Boston Public Radio

With the passing of Ralph Gants, the legal and political community feel an urgency to fulfill his legacy.

The former United States Marines captain has won the MA-4th Congressional Democratic primary. He says it'll help to elect more veterans to Congress.

The “All Rev’d Up” hosts offered insight in the wake of last Wednesday's Harvard Law School study presenting hard data on racial divides in the state justice system.

The reduction in the number of troops doesn't mean "ending the war," Bacevich says.

E. Jean Carroll's lawsuit against Trump accuses the president of raping her in the 1990s. The Department of Justice now seeks to intervene.

The Trump administration has called on all federal agencies to suspend racial sensitivity training.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened our lines to talk with listeners about the return of baseball, on opening day for the Red Sox. Media maven Sue O’Connell discussed the rebuke from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to derogatory comments made by Rep. Ted Yoho, as well as news that the Hallmark Channel will include LGBT storylines in their 2020 holiday movie lineup. Beat the Press host Emily Rooney talked about the release of President Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen from jail, and read her weekly list of fixations and fulminations. Food writer Corby Kummer talked about the decision by Trader Joe's to discontinue racist branding on their ethnic food packaging, and several ways that supermarkets are repurposing space that used to be used for salad and hot-food bars. Tech writer Andy Ihnatko discussed news that Facebook ignored research about racial biases on their platforms, and controversy around comments made on the livestream feed of the U.S. Army's Esports team. Under the Radar host Callie Crossley discussed artist Dustin Klein's work, shining images onto a confederate monument in Virginia, and a racist comments made to 14 year-old boy in Newburyport as he was handing out free donuts. Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Lori McKenna talked about her new album, “The Balladeer,” and promoted a Friday-night livestream concert out of Cambridge's Club Passim.

Food writer Corby Kummer spoke with Boston Public Radio on Friday about Trader Joe's racist labeling on certain products, such as 'Trader Ming's' and 'Trader José's.' "Trader Joe's is finally saying no to racist branding that perpetuates the worst kind of stereotyping," he said. Kummer is a *senior editor at The Atlantic*, an award-winning food writer, and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition and Policy.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Mass. Cannabis Commission Control Commission Chairman Steve Hoffman and Commissioner Shaleen Title discussed the bureaucratic hurdles keeping Black-owned cannabis shops from getting off the ground, four years after marijuana legalization in Mass. We opened lines to hear your thoughts on the years-long delay of the Mass. legislature in getting Black-owned marijuana businesses off the ground. Ali Noorani, Executive Director for the National Immigration Forum, talked about news of ICE’s concealment of a COVID-19 outbreak at one of their detention centers, and weighed the President’s authority to restrict whether undocumented immigrants get counted in the 2020 census. WGBH Executive Arts Editor Jared Bowen talked about the reopening of Boston’s museums, and new art from local muralist Rob Gibbs and photographer Raina Matar. Former Mass. Education Secretary Paul Reville discussed new guidelines for school reopening in Mass., and offered his take on pushback to school reform from BPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius. Congressman Joe Kennedy discussed the Senate’s lack of a COVID-19 relief bill, which was expected today, and offered his thoughts on police reform and term limits for Supreme Court justices. We opened lines to talk with listeners about a new Mass. law allowing bars to offer to-go cocktails.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Medical ethicist Art Caplan recapped the president’s Tuesday night reprise of coronavirus briefings, and offered his take on the anxieties around a rushed COVID-19 vaccine. We opened lines to talk with listeners about Gov. Charlie Baker’s extension of the state’s eviction moratorium. CNN analyst and national security expert Juliette Kayyem discussed the deployment of militarized federal troops in Portland, Ore., and talked about the various groups raising doubt over the effectiveness of a rushed COVID-19 vaccine. Boston Police sergeant and Mass. Association of Minority Law Enforcement Officers President Eddie Chrispin offered his take on the current legislation to address policing in Mass., and why he believes police officers ought to have more input on reform. Mass. Attorney General Maura Healey discussed the state's extension of the eviction moratorium, and responded to listeners' questions and comments as part of our monthly “Ask the AG” segment.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened lines to ask listeners: do you have concerns about the prospect of a “warp speed” coronavirus vaccine? NBC Sports Boston reporter and anchor Trenni Kusnierek talked about San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler’s decision to kneel during the National Anthem at a Monday night game, and the latest headlines around how sports leagues are navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. Journalist Daffodil Altan talked about her latest project for FRONTLINE, a documentary titled “COVID’s Hidden Toll,” that reckons with the treatment of meat packing industry and farm workers during the coronavirus pandemic. Charles Stewart III, Kenan Sahin Distinguished Professor of Political Science at MIT, discussed mail-in voting preparedness and other election security questions ahead of the November election. Bay State Banner Senior Editor Yawu Miller talked about the state of Mass. police reform, and recounted his experience being questioned by Boston Police officers while reporting on Boston Police. CNN’s John King talked about the president’s return to coronavirus press briefings, and other national headlines. We opened our lines to talk with listeners about your expectations for the president reprisal of the coronavirus press briefings.