The Wake Up

For decades, special education students and English language learners in Boston Public School had fewer choices than their peers, and were often left underserved. Now the district has a new plan, developed under scrutiny from the state Department of Education, to better serve all its students. Superintendent Mary Skipper joined Paris to discuss it.

Massachusetts lawmakers, responding to Supreme Court rulings and waves of gun violence, are considering 56 bills related to ghost guns, people's ability to sue gun makers, and who can carry weapons where. What's at stake, and what can people expect? GBH State House reporter Katie Lannan talks to Jeremy.

Forty years ago this week, 100 million Americans turned on their TVs to watch “The Day After,” a movie about what could happen in Lawrence, Kansas after a nuclear strike. Professor, veteran TV producer, and author David Craig joins Paris to talk about how the film shaped the way Americans saw nuclear policy in the Cold War’s final years.

As you finish up eating Thanksgiving leftovers, Jeremy Siegel (with an assist from film critic Sarah G. Vincent) get you ready to check out the latest film directed by Alexander Payne, The Holdovers (starring Paul Giamatti), in theaters now. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, from GBH and the entire Morning Edition crew.

It's been 60 years since President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. Paul Landis was there as a secret service agent. For decades, he kept his memories of that day to himself: The horror, the chaos, an in-tact bullet. But now he's sharing them.

It's been a big year for Black Boston: The reveal of The Embrace memorial to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King, the NAACP National Convention, and more. So how does has that felt in Boston’s Black cultural center? As part of the Walk Down the Block series, Paris talks to people to find out. Plus: Nicole Obi, CEO of the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts, talks about Nubian Square's economic future.

The Massachusetts Legislature failed to make a deal before its deadline last week, leaving $250 million for the state's shelter crisis in limbo. So what's next? GBH State House reporter Katie Lannan joins Paris to discuss. 

Looking to see some movies this Thanksgiving? Film writer and critic Sarah G. Vincent has some picks, including a Thanksgiving slasher film.

Meteorologist Dave Epstein breaks down some climate news for local gardeners, plus have you ever cancelled plans because of Mercury retrograde? Nodded emphatically at a water sign? Gasped upon seeing a Tower tarot card? If so, you're not alone: Spiritual practices like these are getting more popular. Morning Edition's own Rachel Armany talks to local witches, readers, and experts about finding meaning in the cards.

Leaf blowers are loud, smoggy, bad for ecosystems, and bad for the health of people using them. So why are they so ubiquitous, and what are some reasonable alternatives? GBH News reporter Liz Neisloss joins Jeremy to discuss her latest story.