Boston Public Radio

Baker will testify this Thursday before the Joint Committee on COVID-19 and Emergency Preparedness.

A former hospital aide has filed a discrimination lawsuit over the n-word being scratched into an elevator at his prior place of work.

The mayoral candidate also spoke about the state of her mayoral race, saying she's anticipating a 'very exciting year' for the city of Boston.

The city counselor and Roxbury native said she believes that, with the right leadership, Boston has the resources and expertise to become an international leader on issues of racial equity.

DeMaria's defense concerned a Jan. 25 comment where he said he'd "love to be able to shut some pictures off with some people" on Zoom, in reference to Everett Councilor-at-Large Gerly Adrien.

Travel expert Rick Steves discusses why traveling may soon require passengers to show a COVID-19 vaccine passport.

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.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by talking with listeners about the holiday shopping season. Michael Curry discussed the Baker administration’s $130 million health worker loan repayment program, and Boston schools losing approximately 15,000 Black students in the past 20 years. 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. He recently has been named to Governor Elect Maura Healey’s transition team. Charlie Sennott updated us on massive protests in major Chinese cities over COVID measures, and pressure from Congress to track weapons aid to Ukraine. Sennott is the editor-in-chief The GroundTruth Project, and is a GBH News analyst. Richard Blanco highlighted work published by local bookseller, Beacon Press. Blanco is the fifth presidential inaugural poet in U.S. history, the first Poet Laureate of Miami-Dade County, and author of “How to Love a Country.” Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III talked about far-right and evangelical responses to the Club Q shooting, and shared their thoughts on whether it’s possible to celebrate the principles of Thanksgiving while acknowledging harm against Indigenous communities. Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist and the Boston voice for Detour’s African American Heritage Trail. Price is founding pastor of Community of Love Christian Fellowship in Allston, and the Inaugural Dean of Africana Studies at Berklee College of Music. Together they host the “All Rev’d Up” podcast. Lizzie Post, great-great-granddaughter of author and socialite Emily Post, joined us to share her 21st century guide to etiquette, “Emily Post’s Etiquette: The Centennial Edition.” Post is the author of “Emily Post’s Etiquette: The Centennial Edition,” and of “Higher Etiquette,” a guide to the world of cannabis. We ended the show by talking with listeners about holiday tipping etiquette.