Tovia Smith

1 Month Since The Bombings, Signs Of Progress In Boston

Tovia Smith — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:04:00 +0000

Explosions rocked the finish line of the Boston Marathon one month ago. Four Boston-area families continue to mourn their loved ones and dozens of the 250 injured push on with their rehab. In the area of the bombing, only one business has not reopened.

Boston Bombing Victims To Receive Fund Money

Tovia Smith — Tue, 07 May 2013 09:11:00 +0000

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

By the end of next month, nearly $30 million in private contributions may be handed out to hundreds of victims of the Boston Marathon bombing. The administrator of the fund outlined plans last night for who might be eligible and how the money will be divided.

Markey, Gomez Vie For John Kerry's Senate Seat

Tovia Smith — Wed, 01 May 2013 08:06:00 +0000

Veteran Democratic Rep. Ed Markey, who has been in office for 36 years, and novice Republican Gabriel Gomez will face off in the race to become the next U.S. senator from Massachusetts. They won their party primaries Tuesday in the special election to fill the seat vacated by Secretary of State John Kerry.

Officials say voter turnout was light.

As Support For Gay Marriage Grows, An Opponent Looks Ahead

Tovia Smith — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 22:20:00 +0000

As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to weigh in on gay marriage, Maggie Gallagher, one of the nation's leading voices in opposition to same-sex marriage, is also preparing for what might come next.

Gallagher, co-founder of the National Organization for Marriage, likes to call herself an "accidental activist." After graduating from Yale in 1982, she thought she'd become a writer and focus on what she called "important things," like money and war.

Mass. Crime Lab Scandal Reverberates Across State

Tovia Smith — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 09:26:00 +0000

A scandal in a Massachusetts crime lab continues to reverberate throughout the state's legal system. Several months ago, Annie Dookhan, a former chemist in a state crime lab, told police that she messed up big time. Dookhan now stands accused of falsifying test results in as many as 34,000 cases.

As a result, lawyers, prosecutors and judges used to operating in a world of "beyond a reasonable doubt" now have nothing but doubt.

Already, hundreds of convicts and defendants have been released because of the scandal.

As Pope Resigns, Clergy Abuse Survivors Remember 2008 Meeting

Tovia Smith — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 22:19:00 +0000

Among those watching the papal transition closely are survivors of clergy sexual abuse, including a handful who were selected to meet with Pope Benedict XVI five years ago as the crisis raged.

The group left the meeting hopeful that that Benedict would make significant changes in how the church handled both past and current cases.

Mother Nature Unleashes Dangerous Storms

Tovia Smith — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 10:26:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

On a Monday, it's MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And I'm Renee Montagne.

Several parts of the country spent time fending off the weather this past weekend. Mississippi residents lived through moments of terror last night. A tornado struck Hattiesburg, home to the University of Southern Mississippi, where Leslie Nash(ph) is a student.

LESLIE NASH: We ran downstairs, got into the bathtub.

Northeast Storm Likely To End Up In The Record Books

Tovia Smith — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 22:06:00 +0000

Transcript

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Audie Cornish.

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

And I'm Robert Siegel. The Northeast is now enveloped in a blizzard that is likely bound for the record books. That means snow falling at two to three inches an hour and wind gusts as high as 70 miles an hour. One more number for you: Some places could see as much as three feet of snow. NPR's Tovia Smith reports even the most seasoned New Englanders are hunkering down.

TOVIA SMITH, BYLINE: All across Massachusetts, cities are shut down and families shut in.

Kerry's Temporary Senate Replacement Doesn't Plan To Run For The Seat

Tovia Smith — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 22:48:00 +0000

Transcript

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

This is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Melissa Block.

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

And I'm Audie Cornish.

Today, many in Massachusetts are asking themselves who is Mo Cowan? That's because he'll soon be the state's newest senator.

Special Election To Fill Kerry's Mass. Senate Seat

Tovia Smith — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 10:27:00 +0000

With John Kerry stepping down from the seat he held for 28 years to become secretary of state, rumors are swirling about who his short-term replacement will be — and who will run in the special election in six months. Gov. Deval Patrick is appointing the replacement Wednesday.

Colleges Try To Curtail Flu Risk For Students

Tovia Smith — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 22:45:00 +0000

As college students return to class from winter break this week, campuses around the nation are bracing for the possibility of a flu outbreak.

Colleges in Boston are especially worried after the mayor's declaration last week of a public health emergency in the city. The city's student population is large — around 150,000.

Massachusetts Freshman Brings Kennedys Back To Capitol Hill

Tovia Smith — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 10:11:00 +0000

Last year marked the first time in more than six decades that there was no Kennedy in elected office in the nation's capital.

But that gap ends this week with the inauguration of Rep.-elect Joseph Kennedy III of Massachusetts. The son of former Rep. Joe Kennedy and the grandson of the late Robert F.

Clergy Called On To Help With Healing In Newtown

Tovia Smith — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 21:56:00 +0000

Transcript

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

This is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Melissa Block.

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

And I'm Robert Siegel. In Newtown, Connecticut, religious leaders gathered this afternoon to share strategy on how best to help their hurting community.

First Of Shooting Victims Buried In Newtown, Conn.

Tovia Smith — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 22:09:00 +0000

Transcript

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Melissa Block.

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

And I'm Robert Siegel.

The painful process of burying the victims of Friday's shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, began today with the funeral of the youngest victim. Noah Pozner leaves behind a 6-year-old twin sister, as well as his mother, father and three other siblings.

Day To Get Longer At Some Low-Performing Schools

Tovia Smith — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 21:28:00 +0000

Around 20,000 kids will be spending more time in school next year. A public-private partnership was announced on Monday to fund longer school days at some low-performing schools in five states.

As Colleges Retool Aid, Can Entry Stay Need-Blind?

Tovia Smith — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 21:25:00 +0000

With money coming in more slowly than the financial aid given out, schools say they are nearing the breaking point, and even the most selective elite universities are rethinking their generosity.

"It just became clear that if we continue to give more and more aid, the numbers don't add up," says Raynard Kington, head of Grinnell College. Thanks to longtime former board member Warren Buffett, Grinnell has an endowment bigger than most schools dream of.

Republicans: How To Attract The Next Generation?

Tovia Smith — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 10:27:00 +0000

Sixty percent of the under 30 crowd went for President Obama in last week's presidential election. That number is nearly twice what Mitt Romney got from the same group. The total has many in the GOP worried.

Maine, Maryland Voters Approve Same-Sex Marriage

Tovia Smith — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 21:54:00 +0000

The number of states where gay marriage is legal will grow by at least two. On Tuesday, Maine and Maryland became the first states to approve same sex marriage by popular referendum. It brings the number of states where such unions are allowed to eight. In the state of Washington, the vote on a similar measure is still too close to call. In Minnesota, voters turned down an amendment to the state constitution that would have banned gay marriage.

Storm Hits Transportation, Travelers Hard

Tovia Smith — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 09:33:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

The transportation industry is also taking a hard hit. Travel is at a virtual standstill along the East Coast because of Sandy. Up to 15,000 flights have been canceled. Amtrak service in the Northeast is shut down again today. And crews are just beginning to assess the extensive cleanup work needed to clear tracks and roads.

NPR's Tovia Smith reports.

TOVIA SMITH, BYLINE: Travelers across the Northeast have been going nowhere fast.

Boy Scouts Forced To Show Sex Abuse Allegations

Tovia Smith — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 20:40:00 +0000

Records of Boy Scout leaders accused of child molestation between the mid-1960s and the 1980s were made public today. The Oregon Supreme court ordered the release of the so-called "perversion files" over the objections of the Boy Scouts of America, who wanted them to remain confidential.

Bankruptcy Adds To Criticism Of Obama's Green Policies

Tovia Smith — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 08:39:00 +0000

A123 Systems has filed for bankruptcy. The company makes lithium ion batteries for hybrid and electric cars — or it did. The company's automotive assets are being sold, and the bankruptcy filing will likely be controversial. A123 received a $249 million grant from the government in 2009.

1,900 Boy Scout Leaders Accused Of Child Sex Abuse

Tovia Smith — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 20:50:00 +0000

A lawyer who represents alleged victims of sexual abuse has made public a list of 1,900 people within the Boy Scouts of America accused or convicted of abuse. The list includes names, dates, locations and some details. Lawyers are expected to release internal documents from the Boy Scouts related to sexual abuse next week.

Teacher Evaluation Dispute Echoes Beyond Chicago

Tovia Smith — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 20:37:00 +0000

One of the primary issues at the heart of the the Chicago teachers' strike is whether student test scores should be used to evaluate teachers and determine their pay. Mayor Rahm Emanuel is pushing that approach, as are other officials around the nation.

But many teachers insist that it's inherently unfair to grade their teaching based on their students' learning.

Just the fact that there's a growing discussion around teacher evaluations is a huge leap for the education industry.

In Chicago, 'Perfect Storm' Led To Teachers' Strike

Tovia Smith — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 11:17:00 +0000

It was a major accomplishment in Chicago that teachers who used to walk out frequently had, for the past 25 years, managed to avoid a strike. But it's not surprising, many experts say, that things would fall apart now.

"I think it is a perfect storm," says Tim Knowles, head of the University of Chicago's Urban Education Institute.

Mass. Prison Reviews Court's Transgender Ruling

Tovia Smith — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 10:04:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Prison officials in Massachusetts say they are still reviewing a federal court decision in Boston ordering them to provide sex-change surgery for a prison inmate. Critics are urging officials to appeal what they call an outrageous abuse of taxpayer funds.