Phillip Martin  

 

Topics by Phillip Martin

WGBH Local News

Boston Volunteers Help Vietnamese with HIV


By Phillip Martin
In Ho Chi Minh City, two Boston College professors are leading a group of students to volunteer at a clinic for HIV patients who are at the end of their lives.
FENWAY FRIDAYS

Making Fenway a Place for Everyone


SEE MORE FENWAY STORIES
By Phillip Martin
The current owners of the Red Sox franchise recognize that racism is part of Boston's baseball history, and they are striving to open the doors to new fans from around New England.
Poverty

An Affordable Home for Seniors


By Phillip Martin
The elderly can have a hard time finding housing in Boston, one of the most expensive real estate markets in the country. We report on a unique partnership that's making a difference. 
Social Issues

Occupy Boston Protests on May Day


MORE WGBH OCCUPY COVERAGE
By Phillip Martin
Though they didn't go on strike in protest, some workers in Boston's Financial District agreed with the Occupy's message about income inequality.
WGBH News Focus: The MBTA

Racial Disparities and the MBTA


WGBH NEWS FOCUS: THE MBTA
By Phillip Martin
The old elevated train from Dudley to downtown was ugly — but fast. Now, with service cuts going into effect, riders are asking why minority neighborhoods get the short end of the transit stick.
WGBH News Focus: The MBTA

Sci-Fi Solutions for the T


WGBH NEWS FOCUS: THE MBTA
By Phillip Martin
Some local experts are working to increase MBTA ridership by developing tools that sound like something out of speculative fiction. 
WGBH News Focus: The MBTA

How to Create a World-Class Transit System


WGBH NEWS FOCUS: THE MBTA
By Phillip Martin
Cities all over the world rely on robust public transportation systems. What are they doing right? PLUS: Your ideas gleaned from taking public transit in other countries.
Health Care

Physicians' Group Advocates for the Affordable Care Act


WGBH NEWS FOCUS: HEALTH CARE ON TRIAL
By Phillip Martin
Doctors for America, which filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court, has 15,000 members of various political persuasions who all support President Barack Obama's health care law, the group's co-founder says.
Rock/Pop/Folk

Bruce Springsteen: Born to Rock


Springsteen's SXSW Speech on NPR
Sing "Born to Run" for WGBH News
Phillip Martin after the Boston show
By Phillip Martin
An in-depth listen to the song that launched the Boss's career into stardom and established his gritty version of rock-n-roll.
Courts, Crime & Police

What Really Happened on Oct. 17, 2010?


COMPLETE WGBH COVERAGE
By Phillip Martin
The story that emerges from newly released, previously classified documents in the DJ Henry case is unclear. Here's a video and some of the voices from that night.

New Evidence Revealed in Henry Case


DJ HENRY: COMPLETE COVERAGE
By Phillip Martin
On Friday, the attorney for the family of DJ Henry cited formerly confidential information that the family believes throws into doubt the police version of events that led to the shooting death of the 21-year-old Easton college student.
Courts, Crime & Police

Henry Family Has the Right to See Surveillance Tapes


Complete WGBH coverage
By Phillip Martin
A federal judge ruled Thursday afternoon that the family of Danroy "DJ" Henry has the right to see surveillance tapes taken on the night of Henry's death. We continue our ongoing coverage of the case.
Business

Your Cafe, My Office


By Phillip Martin
In a sign of the times, your neighborhood café has become an office space -- and a new cultural tension is brewing.
WGBH Local News

Revisiting School Desegregation in Charlestown


By Phillip Martin
In Kevin White's era, Charlestown made headlines for its opposition to court-ordered school desegregation. Today's high school looks very different. With exclusive archival footage.
Local Politics

How to Take On a Kennedy


JPK3 ENTERS THE RING
THE COMPETITION
By Phillip Martin
Joseph P. Kennedy III is the latest to run from the family whose lingering aura is a political force. We look into WGBH's archives for an answer to the question many have asked: How can you effectively challenge a Kennedy?
Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking And The Super Bowl


By Phillip Martin
As sports fans watched the Patriots-Giants Super Bowl in record numbers, Indianapolis police, taxi drivers and private security were keeping a close eye on venues where trafficking might take place.
Race & Ethnicity

Boston's School Desegregation Era


By Phillip Martin
Civil rights leaders, politicians and residents examine mayor White's role in one of the most tumultuous periods in Boston's history.
Sports

Skaters Take The Long Road To The Olympics


By Phillip Martin
This weekend, the country's top figure skaters tested their merit at the U.S. Nationals in San Jose. But next year, one pair may be competing in a very different place. Hear their big plan and watch them perform.
Weather & National Disasters

Where Did The Money Go In Haiti?


AN ORPHANAGE SHAPED LIKE A 'B'
By Phillip Martin
Two years after the quake, some local Haitians have become frustrated with what they see as the slow progress of recovery.
Energy

Citizens Energy Gets Political With Latest Ad


By Phillip Martin
While Citizens Energy — headed up by former U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy — has run ads and public service announcements for years, there’s something different about this one. 
WGBH Special Reports

What’s On The Tape? DJ Henry’s Family Still Doesn’t Know


DJ HENRY AND THE TRAINING OF POLICE: COMPLETE SERIES
By Phillip Martin
The family of Danroy “DJ” Henry has turned down an offer from the Westchester Country district attorney’s office to review surveillance tape that was recorded the night of the shooting. The offer was predicated on the condition that the family not make public what is on the tapes. 
WGBH Local News

Church Arsonist Gets Nearly 14 Years In Prison

By Phillip Martin
On Nov. 5, 2008, shortly after Barack Obama was elected president of the United States, Michael Jacques and two other men set an African American church on fire in protest. The Macedonia Church of God in Christ in Springfield, Mass. burnt to the ground. On Dec. 22, Jacques received his sentence.
Communications & Media

Pick A Slogan For The Occupy Movement


OCCUPY: WHAT WOULD DON DRAPER DO?
By Phillip Martin
It's your turn to play Don Draper. What slogan would really set the Occupy movement’s cause on fire? Some of your ideas are....
WGBH SPECIAL REPORT

Occupy: What Would Don Draper Do?


PICK YOUR OWN OCCUPY SLOGAN
By Phillip Martin
The Occupy movement has taken a beating in the press and elsewhere — and finds its image in desperate need of repair. For a fix, we look to an unlikely source: the advertising industry.
WGBH Local News

Occupy Boston: What Went Wrong, What Went Right


OCCUPY BOSTON WGBH ARCHIVE
By Phillip Martin
Occupy Wall Street is the most-publicized protest movement in some time. Yet a recent poll found 53 percent of Americans neither support nor oppose the movement. WGBH News looked at the organizational issues Occupy has had to struggle with to assess its success to date.
Boston

Arrested Occupiers Hailed As Heroes


MORE WGBH OCCUPY BOSTON COVERAGE
By Phillip Martin
After the Dec. 10 eviction, about 300 Occupy Boston protesters gathered to debate the movement's next steps and to hail the 46 members who were arrested in the morning's raid.
WGBH SPECIAL REPORT

Friday Dawns With No Police Raid At Occupy Camp


WGBH COMPLETE OCCUPY BOSTON COVERAGE
By Phillip Martin
At Dewey Square, a night that began with tension turned into celebration as mayor Thomas Menino's eviction deadline passed with no police action. WGBH News' Phillip Martin and Toni Waterman were there all night.
WGBH Special Reports

The Occupy Movement Report Card


WHAT'S YOUR OCCUPY BOSTON REPORT CARD?
By Phillip Martin
How effective are the Occupy movement's tactics, messaging and strategies? At the end of term-time, an academic, an Occupier, a Tea Partier and five Democratic candidates gave their grades.
WGBH Local News

Occupiers Fail To Bring New Tent Into Camp


OCCUPY BOSTON WGBH ARCHIVE
By Phillip Martin
Occupy Boston activists tried to bring in a fire-resistant tent into the Dewey Square encampment on Dec. 5. The effort failed when police blocked their path.
WGBH Local News

Judge Delays Decision On Occupy Boston

By Phillip Martin
Occupy Boston activists left the courtroom on Thursday chalking up what they believed to be another legal victory, at least in the short run. WGBH NEWS: OCCUPY BOSTON COVERAGE
Boston

After Confrontation With Phila. Mayor, Occupiers Go To Court


By Phillip Martin
City officials and members of Occupy Boston went to court for a hearing on an injunction that would require the city to give protestors notice before taking any eviction action. The city argued for the right to evict demonstrators immediately if public safety and health issues arose.
Social Issues

Occupy Boston And The 'Big Tent'


NPR: POLICE CLEAR CAMPS
By Phillip Martin
The Occupy movement's emphasis on including different views reminds some analysts of old Democratic Party national conventions. Can they all fit under the tent? 
Social Issues

Solidarity Frays At Occupy Boston Camp


THANKSGIVING AT OCCUPY BOSTON
By Phillip Martin
A dramatic sea change appears to be taking place at the Occupy Boston encampment downtown. WGBH News has spent several days visiting the site. For the first time, we are witnessing the depth of problems, including drug use and violence, directly from the protesters.
Boston

Turkey Tetrazzini In The Tents?

By Phillip Martin
Volunteers brought a full Thanksgiving dinner to the protesters in the Occupy Boston tents in Dewey Square. MORE OCCUPY COVERAGE FROM PHILLIP MARTIN
Forensics & Investigations

Inmates' Access To DNA Evidence: Part Two


INMATES' ACCESS TO DNA EVIDENCE: PART ONE
By Phillip Martin
Legislators are considering a bill that would allow inmates access to DNA evidence that was critical to their convictions. Advocates say the law can help free the innocent. Opponents believe the bill might serve to assist the guilty.
 
Forensics & Investigations

Inmates' Access To DNA Evidence: Part One

By Phillip Martin
The Boston Globe reported Nov. 20 that Mass. inmates have an unusually difficult time getting access to DNA evidence that might exonerate them. WGBH News asked whether that evidence might help Tyrone Dixon, a man serving life.
WHERE WE LIVE

Lawrence: A River Runs Through It


WHERE WE LIVE: COMPLETE SERIES
By Phillip Martin
Many residents see the cleaned-up Merrimack River as a metaphor for the positive changes they've been creating in this old mill town. 
Education

Teachers Protest Controversial Ex-Chancellor


By Phillip Martin
Educator Michelle Rhea drew a packed house of supporters to a Boston talk — and hundreds of local teachers protesting her tactics.
LOCAL NEWS

Boston ‘Occupiers’ Respond To Oakland Strike


OAKLAND 'OCCUPIERS' DECLARE VICTORY AT PORT
By Phillip Martin
Several hundred Occupy Boston activists marched Wednesday in support of the General Strike in Oakland, Calif. They picketed Bank of America and other symbols of what they called “corporate greed.”
LOCAL NEWS

Four Days Later, He's Living In The Dark


WGBH NEWS: POWER OUTAGES CONTINUE
By Phillip Martin
Nelson Butten of Lawrence talked about how he was dealing with lengthy power outages. As late as the morning of November 2, his apartment still had no heat.
INNOVATION

MIT Signs Historic Deal With New Russian Technology Hub


MIT HELPS BUILD THE 'SILICON VALLEY' OF RUSSIA
By Phillip Martin
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is teaming with a Russian government–sponsored foundation to build a world-class graduate school of technology, known as SkTech, just outside Moscow.
BOSTON

A Report From Boston's 'Occupation'

By Phillip Martin
Over 100 people are continuing to camp out in Dewey Square. WGBH's Phillip Martin reports from the scene. DEMONSTRATORS BRING WALL STREET PROTESTS NORTH
Boston

When Protesters Stay, Who Pays?


THE CALLIE CROSSLEY SHOW
A REPORT FROM BOSTON'S 'OCCUPATION'
By Phillip Martin
As Occupy Boston enters its fourth week in Dewey Square, police overtime expenses are adding up. Protesters, however, say opponents are simply trying to discredit the cause. Callie Crossley discusses the movement at 1:00 p.m.
WGBH SPECIAL REPORT

DJ Henry Coda: The Case Today


DJ HENRY AND THE TRAINING OF POLICE: COMPLETE SERIES
By Phillip Martin
Danroy “DJ” Henry was killed on October 17, 2010 as he pulled away from a popular nightspot in the village of Thornwood, New York. In a coda to our series DJ Henry And The Training Of Police, we follow up on the tributes, the lawsuits and the lives that were forever changed.
WGBH SPECIAL REPORT

Part 3: DJ Henry And The Police Response


DJ HENRY AND THE TRAINING OF POLICE: COMPLETE SERIES
By Phillip Martin
After DJ Henry's death, some police experts say the force needs to train officers to de-escalate conflicts and increase sensitivity to racial stereotypes.
WGBH SPECIAL REPORT

The Death of DJ Henry: Complete Coverage from WGBH News


By Phillip Martin
WGBH News has been covering the shooting death of Danroy “DJ” Henry, the Pace University football player from Easton, Massachusetts, since it happened in October 2010. Since the shooting, Henry’s death has continued to stir controversy over issues of police training and race.
WGBH SPECIAL REPORT

Part 2: DJ Henry, Eurie Stamps And Race


CALLIE CROSSLEY SHOW: DJ HENRY, RACE AND POLICE
DJ HENRY AND THE TRAINING OF POLICE: COMPLETE SERIES
By Phillip Martin
A grand jury did not indict Officer Aaron Hess in the shooting death of Danroy "DJ" Henry. But some continued to question the role of race — especially after a retired man was killed by Framingham police in January 2011.
WGBH SERIES

Part 1: A Crowd, A Car And A Gun


DJ HENRY AND THE TRAINING OF POLICE: COMPLETE SERIES
EMILY ROONEY SHOW: HENRY'S PARENTS STILL SEARCH FOR ANSWERS
By Phillip Martin
October 17 marked the one-year anniversary of the shooting death of Danroy “DJ” Henry, the Pace University student from Easton Massachusetts. Since the shooting, Henry’s death has continued to stir controversy on a number of levels that go well beyond this single incident.
INNOVATION

MIT Helps Build the Silicon Valley of Russia

By Phillip Martin
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is about to sign a historic agreement to help establish a major university in Russia—that will anchor a planned $6.6 billion town of technology, innovation and business success. SKOLKOVO INSTITUTE: A TIMELINE
MIT, FOUNDATION ANNOUNCE COLLABORATION
Economy

Unemployment Inequality Is Stark In Massachusetts

By Phillip Martin
Massachusetts' high-tech and biotech industries have helped keep it ahead of 44 other states in terms of employment. But in recent days, economists are warning that even the high-tech and biotech engines are starting to slow down. And that industry doesn't help some parts of the state.
Boston

'Occupy Boston' Demonstrators Bring Wall Street Protests North


By Phillip Martin
Calling themselves Occupy Boston, a group of demonstrators inspired by the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York City took to the streets of Boston this weekend and on Monday continued to camp out at Boston's Dewey Square.

Boston

Mass. Man Charged In Terror Plot


By Phillip Martin
A 26-year-old Ashland man is under arrest and charged with plotting to blow up the Pentagon and U.S. Capitol with a remote-controlled aircraft filled with C-4 plastic explosives.
Boston

Mass. Man Charged In Terror Plot


By Phillip Martin
A 26-year-old Ashland man is under arrest and charged with plotting to blow up the Pentagon and U.S. Capitol with a remote-controlled aircraft filled with C-4 plastic explosives.
Capital Punishment

Waiting For Troy Davis

By Phillip Martin
The news that Troy Anthony Davis was executed in Georgia was met with silence and teary-eyed dismay in Harvard Square.
Boston

Patrick Touts Mass. Gay Marriage Law


By Phillip Martin
Gov. Deval Patrick on Wednesday offered a spirited defense of Massachusetts’ Same Sex marriage law. The governor was addressing a meeting of the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy or ACS, a progressive legal organization that he helped form in 2001.
Business

Patrick Touts Massachusetts At Biotech Conference

By Phillip Martin
Thousands of biotech and pharmaceutical dealmakers from around the work gathered in Boston this week for a Bio-Pharm America 2011 conference in Boston — and Gov. Deval Patrick is stressing the importance of their work to the Massachusetts economy.
WGBH Local News

See Something, Say Something: Safe, Or Unfair?


By Phillip Martin
In the days after the ten-year anniversary of Sept. 11, millions are traveling as usual and security issues remain as they have since 2001. That means individuals are still being singled out for special scrutiny, which continues to raise questions about fairness and safety.
WGBH Local News

See Something, Say Something: Safe, Or Unfair?


By Phillip Martin
In the days after the ten-year anniversary of Sept. 11, millions are traveling as usual and security issues remain as they have since 2001. That means individuals are still being singled out for special scrutiny, which continues to raise questions about fairness and safety.
Boston

At Logan, Silence And Normalcy On Sept. 11


By Phillip Martin
The scene at Logan Airport Sunday was anything but sedate. On the anniversary of September 11th, thousands of passengers passed through the nation’s eighth-busiest airport, but memories of ten years to the day bore heavily on the minds of many travelers.
89.7 WGBH

Sept. 11, From The Rooftops



SEPT. 11: A DAY OF REFLECTION, A DECADE OF STORIES
By Phillip Martin
Millions of Americans vividly recall where they were ten years ago on September. Some that day were standing on rooftops, terraces, staring from the windows of tall buildings and looking out from balconies.
89.7 WGBH

Plane Spotters Lend Extra Eyes To The Skies



SEPT. 11: A DAY OF REFLECTION, A DECADE OF STORIES
By Phillip Martin
Like so many who sit along railroad tracks to watch trains go by, plane spotters look to the air. With advances in digital photography, the ranks of aviation enthusiasts have grown, and many are unofficial watchdogs of the sky. But since Sept. 11, the plane spotters themselves are now being more carefully watched.
Boston

Boston Temp. Workers Protest Discrimination, Unsafe Conditions


By Phillip Martin
During rallies across the city on Friday, fish-cutters, janitors and housekeepers decried conditions they said were unsafe.
89.7 WGBH

Multi-Agency Terrorism Task Force Established At Logan


By Phillip Martin
Boston's Logan Airport will be home to the nation's first airport-based office dedicated to fighting terrorism, 10 years after two planes left the airport with the al-Qaeda hijakers who would steer the planes into the towers of the World Trade Center.
Economy

So We've Been Downgraded. What Does That Mean?

By Phillip Martin
Standard and Poor’s downgrading of the U.S. credit rating from AAA to  AA+  has a lot of people in the Boston area wondering how it might affect them. But many others seem confused about the ratings process altogether.
Boston

Boston Somalis Help Famine At Home, Hoping For More Support


By Phillip Martin
Some Somalis in Boston say they have been trying for a long time to turn public attention to the famine in their homeland, to no avail. Some have concluded that they'll simply have to go it alone, although donations and attention from non-governmental organizations are increasing.
World News

Area Somalis Disheartened By Low U.S. Interest In Famine


CONFLICT ZONE SLOWS AID FOR SOMALIA'S FAMINE VICTIMS
By Phillip Martin
The five to ten thousand Somalis living in Boston are trying to respond from afar to news of a devastating famine in their homeland.
Boston

Conference Cues Reflection On Boston Race Relations


THE CALLIE CROSSLEY SHOW: NAT'L URBAN LEAGUE IN BOSTON
By Phillip Martin
The National Urban League's visit to Boston last week for their annual conference afforded an opportunity for both outsiders and Bostonians to reflect on race relations in a city African-Americans were once told to avoid. The consensus? Things have changed for the better.
89.7 WGBH

Roxbury Bank Under Fire For Ignoring Surrounding Community


By Phillip Martin
Minority-owned banks have traditionally played important roles in propping up the black middle class, lending when others would not. But one such institution in Roxbury has come under fire for its alleged hands-off approach to the community surrounding it.
Boston

Boston Leaders Reflect On Diversity


By Phillip Martin
With over 1,000 people gathered in Hynes Auditorium for the State Of Black Boston conference, a prelude to the National Urban League conference there later this week, Gov. Deval Patrick on Monday said Boston's attitude towards diversity had changed for the better.
Boston

Boston Temperature Tops 100 F


By Phillip Martin
An "excessive heat warning" is in effect for Central and Eastern Massachusetts until Friday evening, with the temperature in Boston hitting 102 degrees F by midday.
Local Politics

Some Dems Call For Warren Senate Candidacy


By Phillip Martin
Now that Harvard University professor Elizabeth Warren has been passed over by the Obama Administration to lead the agency that she created, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, some Democrats are hoping that she will challenge U.S. Sen. Scott Brown in 2012.
Boston

Once A Sewer, The Charles Is Cleaner — No, Really


WHITHER 'THAT DIRTY WATER?'
By Phillip Martin
The Charles River is a finalist for the International Riverprize, awarded for visionary river-management policies. But the International Riverprize nomination may not be enough to convince those who use the river that it’s safe to go in.
Boston

That 'Dirty Water' Isn't So Dirty Anymore


By Phillip Martin
The Charles River is a finalist for a prestigious international honor. The International Riverprize is a $350,000 award for development and implementation of sustainable river management policies.
89.7 WGBH

Brandeis Art Museum Will Keep Famed Collection Intact

By Phillip Martin
Brandeis University's Rose Art Museum threatened in 2009 to begin auctioning its prized 20th century artworks. But as part of a lawsuit settlement, the administration has now pledged to keep the collection in place and open to the public.
Human Trafficking

Anti-Human-Trafficking Bill Passes Mass. Senate

By Phillip Martin
The Massachusetts Senate on Thursday passed an historic human trafficking bill that will expand protections for victims and give law enforcement new statutory powers to go after pimps and other predators. WGBH INVESTIGATES: HUMAN TRAFFICKING

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