the cobblestone street. I was just amazed by - this place is in the United States!” And second: if you’re not a millionaire, it’s really hard to find a place to live. “I

WCAI's Sean Corcoran hosts a roundup of local news stories with several area journalists. His guests this week include Gwenn Friss of the Cape Cod Times; Tim Wood of the Cape Cod Chronicle; Jim DeArruda of the New Bedford Standard Times; Ed Miller of the Provincetown Banner; Joshua Balling of the Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror; and Bill Chaisson of the Martha's Vineyard Times. Among the stories they discuss this week: Gov. Charlie Baker cuts local tourism dollars; the Cape Light Compact looks to

On The Point, we take a closer look at the some of the issues that can complicate romantic partnerships and discuss strategies to maintain a healthy relationship. Guests on the program are Denise Backus, clinical social worker, and Jeanne Swan, a marriage and family counselor. We also discuss Divorce Mediation, which can provide an amicable resolution to partnerships and allow couples to maintain control of the process and outcome. Alan Jacobs, a divorce and family mediator, joins us.