The Codcast

State Rep. Peter Durant and Evan Horowitz of the Tufts Center for State Policy Analysis join CommonWealth's Bruce Mohl to discuss Massachusetts's Right to Shelter law in relationship to the current shelter emergency and housing crisis.

Oren Sellstrom is the litigation director of Lawyers for Civil Rights, which recently filed a complaint claiming that Harvard's legacy and donor admissions preferences violate federal civil rights law. He joins CommonWealth's Jennifer Smith to discuss the complaint, admissions preferences, affirmative action, and diversity in educational institutions.

Tanisha Sullivan, president of the Boston chapter of the NAACP, joins CommonWealth's Jennifer Smith to talk about the recent national NAACP convention (the first in Boston in 40 years), its goals, and its impact.

On a special nautical episode of the Codcast, CommonWealth editor Bruce Mohl visits the construction site of Vineyard Wind 1, the nation's first commercial-scale offshore wind farm.

How local control has harmed preserving community character by CommonWealth Beacon

Cheryl Clyburn Crawford, Executive Director of MassVOTE, discusses a new campaign to bring ranked choice voting to Boston with CommonWeath's Jennifer Smith.

The Old North Church, best known for its starring role in the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem “Paul Revere’s Ride,” turns 300 years old this year. Nikki Stewart, Executive Director of Old North Illuminated, joins CommonWealth’s Jennifer Smith to talk about the role of myths in teaching history and why the Old North site has been designated as a “site of conscience.”

Why Barnstable is integral to offshore wind plans by CommonWealth Beacon

Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and Sarah Evans with Open Society Foundations join CommonWealth reporter Jennifer Smith to discuss the international landscape of safe consumption sites and Somerville’s proposal to be the first municipality in the state to allow supervised consumption.

Cape Cod residents share concerns on offshore wind transmission lines by CommonWealth Beacon

Medicaid redetermination process off to fast start by CommonWealth Beacon

Mass. offshore wind developers could forfeit more than $100m by CommonWealth Beacon

Iselin of Blue Cross raises red flag on rising health care costs by CommonWealth Beacon

Kim Driscoll joins CommonWealth Magazine’s Jennifer Smith to talk about her switch from Salem mayor to lieutenant governor of Massachusetts. Driscoll’s taking on a jack-of-all-trades role as the administration reshuffles leadership and cabinet positions to address simultaneous housing, transportation, and competitiveness crises.

Like Goldilocks, Glynn trying to fashion ‘just right’ T board by CommonWealth Beacon

Andrea Campbell is about five months into her role as Massachusetts' new attorney general, replacing now-governor Maura Healey, who backed her for the post. This week on the Codcast, CommonWealth Magazine’s Jennifer Smith talks with Campbell about the transition from Boston City Councilor and mayoral candidate to top prosecutor, focusing the office’s fire on issues ranging from energy policy, crim...

Has party imbalance broken democracy in Massachusetts? by CommonWealth Beacon

This week on the Codcast, Jennifer Smith explores artificial intelligence’s growing prominence in our everyday lives with Dr. Nir Eisikovits, professor of philosophy at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Eisikovits founded the school’s Applied Ethics Center (https://www.umb.edu/ethics) and has spent the past years thinking about the impact of AI on moral decision making and its unique relatio...

Taking the long view with the MBTA by CommonWealth Beacon

Moulton’s ambitious, expensive, and enthralling transportation vision by CommonWealth Beacon

Educators in four Massachusetts school districts went on strike over the past year, despite it being illegal in the state. A re-filed bill on Beacon Hill looks to change that, giving public employees the right to strike after six months of failed negotiations. CommonWealth’s Jennifer Smith talks through the case for and cost of strikes with bill sponsor Sen. Becca Rausch and Tom Scott, Executive D...

Chambers of Commerce fear not being heard, band together by CommonWealth Beacon

Health Equity Compact trying to 'boil the ocean' by CommonWealth Beacon

Real estate groups are launching broadsides against Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's rent control home rule and attempts to lift the statewide rent control ban are once again hitting Beacon Hill. Greg Vasil, CEO of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, and Rep. Sam Montaño of the 15th Suffolk District, join CommonWealth to break down Boston’s controversial rent control proposal.

How far will Healey go on tax competitiveness? by CommonWealth Beacon