Boston Public Radio

The former business executive, presidential candidate and co-chair of Black Voices For Trump died this week of COVID-19 complications.

People need to go beyond reading books about anti-racism, the BU professor says.

The NAACP national convention was supposed to be held in Boston this summer. With the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the events have gone virtual.

The medical ethicist reflected on a recent New York Times editorial from Judith Heumann and John Wodatch.

COVID-19 has changed the way candidates campaign, and how voters elect them.

Ready to get back to the office? You could be waiting for over a year, Kayyem says.

If prosecutors say they’ll drop charges on the condition Trump never holds public office again…would you be ok with that? Or, are you not convinced he’d take a deal in the first place? We opened the phone lines to hear from listeners. Carol Rose of ACLU Massachusetts discussed the limits on media in the courtroom for Trump’s arraignment, the Supreme Court ruling on redistricting/Voting Rights Act, and the ACLU’s new campaign on location data privacy. Art Caplan discussed fraudsters duping vulnerable & homeless people into signing up for healthcare plans they can’t afford, and the continued discussion over widespread use of Ozempic for weight loss. Juliette Kayyem analyzed the Trump arraignment, gave insight on some Nazi demonstrations outside Disney, and talked about the four Colombian children found alive in the jungle weeks after their plane crashed. GBH News Arts editor Jared Bowen discussed a Dutch painting taken by Nazis during WWII that is now promised to the MFA; and, he previewed which Boston-area art museums that are commemorating Juneteenth. Sy Montgomery discussed the Arlington/Lexington bear, vengeful orcas and octopuses changing their brains to adjust to climate change. Then, we had listener’s weigh in on shaving habits. Are more men shaving their pits?

First, we opened up the phone lines to hear from you about reactions to some anti-pride backlash at a Burlington middle school. We opened the Trenni Casey, anchor/reporter for NBC Sports Boston, discussed Lionel Messi turning down a lucrative deal with the Saudi league to join MLS, and more on the PGA/LIV merger. Ibram X. Kendi, director of Boston University’s Center for Antiracist Research, and illustrator Joel Christian Gill joined via zoom to discuss their graphic novel adaptation of Kendi’s book “Stamped From The Beginning”. Kevin O’Connor of This Old House discussed his new show “Team Rubicon”. Sue O’Connell joined remotely from Florida having just returned from the courthouse where Trump is expected to be arraigned today. We ended the show with calls from listeners on about all-things-Trump ahead of his arraignment.

Today: We opened the lines to get listener reactions on the unsealed indictment of former president Donald Trump. Michael Curry discussed the gene-based therapies transforming treatments for sickle cell disease. Curry is CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. Imari Paris Jeffries, executive director of Embrace Boston, discussed this weekend’s Embrace Ideas Festival along with chef Krayla Brice, who’s participating in a chef’s panel during the festival. ProPublica reporter A.C. Thompson discussed his latest film investigating big truck crashes for Frontline, titled “America’s Dangerous Trucks,” which airs Tuesday night. Reverends Irene Monroe & Emmett Price discussed the impacts of AI in religion — Is your priest using ChatGPT to build their sermons? Comedian John Early joined ahead of a show at the Wilbur Theatre this week.

Former President Trump has been indicted for a second time. The seven counts against him include conspiracy to obstruct and willful retention of documents and false statements. Listeners called and texted in to share their reactions. We have Adrianna Boulin from the newly-formed Boston Pride For The People & Chastity Bowick former executive director of the Transgender Emergency Fund. Rick Steves is in town for his show with the Pops, he'll make an appearance. Sue O’Connell is part of the Speak Now original series where staff members of NBC Boston Stations and Telemundo share stories of LGBTQ+ pride. She'll also touch on The Ultimatum's new queer season. Retired federal judge Nancy Gertner will take a deep dive into news of Trump's indictment. Mary Gauthier joins for Live Music Friday ahead of a show at Club Passim.

E.J. Dionne from the Washington Post joined to discuss last night’s townhall with Mike Pence and other D.C. headlines. Then we opened the phone lines to check in on the Canadian wildfire smoke blanketing the North East. How are people coping with the air quality hazards? Andrea Cabral explained George Santos’ mystery bail guarantors, the arraignment of Charlestown resident Matthew Nilo on serial rape charges, the possibility of new charges for President Trump and other legal headlines. Steve Curwood hosts PRX’s Living on Earth. He joined us in advance of his conversation with David Leonard at the BPL to talk about climate change. Carolyn Beeler from The World is currently stationed in Ukraine. She joined us from Kyiv via Zoom to talk about her work, what she’s seeing, and the environmental devastation that’s playing out as a byproduct of the war. Economist Jon Gruber is back from sabbatical, a few weeks before he officially becomes chair of M.I.T’s department of economics. He offered his thoughts on the debt ceiling and why he thinks we need to do away with it. Plus, his shared a story of a monkey encounter from his time abroad. We ended the show to hear from listeners about U.F.O.s. Do you believe in UFOs? And if you don’t, does the latest account from a former intelligence official have you thinking?