The Burlington Brief
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The Burlington Brief is your no-nonsense guide to local news in Burlington, Massachusetts, hosted by BCAT news producer Sydney Boles and BHS journalism teacher Sarah Eshelman. Tune in weekly for your rundown of what’s been going on at Town Hall and around the community, and for interviews with the people at the heart of the news.
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  • How Many Liquor Licenses Is Too Many? The Select Board Considers. November 16, 2023
    Burlington school building committees make incremental progress in their years-long tasks, and the Select Board considers best practices for allocating liquor licenses. Select Board Member Nick Priest joins for the interview.
  • Burlington Turns Out for the Taste November 3, 2023
    The Burlington Area Chamber of Commerce's "Taste of Burlington" was full of glitz and glamour, not to mention incredible food. it also had a lot of say about the state of the restaurant industry and the broader economy in the town.
  • Imam Shakeel Rahman On The Muslim Community's Needs During Wartime October 26, 2023
    With Muslim members of the Burlington community responding this week to a statement issued by the school district, we speak to Imam Shakeel Rahman of the Islamic Center of Burlington on how he supports his community, and what non-Muslims might misunderstand during difficult times. To support Palestinian people suffering in this time, Imam Shakeel recommends […]
  • Equity Audit Reveals Strengths And Challenges in BPS October 12, 2023
    In this episode, Sydney Boles and guest host Chris Flaherty dig into a newly released equity audit of Burlington Public Schools. Then, amid news of terrible violence in Israel, Temple Shalom Emeth's Rabbi Susan Abramson joins us to talk about the experiences and the needs in Burlington's Jewish community. To support displaced Israeli families: The […]
  • Fox Hill Committee Chooses Smaller School October 5, 2023
    In this episode, Sydney Boles and guest host Chris Flaherty tackle a decision to move forward with a smaller Fox Hill, and a potential conflict of interest on the Board of Health.
  • Town Meeting Tackles Hybrid Rules, Parking And A Housing Referendum September 28, 2023
    Town Meeting, Burlington's 126-member legislative body, convened for one of its three annual meetings this week, nixing a plan to make the meetings hybrid and approving some changes to parking rules. We hash it out, and we give you the rundown of what happened at School Committee.
  • What Burlington Thinks About Fox Hill September 21, 2023
    The Elementary School Building Committee is nearing a deadline to choose between replacing Fox Hill Elementary School or combining Fox Hill and Pine Glen Elementary into a larger "butterfly building" on the Fox Hill site. The community has a lot of thoughts about it. Plus, Town Moderator Bill Beyer talks about some upcoming items on […]
  • Welcome to the Burlington Brief September 14, 2023
    Welcome to the Burlington Brief, your no-nonsense guide to local news and politics in Burlington, MA. Presented by BCAT, this weekly podcast brings you interviews with newsmakers and a deep dive into the issues facing residents, from the schools to society and culture to Town Hall. Don't forget to subscribe so you don’t miss an […]