Boston Public Radio

Middlesex Sheriff Peter Koutoujian said they have banned visits and limited programming in an effort to keep inmates safe and healthy.

President Donald Trump’s handling of the spread of COVID-19 has earned criticism from some who think the president has not acted swiftly enough to prevent the virus' spread.

The “Under the Radar” host said difficult conversations are the best way to confront the realities of racism.

"We need uniformity," Attorney General Maura Healey said, urging the state to ease rules around testing, lab licensing and unemployment insurance.

Two local bartenders brought the spirit of St. Patrick's Day to the studio.

Event cancellations, due to coronavirus concerns, will impact businesses and workers.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Michael Curry and Jennifer Nassour bring back our politics roundtable, weighing in on the governor’s race and what successful voter engagement would look like. Curry is chair of the NAACP Advocacy and Policy Committee, and is president and CEO of the Mass League of Community Health Centers. Nassour is former chair of the Massachusetts Republican party, and co-founder and president of the Pocketbook Project, a nonprofit geared toward getting women elected to public office. Then, we ask listeners their thoughts on the decision to ban runners from Russia and Belarus from the Boston Marathon. EJ Dionne updates listeners on the latest national politics headlines, including on the state of political polarization and the national response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Dionne is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. His latest book is “Code Red: How Progressives and Moderates Can Unite to Save Our Country.” Dan Adams weighs in on the latest news from the cannabis industry, including reports that the quality of marijuana in Massachusetts ranks lower than other states, and changing laws that could lead to cannabis cafes. Adams is a cannabis reporter and author of the “This Week in Weed” newsletter for the Boston Globe. The Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III react to Pope Francis’ speech at Palm Sunday Mass, and the growing religious fervor on the American right. Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist and the Boston voice for Detour’s African American Heritage Trail. Price is founding pastor of Community of Love Christian Fellowship in Allston, and the inaugural dean of Africana Studies at Berklee College of Music. Together they host the All Rev’d Up podcast. Seema Tikare recommends spring wines as the summer gets warmer, weighs in on corks versus screw tops and discusses other news from the wine industry. Tikare is a wine expert who has taught at Commonwealth Wine School and now runs her own wine website, thepremiercru.com. We end the show by asking listeners whether they prefer wine or marijuana.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by opening phone lines, talking with listeners about the loosening of office dress codes. Bill McKibben talks about the International Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) latest report on climate change. McKibben is an author, educator and environmentalist. He’s the founder of 350.org and ThirdAct.org. He has a new newsletter on Substack titled “The Crucial Years.” He’s also got a new, serialized book titled “The Other Cheek: An Epic Nonviolent Yarn.” Callie Crossley discusses the confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, and dives into National Poetry Month ahead of this weekend’s Under the Radar. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black. Jim Aloisi and Stacey Thompson share their thoughts on Mayor Michelle Wu’s moves to electrify MBTA buses, and explain how public transit factors into the IPCC’s 2022 climate change report. Aloisi is the former Massachusetts transportation secretary, a member of the Transit Matters board and contributor to Commonwealth Magazine. Thompson is executive director of Livable Streets. Ming Tsai and Ken Oringer talk about their upcoming dinner fundraiser for Ukraine, in which they’ve already raised $400,000. Chef Ken Oringer is the James Beard Award-winning chef and partner behind restaurants Uni, Toro, Coppa and Little Donkey. This spring, Oringer and his business partner – chef and restaurateur Jamie Bissonnette – are opening their first new concept in six years, Italian restaurant Faccia Brutta. Chef Ming Tsai, a James Beard & Emmy Award-Winning chef, chef and partner at BaBa at Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, chairman of the National Advisory Board with Family Reach, and host of PBS-TV's “Simply Ming.” Sue O’Connell discusses Elon Musk’s appointment to Twitter’s board of directors, and shares her thoughts on Louis C.K.’s controversial Grammy win. 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 asking listeners what they believe marks the arrival of spring.

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.