Podcast appearances and mentions of lauren chooljian

Across the country, women seeking addiction treatment are being harassed and assaulted by men in positions of power. The problem is so pervasive that it has a name among those in the industry: the 13th Step.“I fell right into it, right into it. You know, it's like, it's just, you're so vulnerable,” says a victim named Andrea. “The 13-stepper is like, um, when you take advantage of a newcomer. Like, they, they joke like, ‘Don't be a 13th-stepper.'”This week on Reveal, we join Lauren Chooljian from New Hampshire Public Radio, who started her investigation by looking at that state's largest addiction treatment network, founded by Eric Spofford. After exposing allegations that he was harassing patients, Chooljian, her sources, and staff at New Hampshire Public Radio became the targets of intimidation and vandalism. In recent weeks, Spofford was indicted on charges that he orchestrated those attacks.  Chooljian then follows another case, this time in California, where the owner of a group of treatment centers was sexually assaulting clients and carrying out massive insurance fraud. The owner, Chris Bathum, was brought to justice after two women teamed up to gather evidence and take it to law enforcement. This is an update of an episode that first aired in February 2024.  Support Reveal's journalism at Revealnews.org/donatenow Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get the scoop on new episodes at Revealnews.org/weekly Connect with us onBluesky, Facebook and Instagram Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

We're sharing a story from New Hampshire Public Radio's Document team.A young police officer unexpectedly finds herself back in New Hampshire, and she's not the same person she was when she left. Something happened to her – to all of us. But for Officer Emelia Campbell, this thing still lives in her brain and her body.NHPR's Lauren Chooljian brings you Emelia's story of survival and resilience in the wake of Jan. 6, 2021. You can find the full transcript here. Heads up: This episode contains unbleeped swears and mentions of death by suicide. If you need support, call or text 9-8-8, or click here, for the Suicide and Crisis lifeline. This story was reported and written by Lauren Chooljian. Jason Moon produced and mixed this piece, and composed all the music. Katie Colaneri was the editor, with additional editing by Dan Barrick, Todd Bookman, Taylor Quimby and Kate Dario.Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network. As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it:Ask a question about VermontSign up for the BLS newsletterSay hi on Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevtDrop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.orgMake a gift to support people-powered journalismTell your friends about the show!

In 2020, New Hampshire Public Radio Lauren Chooljian received an email about Eric Spofford, the founder of New Hampshire's largest addiction treatment network. In it was an allegation that Spofford was sexually abusing female clients and employees. Chooljian set out to learn whether this could be true. Over the next three years, she would go on a journey to learn the truth, not just about this allegation, but about widespread sexual misconduct in the addiction treatment industry. The result of that journey is The 13th Step, a gripping series that  won a slew of awards, including the duPont, sometimes considered the Pulitzer of broadcasting. This is Part 1 of a two-part episode that goes behind-the-scenes of The 13th Step. Along the way, Chooljian, her family, and her news director become targets of retaliation. What started as a reporting task would also become  about another thing: Freedom of the press. And how, why, and for whom to persist with a story in the face of unnerving threats. You'll learn how to pursue a tough investigation; how to frame a complex series with many characters and themes; and how to craft  a true, deeply relevant story that serves the public good. And you'll learn what this arduous journey required of everyone involved. This episode explores sensitive subjects including addiction and sexual assault. Please listen with care. Follow Sound Judgment on your favorite podcast app, or subscribe to our channel @SoundJudgmentPodon Youtube. For more takeaways from this episode on crafting an investigative series and why accountability journalism is so important, visit Current. Listen to the series deconstructed on today's show: The 13th Step. Starting your own podcast?  Be strategic with our Sound Judgment Show Bible Workbook. Want to learn more about how NHPR's Document Team greenlights projects like The 13th Step to begin with? Listen to  "How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life story." More about The 13th StepRead about the teamCheck out  the supporting legal documentsResources on addiction treatment, substance use disorder, sexual misconduct, and moreFollow Lauren ChooljianLinkedInTwitter/X:  @laurenchooljianFollow Alison MacAdamLinkedInThreads:  @ajmacadam   Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com. Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. Connect:Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

Lauren Chooljian from New Hampshire Public Radio reports on a widespread culture of sexual misconduct in the addiction treatment industry. Across the country, women seeking treatment are being harassed and assaulted by men in positions of power. The problem is so pervasive that it has a name among those in the industry: the 13th Step. We begin with Chooljian explaining to host Al Letson the case that got her started on this investigation. It involved Eric Spofford, owner of New Hampshire's largest addiction treatment network. After exposing allegations that Spofford was harassing patients, Chooljian, her sources and staff at New Hampshire Public Radio became the targets of intimidation and, in some cases, vandalism. Chooljian then chronicles another case, this one in California, that illustrates how difficult it is to bring to justice wealthy, powerful people in the industry. Chris Bathum owned a network of treatment centers in California and Colorado and was routinely sexually assaulting clients and offering them drugs. He was also submitting false billing claims to insurance companies. We meet two women, Rose Stahl and Debbie Herzog, who were separately investigating Bathum. Stahl started as a client at one of Bathum's centers and later worked for him. She pursued evidence that he was assaulting women at the center, while Herzog was looking into insurance fraud.  Stahl blew the whistle about Bathum's inappropriate behavior to leadership within the company, but the actions they took did not stop him. At the same time, Herzog was facing hurdles in convincing law enforcement to pay attention to the case she was building about insurance fraud. Then serendipitously, Herzog and Stahl learn of each other's efforts and team up to try to bring Bathum to justice.   

We're back with our first pop culture panel of 2024! In that spirit, we are talking all about New Year's resolutions and the myth of fresh starts. Our guests are the host of Vox's The Weeds podcast Jonquilyn Hill and the host of New Hampshire Public Radio's The 13th Step podcast Lauren Chooljian. We also get into two recent trends: the rise of closed captioning and the extra trendy, extra large Stanley tumblers.]]>

Mike gives his list of the best podcasts of the past calendar year. He also talks with Sonari Glinton, host of the Shattering the System podcast, which tells the story of a politically connected predator who operated out of West Hollywood, and Lauren Chooljian, host of the The 13th Step, which tells the story of a politically connected predator who operated out of New Hampshire.    Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara  Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com  To advertise on the show: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist  Subscribe to our ad-free and/or PescaPlus versions of The Gist: https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/  Follow Mike's Substack: Pesca Profundities | Mike Pesca | Substack  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we chat about long movie intermissions, the business of Taylor Swift, and the delight of keeping oddball rituals. Our panelists are Lauren Chooljian, senior reporter, producer and host of the NHPR podcast The 13th Step, and Anisa Khalifa, producer and host of the WUNC podcast The Broadside and the indie podcasts Dramas Over Flowers and Muslim in Plain Sight.Then, we talk to one of our favorite chefs, Sohla El-Waylly, about her debut cookbook Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook. It's what she calls, “culinary school–without the student loans.”]]>

The brick crashed through Lauren Chooljian's window accompanied by a message scrawled on the side of her house: “THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.”Chooljian had a good idea what this attack was about. She is a senior reporter and producer at New Hampshire Public Radio. She had been investigating alleged sexual misconduct by Eric Spofford, the founder of GraniteRecovery Centers, New Hampshire's largest substance use disorder treatment and rehabilitation network. As more and more women told her of being sexually harassed and abused by Spofford, Chooljian has faced mounting threats, lawsuits, and attacks on her home as well as the homes of her parents and editor.“That's being a journalist in America today,” Chooljian told the New York Times.Spofford denies the sexual misconduct allegations.If the attacks and lawsuits were intended to silence Chooljian, they failed spectacularly. In June, NHPR released a seven-part podcast series, “The 13th Step,” hosted by Lauren Chooljian. The series investigated Spofford and systemic abuse in the substance use disorder treatment industry. New York Magazine recently named “The 13th Step” one of the best podcasts of 2023.In late June, several weeks after the podcast dropped, federal authorities charged three men for their role in the attacks on Chooljian's house. The complaint said that “a close personal associate” of Spofford's solicited the attackers. Spofford has also sued NHPR for libel and demanded that it retract the stories about him. The attacks occurred two days after the news organization refused to take down the story. A New Hampshire judge dismissed the libel complaint last year, but Spofford has now demanded access to Chooljian's interviews and notes. NHPR is currently fighting the request.The attacks on Lauren Chooljian take place within a larger context of journalists being increasingly targeted. Former President Donald Trump frequently urges his followers to confront journalists, who he calls "enemies of the people." Last year, 41 journalists were physically assaulted, according to the U.S. PressFreedom Tracker, and there has been a rise in libel and defamation suits.“We should all see journalism as an essential piece of our democracy,” Chooljian told The Vermont Conversation. “If people are afraid to report wrongdoing, then wrongdoing will never come to light.”

This week, our panelists are the host of the NHPR podcast ‘The 13th Step,' Lauren Chooljian, and Jonquilyn Hill, who hosts the Vox podcast ‘The Weeds.' We talk about whether we indulged in Barbenheimer, then recommend some stuff to read, do, and listen to this summer. You can find a list of their recommendations here, at our website. Then, Aomawa Shields tells us about her circuitous trajectory from acting to astrophysics! Her new book is called ‘Life on Other Planets.']]>

How deep can you dig for the truth before it gets dangerous? In March 2022, reporter Lauren Chooljian published her first story detailing allegations against Eric Spofford, the founder of New Hampshire's largest addiction treatment network. Over the following months, Lauren received a first-hand glimpse into the ways powerful, wealthy people can intimidate sources and try to stop journalism from happening. And then, there was the vandalism... This is episode three of The 13th Step, produced by our friends at New Hampshire Public Radio. Listen to the entire season of The 13th Step here.

As Eric Spofford tells it, he spent his teen years in the throes of addiction and crime. When he got sober, he became a crusader for recovery. On the second episode of The 13th Step from New Hampshire Public Radio, host Lauren Chooljian unravels how the founder of New Hampshire's largest addiction treatment network built his company – and the allegations that he abused that power by sexually assaulting members of his own staff. This is episode two of The 13th Step, produced by our friends at New Hampshire Public Radio. Listen to the entire season of The 13th Step here.

So many of us have been touched by America's addiction crisis. And we look to treatment for solutions. But what happens when communities dedicated to treatment turn out to be dangerous? In the first episode of The 13th Step – the new investigative series from our friends at New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) – host Lauren Chooljian uncovers the culture of sexual misconduct in America's recovery communities, a phenomenon known as 13th stepping. This is a story that some people tried to stop NHPR from telling. It's a story about the limits of the #MeToo movement. And it's a story about the dangers journalists and their sources face when they expose alleged wrongdoing by people in positions of power. Listen to the entire season of The 13th Step here.

New Hampshire Public radio reporter Lauren Chooljian hosts the podcast "The 13th Step."

It started with a tip. Eventually, multiple sources said it was an open secret: the founder of New Hampshire's largest addiction treatment network was sexually harassing or assaulting women – allegations he denies.As New Hampshire Public Radio reporter Lauren Chooljian began looking into the allegations, she found a longstanding–and long tolerated–culture of sexual misconduct within the addiction treatment industry. A phenomenon people in the recovery world call "the 13th step."Today on The Sunday Story, we talk to Chooljian about her reporting and bring you the first episode of her new podcast, The 13th Step.

It' been one year since Roe v. Wade was overturned. We asked listeners how they felt the impacts over the past year. Chris Burrell and Kenneth Gumes join to discuss the current state of education in Massachusetts prisons, based on Chris' latest reporting. Andrea Cabral delves into various topics, including Hunter Biden, the Federal Trade Commission's investigation into Amazon, and more. Lauren Chooljian, a reporter for NHPR, has faced significant harassment due to her coverage of sexual abuse perpetrated by Eric Spofford. She'll share insights from her reporting. Shirley Leung takes a moment to reflect on the Dobbs ruling's impact over the past year and explores the concept of the "urban doom loop." Additionally, she highlights a new lawsuit against restaurateur Tiffani Faison and presents a proposal for supportive housing. In commemoration of the 60th anniversary of JFK's "Ich Bin Ein Berliner" speech, Shepard Fairey has been commissioned to create a portrait of JFK for the JFK Library. Shepard will join the conversation via Zoom from Lisbon. Our show closed by talking about the new phone-free Finnish Island. Do you shut off your phone on vacation? Or are you doomed to take selfies?

In the new Podcast The 13th Step, reporter Lauren Chooljian tracked down allegations of sexual misconduct against the founder of the largest addiction treatment center in New Hampshire. She further documented how the world of rehab and substance abuse treatment is as rife with sexual harassment as it is weak on regulation. Then came the threats against Chooljian, and the lawsuits, and the bricks through the window of her and her parents' home. Two alleged attackers were arrested and arraigned today. Plus, a rich man's submersible vs. poor migrants' rafts, and how the prosecutor who cut a deal with Hunter Biden matters. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Subscribe to The Gist Subscribe: https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/ Follow Mikes Substack at: Pesca Profundities | Mike Pesca | Substack Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the latest three Republicans battling for the presidential nomination; Oklahoma's approval of a Catholic public-charter school; and Saudi sportswashing in golf and soccer.    Here are some notes and references from this week's show: Andrew Prokop for Vox: “Trump's next indictment is looming – and the evidence against him is trickling out”  Sean Murphy for AP: “Oklahoma school board approves what would be the 1st taxpayer-funded religious school in US”  The Guardian: “Changing their tune: what golf's powerbrokers said then and now”  Lauren Chooljian for New Hampshire Public Radio: “He built New Hampshire's largest addiction treatment network. Now, he faces accusations of sexual misconduct.” David Enrich for The New York Times: “A Reporter Investigated Sexual Misconduct. Then the Attacks Began.”  John Dickerson for Slate: “Where's My Subpoena?”   Here are this week's chatters:  Emily: Kate Brumback for AP: “Bond granted for 3 activists whose fund bailed out people protesting Atlanta ‘Cop City' project”  John: David Lerman, Laura Weiss, and Avery Roe for Roll Call: “Still steaming over debt deal, conservatives derail House action” David: Washington and Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park; Dan Chabanov for Bicycling: “What Is a Randonnée—and Why Should You Sign Up for One?”; Paris-Brest-Paris Randonneur Listener chatter from Greg Hoffman: Genghis Blues   For this week's Slate Plus bonus segment, David, Emily, and John discuss the attacks and libel suit against a journalist for her reporting.    In the next edition of Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Peter Singer @PeterSinger about his book, Animal Liberation Now: The Definitive Classic Renewed.    Join us for a live taping! Political Gabfest Live in Washington, D.C., Wednesday June 28, 7:30 p.m., Sixth & I, 600 I St. NW. Tickets are on sale now.    Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen This Pride Month, make an impact by helping Macy's and The Trevor Project on their mission to fund life-saving suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lauren Chooljian, Senior Producer at New Hampshire Public Radio, and Jonquilyn Hill, Senior Producer at Vox and host of The Weeds podcast, join us for a cozy, good time. We discuss record-setting pumpkins, gift-giving ethics, and butter boards. Then, Bon Appetit contributor and food writer Alex Beggs shares her five favorite cookbooks coming out this fall. You can find Alex's list at our website: https://www.wbez.org/stories/the-cookbooks-you-need-this-fall/c528b7ab-f54b-4d36-ba61-7a2c8385f8b9

Amazingly, we have made it through another week. This one was all about women’s basketball, girl bosses, and the USPS… and the canceled shrimp guy, but we won’t get into that here. Niala Boodhoo, host of the Axios Today podcast, and Lauren Chooljian, who makes podcasts for New Hampshire Public Radio, join to unpack the week that was. Then, we talk to wellness writer Virginia Sole-Smith about what’s really going on with BMI. AND Rebecca Schuman stops by to talk about her recent article “Hamsterkauf! Coronazeit! There’s a German Word for Your Pandemic Experience.”

Does the public have a right to see the Laurie list? The New Hampshire Supreme Court issues a new ruling, but questions remain. - Document: The List is hosted and reported by Jason Moon, produced by Lauren Chooljian. Find out more at nhpr.org/document and if you’d like to make a donation so we can keep doing this kind of reporting, you can do that here.

A local reporter gets a tip about misbehaving cops. Then she gets the scoop of a lifetime. - Document: The List is hosted and reported by Jason Moon, produced by Lauren Chooljian. Find out more at nhpr.org/document and if you’d like to make a donation so we can keep doing this kind of reporting, you can do that here.

One cop’s bad deeds change a system. But did it help? - Document: The List is hosted and reported by Jason Moon, produced by Lauren Chooljian. Find out more at nhpr.org/document and if you’d like to make a donation so we can keep doing this kind of reporting, you can do that here.

Stranglehold pulled back the curtain on New Hampshire’s famed first-in-the-nation presidential primary. Now we want to take you inside a very different story, one far fewer people know about. It starts with a murder, a dishonest cop, and a botched investigation, and leads to decades of secrecy around police misconduct in New Hampshire. Introducing Document S1: The List. Subscribe now to binge all the episodes. The List is hosted by Jason Moon and produced by Lauren Chooljian. Learn more at nhpr.org/document.

The list of problem cops causes collateral damage. Advocates take one last shot at revealing its secrets. - Document: The List is hosted and reported by Jason Moon, produced by Lauren Chooljian. Find out more at nhpr.org/document and if you’d like to make a donation so we can keep doing this kind of reporting, you can do that here.

America is taking a hard look at policing right now. Many wonder: can we trust the cops? In states across the country, the answer to that question is already out there -- on secret lists kept by government lawyers. Document S1: The List tells the story of one state’s decades of secrecy around police misconduct and asks: why do these lists exist? How have they changed the way we think about police? And if they were finally made public, would they solve our policing problems? Document: The List is hosted and reported by Jason Moon, produced by Lauren Chooljian. Coming October 26th.  Find out more at nhpr.org/document.

There needs to be a radio and podcasting merit badge: reporters and producers earn one when they stretch above and beyond for a story. If there was one, I would present it to Lauren Chooljian of New Hampshire Public Radio for a pandemic diary she produced.

This past week, some New Hampshire business owners were faced with a big decision: How do I balance the survival of my business with public health concerns? NHPR’s Lauren Chooljian talked with several business owners this week to see how they made that choice.

House parties are key to picking a president in New Hampshire, but they’re quickly being replaced by impersonal rallies. New Hampshire Public Radio reporter Lauren Chooljian attends both to determine what’s being lost. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As N.H. voters head to the polls, we look back at the history of the state's outsized influence in presidential elections and whether it’s time to loosen the Granite State's grasp on primary politics. Lauren Chooljian, Jack Beatty and Megan Messerly join Meghna Chakrabarti.

New Hampshire Public Radio's Lauren Chooljian and James Pindell of the Boston Globe join Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest political news ahead of the New Hampshire Democratic primary, including voters' levels of excitement and indecision, which candidates have momentum after the confusing Iowa caucuses and President Trump's objective with rallying in New Hampshire the night before the election. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Today on Boston Public Radio: University of New Hampshire political science professor Dante Scala discussed how various 2020 Democratic presidential candidates are positioned ahead of Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary, and how fallout from Monday's Iowa caucus debacle could make New Hampshire even more significant. 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer joined us to discuss his campaign, and what he thinks it’s going to take to defeat President Trump in November. “Beat the Press” host Emily Rooney joined us for a special primary-themed list of fixations and fulminations. We opened lines to talk with callers about which Democrats are best positioned to win the nomination. A second 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, discussed his views on the New Hampshire primary, and being the only remaining presidential candidate of color. Jack Rodolico and Lauren Chooljian, hosts of NHPR’s “Stranglehold” podcast, broke down the history of New Hampshire's role as the first-in-the-nation primary. Satirist and Washington Post contributor PJ O’Rourke discussed the impeachment vote, and his thoughts on what might happen come election time in November. We re-opened our lines to hear your thoughts on everything related to election 2020.

The sloppy roll-out of Iowa results prompted disinformation and confusion over the mechanics of the caucus system. This week, On the Media looks at the origins of the nomination process to explain how we got here. Plus, local reporters in New Hampshire examine the power struggle at the heart of the upcoming contest.  1. Galen Druke [@galendruke] on the history of America's unique primary system. Listen. 2. Stranglehold reporters Jack Rodolico [@JackRodolico], Lauren Chooljian [@laurenchooljian], and Casey McDermott [@caseymcdermott] on Dixville Notch's mythical status. Listen.   3. Lauren Chooljian [@laurenchooljian] examines how New Hampshire's local press benefits from being a first-in-the-nation primary. Listen. Music from this week's show:  Sacred Oracle by John ZornYoung at Heart by Brad MehldauThe Camping Store by Clive Carroll and John RenbournMilestones by Bill Evan Trio

On the Gist, the likely acquittal of Trump. In the interview, we're back with political reporter and host of Stranglehold, Lauren Chooljian. We discuss how the New Hampshire primaries are likely to shake out, which candidates will remain after many of them have strategically camped out in the state, and the difference between the polls and the actual feelings of New Hampshire voters. In the spiel, the artistry and athleticism of Kobe Bryant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Gist, the likely acquittal of Trump. In the interview, we're back with political reporter and host of Stranglehold, Lauren Chooljian. We discuss how the New Hampshire primaries are likely to shake out, which candidates will remain after many of them have strategically camped out in the state, and the difference between the polls and the actual feelings of New Hampshire voters. In the spiel, the artistry and athleticism of Kobe Bryant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are plenty of critics of the Iowa caucuses. This year, there's pressure from insiders and outsiders to change the process. On the seventeenth episode of Caucus Land, we'll talk about why some of those changes haven't happened with Lauren Chooljian, a host of the New Hampshire Public Radio podcast Stranglehold. Plus, conversations with two candidates: former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg and entrepreneur Andrew Yang.

There are plenty of critics of the Iowa caucuses. This year, there's pressure from insiders and outsiders to change the process. On the seventeenth episode of Caucus Land, we'll talk about why some of those changes haven't happened with Lauren Chooljian, a host of the New Hampshire Public Radio podcast Stranglehold. Plus, conversations with two candidates: former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg and entrepreneur Andrew Yang.

On the Gist, Trump’s letters to Iraq. In the interview, journalist Lauren Chooljian is here to talk about her podcast series Stranglehold. It focuses on the New Hampshire primary, how it continues to be first primary in the nation, and what long-running New Hampshire Secretary of State William Gardner has to do with it. In the spiel, trying to get paid to leave Iraq. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Gist, Trump’s letters to Iraq. In the interview, journalist Lauren Chooljian is here to talk about her podcast series Stranglehold. It focuses on the New Hampshire primary, how it continues to be first primary in the nation, and what long-running New Hampshire Secretary of State William Gardner has to do with it. In the spiel, trying to get paid to leave Iraq. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special episode of The NPR Politics Podcast we sat down with New Hampshire Public Radio's political reporter Lauren Chooljian to talk about why New Hampshire's primary comes first in the presidential election and why that matters.Chooljian and her team explored the history and impact of the primary in NHPR's Stranglehold, and we deep dive on the key things she learned while digging into the history.This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.Connect:Subscribe to the NPR Politics Podcast here.Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org.Join the NPR Politics Podcast Facebook Group.Subscribe to the NPR Politics Newsletter.Find and support your local public radio station.

Want to dig deeper into the world of presidential primaries? No better place to start than New Hampshire. Our colleagues Lauren Chooljian and Jack Rodolico tell the story of New Hampshire's grip on the First in the Nation primary in this podcast about power and the characters who wield it here in the Granite State. You can subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and learn more about Stranglehold at strangleholdpodcast.com. Original music by Jason Moon and Lucas Anderson. Stranglehold reporting/production team: Lauren Chooljuan, Jack Rodolico, Jason Moon, Casey McDermott, Josh Rogers, Nick Capodice, Hannah McCarthy and the NHPR newsroom.

It's one of the most democratic aspects of our nation, not to mention extremely recent. In this episode we explore the snarled history of how we select party nominees; from delegates to superdelegates, and from gymnasiums in Iowa to booths in New Hampshire. This episode features political scientists Bruce Stinebrickner (DePauw University) and Alvin Tillery (Northwestern University), NPR's Domenico Montanarro, Iowa Public Radio's Kate Payne, and Lauren Chooljian from NHPR.

Lauren Chooljian, politics reporter for New Hampshire Public Radio, joins the Takeaway to break down the results of a couple key races in her state.

New Hampshire is known for its mountain views, but it’s got another less family-friendly attraction- cheap liquor. Out-of-staters have been skirting the legal limits of what you can buy at state-owned liquor stores, but the government is not so keen to investigate. And while we try to stay warm, we hear about a program that helps Connecticut residents keep the drafts out, and visit a company in Maine that builds some of the most efficient homes on the market. Plus, we parse what New England communities ask from their local baseball teams – and what the owners of those teams are asking from taxpayers in two struggling cities. The Hartford Yard Goats play the Trenton Thunder at Dunkin Donuts Park, Hartford, Connecticut, in July 2017. (Jesse Douglas/CC) The Hennessy State A New Hampshire State Liquor outlet near the state border on Interstate 93. (NHPR file photo). In the absence of an income or sales tax, New Hampshire uses the lure of cheap liquor to help balance the books. The state owns and operates about 80 retail liquor stores – nearly every liquor store in the state. Many of these low-cost, high volume outlets are strategically located on the state's southern border, some at highway rest stops. Recently, out-of-staters have been arrested for cash transactions that skirt legal limits, and one elected official from New Hampshire is sounding the alarm. The liquor at the center of his concerns is Hennessy cognac. New Hampshire Public Radio's Todd Bookman is part of a reporting team that has been looking into this story. And he says its not the first time the issue has surfaced in the state. All About Efficiency As New England's aging fleet of oil and nuclear plants retire, one way to make up for lost energy is to build more generation: new solar panels or wind turbines. But before we add to the grid, there is a simpler way to lower emissions –improve the energy efficiency of homes. As Connecticut Public Radio's Patrick Skahill reports, a home energy audit can help with that by sealing up houses from wind and helping to lower heating bills. But as state budgets tighten, some of those programs are going away. A wall section is lowered by a crane on to the foundation of a “passive house” manufactured by the Maine company Ecocor. (Jon Kalish/NEXT) European architects and house builders have taken the lead in building the healthiest and most energy efficient homes. They are part of the so-called passive house movement, which began in the early 1990’s in response to high energy costs. In the last ten years passive homes have been popping up in the United States. The leading builder of these homes, a company called Ecocor, is based in rural Maine. Independent producer Jon Kalish has more. Root for the Home Team Built in the 1940s, McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket is the home of the PawSox, a farm team for the Boston Red Sox. The team is asking for public money to build a new stadium in downtown Pawtucket. (Elisabeth Harrison/RIPR) Minor league baseball is booming across America. It's family-friendly, relatively inexpensive, and it brings the sport to small and mid-sized cities that don't have major league baseball. Pawtucket, Rhode Island has been home to minor league baseball since the early 1970s, and the city has had a special kind of relationship with its team ever since. It doesn't hurt that the team- the Pawtucket Red Sox-  is affiliated with the Boston Red Sox, located just an hour up the highway. Red Sox legends like Jim Rice, Wade Boggs and Roger Clemens all played for the team lovingly known as the “PawSox” at old McCoy Stadium. But now team officials say they need a new stadium. It's launched a political battle over public funding for a private stadium, and brought back some bad feelings left from another baseball-related deal in Rhode Island's recent past. Rhode Island Public Radio political reporter Ian Donnis brings us the latest on this political fight over a cherished civic institution. Areas of land the city of Hartford, Connecticut, is looking to develop around the minor league baseball stadium. (Courtesy: City of Hartford) The city of Hartford already built a brand-new minor league ballpark to lure a minor league team from nearby New Britain, Connecticut. Much like in Pawtucket, the plan is to build residential and retail developments near the park. The surrounding North End neighborhood currently has a lot of vacant lots and boarded-up buildings. And while the Hartford Yard Goats played their first season at the ballpark last year, the adjacent developments have yet to begin. Hartford residents are thinking about what should come next, what the area needs, and what might be lost. New England Public Radio's Heather Brandon reports. Tom and Jean Yawkey’s initials depicted in Morse code line the white stripes separating the American League scores on the Green Monster at Fenway Park. (Eric Kirby/Flickr) And this week, New England’s only major league baseball team is reckoning with its past…sort of. Last week, the Red Sox filed a petition with the City of Boston to change the name of the street that Fenway Park sits on. That street is named Yawkey Way after Tom Yawkey, who became the last major league team owner to hire a black player in 1959. The petition would return the street to its original name – Jersey Street. But as WBUR’s Ally Jarmanning reports, there’s still a visible reminder of Tom Yawkey’s legacy at Fenway. Confronting Hate on Campus University of Vermont students walked out of class in February 2018, demanding the school do more to address racial justice and inequity on the Burlington campus. (Liam Elder-Connors/VPR) It seems every few weeks there is a hate crime reported on a college campus in New England. The groups that keep track of these  incidents say there is, in fact, a marked increase in the number of racist slurs found scrawled on campus walls and an increase in white supremacist group activity. As New England Public Radio’s Jill Kaufman reports, protests are also on the rise, as students demand their schools and classmates pay more attention to why hate has come to campus. Wild Women Julia Wilcox and Claire Rouge tend to a fire they made during BOW’s winter survival skills class. Do you have what it takes to be an outdoors-woman? New Hampshire Public Radio’s Annie Ropeik attend a winter survival skills class with the New Hampshire Department of Fish and Game where participants start fires, built show shelters, and learn to fend for themselves. About NEXT NEXT is produced at Connecticut Public Radio. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Todd Bookman, Lauren Chooljian, Casey McDermott, Patrick Skahill, Jon Kalish, Ian Donnis, Heather Brandon, Ally Jarmanning, Jill Kaufman and Annie Ropeik Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send critique, suggestions, praise, questions, story ideas, and winter survival tips to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve got lots for you this week. Fishermen clash with offshore wind developers, once-depleted bluefin tuna experience a resurgence, and 3D printing helps bring manufacturing back to Massachusetts. Meanwhile, off-road vehicles bring money and grumbles to White Mountain towns. Plus, the fascinating story of when “Live Free or Die” bumped heads with the First Amendment — and why it could prove relevant in an upcoming Supreme Court case.  Last, an appreciation of the sticky sweet snack of many a New England childhood. ATVs have become a frequent sight in New Hampshire’s Coos county. Photo by Chris Jensen for NHPR Up and Down the Coast The bluefin tuna can reach lengths of almost 10 feet. They can swim from the Bahamas to Norway in 54 days. Photo credit: NOAA Fishermen say it’s been decades since they’ve been able to catch so many Atlantic bluefin tuna so fast. Once severely depleted, populations of the prized sushi fish appear to be rebuilding. Now the industry and some scientists say the international commission that regulates the fishery can allow a much bigger catch. But some conservation groups disagree. From Portland, Maine Public Radio’s Fred Bever reports. Crew members sort through scallops and discard bycatch on a fishing boat in the Atlantic 14 miles from Long Island’s Montauk Point. Photo by Jon Kalish for NENC On the easternmost tip of Long Island, Montauk is the largest commercial fishing port in New York State. The nation’s first offshore wind farm is only a few miles away, off of Block Island, and many more such wind farms are in the works along the eastern seaboard. These plans have Montauk fisherman worried about the impact on their livelihoods. Independent producer Jon Kalish reports. Mike Twombly uses a sophisticated tool to precisely measure the diameter of a part that has been recently fabricated at Custom Machine Group in Woburn, Mass. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR Alexander Gomenik, Professor of Engineering at Indiana University plays a plastic fiddle produced from a 3D printer at the Digital Factory Conference at the MIT Media Lab . (Photo by Bruce Gellerman for WBUR) You don’t often see the label “Made in Massachusetts,” but manufacturing plays an outsized role in the economy of the Bay State. WBUR’s Bruce Gellerman takes us to factories on the front line of a new industrial revolution. It’s one that promises to transform how things are made, and the roles of workers. Read and listen to more from WBUR’s Future of Work series. Living Free Three year-old Everly Lavertu enjoys riding ATV trails with her parents. But leading health and safety groups say young children should not be riding in ATVs. Photo by Casey McDermott for NHPR These days in New Hampshire's North Country, it's not unusual to see caravans of all-terrain vehicles — or ATVs — all over. This region of the state has long been defined by the loss of its paper mill industry and high unemployment rate. But the surge in ATVs may be changing the North Country's image. While some see promise in this growing group of tourists, others worry that the region might be losing something else along the way. Others raise safety concerns. Reporters Casey McDermott and Todd Bookman looked into the  ATV phenomenon in a three-part series for New Hampshire Public Radio. Casey McDermott joins us to talk about what they learned. Below: take a virtual ride on an ATV trail in New Hampshire’s Jericho Mountain State Park. The adventurous off-road spirit is certainly in step with New Hampshire's celebrated motto: “Live Free or Die.” Image via Plateshack.com The slogan, taken from a 1809 toast given by Granite State Revolutionary War general John Stark, has been a part of the New Hampshire license plate since 1971. But not long after it became standard, a man made the case that the requirement to display the motto on his car violated his freedoms. And his case made it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Next month, the court will hear arguments in a controversial free speech case out of Colorado, where a baker refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. The baker's attorneys say they're resting their arguments on a precedent set during the decades-old legal battle over “Live Free or Die.” NHPR's Lauren Chooljian  tells the story of one determined New Hampshire couple, and how their battle with state's famous motto continues to have an impact. Creepy and Sweet Left: A daguerreotype portrait of brain-injury survivor Phineas P. Gage, holding the tamping iron which injured him. Right: Gage’s skull on display at Harvard Medical School. Photos courtst of Jack and Beverly Wilgus/Wikimedia Commons A grisly construction accident in New England in 1848 left railroad worker Phineas Gage with severe brain damage — but gave scientists valuable clues about how the brain functions. Gage survived the metal spike that went clear through his head, and has since become an icon of both science and pop culture. His skull is on display at Harvard Medical School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. WSHU’s Davis Dunavin brings us the story from his new podcast Off the Path from New York to Boston. Festival founder Mimi Graney sells copies of her book “What the Fluff: The Sticky Sweet Story of an American Icon” Autumn in New England is festival season. You can find fairs celebrating chrysanthemums, pumpkins, cranberries, or oysters. But the “What the Fluff” Festival in Somerville, Massachusetts is unique. Freelance reporter Carol Vassar paid a visit this year, and brings us an appreciation of a signature New England confection: Marshmallow Fluff. Do you have a question about New England you’d like NEXT to investigate? Tell us about it here. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Fred Bever, John Kalish, Bruce Gellerman, Casey McDermott, Todd Bookman, Lauren Chooljian, David Dunavin, Carol Vassar Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon. Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, and photos of your own medical anomalies to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the summer heats up, so does the summer travel season. And for some Northwest Side residents, that brings to mind the noise of roaring airplane engines overhead. This week marks a few legislative victories for those neighbors. WBEZ's city politics reporter Lauren Chooljian joins us with more.

Woe! 'Tis the last episode produc'd by our own Lauren Chooljian. Will the Guy Friends finally discover her embezzling? Nope! Is there a good way to bestow a ~teachable moment~ unto a whiny, self-involved dude you're seeing? When someone suffers from inertia and poor perspective, is it worth your time to hold up a mirror? We're all just hurtling through space on a doomed rock, but the Guy Friends give their two cents all the same. And weddings — we all hate them. But what's the best way to hide your scorn? Should you obscure your face with an Eyes Wide Shut mask, or just a simple wedding veil of your own? Tune in for this summer's hottest hate fashions. DJ Hasan Music DJ Hasan ft. Conor Maynard - Good Ones Go (Organ Piano Mix) https://soundcloud.com/djhasanmusic/dj-hasan-ft-conor-maynard-good CC BY 3.0

On a past Gist, we gave you drunk Shakespeare. Now, it’s time to see how the bard fares when subjected to sober improvisation. (We think it was sober.) Joey Bland, Blaine Swen, and Steve Waltien join us from Chicago’s Improvised Shakespeare Company. For the Spiel, WBEZ’s Lauren Chooljian explains what makes the Chicago mayoral election a compelling national story. From now until April 6, tweet titles of imaginary movies to @slategist using the hashtag #NotAMovie. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.slate.com/gistplus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Ada Lovelace Day! In celebration of the mother of computer programming, we get to know a great lady nerd of today: Hopscotch app co-founder Jocelyn Leavitt. Then we go behind-the-scenes at Serial, the new podcast from This American Life. Lauren Chooljian talks to singers from indie pop powerhouse Lucius about their nerdy passions. Mr. Superlative stops by. And a Gilmore Girls-related nerd confession.

For America's birthday, a patriotic rejection of the patriarchy. Hosts Tricia and Greta bring you the stories of muckraker Nellie Bly, painter Georgia O'Keeffe and jazz singer Nina Simone. We talk to authors, unearth archives and send contributor Lauren Chooljian on a road trip. Plus, your #nerdconfessions.

Author Sharon Creech talks about her new book The Boy on the Porch. Plus Tricia counts down to the 50th anniversary special of Doctor Who, Lauren Chooljian provides the perfect playlist for sweater weather music and we've got some hip (hop) homework for you. http://nerdettepodcast.com

Could Progressive Era activist and feminist icon Jane Addams be considered a lesbian? We check in with the Curious City crew that tackled this tricky question. Lauren Chooljian serves up a playlist of her favorite female musicians of the moment. Plus Tina Fey returns to SNL!

We nerd out about something old (that Hemingway novel you haven't read since high school), something new (JK Rowling's new book), something borrowed (an urban foraging menu) and something blue (a bramble cocktail recipe). Guests include Lauren Chooljian, Eden Robins and Rebecca Poulson. Our intern Claire is at circus camp this week. Maybe this time she'll finally learn to juggle.