The Wake Up

It's the first day of school in Boston. So what is Boston Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper hoping students and parents are thinking about? Being ready for class, having their morning meals, and an app that lets parents track school buses.

The City of Boston celebrates its birthday on Sept. 7. GBH's Edgar B. Herwick III has some trivia about our fair city. Can you get it right?

Massachusetts small claims courts are being inundated by corporate debt collectors, seeking money from mostly low-income people whose debt they've purchased from other companies. Jenifer McKim, interim investigations editor at the GBH News Center for Investigative Reporting, digs into the issue.

The novel sport of Pickleball has become so popular that it's making its way into state prisons.  Many feel that the sport can be therapeutic for incarcerated people during their rehabilitation.  We hear more from Connecticut Public’s Eddy Martinez.

Our resident meteorologist and avid gardener Dave Epstein breaks down what invasive species mean in the plant world, and how they can impact and wreak havoc on your garden and the entire local ecosystem.  

Imagine a college where every student is the first in their family to go to college. That's the plan for Messina College, a two-year associate degree program from Boston College. MassLive reporter Juliet Schulman-Hall, who covered the initiative, tells Paris all about it.

The Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation has provided small business loans and other resources to people in Boston’s underserved neighborhoods since 1979. In honor of Black Business Month, CEO Kimberly Lyle and local business owner Ricardo Louis join Paris to talk about how people can help.

For those who don’t know much about Rhode Island usually have an idea of Newport as “a bastion for the nation’s white elite,” GBH’s arts and culture reporter James Bennett II said. But wealthy Black families shaped the city too. Here are their stories.

Back to school means kids are sharing more germs. The CDC's Dr. Georgina Peacock talks to Jeremy about how vaccines can help --- and how to make sure they're accessible to all families. Plus: Esteban Bustillos shares the story of the first Black country club owner in Massachusetts.

Kenny Chesney is set to break the record for most shows played at Gillett Stadium, continuing his love affair with New England fans. Country 102.5 radio host Carolyn Kruse and MassLive's Ronnie Ramos talk to Jeremy about their special connection.

Edgard B. Herwick III joins Jeremy to see if he can spot the difference in summer-related trivia questions.

A ballot question in November will let Massachusetts voters weigh in on the future of minimum wages for certain bar and restaurant workers across the Commonwealth.  Jeremy Siegel speaks with Grace McGovern, a bartender that is IN FAVOR of this proposal.  Yesterday's podcast focused on the other side of this issue and the case AGAINST minimum tipped wage.

A ballot question in November will let Massachusetts voters weigh in on the future of minimum wages for certain bar and restaurant workers across the Commonwealth.  Jeremy Siegel speaks with two people against the proposal, Chris Keohan from the Committee to Protect Tips and Gretchen Shelgren, a local bartender.   Tomorrow we will focus on the other side of this issue and discuss the case FOR mini...

Eight years ago, GBH commentator and Under the Radar host Callie Crossley made a prediction: That Kamala Harris, then a first-term senator from California who not many people outside of her home state knew, was America’s next best chance at a female president. She joined Paris to reflect on her prescience. 

We love our pets...but are they actually prisoners in our home? An article in the latest edition of The New Yorker asks that question...and Jeremy gets answers from Dr. Terri Bright, clinical behaviorist at Angell Animal Medical Center. Plus GBH News' Sarah Bettencourt discusses the high cost of housing in Boston and who it is affecting the most.

How accurate is the weather and climate science we see on movie screens? There's often a kernel of truth to it, but like a massive tornado powerful enough to sweep up dozens of sharks, it's often exaggerated for dramatic effect. GBH meteorologist Dave Epstein explains.

As Democrats prepare for their convention, in which Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will formally accept the nomination, Massachusetts Congress people are feeling energized --- and seeking to differentiate themselves from the Republican ticket. Reps. Katherine Clark and Lori Trahan join Jeremy to discuss what they think voters care about.

Could planting tomatoes in the same soil multiple years in a row cause the plants to be more susceptible to disease? Is climate change causing more humid days? GBH's meteorologist and gardening expert Dave Epstein answers all your questions.

The annual Perseid meteor shower peaks in the early hours of Monday morning, and the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby should be out of New England by then. GBH’s meteorologist Dave Epstein gives us his advice for catching a glimpse of that comet tail. 

Living with addiction requires community and grace, said Heidi HyunJin Lee is an artist, teacher, Brazilian jiu jitsu fanatic, and mental health advocate. She joined Paris for this month's installment of our mental health series, Wake Up Well, ahead of Overdose Awareness Day on Aug. 31. For a list of mental health resources, go to gbhnews.org/wakeupwell. 

All year, Massachusetts lawmakers have been unveiling big policies on housing, jobs, the environment, and more. So which ones made it onto the law books, and which died without a vote? Paris talks to GBH's state house reporter Katie Lannan to find out. 

Anyone in Massachusetts who doesn't have a bachelor's degree can now attend community college tuition- and fee-free, provided they take at least six credits and apply for federal financial aid. So what does that mean for students? GBH's Kirk Carapezza talks to some to find out.

The self-described mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, accepted a plea deal for life in prison. GBH'S All Things Considered host Arun Rath, who covered his pretrial proceedings for years, talks to Jeremy about his experiences in Guantanamo Bay and what the plea deal means for 9/11 victims' families.

Starting today, you can pay for MBTA buses and trains by tapping your credit card or a mobile pay app on your phone. Jeremy takes a look back at paying T fares through the years, from Charlie on the MTA's nickels to tokens to CharlieCards.

Worcester's Stephen Nedoroscik is at the Olympics, winning bronze in men's gymnastics and taking the internet by storm. He talks to Jeremy about being an Olympic specialist and the many, many memes his girlfriend has sent him.