Boston Public Radio

The former Department of Homeland Security official also said she's hoping to see Republicans embrace Biden's calls for unity.

The variant — B.1.1.7 — has reached the state this week, according to the state's Department of Public Health.

While coronavirus cases are up everywhere, mayoral candidate and city councilor Andrea Campbell says some predominantly Black and brown neighborhoods in Boston have borne the brunt of infections.

Paris Jeffries spoke optimistically about the range of citywide efforts to confront Boston's deep racial inequties.

The Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett Price reflect on the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "The Other America" speech.

A compilation of testimony from members of Congress on "Boston Public Radio," of the Jan. 6 storming of the capitol and the ensuing impeachment of President Donald Trump.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Gov. Charlie Baker discusses Massachusetts’ COVID-19 vaccination and hospitalization rates, and defends his decision to not mandate masks in schools statewide. He also talks about the Biden administration’s statement on booster shots, claiming that he was given no guidance on formulating a booster shot plan. Then, we open the phone lines, talking with listeners about mask mandates in schools. Juliette Kayyem shares her thoughts on the U.S. response to the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, and whether airlines should require passengers to be vaccinated before traveling. 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 School of Government. Acting Mayor Kim Janey discusses current vaccination rates in Boston, and the investigation into former Boston Police officer Patrick Rose over claims of child sexual abuse. She also highlights her plans for the return of an addiction treatment facility to Long Island. Art Caplan weighs in on the CDC’s recommendation that schools enact mask mandates, and upcoming COVID-19 booster shots. He also talks about Texas Gov. Greg Abbott testing positive for COVID-19. Caplan is director of the Division of Medical Ethics at the New York University School of Medicine. Sy Montgomery talks about the deaths of Tatoosh, the New England Aquarium’s giant Pacific octopus, and Barry the Owl, a barred owl in Central Park. She also shares stories of seagull attacks. Montgomery is a journalist, naturalist and a BPR contributor. Her latest book is "The Hummingbirds’ Gift: Wonder, Beauty, and Renewal on Wings." We end the show by asking listeners about their experiences with seagull thievery and attacks.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners whether Gov. Charlie Baker should reinstate a statewide mask mandate. Trenni Kusnierek talks about long-distance runner Molly Seidel’s run in the Falmouth Road Race, and shares her thoughts on Naomi Osaka’s press conference walkout. Kusnierek is a reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. Jelani Cobb explains how he positioned the Kerner Commission Report in today’s political context for his book, “The Essential Kerner Commission Report.” Cobb is a staff writer at The New Yorker, and is the Ira A. Lipman Professor of Journalism at the Columbia Journalism School. Rachel Miller shares her experiences from working in the restaurant industry, and how she kept her business afloat during the pandemic. She also talks about the decision to create a mask and vaccine plan for her restaurant. Miller is the chef and owner of Nightshade Noodle Bar in Lynn. Michael Curry and Derrick Johnson discuss the current state of voting rights, and weigh in on whether the White House is doing enough to protect them. 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. Johnson is the president of the NAACP. John King updates us on the latest political headlines, from President Joe Biden’s response as the Taliban toppled the Afghan government to the state of the filibuster. 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 if they’re patronizing businesses that mandate masks or proof of vaccination.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We open the show by talking with listeners about Afghanistan's fall to the Taliban. Andrew Sullivan weighs in on President Joe Biden’s withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, and the future of conservatism. Sullivan is an author, editor, and blogger. His latest book is “Out on a Limb.” Charlie Sennott discusses the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, sharing the latest updates from the country. He also calls for international aid to Afghanistan. Sennott is a GBH News analyst and the founder and CEO of The GroundTruth Project. Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell talks about how she would approach issues of opioid addiction and homelessness along Mass Ave. and Melnea Cass Blvd., and incentives to increase vaccination rates. She also shares her thoughts on rent control. Campbell is running for mayor of Boston, and represents District 4 on the Boston City Council. Everett City Councilor Gerly Adrien explains how the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Haiti is reverberating among Everett’s Haitian community. Adrian is running for mayor of Everett, and serves as an Everett City Councilor. Rick Steves shares his memories of his first visit to Afghanistan in 1978, and what travel may look like with the rise of the Delta variant. 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. We wrap up the show by asking listeners if the pandemic has changed their approach to vacation time.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Adam Reilly updates us on the latest headlines from Boston’s mayoral race, sharing his thoughts on where the candidates stand as Election Day moves closer. He also explains how City Councilor Michelle Wu centers climate change in her mayoral campaign. Reilly is co-host of GBH’s Politics podcast, “The Scrum.” Next, we talk with listeners about the upcoming tax free weekend. Callie Crossley explains what new census data has to say about how Massachusetts has changed, and shares her thoughts on the controversy surrounding “Jeopardy!” host Mike Richards. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black. Corby Kummer talks about calls to end the “ethnic aisle” in grocery stores, and a price increase in coffee. 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. Andy Ihnatko weighs in on Apple’s new child safety features for the iPhone, and highlights various apps to help people enjoy the Perseid meteor shower. Ihnatko is a tech writer and blogger, posting at Ihnatko.com. Maria Camila Vasco discusses the creation of her plastic-free store Uvida, and her hopes for a zero waste future. Vasco is the founder and CEO of Uvida, Boston’s first zero-waste store. We wrap up the show by asking listeners whether they’re satisfied with Mike Richards and Mayim Bialik as the new co-hosts of “Jeopardy!”.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd updates us on the latest political headlines, from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ response to rising COVID-19 cases to the Senate’s passage of the infrastructure bill. 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 how they stay cool during the summer months. Andrea Cabral discusses former acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen’s claim that former President Donald Trump asked him to provide a legal strategy to overturn the results of the 2020 election. She also talks about the Texas House Democrats who are now facing arrest warrants after fleeing the state to protest a restrictive voting measure. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety. She’s currently the CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Ali Noorani discusses the experiences of teen immigrants in emergency centers, and the anti-immigration Republicans who are falsely claiming that immigrants are bringing COVID-19 into southern states. 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.” Jared Bowen highlights the local arts and cultural institutions that have mask mandates or are requiring proof of vaccination. He also previews this week’s edition of Open Studio. Bowen is GBH’s executive arts editor and the host of Open Studio. Senator Ed Markey discusses the Senate’s passage of the infrastructure bill, sharing the bill’s climate projects. He also explains how the infrastructure bill would affect Massachusetts. We end the show by talking with listeners about the return of pre-pandemic levels of traffic.