Boston Public Radio

The former White House COVID-19 response coordinator reflects on pandemic preparedness, past and future.

Leaders of the Greater Boston Food Bank and Globe Santa are encouraging people to donate money or time this holiday season to support people in need.

The fall of the Assad regime ends a brutal dictatorship, but questions remain over the future of peace in Syria and the Middle East.

Roundhead Brewing Company was founded in 2022 by Luis Espinoza and Craig Panzer. The brewery blends Latin-inspired brewing with a community-focused mission, aiming to create cerveza que reúine — beer that brings people together.

Tariffs are meant to hold countries accountable and increase domestic manufacturing, but there could be costs to consumers and the economy.

Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse criticized Biden’s reasoning for pardoning his son, while Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley defended Biden's right to pardon his son but urged the president to use his executive powers to address sentencing disparities.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Rep. Jake Auchincloss discusses the expansion of the Child Tax Credit, and updated us on the status of Congress’ infrastructure bill. He also talks about the evacuation of Afghan citizens who aided the U.S. Rep. Auchincloss is the Democratic congressman representing Massachusetts’ 4th Congressional District. Next, we talk with listeners about shared streets programs. Callie Crossley weighs in on Cornel West’s resignation from Harvard University after being denied tenure, and shares the history of the all-Black 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. She also previews this weekend’s edition of Under the Radar. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black. Sy Montgomery explains how to humanely kill a lobster following the U.K.’s potential ban on boiling lobsters alive. She also updates us on the latest news regarding the disease spreading among songbirds in the U.S. Montgomery is a journalist, naturalist and a BPR contributor. Her latest book is "The Hummingbirds’ Gift: Wonder, Beauty, and Renewal on Wings." Sue O’Connell talks about the dissolution of Boston Pride after allegations of racism, and shares the latest updates from Britney Spears’ conservatorship hearings. O’Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and the South End News, as well as NECN's political commentator and explainer-in-chief. Next, we ask listeners whether they would be comfortable renting someone’s private pool, following the popularity of the swimming pool rental app Swimply. Iris Krasnow explains the importance of summer camp, and how her experiences at Camp Agawak shaped her literary career. Iris Krasnow’s latest book is Camp Girls: Fireside Lessons on Friendship, Courage, and Loyalty.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Natalie Rodriguez shares her experience opening a restaurant before the start of the pandemic, and explains how her business survived the COVID-19 crisis. Rodriguez is the chef and owner of Nuestra, an authentic Puerto Rican restaurant in Worcester. Then, we talk with listeners about an increase in customers behaving badly at restaurants. Andrea Cabral discusses the Justice Department’s report that the FBI failed in their handling of sexual abuse claims against Larry Nassar, allowing him to abuse more girls and women. She also talks about the approval of an unarmed crisis-response team in Lynn. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety. She’s currently the CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Andy Ihnatko talks about racial bias in facial recognition software, and the numerous cases in which police have used facial recognition software to wrongly arrest individuals. He also explains the various tech provisions in President Joe Biden’s recent Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy. Ihnatko is a tech writer and blogger, posting at Ihnatko.com. Attorney General Maura Healey discusses the state’s settlement with the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma, and the Spotlight investigation into the Baker administration’s handling of the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home. She also answers listeners’ calls.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners how they felt about the shift to remote working. Jonathan Gruber explains how Los Angeles Angels player Shohei Ohtani is breaking the economic rule of comparative advantage. Gruber is the Ford Professor of Economics at MIT. He was instrumental in creating both the Massachusetts health-care reform and the Affordable Care Act, and his latest book is "Jump-Starting America: How Breakthrough Science Can Revive Economic Growth And The American Dream." Juliette Kayyem discusses the decision to ban in-person spectators from the Tokyo Olympics as COVID-19 cases rise in Japan. She also talks about the evacuation of Afghan refugees after the withdrawal of U.S. troops. 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. Bina Venkataraman shares recent editorials from The Boston Globe, covering topics such as transparency in the Massachusetts Statehouse to the investigation into the Baker administration’s response to the COVID-19 crisis at Holyoke Soldiers’ Home. Venkataraman is the editorial page editor at The Boston Globe. Her latest book is “The Optimist's Telescope: Thinking Ahead in a Reckless Age.” Ben Downing talks about his run for governor of Massachusetts, and talked about how growing up in Pittsfield influenced his campaign. He also shares his thoughts on the Baker administration’s handling of COVID-19 deaths at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home. Downing is running for governor on the Democratic ticket. Art Caplan weighs in on Montana’s vaccine discrimination law, and calls for mandatory vaccines. He also talks about a Texas abortion law that offers a $10,000 minimum bounty for citizens to turn in abortion providers thought to be in violation of the state’s so-called “heartbeat ban.” Caplan is director of the Division of Medical Ethics at the New York University School of Medicine. We end the show by asking listeners whether the Emmys have lost their status as a cultural touchstone.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We start the show by talking with listeners about this month becoming the third rainiest July in Massachusetts on record. Trenni Kusnierek talks about the racist attacks against Black athletes on England’s national football team, and COVID-19 restrictions at the Tokyo Olympics. Kusnierek is a reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. Carol Rose and Kade Crockford discuss the state of voting rights following the Supreme Court’s ruling on two Arizona voting laws. They also weigh in on the use of facial recognition software, calling for stronger legislation against facial recognition technology. Rose is the Executive Director of the ACLU of Massachusetts. Crockford is the Technology for Liberty program director at the ACLU of Massachusetts Corby Kummer shares his thoughts on McDonald’s decision to increase their starting pay to a range of $11-17, and a survey of chain restaurants that found that Dunkin’, Chipotle, and Sonic have the lowest employee satisfaction rates. 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. James Jacoby and Anya Bourg explain how the U.S. Federal Reserve’s influence on the country’s wealth gap, and talk about fears over an impending economic crash. Jacoby is the writer, producer and correspondent for FRONTLINE's “The Power of the Fed.” Bourg is the documentary's writer and producer. John King updates us on the latest political headlines, from the Texas Democrats who left the state to block a GOP voting bill to the prospects of the bipartisan infrastructure bill. 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 were ready to give up their regional loyalty to Dunkin’ in favor of Starbucks.

The Atlantic’s Corby Kummer returned to Boston Public Radio on Tuesday, weighing in on a recent survey by analysts at the investment bank UBS, which found workers at the popular breakfast-to-go chain Dunkin’ Donuts near the bottom in terms of employee retention. Kummer called the survey “all over the map,” but said most of the chains that fared best tended to be full-service restaurants, like Texas Roadhouse and Longhorn Steakhouse. “The closer they are to actual full-service, the higher the satisfaction rate,” he said. “I would assume that means higher tips and lower turnover.” In contrast, he said the environment at Dunkin’ Donuts is “all transactional,” and said the automated nature of the chain could be a key reason why the study found employees leaving at higher rates. During the discussion, Kummer also touched on a raise in minimum wage for McDonald’s workers, low interest in vaccine mandates at restaurants, and a recent article in the New York Times about masks becoming social signifiers. Corby 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.