Thomas Wilkins, the Boston Symphony Orchestra's new Artistic Advisor for Education and Community Engagement, talks with Nichole about the "Concert for Our City" and the power of music in trying times. Audrey Conquergood, the Executive Director of Cradles to Crayons Boston, has details on the group's new fund to ensure children in need all over Massachusetts have the essentials as unemployment soars and food insecurity becomes more prevalent.

New England Weekend

The Concert for Our City, and Emergency Essentials for Kids

Jean McMurray, the Executive Director of the Worcester County Food Bank, talks with Nichole about navigating the significant uptick in demand. She also touches on the status of local food pantries in her area, and how hoarding at grocery stores is cutting into the Bank's donations.Dr. David Brendel, a psychiatrist from Belmont, answers questions about how the coronavirus can affect your mental health, and offers guidance on how to handle these trying times.

Demand Ramping Up at MA Food Banks, and COVID-19's Effect on Mental Health

Boston-area restaurant blogger Marc Hurwitz (Boston Restaurant Talk, Boston's Hidden Restaurants) talks with Nichole about the effects of coronavirus on the state's restaurant industry, and the thousands of workers losing their jobs because of restrictions in place. They also consider what the industry might look like after the virus threat subsides. How many of these restaurants that closed down will be able to open their doors again?Erin McAleer, President of Project Bread, talks with Nichole about resources for people who suddenly find themselves in a food-insecure situation, either from losing their job or not being able to go to school.

COVID-19 Attacks the Massachusetts Restaurant Industry, and Sudden Food Insecurity

Dr. David Hamer, Professor of Global Health and Medicine at the Boston University School of Public Health and School of Medicine, comes on the show to talk about the coronavirus pandemic. Nichole talks with him about how the virus presents, what to expect in the coming weeks, and how to take care of yourself. Plus, he answers listener questions! Ed Chase, the Director of CCRI at MassHousing, is also on the show. Four brand new grants were just approved for sober housing and recovery programs in Massachusetts. Ed and Nichole talk about those in depth, and the process that officials use to determine who gets those grants.

COVID-19 in New England, and a Boost for Sober Housing

Playwright Lisa Rafferty joins Nichole to talk about her new work, "ONWARD - Votes for Women". The documentary play highlights some of the voices and perspectives of women who fought to secure the right to vote, and those who continue the fight for equal rights today. Ricky DeSisto of Cardinal Cushing Centers and Kathryn Prioli of South Shore Bank talk about their upcoming St. Patrick's Day fundraiser to send this year's graduating class at Cardinal Cushing on the "Trip of a Lifetime" to Disney World!

Honoring the Fight for Suffrage, and the "Trip of a Lifetime"

Dr. Aaron Schmidt, assistant professor of microbiology at the Harvard Medical School and Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard answers listener questions about coronavirus. He also talks with Nichole about what the virus is, how much risk we are really under, and ways people can take effective preventive measures. Michelle Loglisci with Massachusetts Residents Against Crumbling Concrete has the story of thousands of homes in central and western Massachusetts, built with concrete from a Connecticut quarry. The concrete was discovered to be contaminated with a mineral, pyrrhotite, which causes concrete to crumble. Now, the foundations of those homes are cracking, and she tells Nichole residents are desperate for help from Beacon Hill and the federal government to save their longtime homes - and avoid financial disaster.

Your Questions Answered on Coronavirus, and Residents Fight Crumbling Foundations

Boston City Councilors Michelle Wu and Ed Flynn talk about their interactions with constituents in neighborhoods directly affected by Coronavirus fears, including Chinatown and the South End. They also discuss the hit to businesses, and resources for Bostonians to get more information about the virus. Mikaela McSherry, the Senior Director of Program Operations at Cambridge Network, talks about Chinese exchange students living in Massachusetts, how they're dealing with the pandemic, and support they're receiving from host families and schools.

Coronavirus in Massachusetts: Separating Fact From Fiction

Bethany Coito, Youth Services Coordinator for the New Bedford Public Library, is on the show this week to talk about their new program called “Wash and Read”. The library’s stocking books in laundromats around the city to keep kids entertained and engaged while parents take care of their laundry. Yoichi Udagawa, conductor of the Melrose Symphony Orchestra, details the symphony’s upcoming concert that focuses on friends, and special pieces that celebrate those relationships. Dr. Jennifer Schwartz is the Medical Director of Health Services at Wellesley College. The school’s started up a one of a kind partnership with Newton-Wellesley Hospital, where the hospital’s essentially taken over all the health services for students on campus. She joins Nichole to break down the services this covers, where the idea came from and how the rollout is going.

"Wash and Read" in New Bedford, New Partnerships in Wellesley, and Celebrating Friends in Melrose

Rep. Chynah Tyler (D- Suffolk 7th) comes on the show to tell us about the Boston Black Restaurant Challenge. She talks with Nichole about the restaurants involved in the Challenge, how it was developed to honor Black History Month, and the extra set of hurdles Black business owners face - not just in Boston, but around the country. Genevra Morse, Director of Education and Online Programs for the New England Historical Genealogical Society, is on the show to talk about the Society’s new “Four Nation” Concert Series. This is the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower landing, but the history is far more complex than many of us may realize. Genevra explains the roles of the Dutch, English, and Wampanoag in the story of the Pilgrims, and details the lecture-concert series that kicks off next week with music that has roots from centuries ago.

Boston's Black Restaurant Challenge, and Exploring Pilgrims' Past Through Music

Janet Lipkin, the volunteer coordinator at the Sudbury Senior Center, talks with Nichole about their program dedicated to helping seniors access important medical equipment. Erosion's wearing away at a neighborhood in Eastham, on the Outer Cape, and Town Administrator Jacqueline Beebe details the town's plan to fight back against the waves. Plus, bonus stories from WBZ's Ben Parker, Carl Stevens and Kim Tunnicliffe!

Sudbury Helps Seniors Heal, and Eastham Residents Tackle Erosion

Nichole's joined by Marc Hurwitz, author of two well known Boston-area restaurant blogs – Boston’s Hidden Restaurants and Boston Restaurant Talk. We discuss the state of the Boston restaurant industry – why are so many of our favorites closing? He also gives us some recommendations, and we talk about road trip suggestions where you can get a great meal around New England.

Greater Boston Restaurant Talk, and New England Foodie Trips

Nichole speaks with four experts about all facets of postpartum depression, from the biology behind it to signs and symptoms. She also discusses resources for sufferers in New England and around the country, efforts to fight the stigma, and legislation from Beacon Hill to Capitol Hill.She's joined by Jessie Colbert, the Executive Director of the Mass. PPD Fund; Dr. Leena Mittal, the Director of the Division of Women's Mental Health at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Associate Medical Director for MCPAP for Moms; Dr. Lauren Brown, a clinical perinatal psychologist who volunteers with PSI Massachusetts; and Jamie Zahlaway Belsito, the founder of the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance.CONTENT WARNING: Suicide, depression, violence, mental health

The State of Postpartum Depression in Massachusetts

Project Bread's Erin McAleer joins Nichole to talk about the state of food insecurity in Massachusetts, and what's being done to help everyone put food on the table. Mark Rousseau, a marine biologist with the Department of Marine Fisheries, talks about the Commonwealth's five artificial reefs off the coast, and how materials we discard can be turned into habitats for marine life.

Food Insecurity in Massachusetts, and Artificial Reefs in the Atlantic

Massachusetts State Treasurer Deb Goldberg tells Nichole about the state's new program to help families save for college from birth, Baby Steps. Julie Leven, Founder and Artistic Director of Shelter Music Boston, talks about the group's performances in homeless shelters and rehab centers across the state, and their mission to help those going through a vulnerable time through music.

Baby Steps to Saving, and Shelter Music Boston Spreads Hope

Massachusetts' Deputy State Fire Marshal, Maribel Fournier, comes on the show to talk about all things fire safety as we get ready for the long winter ahead. Brooke Maher, the event director for Boston's First Night celebration, has all the details about the events scheduled to ring in the new year. WBZ reporters Kim Tunnicliffe, Carl Stevens, Karyn Regal and Kendall Buhl bring us stories from the holiday season around Massachusetts.

Winter Fire Safety, Boston's First Night, and Holiday Stories

WBZ’s Nichole Davis shares the stories from your community Saturday nights at 10:00 PM on WBZ NewsRadio 1030.

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New England Weekend

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