This is a web edition of GBH Daily, a weekday newsletter bringing you local stories you can trust so you can stay informed without feeling overwhelmed.
☀️Sunny and hot, with highs near 90. Sunset is at 8:17 p.m.
Today I’m so excited to bring you something new: Free Ride — our summer series featuring free (or at least cheap) day trips you can take every Friday between Memorial Day and Labor Day, when the Commuter Rail is free. Why now? Because gas is $4.34 a gallon and getting stuck in the snarls of Boston-area traffic isn’t my idea of a great summer. The MBTA is offering fare-free Commuter Rail travel every Friday in June, July and August (with exceptions for World Cup trains), and you deserve to enjoy yourself this summer — without feeling like you’re emptying your wallet every time you leave the house.
So every Friday this summer, I’ll invite you to take a break and find some nature, art, science, fashion, music and more, all for $0 (or as close to free as I can get). Today, we’re starting with three nature walks, all leaving from one Commuter Rail stop, 45 minutes away from Boston. I have ideas for three types of day trippers:
- the person seeking a whimsical, kid-friendly afternoon
- the champion dog spotter
- the history buff on wheels.
Keep reading for those.
If you take me up on one of these Free Ride trip ideas, I want to hear from you (and see your pictures!). I’ll be sharing photos from my jaunts on the Commuter Rail throughout the summer, too. And if you have your own Commuter Rail-adjacent free activity — a museum, park, concert or local spot that deserves some love — I’d love to hear about it. Send me a note at daily@wgbh.org. But first, some news.
Four Things to Know
1. Karen Read is suing the Massachusetts State Police and Canton Police Department, alleging that the investigation into the death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe, revealed “an embedded culture of bigotry, misogyny, systemic failures and institutional rot at the very core of both organizations.” Read went on trial twice: the first ended in a mistrial after the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict. The second ended when a new jury acquitted her of second-degree murder, manslaughter and leaving the scene — and convicted her on a charge of drunk driving.
In the lawsuit, Read’s attorneys included texts and recordings from former state trooper Michael Proctor and former Canton police Sgt. Sean Goode, alleging that their racist and sexist remarks proved them unfit for their jobs.
2. Local and federal investigators are looking for a person caught on camera taking a package from outside the Museum of African American History in Boston, and setting fire to its contents — items museum employees had ordered for Juneteenth.
“It really was Juneteenth-specific. It was the decor. It was some games and some other paper items, stickers, bingo cards, things like that. But everything is clearly identified as Juneteenth,” said Dr. Noelle Trent, president and CEO of the museum. “For us, this feels like a hate crime … the proximity of burning something near the oldest existing Black church building in the country is quite unnerving. And we also have to look at what history says.”
3. People who work with immigrants in New England want international tourists coming for the World Cup to know that travelers to Logan Airport can be denied entry to the U.S., be arrested or deported. “The World Cup should be a moment when the world comes together through sport to celebrate our diversity and an international competition, but because of inaction, it could put waves of international travelers at grave risk,” said Elizabeth Sweet, executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition.
Acting Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Lauren Bis said “International visitors who legally come to the United States for the World Cup have nothing to worry about,” but added that “At the same time, foreign visitors MUST be proactive and should start working on their travel plans and documents well ahead of time to ensure a smooth travel experience.”
4. The Boston Pride for the People parade starts tomorrow at 11 a.m., looping from Copley Square to the Boston Common to the South End. This year’s theme is “Pride as Protest since 1776.”
While it’s a big Pride Month celebration, it’s far from the only one. GBH’s Niya Plynton put together a list of parades, movie screenings, concerts, events, brunches and parties across the state this month, which you can check out here.
Free Ride: Take a Hike
Welcome to Free Ride, your weekly guide to a $0 day trip. Today we’re hopping on the Commuter Rail’s Fitchburg line at North Station (remember, it’s fare-free every Friday this summer) and heading 45 minutes northwest to South Acton. Pack some snacks, a bottle of water, sunscreen and bug repellant. All aboard!
First: a whimsical, kid-friendly afternoon. About a 10-minute walk from the South Acton Commuter Rail stop is the Discovery Museum, where kids and their grown-ups can learn about science and nature through play. You’ll take a right when you see Bessie, the bright green dinosaur, and walk along the museum’s front lawn until you get to the main building on the right. You’ll see Discovery Woods on the left: there, you can explore a 550-foot tree house, sit in a book nook and observe the nature around you. The Discovery Museum typically charges admission, but this summer they’re offering free entry on Friday evenings, from 4:30 to 8 p.m., starting June 19.
Second: A nature path for dog lovers. Head down School Street and take a left right after the Acton Fire Department station. You’ll end up at the Great Hill Conservation Area, a rocky 2-mile loop that’s great for people who love to identify local plants and bird-watch. But the best part of this trail is right at the start: a pond where locals bring their dogs. If it’s a good day, you might see some jump into the water as you sit at the nearby picnic table. Otherwise, keep your eyes open for neighbors and their canine pals trotting along.
Third: A rail trail for history lovers and lily pad enthusiasts. Across the street from the South Acton Station’s inbound platform, you’ll find the start of the Assabet River Rail Trail. Start walking (or rolling — it’s bicycle, stroller and wheelchair accessible) along and you’ll see a section of train tracks from an abandoned rail extension. From there you’ll cross a bridge with a gorgeous lily pad view, pass through some woods and end up at Maplebrook Park in Maynard. If you stop at signs along the route, you’ll learn about Acton’s industrial past and the factories where workers processed leather and wove fabrics. If not, you can still enjoy a nice ride for about three miles.
Like this Free Ride? Share it with a friend and tell them to subscribe to GBH Daily for more.
And remember: if you take any of these hikes or have your own Free Ride ideas to share, I want to hear from you! Send me a note at daily@wgbh.org.
More fun things to do:
-Bus service to ‘Boston’s big backyard’ is back, and more frequent
-Ten Boston picnic spots to explore (and a few further afield)
-Co-founder of ‘They Might Be Giants’ talks Boston roots and 40 years of nerd rock
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