Boston Public Radio

IKEA has shared it's Swedish meatball recipe online, as it's stores remain closed during the coronavirus pandemic.

The national security expert said the president's executive order would have a negligible impact, and accused him of pandering to his base.

The MIT economist proposed creating a “care corps” program to bring more workers to the nation’s sorely under-staffed nursing homes.

When COVID-19 was ramping up in America, the United States sent millions of masks to China.

A new documentary highlights the civil rights issues at the center of the drug lab scandals, and the broader war on drugs.

The GroundTruth CEO commended the work of female leaders and healthcare workers abroad and at home.

Michelle Singletary, nationally syndicated personal finance columnist at the Washington Post, said she faced a lot of questions about her credentials when she was first hired. So she pulled her editor aside and asked him point blank, was she hired because she’s Black? The answer her editor gave herShe was, but like all things, it’s more complicated. “I hired you because you’re Black, I hired you because you’re young. I hired you because you were raised in a low income household so you know what it means not to have a lot of money. I hired you because you have a Masters’ Degree,’” Singletary recalled her editor telling her. “He said ‘I hired you for the totality of who you are,’ ... I get teared up now when I think about it, because he said ‘I didn’t want you to run away from your Blackness.’” That’s where Singletary’s latest series, Sincerely Michelle, starts: affirmative action. Part memoir, part history lesson, the series breaks down misconceptions about race and finance through letters to readers. She tackles reparations, misconceptions about Black people and their investment in education, criticisms about the way people of color spend their money, and so much more about the Black American experience. “I wanted to write these letters to let people know there are people behind these statistics,” she said. “I get that you don’t understand this, so let me walk you through this stuff, let me put it in context so that we can have a candid conversation and try to fix these things.” Reflecting on 2020 — a year filled with protest for racial equality and police reform against the backdrop of a deadly pandemic — Singletary said she has hope that America is ready to have the tough conversations that are necessary for change. Singletary said the comments section on her columns were turned off, because of racist messages, but she left her email for people to reach out. “Some of the things I received were so vile, and so horrible that I cannot imagine that it’s 2020 and people still think this way,” she said. “There were days, I just sat at my desk, slumped, and cried, like ‘I cannot believe you think I’m so different because of the color of my skin.’” But, Singletary said she also received comments from white Americans thanking her for making their own micro-aggressions and racism clear to them, and helping to start conversations about race. “So, I actually do have some hope.” Michelle Singletary is personal finance columnist for the Washington Post. Author of "The 21 Day Financial Fast." Her column "The Color of Money" is syndicated in newspapers across the country.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Adam Reilly discusses his reporting on scholastic sports during the era of COVID, and the pressure on local-level leaders around whether or not to postpone basketball and hockey seasons as Mass. returns to phase three, step one of Gov. Baker's reopening plan. We open lines to talk with listeners about your experiences with scholastic sports during the pandemic. Ali Noorani, CEO of the National Immigration Forum, discusses conclusions drawn Tuesday by Mass. A.G. Maura Healey that Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson violated the civil rights of immigrant detainees. He also weighs in on a recently-filed court case out of Texas that’s threatening the future of DACA. Medical ethicist Art Caplan talks about the latest news on the COVID-19 vaccine front, reflecting on how the world’s richest nations have already bought up much the supply. He also offers his take on right-wing criticism of First Lady-elect Jill Biden using "Dr." in her title. Next, we return to listeners, opening lines to talk about your feelings around the upcoming snowstorm. CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem discusses the importance of setting up fair expectations for the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines, issues with vaccine skepticism, and explains what's publicly known about a recent string of Russian hacks against several federal U.S. agencies. Journalist and naturalist Sy Montgomery closes out Wednesday’s show by discussing her work patrolling Cape Cod beaches to help protect cold-stunned sea turtles, recapping a dramatic swan rescue in New York City, and explaining the bizarre ways that bees are protecting themselves against murder hornets.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We open lines to talk about the latest round of pandemic rollbacks in Mass., asking: is this the right thing to do? NBC Sports Boston anchor and reporter Trenni Kusnierek talks about the economic consequences of the truncated, physically distanced year in professional and collegiate sports, Celtics player Jaylen Brown getting named a “Bostonian of the Year” by the Boston Globe, and the Cleveland Indians’ announcement that they're going to change their name. Self-described “transit nerds” Jim Aloisi and Chris Dempsey talk about the ramifications of the MBTA board's approval of severe pandemic-related service cuts, and offer their takes on President-elect Biden's best options for transportation secretary. Behavioral economist Michael Norton talks about the science behind people's decision making processes, and why we have a tendency to turn down opportunities even when there’s nothing to lose. Boston Globe cannabis reporter Dan Adams discusses the latest news on the state of cannabis in Mass., four years after voters elected to legalize marijuana, including the opening of the first legal pot shop in Hyde Park, head by a former Boston firefighter and a Roxbury-based activist. He also touches on what he’s expecting from the incoming Biden administration on the question of federal cannabis legalization. CNN’s John King discusses the latest political headlines out of Washington, including Monday’s electoral college vote confirming President-elect Joe Biden’s November win, and President Trump’s announcement that Bill Barr will be stepping down in his final month as A.G. We close out Tuesday's show by returning to listeners, asking: what are you saying "good riddance" to as we head out of 2020?

Today on Boston Public Radio: We start the week off by opening lines and asking listeners: after Monday’s electoral vote, should the media stop covering President Trump’s legal efforts to challenge November’s election results? Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart offers news on The Boston Pops’ virtual holiday concert for 2020, and discusses the complicated logistics of putting on a safe and festive show, which is available through January 9. Dr. Rebecca Weintraub explains the U.S.’ current vaccine distribution plan, with inoculations beginning on Monday for frontline healthcare workers and long-care health facility staff. Weintrau heads Ariadne Labs' Vaccine Delivery initiative, and also helped create the New York Time’s “Find your Place in the Vaccine Line” tool. Boston Globe travel writer Christopher Muther talks about some best practices for spurned travels looking to get refunds and rebates after pandemic-related cancellations. He also touches on a DOT crackdown on emotional support animals, and how President-elect Joe Biden’s win might boost U.S. tourism. Irene Monroe and Emmett Price, hosts of GBH’s All Rev’d Up, discuss COVID vaccine skepticism in the Black community, the legacy of 98 year-old civil rights activist Gloria Richardson, and their indifference to ongoing debate around President-elect Biden’s Catholic faith. TV expert Bob Thompson reviews NBC’s widely-panned “Grinch the Musical,” HBO Max’s “Love Boat,” and that 15 minute KFC ad featuring Mario Lopez, “A Recipe for Seduction.” We end Monday's show by returning to listeners to talk about the conflicting reality of “streamer burnout,” as the U.S. heads into month nine of the coronavirus pandemic.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Rep. Ayanna Pressley discusses Gov. Charlie Baker’s decision to send the Mass. police reform bill back to legislators, racial disparities with facial recognition software, and what she’s doing to confront the country’s ongoing eviction crisis. We open our lines to talk with listeners about the recently-approved Pfizer vaccine and ask: are you eager to get one? Beat the Press host Emily Rooney celebrates the (temporary) death of the office party, and reads a monopoly-themed list of fixations and fulminations. CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem gives a reality-check on the rollout timeline for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, which was approved for distribution on Thursday by the FDA. Media maven Sue O’Connell talks about recent reporting on the cognitive decline of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and the ensuing questions about aging public officials. Former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety Andrea Cabral discusses the 106 Congressional Republicans backing a Texas lawsuit to overturn President-elect Biden’s win in the 2020 election, and Gov. Baker’s refusal to sign the Mass. police reform bill. Under the Radar host Callie Crossley weighs in on the police killing of 23 year-old Casey Goodson, a new Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor highlighting Colin Kaepernick’s activism, and hints at some of her secrets to making the perfect deviled egg.