Boston Public Radio Podcast

Washington Post columnist EJ Dionne talks about President Biden’s meeting this week with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He also discusses speculation around whether AG Merrick Garland will push to litigate abuses of power made under the administration of former President Trump. Next, we opened phone lines to talk with listeners about Juneteenth becoming a federal holiday. Former Suffolk County sheriff Andrea Cabral weighs in on the Justice Department’s request for the Supreme Court to reinstate the federal death penalty against Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. She also discusses AG Merrick Garland’s efforts to protect U.S. voting rights. Boston Globe travel writer Christopher Muther discusses “re-queerification” efforts underway in Provincetown, the understated LGBT legacy of Delaware’s Rehoboth Beach, and his experience returning to international travel for a trip to Iceland. Michael Curry offers his thoughts on Juneteenth becoming a federal holiday, and weighs in on the recent vaccination incentives like the VaxMillions lottery and “Vax Express” train in Massachusetts. Curry is President and CEO of the Mass. 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 & Policy Committee. Food writer Corby Kummer discusses the temporary extension of laws allowing for to-go cocktails and expanded outdoor dining in Massachusetts, and provides some much-needed insight into the latest player in the vegan milk market. We close out Thursday's show by talking with listeners about post-vaccine travel, and making the most of Summer 2021.

Food writer Corby Kummer spoke with Boston Public Radio on Thursday about NotMilk, a plant-based product from start-up NotCo, that purportedly mimics cow’s milk better than other alternatives. “I’m really eager to go out and try it, because the company says that NotMilk can taste, cook, and froth like cow’s milk,” he said. “It is so much better for the environment than milk that comes from cows, which produce methane.” Plant-based milk alternatives and plant-based proteins are a very important part of the future, Kummer noted. Kummer is a senior editor at The Atlantic, an award-winning food writer, and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition and Policy.

President Joe Biden’s decision to meet with Vladimir Putin initially prompted skeptics to question whether it would only serve to elevate the Russian leader’s position on the world stage. Washington Post columnist EJ Dionne told Boston Public Radio on Thursday that Biden did well to push back against Putin’s defense of jailing opposition leader Alexei Navalny — Putin insisted he’s only trying to avoid the likes of disorder America experienced in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. “Biden just said, “That’s ridiculous,’” said Dionne, noting the straightforwardness in the American president’s response. “Whether you like Biden or not I think if you’re an American friend of democracy you looked at what Biden said, and said, ‘That is what a defense of democracy looks like,’” said Dionne. There were no big achievements from the summit, but no expectations of that either, said Dionne. “On the whole I think (Biden) came out pretty well.” EJ 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

Today on Boston Public Radio: Medical ethicist Art Caplan talks about the benefits and drawbacks of vaccine lottery incentives, in light of the VaxMillions program announced Tuesday by Gov. Charlie Baker. Next, we open phone lines to hear listener thoughts on the Massachusetts newly-announced VaxMillions lottery program. Homeland security expert Juliette Kayyem discusses President Biden’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. She also spoke about the national security implications of the looming hurricane and wildfire season. Bina Venkataraman talked about the Boston Globe’s new six-part series, “Future Proofing the Presidency,” about the legacy of former President Trump and the future of American democracy. Venkataraman is the editorial page editor of The Boston Globe. Her latest book is “The Optimist's Telescope: Thinking Ahead in a Reckless Age.” Washington Post financial columnist Michelle Singletary discussed her latest book, “What To Do With Your Money When Crisis Hits.” Journalist and naturalist Sy Montgomery returned for our monthly edition of “Afternoon Zoo.” She talked about her sympathy for the humpback whale who nearly swallowed a lobster fisherman off of Cape Cod, stand-up fathers of the animal kingdom, and the dogs who are learning to talk to their owners.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by opening phone lines to talk with listeners about the day-to-day impact of Massachusetts ending its COVID-19 state of emergency. National Immigration Forum president and CEO Ali Noorani discusses the significance of the newly-released film adaptation of “In The Heights,” which highlights the value of Hispanic immigrant communities in the U.S. He also recaps Vice President Kamala Harris' recent trip to Guatemala and Mexico, and touches on President Biden’s plan to redirect $2 billion in funding for former President Trump's border wall to other national security issues. Dr. Andrew Budson talks about his experience working on clinical trials for Aduhelm, a controversial Alzheimer's drug that recently gained authorization from the FDA. He also speaks to whether he’d recommend it to his own patients. Budson is a professor of Neurology at Boston University School of Medicine, and Chief of Cognitive & Behavioral Neurology at the Boston VA Healthcare System. His latest book is Seven Steps to Managing Your Memory: What’s Normal, What’s Not, and What to Do About It. RoxFilm festival director Lisa Simmons previews this year’s Roxbury International Film Festival, which runs from June 17th through the 26th. NBC Sports Boston reporter and anchor Trenni Kusnierek gives an update on the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics, and talks about her own experience preparing to cover the games for NBC. She also touches on recent dialogue around women coaches in the NBA. CNN’s John King discusses President Biden’s forthcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as the U.S.’ pivot toward addressing domestic terrorism. We close out Tuesday’s show by talking with listeners about the enormous backlog of Girl Scout cookies that piled up as a result of slow sales in 2020.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We kick things off by opening phone lines to talk with callers about the latest trend of people quitting their jobs in a moment of post-vaccine clarity. Emerald Necklace Conservancy president Karen Mauney-Brodek talks about how the pandemic has changed our relationship with public spaces, and previewed the summer events that The Emerald Necklace Conservancy has to offer. GBH reporters Saraya Wintersmith and Adam Reilly discuss the state of Boston’s crowded mayoral race. Boston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung talks about her recently-published “working mother's manifesto,” a call to employers about the once-in-a-generation opportunity the pandemic has provided to course-correct how we work, and to make things more equitable – particularly for working mothers. The Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III, hosts of the ‘All Rev’d Up’ podcast, weigh in on controversy surrounding the 2021 Boston Pride parade, a reckoning at this year's Southern Baptist Convention, and teenager Darnella Frazier’s Pulitzer citation for her video documenting the killing of George Floyd. Jamie Gahlon discusses the 10-year anniversary of HowlRound Theatre Commons, an online platform for theater makers. Gahlon is co-founder and president of HowlRound Theatre Commons. We close Monday's show by getting your theories on the story about a Cape Cod lobster fisherman who claims he was nearly swallowed by a humpback whale.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners what perks their offices could give to get them back at the workplace. Sue O’Connell updates us on the leadership shakeup at Boston Pride, and the Boston City Council’s vote to change its rules so that they can remove a council president by a two-thirds vote. She also shares her thoughts on the Department of Justice (DOJ) stating that they would “vigorously” defend federally-funded religious schools in a case on LGBT+ discrimination. 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. Emily Rooney weighs in on Jeffrey Toobin’s reinstatement at CNN, and talks about the announcement of an independent review into the 2010 police-involved death of college student DJ Henry. She also shared her famous list. Rooney is the host of Beat the Press, which you can watch Friday nights at 7 p.m. Brian Stelter speaks about the relationship between Fox News, its viewers, and former President Donald Trump, and the network’s coverage of the 2020 election and the Jan. 6 Capitol attacks. Stelter is the media correspondent for CNN, and the anchor of “Reliable Sources.” His new book is Hoax: Donald Trump, Fox News, and the Dangerous Distortion of Truth. Andy Ihnatko talks about Apple’s new Mail Privacy Protection, which stops email pixel tracking. He also explains the antitrust legislation that Democrats are preparing against multiple tech giants. Ihnatko is a tech writer and blogger, posting at Ihnatko.com. Callie Crossley discusses the resignation of two Boston School Committee members after their texts were made public, and talks about viral graduation stories from across the nation. She also previews the latest edition of Under the Radar. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black. We end the show by talking with listeners about the auction of a Blue Origin ticket that would give them a seat next to Jeff Bezos on his trip to space.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd updates us on the latest political headlines, from President Joe Biden’s upcoming meeting with Vladimir Putin at the G7 Summit to Vice President Kamala Harris’ trips to Guatemala and Mexico. Todd is the moderator of “Meet The Press” on NBC, host of “Meet The Press Daily” on MSNBC and the political director for NBC News. Then, we ask listeners whether they supported imposing tax hikes on millionaires. Andrea Cabral discusses the firing of former Boston Police Commissioner Dennis White, and shares her thoughts on growing public distrust of the Boston Police Department. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety. She’s currently the CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Joe Spaulding talks about the struggles facing performing arts venues due to the pandemic, and updates us on the Boch Center’s upcoming shows. Spaulding is the president and CEO of Boston’s Boch Center, overseeing both the 3,500-seat Wang Theatre and the 1,500-seat Shubert Theatre on Tremont Street. He is also a member of Governor Baker’s advisory board on re-opening. Paul Reville weighs in on the resignations of two Boston School Committee members after their disparaging texts about West Roxbury families were published by the Boston Globe. He also talks about Verda Tetteh, a Harvard-bound graduate who asked her high school to give her $40,000 award to a student attending community college. 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.” Corby Kummer shares his thoughts on Connecticut’s consideration of a law that would allow self-pour alcohol machines in restaurants and bars, and other venues. He also talks about the stress put on grocery workers to quickly fulfill online orders. 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. We end the show by asking listeners how far they’re willing to go beyond food expiration dates.

Food writer Corby Kummer spoke with Boston Public Radio on Thursday about self-pouring alcohol machines and legislation. “Connecticut is about to allow these self-pour alcohol machines,” he said. “You’ve all seen the vending machines, especially from Coca-Cola, that pre-mixes your drink and you pick exactly what you want, and that’s a huge innovation in the soft drink industry. This is the same thing for alcohol and cocktails.” Currently, Connecticut is one of just five states, including Massachusetts, where self-pour alcohol machines are not permitted to be used. “As far as I can tell, the only place where it’s legal in Massachusetts is behind a lock and key with a valid ID for bartenders at a casino,” Kummer said. “But it might be coming here sooner.” Kummer is a senior editor at The Atlantic, an award-winning food writer, and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition and Policy.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Dr. Tina Opie discusses the rise of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) trainings in the corporate world, and explained how companies can foster more inclusive work environments. She also shares her thoughts on whether it’s time to retire dress codes mandating strict business attire. Dr. Opie is an Associate Professor in the Management Division at Babson and the founder of Opie Consulting Group. Next, we talk with listeners about the return to office dress codes, post-pandemic. Juliette Kayyem updates us on the release of a Senate report on the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, explaining how threats were not taken seriously by law enforcement agencies. She also talks about the ransomware attacks on the Colonial Pipeline and the Steamship Authority. 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. Art Caplan shares his thoughts on the potential for herd immunity in the U.S., and vaccine hesitancy among 18-24 year-olds. He also discusses the FDA’s approval of Aducanumab, a treatment for Alzheimer’s. Caplan is director of the Division of Medical Ethics at the New York University School of Medicine. Shirley Leung talks about her recent column on disparities among Asian Americans, and grocery chain Roche Bros. outsourcing delivery drivers. She also discusses Roger Lau’s appointment as deputy executive director of the Democratic National Committee. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe. Jonathan Gruber weighs in on the GOP governors cutting unemployment aid, and whether unemployment benefits are causing a labor shortage. Gruber is the Ford Professor of Economics at MIT. He 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." We wrap up the show by asking listeners about unemployment benefits, and Republican politicians’ claims that these benefits disincentivize work.