The Point

On the monthly Gardening program, horticulturist Roberta Clark joins our host Mindy Todd to catch up on everything happening in the world of plants. We hear about crops that did well, and also this season's challenges. We hear some tips about fall cleanup and ways to support the diversity of pollinators and many beneficial creatures that live in the less tended areas. We also discuss rats and other undesirable garden visitors.  We'll hear from Roberta again in the spring! 

WCAI News Director Steve Junker hosts a roundup of some of the top local and regional news of the week, including: the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe faces uncertainty after a federal decision rescinds its lands in trust; questions continue over the fate of spent fuel at Pilgrim Nuclear Plant; and the region marks the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Dr. Alice Weiss is a veterinarian and pet advice columnist who helps people navigate the joys and challenges of pet ownership. She’s also the creator of DOGSENJOYLIFE on Twitter and Instagram. Alice joins us on The Point for a fun and informative hour of dog stories, and takes questions about the health and well being of your animal.

It might be easier to list the differences between Alaska and Nantucket than what the two places have in common. One is a small Island off the New England Coast the other a large territory comprised of vast wilderness and island chains. And the differences don’t stop with geography. Their history, economies and culture are also quite different. Yet Crocker Snow Jr. sees deeper and profound commonalities between the two places. He put his observations into a book titled Nantaska, the Minnow and the Whale, the Curious Parallel Lives of Nantucket and Alaska.

Steven Raichlen has a new TV series Project Fire, an exploration of how we grill today and how we will grill and smoke tomorrow. The Point's Mindy Todd and Amy Vince joined Steven for some innovative and delicious live fire cooking at his home on Chappaquiddick island. 

For the monthly Bird program on The Point, Mark Faherty, wildlife biologist at Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, joins our host Mindy Todd in the studio. The fall migration is in full swing; some birds passing by here are on their way to South America! Fall birds are not as easy to spot: they are not singing as much and not wearing their colorful breeding plumage. Many migrating shore birds are still here and can be found in any area with tidal flats. Big flocks of certain species such as starlings are coming through; one can find them among oaks and other nut trees.

WCAI News Director Steve Junker hosts a roundup of some of the top local and regional news of the week, including: this week’s primary elections saw higher voter turnout than anticipated across the Cape and Islands; an aerial park in Sandwich is ordered to close; and Outer Cape towns look to improve communications at remote beaches, in case of shark bites. 

As part of the Martha’s Vineyard Book Festival Author Series, President Bill Clinton was on the Vineyard in August to discuss his first novel The President is Missing. The book is co-authored with James Patterson. We recorded Clinton in conversation with Bob Barnett discussing the timely issues that the novel raises about our world as well as the collaborative writing process.

Numerous books have been written about the Cuban Missile Crisis; by both historians and those who had first-hand knowledge of the people and events that took place. One aspect of the events leading up to the crisis that hasn’t gotten much attention is the story of the U-2 pilots who were performing top secret surveillance flights of Cuba.

In October of 2015 the El Faro, a U.S. flagged cargo ship, sank in Hurricane Joaquin northeast of the Bahamas. Despite a seasoned crew, state of the art navigation systems, and advance warning of the storm, the ship went down with without sending out a Mayday and without launching lifeboats.

WCAI News Director Steve Junker hosts a roundup of some of the top local and regional news of the week, including: two reviews conclude the Mashpee police chase that ended in 3 fatalities should have been stopped; the victim of the mid-August shark attack in Truro speaks about the experience; some schools delay the start of the academic year because of the heat; and opponents of an offshore power line through Lewis Bay are mobilizing.  

 The Black Iris Project is a ballet collaborative creating new ballet works celebrating diversity and black history. They’ll be performing on the Vineyard as part of the Vineyard Arts Project. On The Point, we talk with Jeremy McQueen, choreographer with The Black Iris Project. Mindy Todd hosts.

On The Point, we discuss this year's Martha's Vineyard International Festival with founder Richard Paradise.

Pirates are the topic this month on The Point books show. Our guests Jill Erickson, reference librarian at the Falmouth Public Library, and Peter Abrahams, author,  join host Amy Vince in the WCAI studio to discuss the great variety of books about pirates. From Captain Kidd's lost treasure, to the modern day piracy of huge container ships, we dip into the dangerous and fascinating world of pirate stories.

  The US Coast Guard flight crews stationed on Cape Cod are at the ready 24 / 7 to respond to vessels in distress from New York City to the border of Canada. In this special re-broadcast, we talk with Coast Guard pilots, flight mechanics and rescue swimmers about their work, and tag along on a helicopter training flight to see them in action. We also hear the story of a woman who was rescued 300 miles offshore by a Coast Guard Helicopter crew in Hurricane Grace.