Alexi Cohan

1 week ago | wgbh.org | Alexi Cohan

June 18, 2025 New data from Massachusetts’ state mental hospital in Worcester is raising concerns about how long patients are being physically restrained. In an adult care unit in the Department of Mental Health’s largest hospital, when staff used restraints — like straps or vests — to hold people down last year, the patients remained restrained for close to two hours in most instances.

4 weeks ago | wgbh.org | Alexi Cohan

May 30, 2025 In the wake of the 2024 election loss, Democrats have grappled with fending off an onslaught of executive orders from the Trump administration while simultaneously trying to rebuild the party. Some top Democrats, such as Democratic National Committee Vice Chair David Hogg, have presented controversial ideas including spending money to primary incumbent Democrats to get fresh, new faces in office and challenge longstanding seniority.

1 month ago | wgbh.org | Alexi Cohan

May 14, 2025 In Cambridge, a small group of motivated residents is fired up about what they see as a lack of transparency and accountability within the Massachusetts Legislature. They gathered in wake of Question 1, which passed by 72% in November, and still hasn’t happened. Voters opted to explicitly authorize the state auditor to audit the Legislature, but lawmakers have pushed back, questioning the constitutionality of it. Now, it’s tied up with state Attorney General Andrea Campbell.

1 month ago | wgbh.org | Alexi Cohan

May 01, 2025 On a humid April afternoon at Wellspring Harvest in Springfield, Stanley Zalewski is in the midst of a rapid search for a backup plan to sell countless heads of lettuce and basil plants. He doesn’t have a buyer for much of the upcoming summer harvest, as he was expecting. This season, the U.S. Department of Agriculture cut $1 billion in two federal grant programs that had helped schools and food hubs pay for locally produced food.

1 month ago | wgbh.org | Alexi Cohan

April 29, 2025 After 100 days of Donald Trump’s second presidency, young voters say they’re feeling the impact of his policy choices. A panel of Gen Z voters joined GBH News’ Politics IRL to share their thoughts on how they think the presidency is going so far, and whether the country is headed in the right direction.