Boston Public Radio

"We have the capacity to force a vote, and I think it’s time we do that," the Massachusetts senator said.

The governor acknowledged criticism from lawmakers but insisted the current mix of state and local efforts is most effective.

Students and advocates are calling on Harvard University to acknowledge its role in slavery and offer reparations.

Healey tells Boston Public Radio she supports legislation to update the state's existing hate crime laws.

If reparations to slavery were enacted before the pandemic, COVID-19 transmission and deaths could have been mitigated dramatically, according to Dr. Michelle Morse.

Andrea Cabral speaks about concerns regarding the 845 unvaccinated members of the State Police.

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 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. Art Caplan discussed wins for reproductive rights through state constitutional amendments, and a call for physicians not to report self-managed abortions to law enforcement in states that have restricted access to reproductive care. 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. Matt Gilbert, Boston Globe TV critic, discussed the Globe's readers choice for best TV show: All in the Family, and the other shows that topped the newspaper's bracket challenge. We closed the show by opening the lines again to hear from listeners about the election.

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 Wintersmith discussed Dorchester Councilor Frank Baker accusing Allston-Brighton Councilor Liz Breardon of anti-Catholicism in her role in establishing new city voting districts. They also weighed in on this year’s ballot questions. Reilly and Wintersmith are political reporters for GBH News. Jared Bowen talked about “Wakanda Forever” in the absence of the late Chadwick Boseman, and former Chelsea Record photojournalist Arnie Jarmak’s work on display at Boston College’s McMullen Museum of Art. Bowen is GBH executive arts editor. John King shared his thoughts on the races to watch during the 2022 midterm elections. King is CNN’s chief national correspondent, and the host of “Inside Politics.” We ended the show by opening phone lines, talking with listeners about the midterms.

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 Boston’s 2030 climate goals are out of reach. Cash is the New England administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III talked about the Black Bostonians moving south, and the rise of Christian leaders in some GOP midterm races. Rev. Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist and the Boston voice for Detour’s African American Heritage Trail. Rev. Emmett G. Price III is founding pastor of Community of Love Christian Fellowship in Allston, the Inaugural Dean of Africana Studies at Berklee College of Music. Corby Kummer weighed in on holiday dinners in times of inflation, and whether A.I. has the potential to write recipes better than humans. 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. We ended the show by talking with listeners about their climate concerns amid a heatwave in Boston.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by asking listeners about the voting patterns of white women ahead of the midterms. Shirley Leung talked about Mass. Governor Charlie Baker's multi billion dollar spending bill, her own latest piece on Mass. ballot Question 1, and women’s entrepreneurship in Boston. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe Callie Crossley discussed white suburban women’s’ swing to the right ahead of midterms and Kyrie Irving’s recent anti-Semitic tweet. Crossley is the host of GBH's “Under the Radar.” Andrea Cabral explained the Lady of the Dunes story, and new city laws about throwing out mattresses and handling food waste. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff, former Massachusetts secretary of public safety and former CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Jared Bowen gave his thoughts on climate protesters using art as a means of getting attention, shared his thoughts on the new film “Armageddon Time,” and discussed the MFA’s “Frank Bowling’s America” and “To Begin Again” at the ICA. Bowen is GBH’s executive arts editor and the host of Open Studio. Pamela Means joined us for another installment of live music Friday. She chatted about the history and legacy of protest music, and sang us a few songs. Means is a singer/songwriter based out of Easthampton. We ended the show by talking about daylight saving time.