Boston Public Radio

As the longest government shutdown in U.S. history enters its fifth week, the future of federal food assistance remains uncertain.

Rev. Irene Monroe said the film, which is about the relationship between a black pianist and his white driver and bodyguard, is overly reliant on the trope of the "white hero."

Poet Richard Blanco highlighted his favorite works by poet Ada Limón, which are united by a common theme of searching for meaning in "seeming oblivion."

Healey said she is “actively reviewing” the existing policies and procedures that surround the reporting of cases of sexual misconduct.

After Barack Obama left Office, Pete Souza made sure he still remained a part of the national dialogue.

Richard Blanco, the nation's fifth inaugural poet, shared poems that seize on the changing of the seasons as an opportunity to reflect on death, rebirth, and the passage of time.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened our lines to ask caller: do debates influence how you vote? MIT economist Jon Gruber discussed housing affordability in Massachusetts, and whether rent control is the most effective solution. Boston Globe columnist Shirley Leung discussed fraud charges against Mass. Rep. David Nangle, and former GE executive Ann Klee’s move to construction company Suffolk. Harvard Business School historian Nancy Koehn discussed Jeff Bezos’ pledge to commit $10 billion towards combating climate change. Journalist and naturalist Sy Montgomery discussed the role pangolins may have played in the spread of coronavirus, and news on the graciousness of crows. We re-opened our lines to talk with listeners about your experiences at dog parks, in light of a New York Times article arguing that they're bad for a dog’s health and development. WGBH Arts Editor Jared Bowen discussed 40 years of “Sheer Madness” at the Charles Playhouse, and a new exhibit at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, titled “Boston’s Apollo: Thomas McKeller and John Singer Sargent.”

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened our lines to talk with listeners about the rise of Michael Bloomberg’s 2020 campaign. NBC Sports Boston reporter Trenni Kusnierek discussed Mookie Betts getting traded from the Red Sox to the Dodgers, and new restrictions at the Tokyo Marathon over fears about the coronavirus. Former State Transportation Secretary James Aloisi and Transportation for Massachusetts Director Chris Dempsey discussed South Station construction, and long-term closures planned this summer for the green line. Food writer Corby Kummer discussed the impact of coronavirus fears on Chinese restaurants across the U.S., and new research on the health benefits of coffee. TV writer Bob Thompson discussed the debut of the Black News Channel, reviewed Apple TV’s "Visible,” and the New Hampshire primary edition of “The Conners,” and "Better Call Saul." CNN’s John King discussed Wednesday night’s Democratic debate, and where the 2020 Democratic candidates stand ahead of Saturday’s Nevada caucuses. We re-opened our lines to talk with listeners about news on the health benefits of coffee, and how it might affect your relationship with the beverage.

Food writer Corby Kummer joined Boston Public Radio *on Tuesday to talk about Sweetgreen adding seaweed to the menu. "They are starting a new kelp seaweed bowl and they are buying from the Maine-based Atlantic Sea Farm, so it's a great New England story," he said. "It is taking kelp and seaweed years to actually become the fad, but it's a sustainable source of protein and has tons of vitamins and minerals." Many New Englanders are kelp advocates, Kummer said, since the plant is found in abundance on many eastern coasts. "Off of Maine, off Long Island, off many coasts in New England, there's this free abundant seaweed that’s now being farmed." *Kummer is a *senior editor at The Atlantic*, an award-winning food writer, and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition and Policy.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Former Managing Editor at "U.S. News and World Report" Laylah Alphonse and Michael Curry, deputy CEO and general counsel at the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, member of the National NAACP Board of Directors, and chair of the Board’s Advocacy & Policy Committee, joined us for our politics round table. We opened the lines and asked our listeners if they are hesitant to take a vacation on a cruise due to concerns of the coronavirus.

Today on Boston Public Radio: “Beat the Press” host Emily Rooney discussed rising support for Michael Bloomberg’s 2020 presidential campaign, and read us her weekly list of fixations and fulminations. Boston Globe columnist Alex Beam discussed George Washington’s campaign to bring Spanish Mules to the U.S., and a debate over the architectural future of Washington, D.C. “Under the Radar” host Callie Crossley discussed the candidacy of Michael Bloomberg, and her Valentine’s Day letter to Rep. John Lewis. Attorney General Maura Healey stopped by theWGBH library studio for our monthly “Ask the AG” series. Husband and wife duo Joanne Chang and Christopher Meyers, of the restaurant Meyers + Chang, joined us for our 7th annual Valentines Day news quiz.