Toni Waterman  

 

Topics by Toni Waterman

Seafood

Lobster: Cheaper than Bologna


By Toni Waterman
After a perfect storm of high yields and soft shells, local lobstermen are struggling to stay afloat in a sea of surplus, low-priced crustaceans. Toni Waterman went out on a lobster boat to see the problem firsthand. 
Earth

Smelly Seaweed Shocks Sunbathers and Sponges


By Toni Waterman
Local researchers say an invasive and rather ... pungent ... species of seaweed that's stormed the coast might not just be unpleasant for beach-goers — it could be crowding out New England sea creatures.
People & Profiles

Dressmaker for Gypsies Says 'Bling It On'


By Toni Waterman
We visit the Waltham showroom of Sondra Celli, dressmaker to TLC's American Gypsy brides. And with business booming, it looks like economic development can come draped in rhinestones, lamé and cup chain.
Medical Treatments

Cancer Patients Protest at Biotech Conference


By Toni Waterman
About a dozen protesters gathered outside the BIO International Convention to demand the Food and Drug Administration speed up the approval process for an experimental drug to treat cancer.
Immigration

A Young Immigrant Lives the DREAM


By Toni Waterman
What does President Barack Obama's immigration policy change mean? We revisit Deivid Ribeiro, a physics student born in Brazil whose life now has many more options.
Business

1 Guest: Chris Stevens of Keurig


By Toni Waterman
For entrepreneur Chris Stevens, professional success has come alongside personal adversity: within the span of a year, he lost his two brothers and his wife. It led him to work to raise awareness of Huntington's disease.
Energy

From Food to Fuel


By Toni Waterman
A Rutland dairy farm's second "cash cow" is a food-to-fuel energy system that could be a model — especially as the state considers requiring all large companies to compost their food waste. Watch it in action.
Business

Is 38 Studios Worth Saving?


By Toni Waterman
Curt Schilling's company has laid off its entire staff. Tim Loew of MassDiGI and Alexander Sliwinski of Joystiq talk about whether it's "game over" for 38 Studios and the impact on the growing regional video game industry.
Fish

Exploring the New Fish Counter at Whole Foods


MORE FISH NEWS AND RECIPES
By Toni Waterman
Whole Foods has stopped selling "red-rated" fish. We take a trip to Cambridge to look at what that really means for shoppers.
Religion

Presentation School Opens to Community


THE SCHOOL IN 2010
By Toni Waterman
Shuttered in 2005 by the Boston Archdiocese, a beloved parochial school has reopened its doors as a community center. Volunteers talk about the journey.
Weather & National Disasters

Fires Flare in a Dry Forest


2011 STORM DAMAGE PERSISTS
By Toni Waterman
It has all the worst ingredients: toppled trees, dry gusts of wind, pine needles parched and brittle. Brimfield State Forest has become a forest-sized fireplace. After an early-April blaze, rangers talk about what they're doing to help.
Immigration

Town Rallies for Restaurateur Facing Deportation


By Toni Waterman
Nearly 20 years ago, Kong Xin Chen came to the U.S. from China. In December 2011, immigration agents took him from his Marshfield restaurant. But Chen is fighting deportation, with his patrons behind him.
Health Care

At MGH, Building from the Skeleton of a Heart


WGBH NEWS FOCUS: HEALTH CARE ON TRIAL
By Toni Waterman
Scientists at Mass. General Hospital are working on a technique to strip diseased hearts of their cells and then rebuild them into healthy organs.
Courts, Crime & Police

The Mattapan Survivor Tells His Story


By Toni Waterman
Marcus Hurd, the sole survivor of a brutal mass shooting in Mattapan, testified in court this week against the men accused of paralyzing him and killing four people, including a 2-year-old boy.
Animals

Could You Hurt This Dog?


By Toni Waterman
State lawmakers are weighing a bill that would make it illegal for pet owners to leave their dogs tied up outside for more than eight hours or overnight.
Economy

At a Farm Stand, Jobs — and People to Fill Them


By Toni Waterman
Here's a bit of good news on the economic front: a beloved family-run business in Needham is expanding — and hiring.
Animals

How to Solve the Coyote Problem?


By Toni Waterman
After several high-profile dog deaths, lawmakers, communities and dog owners are grappling with how to prevent coyote attacks.
Sports

The Next Boxing Phenom? She's 16


By Toni Waterman
Two decades ago, John “The Quiet Man” Ruiz emerged from the Somerville Boxing Club to fighting fame. Now reopened, the club, a haven for inner-city youth, may have another champion in 16-year-old Rashida Ellis.
Boston

New Owner Means New Hope At Downtown Crossing


By Toni Waterman
Boston mayor Tom Menino is confident the new owner of the Filene's site will have the project off the ground within a year.
WGBH Local News

J.C. Penney Gets A Makeover


By Toni Waterman
Have the lambs stopped screaming yet, Clarice? Maybe not — but those maddening shoppers have!  J.C. Penney has become the latest business to reinvent itself for the 21st century.
WGBH Local News

A Kennedy Life 'Interrupted'


By Toni Waterman
In a new book, JFK Jr.'s former personal assistant shares her memories of the Kennedy heir and his life in New York.
World News

Italian Cruise Crash Survivor Tells His Story


MORE GREATER BOSTON
By Toni Waterman
The passengers of the Costa Concordia were unprepared to escape when the cruise ship ran aground, said Brandon Warrick.
Transportation & Infrastructure

The Real Impact of MBTA Cuts: A Mattapan Story


WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON THE MBTA PLAN?
By Toni Waterman
The MBTA says its cost-savings plans would only cut lesser-used lines. But the people who do use them say they'll be in the cold.
Weather & National Disasters

In Haiti, An Orphanage Shaped Like A 'B'


By Toni Waterman
It’s been two years since a devastating magnitude-7 earthquake leveled much of Haiti, leaving over 300,000 dead. One of them was 19-year-old Rutland native Britney Gengel. Her family is working through its loss by picking up where Britney left off. 
Biology & Chemistry

Iris Scans And Spacesuits: Inside The BU Biolab


By Toni Waterman
Mayor Menino and directors of the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories show off the safety precautions built in to protect workers and neighbors from life-threatening pathogens.
History

Town's Historic Tree May Be Saved


MORE GREATER BOSTON
By Toni Waterman
In Westport, Mass., a 200-year-old linden tree threatened by a sidewalk may yet wave another day (or century). A "Greater Boston" web exclusive.
Red Sox

Former Batboy Talks About Alleged Abuse In Sox Clubhouse


MORE GREATER BOSTON
By Toni Waterman
Another man has joined the list of Red Sox attendants who say they were molested by deceased club manager Donald Fitzpatrick.
WGBH SPECIAL REPORT

Occupy Boston In The Small Hours


MORE WGBH OCCUPY COVERAGE
"EVICT-ORY!" (SOURCE: "FRONTLINE")
By Toni Waterman
WEB EXCLUSIVE: The details of how the eviction turned into an "evict-ory."
WGBH SPECIAL REPORT

Occupy Boston: The Day Of The Deadline


WGBHNEWS TWEETS LIVE
COMPLETE OCCUPY COVERAGE
By Toni Waterman
Facing a deadline of midnight to clear out of Dewey Square, protesters said the movement's not over. With audio from the scene.
WHERE WE LIVE

Chelsea: In Search Of Something Better


WHERE WE LIVE: COMPLETE SERIES
MORE GREATER BOSTON
By Toni Waterman
Whether 100 years ago or now, Chelsea draws immigrants from other countries determined to do better for themselves and their children.
Greater Boston

The Changing Face Of Hunger


MORE GREATER BOSTON
By Toni Waterman
According to a Greater Boston Food Bank study, more people in Massachusetts are relying on assistance from food pantries, shelters and soup kitchens. The study shows that 47 percent of people in Eastern Mass. don't qualify for food stamps, but still need help making ends meet.
Greater Boston

Double Hand Transplant: A Medical 'Miracle'


MORE GREATER BOSTON
By Toni Waterman
Home after his ground-breaking surgery, double hand transplant recipient Richard Mangino can hold a pen and write his name.
GAMBLING

Casino Is Ready To Break Ground On Mass. Resort


MORE GREATER BOSTON
SENATE PASSES CASINO GAMBLING BILL
CASINO SETS UP SHOP IN PALMER
By Toni Waterman
Mohegan Sun is ready to break ground on a new casino in Palmer, Mass., an executive told WGBH on October 19. The tribe bought the land in 2007.
Greater Boston

Recipes For Apple Lovers


MORE GREATER BOSTON
By Toni Waterman
What happens when a food writer becomes obsessed with apples? Amy Traverso shares recipes for the fabled fruit.
Greater Boston

Can Obama's Jobs Bill Help The Long-term Unemployed?


MORE GREATER BOSTON
By Toni Waterman
Across the country, millions of people have been out of work for months at a time. President Obama is urging Congress to pass his Jobs Bill, which includes incentives for small businesses to hire anyone who's been out of work for over six months. But even if it passes, will President Obama's bill succeed in getting the long-term unemployed to work?
Greater Boston

Harvard University's 'Kindness Pledge'


MORE GREATER BOSTON
By Toni Waterman
There's a new and controversial philosophy at Harvard University this year. All incoming students have been asked to take what has been dubbed "The Kindness Pledge." It sounds innocent enough, but the pledge is sparking debate.
Greater Boston

'Occupy Boston' Protestors Gather In The Hub


MORE GREATER BOSTON
By Toni Waterman
Occupy Boston is gathering forces in Boston's Financial District to protest what many demonstrators have described as corporate greed and growing economic disparity in the United States.
Greater Boston

Boston Court Ruling Affirms Citizens' Right To Record Officials


MORE GREATER BOSTON
By Toni Waterman
Simon Glik, a lawyer, was walking through the Boston Common on the night of October 1, 2007, when he stumbled upon what he described as an unbelievable situation: Three Boston police officers forcefully wrangling, punching and trying to hold down a young man.
Greater Boston

After Patrick Trade Mission, A New Business In Waltham


MORE GREATER BOSTON
By Toni Waterman
The Medical device company, EarlySense, just set up shop here in Massachusetts. The company makes medical equipment that monitors a patient's vital signs. The move comes as a result of Governor Patrick's efforts to woo business to the Commonwealth.
VIDEO

Henry Family Grateful For Jay-Z, Kanye Tribute


By Toni Waterman
The family of Danroy "DJ" Henry Jr., the young Easton native shot by a New York police office last fall, says they're glad rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z have commemorated their son with a song on their new album.
Boston

Boston's African Meeting House Gets A Facelift


MORE GREATER BOSTON
By Toni Waterman
After receiving $4 Million dollars in Federal stimulus money last August the African Meeting House will reopen this December by throwing itself a 205th Birthday Party.
GREATER BOSTON

How To BBQ, Four-Seasons Style


By Toni Waterman
We listened in on a five-star chef's barbeque class. Read his tips and watch the video.
Health

Boston Doctors Fit Custom Knee Replacements


MORE GREATER BOSTON
By Toni Waterman

Doctors at Brigham and Women's hospital are practicing a new procedure that allows them to give patients with knee problems customized knee replacements. The new fittings were devised by a Burlington, Mass.-based company.

GREATER BOSTON

Fish Share Reels Local Catches To Area Dinnertables


WATCH VIDEO
By Toni Waterman
The Cape Ann Fresh Catch initiative allows customers to buy into a weekly share of a groundfish catch in Gloucester, providing fresh local fish to area dinnertables — and much-needed income for fishermen.
Sports & Recreation

Sharing Allows For Budget Boating


MORE GREATER BOSTON
By Toni Waterman
Car-sharing is an increasingly popular way of using a car without the hassle of owning one. Now, some Greater Boston residents are taking that approach to the seas with a program that allows you to share a fleet of boats.
WHERE WE LIVE: JAMAICA PLAIN

Amid Criticism, JP Whole Foods Development Continues


WATCH GREATER BOSTON
By Toni Waterman
When Whole Foods announced in January it was moving into the Hi-Lo Foods supermarket in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood, it was met with a firestorm of criticism, igniting a debate over gentrification and business rights. Six months later, the conversation continues — and in some ways, it’s only gotten louder.
Where We Live: Somerville

Pop! Goes The Gourmand


MORE GREATER BOSTON
By Toni Waterman
An invitation-only restaurant is popping up for one night at a time around Somerville, Cambridge and Boston. We joined temporal gourmand JJ Gonson for one of her signature one-off banquets — and listened in on the lesson on cooking local she serves alongside the 10-course feast.
Digital Life

Data-Sharing Websites May Facilitate Identity Theft


By Toni Waterman
A South Boston woman is struggling with identity theft — and it may not have been difficult for the theives to get her information. A crop of websites are aggregating personal information and showing it to anyone who wants to see, for free.
GREATER BOSTON

Stoughton Man's Big Idea Is A Tiny House


MORE GREATER BOSTON
By Toni Waterman
Calling himself a bizarre-chitect, Derek Diedricksen is a master of cobbling together bizarrely-shaped, teeny-tiny houses that make downtown bathrooms look roomy.
WHERE WE LIVE

Private Developer Wants To Remake Downtown Quincy


WGBH SERIES: WHERE WE LIVE
By Toni Waterman
Quincy's downtown used to be Shopper's Town USA -- but today, many of those stores are gone as shoppers have moved to more suburban mall. The city is now looking to a $1.3 billion deal with a private developer to revitalize its downtown.
BOSTON

Hibernian Hall, Reinvented


By Toni Waterman
Dudley Square’s Hibernian Hall isn’t your grandma’s Irish Dance Hall anymore. These days, it boasts an eclectic fusion of poetry, contemporary dance and music and is helping draw  new patrons and businesses to Roxbury’s historic square.
Health Care

Mass. Doctors Weary Of Medicare 'Meltdown'


MORE GREATER BOSTON
By Toni Waterman
Low reimbursement rates have already prompted some doctors to opt out of treating Medicare patients. In Massachusetts, rising business costs are compounding the problem.
GREATER BOSTON

At UMass, An American DREAM On Hold


WATCH GREATER BOSTON
By Toni Waterman
Deivid Ribeiro earned a 4.0 from Cape Cod Community College and now studies physics at UMass. But unless the DREAM Act passes in the lame duck Congressional session, he -- and thousands of other undocumented students -- could face deportation.

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