feature Archives

photo of Ipswich, Mass. farmer Shendel Bakal holding up some beets

Rain, Rain, Gone Away: Massachusetts Farmers Struggle Amid Worsening Drought Crisis

Massachusetts Farmers Struggle Amid Worsening Drought Crisis

OLIVIA CAFARELLI MANZI February 6, 2025

Exterior of the Suffolk Downs Clubhouse in Revere, Mass.

The Fall of Horse Racing at Suffolk Downs

An old working-class pastime fades away at the storied Revere track: “Not with a bang but a whimper,” as the poet T.S. Eliot once wrote

MADISON LUCCHESI December 12, 2024

UNPRECEDENTED TESTIMONY

Prisoners Are Front And Center At Historic Legislative Hearing “It has been proven that these life without parole sentences aren’t improving anything in our communities and continue to cause harm to families as people are incarcerated.” The packed room at the State House on Tuesday, July 25, was not unusual.

JEAN TROUNSTINE July 31, 2023

ON THE WAY HOME

A New Beginning For Formerly Incarcerated Women “Stepping into this house made me feel better … She has a way of transforming pain into passion.” When Stacey Borden exited MCI-Framingham for the final time in 2010, she was done with more than three decades of jail stints and drug use

JEAN TROUNSTINE January 11, 2023

AFTER THE STRIKE

How Did Comm Ave Starbucks Workers Make Out After 2 Months Of Striking? We Asked Them … “Seeing the outpouring of support from people all over the Boston area has renewed a lot of our faith in the community.” Magnus, who asked that we not share his real name for

JOSH HALPERN October 3, 2022

CONNECTING FAMILIES WITH RESOURCES

Interactive database offers access to programs, knowledge for children and caregivers With children returning to school this week, parents may be searching for programs, services, and activities coming up, as well as facts and advice about general developmental issues. City government, in partnership with its community of educators, caregivers, and

LINDA PINKOW August 30, 2022

“THIS IS ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR”

Photo via Rayla Campbell for Massachusetts Mass GOP candidate questioned by cop about book she calls kiddie porn Rayla Campbell, the Republican candidate for Massachusetts secretary of the commonwealth, found herself in an awkward position at a Back the Blue rally on August 15—she had to explain to one of

ANDREW QUEMERE August 24, 2022

HACKS, FACTS & CONTRACTS: FOIA FOLLOW-UP

Photo of Gov. Baker surveying Orange Line track work in 2019 by Joshua Qualls/Governor’s Press Office Internal Emails Show How MBTA Sought To Market “Safe,” “Good” Trains As System Failed Starting today, the MBTA shut down the entire Orange Line for a month for massive maintenance and repair work. Riders

DAN ATKINSON August 19, 2022

RECOGNITION FOR RELIGION REPORTING

The kind of deep read that gets people and communities talking while winning awards in the process Congratulations to Alyssa Maldonado-Estrada and Claire Sadar on their receiving an honorable mention in the Associated Church Press Best of the Church Press Awards for the first two installments of their Sacred Writes

CHRIS FARAONE May 25, 2022

MORALE VIOLATION

Whistle-blowers report culture of “retaliation” and “nepotism” at Mass parole agency Over the past three months, seven staff members from the Massachusetts Parole Board have come to this reporter with harsh critiques of the agency. They are quoted throughout this article. The Commonwealth has a seven-member Parole Board that decides

JEAN TROUNSTINE May 23, 2022