Boston Public Radio Podcast

That deer in your garden? It might just be the most eco-friendly dinner to eat — provided you kill it yourself. Award-winning food writer Corby Kummer joined Boston Public Radio on Thursday to discuss Washington Post columnist Tamar Haspell’s proposal that venison is “unequivocally the single most ecologically friendly food you can eat.” “If you get farm-raised venison in a restaurant, it’s not really addressing this [environmental] issue, because the only thing that’s legal to sell is farm-raised venison,” Kummer said. “You have to go out and kill it.” Haspell argued that due to invasive deer populations posing threats to native animals and plants, the spread of Lyme disease by deer ticks, and the greenhouse gas emissions deer produce, wild venison could be considered the most eco-friendly food to consume. In her piece, Haspell noted that a Connecticut town reversed its no-hunting ordinance in 2000 after being overrun by deer. Scientists who monitored the situation found that in the seven following years

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd talks all things politics, including Democratic efforts to avoid a government shutdown, and what it would mean for the country if the United States defaults on its debt. 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 asked listeners how they were coping with the turbulent start of the school year amid the pandemic. Andrea Cabral discusses gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson’s decision to relocate from Springfield to Tennessee, and the rise of the Proud Boys during the Trump era. 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. City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George shares her views on policing and how she would work to solve the addiction crisis at Mass. and Cass. She also responds to a controversy surrounding a conflict of interest between her position on City Council and h

Today on Boston Public Radio: Art Caplan weighs in on the role of vaccine mandates, and the quick spread of vaccine misinformation on social media. 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 asked listeners about their experiences with the MBTA following a slew of recent derailments and other accidents. Juliette Kayyem updates listeners on all things national security, including updates on trials of those involved in the Jan. 6 riots, which have been slowed down due to an abundance of evidence. 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. Jamarhl Crawford and Tanisha Sullivan criticize a lagging timeline and lack of transparency regarding efforts for police reform, and discuss the need to put reform at the top of the agenda

Today on Boston Public Radio: We start the show by asking listeners their thoughts on vaccine mandates and people threatening to quit their jobs before getting the shot. Trenni Kusnierek updates listeners on all things sports, including rifts in the NBA over vaccines and Tom Brady’s return to Gillette Stadium. Kusnierek is an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Boston, as well as a Boston Public Radio contributor. Dr. Renee Crichlow calls out remaining healthcare workers who are not yet vaccinated, and talks about latest data on vaccine efficacy months after vaccination. Crichlow is the Chief Medical Officer at Codman Square Health Center and the Vice Chair of Health Equity at the Boston University Department of Family Medicine. Bill McKibben discusses what it would mean for the plant if President Joe Biden fails to pass his economic agenda, and previews his new project, Third Act, which seeks to engage older individuals with climate activism. McKibben is co-founder of 350.org and the author of numerous bo

Today on Boston Public Radio: EJ Dionne weighs in on whether he thinks the Democrats will pass President Joe Biden’s economic agenda, and what it would mean for the party if they fail. He also talks about his visits to mayoral race victory parties and his thoughts on the race. 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 talk with listeners about their thoughts on Biden’s economic agenda. Charlie Sennott discusses President Joe Biden’s decision to deport Haitian migrants, Angela Merkel stepping down as Chancellor and the results of Germany’s latest election. Sennott is a GBH News analyst and the founder and CEO of The GroundTruth Project. Chris Burrell unpacks his latest reporting for the Color of Public Money series, which showed that out of a $4.8 billion budget, Massachusetts spent less than $25 million in contracts with Black and Hispanic-owned busine

Today on Boston Public Radio: Ali Noorani talks about the resignation of Ambassador Daniel Foote, Special Envoy for Haiti, as the Biden Administration comes under fire for its treatment of Haitian refugees at the border. Noorani is the President & Chief Executive Officer of the National Immigration Forum. His forthcoming book is Crossing Borders: The Reconciliation of a Nation of Immigrants. Then, we ask listeners for their thoughts on the Biden Administration’s handling of the humanitarian crisis and treatment of Haitian migrants at the border. Callie Crossley continues the conversation about the treatment of Haitian migrants, and weighs in on the mayor’s race and perceptions of Annissa Essaibi George as OFD, or “Originally From Dorchester,” and Michelle Wu as NFH, or “Not From Here,” born in Chicago. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black. Andy Ihnatko weighs in on accusations of labor issues at Apple, newest potential security leaks and Gen-Z struggles with older technology. Ihnatko i

Today on Boston Public Radio: We start the show by talking with listeners about the current gridlock in Congress, and why divisions persist despite Democrats’ control of the Senate, House and Presidency. Shirley Leung discusses her latest column about the escalating humanitarian crisis at Mass and Cass, and its impact on local businesses and nonprofits in the area. Leung is a business columnist for The Boston Globe and a BPR contributor. Dr. Eric Dickson gives a window into the pandemic in Central Massachusetts, where the largest healthcare system in Central New England has run out of ICU beds amid an influx of COVID-19 cases. Dickson is the President and CEO of UMass Memorial Health, based in Worcester. Paul Reville updates listeners on all things schools, including dropping MCAS scores and why he thinks Massachusetts schools are not as effective as they should be. Reville is the former Massachusetts secretary of education and a professor at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, where he als

Award-winning food writer Corby Kummer joined Boston Public Radio on Wednesday to share his thoughts on the movement within the restaurant industry to raise wages and foster better working environments in order to recruit workers. “There's a worker shortage. But more than that, there's a wage shortage,” Kummer said. “If you offer people more money, they will apply for jobs.” That’s no easy feat for restaurant owners, Kummer noted. “Pay people more, give them paid time off, try to give them health insurance, all the stuff that's very expensive,” Kummer said. “Very expensive means you have to have a better business plan. That sounds easy, but it actually has been a huge challenge for restaurant owners before and after the pandemic.” 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: First, we talk with listeners about “missing white woman syndrome” following the death of Gabby Petito, and how the media fixates on the disappearances of white women while ignoring people of color. Superintendent Brenda Cassellius weighs in on dropping MCAS scores, proposals to expand athletics in public high schools and the status of school funding. Cassellius is the superintendent of Boston Public Schools. Juliette Kayyem discusses the low turnout at the Justice for Jan. 6 rally, assesses the current influence of Donald Trump and critiques the Biden Administration’s response to Haitian migrants at the border. 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 how we should reframe the worker shortage in restaurants as a wage shortage. Kummer is the executive director of the Food and Society policy pro

Today on Boston Public Radio: Michelle Singletary talks about the effect of COVID-19 on Social Security Retirement funds, and her recent column on the financial impact of vaccine refusal on unvaccinated individuals. Singletary is a nationally syndicated columnist for The Washington Post, whose award-winning column "The Color of Money" provides insight into the world of personal finance. Then, we take calls from listeners about their thoughts on sharing desks as workplace protocols change throughout the pandemic. Michael Curry discusses latest efforts to combat vaccine hesitancy, and the importance of considering racial and socioeconomic equity when thinking about vaccine mandates. 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 & Policy Committee. Trenni Kusnierek gives an update on all things sports, inc

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners whether they prefer to return to the office or work from home at this point in the pandemic. Charlie Sennott gives an update on top international news. He critiques the U.S. government’s response to Haitian migrants at the border and the U.S. drone strike in Kabul that killed 10 civilians. Sennott is a GBH News analyst and the founder and CEO of The GroundTruth Project. Dr. Katherine Gergen Barnett takes questions from callers about all things vaccines. She discusses the ethics and uses of booster shots and the status of vaccine trials for children. Gergen Barnett teaches in the Department of Family Medicine at Boston Medical Center and Boston University Medical School. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III critique some Christian leaders’ hypocrisy in discouraging COVID-19 vaccines. They also talk about what it means for Boston that none of the three Black mayoral candidates made it through the preliminary election. Monroe is a synd

Award-winning food writer Corby Kummer joined Boston Public Radio on Friday, explaining the controversy surrounding President Joe Biden’s pick of almond-industry lobbyist Elaine Trevino for chief agricultural negotiator at the U.S. Trade Representative’s office. Trevino is the president of the Almond Alliance of California. “Why do we care and why are we angry about this in particular?” Kummer said. “Because there’s no effective limits on how irrigation controls and who shares water and who parcels out how much water various agriculture industries within California are able to use.” Kummer noted that up to 70% of California almond production is exported to Europe and China, and that the industry depends on these exports to maintain price supports. “This is kind of a sign that the Biden administration wants to help out industries that rely enormously on foreign purchases to keep up their price supports, how they manage U.S. trade pacts with different countries, so that the enormous amount of exports, in thi

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners for their wildest rat stories, after a report showed that Boston’s rat population is on the rise. Trenni Kusnierek discusses the Senate testimonies of four elite gymnasts, who said they blamed the FBI for failing to protect them against former USA team doctor and convicted sex offender Larry Nassar. She also talks about the pay gap in men and women’s soccer. Kusnierek is an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Boston, as well as a Boston Public Radio contributor. Rep. Ayanna Pressley talks about what it means for Boston to have two women in its mayoral election, following the historic win of Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu and Boston City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George in the preliminary election. She also makes an urgent call for supporting Haitian refugees in Texas. Pressley is the U.S. Representative for Massachusetts 7th District. Corby Kummer critiques how buzzwords like “healthy,” “all natural” and “sustainable” have no clear defi

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by opening phone lines, asking listeners whether our nation is becoming less civic-minded following low voter turnout in Boston’s mayoral preliminary election. Andrea Cabral shares her thoughts on low voter turnout in Boston’s mayoral preliminary election, and explains where the mayoral candidates stand on police reform. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety. She’s currently the CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Gov. Charlie Baker discusses the possibility of a statewide vaccination ID program, and support for refugee resettlement in Massachusetts after the Biden administration designated 900 Afghan evacuees to arrive in the state. Rick Steves shares his experience hiking for 10 days through France, and what it was like to travel abroad for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Steves is an author, television and radio host and the owner of the Rick Steves' Europe tour group. You can cat

Today on Boston Public Radio: First, we talk with listeners about their reactions to yesterday’s mayoral primary, which saw Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu and Boston City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George take the lead for the runoff. Joseph Allen critiques what he sees as a failure to define the country’s goals for COVID-19 reduction as a major obstacle facing the country. He also discusses how to prevent the spread of the virus indoors in buildings with poor filtration. Allen is the director of the Healthy Buildings program at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Juliette Kayyem talks about George W. Bush’s comparison between extremists in the United States and the 9/11 terrorists, and worries about an upcoming far-right rally protesting the prosecution of people charged after the Jan. 6 riot. 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. Jim

On today’s Boston Public Radio, we bring listeners a day full of mayoral coverage: Adam Reilly kicks off election day by weighing in on why voter turnout tends to be low and which candidates he thinks has an advantage. He also talks about how sometimes having too many good candidates can depress voter turnout. Reilly is co-host of GBH’s Politics podcast, “The Scrum.” Then, we hear from all the major candidates in the mayoral primary.  Boston City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George discusses her years as an educator and small business owner as qualifications for the city’s top job. City Councilor Essaibi George is running for mayor of Boston. Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell highlights her focus on affordable housing, public school policies and the opioid crisis as key parts of her background in running for mayor. Campbell is a Boston City Council member representing District 4, including parts of Dorchester, Mattapan, Jamaica Plain and Roslindale. She is running for mayor of Boston. Boston City Counci

Today on Boston Public Radio: EJ Dionne discusses the voting rights measure and infrastructure spending package as the Senate returns from their August recess this week. He also weighs in on whether or not Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer should retire. 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 talk with listeners about their opinions on masking indoors as the Delta variant continues to spread. Yawu Miller gives listeners a primer on tomorrow’s Boston Mayoral primary, a historic race for its racial diversity and female-majority among major candidates. He also discusses current polling data and voter patterns along demographic lines. Miller is a Senior Editor of The Bay State Banner. Bruce Marks talks about what the Supreme Court’s end to the eviction moratorium means for Massachusetts, and what his organization, the Neighborhood Assistance Corporat

Today on Boston Public Radio: Charlie Sennott tells the story of the Goodrich family, who lost their son in the 9/11 and went on to build a girls school in Afghanistan, which has since been taken over by the Taliban. Sennott is a GBH News analyst and the founder and CEO of The GroundTruth Project. Art Caplan weighs in on President Joe Biden’s latest plan to fight COVID-19, which involves a federal rule requiring vaccines or weekly testing for all businesses with 100 or more employees. 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 talk with listeners about their impressions of Biden’s new vaccine mandate. Andrea Cabral talks about a lawsuit filed Thursday by the Justice Department against the state of Texas, aiming to invalidate the new abortion restrictions. She also weighs in on Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer’s insistence that he will not retire. Cabral is the former Suffol

Today on Boston Public Radio: First, we talk with listeners about the school bus driver shortage on back to school day. Denise Dilanni previews the new series from GBH, “The Future of Work,” about the current transformation of the American workforce brought by automation, the gig economy and COVID-19. The show airs on GBH2 on Sept. 15, the PBS Video app and the PBS Voices YouTube Channel. Dilanni is an executive producer at GBH and the series’ creator. Ambassador Philippe Etienne talks about the effect of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on Europe, and the impact of our nation’s withdrawal from Afghanistan on European peace efforts in the mid-east country. He also talks about America’s relationship with France under President Joe Biden, and the success of his country’s vaccine “health pass” system. Etienne is the French ambassador to the United States. Paul Reville discusses the return of Mass. students to classrooms amid the Delta variant and fights over mask mandates, vaccines and school bus shortages. Re

Today on Boston Public Radio: Art Caplan talks about the Supreme Court’s upholding of the new Texas abortion law and an Ohio judge protecting hospital patients from the latest controversial and off-label COVID-19 treatment — the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin. He also weighs in on conflicting attitudes surrounding vaccine booster shots. 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 hear listeners’ opinions on boycotting business that have not spoken out against the new Texas abortion law. Andrew Bacevich weighs in on who should take responsibility for the crisis in Afghanistan, the United States’ standing in the world 20 years after 9/11 and what service to the country should look like. Bacevich is the President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a Professor Emeritus of International Relations and History at Boston University and author of "The Age of Illusions: Ho