Boston Public Radio

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.

The travel expert talked about the steady return of international travel and the global effort to get people vaccinated for COVID-19.

Pope Francis approved a decree from the Vatican stating that Catholic priests cannot bless same-sex unions.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Rep. Seth Moulton discussed last week’s vote to impose a labor agreement on U.S. rail workers, and why he feels Congress ought to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act to protect refugees from deportation. We opened our lines to ask viewers about their thoughts regarding the challenges of building high-speed rail lines in Massachusetts and the state of this mode of transportation locally and nationally. Sean P. Murphy discussed a handful of consumer advocacy issues addressed in his “Fine Print” columns for the Boston Globe. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett Price III reflected on former President Trump’s faltering relationship with the Jewish community, and recent reporting on Christian church services in Qatar. Jamie Morton, James Cooper and Alice Levine of the UK podcast “My Dad Wrote a Porno” talked about the climactic close to their six-season podcast, which airs next week. We closed the show asking listeners about their thoughts on self-checkout kiosks.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by talking about the Boston City Council’s vote to lower the local voting age to 16. Shirley Leung talked about the differences in the ways that Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and New York City Mayor Eric Adams handle mental illness and homelessness, as well as her latest piece on the “Great Rethink” about the ways that we work. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe. Corby Kummer discussed the latest food headlines, including the issue of water insecurity, Whole Foods putting lobster on hold over whaling concerns, and the meaninglessness of expiration dates. 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. Sue O’Connell shared her thoughts on the Respect for Marriage Act passing in the Senate, more controversy at Balenciaga, Elon Musk abusing monkeys for his neuralink project, and "gaslighting" becoming Merriam Webster’s word of the year. O’Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and South End News, and contributor to Current on NBC LX and NECN. Jared Bowen gave us the latest on greater Boston arts: the return of Boston Athenaeum, “Twas the Night Before” at the Boch Center, and Harry Benson at the Addison Gallery. He also discussed the recent New York Times profile on the woman who gets to dust Michaelangelo’s David. Bowen is GBH's executive arts editor. Christina Day Martinson and Ann McMahon Quintero of Boston Baroque joined us ahead of performances of Handel’s Messiah this weekend at GBH to chat and play some music. Martinson is concertmaster for Boston Baroque, and Quintero is a mezzo-soprano soloist in their rendition of Handel's "Messiah." We ended the show by asking listeners what they think about having dogs in the office.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by asking listeners their opinions on Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton coming to Boston. EJ Dionne weighed in on the state of Congress post-midterms and what it might take to affect change there. He also speculated about the GOP’s future, including the odds of general support for former President Donald Trump or Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in a 2024 presidential run. Dionne is an opinion columnist with the Washington Post. Juliette Kayyem talked about her latest piece on the training method of “run-hide-fight” in active shooter situations, as well as this week’s Oath Keepers convictions, COVID-19 protests in China, and what Kevin McCarthy potentially running the House would mean for U.S. national security. 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. Paul Reville talked about the recent inaction on President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan, learning loss in Boston Public Schools, and the lack of delivery on a fully elected school committee in Boston. Reville is Massachusetts’ former secretary of education and a professor at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, where he also runs the Education Redesign Lab. Catherine Peterson from ArtsBoston and Cathy Carr Kelly from Central Square Theater shared some insights from an ArtsBoston survey investigating the way that arts and performances in Boston are recovering at this stage of the pandemic. Peterson is the executive director of ArtsBoston and Carr Kelly is the executive director of Central Square Theater. Odie Henderson reviewed some recent movies and told us what he thinks are the best films of the year. Henderson is a film critic at the Boston Globe. We ended the show by asking listeners for the pet peeves.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Art Caplan weighed in on new research into so-called “SuperAgers,” whose brains are as sharp as those 20 or 30 years younger than them. 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 opened up the phone lines, asking listeners if they’re staying on Twitter amid numerous controversial changes to the platform. Andrea Cabral talked about a bank heist gone awry in Martha’s Vineyard. Cabral is the former Suffolk County Sheriff and the former Secretary of Public Safety. Hannah Jones and Rachel Flor discussed the upcoming Earthshot Prize ceremony in Boston this weekend, and the current state of climate action. Jones is the CEO of the Earthshot Prize, and Flor is the executive director of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. You can watch the ceremony on Monday, Dec. 5 on PBS.org and the PBS App, and at 8 p.m. on the PBS YouTube channel. It’ll also air on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 8 p.m. on GBH 2. Andy Ihnatko shared his thoughts on Twitter versus Mastodon, and the potential ramifications of the Kids Online Safety Act as documented by multiple human rights and LGBTQ+ groups. Ihnatko is a tech writer, blogger and podcaster. Sy Montgomery joined us for this month’s edition of “The Afternoon Zoo,” explaining how dogs evolved from wolves into man’s best friend. Montgomery is a journalist, naturalist and a BPR contributor. Her latest book is “The Hawk’s Way: Encounters with Fierce Beauty.” We ended the show by asking listeners whether they’re early risers or night owls.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by talking with listeners about the controversies surrounding this year’s World Cup. Trenni Casey shared her thoughts on the process behind FIFA picking World Cup host countries. Casey is an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Boston. Nancy Gertner discussed allegations against Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito over leaking Court decisions. Gertner is a retired federal judge and a senior lecturer at Harvard Law School. Keith Lockhart previewed the Boston Holiday Pops’ upcoming season. Lockhart is a conductor for the Boston Pops. Marcela Garcia talked about the push for Mass. lawmakers to make in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants who are state residents a priority. Garcia is a columnist for the Boston Globe, she also serves on the editorial board. John King updated us on the latest political headlines, focusing on Kari Lake suing Maricopa County officials in Arizona after her gubernatorial election loss. King is a CNN Chief National Correspondent, and the host of “Inside Politics.” We ended the show by talking with listeners about holiday office parties.