Boston Public Radio

Higgins explained the fine line between social media being a platform for shared learning or performative posting.

The state Senate's police reform bill includes a statewide ban on government use of facial recognition software.

Listen to the full episode of Boston Public Radio from July 3, 2020.

The Pulitzer-prize winning author explained how Vietnamese people have repeatedly been short-changed in the way they’re depicted in Hollywood portrayals of the Vietnam War.

With more than half of American states seeing COVID-19 increases, will governors let the virus set the pace of reopening?

The Boston Globe travel writer said Mass. residents looking to visit Maine should be wary of a potential $1,000 fine.

Award-winning food writer Corby Kummer joined Boston Public Radio on Tuesday, highlighting the Biden administration’s revision in nutrition standards for SNAP. The changes made to the food stamps program are the largest in its history. The U.S. Department of Agriculture specifically revised the Thrifty Food Plan, which is a list of two dozen food groups that the government uses to estimate a low-cost, healthy diet. The Thrifty Food Plan remains largely unchanged since its creation in the early 1960s, and has only been adjusted for inflation. “Republicans and Democrats said, ‘go back to the drawing board — diets have changed, food availability has changed — what is the thrifty meal plan of today?’” Kummer said. 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.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We start the show by talking with listeners about President Joe Biden’s handling of U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. Trenni Kusnierek talks about the return of COVID-19 safety precautions at sports stadiums, and racist harassment towards Los Angeles Angels player Shohei Ohtani. She also remembers the life of former Bruins player Jimmy Hayes. Kusnierek is a reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. David Scharfenberg shares the latest news from Boston’s mayoral race, giving his analysis of where the candidates stand as the mayoral preliminary election approaches. Scharfenberg is an editorial writer and staff writer for the Globe’s Ideas section. Rep. Jake Auchincloss weighs in on the Biden administration’s response to the fall of the Afghan government. Rep. Auchincloss is the Democratic congressman representing Massachusetts’ 4th Congressional District. Corby Kummer explains how some low-income Americans are grappling with their reliance on dollar stores for food as store prices increase, and the Biden administration’s revisions to the SNAP program. He also talks about GPS app Waze’s partnership with food waste app Too Good to Go. 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. Summer L. Williams highlights the American Repertory Theater and the Arnold Arboretum’s outdoor theatrical project titled “The Arboretum Experience.” Williams is director of “The Arboretum Experience.” She’s also co-founder and associate artistic director of Company One Theatre. We wrap up the show by asking listeners how they’re adjusting their lives as COVID-19 cases rise again.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Attorney General Maura Healey discusses her lawsuit against the Boston Police Department over its refusal to provide internal affairs records on former Boston Police Commissioner Dennis White, and shares her thoughts on Gov. Charlie Baker’s decision to mandate vaccines for Executive Department employees. She also answers listeners’ calls. Michael J. Bobbitt explains how the arts and culture sector weathered the pandemic, and talks about what the future of performing arts spaces could look like as more venues reopen. Bobbitt is the executive director of the Mass Cultural Council. We then play the All Rev’d Up podcast episode “Blackness and Cultural Appropriation.” Next, we talk with listeners about Amazon’s bid to get a warehouse distribution center in Boston. Ethan Murrow shares the process behind his wall drawing “The Greenhouse,” which references the old-growth forests that once covered Cape Cod. Murrow is the contemporary artist behind “The Greenhouse,” which is on view at the Cahoon Museum of American Art through Oct. 3. We end the show by asking listeners if they were comfortable returning to performing arts venues as COVID-19 cases rise.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Michelle Singletary explains why she believes remote working should become a permanent employee benefit, and talks about how the extension of the eviction moratorium impacts renters. Singletary is a nationally syndicated columnist for The Washington Post, whose award-winning column, "The Color of Money," provides insight into the world of personal finance. Congressman Seth Moulton shares his thoughts on President Joe Biden’s response to the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, calling on the administration to do more to protect Afghan allies and refugees. Congressman Moulton represents Massachusetts’ 6th Congressional district. Then, we ask listeners how their lives would change if remote working and the Child Tax Credit became permanent benefits. Rudy Hypolite and Robert Lewis Jr. discusses the Emmy-nominated documentary “This Ain’t Normal,” which looks at gang-involved youth in Boston and the organizations trying to change their lives. Hypolite is an award-winning independent filmmaker and director of the documentary “This Ain’t Normal.” Lewis is the founder of the nonprofit The BASE. David Abel talks about the U.N.’s climate report, explaining what a change in climate could look like for Boston. He also discusses how low-income neighborhoods in Boston experience hotter temperatures compared to high-income areas. Abel is a Pulitzer-prize winning writer who covers the environment for the Boston Globe. Next, we open the phone lines, talking with listeners about Mike Richards’ decision to step down as host of “Jeopardy!”. Ryan Landry shares what the past few months has been like for him as a performer, and talks about music from his album “The Vamps.” Ryan Landry is a Playwright, lyricist, actor and founder of the Gold Dust Orphans theatrical company. His new album is “The Vamps.”

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd updates us on the latest political headlines, from President Joe Biden’s handling of U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan to California’s recall election. 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. Then, we open the phone lines, talking with listeners about COVID-19 booster shots. Andrea Cabral discusses the death of Stephanie Gerardi, who was shot and killed by a Saugus Police officer responding to a mental health call. She also talks about the verbal altercation between Larry David and Alan Dershowitz in Martha’s Vineyard. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety. She’s currently the CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Nancy Schön shares the process behind her latest sculpture, which is based on Edward Lear’s poem, “The Owl and the Pussy Cat.” Schön’s latest public art installation is titled “Diversity — The Owl and the Pussy Cat.” It’s at the Nonquit Street Green at Upham’s Corner in Dorchester. Her latest book is “Ducks on Parade!” Paul Reville explains how schools are preparing for the upcoming school year amid the rise of the Delta variant, arguing that schools should have multiple contingency plans in place. Reville is the former Massachusetts secretary of education, and a professor at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, where he also heads the Education Redesign Lab. His latest book, co-authored with Elaine Weiss, is: "Broader, Bolder, Better: How Schools And Communities Help Students Overcome The Disadvantages Of Poverty.” Rep. Richard Neal discusses President Biden’s response to the Taliban toppling the Afghan government, and the fate of the infrastructure bill as it heads to the House of Representatives. Rep. Neal is Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee. He represents Massachusetts’ 1st Congressional District. We end the show by asking listeners how they felt about Disney’s Genie+, which allows Disney park visitors to pay for the ability to skip lines.