Afternoon Report: Sunday, December 7, 2025

Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth defends military strikes against alleged drug boats, according to a new report Boston rent has gone down since 2021, and there's another economic concern this holiday season. Stay in "The Loop" with WBZ NewsRadio. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is WBZ, Boston's news radio, redefining local news.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Thirty eight degrees in Boston at four o'clock at afternoon night,
Suzanne Sausville, Here's what's happening. Defend Secretary Pete Hegseth is
defending military strikes against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean.
Jim Forbes as the latest.

Speaker 3 (00:26):
President Trump's war secretary, gave a speech Saturday at an
event in California and claimed the eighty people who have
been killed in the strikes since September were considered terrorists
and that the president can take military action quote as
he sees fit. When asked about the strike on September
Tewod that killed two survivors clinging to the wreckage from

(00:46):
a previous attack, Hegsas said he would have made the
same call himself. He did not say, however, if the
video of the attack would be released. I'm Jim Forbes.

Speaker 2 (00:57):
The larger question circling the boat strike is their legality.
ABC Selena Wang has that.

Speaker 4 (01:03):
The concerns from some lawmakers and legal experts go way
beyond what happened on September second. They question whether this
entire operation is even legal, since the start of September,
the US has hit more than twenty suspected drug boats,
killing more than eighty people, but the administration has yet
to provide any public evidence to prove that those who

(01:24):
were killed were actually smuggling drugs.

Speaker 2 (01:27):
Navy Admiral Frank Bradley, who was in charge of the
September second boat strike, showed video of the attack to
lawmakers behind closed doors. Some lawmakers want that video made public.
Bradley also denied receiving a kill them all order from
heg Seth. A new report finds the average rent in

(01:48):
Boston actually went down for the first time since twenty
twenty one. Wbz's Kyle Bray has more.

Speaker 1 (01:55):
When I asked folks in Alston whether they think their
rent is reasonable or not, I noticed a cam and
theme for Boston.

Speaker 3 (02:01):
I don't know.

Speaker 5 (02:01):
It's probably average.

Speaker 6 (02:03):
I think relative to the rest of the city.

Speaker 1 (02:05):
I've got a bargain.

Speaker 5 (02:06):
I would say it's average with what the area considers
to be average.

Speaker 1 (02:10):
So even a good deal doesn't really feel like one.
The average rent in Boston, according to a Bloomberg report,
is just over three thousand dollars, but it's actually gone
down for the first time since twenty twenty one, Many units,
particularly in neighborhoods like Austin, are sitting vacant rates not
seen since the pandemic, as landlords deal with less students
looking for apartments for renters. I spoke to. This was
welcomed news. I think it's a step in the right direction.

(02:33):
Hopefully it can get lower because it's still really high.

Speaker 5 (02:35):
As a student, your cost of living is very important,
and the fact that's gone down you signals good things.

Speaker 1 (02:41):
From Austin, Kyle Pray WBZ, Boston's news radio, A.

Speaker 2 (02:45):
Large portion of the Green Line is temporarily shutting down
tomorrow for infrastructure work on all four branches. The TEA
says from December eighth to the twenty second, green Line
service will be suspended from North Station to Abcock Street
on the B branch, to ken Moore on the C
and D branches, and to heath Street on the E branch.

(03:07):
Free shuttle buses will run on the BC and D branches,
and all surface level stops west of Kenmore will be
fair free. The forecast a possible floory or two tonight
mainly north of Boston, Otherwise mostly clear skies over night,
brazy and cold with a low of twenty three. Partly sunny.

(03:28):
Tomorrow blustery and cold with a high of twenty seven.
Those real field tempts in the single digits and teens.
On Tuesday, not quite as cold, sunny early, then cloudy
in the afternoon, high thirty five. On Wednesday, even less
cold with a bit of rain late in the day
or evening high forty five. Right now in Boston, it's

(03:50):
partly cloudy and thirty eight degrees. Some Patriots fan favorites
are spending to some of their weekend off playing ball
with local kids. W b z's Kyle Schaffle has details.

Speaker 7 (04:04):
Drake may is generally a stoic, unflappable presence on the sidelines.
The exception may be when he's on the sidelines of
a flag football game for children.

Speaker 3 (04:12):
Why You Got.

Speaker 1 (04:19):
He and wide receiver.

Speaker 7 (04:20):
Pop Douglas came out to play some ball with dozens
of kids at Gillette Stadium as part of an event
by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern mass. Pop says
he's looking to inspire kids around here towards the kind
of example he had from his family as a kid.

Speaker 4 (04:31):
It means a lot to them, you know, just to
see the next generation, you thrive and you know see
the potential.

Speaker 7 (04:37):
Big brothers, big sisters. Regional president Mark O'Donnell said, the
fact that these players are choosing to use some of
their precious bye week like this says a lot.

Speaker 3 (04:43):
Pop Douglas, Rob Nikay.

Speaker 6 (04:45):
So many players were giving out turkeys at Thanksgiving.

Speaker 1 (04:47):
They're here today in a cold day when they could
be someplace warm. It choose a testament to who they are.

Speaker 7 (04:51):
Kyle Shaffle to b BS Boston's News Radio.

Speaker 2 (04:54):
The Massachusetts high school football season wrapped up at Jillette's
Stadium this weekend. The The eight teams that won their
divisions are Cohassett, fair Haven, Shaucheen, Tech, King Philip Randolph, Situate,
Catholic Memorial, and Severian. A state operated golf course is
getting a makeover months after it was named the worst

(05:18):
course in the country. Wbz's Emma Friedman has details.

Speaker 8 (05:23):
The Department of Conservation and Recreation has plans in the
works to spend five million dollars improving the Leo. J.
Martin Golf Course in Weston. The Globe reports that proposed
upgrades include a new irrigation system, landscaping, green and path
improvements as well as tree planting to address course concerns.
DCR says the course would be closed for the twenty
twenty sixth season to make the improvements and is expected
to be back open in April twenty twenty seven. Earlier

(05:45):
this year, DCR hired a new director of golf course Management.
The leoj Martin course was named the worst golf course
in America in August on a website called my golf Spy,
where two other courses in Canton and Norwood were also
named among the worst. DCR is accepting public comment until
the December nineteenth deadline. I'm a Freeman WBZ, Boston's news radio.

Speaker 2 (06:04):
There's another economic concern this holiday season, and this one
is being felt by nonprofits.

Speaker 6 (06:11):
Many nonprofits that provide goods and food to the less
fortunate fear of drop in donations this holiday season, with
many Americans struggling financially like never before. We are hopeful
that people will still be able to meet the needs
and the demands of our nonprofits, but we also realize
that at any given time we.

Speaker 7 (06:30):
May have to adjust, We may have to adjust how
we serve, how many.

Speaker 6 (06:33):
Were able to serve. Darlee Thomas as executive director of
Breedhouse seventeen, a nonprofit women's shelter, and Lexington, Kentucky. Jim
Chrysili cibesners.

Speaker 2 (06:43):
You are now in the loop for news updates throughout
the day. Listen to WBZ News Radio on the iHeartRadio app.
I'm Suzanne Sosville, WBZ, Boston's news radio