Boston Public Radio

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.

Three Atlanta-area spas were attacked on Tuesday by the same suspected gunman, who killed eight people.

Food policy writer Corby Kummer joined Boston Public Radio to discuss a new congressional report showing meat industry CEOs had a direct line to the Donald Trump administration in the early stages of the pandemic, enabling their facilities to stay open — and their profits to grow — despite the safety risks to workers. Smithfield CEO Ken Sullivan misled the public about an impending meat shortage that they said would result if plants closed temporarily, the congressional report found. “It was this evilly-sealed deal,” Kummer said. “And among the many scandalous parts of this, which we all kind of guessed at the time: profits went up 300% during the pandemic. There was no shortage, it was completely wrong.” Sullivan reached out to Tyson CEO Noel White about getting then-President Donald Trump to sign an executive order declaring meat processing plants essential facilities, allowing them to stay open during the most stringent pandemic-era restrictions. The report found that a draft executive order written by Tyson’s legal team bore striking similarities to the one signed by the president just days later. Corby 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 begin the show by opening up the phone lines, asking listeners about baby formula shortages across the U.S. Rick Steves shares the highlights of his recent return to Europe, where he spent over a month and a half updating his guidebooks to reflect how the continent has changed after two years of the pandemic. Steves is an author, television and radio host and the owner of the Rick Steves' Europe tour group. You can catch his television show, "Rick Steves’ Europe," weeknights at 7:30 p.m. on GBH 2 and his radio show, “Travel With Rick Steves,” Sundays at 4 p.m. on GBH. Callie Crossley talks about a mother in Mattapan alleging that Boston Public Schools delayed calling 911 as her teen son had a stroke. She also shares her thoughts on DuoLingo opening a taqueria next to their Pittsburgh headquarters to help customers practice Spanish. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black. Juliette Kayyem discusses the January 6 committee’s subpoenas to five GOP lawmakers, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. 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. Mass. Senate President Karen Spilka discusses Beacon Hill’s measures to protect abortion rights in Mass., and shares her thoughts on the potential for legalizing sports betting in the Commonwealth. Spilka is president of the State Senate. Sue O’Connell explains why the U.S. is facing a nationwide baby formula shortage, and weighs in on Elon Musk’s decision to pause his deal to buy Twitter. O’Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and South End News, and contributor to Current, on NBC L-X and NECN. We end the show by asking listeners how they romanticize their lives.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners how they’re handling COVID amid the latest surge. Brian McGrory shares insights from the latest Globe reporting, including the Federal Transit Administration’s investigation into the MBTA, the state settlement over the deaths at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home and the state of national politics. McGrory is the Editor of the Boston Globe. Andrea Cabral talks about the Senate’s failed vote on a bill that would codify Roe v. Wade, and the Mario Batali and Johnny Depp court cases involving harassment. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety, and former CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Then, we open up the lines to hear from listeners what they want Jim and Margery to talk more about. Eric Deggans previews his latest TV commentary, including his review of “Bosch: Legacy” and who he wants to see succeed James Corden. Eric Deggans is NPR’s TV critic and author of the book “Race-Baiter: How the Media Wields Dangerous Words to Divide a Nation.” Art Caplan talks about the divide between red and blue states over abortion, and renewed advocacy around the right to die. 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 end the show by asking listeners their thoughts on “no mow may,” where some homeowners are opting to let their yards grow wild to benefit pollinators.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners their thoughts on upper age and term limits for politicians. Shirley Leung discusses UMass Lowell’s new chancellor Julie Chen and new robots that weed gardens. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe. Kellie Carter Jackson and Leah Wright Rigueur share insights on all things Oprah, from their podcast Oprademics. Jackson is an associate professor in the department of Africana studies at Wellesley College. Rigeur is an associate professor of history at Johns Hopkins. They host the Oprahdemics podcast from Radiotopia. Jamahrl Crawford weighs in on the latest on Boston police reform, and recent news about former Police Union President Patrick Rose, who was sentenced to prison for sexually abusing children. Crawford served on the city’s police reform task force in 2020 and edits the Blackstonian. Kim Kelly tells stories about the history of labor movements in the U.S., and how they connect to renewed union pushes today. Kelly is a journalist, columnist for Teen Vogue and Author of “FIGHT LIKE HELL: The Untold History of American Labor.” Paul Reville talks about the lasting impact of pandemic-induced school shutdowns in education. 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, co-authored with Lynne Sacks, is “Collaborative Action for Equity and Opportunity: A Practical Guide for School and Community Leaders.” We end the show by asking listeners if they feel they can show their real selves at work.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by talking with listeners about protests against the leaked Supreme Court opinion draft on Roe v. Wade. Trenni Kusnierek talks about Rich Strike’s major win at the Kentucky Derby, and the growing need for increased mental health services for young athletes. Kusnierek is a reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. State Senator Sonia Chang-Díaz discusses her run for Mass. governor, and talks about the current status of the State House’s sports-betting legislation. State Senator Chang-Diaz is running to be governor of Massachusetts. Jim Aloisi and Stacy Thompson share their thoughts on the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) inspecting the MBTA after numerous safety incidents, and the potential for an East-West rail system. 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. Jared Bowen talks about the Boston-area events surrounding the bicentennial of landscape architect and city planner Frederick Law Olmsted’s birth. Bowen is GBH’s executive arts editor and the host of "Open Studio." John King updates us on the latest political headlines, focusing on President Joe Biden’s response to rising inflation. King is CNN's Chief National Correspondent and anchor of "Inside Politics,” which airs weekdays and Sunday mornings at 8 a.m. We wrap up the show by asking listeners about rising gas prices.