From hiking in the mountains to swimming at the beach, Massachusetts has a lot to offer when it comes to outdoor recreations, and a lot that still needs to be done to make these activities accessible for everyone. On this episode of In Common,

• We learn about the rising concerns about lone star ticks and alpha-gal syndrome, reported with the CAI newsroom
• The push to make hiking trails across the state more accessible from the NEPM newsroom
• An update on the Charle’s River cleanliness ahead of this year's annual City Splash event
• Plus, a survival guide at the Brimfield Antique Flea Market, the largest outdoor antique market in the country.

On our debut episode, we hear how people from all around the commonwealth are celebrating the biggest Fourth of July celebration in Massachusetts history. We break down the cost of celebrating Independence Day this year, from backyard barbecues to the state's biggest fireworks shows. An award-winning high school civics teacher helps us understand how Massachusetts paved the way for revolution. And we get a behind-the-scenes look into the most iconic and scene-stealing piccolo solo ever. Plus, America 250 stories from the GBH, NEPM and CAI newsrooms!

From Beacon Hill to the Berkshires, In Common is your go-to source for statewide news. Each week, host Jeremy Siegel takes listeners on a roadtrip across Massachusetts as he dives deep into the biggest stories driving conversation throughout the state. A first-of-its-kind collaboration between three public media outlets – GBH News in Boston, CAI on the Cape and Islands, and New England Public Media (NEPM) in Springfield – this weekly news magazine reaches audiences from Provincetown to Western Mass, connecting listeners across the Commonwealth to local news with a statewide perspective.