Boston Public Radio Podcast

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by talking with Shirley Leung about a survey from Leading Asian Americans to Unite for Change (LAAUNCH) that found that of 2,766 American adults who were asked to name a well-known Asian American, the most common answer was “I don’t know.” We then open the phone lines to continue the conversation with listeners. Trenni Kusnierek shares her thoughts on International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach’s cancellation of a trip to Japan due to a rise in COVID-19 cases across the country. She also talks about San Francisco Giants outfielder Drew Robinson’s return to baseball after a suicide attempt. Kusnierek is a reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. Michael Curry updates us on the current state of vaccine equity in Massachusetts, highlighting the lack of accessible vaccination sites in rural areas of the state and the rise of mobile vaccine clinics. Curry is the president and CEO of the Massachusetts League

Today on Boston Public Radio: EJ Dionne discusses this week's GOP vote over the political future of Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., who faces a potential ousting from her position as the third highest-ranking House Republican. He also talks about what President Biden’s infrastructure plan could mean for blue-collar workers on both sides of the political spectrum, and whether Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer ought to resign. 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.” Dr. Katherine Gergen Barnett from Boston Medical Center offers her takes on the latest issues pertaining to the pandemic, from vaccine hesitancy to the debate around freedoms of post-vaccine life. She also responds to listener questions and comments during the hour-long conversation. Next, we turn to listeners to talk about reopening here in New England, and whether you're comfortable easing up on mask usage

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners about vaccine hesitancy among parents. Sue O’Connell remembers the life of local trans activist Jahaira DeAlto. She also talks about the U.S. birth rate decline and an increase in “gray divorce.” 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 talks about South Carolina lawmakers voting to allow execution by firing squad as an alternative to the electric chair. She also shares what she has and hasn’t missed during the pandemic as part of her famous list. Rooney is host of Beat the Press, which you can watch Friday nights at 7 p.m. Shirley Leung explains how local Indian American businesspeople are uniting to send PPE and other medical supplies to India. She also talks about continuing violence against Asian Americans across the U.S. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe. Andy Ihnatko shares his thoughts on Facebook's decision to

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd updates us on the increasing number of GOP members calling for the ouster of Rep. Liz Cheney. 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. We then talk with listeners about the state of the GOP as Rep. Liz Cheney loses support in the party. Andrea Cabral shares her thoughts on the trial of former Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia, and the latest updates in the Sean Ellis case. She also discusses the controversy surrounding a juror in the Derek Chauvin trial after photos of him wearing a Black Lives Matter shirt and attending the 2020 March on Washington surfaced. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety. She’s currently the CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Congressman Richard Neal discusses President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan, focusing on rail service improvements in Massachusetts. He also talks about his plan to make the chi

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by talking with listeners about Facebook’s decision to uphold their ban of former President Donald Trump. Jonathan Gruber weighs in on President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan, explaining how it could impact the caregiving and nursing home industry. 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." Juliette Kayyem discusses Facebook’s decision to uphold its ban on former President Trump, arguing for increased legislative oversight towards the company. She also talks about the core stage of a Chinese rocket falling to earth, and where it could land upon reentry. 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

Food writer Corby Kummer spoke to Boston Public Radio on Wednesday about what it’s like to eat on the International Space Station (ISS). “There’s something endlessly fascinating about food in space,” he said. “First of all, space ice cream was developed for a NASA gift shop, it has never been eaten in space or sent up in a spaceship." Dehydrated gift shop space ice cream dates back to 1974, long after humans took to space flight, Kummer said. “What it does is help subsidize NASA museums, it’s a best-seller.” The French have developed food for ISS astronauts that is much more gourmet than what many would expect, Kummer added. “The French of course have come up with much better food in space, including bœuf bourguignon and lobster,” he said.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by opening the phone lines, asking listeners whether they would travel to states where vaccination rates are low. Trenni Kusnierek explains why Manchester United fans are protesting against the club’s U.S. owners, the Glazer family. She also updates us on the status of the Tokyo Olympics. Kusnierek is a reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. Carol Rose discusses the Supreme Court argument over whether public schools have the right to punish students for what they say outside of school grounds. She also touches on the ACLU’s call for President Joe Biden to close down ICE detention centers. Rose is the Executive Director of the ACLU of Massachusetts.  Katherine Tallman explains how the Coolidge Corner Theater survived the pandemic, and shares their plans for reopening. Tallman is the CEO & executive director of the Coolidge Corner Theater. The Coolidge Corner Theater is opening its doors next Thursday, May

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by talking with listeners about going mask-free outdoors following Gov. Charlie Baker’s updated mask mandate. Ali Noorani explains how the 2020 U.S. census could allow President Joe Biden to explore more channels for legal migration. Noorani is President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Immigration Forum. His latest book is "There Goes the Neighborhood: How Communities Overcome Prejudice and Meet the Challenge of American Immigration.” Charlie Sennott talks about India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and rising COVID-19 cases in the country. He also shares his thoughts on President Biden’s decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, 2021. Sennott is a GBH News analyst and the founder and CEO of The GroundTruth Project. Bob Thompson recaps his most memorable TV moments of the week, from W. Kamau Bell’s “United Shades of America” to Jimmy Kimmel’s interview with MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell. Thompson is the founding director of the Bleier

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd updates us on the latest political headlines, from President Joe Biden’s joint address to Congress to the FBI raid on Rudy Giuliani’s apartment. 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. Next, we talk with listeners about President Biden’s joint address to Congress. Andrea Cabral discusses federal prosecutors’ indictment of three men on hate crime and kidnapping charges in the death of Ahmaud Arbery, and police violence against children. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety. She’s currently the CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Shirley Leung talks about what the future of office work could look like after the pandemic, and what a hybrid model of working from home a few days of the week could mean for physical office spaces. She also discussed the prevalence of violence against elderly Asian Americans. Leung is a business co

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by talking with listeners about President Joe Biden’s first 100 days in office. Art Caplan walks us through the CDC’s latest guidelines on wearing masks outdoors. He also shared his thoughts on Alaska Airlines’ decision to ban Alaska state Sen. Lora Reinbold from all flights after she didn’t comply with mask requirements. Caplan is the Drs. William F and Virginia Connolly Mitty Chair, and director of the Division of Medical Ethics at the NYU School of Medicine. Brian McGrory recaps the Boston Globe’s latest stories, from the release of redacted records detailing an internal affairs investigation into former Boston Police officer Patrick Rose to Boston hospital board CEOs moonlighting on corporate boards. McGrory is the editor-in-chief of The Boston Globe. Jonathan Gruber shares his thoughts on what Amazon defeating workers’ efforts to unionize means for the future of labor. Gruber is the Ford Professor of Economics at MIT. He was instrumental in creating bot

Today on Boston Public Radio: Dr. Ryan DeLapp explains how many people of color are experiencing trauma from videos of police brutality, and reactive coping methods adopted by people of color. Dr. DeLapp is a psychologist at Montefiore Medical Center and Assistant Professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Saida Grundy weigh in on hate crime legislation, arguing that hate crime laws are too narrow and largely symbolic. Grundy is an assistant professor of sociology and African American studies at Boston University, and the author of the forthcoming book “Manhood Within the Margins: Promise, Peril and Paradox at the Historically Black College for Men.” Next, we ask listeners whether they think vaccination incentives could lower vaccine hesitancy. Irene Li and Margaret Pimentel talk about CommonWealth Kitchen’s Restaurant Resiliency Initiative, which supports independent restaurants impacted by the pandemic. Li is the chef and owner of Mei Mei, which is now evolving into a dumpling company, and she’s

Today on Boston Public Radio: EJ Dionne shares his thoughts on President Joe Biden’s approval ratings and first 100 days in office. 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.” Next, we open the phone lines, asking listeners how they feel about sending their kids back to school. Charlie Sennott talks about President Biden’s decision to officially recognize the massacre of Armenians during World War I as a genocide, and the Biden administration’s Leaders Summit on Climate. He also discusses the Groundtruth Project’s podcast on the 50th anniversary of the Pentagon Papers, and their upcoming conference on the legacy of Daniel Ellsberg in partnership with UMass Amherst. Sennott is a GBH News analyst and the founder and CEO of The GroundTruth Project. Jenifer McKim discusses “Unseen,” an investigative series from the GBH News Center for Investigative Reporting, which l

Today on Boston Public Radio: We start the show by asking listeners whether they wanted to continue working from home after the pandemic. Sue O’Connell explains the decision to put Bay Windows and the South End News on the market. She also weighs in on Caitlyn Jenner launching a bid for the California governorship. 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. Bina Venkataraman recaps the latest Boston Globe editorials, from the Massachusetts legislature's transparency issues to Boston hospital CEOs moonlighting on corporate boards. Venkataraman is the editorial page editor at The Boston Globe. Her latest book is “The Optimist's Telescope: Thinking Ahead in a Reckless Age.” Callie Crossley shares her thoughts on the Derek Chauvin trial verdict and the party-line vote on D.C. statehood. She also talks about former President George W. Bush’s relationship with former First Lady Michelle Obama. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under th

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd updates us on the latest political headlines, from the Derek Chauvin trial verdict to state efforts to reform police departments. 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. Next, we ask listeners about how they’re trying to become more eco-friendly in their everyday life. Andrea Cabral discusses the release of redacted internal affairs documents on the child sexual abuse allegations against ex-Boston police officer and union leader Patrick Rose. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety. She’s currently the CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. David Abel previews his new documentary “Entangled,” which looks at how climate change exacerbated a battle between the endangered North Atlantic right whale and the lobster industry. Abel is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for the Boston Globe. Along with Andy Laub, he’s written, directed a

Today on Boston Public Radio: Throughout the show, we took listeners’ calls on the Derek Chauvin trial verdict. Michael Curry shares his thoughts on the Derek Chauvin trial verdict, urging that the fight for racial justice is not over. Curry is the president and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers and a member of Governor Charlie Baker’s COVID Vaccine Advisory Group. He’s also a Member of the National NAACP Board of Directors, and the Chair of the Board’s Advocacy & Policy Committee. Jamarhl Crawford talks about his work with Blackstonian and the Boston Police Reform Task Force, and weighs in on how racial justice activists should continue their work. Crawford is a community activist, the publisher of Blackstonian and a member of the Boston Police Reform Task Force. Rahsaan Hall explains how people may feel more emboldened to film police encounters due to the video evidence used in the trial of Derek Chauvin. He also talks about Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins’

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by opening phone lines, asking listeners whether Massachusetts should lift rules on wearing masks outside. Trenni Kusnierek talks about the backlash against the European Super League, and her plans for the Tokyo Olympics. She also discusses the debate over bills seeking to ban transgender athletes from school sports. Kusnierek is an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui discusses Cambridge’s new universal basic income pilot program, which is set to launch in August. Chris Dempsey and Jim Aloisi share their thoughts on President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan, and clean energy in transportation. Dempsey is the director of the nonprofit Transportation for Massachusetts, and the former assistant secretary of transportation of Massachusetts. Aloisi is the former Massachusetts transportation secretary, a member of the Transit Matters board, and contributor to Commonwealth Magazine. Rick St

Today on Boston Public Radio: We start off the show by talking with listeners about a Twitter free of former President Donald Trump. Ali Noorani discusses President Joe Biden’s initial decision to keep former President Trump’s historically low refugee cap, and his reversal after outcry from Democrats and activists. He also talks about refugee resettlement initiatives throughout U.S. history. Noorani is President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Immigration Forum. His latest book is "There Goes the Neighborhood: How Communities Overcome Prejudice and Meet the Challenge of American Immigration.” Michael Curry shares his thoughts on police brutality in America, and the state of vaccine equity in Massachusetts following the suspension of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Curry is the president and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers and a member of Governor Charlie Baker’s COVID Vaccine Advisory Group. He’s also a Member of the National NAACP Board of Directors, and the Chai

Washington state could soon become the first in the nation to mandate time and a half overtime pay for farmworkers. Food writer Corby Kummer spoke to Boston Public Radio on Friday about the state legislation that will likely be passed into law by the end of the month. “Washington state has finally agreed to pay farmworkers living wages by agreeing to overtime,” Kummer said. “The state is taking the lead in employment protection and acknowledging that farmworkers work much longer than 40 hour weeks, and so their employers are required to pay time and a half for anything over 40 hours.” The average farmworker works 60 hours a week, Kummer noted, and those hours have never included overtime pay. Kummer praised Washington for becoming the first state with such strong laws but noted his frustration over how long it has taken to secure such rights. 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: We begin the show by opening phone lines, asking listeners what they thought about universal basic income. Sue O’Connell shares her thoughts on America’s gun culture in the wake of a shooting at a FedEx warehouse in Indiana. She also talks about Bessemer Amazon employees’ vote not to unionize. 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. Dr. David Ludwig explains how the obesity epidemic in the U.S. exacerbated the COVID-19 pandemic, and calls for people to be gentle with themselves with weight gain and loss. Dr. Ludwig is a physician specializing in obesity at Boston Children’s Hospital and professor of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. His latest book, which he co-authored with Dawn Ludwig, is “Always Delicious.” Callie Crossley discusses the police-involved death of 13-year-old Adam Toledo, and a bill in Oklahoma that would give protections to drivers who run o

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd updates us on the latest political headlines, from attempts to grant D.C. statehood to the investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz. 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. Next, we talk with listeners about their post-vaccine reunions. Andrea Cabral discusses Derek Chauvin invoking the Fifth Amendment during his trial, and the white Milton Police officer facing backlash after she harassed teenagers attending a sleepover for liking Black Lives Matter social media posts. She also talks about the rise of the Boogaloo Boys. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety. She’s currently the CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Andy Ihnatko talks about Facebook whistleblower Sophie Zhang, who alleged that the tech company didn’t prioritize dealing with fake pages and likes if they were impacting politics in largely non-western, poorer countries