Boston Public Radio

A new investigative report from WGBH has found that the share of public contracts going to minority and black owned businesses is shrinking.

Playing sports is becoming more dangerous to the health of athletes in areas where climate change is hitting hardest.

A new study shows that states with expanded Medicaid programs saw a marked decrease in overdose deaths.

WGBH's executive arts editor discusses why there was only one person of color nominated in all of the Oscar acting categories.

The NECN commentator described the New Jersey Senator as a strong advocate for LBGT rights.

By some estimates the various conflicts in the war on terror have cost the U.S. more than $6 trillion.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd shares his reactions to Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearings, the latest on Ukraine and other news from D.C. 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. Then, we ask listeners whether or not they think former President Donald Trump is truly above the law, after senior Manhattan prosecutor Mark F. Pomerantz resigned following the DA’s decision to stop pursuing an indictment of Trump. Andrea Cabral reacts to the decision to not prosecute former President Donald Trump, and breaks down her frustration with the GOP’s questioning during Judge Kentanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearing. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety. She’s currently the CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Paul Reville discusses whether the Northampton principal should be suspended for calling her students “asshats,” and the range of challenges in education that are causing the teacher shortage. Reville is former state secretary of education and a professor at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, where he also runs the Education Redesign Lab. Nick Quah weighs in on the world of podcasts, including why Joe Rogan has found success, and what he thinks about new shows like “Normal Gossip” and “Dead Eyes.” Quah is Vulture’s podcast critic. Then, we ask listeners for their thoughts on if a principal should be suspended for calling students “asshats.” We end the show by airing President Joe Biden’s speech where he announced more aid to Ukraine, including accepting up to 100,000 refugees fleeing the war.

As Americans try to curb their methane emissions from coal mining and oil and natural gas systems, changes may come to the kitchen as well. Award-winning food writer Corby Kummer joined Boston Public Radio on Monday to talk about induction cooking as an alternative to gas stoves. Induction cooking uses electric currents to directly heat pots and pans through magnetic induction. Instead of using thermal conduction, such as a gas or electric element transferring heat from a burner to a pot or pan, induction heats the cooking vessel itself almost instantly. Melissa Clark of The New York Times makes the case to get rid of gas stoves. A lot of new buildings don’t have gas hookups and 75 percent of methane emissions from gas stoves occur when the stove is off. In addition to the environmental benefits, Kummer has other reasons he thinks induction cooking is a good option. “This doesn't smell, it's much cleaner, it's incredibly easy to just take a sponge to because it's a flat glass cooking surface,” he said. Kummer explained that you can get an induction stove cover for a regular stove for only a few hundred dollars. “You can order one tonight from Lowe’s or Walmart, they’re incredibly easy to come by.” Kummer is the 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: We begin the show by asking listeners their thoughts on the start of the Senate confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson. Trenni Kusnierek talks about new information about the 2019 shooting of retired Red Sox player David Ortiz, and number 15-seed Saint Peters pulling off an upset over no. 2-seed Kentucky during March Madness last weekend. Kusnierek is an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Boston. She's also a Boston Public Radio contributor. EJ Dionne weighs in on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s leadership, and the state of childcare. 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.” Corby Kummer shares tips on how to make and buy Ukrainian food while supporting Ukraine, and potential concerns about lab-grown meat. 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. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III discuss Ketanji Brown Jackson’s relationship with faith, and the CROWN act, which prohibits hair-based discrimination. 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, the Inaugural Dean of Africana Studies at Berklee College of Music. Together they host the All Rev’d Up podcast. Judge Nancy Gertner preview what to expect as the Senate confirmation hearings begin for Ketanji Brown Jackson. Judge Gertner is a retired U.S. District Judge for the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts. She’s currently a senior lecturer on law at Harvard University. We end the show by talking with listeners about returning to the office.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Senator Elizabeth Warren takes questions from callers about the upcoming Senate vote on capping the price of insulin at $35 and on sanctions against Russian Oligarchs. Warren is Senator of Massachusetts. The Lorelei Ensemble sings parts from their upcoming show. Corrine Byrne, Dianna Grabowski, Stephanie Kacoyanis, Michele Kennedy, Sophie Michaux, Arwen Myers, Clara Osowski and Sonja Tengblad are singers in the Cambridge-based Lorelei Ensemble. Beth Willer is the group’s artist director, and Kevin Payne is the group’s lute player. The full ensemble’s tour titled “This Tyrant, Love,” will perform Friday night at the Longy School of Music of Bard College in Cambridge. Callie Crossley talks about the House passing the CROWN Act, which would ban race-based hair discrimination, and why people procrastinate by scrolling on Zillow. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black. Lisa Fischer previews her upcoming shows in Boston this weekend, and discusses the legacy of her career. Fischer is a vocalist who has sung background for Mick Jagger, Tina Turner, Luther Vandross and more. She is performing Friday and Saturday at Scullers Jazz Club in Allston. Andy Ihnatko explains the effect of sanctions on Russia’s digital infrastructure and why DuckDuckGo is becoming the search engine for weirdos and conspiracy theorists. Ihnatko is a tech writer and blogger, posting at Ihnatko.com. Sue O’Connell weighs in on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s plea to Russian citizens to resist misinformation, Chris Cuomo’s $125 million lawsuit against CNN and employee walkouts over Disney’s lack of response to Florida’s proposed “Don’t Say Gay” bill. 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 their thoughts on cold showers for health benefits.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd reacts to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s address to Congress yesterday and other political news. 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. Then, we ask listeners whether they think the 9-5 schedule should end as the pandemic forces shifts in the future of work. Andrea Cabral weighs in on fraud charges against the Violence in Boston Founder and CEO Monica Cannon Grant and a federal investigation into former Methuen Police Chief Joseph Solomon. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety. She’s currently the CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Jared Bowen previews the newest in the arts, including the work of South African artist Zanele Muholi and photography by painter Barkley H. Hendricks at the Rose Art Museum in Waltham. Bowen is GBH’s executive arts editor and the host of Open Studio. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse discusses dark-money issues in the Supreme Court and what he expects for the confirmation hearings next week for Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. Whitehouse is a Senator from Rhode Island and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Brooke Harrington explains the world of oligarchy, and the role the mega-rich play in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Brooke is a sociology professor at Dartmouth College, and an expert on oligarchs. She’s also the author of “Pop Finance and Capital Without Borders: Wealth Management and the One Percent.” We end the show by asking listeners for their takes on the Irish Goodbye.