The Rundown with Carrie Saldo

Alleged racial segregation in schools, fed. oversight of Springfield police dept. ends & more

A Springfield student is at the forefront of a lawsuit [https://www.masslive.com/westernmass/2026/05/springfield-student-lead-plaintiff-in-lawsuit-against-the-state-alleging-racial-segregation-in-mass-schools.html] that alleges racial segregation in Massachusetts schools. We’ll unpack the details. In other Springfield news, while federal oversight of the police department draws to a close [https://wmasspi.com/2026/04/springfield-and-feds-move-to-close-the-lid-on-pearl-street-oversight.html], reforming the department will continue [https://www.masslive.com/westernmass/2026/05/federal-oversight-of-springfield-police-department-ends-but-reform-work-continues.html].  And, the village known as Turners Falls marks the 350th anniversary [https://recorder.com/2026/05/17/remembering-peskeompskut-hundreds-gather-in-turners-falls-to-mark-350-years-since-great-falls-massacre/?_gl=1*e3q00p*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTEyMjMxMDI0NS4xNzc5MTk3MzA1*_ga_Z4Z8FXE9YH*czE3NzkxOTczMDQkbzEkZzAkdDE3NzkxOTczMDQkajYwJGwwJGgw*_ga_VG1FLNYBX4*czE3NzkxOTczMDQkbzEkZzAkdDE3NzkxOTczMDQkajYwJGwwJGgw] of the Great Falls Massacre, we find out how the community is fighting to remember and reconnect [https://nolumbekaproject.org/350-2/] with the true history [https://recorder.com/2026/05/18/nolumbeka-project-native-american-sculpture/]. Plus, the iconic former U.S. Representative and Massachusetts’ own Barney Frank dies at age 86. We speak about the legacy he leaves behind. We’re running down all of that and more this week with our panel, Greenfield Recorder reporter Erin-Leigh Hoffman [https://recorder.com/author/erin-leigh-hoffman/]; Matt Szafranski [https://wmasspi.com/about-us], editor-in-chief for Western Mass. Politics and Insight; and Springfield Republican reporter Jim Kinney [https://www.masslive.com/staff/jkinney/].

Post office closures, education cyberattack, targets on DEI

We take a look at the impending closure of post offices in the 413 and the impact that could have on two communities in Hampden [https://www.wwlp.com/news/local-news/hampden-county/massachusetts-state-rep-bud-williams-leads-fight-to-save-springfields-pine-point-post-office/] and Franklin [https://gazettenet.com/2026/05/13/its-a-bummer-shutesbury-residents-lament-pending-post-office-closure/] Counties.  In education news, a conservative group files a civil rights complaint [https://www.masslive.com/westernmass/2026/05/complaint-filed-to-get-white-students-access-to-umass-program-for-minorities.html] against UMass Amherst to give white students access to programs for minority students.  And, we examine how some schools in western Mass [https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/05/09/business/canvas-outage-cyberattack-havoc-colleges/?p1=BGSearch_Overlay_Results]. have been impacted by a nationwide cyberattack [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/classroom/daily-news-lessons/2026/05/cyberattack-on-canvas-platform-highlights-vulnerabilities-and-risks-for-schools].  Plus, the U.S. Department of Education investigates Smith [https://www.nepm.org/regional-news/2026-05-05/i-dont-feel-safe-students-at-smith-college-react-to-federal-probe-on-colleges-trans-women-policy] College for accepting transgender students. We explore what it could mean.  We’re running down all of that and more this week with our panel: Paul Tuthill [https://www.wamc.org/news/2023-12-22/wamcs-pioneer-valley-bureau-chief-paul-tuthill-retires-after-nearly-five-decades-in-radio], reporter emeritus; Ryan McCollum [http://rmc-strategies.com/about-ryan-mccollum/], principal of RMC Strategies; and NEPM reporter Phil Bishop [https://www.nepm.org/people/phillip-bishop].

Environmental impacts in the 413

Today's show has an environmental impact focus: polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) contamination has long been a problem in the 413, particularly in the Berkshires. The state claimed it wasn’t testing blood for PCBs, but it has been for years [https://www.reasongonemad.com/massachusetts-said-it-didnt-do-pcb-blood-testing/]. We unpack the details.  While renewable energy is popular in many circles, some residents of western Mass. have concerns [https://www.masslive.com/westernmass/2026/04/as-the-state-tries-to-streamline-battery-and-solar-permitting-some-residents-wary-of-projects.html] over battery and solar permitting. We examine why some are seeing red over green.  And, proposed changes to environmental protections at the federal level could have direct impacts [https://www.berkshireeagle.com/news/northern_berkshires/thomas-jorling-epa-wetlands-rollback-warning/article_ec4a7b47-1eca-4736-af17-98f5a3b6ee49.html] right here in the 413. We explore what it could mean. Plus, from the big questions file: What the heck is pee-cycling [https://theshoestring.org/2026/04/23/peecycling-program-plans-franklin-county-launch/]?  We’re running down all of that with this week’s panel: Adam Hinds [https://emkinstitute.org/our-team/], senior advisor at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute; Bill Shein [https://www.reasongonemad.com/author/billshein/], founder of Reason Gone Mad; Greta Jochem [https://www.masslive.com/staff/greta-jochem/], investigations editor at The Springfield Republican; and Sarah Robertson [https://theshoestring.org/author/srobertson692/], independent reporter.

Baystate takes over Mercy Medical, Mass. GOP convention

Healthcare in the 413 takes center stage this week as Baystate Health announces plans to take over [https://www.nepm.org/regional-news/2026-04-28/baystate-health-reaches-agreement-to-take-over-mercy-medical-center] Mercy Medical Center. What will the impact [https://www.masslive.com/westernmass/2026/04/holyoke-medical-center-readies-for-changes-as-baystate-takes-over-mercy.html] be? We unpack the details. And, the Massachusetts Republican Party held its convention [https://www.nepm.org/regional-news/2026-04-24/republican-gubernatorial-candidates-to-vie-for-partys-endorsement-at-massachusetts-republican-convention] this past weekend, and we explore how the local arm of the GOP will be positioning itself heading into the November midterm elections. Plus, what does the recent prosecution [https://www.berkshireeagle.com/crime/matthew-rutledge-arraigned-superior-court/article_6d636e2f-5756-4473-8b1e-62a91b480f66.html] of a former teacher at a Berkshires school on rape charges mean for the future of the state’s age of consent laws? We’re running down all of that and more this week with our panel: Greg Sukiennik [https://www.berkshireeagle.com/users/profile/greg%20f.%20sukiennik], news editor for The Berkshire Eagle; Jim Kinney [https://www.masslive.com/staff/jkinney/], reporter for The Springfield Republican; and Principal of MLB Research Associates Matt Barron [https://www.mlbresearch.com/].

Mass. Public Record Law

The Massachusetts Public Record Law – what is it and how is it supposed to work? And how are journalists using, or trying to use, it to dig into stories?  We answer those questions and look at a few examples right here in the 413 of where public records requests have helped generate news and support the public’s right to know.  We’re running down all of that and more this week with our panel: Greta Jochem, Springfield Republican newspaper investigations editor; Bridgette Davis, UMass Amherst assistant professor of public policy; and Dusty Christensen, investigations editor at The Shoestring.