No question, as a nation we are living in tumultuous times. Big questions about who we are as a country, and what we stand for are being posed. As a government simultaneously breaking down old systems and building new ones, roles are being challenged, and the efficacy of the different branches are...in doubt, shall we say?

Even though it may feel like it to us, this isn't the first time. As we enjoy the Presidents' Day weekend, our minds are transported to the very beginning of our nation. While we might think that it sprang fully formed from the head of the British Empire, the truth is that the United States stood on pretty wobbly legs for most of its early history. It wasn't a sure thing, and what the founding fathers needed was someone the fledgling nation could stand behind. A unifying figure. They needed...George Washington. Time for old George to pack his bags--again.

If a quick scan of the internet is to be believed (and when has the internet ever been wrong?), 19th century writer Charles Dudley Warner once remarked “Everybody seems to complain about the weather, but nobody seems to do anything about it.” Through the years, people laugh at its absurd nature, and agree with its sentiment, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. Facts are, we all have a hand in the weather, and some are doing an awful lot about it.

In August of 2023, a microburst hit Needham, straining its drainage system to its fullest, and leaving many neighborhoods to deal with intensely damaging floods. While the duration of the event was just a few hours long, the ramifications of the flooding will carry over for many years to come.

Of course, this wasn’t the first major flooding to hit Needham, and today Gloria Greis, Executive Director of the Needham History and Museum, walks us through some of the town’s most striking storms. We also will talk with two of the people who are working to make residents more resilient to weather events, through building both infrastructure and community partnerships. We sit down with Carys Lustig, Director of Public Works, and Tom Ryder, Needham’s Town Engineer.

The winter holidays are upon us and it is hard not to get caught up in the rush of family gatherings, festive parties and the joy of children opening their gifts. But there is a reason these things occur during the darkest of days, and in this episode our own Ghost of Christmas Past explores some of those less-than-savory shadows. Not so long ago, there were enough harsh punishments to be doled out to both the naughty and the nice, and it was really, really hard to figure out which was which. In some ways, you could say, everyone was Scrooged. We then touch base with two spirits who'll keep our season bright: Greg Riebman of the Charles River Regional Chamber will share the business end of the holidays in town, and the Needham Community Council's Sandra Robinson reminds us of the gift of giving.