Travis “The Featherhawk” Snyder was chasing the dragon, a euphemism for heroin and opioid addiction, until he had enough. It was three days before Christmas in 2011 and he was sick and tired of being sick and tired. Detoxing in a jail cell in Pennsylvania, Snyder hit rock bottom. He then did the unthinkable. Snyder…
HOPE ON WHEELS: Two students start new mobile shower project
Hope on wheels? Debbie Perez and Kati Moran, students with Boston University’s School of Public Health, have started a new project to provide mobile showers to Boston’s homeless population. Basing their ideas on San Francisco-based charity Lava Mae, the pair have begun the early stages of crafting the initiative. While brainstorming ways to help Boston’s…
MIKE McCOLGAN: Founding member of the Dropkick Murphys talks homelessness
He’s a man who holds various titles such as punk rocker, army veteran, firefighter, EMT and union activist. He’s a man who holds his Dorchester roots near and dear to him. It’s Savin Hill’s own Mike McColgan. You may know McColgan as a founding member of Dropkick Murphys—he leant his voice to their debut album…
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: Boston plans to end chronic individual homelessness by 2018
When the Long Island bridge closed—cutting off access to the city’s largest shelter and many residential treatment programs, some saw the crisis as an opportunity to reform a system that wasn’t working. After all, the only thing more outdated than that 64-year-old rusty bridge was the idea that just sheltering people alone was the best…
TV SHOW: Spare Change News TV launches on CCTV
In case you missed it … below is an archive of Spare Change News TV. The weekly program, airing 5:30 p.m. Mondays on Cambridge Community TV’s channel 9, is a news-driven talk show focusing on the story behind the stories featured in each issue of the country’s oldest continuously operating street newspaper. Click here for…
CAZWELL PRIDE: Worcester native and gay rapper talks pride and sexuality
With the attention-grabbing All Over Your Face and the viral smash Ice Cream Truck, rapper Cazwell dragged hip hop kicking and screaming into the LGBT community. Known for his steaming-hot videos and frank depiction of gay sexuality, Cazwell is also arguably the most famous gay rapper in the world. And yet, for all the sensational…
SEX TRADE: CEASE Boston combats local sex trafficking
A sex trafficker, a pimp, will go to the mall in search of a group of girls. When he finds one, he’ll scan the group to see which girl he perceives has the lowest self-esteem. For this, he’ll rely on analyzing their body language. He won’t go for the conventionally attractive one or the least…
MURPHYS’ LAW: Dropkick Murphys’ Matt Kelly talks 2024 Olympics, hometown pride
It’s hard to think of Boston without thinking about the Dropkick Murphys. They’re synonymous with the city today, and rightly so. They’ve worked hard over the last 19 years to get to where they are in the music scene. They’re connected to the biggest punk bands to come out of the city, such as the…
SOBER GRID: A smartphone app for the recovery community
It’s the day after Sober Grid was released and the new geo-social mobile app’s headquarters in Boston’s Back Bay is abuzz with excitement. “You wouldn’t believe the response we’ve had so far,” emotes Beau Mann, the 33-year-old creator of Sober Grid. “We’ve already had a few thousand downloads and the responses are through the roof.”…
“WEIRD" AL OPENS UP: 32 years later, still surprised by success
What can be said about “Weird” Al Yankovic that hasn’t already been said during his illustrious and highly influential 32-year career in the pop culture spotlight? Not much. Some words that come to mind though are humble, down-to-earth and “super chill.” Four Grammy Awards. More than 12 million records sold worldwide. Over 1,000 shows played…