The Wake Up

Which is better: Boston’s Allston Christmas or Paris Alston’s family Christmas? We talk about our best street furniture finds. Plus, we have a week to go before primary election day in Massachusetts, so Paris and Jeremy break down the latest developments in races for the Suffolk County district attorney’s office and Massachusetts attorney general.

How can we go to space when we can’t even get on the Orange Line? Jeremy timed the Orange Line shuttles to see how much longer it takes to get from Oak Grove to Forest Hills. The total – including some walking downtown, where there are no shuttle stops — was 2 hours, 7 minutes, compared with about 40 minutes under regular service. Plus, Grove Hall came alive for Carnival, and Paris got to join the festivities herself.

We’re one week into the MBTA’s Orange Line shutdown. Paris and Jeremy catch up with riders to see what the patchwork of shuttle buses, bikes, and delays is like for them. Also: The number of new monkeypox cases in Massachusetts is falling, and vaccines are becoming slightly more available. And this weekend is Carnival in Boston, so get ready for some fun — and some Soca jams. Want to contribute to The Wake Up? Send us your audio diaries about getting around during the MBTA’s shutdowns by emailing us at [email protected].

This is your chance to name a Steamship Authority ferry — or an episode of this very podcast. Plus, catching up on the Suffolk County district attorney’s race and discussing MBTA shutdown faTigue. And, the woman who accidentally drove her car into the South Shore Plaza last week explains how it happened. Want to contribute to The Wake Up? Send us your audio diaries about getting around during the MBTA’s shutdowns by emailing us at [email protected]. 

A new study used AI to scan Instagram photos, and found Worcester is one of the top 20 ‘smiliest’ cities in the US. Paris and Jeremy break down what goes into being a city that smiles a lot and how is that tracked, anyway? Plus, local Ukrainians are celebrating the country's 31st independence day. And, got a favorite tomato? Massachusetts just awarded several local tomatoes with the top prize at the Annual Tomato Contest. Let us know what your favorites are by emailing [email protected].

How are people shuttling, biking, and driving around Boston during the Orange and Green line shutdowns? GBH News Morning Edition co-hosts Paris Alston and Jeremy Siegel talk about transit, the best dorm foods (shoutout to Sam the Minuteman), and how the drought is affecting wildfires in Massachusetts. Want to contribute to The Wake Up? Send us your audio diaries about getting around during the MBTA’s shutdowns. Email us at [email protected] for more details.