Boston Public Radio

The COVID-19 pandemic appears to be disproportionately impacting communities of color, according to limited national data that has been released.

The inaugurial poet read some of his own work, along with pieces by Bill Collins, James Tate, and Naomi Shihab Nye.

Farmers are experiencing an abundance problem that's leading to waste.

Pollution in New Delhi, India is at the lowest levels it's been in years.

The TV expert commended the show’s creators for pulling off the new format.

The former Patriot opened up to the radio host about his relationship with the team, head coach Bill Belichick and President Trump.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We open phone lines to talk with listeners about Gov. Baker’s loosening of COVID restrictions in Massachusetts, and whether the state is ready. Media maven Sue O’Connell talks about Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Feb. 2 Instagram live where she revealed she’s a victim of sexual assault, and the subsequent backlash she faced for it. She also discusses President Biden’s foreign policy memo on global LGBT rights, and the significance of having several openly LGBT officials serve in his administration. Beat the Press host Emily Rooney talks about MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell’s chaotic Tuesday appearance on NewsMax, and Tom Brady’s “Mean Tweets” segment on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Tech writer Andy Ihnatko explains some of the ways that Gov. Baker’s vaccine website could have been more user-friendly. He also weighs in on a new user privacy feature from Apple, and how tech giants like Facebook are responding. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, offers her views on the necessary steps to safely bring teachers back to school for in-person learning, including the question of whether teacher vaccination ought to be top-priority. Mass. Senator Elizabeth Warren makes her case for the cancellation of student loan debt in order to move the needle on racial equity, and boost the U.S. economy. She also shares her thoughts on congressional members refusing to wear masks, and the ongoing Wall Street-GameStop saga. Food writer Corby Kummer explains how Gov. Baker’s capacity increase for state businesses might impact local restaurants, and the new safety guidelines restaurants must follow. He also talks about his hopes for the Biden administration on issues like food assistance programs and climate science.

The Gloucester House is, like a number of local restaurants during this harsh COVID winter, on hiatus. But its private function hall is far from empty, food policy writer Corby Kummer told Boston Public Radio on Friday. The restaurant has opened its doors to the Grace Shelter, to provide a warm haven for local people who are experiencing homelessness. “They’re showing the way for local businesses to use their facilities for good, when organizations have lost their facilities,” said Kummer. Kummer is 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: NBC “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd discusses dual House GOP votes on the standings of Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Liz Cheney, news on the latest incoming COVID-19 relief bill, and former President Trump’s upcoming Senate impeachment trial. Next, we open phone lines to talk about listeners’ love-hate relationships with Facebook. Former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety Andrea Cabral discusses Wednesday’s suspension of Boston Police Commissioner Dennis White over domestic abuse allegations, and argues for better accountability in local police forces. She also talks about the connections between gun culture, the Confederate flag, and white supremacy. Harvard Business School behavioral economist Michael Norton talks about his research on how near-death experiences change people’s lives. We then talk with listeners about their near-death experiences and how these experiences have – or haven’t – changed their own lives. CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem discusses how the FBI’s investigation into coordinated attacks on the Capitol are unfolding. She also talks about how preparations for the Tokyo Olympics are going, in spite of COVID-19. Huntington Theater managing director Michael Maso talks about the upcoming GBH/Mass Restaurant Association radio play Tiger Style, and the process of putting together a play in quarantine. We close the show by asking listeners how they’ll be spending their Super Bowl Sunday, pandemic-style.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Rep. Richard Neal discusses the latest updates on the next COVID-19 stimulus bill, and former President Trump’s Senate impeachment trial. He also weighs in on the epidemic of conspiracy theories affecting politics, and speaks about his experience during the Jan. 6 Capitol siege. MIT economist Jonathan Gruber breaks down how Redditors influenced the stock market by buying up GameStop stocks, and explains similarities between buying stocks and gambling. We open phone lines to listeners to speak with Gruber about the stock market, and last week’s GameStop short squeeze. Medical ethicist Art Caplan talks about the ethics of who should be prioritized in vaccine distribution, the lack of vaccination sites located in communities of color, and highlights the need for government to do a better job of building trust among vaccine skeptics. Environmentalist and 350.org founder Bill McKibben discusses how President Biden is emphasizing climate action in his executive actions, and the ways some major car manufacturers like GM are following suit. He also speaks about the fossil fuel industry’s decades-long practice of suppressing research on the impact of fossil fuel emissions. Washington Post columnist Michelle Singletary explains how government-funded “baby bonds” could be a way to achieve racial and financial equity. She also talks about the health disparities facing communities of color, the need for prison reform, and the upcoming tax season. We close out the show by talking with listeners about your experiences with the Mass. vaccine rollout.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin by talking with listeners about how much you think President Biden ought to negotiate with the GOP on the upcoming COVID-19 stimulus package. NBC Sports Boston reporter and anchor Trenni Kusnierek discusses racial reckoning in the world of sports, touching on former MLB player Tommy Harper’s experience of racial bias in his neighborhood, and the disparity in football coaching opportunities for people of color. She also talks about Red Sox second-baseman Dustin Pedroia’s plans to retire. Carol Rose from the Mass. ACLU talks about the organization’s unprecedented decision to call for the impeachment of former President Trump a second time. She also discusses the potential disbarment of Rudy Giuliani from the New York State Bar Association, and the legal complexities of big tech’s de-platforming of Donald Trump. Filmmaker Jane McMullen discusses the new FRONTLINE/BBC documentary collaboration, China’s COVID Secrets, which looks at the Chinese government’s initial response to COVID-19. Next, we open up phone lines to talk with listeners about Groundhog Day, and how you’re breaking up the monotony of quarantine. CNN’s John King broke down the latest headlines around former President Trump’s Senate impeachment trial, President Biden’s negotiations with the GOP on a forthcoming stimulus package, and whether politicians like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene are the future of the GOP. Boston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung talks about how local companies are investing in COVID-19 tests to get employees back to work, and local restaurants that are creating subscription services to stay afloat through the pandemic.