Cristina Quinn  

 

Topics by Cristina Quinn

Government

The Governor's Difficult Budget Season


By Cristina Quinn
Gov. Deval Patrick started out confident when he signing a new Massachusetts state budget. But as the days went by, he was handed one defeat after another by a Legislature that said, "Wait a minute."
Mental Health

Two Perspectives on Treating Mental Illness


SHOULD WE CLOSE TAUNTON STATE?
By Cristina Quinn
The debate over the Taunton State Hospital reveals a deeper philosophical debate on helping people with psychiatric disabilities. We talk to a parent who supports keeping the hospital open and an advocate for community services.
Mental Health

Should We Close Taunton State Hospital?


By Cristina Quinn
A nurse at Taunton State Hospital argues for why the inpatient mental health facility matters — even though Gov. Deval Patrick used a budget line-item veto to relocate those services to Worcester.
Technology

A Ride in a Cab That's Optimized for the Blind


By Cristina Quinn
Blind passengers have one big problem taking taxis: They don't know what's on the fare box. The City of Boston is poised to roll out technology that will solve that problem. We take it for a spin.
Government

'Swear Jar' Law Draws Reactions Far and Wide


By Cristina Quinn
An ordinance banning "unsavory language" in public means you'll have to shut your mouth or open your wallet. People all over are talking about it; a First Amendment advocate and the woman behind the law respond.
Health

Freezer Failure a 'Major Setback' for Autism Research


By Cristina Quinn
One third of the world's largest collection of autism-affected brain samples has been lost at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass.
Technology

Data Expert Calls LinkedIn Breach 'Alarming'


By Cristina Quinn
LinkedIn has confirmed that more than 6 million passwords on the business social network were stolen and leaked onto the Internet. 
WGBH NEWS

The Food Revolution That Ate New England


By Cristina Quinn
Food trucks have come to Boston, Cambridge and Paris. And now the food world's hottest phenomenon is now moving into the suburbs.
Folk Music

Local School for the Blind Celebrates Doc Watson's Life


LISTEN TO HIS MUSIC
By Cristina Quinn
An administrator says students at Perkins School for the Blind take particular inspiration from blind musicians such as folk guitarist Doc Watson, who died May 29.
Environment

Innovation Spotlight: Recycling Plastics


WHAT HAPPENS TO THE REST OF IT
By Cristina Quinn
Banned in Concord, the plastic water bottle has become a symbol of waste. But an entire industry wants you to keep using plastic ... as long as you toss it in the blue bin. WGBH News finds there is, indeed, a future in plastics.
Economy

State Unemployment Hits Lowest Level Since 2008


By Cristina Quinn
Figures show the Massachusetts jobless rate dipped to 6.3 percent in April, down from 6.5 percent in March.
Economy

New Jobs Report Contradicts Previous Data


By Cristina Quinn
It looks like the job market in 2011 wasn’t as bad as we thought. A new report shows that Massachusetts added 38,900 jobs in the first nine months of 2011.
Gambling

Out-of-State Gambling Trends Bode Well for Mass.


By Cristina Quinn
Bay State residents spent more at Rhode Island's two slot parlors in 2011 than Rhode Islanders did, according to a new study. 
WGBH Local News

Franco Garcia 'A Remarkable Young Man'


By Cristina Quinn
Family and friends of a Boston College student who went missing on Feb. 22 mourned after a body found in Chestnut Hill Reservoir was preliminarily identified as that of Franco Garcia. 
Health Care

Commonwealth Care: Immigration, Insurance and Independence


WGBH NEWS FOCUS: HEALTH CARE ON TRIAL
By Cristina Quinn
The scenario is daunting enough: a hard-working man, an immigrant, diagnosed with cancer. But when he is bounced back and forth by insurance, cancer is just part of his struggle.
Psychology & The Mind

A Nutrition Label for the News


By Cristina Quinn
You're doing it right now: You're consuming media. Some theorists say our information diet is making us bloated. Here's how they want to help us. EXTRA: What's your favorite media "junk food"?
Race & Ethnicity

African American Teen Unemployment: A Growing Problem


By Cristina Quinn
Teens were at the mall during school vacation, but they weren't all just hanging out. Some were looking for a job — and black teens in particular are finding those jobs hard to come by.
Education

Boston's University Leader Sisterhood


By Cristina Quinn
The president of Bentley University said that departing MIT president Susan Hockfield was a mentor and an inspiration.
Business

A Candy Company Tries Again


HOW DOES NECCO COME UP WITH THOSE SAYINGS?
By Cristina Quinn
Candy is big business this time of year. And while Valentine's Day candy is steeped in tradition, Necco is trying to figure out how to stand out in other seasons. 
Biology & Chemistry

Super Bowl Sensors: The Findings Are In


WGBH NEWS: THE BIOSENSORS GO ON
By Cristina Quinn
Some unexpected data came out of WGBH News' Super Bowl biosensor experiment that could advance a researcher's work on addiction.
Sports

The State Of Biosensors And The Super Bowl


By Cristina Quinn
Did the high-stress Super Bowl make your heart pound? During the game, we strapped biosensors on fans to learn about the state of mobile-phone health technology.
Education

Going To Community College, Or Not


By Cristina Quinn
Gov. Deval Patrick is advocating community college for those out of work ... but sometimes it's not that easy. 
Health

Fighting Dengue Fever With Legos


By Cristina Quinn
Little Devices is addressing third-world problems with a technique MacGyver would love: tweaking common toys and gadgets to defuse illness and disability. But is the approach a step backwards?
Technology

On The Day The Internet Went Dark


WGBH NEWS: WHAT THEY ASKED #ALTWIKI
By Cristina Quinn
At the start of this week, most of us had never heard of SOPA or PIPA. But on Wednesday, everyone was talking about the online protest — and in Kendall Square, technologists approved.
World Health

Diagnosing Disease On A 'Postage Stamp'


By Cristina Quinn
Paper is everywhere — in your coffeemaker, on your desk, in the recycling bin. But what if it could save lives? One Cambridge company thinks a slip of paper holds the answer to diagnosing illness cheaply, anywhere.
Mental Health

Last Night A Playlist Saved My Life


By Cristina Quinn
Take an iPod and call me in the morning: A new book says we can use music to train ourselves to be more productive or more relaxed. What songs work for you? Share them here.
Technology

Texting While Walking Draws Safety Concerns — And An App


BOSTON: THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT
By Cristina Quinn
They’re everywhere: stumbling on sidewalks, ambling across busy streets, even falling into fountains — the cell phone zombies. But, inevitably, there's an app to help them.
Local Voices

Occupy: A Suburban View


COMPLETE WGBH OCCUPY COVERAGE
By Cristina Quinn
Alex Ingram, a spokesman for Occupy Boston, told WGBH News that the movement had to get its message out to the suburbs. We went to Weymouth, a suburb that walks a political tightrope, to see what residents thought.
Performing Arts

'Gateway City' Residents Favor The Arts


NEWS: STATE GETS ART GRANT FOR GATEWAY CITIES
By Cristina Quinn
A MassINC poll shows overwhelming support for the arts as a catalyst for economic development in cities such as New Bedford, Lowell and Brockton.
Technology

Real Questions About Robot Answers


By Cristina Quinn
As we become more and more dependent on technology, and companies create ever-better facsimiles of human conversation, it might be worth asking: Is this really what we want?
Social Issues

Mobile Pantry Addresses Veterans' Growing Need


By Cristina Quinn
The unemployment rate for Massachusetts veterans is high. So the state and Greater Boston Food Bank are trying to get food to veterans who need it — including, this week, a Thanksgiving turkey.
WHERE WE LIVE

Burlington: 'People Are Going Places'


CALLIE CROSSLEY SHOW: A GOWN STUDIES ITS TOWN
WHERE WE LIVE: COMPLETE SERIES
By Cristina Quinn
When people hear Burlington, often the first thing that comes to mind is the mall and Route 128. 
Boston

Seniors Rally For Social Security


By Cristina Quinn
A crowd of 3000 took center stage at the Wang Theatre to rally against the Congressional supercommittee’s proposed cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
Boston

National Grid Under Fire For Irene, Snowstorm Outages


EXEC. DEFENDS RESPONSE TO STORM
By Cristina Quinn
While the state Department of Public Utilities opens an investigation into National Grid's response to the late-October snowstorm that left hundreds of thousands without power, residents and area officials are still expressing their frustation at the utility's response to Hurricane Irene.
BOSTON

Paul Revere's Bell Is Born Again In Boston


MORE NEWS
By Cristina Quinn
Patriots young and old gathered in front of the Old South Meeting House in Downtown Boston on Sunday to pay tribute to an old bronze bell. But it isn't just any old bronze bell. This bell was made by Paul Revere and his foundry back in 1801.
Boston

Boston Bans Smoking In Public Housing

By Cristina Quinn
The Boston Housing Authority is preparing to implement a smoke-free policy on all of its properties. As of September 2012, public housing residents will no longer be allowed to smoke in their units or in the common areas.
Innovation

Entrepreneur Walk Of Fame Unveiled In Cambridge


MORE NEWS
By Cristina Quinn
The entrepreneurial spirit took over Kendall Square recently, with the unveiling of the Entrepreneur Walk of Fame, next to the Kendall Square/MIT MBTA station. The seven honorees inducted include Thomas Edison, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and Apple's Steve Jobs.
News

Bay State Receives Arts Grant For Gateway Cities


MORE NEWS
By Cristina Quinn
Boston-based public policy institute MassInc has received a $125,000 grant to drive an economic revitalization strategy for Massachusetts’ Gateway Cities.
A DECADE OF STORIES

After Sept. 11, Waltham Musician Plays On



SEPT. 11: A DAY OF REFLECTION, A DECADE OF STORIES
By Cristina Quinn
On Sept. 11, Amy Fairchild was getting on the subway, off to work with a producer on an album she hoped would help her realize her dream of becoming a professional musician. And then the world came to a standstill.

VIDEO

New Rules Brew Trouble For Mass. Microbrewers


WATCH VIDEO
By Cristina Quinn
A new rule forcing local beer makers to grow their own hops and grains could be trouble for Massachusetts breweries. 

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