WBUR TODAY: 'Tini hats and bobbleheads

 

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❤️ Donate Monday, August 24, 2026 ☀️ Sunny, with a high of 82. Good Morning Boston, Bridgewater's Little League World Series run came to an end over the weekend, but the Red Sox are rolling again after a rejuvenating sweep of the Giants at Fenway Park. (Just don't look too closely at this replay.) Speaking of which... A not-so-tini return on investment: If the Red Sox' remarkable turnaround season wasn't enough to get you to Fenway, officials are hoping cute martini-inspired hats will do the trick. The park has been offering ticket promotions, like theme nights and cultural identity nights, for around a decade. But over the last four seasons, the events — and the limited-edition merch associated with them — have spiked in popularity. In 2023, the stadium attracted 60,000 fans through these offers, according to Travis Pollio, senior director of ticket strategy and promotions at the Red Sox. This year, they're expecting that number to land between 225,000 to 250,000. "People are really passionate about many things," Pollio said. "Coming to Fenway, of course. Seeing a baseball game. But obviously everyone has many interests, and when we can pair those and provide an experience at Fenway that's a little bit more unique, that's really what's helped create this amazing world we're in now." What kind of events are we talking? Pollio first noticed the potential for theme nights after two "viral" collaborations in 2023 — one with Bad Bunny and another following the release of the summer blockbuster "Barbie."  Learning from that, Pollio said his team prioritizes "finding what's new, what's hot, what's trendy, and pulling off promotions quicker and faster than anyone can in 30, 45, 60 days," he said. Themes cover a range of interests, from espresso martinis to Netflix's "KPop Demon Hunters" to author Mel Robbins. And limited-edition items serve as an extra draw.  "We drop a new hot dog hat and it's like, we sell 1,000 tickets in a day sort of a thing," Pollio said. New faces at Fenway: Theme nights are responsible for tens of thousands of first-time visits to Fenway, according to Pollio. He said that between 30% to 40% of attendees at these events have never bought a ticket to a Red Sox game before. "It's providing us the opportunity to make these individuals Red Sox fans," Pollio said. "We're continually funneling in new people, and these offers have become one of the most successful ways in doing that." Go deeper: Whether you're one of the thousands of first-timers at Fenway or just haven't been in a while, check out our new Field Guide to Fenway Park, which includes tips on navigating the ballpark, nearby dining options, and of course, where to find a public restroom. Psst: You can scout out all of Fenway's upcoming theme nights here. In the Seaport: The federal extortion trial for Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins begins today at Boston's Moakley Courthouse. Prosecutors say Tompkins pressured a cannabis company executive for a $50,000 equity investment in exchange for a continued partnership with the sheriff's department — and then later pressed for a refund when the value of the stock fell. Tompkins, who has stepped away from his job during the trial, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. What to expect: The trial is expected to last two weeks. In last week's Mass. Politics newsletter, WBUR's Gin Dumcius explained how Tompkins' defense may try to use a chain of group chat messages to refute the charges. Meanwhile in Plymouth: The murder trial of Lindsay Clancy is entering its final phase this week. After Clancy's defense rested its case Friday, WBUR's Deborah Becker reports that the prosecution is expected to call expert rebuttal witnesses to respond to the defense's arguments today, before the two sides move to closing arguments. The case is then expected to go to the jury to decide the verdict later this week. P.S. — After a dip in popularity, flounder is back on the menu at 10 local restaurants as part of a statewide "Flat is Back" campaign to promote the fish. From now through Sept. 30, you can try flounder dishes at Boston-area eateries like Comfort Kitchen, Row 34 and Bistro du Midi. See the full list and how they're serving the fish. Hanna Ali Associate Producer, Newsletters The Rundown O'Brien sues Goldberg and Cannabis Control Commission, reviving feud O'Brien's lawsuit includes three separate claims against Goldberg: retaliation in violation of the Massachusetts Whistleblower Act, a charge also brought against the CCC; violation of the Massachusetts Civil Rights Act; and that Goldberg invaded her privacy. Goldberg's office said O'Brien is dredging up old issues that have already been litigated. Read more. As Canada readies retaliatory tariffs, Mark Carney says his nation is 'at war' with U.S. The U.S. has now imposed 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian products. Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada will match those tariffs "dollar for dollar" starting Sept. 8. Read more. On eve of trial, Middlesex DA drops charges against ICE protesters “I had just sent them the witness and exhibit list, and the next day I got the message that they had decided to drop it,” said attorney Kylah Clay. Read more. excerpt:  The Middlesex County District Attorney's office has dropped criminal trespassing charges against two anti-ICE protesters, just days before the beginning of a trial. Activists had said they planned to use the court case to highlight detention conditions inside ICE’s New England field office. In September, Nathan Phillips and Nastasia Lawton-Sticklor tried to deliver food to immigrants at the ICE facility in Burlington, following months of revelations about the office being used to house detainees for multiple days. They were arrested and charged by Burlington Police with misdemeanor trespassing. Instead of striking a deal with prosecutors, the pair decided to go to trial and bring witnesses to testify about the controversial facility. “I am disappointed that we weren't able to tell those stories in [court] and really shed light on what's happening,” said Lawton-Sticklor, a Leominster-based activist who was representing herself pro se in the proceedings. “But I also think that criminalizing protest is not a good thing.” The federal government's use of the Burlington site to house ICE detainees has been condemned as inhumane by attorneys. Members of Congress have regularly visited the site to conduct oversight visits. 'It embarrasses me to be involved': Inside the National Guard D.C. deployment As President Trump's deployment of the National Guard to Washington, D.C. enters its second year, three guard members who served many months on the mission share their reactions with NPR. Read more. Trump administration's 75-country visa ban was illegal, judge rules The U.S. stopped issuing visas for citizens of 75 countries because it said they were likely to need public assistance. A judge ruled the policy illegally discriminated on the basis of nationality. Read more. Anything Else? Following a historic strike authorization vote, Boston Symphony Orchestra leadership and the union representing its musicians agreed to a 48-hour extension of their labor contract until Tuesday. Mapping out your autumn plans? Our 2026 fall arts guides kick off with 12 art exhibits coming up at museums across Massachusetts.  Boston's rock community is mourning the loss of bassist Linda Pardee, who died last week at the age of 60. Pardee was one of the founding forces behind the retro mod pop trio The Chelsea Curve, which played at Boston Calling in 2022. What We're Reading 📚 Boston Taking Extreme Measures to Combat Underage Drinking (The Wall Street Journal) Dismantling the Roadless Rule threatens to disrupt wildlife and water in US (Ars Technica) For women golfers, life on the fringes can be rough: Inside the costs of playing on the LPGA Tour (The Boston Globe) Tell Me Something Good Massive Atlantic blue marlin reeled in off Massachusetts may be largest-ever East Coast catch (CBS News) A blue marlin weighing 1,260 pounds was caught by a charter fishing boat off Massachusetts. Read more. Play: WBUR's daily mini crossword. Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: Will work for black raspberry ice cream. 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up here. 🔎 Explore WBUR's Field Guide stories, events and more. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. Check out all of our newsletter offerings. 📱 Download the WBUR App for iPhones and iPads or Android devices.               Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? Click here. Trustees of Boston University on behalf of WBUR 890 Commonwealth Ave Boston, MA, 02215, US Copyright © 2026 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved.

WBUR TODAY: The Fairmount's fume-free future

 

❤️ Donate Monday, December 1, 2025 ☀️ Sunny, with a high near 42. Good Morning Boston, It's a new week — and a new month. The start of meteorological winter is making its presence known with a blustery storm tomorrow that could drop plowable snow across New England. The line between snow and rain still looks uncertain, but you can get meteorologist Danielle Noyes' full forecast on the storm sent directly to your inbox later today when you sign up for our new Weather Alerts email. Now, let's get to the news: Back on track: After nearly five months of limited service, the MBTA's Fairmount commuter rail line returns to its normal schedule today. Crews spent the summer and fall replacing 28 miles of track to prepare the line for the arrival of electric, battery-assisted trains. The work meant big gaps in the middle of the day with no trains on the Fairmount Line. But it sets the stage for cleaner, more frequent service in the near future. Catch up: The MBTA's approved a plan in July 2024 to bring battery-electric trains to the Fairmount Line, replacing the current diesel fleet. The Fairmount Line is the MBTA's shortest commuter rail line, running from South Station to Readville in the southern tip of Boston. It would also be the first in Massachusetts to run 100% electric trains. The first trains are expected to arrive in early 2028. For riders: After years of advocacy, the Fairmount Line now runs trains every 30 minutes throughout most of the day. However, electric trains can accelerate and slow down quicker, allowing the T to ramp up service even more. According to Gov. Maura Healey's office, the new trains would run every 20 minutes on weekdays. For neighbors: The switch also means "notably less air pollution" in the areas served by the Fairmount Line. Diesel engines emit a slew of pollutants that can aggravate respiratory conditions like asthma. A report by the city in 2023 found Mattapan, one of the majority Black neighborhoods the Fairmount Line serves, had the highest rates of asthma-related emergency department visits in the city. Meanwhile at South Station: The MBTA is planning to activate the newly installed fare gates at South Station's commuter rail and Amtrak platforms this month. (T officials say they'll announce a specific date after they finish testing.) In court: Opening statements begin today in the trial of a Cohasset man accused of killing his wife nearly three years ago. Prosecutors say Brian Walshe killed and dismembered his 39-year-old wife, Ana Walshe, after a 2023 New Year's party. Her body was never found. But according to prosecutors, Brian Walshe made multiple online searches for things like “dismemberment and best ways to dispose of a body" and a man resembling Walshe was seen on video throwing what appeared to be heavy trash bags into a dumpster not far from their home. Last month, Walshe pleaded guilty to lesser charges of misleading police about his wife's disappearance and disposing of her body. He remains on trial for a single count of first-degree murder — to which he pleaded not guilty. Meanwhile on the South Shore: More than 100 residents of a nursing home in Rockland were evacuated on Saturday afternoon due to a fire at the facility. No injuries were reported, and crews were able to quickly put out the blaze. However, water damage has left all 102 residents of Webster Park Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center displaced. Many have relocated to nearby nursing homes, according to a Facebook post from Scituate's fire fighters, who assisted in the response. According to The Boston Globe, state fire officials suspect the fire originated from an electrical issue with a bathroom ceiling fan on the third floor. But the investigation remains ongoing. Heads up, drivers: The Callahan Tunnel will be closed again between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. for three nights this week, tonight through Wednesday, as MassDOT crews continue maintenance work on the North End's Richmond Street Bridge. Drivers coming into the city from I-93 southbound and the Haymarket on-ramp will be detoured through Seaport over to the Ted Williams Tunnel eastbound. The good news is the end is (seemingly) near: MassDOT expects the bridge maintenance work will be complete by the end of the year. P.S. — Boston is celebrating the grand reopening of the renovated Copley Square Park this evening with the plaza's first tree lighting since 2022. There'll be music, crafts and food from 4-6 p.m. (And yes, Santa Claus and Rudolph will be there, too.) Hanna Ali Associate Producer, Newsletters Nik DeCosta-Klipa Senior Editor, Newsletters The Rundown 83 years after deadly Cocoanut Grove fire, descendants of those killed remember who they lost Fire ripped through the club, killing nearly 500 people and injuring hundreds more. It remains the deadliest fire in Boston history, and the deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history. For those left behind, their losses remain raw, even 83 years later. Read more. The Agriculture secretary says SNAP changes are coming. Here's what we know Brooke Rollins has made a case for sweeping changes to food aid programs by claiming USDA has uncovered "massive fraud." But she and USDA haven't provided the underlying data or any evidence. Read more. Mass. college student deported while traveling to Texas for Thanksgiving The Babson College student was detained by immigration officials at Logan Airport on Nov. 20. Within two days, she was sent to Texas and then Honduras, the country she left at age 7. Read more. Where things stand with the National Guard shooting in D.C. The Trump administration has halted the processing of immigration requests from Afghans, and D.C. police will accompany National Guard members patrolling the city. Read more. Venezuela calls Trump's call to close airspace a 'colonialist threat' President Trump said that the airspace "above and surrounding Venezuela" was "closed in its entirety". In response, the Venezuelan government said his comments violate international law, and are a "colonialist threat" to its sovereignty. Read more. Anything Else? Boston's South End and Chinatown was home to an Arab immigrant community known as "Little Syria" from the late 1800s through the 1950s. “Arab Massachusetts,” a new exhibit on display the Pao Art Center in Chinatown, tells the story of how these immigrants helped shape the commonwealth. Looking for a gift for the bookworm in your life? Here & Now asked "The Stacks" podcast host Traci Thomas for some literary gift suggestions. Here's what she shared. New Hampshire tourism officials expect 3 million people to hit the State's slopes and ski trails this winter. But getting them up there before peak season begins has proved to be a "perennial problem." What We're Reading 📚 Years in, panel tasked with offering new Mass. flag says it needs another extension amid ‘public misunderstanding’ (The Boston Globe) A more than 200-year-old blacksmith shop in Cornwall seeks new owner (Vermont Public) The Medical Case That Still Haunts Me (The New York Times) Life Advice 4 marketing tricks to not fall for this holiday season Retailers use marketing techniques to get you to spend more, like creating a false sense of urgency or creating artificial discounts. Outsmart the gimmicks with these tips from NPR's Life Kit. Read more. Play: WBUR's daily mini crossword. Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: Now that's a well-fluffed Christmas tree. 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up here. 🔎 Explore WBUR's Field Guide stories, events and more. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. Check out all of our newsletter offerings.               Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? Click here. Trustees of Boston University on behalf of WBUR 890 Commonwealth Ave Boston, MA, 02215, US Copyright © 2025 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved.