Boston Public Radio

Sens. Edward Markey, Bernie Sanders, and Kamala Harris are pushing for recurring stimulus checks during the coronavirus pandemic.

The “Meet the Press” moderator said Americans in rural states are underestimating the degree to which the disease will impact them.

The heated arguments may hurt an unprecedented unity between two sides of the criminal justice system

James Taylor's new audiobook memoir is 'wonderful,' Beam says.

President Donald Trump said he will begin focusing national efforts on reopening the economy.

The homeland security expert said the looming storms will likely make it more difficult to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by talking with listeners about President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 package. Michelle Singletary discusses how this year’s tax season could play out with the addition of stimulus checks. She also talks about the new Netflix show, “Marriage or Mortgage.” 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. Trenni Kusnierek speaks about Maia Chaka making history as the first Black woman to serve as an NFL game official, and allegations of sexism at the Golf Channel. Kusnierek is an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. Bob Thompson recaps Oprah’s interview with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. He also shares his thoughts on the Disney+ series “WandaVision.” Thompson is the founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture and a professor of television and popular culture at the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. Dr. Katherine Gergen Barnett weighs in on Gov. Charlie Baker’s plans to reopen Massachusetts, and vaccine inequity in the state. She also responds to questions and comments from listeners. Gergen Barnett teaches in the Department of Family Medicine at Boston Medical Center and Boston University Medical School.

Food writer Corby Kummer spoke to Boston Public Radio on Thursday about how H-E-B grocery stores supported community members in Texas during the severe power outage that swept the state last month. “It has enormous brand halo because in times of crisis when there’s no power, there they are with bread, milk, and eggs,” he said. “Supermarket chains - if they’ve got good supply chains and have labor policies that will encourage labor to come in and brave the elements - can get enormous goodwill.” Walmart became a community center after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans back in 2005. “Only Walmart was open, post-Katrina, and they bought themselves a tremendous amount of goodwill by being there when city and government services were not,” Kummer said. “And that’s the case with H-E-B during the recent Texas power outages.” 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: John Barros discusses his entry into Boston’s mayoral race, and how small businesses are struggling to make ends meet during the pandemic. Barros is the former chief of economic development for the Walsh administration, and candidate for mayor. Next, we ask listeners what they were looking forward to returning to the most when the pandemic ends. Sue O’Connell talks about the scandals facing Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Massachusetts State Police Col. Christopher Mason. She also explains how virtual public meetings are upending politics. 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. Mayor Joe Curtatone explains why he decided to not seek reelection after serving nine terms as mayor of Somerville. He also speaks about Gov. Charlie Baker’s vaccine rollout. Curtatone is the mayor of Somerville. Senator Ed Markey shares his thoughts on the fate of President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 package as it goes through the Senate. He also discussed the Congressional hearings on the Jan. 6 Capitol siege. Corby Kummer talks about Bridgewater State’s usage of food delivery robots, and two Texas grocery stores’ responses to the end of the state’s mask mandate. He also weighs in on the Gov. Baker’s decision to allow Massachusetts restaurants to open at full capacity. 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. We wrap up the show by talking with listeners about living among robots.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd updates us on the security threats facing the U.S. Capitol Building from conspiracy theorists and militias. He also weighs in on the misconduct scandals facing Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Texas Rep. Ronny 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. Next, we open the phone lines to talk with listeners about their vaccine frustrations. Andrea Cabral discusses the Supreme Court case concerning Arizona’s voting laws, and how it could potentially weaken the Voting Rights Act. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety. She’s currently the CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Jonathan Huggins and Diana Rastegayeva explain how they formed their COVID-19 vaccine assistance site, www.MACovidVaxHelp.com. They also weigh in on Gov. Charlie Baker’s vaccine rollout. Huggins and Rastegayeva are the creators of www.MACovidVaxHelp.com. Andy Ihnatko speaks about Facebook’s decision to bring back political ads to the platform and Google’s elimination of third-party cookies on Chrome. Ihnatko is a tech writer and blogger, posting at Ihnatko.com. Michael Curry shares his thoughts on Massachusetts’ vaccine equity gap, and how the state could bolster vaccine equity. He also argues that medical institutions’ disparate treatment of people of color plays a role in vaccine hesitancy. Curry is the president and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers and a member of Governor Charlie Baker’s COVID Vaccine Advisory Group. He’s also a Member of the National NAACP Board of Directors, and the Chair of the Board’s Advocacy & Policy Committee. We end the show by asking listeners if the pandemic has made them masters of doing nothing.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Jon Gruber argues that we should be grateful for COVID-19 vaccine innovation, as well as why we shouldn’t be hesitant to get vaccinated. He also shares his thoughts on whether employers should require their employees to get vaccinated before returning to work. 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." Next, we opene the phone lines, asking listeners if they could celebrate the scientific achievements of COVID-19 vaccines despite the bumpy vaccine rollout. Art Caplan talks about Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to end the state’s mask mandate, and the religious debate over vaccines. Caplan is the Drs. William F and Virginia Connolly Mitty Chair, and director of the Division of Medical Ethics at the NYU School of Medicine. We hear what listeners had to say about Gov. Baker’s announcement that K-12 teachers, school staff, and childcare workers are now eligible for vaccination. Derek DelGaudio discusses the roles identity and illusion play in his work, and his thought process behind his film, In & Of Itself. DelGaudio is a writer and artist. His latest book is “AMORALMAN: A True Story and Other Lies,” and his film, In & Of Itself, is on Hulu. Shirley Leung explains how the Mass. Department of Unemployment Assistance is struggling to deal with the needs brought on by the pandemic. She also speaks about the new capacity allowances for Mass. restaurants, and the Baker administration’s announcement to prioritize vaccinating K-12 teachers, school staff, and childcare workers. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe.