Lisa Creamer

School leaders reassure families as fears spread over feds' immigration crackdown The move comes after Trump rescinded a policy that kept schools off limits from immigration raids and arrests.

Fears that federal agents may target students spiked last week among pupils, parents and educators after Trump rescinded a policy that kept schools and other “sensitive” locations off limits from immigration raids and arrests.

A giant 3 foot tall soft stuffed elephant sits in top of a large floor display full of ramen and other dried instant noodles.

Atop a supermarket's long waist-high display of Valentine's candy sit three very large stuffed animals, each of them two or three feet tall. There's an owl, a cute blue-grey rhino, and a stuffed olive and grass green t-rex. The display is stacked to the gills and is very tidy and appealing.

A packed-full display of berries at the supermarket, including the labels above them showing the prices. One sticker reads "Classy Mixed Berries." The berries are, in fact, very classy.

A closeup of another stuffed rhino atop a display of macaroni shells and noodles. He is so cute and it hurt to leave him behind.

The merchandising and signage team at the Market Basket in Chelsea continues to reach levels other markets can't even dream of.

Snowstorm to hit Boston will drop 2-4 inches before Arctic blast arrives Wet, snowy weather returns to Boston this weekend, ushering in bitterly cold temperatures early next week.

Here's what you need to know about the coming snowstorm hitting Boston this weekend.

Plus, the weather drama doesn't end there. Get prepared for the Arctic blast headed our way, too:

Saving eelgrass, the most important plant you’ve likely never heard of Eelgrass is a critical habitat for fish, protects against coastal erosion and stores carbon. But it's threatened by pollution and climate change. Dozens of local scientists are working to protect and ...

Cute animals get a lot of conservation shine, but here's a story about a slimy green plant that deserves your attention.

New Orleans truck attack spurs potential Halloween safety changes in Salem In the wake of the deadly New Year's truck attack, officials in Salem are eyeing new measures — including expanded barricades — to keep crowds safe during their annual Haunted Happening festivities.

Salem is eyeing new Halloween safety measures — including expanded barricades — in the wake of last week's deadly New Orleans truck attack.

Plus:
— US Attorney for Mass. to resign
— State rep under investigation
— BPS closings
— Your 2025 Boston Calling lineup
www.wbur.org/news/2025/01...

A Pulitzer winner quits 'Washington Post' after a cartoon on Bezos is killed Washington Post cartoonist Ann Telnaes resigned after an editor rejected her sketch satirizing tech chiefs, including the Post's owner and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

Washington Post cartoonist Ann Telnaes resigned after an editor rejected her sketch satirizing tech chiefs, including the Post's owner and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

Health insurance costs will soar for Mass. residents in 2025 Insurers said one major driver of higher premiums is the growing popularity of a relatively new class of injectable drugs to manage diabetes and weight loss.

The state’s largest health insurers, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and Point32Health, told WBUR their customers can expect average increases of 8 to 10%.

Boston on track this year for historic low murder count The city logged 23 homicides through mid-December, down from 37 last year and far below its historic average. In the early '90s, Boston recorded more than 100 murders a year.

The city logged 23 homicides through mid-December, down from 37 last year and far below its historic average. In the early '90s, Boston recorded more than 100 murders a year.

Boston holiday week forecast: Cold eases slowly, with snowfall likely Christmas Eve Boston kicks off the holiday week with frigid air, but snowfall and seasonable temperatures are expected. Here's your holiday forecast.

Boston kicks off the holiday week with frigid air, but snowfall and seasonable temperatures are expected. Here's your holiday forecast.

Word of the day (of course) is ‘scurryfunging’, from US dialect: the frantic attempt to tidy the house just before guests arrive.

Obituary for Santa M. Creamer Clipping found in The Republican published in Springfield, Massachusetts on 12/30/1997. Obituary for Santa M. Creamer

! Was she Italian? Sandra is exactly what my grandmother went by. Sounds like it’s likely a popular nickname for all the lady Santas out there. www.newspapers.com/article/the-...

I recently learned my grandmother’s real name was Santa. 🫠

The reports of irony’s death are greatly exaggerated.

Sen. Warren fights back on Elon Musk's call to 'delete' watchdog agency Warren says it would be a mistake to weaken an agency that protects thousands of American consumers from financial malfeasance, and argues the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau could help Trump mak...

Sen. Warren fights back against Elon Musk threat to "delete" a watchdog agency she helped create, telling consumers, "hang on to your wallet."

The mystery and history of narwhals revealed at PEM Narwhals have fascinated and confounded humans for centuries. The Peabody Essex Museum is diving into the mystery, history and science of the tusked “unicorns of the sea.”

Narwhals have fascinated and confounded humans for centuries. The Peabody Essex Museum is diving into the mystery, history and science of the tusked “unicorns of the sea.”

How rescuers save endangered sea turtles cold-stunned on Cape beaches Cold-stunned turtles wash up on Cape Cod every year. But over time, the number of imperiled critters has exploded. Mass Audubon staffers are the first in a chain of rescue crews that work around the c...

More here: www.wbur.org/news/2024/12...

Cold-stunned turtles wash up on Cape Cod every year. But over time, the number of imperiled critters has exploded, fueled by climate change.

WBUR's Katie Cole followed a chain of rescuers working around the clock to save these endangered animals, which you can see in our video below:

Word of the day is ‘forswunk’ (13th century): exhausted by work.

I like to add ‘foreswunk’, exhausted before you even begin.

Word of the morning is ‘williwaw’ (19th century): a sudden violent squall or a toppling gust of wind.

Goes well with ‘thunderplump’: a sudden downpour that soaks you to the skin in seconds.

New password guidelines: What to know The National Institute of Standards and Technology is issuing new guidelines for passwords.

The new password guidelines will do away with special character requirements, mixing upper- and lower-case letters and periodic password updates.

From upstate New York to the Salem Witch Trials, a podcast explores 'mass psychogenic illness' Dan Taberski, creator of the podcast "Hysterical," explains how he became interested in a condition that causes physical symptoms with no apparent medical source, its possible role in the Salem Witch ...

Dan Taberski, creator of the podcast "Hysterical," explains how he became interested in a condition that causes physical symptoms with no apparent medical source, its possible role in the Salem Witch Trials, and how the illness is treated by the media and medical professions.

Feds launch investigation of Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson The exact focus of the probe isn't known, and no criminal charges have been filed. The council's president said Tuesday it was important to respect the legal process and "drawing any conclusions right...

Federal authorities are reportedly investigating Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson:

5 reasons why The Shining is a Christmas movie

1. Snow
2. Red rum
3. Hyperactive kids
4. Big snuggly jumpers
5. Huge family row ending with someone putting an axe through the door.

Here's how to get help with your winter heating bills in Mass. If you're worried about paying your utility or fuel oil bills this winter, here’s what you need to know.

If you're worried about paying your utility or fuel oil bills this winter, here’s what you need to know.

A migrant family sprints for housing as shelter clock ticks As Massachusetts moved to limit shelter costs and stays, the Eduoards and other migrant families stared down a fast-approaching deadline. If they failed to find a home of their own, they were facing a...

A great series by my colleague, @wbur.org’s Simón Rios, about the arduous journey one migrant family faced to find home in Massachusetts — and the challenges that remain before them.

Turkey, traffic and talking politics: Play WBUR's Thanksgiving weekend bingo How did you spend Thanksgiving weekend so far? Play bingo to see if you're yamming it up, Massachusetts style.

Bingo! Take a break from the news and play Thanksgiving bingo to see if you're yamming it up, Massachusetts style.

Ready to play?

Supreme Risk: An Interactive Guide to Rights the Supreme Court Could Take Away Most rights are based in statute, but dozens — such as rights to same-sex marriage, search warrants and Miranda warnings — are based on judicial rulings that the Supreme Court can overturn and that…

In 2023, our team created an interactive guide to rights the Supreme Court has established — and could take away.

Most rights are based in statute, but rights to same-sex marriage, search warrants and Miranda warnings are based on judicial rulings that the Supreme Court can overturn. ⤵️

Climate change in New England may scorch summer fun, study finds By the end of this century, researchers from MIT forecast New England could see fewer days when it's comfortable to be active outdoors in the summer, but the region could see more pleasant weather in ...

Climate change may force you to change your mind about going outdoors as often in the summertime.

It's worth noting, however, that days when temperatures fall between 50 to 77 degrees are expected to increase in the fall and spring toward the end of the century.

Brockton mayor vetoes bans on camping and loitering in public spaces The city council passed the ordinances two weeks ago in an attempt to restrict homeless encampments. They would have allowed the city to fine people who violated the camping and loitering bans.

Brockton's mayor vetoed two ordinances that would prohibit loitering and camping on public property.

Thanksgiving forecast: Downpours in Boston, with heavy snow hitting some Mass. communities A storm system will sweep over the region Thanksgiving Day, bringing a mix of rain and wind. Some areas even face a chance of snowfall.

Here's the updated forecast for Thanksgiving: