Boston Public Radio Podcast

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by talking about the Boston City Council’s vote to lower the local voting age to 16. Shirley Leung talked about the differences in the ways that Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and New York City Mayor Eric Adams handle mental illness and homelessness, as well as her latest piece on the “Great Rethink” about the ways that we work. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe. Corby Kummer discussed the latest food headlines, including the issue of water insecurity, Whole Foods putting lobster on hold over whaling concerns, and the meaninglessness of expiration dates. 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. Sue O’Connell shared her thoughts on the Respect for Marriage Act passing in the Senate, more controversy at Balenciaga, Elon Musk abusing monkeys for his neuralink project, and "gaslighti

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by asking listeners their opinions on Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton coming to Boston. EJ Dionne weighed in on the state of Congress post-midterms and what it might take to affect change there. He also speculated about the GOP’s future, including the odds of general support for former President Donald Trump or Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in a 2024 presidential run. Dionne is an opinion columnist with the Washington Post. Juliette Kayyem talked about her latest piece on the training method of “run-hide-fight” in active shooter situations, as well as this week’s Oath Keepers convictions, COVID-19 protests in China, and what Kevin McCarthy potentially running the House would mean for U.S. national security. Kayyem is former assistant secretary for homeland security under President Barack Obama, and the faculty chair of the Homeland Security program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Paul Reville talked about the recent inaction on President Jo

Today on Boston Public Radio: Art Caplan weighed in on new research into so-called “SuperAgers,” whose brains are as sharp as those 20 or 30 years younger than them. Caplan is the Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor and founding head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU School of Medicine in New York City. Then, we opened up the phone lines, asking listeners if they’re staying on Twitter amid numerous controversial changes to the platform. Andrea Cabral talked about a bank heist gone awry in Martha’s Vineyard. Cabral is the former Suffolk County Sheriff and the former Secretary of Public Safety. Hannah Jones and Rachel Flor discussed the upcoming Earthshot Prize ceremony in Boston this weekend, and the current state of climate action. Jones is the CEO of the Earthshot Prize, and Flor is the executive director of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.  You can watch the ceremony on Monday, Dec. 5 on PBS.org and the PBS App, and at 8 p.m. on the PBS YouTube channel. It’ll also air on

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by talking with listeners about the controversies surrounding this year’s World Cup. Trenni Casey shared her thoughts on the process behind FIFA picking World Cup host countries. Casey is an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Boston. Nancy Gertner discussed allegations against Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito over leaking Court decisions. Gertner is a retired federal judge and a senior lecturer at Harvard Law School. Keith Lockhart previewed the Boston Holiday Pops’ upcoming season. Lockhart is a conductor for the Boston Pops. Marcela Garcia talked about the push for Mass. lawmakers to make in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants who are state residents a priority. Garcia is a columnist for the Boston Globe, she also serves on the editorial board. John King updated us on the latest political headlines, focusing on Kari Lake suing Maricopa County officials in Arizona after her gubernatorial election loss. King is a CNN Chief National Correspondent, a

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by talking with listeners about the holiday shopping season. Michael Curry discussed the Baker administration’s $130 million health worker loan repayment program, and Boston schools losing approximately 15,000 Black students in the past 20 years. Curry is president and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. He’s also a member of the National NAACP Board of Directors, where he chairs the board’s Advocacy & Policy Committee. He recently has been named to Governor Elect Maura Healey’s transition team. Charlie Sennott updated us on massive protests in major Chinese cities over COVID measures, and pressure from Congress to track weapons aid to Ukraine. Sennott is the editor-in-chief The GroundTruth Project, and is a GBH News analyst. Richard Blanco highlighted work published by local bookseller, Beacon Press. Blanco is the fifth presidential inaugural poet in U.S. history, the first Poet Laureate of Miami-Dade County, and author of “How

Today on Boston Public Radio: Art Caplan shared his thoughts on Dr. Anthony Fauci’s final White House briefing after 50 years in government. Caplan is the Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor and founding head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU School of Medicine in New York City. Then, we opened the phone lines, asking listeners if bringing food to neighbors is the polite thing to do – or an insult. Corby Kummer weighed in on whether to toss unsolicited gifts of food, and Thanksgiving cruises as stress relief. 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 shared some of her advice on surviving the holidays with family and loved ones. She also took listeners’ calls. Goldstein is the author of the “Love Letters” column, and hosts the “Love Letters” podcast. Shirley Leung updated us on the Orange Line’

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by opening phone lines, talking with listeners about this past weekend’s shooting at LGBTQ+ nightclub at Club Q in Colorado Springs. Trenni Casey discussed the backlash over the World Cup in Qatar, and Celtics forward Jaylen Brown coming under fire for tweeting a video of anti-Semitic hate group Israel United in Christ outside Barclays Center. Casey is an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Boston. Bridget Lancaster shared her Thanksgiving tips and tricks, answering listeners’ questions on everything from cooking turkey in oven bags to gravy consistency. Lancaster is co-host of “America’s Test Kitchen” on PBS, and executive editorial director at America’s Test Kitchen. Jared Bowen talked about his latest arts and cultural roundup, focusing on “The Play That Goes Wrong” at the Lyric Stage Opera and “SIX” at the Emerson Colonial Theatre. Bowen is GBH executive arts editor. Ted Nesi and Kim Kalunian discussed Gina Raimondo’s path to her current role as U.S. Sec

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by talking about U.S. hypocrisy in criticizing homophobic laws in Qatar, after a mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs and rising anti-LGBTQ+ animus nationwide. Shannon Liss-Riordan discussed the multiple lawsuits she’s filed on behalf of Twitter employees alleging illegal firing practices after Elon Musk’s purchase of the social media platform. Liss-Riordan is an attorney and former candidate for Massachusetts Attorney General. Bill McKibben shared his thoughts on the U.N. deal to pay vulnerable nations for the damaging impacts of climate change. McKibben is an author, educator and environmentalist. He’s the co-founder of 350.org and founder of ThirdAct.org. He has a newsletter on Substack titled “The Crucial Years.” He’s also got a new, serialized book titled: “The Other Cheek: An Epic Nonviolent Yarn.” Aynsley Floyd and John Moran joined us to talk about the rise of wild turkeys in Boston, and Floyd’s recent documentary, “Turkey Town.” Floy

Today on Boston Public Radio: Mayor Michelle Wu discussed her new homeownership plan amid rising housing prices in Boston, and talked about the reopening of Boston City Hall Plaza after numerous renovations. She also took questions from listeners during this month’s edition of “Ask the Mayor.” Callie Crossley talked about chaos at Twitter after Elon Musk called on employees to commit “hardcore” or resign with severance pay, and Naomi Biden’s wedding at the White House. Crossley is the host of GBH's Under the Radar. Sue O’Connell shared her thoughts on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s decision to not seek reelection, and Tom Brady giving a portion of donations received by his nonprofit TB12 Foundation to his for-profit company, TB12, Inc. O’Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and South End News, and contributor to Current on NBC LX and NECN. Joanne Chang talked about baking ahead of the holiday season. Chang is a James Beard Award–winning pastry chef and owner of the Cambridge bakery and cafe Flour. Ra

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by talking with Arlene Isaacson about the Respect for Marriage Act, before opening the phone lines to listeners. Michael Curry discussed Andrea Campbell making history as the first Black woman to be Attorney General-elect of Mass., and questions over the future of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Curry is the president and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. He’s also a member of the national NAACP Board of Directors, where he chairs the board’s Advocacy and Policy Committee. Andrea Cabral talked about recently publicized text messages revealing the coordination behind and celebration of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis flying migrants to Martha’s Vineyard. Cabral is the former Suffolk County Sheriff and the former Secretary of Public Safety. Nick Quah shared some of his favorite podcasts this month, focusing on “Björk: Sonic Symbolism,” “Richard’s Famous Food Podcast,” and “My Dad Wrote a Porno.” Quah is a podcast critic for Vulture and New Yor

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened the show by taking our listeners’ calls to get their reaction to former President Donald Trump’s announcement that he is running for president in 2024. Boston Globe Business columnist Shirley Leung talked about the record-breaking number of women on corporate boards in Massachusetts. She also talked about the Boston Globe appointing Nancy Barnes as the paper’s new editor, making her the first woman to lead the Globe in its 150-year history. Then National Security expert Juliette Kayyem provided analysis on the aftermath of Ukraine’s accidental missile launch into Poland. She also discussed how Trump’s 2024 announcement influences the current leadership choices among Republicans in Congress. Kayyem also talked about how Elon Musk’s handling of Twitter is creating a security risk for users and is allowing misinformation to spread wide and far. She also discussed how our cultural obsession with tech figures allowed Samuel Bankman-Fried to build a cryptocurrency house of

Today on Boston Public Radio:  We began the show by asking listeners how they feel about the state of extremism post-midterms. Trenni Casey shared her thoughts on Mike Tyson’s new cannabis endeavor based off of his infamous ear-bite, mounting pressure on female athletes to lose weight, and the controversies about the upcoming World Cup in Qatar. Casey is an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Boston. Dr. Katherine Gergen Barnett talked about the current RSV–respiratory syncytial virus–spike which has been straining pediatric emergency departments, and increasing mental health issues in kids. Gergen-Barnett is the vice chair of Primary Care Innovation and Transformation in the Department of Family Medicine at Boston Medical Center. Retired Federal Judge Nancy Gertner discussed the Supreme Court rejecting a challenge to ban bump stocks, and news that Trump wanted the IRS to investigate his rivals. Gertner is a retired federal judge and a senior lecturer at Harvard Law School. Jared Bowen talked about museum

Raising Cane’s is suing an Indiana shopping center after finding out that a lease banned the sale of chicken fingers, stemming from a noncompete agreement former property owners had reached with a nearby McDonald’s in 1984. “It’s really wild,” Corby Kummer told Boston Public Radio on Monday. “The idea that McDonald’s takes the exclusive right in a shopping center to sell deboned chicken products…completely new to me.” 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 began the show by talking with listeners about Democrats’ performance in the midterms. Art Caplan talked about colleges and universities grappling with mental health crises among students. Caplan is the Drs. William F and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor and founding head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU School of Medicine in New York City. Charlie Sennott discussed Russia’s retreat from Ukraine, and President Joe Biden’s meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping. Sennott is a GBH News analyst, and editor-in-chief at the GroundTruth Project. Mark Anastasio and Ned Hinkle shared the Coolidge Corner Theatre and Brattle Theater’s Noirvember programming. Anastasio is the Director of Special Programming at Coolidge Corner Theatre. Hinkle is the creative director at The Brattle. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III talked about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ turn to white evangelicals, and 2022 midterm election wins for Muslim Americans. Monroe is a syndicated religi

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by asking listeners whether the results of the 2022 midterm elections are a sign of the Republican Party’s split from former President Donald Trump. Lindsay Andon, Dave Shanahan, and Scott Cousland joined us to talk about Project ComeBack, a local nonprofit that pairs veterans with rescue horses in order to mutually heal. Andon is the founder of Project ComeBack. Shahan is a veteran who spent 9 years in the National Guard and was deployed in Afghanistan. Cousland is a veteran with nearly a decade of serving. Callie Crossley discussed Stacey Abrahams’ recent election loss, and shared her thoughts on ongoing legal troubles for both Harvey Weinstein and Alex Jones. Crossley is the host of GBH's Under the Radar. Shirley Leung talked about layoffs at major tech companies, such as Meta and Twitter. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe. Sue O’Connell weighed in on the so-called “Rainbow Wave” in the 2022 midterm elections, with numerous LGBTQ+ candid

Washington Post opinion columnist E.J. Dionne discussed how the youth vote helped prevent a crushing defeat for Democrats on election day. He then provided some predictions on how a Republican controlled Congress would govern in this political climate. He ended by discussing the waning enthusiasm around Donald Trump, just as Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis’s political prospects are rising. We then opened our phone lines to get listeners’ opinions on why they think Democrats were able to limit their losses during the midterms. Andrea Cabral offered her take on the issues that drove voters to the polls. Then she discussed how the Department of Justice is reportedly investigating U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins for alleged ethics violations. She also discussed how Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson lost his election after holding the office for 25 years. Andrea Cabral is the former Suffolk County Sheriff and the former Secretary of Public Safety Andy Ihnatko came on to discuss how Elon Musk's unpred

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened the show by hearing from listeners about the results of Tuesday's midterm elections. Michael Curry discussed the historic wins in Mass., where Maura Healey has made history as first openly lesbian U.S. governor and first woman elected governor of the state; her running mate Lieutenant Governor-elect Kim Driscoll also makes them the first time in U.S. history that voters have elected two women to a state’s top two executive spots; and Andrea Campbell will become the first Black woman elected Attorney General in the state. Curry is President and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. He’s also a Member of the National NAACP Board of Directors, where he chairs the board’s Advocacy & Policy Committee. Juliette Kayyem discussed the relatively smooth election evening, and made that the case the temperature of political violence may have cooled slightly amid an environment of unprecedented threats against election workers. Kayyem is former assistan

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by talking with candidates for statewide office, asking them to make their final pitch to voters: Democrat candidate for Attorney General Andrea Campbell, Attorney General and Mass. gubernatorial candidate Maura Healey, Republican candidate for Attorney General Jay McMahon, incumbent Secretary of State Bill Galvin, Republican Mass. State Auditor candidate Anthony Amore, and Democrat Mass. Sen. and Mass. State Auditor candidate Diana DiZoglio. Trenni Casey talked about the Boston Bruins canceling their plans to add defenseman Mitchell Miller after multiple NHL players and officials spoke out against his past abuse towards a former classmate. She also discussed WNBA star Brittney Griner’s potential transfer to a Russian penal colony. Casey is an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Boston. Jenny Slate shared how she started her career in comedy, and talked about her local roots as a Milton native. Slate is a comedian, actor, and author. Adam Reilly and Saraya Wi

Holiday meals may look a little different this year due to numerous food shortages and high prices. Food writer Corby Kummer joined Boston Public Radio on Monday to share what you can expect at grocery stores. While turkey shortages have happened in years prior, this season will be particularly rough: more than 6 million turkeys have died already this year due to avian flu outbreaks nationwide, and that number is expected to rise. “Once there’s one turkey with avian flu, enormous warehouses full of turkeys have to be destroyed,” Kummer said. Instead of panic-buying holiday staples like turkey, Kummer suggests switching to alternative holiday dishes, such as capon. 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: Jesse Mermell and Jennifer Nassour joined us for a political roundtable ahead of tomorrow’s midterm elections, giving us a look into Democrats’ and Republicans’ political strategies both state- and nationwide. Mermell is founder and president of deWit Impact Group, and a former candidate for Congress in Massachusetts’ 4th Congressional district. Nassour is the founder of the Pocketbook Project, and a former chair of the Massachusetts Republican Party. Then, we opened the phone lines, talking with listeners about their expectations for election day. Jim Aloisi and Stacy Thompson shared their thoughts on MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak’s January departure, and other transit headlines. Aloisi is a former transportation secretary, a member of the Transit Matters Board, and contributor to Commonwealth Magazine. Thompson is executive director of Livable Streets Alliance. David Cash discussed the move from diesel-powered school buses to electric, and a new report finding that Bost