Boston Public Radio Podcast

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners whether they think American kids are too coddled, in light of the new Netflix show “Old Enough!” in which Japanese toddlers run errands independently. Susan Yanow discusses the state of abortion rights in the U.S., stories of women arrested for at-home abortions and how people across the country can find abortion resources. Yanow a co-founder of the international nonprofit Women Help Women, which supports women across the world in accessing abortion medication. She’s the spokesperson for their U.S. based program SASS, or Self-Managed Abortion, Safe and Suppored. Andrea Cabral talks about the problems with no-knock police raids, and former Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia II soon heading to prison after multiple delays. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety, and former CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Andy Ihnatko updates listeners on the world of tech, including AI technology that can g

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners whether it’s time for the U.S. to increase military aid to Ukraine in the wake of Russia’s invasion. Art Caplan shares his thoughts on the Florida judge who overturned federal COVID-19 mask mandates on transit. 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. Nathaniel Stinnett talks about efforts to increase voting numbers among environmentalists. Stinnett is founder and executive director of the Environmental Voter Project. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld discusses his research into the companies that have left Russia in the wake of the country’s invasion of Ukraine – and the ones that have stayed behind. Sonnenfeld is the Lester Crown professor of management practice at the Yale School of Management and director of the Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute. Ali Noorani updates us on the latest immigration headlines, focusing on Te

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners their reactions to the news that masks are no longer required on planes and trains following a ruling yesterday from a Florida federal judge. Trenni Kusnierek discusses Henry Richard crossing the Boston Marathon finish line nine years after his brother Martin was killed in the bombing, and the Celtics winning their first game of NBA playoffs. Kusnierek is a reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston, as well as a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. BenDeLaCreme previews her upcoming show in Boston tonight and shares memories from her dramatic self-elimination from season three of RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars. BenDeLaCreme is the star of Season 6 of Drag Race, as well as All Stars 3. She is in town for her comedy tour “Ready to Be Committed” at Big Night Live. Juliette Kayyem talks about gun violence becoming the leading cause of death for American children and the latest from the January 6 Commission. Kayyem is former assistant secret

Following Bridget Huber’s reporting for the Food & Environment Reporting Network (FERN) on the end of emergency SNAP benefits, food writer Corby Kummer joined Boston Public Radio to discuss an impending “hunger cliff” that could dramatically increase food insecurity in the U.S. In the early days of the pandemic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) temporarily strengthened SNAP, with households under the program receiving at least $95 extra per month. But 12 Republican-led states that have ended their pandemic emergency declarations without placing “a narrower public health emergency declaration in place,” thereby ending additional SNAP benefits provided by the USDA. The Biden administration recently extended the National Public Health Emergency, which was originally declared in March 2020, to mid-July — continuing emergency SNAP benefits for states that still have public health emergency declarations in place. “People who have gotten used to the increased pandemic benefits on SNAP for food assis

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners whether they would consider cheating on their taxes. Bill Evans discusses how security at the Boston Marathon changed in the wake of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings. He also talks about his love of running, and his experiences running in the Boston Marathon. Marathoner and former Boston police commissioner Bill Evans is now the police chief at Boston College.  Corby Kummer talks about the death of the non-profit food news publication The Counter, and a new Wollaston Beach restaurant promoting vegan seafood. 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. Bobbi Gibb reflects on her experience as the first woman to complete the Boston Marathon, and the last 50 years of women running in the race. Gibb was the first woman to complete the Boston Marathon in 1966. Revs. Irene Monr

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners why Americans don’t spend more time volunteering, and whether the U.S. should implement a mandatory service year for young adults. John Carroll weighs in on the latest trends in political ads, including latest trends and how they affect voters. Carroll is a long-time media analyst, a former journalism professor at Boston University and former ad man. You can read his work at AskDoctorAds.com and ItsGoodToLiveinaTwoDailyTown.com Callie Crossley discusses Texas Governor Greg Abbott sending asylum seekers to Washington D.C., the police killing of Patrick Lyoya in Michigan and efforts to make marathon running more inclusive to Black runners. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black. Shirley Leung talks about her latest columns and business news, including the return of the wedding industrial complex and a new center for social change at Northeastern University. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe. Robin Baker and T

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd updates listeners on the latest in politics, including the newest inflation report and updates on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 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 their thoughts on the role of social media and free speech in society, after Elon Musk put forth an offer to buy Twitter. Andrea Cabral discusses a dropped murder charge for a Texas woman for a self-induced abortion and the latest news on the Brooklyn subway shooting. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety, and former CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Paul Reville argues why schools should implement personalized “navigators” to help students with learning, and the Danvers Superintendent retiring after allegations of racism and harassment in the school’s hockey team. Reville is the former Massachusetts secretary of education and a prof

Today on Boston Public Radio: Art Caplan talks about recommendations to screen children 8-years-old and up for anxiety, and new research into the effects of psilocybin in treating depression. 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. We continue our conversation on kids and mental health with listeners. Valerie Biden Owens shares what life was like growing up in the Biden family, and discusses her experiences as the longtime campaign manager and political adviser to her older brother, President Joe Biden. Biden Owens is Chair of the Biden Institute at the University of Delaware, a partner at Owens Patrick Leadership Seminars and a senior advisor to Diversified Search Group. Her book, “Growing Up Biden: A Memoir,” came out on April 12. Susan Zalkind discusses a 2011 triple homicide in Waltham that could have involved now-dead Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev, and the questions t

Today on Boston Public Radio: Juliette Kayyem talks about the Sunset Park subway shooting in Brooklyn, and Elon Musk’s purchase of a major stake in Twitter. 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. Then, we ask listeners how they’re coping with rising inflation. President Lynn Perry Wooten discusses the state of women’s leadership ahead of the Simmons Leadership Conference, and the importance of women’s-centered colleges. Lynn Perry Wooten is the ninth president of Simmons University. Trenni Kusnierek talks about Tiger Woods’ return to the Masters Tournament, and the death of 24-year-old NFL quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Kusnierek is a reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. Jared Bowen shares his thoughts on Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of “To Kill a Mockingbird” at the Boston Opera House, and talks about his intervi

Today on Boston Public Radio: Michael Curry and Jennifer Nassour bring back our politics roundtable, weighing in on the governor’s race and what successful voter engagement would look like. Curry is chair of the NAACP Advocacy and Policy Committee, and is president and CEO of the Mass League of Community Health Centers. Nassour is former chair of the Massachusetts Republican party, and co-founder and president of the Pocketbook Project, a nonprofit geared toward getting women elected to public office. Then, we ask listeners their thoughts on the decision to ban runners from Russia and Belarus from the Boston Marathon. EJ Dionne updates listeners on the latest national politics headlines, including on the state of political polarization and the national response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 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.” Dan Adams weighs in on the latest news from the cannabis industry,

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by opening phone lines, talking with listeners about the loosening of office dress codes. Bill McKibben talks about the International Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) latest report on climate change. McKibben is an author, educator and environmentalist. He’s the founder of 350.org and ThirdAct.org. He has a new newsletter on Substack titled “The Crucial Years.” He’s also got a new, serialized book titled “The Other Cheek: An Epic Nonviolent Yarn.” Callie Crossley discusses the confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, and dives into National Poetry Month ahead of this weekend’s Under the Radar. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black. Jim Aloisi and Stacey Thompson share their thoughts on Mayor Michelle Wu’s moves to electrify MBTA buses, and explain how public transit factors into the IPCC’s 2022 climate change report. Aloisi is the former Massachusetts transportation secretary, a member of the Transit Matters board and contributor to Comm

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners their experiences with student loans, after the Biden Administration announced plans to extend the pause on federal repayments through August. Jon Gruber reflects on his experiences working on the Affordable Care act 12 years ago, and what he thinks should be done to improve health coverage in the U.S. 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.” Andrea Cabral responds to the news of no criminal charges for the police officers who killed Amir Locke, and a Chicopee school superintendent arrested on charges of lying about alleged threats sent via anonymous text messages. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety, and former CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Chuck Todd updates listeners on the latest political h

People are worried about the future of Route 1 landmark Kowloon after co-owner Bobby Wong announced the pan-Asian restaurant will be downsizing its 1,200-seat space to 350 seats in order to add two residential buildings to the lot. “If you miss [Kowloon], go now — [but] that's not going to save it,” food writer Corby Kummer told Boston Public Radio on Tuesday. “The Wong family … has been eyeing real estate development for years.” “After the first phase of housing development, the Wong family seems to have gotten approved after years,” he continued. “This is not a quick process. They've gone through many, many housing review boards, then they might raze the whole thing. Who knows if they'll have a nostalgic building in its place?” Read more of the story here.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners whether they’re moving on with normal life, or continuing to take COVID precautions. Thais Rocha talks about her effort to start a lesbian and nonbinary bar in Boston, why she thinks queer spaces have been on the decline in recent years and her work to create LGBTQ community. Thais Rocha is co-founder of LGBTQ Nightlife Events Then, we talk with listeners about their favorite LGBTQ spaces. Daniel Pavlotsky discusses his work with Boston Aide for Ukraine, which sends supplies to support Ukrainian soldiers fighting the Russian invasion. Pavlotsky is co-founder of Boston Aide for Ukraine. Marcela Garcia explains the U.S. government’s use of Title 42, an act that turned away asylum seekers without due process claiming public health concerns, and what its upcoming expiration this spring means for immigrants. Marcela García is an associate editor and columnist for the Globe’s op-ed page. Eric Deggans weighs in on the latest in television, inc

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners what their “third place” – a place to go besides home and work – was throughout the pandemic. Trenni Kusnierek talks about Tiger Woods’ return to the Masters Tournament, and this year’s March Madness winners. Kusnierek is an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Boston. She's also a BPR contributor. Lee Pelton discusses guaranteed basic income programs, the possibility of reparations in Boston and the Boston Foundation’s new strategic vision. Pelton is the president and CEO of The Boston Foundation. Corby Kummer weighs in on Route 1 icon Kowloon downsizing, debates over outdoor dining in the North End and the role of lard in cooking. 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. Carol Rose shares her thoughts on Attorney General Merrick Garland’s approach to the Jan. 6 committee and the statehouse’s report on the use of facial recognition.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners for their thoughts on office friendships as people return to work after so much time working remotely. Tetiana Litus and Vsevolod Petriv share their efforts to support their home country of Ukraine from abroad, and why they think the U.S. should do more to support refugees. Petriv is president of the Boston branch of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America. Litus is a 24-year-old Ukrainian who just moved to the U.S. a few months ago. Callie Crossley discusses President Joe Biden finally signing an anti-lynching bill into law after nearly 100 years of attempts, and Steph and Ayesha Curry’s latest venture into 150 little libraries in under-resourced parts of Oakland, California. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black. Andy Ihnatko explains developments at the EU to reign in big tech companies, and Facebook’s partnership with GOP consultants to generate bad press for TikTok. Ihnatko is a tech writer and blogger, posting at

Today on Boston Public Radio: Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden joined us to discuss the investigation into the deadly parking garage collapse downtown, and his new Firearm Rapid Indictment program focused on illegal gun seizures. He also shined light on his approach to cases by exiting former Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins, and pushback from his DA opponent Boston City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo that he doesn’t support Rollins’s policies, such as not prosecuting lower level offenses.  We asked listeners whether they agreed with a WalletHub study that found that Massachusetts ranked as the 43rd most stressed state in the country. Paul Reville discussed MIT being an outlier by bringing back the ACT and SAT standardized tests and the correlation between race, wealth, and testing performance.  Reville is the former Massachusetts Secretary of Education and a professor at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, where he also heads the Education Redesign Lab. His latest book, co-autho

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by opening the phone lines, asking listeners whether the public has lost its focus on the mounting evidence of former President Donald Trump’s involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol attacks. Trenni Kusnierek talked about the Boston Pride’s second-straight Isobel Cup win, and the U.S. Embassy finding WNBA player Brittney Griner in “good condition” as she is detained in Russia. Kusnierek is an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Boston. She's also a BPR contributor. Then, we talked with listeners about returning to civil discourse in an age of vitriol. Lylah Alphonse shared the latest news from Rhode Island, from the backlash against the finalists for the state’s new license plates to the Providence College men’s basketball team’s winning streak. Alphonse is the Rhode Island editor for the Boston Globe, where she leads a team covering and exploring the Ocean State. Jared Bowen talked about “Freestyle Love Supreme,” an improv rap and hip-hop show at the Emerson Colo

On Monday’s “Boston Public Radio,” food writer Corby Kummer made a boldest assertion when he declared the city’s outdoor dining as “better than Paris.” Kummer, a senior editor for The Atlantic, admitted the take was likely to spark controversy. His reasoning? That “people in Boston are nicer, and they make the entire experience pleasanter.” “It’s just better to be in Boston in general” he added. The subject was broached during a back-and-forth on the question of $7,500 outdoor dining fees for restaurant owners in Boston’s North End. Kummer said he understood the reasoning for the fees, but wasn’t sure North End restaurant owners alone ought to foot the bill. “The city of Boston should say ‘[here are] exactly the problems we ran into. Here are possible solutions. Here’s what the money can go towards to remedy all of this, and have you got better ideas’ – rather than just coming out with what looks like a penalty if you happen to be in the North End.” Kummer is the executive director of the Food and Societ

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by asking listeners for their thoughts on whether Justice Clarence Thomas should face consequences due to his wife Ginni Thomas’ alleged involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. Art Caplan talked about the “slap heard around the world” and Will Smith’s reaction to Chris Rock’s dig at his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith, at the Academy Awards as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s leadership, and Ukraine's humanitarian crisis as the country runs out of medical supplies. Caplan is director of the Division of Medical Ethics at the New York University School of Medicine. Ken Burns explained why he chose Benjamin Franklin as the focus of his latest documentary, diving into Franklin’s early life, as well as his impact as a scientist and an inventor. Burns is an award-winning documentarian. Corby Kummer discussed the impact of Russia’s war against Ukraine – known as Europe’s bread basket – could have on global food supplies. He also updated us on the latest n