Boston Public Radio Podcast

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd updates listeners on the latest from Washington D.C., including Republicans’ outlook on COVID-19 and the state of voting rights legislation. Todd is the moderator of “Meet the Press,” host of “Meet the Press Daily” on MSNBC and the political director for NBC News. Andrea Cabral discusses an upcoming movie about the Boston strangler, and the state of democracy in the U.S. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and the former Massachusetts secretary of public safety. She is currently the CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Paul Reville critiques a South Dakota “dash for cash” event that had teachers on their hands and knees grabbing money for their classrooms. He also talks about parents serving as substitute teachers amid a teacher shortage and the future of learning pods. Reville is the former Massachusetts secretary of education and a professor at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, where he also heads the Education Redesign Lab. His latest book, co-authored with Lynne Sacks, is “Collaborative Action for Equity and Opportunity: A Practical Guide for School and Community Leaders.” Shirley Leung shares insights from her interview with Mayor Michelle Wu, and discusses the Globe’s picks for Bostonians of the year. Leung is a business columnist for The Boston Globe and a Boston Public Radio contributor. Catherine Peterson weighs in on vaccine requirements at venues in the city, and what she thinks of the amount of American Rescue Plan Act funds directed towards the arts sector. She also talks about a new mentorship program for BIPOC arts leaders. Catherine Peterson is the Executive Director of ArtsBoston. Jon Gruber explains the state of inflation in the U.S., why it’s happening and possible solutions. Gruber was instrumental in creating both the Massachusetts health care reform and the Affordable Care Act, and his latest book is “Jump-Starting America: How Breakthrough Science Can Revive Economic Growth And The American Dream.” Christopher Kimball previews his latest cookbook “Vegetables,” sharing his favorite ways to bring vegetables to the center of the plate. Chris Kimball co-founded America’s Test Kitchen, and now runs Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street in Boston. His latest cookbook is “Vegetables.” Then, we replay our conversation with listeners about whether they would be open to becoming chattier on the T following Wu’s invitation for riders to talk with her.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners whether they would be open to becoming chattier on the T, following Mayor Michelle Wu’s invitation for riders to talk with her. Trenni Kusnierek discusses the $380 million settlement reached between USA Gymnastics and the victims of Larry Nassar. Kusnierek is a reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. Corby Kummer talks about the latest news on a potential statewide egg shortage, and the fifteen-minute grocery delivery start-ups opening up in downtown Boston. Kummer is the executive director of the Food and Society policy program at the Aspen Institute, a senior editor at The Atlantic and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Meredith Goldstein answers listeners’ questions on romance and relationships, and shares advice from her recent columns. Goldstein is an advice columnist and features writer for the Boston Globe. Her advice column, “Love Letters,” is a daily dispatch of wisdom for the lovelorn that has been running for more than a decade. She also hosts the “Love Letters” podcast. John King updates us on the latest political headlines, focusing on the texts from Trump allies to former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows surrounding the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. King is CNN's Chief National Correspondent and anchor of "Inside Politics,” which airs weekdays and Sunday mornings at 8 a.m.

Today on Boston Public Radio: EJ Dionne talks about Governor Charlie Baker’s latest plan to distribute over two million rapid tests to Massachusetts towns in need, and the state of democracy in the U.S. Dionne is a columnist for The Washington Post and a senior fellow at The Brookings Institution. His latest book is "Code Red: How Progressives And Moderates Can Unite To Save Our Country." Then, we ask listeners their outlook on climate change, after tornados sweeping through Arkansas, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee left dozens dead and scores of buildings demolished. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III weigh in on Gen Z’s relationship with religion and a Black medical illustration going viral. Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist, the Boston voice for Detour’s African American Heritage Trail and co-host of the All Rev’d Up podcast. Price is the founding pastor of Community of Love Christian Fellowship in Allston, the inaugural dean of Africana studies at Berklee College of Music and co-host of the All Rev’d Up podcast. Shaleen Title shares takeaways from her recent academic paper on solutions to equity issues in cannabis laws, and the state of legalization and decriminalization of drug use across the country. Shaleen Title is a former Cannabis Control Commissioner who is now the Distinguished Cannabis Policy Practitioner in Residence at the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center at Ohio State University. She is also the CEO and co-founder of the Parabola Center. Charlie Sennott discusses civilian casualties from the War on Terror that the U.S. military hid from the public, and how U.S. democracy compares to other countries. Sennott is a GBH News analyst and the founder and CEO of The GroundTruth Project. Brian O’Donovan previews this year’s return to an in-person Christmas Celtic Sojurn, and his inspiration behind the event. Brian O’Donovan is host of Celtic Sojourn on GBH. A Christmas Celtic Sojourn begins its holiday run tomorrow, with a sold out show in Rockport. Tickets are still available for shows at the Cutler Majestic Theatre in Boston – www.christmasceltic.com.  We end the show by talking with listeners their experiences with holiday yankee-swap events.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners their thoughts on the labor market, amid worker shortages and unionization fights to grow worker power. Mike Keiley gives tips on how to ethically and responsibly gift pets during the holidays, and debunks pet adoption myths from the pandemic. Keiley is the director of adoption centers and programs at MSCPA-Angell. Callie Crossley discusses Simone Biles’ pick as Time Magazine’s Athlete of the Year, and Jussie Smollett’s guilty verdict for lying about a staged racist, homophobic attack. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black. Andy Ihnatko teaches listeners how to best protect their passwords, after an annual list of most common passwords included “123456” and “password1.” Ihnatko is a tech writer and blogger, posting at Ihnatko.com. Sue O’Connell weighs in on the Supreme Court dismissing the Justice Department’s challenge to Texas’ restrictive abortion law, and the Ghislaine Maxwell trial for her involvement in Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking crimes. O’Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and the South End News, as well as NECN's political commentator and explainer-in-chief. Sam Green previews his latest exhibit, “32 Sounds,” mixing visual, narrative, and live music components to create a “live documentary.” Sam Green is the director behind “32 Sounds,” showing this Saturday at Mass MoCA.  We end the show by talking with listeners about which holiday traditions they’re keeping, ditching and beginning anew amid the pandemic.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd weighs in on the status of Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema and West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin on Build Back Better, and Hillary Clinton reading her would-be 2016 victory speech. Todd is the moderator of “Meet the Press,” host of “Meet the Press Daily” on MSNBC and the political director for NBC News. Then, we ask listeners how they feel about President Joe Biden and the Democrats’ domestic agenda and performance so far. Andrea Cabral talks about the overturned murder conviction of James Lucien, who spent 26 years in prison on a wrongful conviction by a corrupt police detective. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and the former Massachusetts secretary of public safety. She is currently the CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Shirley Leung discusses Governor Charlie Baker’s legacy regarding Massachusetts businesses, and what businesses are doing to retain workers during the great resignation. Leung is a business columnist for The Boston Globe and a Boston Public Radio contributor. Elizabeth Turnbull Henry talks about the future of environmental action and Baker’s legacy on climate after the Transportation Climate Initiative and the New England Clean Energy Connect fell apart. Henry is president of the Environmental League of Massachusetts. Jon Gruber explains why the U.S. lags behind other developed nations in maternal health and infant mortality, and what Build Back Better could do to improve things. Gruber was instrumental in creating both the Massachusetts healthcare reform and the Affordable Care Act, and his latest book is “Jump-Starting America: How Breakthrough Science Can Revive Economic Growth And The American Dream.” We end the show by talking with listeners about a recent study that showed that men and loud talkers spread COVID-19 at higher rates.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners whether they think Vice President Kamala Harris is being treated unfairly by the media, and how women and people of color face double standards in politics. Art Caplan discusses the state of testing in the U.S., how the country went wrong by failing to push a broader testing regimen and the latest news on the Omicron variant. Caplan is director of the division of medical ethics at the New York University School of Medicine. Juliette Kayyem updates listeners on the status of the Jan. 6 investigation and gun laws in the aftermath of the Michigan school shooting. Kayyem is an analyst for CNN, former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security and faculty chair of the homeland security program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Corby Kummer talks about Guy Fieri’s latest restaurant in Boston, and why the government should end restrictions on what food people on federal food assistance programs can buy. Kummer is the executive director of the food and society policy program at the Aspen Institute, a senior editor at The Atlantic and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Ali Noorani explains why federal courts forced the Biden Administration to reinstitute the Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” policy, and how Build Back Better would affect immigration reform. Noorani is the president and chief executive officer of the National Immigration Forum. His forthcoming book is “Crossing Borders: The Reconciliation of a Nation of Immigrants.” We end the show by asking listeners whether golf courses should be scaled back given their negative impact on climate change.

Ahead of the opening of Guy Fieri’s Kitchen + Bar in the Theater District, food writer Corby Kummer joined Boston Public Radio to share his thoughts on the celebrity chef’s second restaurant in Boston. Fieri, known for his eccentric taste in food, included menu items from his other restaurants, such as trash can nachos from Guy Fieri’s Tequila Cocina and Guy’s Famous BBQ Bloody Mary. Diners can also order specialties like Cajun chicken Alfredo, hot pastrami grinders, and candy apple sangrias. “It's like somebody has said, ‘let me think of everybody's secret food desires, and I'm gonna let it run rampant,’” Kummer said. “‘Here it all is, come on and let let loose your secret desires.’” Restaurant critics have largely panned Fieri’s restaurants, though Kummer notes that Bostonians should give Guy Fieri’s Kitchen + Bar a chance. “Enjoy yourself: nothing should be forbidden,” Kummer said. “This is about being libertine and being indulgent, which everybody needs to be every so often or else the food police are really going to be out of business.” Kummer is the executive director of the Food and Society policy program at the Aspen Institute, a senior editor at The Atlantic and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners whether Boston should implement indoor vaccine mandates like those in New York City. Trenni Kusnierek discusses what the U.S. diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics means for the winter games and the Patriots’ win last night. Kusnierek is an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Boston, as well as a Boston Public Radio contributor. Tito Jackson previews his latest venture, a seven story complex housing marijuana food, drink and more. Jackson is a former city councilor, one-time mayoral candidate, and now marijuana entrepreneur. His business Apex Noire is expected to open in Boston early next year. Dr. Michael Mina updates listeners on the state of COVID-19 testing, including the reliability of at-home testing and why the U.S. should distribute more. Michael Mina is the Chief Science Officer at e-Med, a company that provides a plethora of at-home diagnostic testing. He most recently was an assistant professor of epidemiology at Harvard’s  T. H. Chan School of Public Health. Carol Rose weighs in on recent Supreme Court hearings, including last week’s debate on abortion and an upcoming case on free speech involving flag poles at City Hall. She also talks about the city’s public health approach to homelessness at Mass. and Cass. Rose is the Executive Director of the ACLU of Massachusetts. John King goes over the latest political headlines, including the status of West Virginian Democratic Senator Joe Manchin’s support for the Build Back Better Bill, and former President Donald Trump’s role in Republican political endorsements. King is CNN’s chief national correspondent and anchor of “Inside Politics,” which airs weekdays at noon and Sundays at 8 a.m. We end the show by asking listeners their thoughts on the rise of crocs and the rise of other comfortable fashion choices during the work from home era.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Dr. Katherine Gergen Barnett begins the show by taking questions from listeners about booster shots, rapid tests and more. Gergen Barnett teaches in the Department of Family Medicine at Boston Medical Center and Boston University Medical School. Then, we ask listeners their thoughts on the state of testing in the U.S., after President Joe Biden announced a plan to reimburse citizens for their purchase of tests. Richard Blanco reads his favorite “aubade” poems -- about lovers departing at dawn --- including “Aubade with Burning City” by Ocean Vuong and “Ghosting Aubade” by Amie Whittemore. Blanco is the fifth inaugural poet in U.S. history. His latest book, "How To Love A Country," deals with various socio-political issues that shadow America. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III discuss the persistence of racial harassment in schools, and religious communities that support abortion rights. Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist, the Boston voice for Detour’s African American Heritage Trail and co-host of the All Rev’d Up podcast. Price is the founding pastor of Community of Love Christian Fellowship in Allston, the Inaugural Dean of Africana Studies at Berklee College of Music and co-host of the All Rev’d Up podcast. Michael Curry talks about Biden’s efforts to ramp up testing, and his administration’s plan to get through the second pandemic winter. Curry is the president and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers and a member of Gov. Charlie Baker’s COVID Vaccine Advisory Group. He’s also a member of the National NAACP Board of Directors and chair of the board’s advocacy and policy committee. We end the show by asking listeners if they have returned to movie theaters, as venues struggle to bring back patrons due to the pandemic.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Superintendent Brenda Cassellius answers questions from listeners about the state of schools, including the teacher shortage and wait lists for Boston’s exam schools. Cassellius is the superintendent of Boston Public Schools. Then, we ask listeners about the Omicron variant and how the pandemic is playing out in schools, including hearing from Massachusetts Teachers Association President Merrie Najimy. Makinde Ogunnaike and Josh Sariñana talk about how they turn physics and neuroscience into art and poetry, and the intersection of physics and religious faith. Ogunnaike is a PhD candidate in physics at MIT, where he researches quantum systems and the new states of matter they can create. He also runs the Harvard-MIT chapter of the National Society of Black Physicists. Sariñana is a fine art photographer, a writer and neuroscience marketing professional. He’s also the director of “The Poetry of Science.” Corby Kummer weighs in on who has intellectual property claims to a recipe, and where restaurants stand with restrictions and masking. Kummer is the executive director of the Food and Society policy program at the Aspen Institute, a senior editor at The Atlantic and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Andy Ihnatko discusses the latest developments in electric car technology, and Jack Dorsey’s decision to step away as CEO of Twitter. Ihnatko is a tech writer and blogger, posting at Ihnatko.com. Sue O’Connell updates listeners on the latest news in the Cuomo family scandal, after Chris Cuomo was suspended indefinitely from CNN. She also talks about the success of Amy Schneider, the first trans person to make “Jeopardy!” Tournament of Champions. O’Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and the South End News, as well as NECN's political commentator and explainer-in-chief. We end the show by talking with listeners about how they treated substitute teachers back in the day, amid a teacher shortage and dire need for substitutes.