The Wake Up

The Embrace, Boston’s memorial celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King, who met in Boston when MLK was a student, is being unveiled on Friday. How is Boston marking King’s legacy? It’ll take more than words, local leaders at the church where he was an assistant minister in the 1950s said.

It was a great night for people raised in Massachusetts at the Golden Globes — and at select Dunkin Donuts drive-throughs. Plus: An early-morning outage in an FAA computer system brought every domestic flight to a halt Wednesday morning. Jeremy and special guest Rachel Armany, our associate producer, dig in.

Protestors from Cambridge to Bangladesh are decrying the killing of Sayed Faisal, a 20-year-old UMass Boston student who Cambridge police shot last week. His death is raising questions about how police handle mental health crises, and what de-escalation methods and less-lethal alternatives they could have used.

If a cat named Mr. Spooky Bones succeeded in becoming mayor of Attleboro, would they have to change the town name to Cat-tleboro? Paris and Jeremy discuss.

It’s been a hectic week in politics, and we won’t fault you if you feel like there’s a lot you need to catch up on. We have you covered on Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey’s first 100 day priorities, and on what’s happening with the votes for House Speaker in Washington, now in their fourth day. Also: What were the most-checked-out books at the Boston Public Library? We have the list — and your sug...

Paris and Jeremy muse about a Congressional Groundhog Day: The third consecutive day of members and members-elect voting on a speaker without reaching a consensus. Rep. Jim McGovern of Worcester called in to talk about what's happening. Locally, the transition of power is going more smoothly: It's Gov. Maura Healey's inauguration day. DJ FrenchY, a fixture in Boston's LGBTQ scene, is one of the pe...

Gov. Charlie Baker will leave office today after eight years leading Massachusetts, walking along out of the State House, as is custom. Paris and Jeremy talk about the end of his term, and the beginning of Gov.-elect Maura Healey’s tenure. Plus: Rep. Jake Auchincloss joins Paris and Jeremy to talk about a chaotic day on the House floor, with speaker elections going into their second day.

After two weeks apart for the holidays, Paris and Jeremy and the entire Morning Edition team are back in Boston, back in studio and back once again for The Wake Up Podcast. Today we explore what’s on tap for the 118th Congress in Washington DC, the inauguration of Maura Healey here in Massachusetts, and what we can expect for the MBTA in 2023 under their yet-to-be-named new general manager. Thanks...

How did The Price of Flight come together? Jeremy talks about where he found the story, how he tracked down sources and details, and the community ties formed in the process.

East Boston was once home to a massive waterfront park the size of nearly 40 football fields called Wood Island, a sparkling jewel in Frederick Law Olmsted’s Emerald Necklace. But in the 1960s, officials razed the park to make way for Logan Airport’s expansion. Morning Edition co-host Jeremy Siegel has been looking at how that decision has led to immense health disparities in Eastie, including hig...

Liliana Arteaga was 39 years old when she was diagnosed with colon cancer. “It was a big shock,” she said, sitting on a bench in her neighborhood of East Boston, not far from Logan International Airport. She and her family members also have asthma, and she knows neighbors who have, too, been diagnosed with cancer. But she didn’t connect her health issues to the airport. She wonders: Should she?

East Boston residents have been fighting for decades: For green space, for safer streets, for cleaner air and places for their children to play. In the 1960s, the Maverick Mothers took to the streets to stop Logan Airport’s expansion. Now, a new generation of activists — many of them mothers — is taking up the fight.

Tis the season for COVID cases to start ticking up again. Public health experts recommend people test before going to gatherings to help curb the spread of not just COVID, but the flu and RSV. How can Massachusetts residents get their hands on some free tests? Paris and Jeremy tick off some suggestions.

Some sea turtles that washed up on Massachusetts shores are getting a ride to warmer waters in Florida and Mississippi. Paris and Jeremy follow their journey. Also: Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Bee—

It’s a moment 30 years in the making: The Green Line extension into Somerville and Medford is finally a reality. Jeremy was on the first train to capture the excitement. Paris, Jeremy, and special guest Karen Marshall also discuss the project’s unintended consequence: Gentrification.

Paris and Jeremy asked for pizza recommendations, and listeners responded. We won’t get too cheesy, but it really put a pepperoni in our stepperoni. Plus: Gov. Charlie Baker was with our colleagues Jim Braude and Margery Eagan yesterday, and got calls from some familiar voices: Maura from Cambridge, Bill from Canton, and Marty from Dorchester.

The most-searched word of 2022? It’s five letters, and better when you use multiple vowels. Also: Notorious Boston mob boss and FBI informant James “Whitey” Bulger was killed in prison in 2018, but answers were slow to come out for years. Now, a new report digs into what happened.

Paris and Jeremy refrain from going full goblin mode, despite some news that would have merited it: Pizza chain Bertucci’s is declaring bankruptcy again. Plus: Listeners come in with their favorite supermarkets, and how they save money on their grocery bills.

A new report from nonprofit watchdog Boston's Consumer Checkbook compared 154 standard items across more than a dozen regional supermarket chains. Many competed, but only one could win — local favorite Market Basket. Plus:Governor-elect Maura Healy is meeting with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu today. Paris and Jeremy break down what they will discuss.

COVID levels in Boston-area wastewater more than doubled in the last 10 days of November, likely because of people getting together on Thanksgiving without proper precautions like testing and masking beforehand. How can people stay safe and avoid new variants? Jeremy and two special guests, Karen Marshall and Mark Herz, dig into the numbers

With Paris out today, Jeremy switches up the format a little bit and brings you an in-depth look at the proposal to let some citizens of Boston (who are younger than 18 years old) vote in upcoming municipal elections. GBH Politics Guru Adam Reilly jumps in to help out and break things down until the entire crew returns next week. Have a great Friday everyone!

How do people at Roca, the Chelsea organization using cognitive behavioral therapy to do violence intervention and prevention, feel about getting a visit from British royals, Prince William and Princess Kate? Paris and Jeremy spoke with the organization’s leader, founder and CEO Molly Baldwin, to find out.

Dust off your pun skills: This could be your opportunity to name a snowplow. Ahead of any seasonal snow, the Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate, are visiting Boston this week. That means a lot for the area: Money for local nonprofits, attractions for lovers of The Crown, and so, so much traffic. Paris and Jeremy break it all down.

Much like a truck heading through a Storrow Drive underpass, President Joe Biden is crashing the British royal visit to Boston later this week — Biden for a political fundraiser, William and Kate to announce who will receive their Earthshot Prizes. Paris and Jeremy talk about the guest list and the certain traffic and transit snarls the events will bring.

Merriam-Webster’s word of the year is “gaslight.” But don’t let it fool you: The increase in Christmas tree prices is very real. Jeremy and special guest Karen Marshall discuss.