New England Public Radio

Susan Kaplan

The Short List: Congressional Grades, Casino Crystal-Balling, Play-Doh Pivots

What made The Short List this week?

  • All 11 members of Massachusetts’ congressional delegation are saying “no” to Attorney General Jeff Sessions. More specifically, they’re all calling for his resignation. This followed the Washington Post story that Sessions, despite his testimony to congress during his confirmation hearings, did speak with Russia’s ambassador.
  • The plot has thickened in the casino story. A new player, so to speak, could be coming to East Windsor. The Mashantucket Pequots and Mohegan tribes hope to run it, but that decision’s still pending. It wouldn’t be a full casino, as is planned for Springfield, but it would be more than a slots parlor.
  • Guess who’s coming back to town? Hasbro announced it’s going to start manufacturing some made-in-America Play-Doh again, in East Longmeadow.

Click the audio player above to hear New England Public Radio’s Susan Kaplan explore these issues with Natalia Munoz from WHMP’s Vaya Con                     Munoz and Mike Dobbs of the Reminder newspapers.

East Windsor’s Satellite Casino, Not A Done Deal Yet

Two federally recognized tribes in Connecticut this week announced they’ve chosen a site in East Windsor for a third casino. The next step is getting approval from the legislature. But — not so fast. Another proposal aims to open the door for others to get in on the casino action. Hartford Courant business reporter Ken Gosselin said the project’s being called a “satellite casino.”

Listen to Susan Kaplan of New England Public Radio interview Gosselin by clicking the audio player above.

 

The Short List: Warren’s Competition, ‘Pioneer Valley’ v. ‘West Mass,’ No More High-Fives In Noho

NEPR'S WEEK IN REVIEW

What made The Short List this week?

  • Ardent Trump supporter Massachusetts State Representative Geoff Diehl is considering running against Senator Elizabeth Warren in 2018.
  • Should the long standing moniker Pioneer Valley be changed to West Mass?
  • Educators and police in Northampton, Massachusetts, are trying to come up with new ways to engage students after a program called “High Five Friday” was stopped due to concerns about some children’s reactions to law enforcement.

Click the audio player above to hear New England Public Radio’s Susan Kaplan explore these issues with Ron Chimelis of the Springfield Republican and Matt Szafranski of Western Mass Politics & Insight.

One Month In, Trump’s Biggest Massachusetts Supporter Looks Past Stumbles

There’s no one in Massachusetts more in President Donald Trump’s corner than state Representative Geoff Diehl.

The Republican from Whitman was the only state elected official to endorse Trump. Now that the new administration is about a month old, Diehl shrugged off criticism of the president’s early moves.

Click the audio player above to hear Diehl’s interview with New England Public Radio’s Susan Kaplan.

Honorably Discharged Veterans Deported For Breaking The Law

In his essay published by the Massachusetts Review, J. Malcolm Garcia tells the story of four honorably discharged United States veterans.

Legal immigrants, they were welcomed into the U.S. military. But after their service, the vets got into trouble. A 1996 law mandates deportation for non-citizens convicted on a wide range of felonies — regardless of military service. Garcia conceded that some of the deported vets committed offenses like murder and rape. But he said many others got into trouble for DUIs or drugs.

Click the audio player above to hear New England Public Radio’s Susan Kaplan interview with J. Malcolm Garcia.

The Short List: Springfield Police Take The 5th, Immigration Repercussions, Super Bowl 51

What made The Short List this week?

  • Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni will not pursue charges against police officers accused of beating four men outside a bar in Springfield. Gulluni said there was clear evidence of the April 2015 assault, but he could not prove the officers committed it. (MassLive)
  • President Trump’s executive order last Friday temporarily banned travel for many immigrants from seven countries, and all refugees. This led to a whole lot of public outcry and legal action. Some students from Massachusetts were affected. We reported on one graduate student who was held up because he went back to Iran to get married. (NEPR)
  • And Super Bowl Sunday is this weekend. We get predictions from our panel, and talk about the few die-hard Patriot’s fans are chagrined that Brady, Belichick and Kraft are friendly with President Trump.

Click the audio player above to hear New England Public Radio’s Susan Kaplan explore these issues with Ron Chimelis of the Springfield Republican and Greenfield Recorder columnist Chris Collins.