“We have it in Our Power to Begin the World Over Again.”  — Thomas Paine, 1776.

7/2/26, Co-Host Andy Bukowski.

Award-winning poet Martín Espada on “Shame” – the story of, his poem on, Alligator Alcatraz, featured in this month’s special edition of the Nation Magazine along with pieces by Jane Fonda, Bill McKibben, Zohran Mamdani, Bernie Sanders and other progressive luminaries.

Max Page, Pres of Mass Teachers Ass’n: ballot questions on taxes and rent control stuck from November’s ballot—for different reasons; Trump’s school voucher program in Mass; more $ for our schools?

Congressman Jim McGovern: celebrating the 250th, government dysfunction, the housing bill, wars in Iran, Ukraine & Gaza, USAID, Trump’s 2026 election-rigging plans, & reflections on the reflecting pool.

Kristin Neville, Ex Dir, Blues to Green, & Lorenzo Gaines, Social Media & Community Engagement Guru, on the next weekend’s  joyous Springfield Jazz and Roots Festival – free and open to all—an amazing lineup of musicians.

Dredging Things Up

July 1, 2026, Co-Host Brian Adams

District Attorney for Hampshire and Franklin Counties David Sullivan reviews this week’s Supreme Court decisions – a sobering assessment.

Catherine (Cat) McEachern from ServiceNet’s Autism Connections on the Autism Prom, the Blue Envelope Bill, autism’s stigma—or not, & her journey.

Rosalie Starvish, Water Resource Engineer: the Mill River, Smith College, dredging or not; culverts and Conway – stream restoration; & when a lake is a pond –an existential question for limnologists—and you!

Cool Films with Larry Hott. Larry recommends “Marty, Life is Short” and “Steve (Martin)—a Documentary in Two Pieces.”

Looking Ahead

6/30/26 Co-Host Amilcar Shabazz

Lisa Wong, So Hadley Town Administrator: overrides, budget-busting health insurance costs, what towns and cities are saying to each other.

Tara Jacobs, Governor’s Councilor, on pardons, commutations, judicial confirmations & parole board nominees.  

Salman Hameed, professor and astronomer, on cotton-candy planets, signs of life, Project Hail Mary & airbags in space.

Laurie Millman & Urszula Wolanska-Fettes, from the Center for New Americans, on becoming a citizen & the July 4th ceremony.

Staking Our Ground

6/29/26, Co-Host — Megan Zinn.

Gloria J. Browne-Marshall, Founder of National Martyrs Day, July 5, honoring social justice warriors who died for the cause. Prof Browne-Marshall is the author of “A Protest History of the United States,” an award-winning playwright, and a Professor of Constitutional Law.

Writers Block. Megan Zinn interviews Debra Curtis on “Laws of Love and Logic,” sisterhood, forgiveness, and the complicated nature of love. Smith College plays a part.

Eric Nakajima, Holyoke Dir of Planning & Econ Devel: new data centers have been banned in the City—why?

“A Stake in the Ground 1774”—opening soon in Historic Deerfield, the resonance of dissent and revolution, with Historic Deerfield’s Claire Carlson and Plays in Place Producing Artistic Dir Patrick Gabridge.

Politics & Cellos

6/26/26, Co-Host Josh Silver

Political Gold with Josh Silver:  the secret recording of RFK pushing to elect a loyal Trump Republican. A crime?

Easthampton Mayor Salem Derby: the BIG ongoing World Cup party and performances in his city w/ a sidebar on the  Prop 2 ½ Override.

Rep Mindy Domb on Amherst Pride, the Blue Envelope legislation—now law! & the anti-book-banning bill.

Josh Silver on this week’s electoral victories for progressive Democrats & the influence of NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani on the midterms.

LIVE in studio—Jeremy Harman and Stijn Kuppens, members of the Intergalactic Cello Quarter, workshop leaders at this week’s New Directions Cello Festival at Smith College, & the performances at Bombyx this weekend.

Let the SunShine In

6/25/26, Co-Host – Andy Bukowski.

Nancy Talanian, Co-Founder, the western Mass-based Guantanamo Survivors Fund on her fund and tomorrow’s U.N. International Day In Support of Victims of Torture.

Carol Rose, Exec Dir of the ACLU of Mass, on the passing of 40+year  ACLUM Legal Director John Reinstein, SCOTUS, birthright citizenship, and celebrating July 4 –”Beyond 250” and “Fired Up for Freedom.”

Carole Bull, Northampton-based UCC Pastor, on Paki Wieland, non-violent direct action, L-3Harris demonstrations, the necessity defense & the relevant lessons of scripture.

John Anz, host of All That Jazz, with pianist and composer Jen Allen on her life in Music & her upcoming performance July 13 at Bushnell Park in Hartford

A Natural World, Stars & Rising Suns

6/24/26 Co-Host Brian Adams

Stephen Platt, UMass History Prof & 2026 Guggenheim Fellow: China rising, isolated, capitalist, run by CCP, WWII internment camps, & more –a fascinating conversation.

Kevin Whitney, Pres & COO Cooley Dickinson Hospital: emergency & urgent care, how the relationship with MGB actually works, keeping money loca,l & a shout-out for the new coffee shop!

Stephen Rich, UMass Microbiologist: everything you ever wanted and didn’t want to know about ticks & protecting yourself.

Sonya Clark, Amherst Coll Art & Art History Prof & 2026 Guggenheim Fellow: Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye, marigolds, hair, ancestors, creativity, genius.

You Can’t Trump This

6/23/26, Co-Host — Amilcar Shabazz

Ivy Meeropol — her newest documentary film is “Ask E. Jean,” on E. Jean Carroll and Donald Trump’s sexual assault of her— now at the Amherst Cinema.

Paul Newlin, founder and Director of Watermelon Wednesdays, on the upcoming concert of Skye Consort with vocalist Emma Bjorling and the quarter century history of Watermelon Wednesdays.

Lora Wondolowski, Gfld City Council Pres, on the state’s refusal to certify “free cash,” a tough budget year, & alarm over possible layoffs at Baystate Franklin Medical Center.

Duke Goldman, Negro Baseball League expert, on ongoing discrimination in professional sports.

Fireworks

6/22/26, Co-Host — Megan Zinn

Nate Woodard, recent Gfld H.S. grad; Co-Chair, Gfld Human Rts Comm’n; Student Trustee, Gfld Community College; Youth Leader, Communities that Care Coalition: his extraordinary journey from homelessness & his goal of becoming President.

Laura Zigman—coming to the Odyssey this Wednesday on her new work “The Author Weekend.” (Megan Zinn loves this author.)

Harvard Law School Criminal Law Prof Alexandra Natapoff: “America Unfinished: 250 Years of Law and Governance” – race, class & justice for sale.

Amherst Town Mgr Paul Bockelman & Comms Mgr Sam Giffen: Hampshire College update, the revised budget, celebrating Pride, upcoming fireworks, & Reading Frederick Douglass Together.

Live & Local

6/19/26 (Host – Josh Silver)

MTA President Max Page: The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s decision to bar the proposed income tax cut ballot initiative from appearing on the November ballot.

Rep Lindsay Sabadosa & Wildlife Conservationist Emma Howard Boutiette: Legislation to stop SGARS (Second-Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides) – highly potent rat and mouse poisons

Rep Lindsay Sabadosa: Environmental Bond Bill – rewilded golf course in Williamsburg & Economic Development Bond Bill – Quantum Computing, digital revision

Professor Austin Sarat: 50th Anniversary of reinstatement of the death penalty, where the death penalty stands now in the U.S. & the U.S. Iran Peace Deal

Emily Boddy, Co-Founder of Reconnect Western Mass & the Founding Member of The Distraction Free Schools Policy Project: Northampton schools enacting a bell-to-bell cell phone policy

Art Beat w/ Donnabelle Casis & Dean Brown, artist and owner of PULP Holyoke: Art exhibition feat Anna Helper, Sean Sullivan, & Roger Brouard now through July 12