Boston, meet Matt Shearer 👋

5 questions with local radio reporter Matt Shearer

Matt says he loves Boston and “wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” | Photo by Steve Prue

If you spend any time on social media, you’ve probably seen the video of Stow residents reacting to the closure of two area Dunkin’ Donuts (heartbreaking news) or locals sharing their opinions on the Seaport neighborhood.

These viral TikTok videos and radio reports are all thanks to Framingham resident and Emerson College alum Matt Shearer. The WBZ NewsRadio reporter is constantly in search of stories that matter to Bostonians (much like your BOStoday City Editors).

We chatted with Matt about some of his most iconic interviews and interactions with Bostonians.

What’s the “most Boston” thing that’s happened to you during an interview?

With my Market Basket in Billerica story, the guy was so frustrated about the grocery store closing that he alluded to the fact that it was the reason the dinosaurs went extinct. [The full quote is — “I don’t like change. I tell my kids that the dinosaurs didn’t go extinct by accident. They saw the future and said, screw this. Let’s go to the tar pit.”] That’s the most Massachusetts way to react to a Market Basket closing...conjuring up images of the apocalypse.

How did the Stow Dunkin’ video come about?

Somebody had commented on a TikTok video asking if there is a single town in Massachusetts that doesn’t have a Dunkin’ Donuts. I did the research and compared a list of Dunkin’ locations to a list of municipalities in Massachusetts and found that surprisingly, there are a lot of them.

I picked Stow, went there, looked around in a vacant store window and noticed the tiling on the floor was Dunkin’ Donuts. I was like “Oh my god, they HAD a Dunkin’ Donuts here.” I started asking around and found out that there were two that both closed within a few months of each other.

Click the link below for three more questions with Matt, including his description of Boston in just three words.

MORE CHATS WITH MATT

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Today

Charles River Haunted Tales Cruise | Fri., Oct. 21 - Sun., Oct. 30 | 5:30 + 7:30 p.m. | Lechmere Canal, 6 Canal Park, Cambridge | $35.00 - $39.00 | Cruise along to tales of eerie sightings and haunted landmarks along the banks of the Charles River — boarding begins 15 minutes before departure.
The Salem Sisters Spooktacular | Fri., Oct. 21, Sat., Oct. 22,| 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Riverside Theatre Works, 45 Fairmount Avenue, Hyde Park | $16.00 - $20.00 | Catch live singing, lavish scenery, and of course the beloved Sanderson Sisters at this spooky production.
15th Annual Window Art Walk | Fri., Oct. 21 - Sun., Oct. 23 | Hours vary | Main Street, Melrose | Free | View the work of 30+ local artists at various businesses just ~10 miles from Boston.

Saturday

Baldwin in the Park: Collective Healing through Movement & Meaning | Sat., Oct. 22, Sat., Oct. 29 | 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, 34W Lincoln Street, Boston | Free | Enjoy a dance class and healing workshop at a historic site.
Opening the Vault: Astrology Edition | Sat., Oct. 22 | 11 a.m.-6 p.m. | Vivant Vintage, 318 Lincoln Street, Boston | Price of purchase | The Allston vintage store is offering thousands of pieces of one-of-a-kind jewelry, highlighting the astrology-themed pieces.

Sunday

2022 Boston Mayor’s Cup Cross Country | Sun., Oct. 23 | 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Franklin Park Pierpont Road, Boston | Free | The 32nd annual event draws nearly 1,000 entrants — pre-registration is required.

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

Weather

64º | Sunny | 10% chance of rain

Open

Tonino is now open in Jamaica Plain. The Italian restaurant is located at the former Little Dipper space + serves dinner Thursdays-Mondays beginning at 5 p.m. Make a reservation to visit and try dishes like the tomato pie or chitarra and clams. 🍽️

Transit

Speed restrictions are in place on the Red Line ahead of upcoming construction. Three slow zones (two southbound and one northbound) will be in place until the track work is complete — there is currently no start date for construction. 🚊 (WCVB 5)
Additional Commuter Rail trains will run from Boston to Salem through Halloween. Seven inbound trains + six outbound trains will be added to the Newburyport/Rockport Line so Bostonians can avoid driving to Witch City. (7 News)

Sports

Who remembers the Bruins’ Pooh Bear jerseys? The bear logo (the team’s third jersey from 1995-2006) is back for the “Reverse Retro” collaboration with Adidas. The Bruins will sport these jerseys in multiple games this season + they will be available for purchase in November. 🏒 (CBS Boston)

Civic

In-person early voting begins tomorrow for the Massachusetts State Election. Check out our guide to prepare for Election Day on Tues., Nov. 8. 🗳️

State

Any brainy Bay State schools out there? It’s time to register for the qualifying event ahead of the High School Quiz Show, an academic tournament for Massachusetts high school students. Schools must submit a team to participate in GBH’s “Super Sunday” event by Tues., Nov. 1. 🧠

Transportation

The Paul W. Conley Container Terminal welcomed a ship carrying 13,500 containers from Asia yesterday — the largest ship to ever enter the terminal. Massport’s recent infrastructure investments connected Boston to China, North Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East + Latin America. (WCVB 5)

Edu

Sally Kornbluth has been named the 18th president of MIT. The 61-year-old cell biologist will be the second woman to serve as the university’s president + begins her term on Jan. 1, 2023. (Boston Globe)

Featured

The Boatslip in Provincetown was featured on a list of the 32 best gay bars in America by Esquire. The publication highlighted the joint for its afternoon Tea Dance and overall sense of queer magic. ✨

Feel Good

One local father’s wicked proud reaction to his daughter running the 2023 Boston Marathon has gone viral. Bridget Lawler captured her dad’s response (“No friggin’ way!”) in a heartfelt video, which has now been viewed more than half a million times. 👟 (Boston.com)

Ranked

No. 13. That’s where Boston ranked on a list of the “rattiest” cities (read: cities with the most rat infestations) in the US. Orkin ranked metro areas by the number of new rodent treatments performed from September 2021 through August 2022.

Shop

Here’s a friendly reminder that Halloween is almost here. Have you bought your costume yet? What about the candy? And if you want to be the coolest parent or grandparent on the block — while increasing your trick-or-treater’s nighttime visibility — grab this affordable 100-pack of glow sticks.*

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Row, row, row your boat 🛶

Your guide to the Head of the Charles Regatta

A team of rowers work in tangent to race down the Charles River.

Over 11,000 athletes will compete in 55 different racing events over the course of the weekend. | Photo by @hugh.slee.photography

You can score a free front row seat to one of Boston’s biggest sporting events this weekend — and no, we’re not talking about tickets to TD Garden or Fenway Park.

The Head of the Charles Regatta returns to Boston + Cambridge from Friday, Oct. 20 through Sunday, Oct. 22, attracting 11,000+ athletes and countless visitors to the Charles River Esplanade. The local fall spectacle is the largest of its kind in the world.

Over the decades, the Head of the Charles has mushroomed from a one-day competition into a weekend packed with 55 race events. The first edition of the event dates back to 1965, when three Cambridge Boat Club members founded a traditional “head” race (read: a class of regattas that are usually ~3 miles long).

Today, the schedule is divided into categories based on factors such as competitors ages and gender. Races begin at Boston University’s DeWolfe Boathouse and finish 4702 meters down the Charles River at Herter Park (1175 Soldiers Field Rd.).

Here’s what you need to know before you witness this weekend’s crew-sades:

Consult the race schedule to learn which races align with your free time.
Limited parking is available at Harvard Stadium at Gate 14 for $30 per day. Spectators can also free find on-street parking on Birmingham Parkway every day before 6 p.m.
Guests can access either side of the Charles River via stops on the Red and Green Lines, as well as via buses 1, 47, 64, 66, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, and 86.
Global rowing fans can tune in from afar through the official livestreams.

Pro tip: The regatta’s website outlines a variety of spots for spectators along the course of the race, so don’t go straight to the start or finish lines.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by City Editor Sara.

Editor’s pick: After chatting with Matt about why Dunkin’ is such a big deal around here, it’s only fitting to bring up the conversation around the new rewards program.

I’m not a Dunkin’ Rewards member myself, so I want to know — how do you feel about the changes? Whether you’re outraged or indifferent, feel free to spill the tea (or better yet, the medium coffee regular). ☕

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Snuggle up with a good book by these authors from Boston.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Jessica Burton, Sara Frazier, Sarah Leonhardt, Erin McPherson, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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