Boston Public Radio

Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III discussed the two Democratic candidates’ respective endorsements, and what they indicate about underlying support.

Trump has repeatedly contradicted public statements from health officials as the administration tries to shape their response to the new illness.

16 million people have been placed under quarantine in Northern Italy, the center of the country's financial industry.

As COVID-19 continues to spread throughout the world and the United States, news organizations have been delivering constant coverage of the virus’ spread.

The Atlantic writer discussed a simple alternative to dangerous rodenticides.

Gilbert Tsang and Meg Tartasky of Mem Tea Imports joined BPR for our weekly news quiz.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Economist Jonathan Gruber distinguished the 2020 Democratic candidates' healthcare plans from each other. He also took questions from our listeners about how different healthcare plans could affect them. Massachusetts Representative Stephen Lynch discussed gun reform legislation in the wake of the fatal shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio. CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem explained why she believes white supremacism is the greatest terroristic threat to the United States of America. WGBH's executive arts editor Jared Bowen called in from New York City to describe his experience last night during the panic at Times Square. Hundreds of people ran for their lives after mistaking a motorcycle for gunshot. Venezuela and Uruguay have issued travel warning to the U.S. in response to the mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton. We opened the lines to ask our listeners about their safety concerns with traveling in the U.S. MA Representative William Straus and Senator Joseph Boncore discussed the problems within the RMV. Food writer Corby Kummer spoke about everything from faux-guacamole and "Impossible" milk to vegetarians who've become butchers in an attempt to change the meat industry.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened the lines to hear from listeners about how mass shootings are affecting our mental health. NBC Sports reporter Trenni Kusnierek discussed a recent Major League Soccer player's goal celebration decision to grab a field microphone and call on Congress to end gun violence, and the league's decision not to punish him. Chris Dempsey and Jim Aloisi discussed Governor Charlie Baker's transportation bond bill, highlighting aspects where the governor is a leader and where he's falling behind. Dempsey is director of Transportation For Massachusetts. Aloisi is a former Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation and is on the board of TransitMatters. ACLU Executive Director Carol Rose discussed anti-immigration rhetoric coming out of the White House in the aftermath of the El Paso shooting, and what the civil liberties union is doing to protect immigrants rights. Lizzie Post discussed her new book* Higher Etiquette: A Guide to the World of Cannabis, From Dispensaries to Dinner Parties.* We took listener calls again, this time to hear horror stories and odes to the long distance bus ride. Poet Richard Blanco joined us for another edition of Village Voice, and shared a collection of poems to help us “surrender to oblivion” and recenter in the wake of trauma with recent mass shootings. Blanco is the fifth presidential inaugural poet in U.S. history, his new book How To Love A Country deals with various socio-political issues that shadow America.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Sue O'Connell and Joanna Weiss discussed the weekend mass shootings in Ohio and Texas and other national headlines in a political round-table. O'Connell is co-publisher of Bay Windows and South End News, and in-depth politics reporter for NECN. Weiss is editor of Experience, a magazine published by Northeastern University. WGBH News analyst Charlie Sennott looked at how America compares to other nations when it comes to gun deaths, and why mass shooters who espouse white nationalism aren't charged with domestic terrorism in the country. We opened the phone lines to hear from our listeners about where they stand on gun control. Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett Price discussed what rural Christians heard during the Democrat presidential debates. Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist and the Boston voice for Detour’s African American Heritage Trail and a Visiting Researcher in the Religion and Conflict Transformation Program at Boston University School of Theology. Emmett is Professor of Worship, Church & Culture and Founding Executive Director of the Institute for the Study of the Black Christian Experience at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Together they host the All Rev’d Up podcast. TV guru Bob Thompson previewed the American Experiences documentary on Woodstock, and reviewed other media headlines. Thompson is founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture and a Trustee Professor of Television and Popular Culture at the Newhouse School of Public communications at Syracuse. We got an acoustic set from musician Will Dailey, who will perform a series of concerts at Fenway Park this summer.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Congresswoman Katherine Clark discussed what moved her to join other Democrats calling for impeachment against President Donald Trump. We opened the lines to ask our listeners how they feel about the near end of summer. WGBH's Callie Crossley joined us at the WGBH studio at the Boston Public Library to discuss how race was handled in the 2020 Democratic debates. Boston Globe travel writer Christopher Muther explained why some hotels are phasing out min-toiletries. Tech writer Andy Ihnatko spoke about how safe our next election will be from tampering. Boston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung spoke about the racially insensitive cover of yesterday's Boston Herald. Rhett Price and Josh Knowles, aka the Subway Violinists, took part in our weekly news quiz and played us some tunes.

Today on Boston Public Radio: NBC's Chuck Todd joined us on the line to recap the 2020 Democratic debates the past two nights. Did you watch the debate last night or did you decide to tune it out? We opened the lines to ask our listeners about their debate opinions. Criminal justice analyst Andrea Cabral discussed the 2020 Democratic candidates' criminal justice reform plans. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley joined us to discuss President Donald Trump's racist rhetoric and her take on the debates. We opened the lines again to continue the conversation with our listeners about the debates the past two nights. Medical ethicist Art Caplan explained the 2020 Democratic candidates' health care plans. Media maven Sue O'Connell spoke about Justin Trudeau making history by visiting a gay bar for Canada Pride. Boston Globe columnist Alex Beam discussed Herman Melville's writing habits.