Boston Public Radio Podcast

Michael Curry shares his thoughts about Boston's proposed tax rebate plan, the law enforcement responses to local white nationalism, a recent budget increase for the city's COVID-19 response and health care struggles facing people of color in the commonwealth. Curry is chair of the NAACP Advocacy and Policy Committee, and is president and CEO of the Mass League of Community Health Centers. Jim Aloisi and Stacy Thompson talk about the state of the MBTA: recent derailments, budget concerns and sources of political inaction, as well as Boston’s upcoming open street days and bike lane controversy. Aloisi is the former Massachusetts transportation secretary, a member of the Transit Matters board and contributor to Commonwealth Magazine. Thompson is executive director of Livable Streets. Andy Ihnatko discusses new privacy settings for users of Apple products at sensitive locations as well as the rise and controversies of AI-generated art. Ihnatko is a tech writer and blogger, posting at Ihnatko.com Then, we ask

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners if they’re keeping up with early pandemic disinfectant habits. Christopher Muther explains how to build the ideal Cape Cod vacation, and shared his thoughts on ABBA’s Voyage concert featuring hologram “ABBAtars.” Muther is a travel writer for the Boston Globe. Andrea Cabral discusses white supremacist group Patriot Front’s march through downtown Boston this past weekend, and criticism from Bostonians on the lack of a response from law enforcement. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety, and former CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Paul Reville weighs in on new Boston Public Schools superintendent Mary Skipper. He also talks about the K-12 schools that are spending billions of dollars on high-tech defense from mass shootings. Reville is the former secretary of education and a professor at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, where he also runs the Education Redesign Lab. His latest book,

On July 4, Nathan’s held its annual Hot Dog Eating Contest. Joey Chesnut, who is ranked first in the world by Major League Eating, picked up his fifteenth win Monday, fighting off a protester mid-contest.  Food writer Corby Kummer said on Boston Public Radio that he enjoys watching the spectacle. “It's a scene out of a cartoon or a movie,” Kummer said. “It's broadcast on ESPN. It is treated as a sport… I also think it's the strangest Roman Times era spectacle that exists today.” Chesnut has since said that he regrets fighting the protestor, who came up behind Chesnut in a Darth Vader mask. Kummer explained that ESPN had to refund some bets because the fight messed up the odds. Still, Chesnut remained victorious, with 63 hotdogs and buns in 10 minutes, shy of his world record of 76, set in 2021. The contest, which takes place at Coney Island, is a July 4 tradition going back 50 years. “It is with watching any athletic challenge, can they do it?” Kummer asked. “I think that you find yourself inadvertently r

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners how they’re escaping from the doom this summer.  Art Caplan discusses concerns about in-vitro fertilization following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and rich New Yorkers getting bladder surgery to avoid bathroom breaks while driving to the Hamptons. 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. Juliette Kayyem updates listeners on the Highland Park shooting and law enforcement’s response to the Patriot Front march through Boston. 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. Shirley Leung weighs in on the latest challenges with the MBTA, the state of Boston nightlife and the status of return to office plans. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe. Corby Kum

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by talking with listeners about white supremacist group Patriot Front’s march along the Freedom Trail this past weekend. Trenni Kusnierek talks about WNBA player Brittney Griner’s pleas for release from Russian prison following her arrest at Moscow airport in February for allegedly carrying cannabis oil in her luggage. Kusnierek is a reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. David Scharfenberg shares his thoughts on how Boston can lead on issues like climate change, public transit, and housing, off of his new Boston Globe series, “Reclaiming our ambition.” Scharfenberg is a staff writer for the Boston Globe. Lee Pelton discusses the white supremacist group Patriot Front marching along the Freedom Trail on during the holiday weekend, and weighs in on how Boston can ensure access to reproductive rights after the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade. Pelton is the president and CEO of The Boston Foundation.

Today on Boston Public Radio we're on tape, bringing you some of our favorite conversations from recent years: Imani Perry talks about parenthood and how Black parents talk to their children about race. Perry is a professor of African American Studies at Princeton University. Her latest book is "Breathe: A Letter To My Sons.” Neal Thompson tells stories from the Kennedy family, tracing the political family’s lineage from Ireland to the United States. Thompson’s new book is “The First Kennedys: The Humble Roots of an American Dynasty.” Roger Bennett shares his experience growing up in Liverpool, and why he relates more to the U.S. than his home country of England. Bennett is the co-host of The Men In Blazers podcast and NBC show. His memoir is “(Re)Born in the USA: An Englishman's Love Letter to His Chosen Home.” Fiona Hill previews her memoir, “There Is Nothing for You Here: Finding Opportunity in the Twenty-First Century.” Hill served as deputy assistant to the president and senior director for European

Today on Boston Public Radio we're on tape, bringing you some of our favorite conversations from recent years. Elle Simone Scott shares tips on how to make the perfect food board for hosting. Scott is Executive Editor and Inclusion Leader at America’s Test Kitchen. She is also founder of the mentoring organization SheChef. Her recently released book is “Boards: Stylish Spreads for Casual Gatherings.” Joanne Chang talks about her latest book inspired by her baking journals, “Pastry Love: A Baker’s Journal of Favorite Recipes.” Chang is a James Beard Award–winning pastry chef and owner of the Cambridge bakery and cafe Flour. Billy Collins shares some of his poetry ahead of his June 16 appearance at 2Life Communities’ annual gala. Collins was appointed U.S. Poet Laureate from 2001-2003, and New York State Poet Laureate from 2004-2006. His numerous collections include “Nine Horses: Poems, The Trouble with Poetry,” “Ballistics,” “Horoscopes for the Dead,” “Aimless Love” and “The Rain in Portugal.” Dan Shaughne

The Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade. What does that mean for the people of Massachusetts and beyond? Listen to GBH News hosts Callie Crossley, Margery Eagan and Paris Alston in “A Community Conversation: Roe Overturned.”

Today on Boston Public Radio: Mayor Michelle Wu discusses the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) findings from their investigation into the MBTA system, and shares her thoughts on the Supreme Court’s recent decisions concerning abortion, guns, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). She also answers listeners’ questions during “Ask the Mayor.” Andrea Cabral talks about Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson being sworn into the Supreme Court, and Ghislaine Maxwell’s 20-year sentence for sex trafficking. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety, and former CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. David Abel weighs in on the Supreme Court curbing the regulatory powers of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in West Virginia v. EPA. Abel is a Pulitzer-prize winning writer who covers the environment for the Boston Globe. Then, we open the phone lines, talking with listeners about the EPA’s now limited power to regulate emissions. Jonathan Gruber explains what current infla

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners if it’s time for Democrats to start being more aggressive to enact political change. Trenni Kusnierek talks about the NFL’s push to suspend Deshaun Watson, and WNBA player Brittney Griner’s upcoming trial in Russia. Kusnierek is a reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. Dr. Brenda Cassellius shares her thoughts on how the pandemic has affected the school system and the search for her replacement. Cassellius is the outgoing superintendent of Boston Public Schools. Jared Bowen discusses the new Designing Motherhood exhibit at the MassArt Museum through the lens of the recent Roe overturning, Maurice Sendak’s exhibit at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and Lesley Dill’s sculpture exhibit at the Canterbury Shaker Village. Bowen is GBH’s executive arts editor and the host of Open Studio. Then, we turn to live audio from the Jan. 6 hearings.

Today on Boston Public Radio we're on tape, bringing you some of our favorite conversations from recent years: Imani Perry talks about parenthood and how Black parents talk to their children about race. Perry is a professor of African American Studies at Princeton University. Her latest book is "Breathe: A Letter To My Sons.” 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 sociopolitical issues that shadow America. Lizzie Post weighs in on cannabis culture in her book, “Higher Etiquette: A Guide to the World of Cannabis, From Dispensaries to Dinner Parties.” Post is a writer, co-director of The Emily Post Institute and great-great-granddaughter of etiquette writer Emily Post. Christopher Kimball previews his latest cookbook “Vegetables,” sharing his favorite ways to

Swampscott native Tyler Akabane recently opened The Mushroom Shop in Somerville, stocking everything from cultivated exotic king oyster mushrooms to mushroom-bedecked merchandise. And according to award-winning food writer Corby Kummer, Akabane’s shop is just one step in bringing the mushroom foraging craze to the Boston area. “We're finally catching up to the rest of the world, because in Europe and many parts of Asia, a lovely outing is going on a hike and looking for mushrooms,” Kummer told Boston Public Radio on Monday. “It's incredibly common.” “It's a real cult — it's fun and you learn how to do something.” Kummer is 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 start the show by asking listeners what should be done to protect abortion access in the U.S. Judge Nancy Gertner talks about the future of the Supreme Court post-Dobbs, including the direction Justice Clarence Thomas wants to take the court. Gertner is a retired federal judge and a senior lecturer at Harvard Law School. Corby Kummer discusses the climate of restaurant closings amid rising rents, and a new entirely mushroom-focused restaurant in Somerville. Kummer is 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. Hal Brooks and Gina Femia discuss the unorthodox approach to theater that the Cape Cod Theatre Project takes, and how the process worked for Femia’s new play. Brooks is the The Cape Cod Theater Project’s artistic director, and Femia is a playwright, who wrote “The Violet Sisters.” Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett Pri

Today on Boston Public Radio: Attorney General Maura Healey shares her reaction to the recent Supreme Court decision on Dobbs v. Jackson. She also answers listeners’ questions for this month’s “Ask the Attorney General.” Healey is attorney general of Massachusetts and a candidate for governor. Judge Nancy Gertner discusses the future of abortions in the US, including the trials that will face those who seek abortion in light of the Dobbs v. Jackson decision. Gertner is a retired federal judge and is now a senior lecturer at Harvard Law School. Callie Crosley discusses the fate of other court-granted rights in the face of the Supreme Court decision. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black. Then we turned to President Joe Biden’s address concerning the Dobbs v. Jackson ruling, and continued taking calls about the Dobbs decision. Dr. Cheryl Hamlin talks about her advocacy for abortion access, and the state of her practice and colleagues considering the Dobbs decision. Dr. Hamlin is an obstetric

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd shares his thoughts on the Supreme Court’s decision on “proper-cause” gun carriage, and the potential for a Trump 2024 run following the Jan. 6 hearings. 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 asked listeners what they think it’ll take to bring unity to the U.S. during a bleak week of news. Juliette Kayyem talks about the Supreme Court gun decision’s impact on Mass., and the potential for former President Donald Trump’s prosecution following the Jan. 6 hearings. 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. Paul Reville shares his thoughts on how the Supreme Court gun decision could impact the attitudes of Americans, and whether Boston should wait for a school improvement plan to place a new superintendent. Revill

Today on Boston Public Radio: We start the show by asking listeners to respond to the testimony in congress of two election workers in Georgia, Wandrea "Shaye" Moss and her mother Ruby Freeman. Both were targeted by former President Donald Trump and his supporters in attempts to delegitimize the 2020 election. Medical ethicist Arthur Caplan discusses whether doctors should talk to their patients about gun safety. Art Caplan on BPR | June 22, 2022 Keri Blakinger, a Texas-based journalist covering mass incarceration, discusses her new memoir "Corrections in Ink" which traces her journey from the ice rink to a heroin addiction to prison, and getting out and getting clean. Award-winning Boston chef and restaurateur Tiffani Faison dishes on a new Food Network cooking competition show, Beachside Brawls. She also discussed throwing out the first pitch at Fenway Park, and the challenges she and other restaurateurs face amid rising prices. We again open the lines to callers to discuss the impacts of former presid

Today on Boston Public Radio: We start the show by asking listeners what they think about the state of Boston’s public transit. Trenni Kusnierek discusses golfer Matthew Fitzpatrick’s dramatic win at the US Open. She also talks about Jayson Tatum’s role in the Celtics’ loss, and Amy Kaufman speaking out as the victim of domestic violence from her ex-husband, sports writer Jonah Keri. Kusnierek is a reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. Jared Bowen shares his thoughts on the American Repertory Theater’s revitalized run of “1776,” as well as “The Light” at the Lyric Stage Company, and the “wiild negro is love” exhibition at the Cultural Equity Incubator. Bowen is GBH’s executive arts editor and the host of Open Studio. Bill Burr talks about being the first comedian to perform at Fenway Park. Burr is a comedian, actor and Massachusetts-native, with standup specials including “Paper Tiger,” “Walk Your Way Out,” and “I’m Sorry You Feel That Way,” and roles in

Today on Boston Public Radio: EJ Dionne shares his thoughts on the latest news from the Jan. 6 committee hearing, and violent threats from the alt-right targeting Republicans in Congress. Dionne is a senior fellow at The Brookings Institution. His latest book is “Code Red: How Progressives and Moderates Can Unite to Save Our Country.” We then open the phone lines, asking listeners if they’re holding back on their summer plans due to rising inflation. Michael Curry discusses the legacy of Juneteenth, and the CDC’s approval of COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5. Curry is chair of the NAACP Advocacy and Policy Committee, and is president and CEO of the Mass League of Community Health Centers. Sally Starr reflects on 50 years of Title IX. Starr is the head field hockey coach at Boston University. She has coached women’s collegiate sports for over 45 years. Next, we talk with listeners about their experiences in school sports in the 50 years since Title IX was enacted. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Pr

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by talking with listeners about whether families are being priced out of Boston. Callie Crossley talks about the history and future of Juneteenth, and the Boston bar trolling Stephen and Ayesha Curry. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black. Patty Bouree and Allison McClaury join us for Drag Queen Story Hour, live at the Boston Public Library. They also talk about LGBTQ+ acceptance in the wake of politicians’ attacks on drag events across the country. Patty Bouree heads Boston’s Branch of Drag Queen Story Hour. MacLaury is the director of education for the Mosesian Center for the Arts. Together, they’re organizing “Let’s Say Gay! A Community Pride Event” at the Mosesian Center for the Arts in Watertown. David Hogg weighs in on the road ahead for gun legislation in Washington. Hogg is a Parkland shooting survivor and a co-founder of March For Our Lives. Sue O’Connell talks about Yellowstone National Park’s “unprecedented” flooding, and the visib

Today on Boston Public Radio: Judge Nancy Gertner shares her thoughts on the Jan. 6 hearings so far, including Ginni Thomas’ emails, and the possibility of former President Donald Trump being indicted. Gertner is a retired federal judge, and is now a senior lecturer at Harvard Law School. Then, we ask listeners if they’re struggling to give the Jan. 6 hearings adequate attention given the overwhelming state of the news. Andrea Cabral talks about the Jan. 6 hearings, a the thwarted white supremacist riot plot on a pride event in Idaho, and the ruling that a Bronx Zoo elephant named Happy is not a legal person. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety, and former CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Judd Legum discusses his reporting on the pledges corporations made about not funding politicians who voted to overturn the 2020 election. Legum writes the newsletter Popular Information. He was the founder and editor of ThinkProgress, Hillary Clinton’s Research Director for her