The South Shore’s Morning News on 95.9 WATD-FM

Discussing High Energy Bills: State Rep. Michelle Badger Joins the South Shore's Morning News

It has been a topic on the forefront of a lot of Massachusetts' residents minds lately... energy bills being an exorbitant cost this winter. It has been reported that some energy bills are over $1000! The cost isn't necessarily attributed to JUST the energy either...it is the delivery fee that is the main cost. 
The South Shore's Morning News wanted to look further into this, so they invited State Rep. Michelle Badger onto the show as she has been working hard on this subject lately for her constituents. Please listen to the full interview below. 
Rob Hakala also reached out to Eversource for an interview and comment. They replied with this: 
It is important to note that Eversource has two different natural gas service territories – NSTAR and EGMA (former Columbia Gas service territory) – and the specifics differ slightly for each. Each of those service territories has communities in Plymouth County and there are some communities that are served by a different gas utility such as National Grid. NSTAR communities include Carver, Kingston, Plymouth and most other communities are EGMA, except for Abington, Rockland, Whitman, Hingham, Middleborough and parts of Hanson.
 
I would also note that we’re holding an assistance event for customers in Plymouth on Wednesday, March 19, at Plymouth North High School at 6:30 p.m. More information about this and other assistance events available here: https://www.eversource.com/content/residential/about/our-company/news-room/massachusetts-news/detail/eversource-hosting-in-person-assistance-events-to-help-customers-with-natural-gas-bills
 
Statement on 10 percent reduction announced this week
 
Ensuring safe, reliable service and maintaining affordability for customers is our top priority as we work with the commonwealth to cost-effectively realize Massachusetts’ unprecedented energy transition. Following the DPU’s direction last week in the face of higher-than-normal natural gas bills to reduce delivery rates by 5 percent on the total bill, we filed a plan earlier this week that makes a 10 percent reduction to rates through the local delivery adjustment charge (LDAC) for March and April while also ensuring that we can continue to build on our collective progress in achieving the commonwealth’s clean energy goals.
 
This winter’s bills have posed serious challenges and concerns for our customers that reinforce the critical need to maintain affordability and reliability as top priorities in our collective pursuit of the commonwealth’s energy transition, and this filing is a positive step to support our customers with lower bills in the coming months. We will continue to work with our regulators, state officials, and other key stakeholders on efforts to provide longer-term rate relief, and we remain laser-focused on ensuring this transition occurs at a pace attainable and affordable for our customers. 
 
If approved, customers will see this reduction in the local distribution adjustment charge on their bills, which includes energy efficiency programs, and the company will also absorb any additional carrying costs that accrue with the deferral of these costs to the off-peak, summer months.
 
Nov. 1 Rate Adjustment and Increased Usage
 
With colder temperatures recently, customers have been using more natural gas to heat their homes and businesses to stay warm. Rates did not significantly change between November and January, and the higher bills customers have recently been experiencing are primarily a result of rate adjustments that took place on Nov. 1 (following a transparent regulatory review process) and increased usage with the colder weather.
 
For example, usage increased by approximately 19% in January 2025 compared to January 2024 for both of Eversource’s gas service territories.
 
This much colder weather driving increased usage, coupled with the rate adjustments that took effect in November 2024, are the primary factors impacting customers’ current bills. How much energy a customer uses ultimately impacts both the supply and delivery portions of the bill. It’s important to note that even if customers do not raise their thermostats, more energy is used to maintain the same temperature setting in colder weather. 
 
The adjustment to natural gas rates for our customers in Massachusetts that took effect on Nov. 1 reflected a variety of factors including the cost of natural gas on the supply side of the bill and – on the delivery side – our significant investments in safety and reliability projects to strengthen and improve service for our customers, and growth in energy efficiency programs and services available to help customers better manage their energy use and to help advance decarbonization goals.
 
For NSTAR gas customers, energy efficiency represented about 60% of the Nov. 1 rate adjustment and investments in the distribution infrastructure represented about 7%. For EGMA (former Columbia Gas) customers, energy efficiency programs represented about a quarter of the rate adjustment, and significant system investments to improve safety and reliability of the former Columbia Gas system that were required as part of the transaction agreement approved by the state represented about 40% (The former Columbia Gas system has required significant upgrades to bring the system up to standards and ensure safe, reliable service for customers). Additionally, the total increase includes supply costs, which are vulnerable to market forces and typically increase during the winter months, fluctuating year-to-year based on market conditions and weather. In total, the rate adjustments that took place on Nov. 1 represented an approximately 23% increase on the total bill for NSTAR residential heating customers and a 29.5% increase for EGMA residential heating customers compared to last winter.
 
Thanks to collaborative efforts with stakeholders to spread awareness about the benefits of these programs as well as a desire from customers to take control of their energy usage, we saw an increase in participation for these programs and services last year – specifically with respect to heat pump incentives provided to natural gas customers and the delivery of energy efficiency programs to income-eligible customers in our natural gas service territory. These efforts support our shared goals with the commonwealth to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality and advance electrification while also driving bills down for customers on a daily basis as the energy that a customer never uses results in real savings. In addition, this increase incorporates projected funding needed for 2025 based on the plan we submitted and is currently under consideration with the DPU. We’re proud to support Massachusetts as a national leader in the ongoing energy transition, and the Mass Save 2025-2027 Energy Efficiency and Decarbonization Plan is one pathway the commonwealth is taking to meet its goals with a focus on affordability and reliability.
 
We know that the high cost of energy is challenging for our customers, and we want to help them plan ahead, manage their energy use and overall cost as best as we can. We highly encourage customers who may need help paying their bill to take advantage of the many assistance programs available and we are here to work with all customers one-on-one to connect them with payment options and bill assistance programs - including our budget billing option that smooths out seasonal spikes by setting a predictable bill amount each month based on our customer’s annual energy use. We’ve scheduled multiple events across the state for our customers in the coming weeks to help them learn more about their bill and connect them with assistance options. 
 

2025 Check Up on your Personal Health Habits...Living and Practicing by Design with Dr. John Hayes

Since we are at the end of February, it's a good idea to check in... on our health check up!
On this week's Living and Practicing by Design with Dr. John Hayes, the doctor wanted to remind us it is OKAY if we feel like we have been slipping from our healthy habits because all we need to do is reintegrate, or begin, with small changes on a daily basis. 
This was a great relief, and reminder, for Rob and Beth as they now feel invigorated to pick up the fruits and get their bodies moving! You can read the Dr.'s full blog post by clicking here.
Listen to our full interview here:

My Teenage Daughter Refuses to Get a Summer Job! Please Help Me Hingham Housewife!

Author Alexandra Slater A.K.A. the Hingham Housewife is back from vacation week and we're so excited to reunite with her! Our listeners were also very excited for the Hingham Housewife's return as one listener had a very pressing matter regarding a frustrating parenting situation:
My question is for Hingham Housewife - I am frustrated with my teen, she is turning 16 in May and I want her to get a summer job this year. I always enjoyed having a summer job during high school because I met so many people, made a little bit of money, and it taught me structure and discipline, in a fun way. I was trying to get her excited by telling her she could be a lifeguard at the beach or pool, maybe work at an ice cream shop, or even babysit! My daughter did not like any of those suggestions and said she deserves a relaxing summer with her friends. Please help me! 
This was a tough one so Hingham Housewife gave her best advice to navigate teenage angst. Listen in and let us know what your dilemma is in the form below:

Honoring Marshfield Teacher Nicole Downs with her Colleagues, Lindsay-Leigh Consolati and Carol Herb

Rob and Beth believe teachers are SO vital in this world and want to help support them in any way. Unfortunately, Marshfield High School lost a teacher in late 2024, Nicole Downs. She was a beloved math educator, field hockey coach, and an all-around wonderful person. You can read all about her in this Patriot Ledger profile. 
Her fellow colleagues, Lindsay-Leigh Consolati and Carol Herb, are coming together to honor Nicole's memory with a special fundraiser and scholarship fund. This scholarship will be awarded on an annual basis to a student who embodies Nicole's spirit and kindness. If you would like to donate, there are several ways you can.
Patriot Ledger also covered this story extensively, so if you would like to read the full article about the scholarship, please click here.  If you would like to donate by check:
Anyone wishing to write a check should make it out to the Town of Marshfield and mail it to Marshfield High School at 167 Forest St., Marshfield MA. 02050. Please mark the envelope: "Attention Lindsay-Leigh Consolati."
You can also donate online by clicking here for the link.   If you need help finding the specific Nicole Downs scholarship, search Marshfield School and then on the side you will see the "school donations" tab, then click on "Nicole Downs Scholarship". 
Listen to our interview below as Carol and Lindsay-Leigh talk about their friend Nicole, the impact she had, and how you can make a difference through this scholarship opportunity. 

Careful with the Chrome Extensions...Tech Talk with David Snell of ACT Smart I.T.

It is time for Rob and Beth's I.T. update with David Snell of ACT Smart I.T. in Wareham. It happens every Tuesday at 8:10am. This week, David gave some important information regarding Google Chrome Extensions. You may not be aware of extensions, but a lot of them exist. Some exist from verified retailers to find you better shopping deals online, others could be a tool to help with your productivity. David Snell says we do need to be careful with them though. You can read David's full blog by clicking here and listen to our interview below:
 

Paws N' Claws with CARE, Southcoast, Inc: Meet President Ruth Marshman

Rob and Beth look forward to the Paws N' Claws segment every week as it highlights important information regarding wildlife, pets, and non-profit organizations committed to helping local animals. This week, we had the pleasure of speaking with the President of CARE, Southcoast, Inc., Ruth Marshman, all about the wonderful efforts in connecting people with their future pets, as well as taking in any animal that needs help. CARE, Southcoast, Inc. is entirely run by volunteers so if you're interesting in volunteering, please head on over to the website by clicking here. 
Listen to our interview below as Ruth discusses the organization, her love for animals, and how you can get involved:

Hypnosis for Releasing the Weight... Diane Jordan Explains on More Comfort Monday with Natural Body Works in Kingston!

Rob and Beth love getting realigned at the start of the week with Diane Jordan of Natural Body Works in Kingston. The topic of conversation for today was a success story from one of Diane's clients about using hypnosis for weight loss. Diane explained the challenges this client had in regards to their health and happiness:
The client was a 60-year old. They have a high-stress work at home job. Complaints of feeling unattractive, heavy and achy joint pain, not exercising, a lot of fatigue, not eating nutritious meals, snacking on junk, eating too much at night and eating too fast. They wanted to release stress snacking on chips during work and replace that with taking breaks to walk around the house, stretch, drink water and tea and eat healthy vegetable snacks. Replace non-nutritious meals with grocery shopping, new nutritious recipes and high-quality foods that reflected their heritage. Replace fast eating with slowly savoring small, healthy nutritious meals. They decided to entirely release chips and fast food. We do this with very strong suggestions which always works so that the client is simply not able to eat that food.
Listen in as Diane explains the process of her hypnosis sessions, how this client is doing now, and how you can take advantage of hypnosis in your life with Natural Body Works.

The South Shore's Morning News Week in Review -- Friday, February 21st, 2025

Welcome to another edition of "The South Shore's Morning News: Week in Review". In this episode we first talk with former Astronaut and NFL player Leland Melvin about his new graphic novel for middle school kids called: "Space Chasers". Then we check in with our tech guy, David Snell, from ACT Smart I.T. in Wareham about Google's AI Chrome Security. Later we meet the new executive director of the Scituate Animal Shelter, Connie Merigo. And finally, we discuss the newest Wendy's Frosty Flavor - Thin Mints. 

Friday Love Bites with Francesca Luca of The Francesca Luca Show

We had Francesca Luca back in studio today for another segment of Love Bites: Love, Sex, & Everything in Between. Francesca is host of the Francesca Luca Show which is on Wednesday nights at 8pm on 95.9 WATD. 
Francesca joined us on Valentine's Day to talk about finding your perfect match, and you can listen back to that segment here. Francesca is a former professional matchmaker and one of her previous clients reached out to her to ask for her help:
I have been dating my boyfriend for 2 years. During that time we broke up for 2 months and he went back to his old girlfriend. They split again and we got back together. This was 6 months ago. She calls him alot and most recently we were out to dinner and she called twice. I feel like I am in a triangle. Is this a red flag to be concerned about?Concerned Listener
Listen in as Francesca gives her best professional advice and Rob and Beth ponder what they would do:

Tools to Consider for Your Health...Living and Practicing by Design with Dr. John Hayes

Time for Rob and Beth's weekly check-up with the Dr.! Dr. John Hayes that is! You can visit his website by clicking here as he is taking on new patients and is conveniently located on the South Shore in Marshfield. 
We continued our discussion of diabetes this week as it is such a pressing matter on a global level and Dr. Hayes gave some helpful insight on devices you can easily access to help you stay in line with your health goals. Listen to our interview and let us know your thoughts! You can always text the text line: 781-837-4900.