Boston Public Radio

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.

The “Beat the Press” host also read a coronavirus-themed edition of her weekly list of fixations and fulminations.

Today on Boston Public Radio: EJ Dionne talked about the For the People Act, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) rejection of two Republican appointees to a select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capital attacks. He also remembers the life and legacy of civil rights activist Bob Moses. Dionne is a columnist for The Washington Post and a senior fellow at The Brookings Institution. His latest book is "Code Red: How Progressives And Moderates Can Unite To Save Our Country.” Then, we open the phone lines, talking with listeners about rising COVID-19 cases across the nation. Charlie Sennott discusses his experiences in Kabul after the withdrawal of U.S. troops. He also shares his thoughts on Afghanistan’s future as the Taliban gains more ground. Sennott is a GBH News analyst and the founder and CEO of The GroundTruth Project. Adam Reilly and Saraya Wintersmith updates us on the latest news from the Boston mayoral race and Massachusetts gubernatorial race, focusing on Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins’ nomination for U.S. Attorney of Massachusetts and Acting Mayor Kim Janey’s handling of the Patrick Rose case. Reilly is co-host of GBH’s Politics podcast, “The Scrum.” Wintersmith covers Boston City Hall for GBH. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III weigh in on Naomi Osaka lighting the Olympic torch, and Facebook’s outreach to faith groups. They also share their memories of the late civil rights activist Bob Moses. Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist, the Boston voice for Detour’s African American Heritage Trail, and a visiting researcher in the Religion and Conflict Transformation Program at the Boston University School of Theology. Price is the founding pastor of Community of Love Christian Fellowship in Allston. Together, they host GBH’s All Rev’d Up podcast. Sara Hendren explains how public spaces have been redefined during the pandemic, and shares how cities and institutions can design space to be more accessible and cost-effective. Hendren is an artist, a design researcher and a professor at Olin College of Engineering. She’s also the author of “What Can a Body Do?: How We Meet the Built World.” We end the show by asking listeners what changes they would like to see in their neighborhood, post-pandemic.

Today on Boston Public Radio: District Attorney Rachael Rollins discusses investigations into the attack of Rabbi Shlomo Noginski in Brighton, and the shooting in Winthrop that claimed the lives of Air Force veteran Ramona Cooper and retired state trooper David Green. She also talks about her plans to review drug cases that may have been compromised by mismanagement at the William A. Hinton State Laboratory Institute. Rollins is the district attorney for Suffolk County. Next, we open the phone lines, asking listeners how they feel about the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Shirley Leung talks about the Massachusetts legislature’s push to legalize sports betting in the state, and explained how employers are relying on improved MBTA service to bring people back into the office. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe. Roger Bennett shares his experience growing up in Liverpool, and why he relates more to the U.S. than his home country of England. Bennett is the co-host of The Men In Blazers podcast and NBC show. His memoir is “(Re)Born in the USA: An Englishman's Love Letter to His Chosen Home.” Andris Nelsons talks about the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s return to Tanglewood, and the highlights of the orchestra’s summer season. Nelsons is Music Director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. Sue O’Connell shares her thoughts on Mississippi calling on the Supreme Court to formally overturn Roe v. Wade, and Ivanka Trump’s involvement in the Trump Organization. She also talks about the first trans model to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue, Leyna Bloom. 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. We end the show by talking with listeners about their favorite appetizers, following Thursday’s discussion of the potential return of happy hour to Massachusetts.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We start the show by opening phone lines, talking with listeners about the potential return of happy hour. Jenifer McKim shares the latest installment of the investigative series “Unseen,” explaining how dating apps like Grindr perpetuate the abuse, assault, and trafficking of underage boys. McKim is an investigative reporter with the GBH News Center for Investigative Reporting. Andrea Cabral discusses the criminal charges against former State Police Captain James Coughlin and his wife, Leslie, after teenager Alonzo J. Polk IV drowned at a high school graduation party hosted by the couple. She also shares her thoughts on the Biden administration legal team deciding that incarcerated individuals released from prison over COVID-19 concerns must return post-pandemic. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety. She’s currently the CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Bruce Marks talks about the current state of housing in Massachusetts, and the upcoming expiration of the federal eviction moratorium. Marks is the CEO and founder of NACA, the nation’s largest Housing and Urban Development-certified nonprofit. Paul Reville weighs in on recommendations that kids wear masks in schools regardless of vaccination status, and the Boston School Committee’s approval of changes to the exam school admission process. Reville is the former Massachusetts secretary of education, and a professor at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, where he also heads the Education Redesign Lab. His latest book, co-authored with Elaine Weiss, is: "Broader, Bolder, Better: How Schools And Communities Help Students Overcome The Disadvantages Of Poverty.” Andy Ihnatko talks about the FTC voting unanimously to enforce the right to repair, and shares his thoughts on the team behind the Anthony Bourdain documentary “Roadrunner” deepfaking the late writer’s voice. Ihnatko is a tech writer and blogger, posting at Ihnatko.com. We wrap up the show by asking listeners if we can no longer have a carefree summer due to COVID-19 and extreme weather related to climate change.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by opening phone lines, talking with listeners about the Child Tax Credit. Dr. Joseph Cooper explains the history of protest at the Olympics, following the International Olympic Committee urging athletes to remain politically neutral during the Tokyo games. Dr. Cooper is the inaugural J. Keith Motley Endowed Chair for Sport Leadership and Administration at UMass Boston. Juliette Kayyem discusses former President Donald Trump’s recent statement on the Jan. 6 Capitol attacks, and the end to recovery efforts at the Champlain South Towers. Kayyem is an analyst for CNN, former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security and faculty chair of the homeland security program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Art Caplan weighs in on the return of mask mandates as COVID-19 cases rise nationwide, and misinformation surrounding vaccines on social media. Caplan is director of the Division of Medical Ethics at the New York University School of Medicine. Brandi Castellano and Emelia Povero talk about the decision to offer employees a “day of kindness” after dealing with hostile customers, and share how their business survived the pandemic. Castellano is the co-owner of the farm-to-table restaurant, Apt Cape Cod. Povero is the front-of-house restaurant manager. Brian McGrory highlights the latest headlines from the Globe, focusing on Jack Thomas’ essay on his terminal cancer diagnosis and the status of Acting Mayor Kim Janey’s investigation into former Boston Police Union head Patrick Rose. McGrory is the editor-in-chief of the Boston Globe. We wrap up the show by asking listeners what pre-pandemic artifacts they’ve found upon returning to the office.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We open the show by talking with listeners about the return of mask mandates. Christopher Muther talks about the Winthrop High School students behaving badly on American Airlines Flight 893. He also discusses the opening of the ‘Quin House, and the LGBTQ+ history behind Rehoboth Beach. Muther is a travel writer and columnist for the Boston Globe. Trenni Kusnierek shares the COVID-19 restrictions she’s encountered thus far in Tokyo in advance of the Olympic games. She also talks about the backlash against Naomi Osaka, who recently opened up about her mental health struggles. Kusnierek is a reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. Barbara Roessner discusses the founding of The New Bedford Light, and shares her thoughts on the state of local news coverage. Roessner is the founding editor of The New Bedford Light. Jonathan Martinis explains the history and laws behind conservatorships, calling for states to adopt laws on supported decision-making (SDM). Martinis is Senior Director for Law and Policy with the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University. John King updates us on the latest political headlines, from investigations into the Jan. 6 Capitol riots to rising COVID-19 cases. King is CNN's Chief National Correspondent and anchor of "Inside Politics,” which airs weekdays and Sunday mornings at 8 a.m. We wrap up the show by asking listeners for their thoughts on Blue Origins’ launch into space.