Boston Public Radio

A key ritual to the Christian belief cannot be performed unless done in person, Alex Beam said.

Boston can't afford a second wave of COVID-19 cases, the mayor said.

The host of “Rick Steves’ Europe” joined Boston Public Radio for the first-ever edition of “Day Tripping with Rick Steves"

As of this week, all 50 states are in some form of partial reopening.

The pandemic hindered last minute attempts to get a possibly innocent man pardoned, Andrea Cabral says.

The governor says the state can handle 30,000 tests a day, but data show the number of tests being processed still falls far short of that.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners their experiences with student loans, after the Biden Administration announced plans to extend the pause on federal repayments through August. Jon Gruber reflects on his experiences working on the Affordable Care act 12 years ago, and what he thinks should be done to improve health coverage in the U.S. Gruber was instrumental in creating both the Massachusetts healthcare 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.” Andrea Cabral responds to the news of no criminal charges for the police officers who killed Amir Locke, and a Chicopee school superintendent arrested on charges of lying about alleged threats sent via anonymous text messages. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety, and former CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Chuck Todd updates listeners on the latest political headlines, including his opinion on student loan forgiveness and Senate votes for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson. 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. Governor Charlie Baker and Juliette Kayyem discuss Kayyem’s latest book, “The Devil Never Sleeps: Learning to Live in an Age of Disasters,” and how to best prepare for disasters. Baker is Governor of Massachusetts. Kayyem was formerly an assistant secretary for homeland security under President Barack Obama, now the faculty chair of the homeland security program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Then, Baker answers questions from listeners, including on the state of COVID vaccinations, how Massachusetts is supporting Ukraine and other refugees and the fate of sports betting legislation.

People are worried about the future of Route 1 landmark Kowloon after co-owner Bobby Wong announced the pan-Asian restaurant will be downsizing its 1,200-seat space to 350 seats in order to add two residential buildings to the lot. “If you miss [Kowloon], go now — [but] that's not going to save it,” food writer Corby Kummer told Boston Public Radio on Tuesday. “The Wong family … has been eyeing real estate development for years.” “After the first phase of housing development, the Wong family seems to have gotten approved after years,” he continued. “This is not a quick process. They've gone through many, many housing review boards, then they might raze the whole thing. Who knows if they'll have a nostalgic building in its place?” Read more of the story here.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners whether they’re moving on with normal life, or continuing to take COVID precautions. Thais Rocha talks about her effort to start a lesbian and nonbinary bar in Boston, why she thinks queer spaces have been on the decline in recent years and her work to create LGBTQ community. Thais Rocha is co-founder of LGBTQ Nightlife Events Then, we talk with listeners about their favorite LGBTQ spaces. Daniel Pavlotsky discusses his work with Boston Aide for Ukraine, which sends supplies to support Ukrainian soldiers fighting the Russian invasion. Pavlotsky is co-founder of Boston Aide for Ukraine. Marcela Garcia explains the U.S. government’s use of Title 42, an act that turned away asylum seekers without due process claiming public health concerns, and what its upcoming expiration this spring means for immigrants. Marcela García is an associate editor and columnist for the Globe’s op-ed page. Eric Deggans weighs in on the latest in television, including the launch of CNN’s streaming service CNN+ and the return of “Atlanta.” Eric Deggans is NPR’s TV critic and author of the book “Race-Baiter, How the Media Wields Dangerous Words to Divide a Nation.” Christopher Muther shares travel tips, including JetBlue’s new direct flights from Boston to London, Spirit and Frontier airlines merging and a small Cape Cod hotel turning into a large resort. Muther is a travel writer for the Boston Globe. We end the show by talking with listeners about the competitive housing market for buyers.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners what their “third place” – a place to go besides home and work – was throughout the pandemic. Trenni Kusnierek talks about Tiger Woods’ return to the Masters Tournament, and this year’s March Madness winners. Kusnierek is an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Boston. She's also a BPR contributor. Lee Pelton discusses guaranteed basic income programs, the possibility of reparations in Boston and the Boston Foundation’s new strategic vision. Pelton is the president and CEO of The Boston Foundation. Corby Kummer weighs in on Route 1 icon Kowloon downsizing, debates over outdoor dining in the North End and the role of lard in cooking. 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. Carol Rose shares her thoughts on Attorney General Merrick Garland’s approach to the Jan. 6 committee and the statehouse’s report on the use of facial recognition. Rose is the executive director of the ACLU of Massachusetts. John King updates us on the latest political headlines, including recent news from Ukraine and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin’s announcement that she will be running for Congress. King is CNN's Chief National Correspondent and anchor of "Inside Politics,” which airs weekdays and Sunday mornings at 8 a.m. We end the show by talking with listeners about the changing appearance of Route 1.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners for their thoughts on office friendships as people return to work after so much time working remotely. Tetiana Litus and Vsevolod Petriv share their efforts to support their home country of Ukraine from abroad, and why they think the U.S. should do more to support refugees. Petriv is president of the Boston branch of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America. Litus is a 24-year-old Ukrainian who just moved to the U.S. a few months ago. Callie Crossley discusses President Joe Biden finally signing an anti-lynching bill into law after nearly 100 years of attempts, and Steph and Ayesha Curry’s latest venture into 150 little libraries in under-resourced parts of Oakland, California. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black. Andy Ihnatko explains developments at the EU to reign in big tech companies, and Facebook’s partnership with GOP consultants to generate bad press for TikTok. Ihnatko is a tech writer and blogger, posting at Ihnatko.com. Emma Choi talks about how her dorm room NPR show, “Everyone and their Mom,” came to be, and the struggles of women comedians in the changing comedy environment. Choi is the host of the NPR podcast “Everyone & Their Mom.” Sue O’Connell weighs in on Amazon's union busting and the first successful Amazon union vote, Caitlyn Jenner becoming a Fox News contributor and Bruce Willis stepping away from acting due to his recent diagnosis of aphasia. O’Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and South End News, and contributor to Current, on NBC L-X and NECN. We end the show by talking with listeners about their favorite April Fools Day pranks.