Boston Public Radio

The sleepy town of Westminster, Massachusetts made waves this week when it proposed a ban on the sale of tobacco products, including cigarettes. That got…

Kelly Beatty, of Sky and Telescope joins us to marvel at the European Space Agency, and their space craft, Rosetta's ten year journey to land on a comet.…

Gas prices are finally under three dollars. Are you rejoicing or concerned?Brian McGrory chats about Baker's new cabinet, what makes a Globe headline, and…

John King discusses the fate of Obamacare, and whether Jeb Bush might run for President. We also check in with him about whether the midterms hurt…

John King discusses the fate of Obamacare, and whether Jeb Bush might run for President. We also check in with him about whether the midterms hurt…

During Martha Coakley's concession speech this morning at her campaign's headquarters in Somerville, one subject in particular made her visibly emotional:…

Today on Boston Public Radio: NBC “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd discussed the U.S. passing a grim milestone in COVID-19 deaths, and the uproar over the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. Jim and Margery briefly weighed in on the death of George Floyd Former Mass. Education Secretary Paul Reville discussed the surge in de facto student dropouts in Boston Public Schools, and the litany of other challenges for schools systems adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic. Former Suffolk County Sheriff and Secretary of Public Safety Andrea Cabral discussed the police killing of George Floyd, and her thoughts on why outrage over his death alone won’t be enough to affect systemic change in U.S. police forces. Heather Goldstone talked about troubling data on this year’s hurricane season, and how the ongoing pandemic will affect how governments handle the fallout. We opened lines to talk with listeners about your thoughts on the police killing of George Floyd. Brattle Book Shop owner and “Antiques Roadshow” appraiser Ken Gloss gave tips on curating the books in your Zoom backdrop, and recounted some of his best stories from his career working with antique books.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Ahead of Gov. Baker’s press conference, we opened lines to talk with listeners about your thoughts on using public transit during the coronavirus pandemic. We aired live audio from Gov. Charlie Baker’s Wednesday press conference. Former Secretary of Transportation Jim Aloisi called in to offer context around what the Baker administration had to say regarding the MBTA and Mass. transportation. Medical ethicist Art Caplan discussed why long-term care facilities were unprepared for the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether parents should feel safe sending their kids to Summer camp this year. Food writer Corby Kummer talked about ethical problems with how food delivery service Instacart treats its workers, and safety guidelines for people ordering food during the pandemic. We reopened lines to ask parents: are you prepared to send your kids off to Summer camp this year?

Instacart, an American grocery delivery service company, has been receiving criticism over its treatment of workers during the coronavirus pandemic. Food writer Corby Kummer spoke with Boston Public Radio *on Wednesday about how many Instacart workers haven't received safety kits or extended pay for having to quarantine. Instacart had announced back in March that it would offer two weeks of extended pay to in-store shoppers diagnosed with COVID-19, or placed in quarantine by an authority. "[Instacart] did everything they could to break their promise, and essentially break the health of workers," Kummer said. "A number of Instacart workers claimed the two weeks of pay, that Instacart promised them if they were ill, but Instacart denied the claims and made them go through red tape hurtles until the workers would give up." Instacart is not following through on its new guidelines to support the health of its workers, Kummer added. "They say that they care and that they're putting millions into healthcare, but all they do is cycle through workers, give the longtime workers worse routes, and don't care at all about their health," he said. "I will tell everybody I know, 'Do not use Instacart.'" *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: We opened our lines to ask listeners: with hair salons and barbershops back open in Mass., will you be heading out to get your hair cut? TIME Magazine journalist Molly Ball discussed her new biography on Speaker Nancy Pelosi, titled “Pelosi." Environmental journalist Bill McKibben discussed the minor impact of quarantine on global carbon emissions, and the lessons we can gleam about our current climate crisis from the U.S.’ sluggish COVID-19 response. We opened lines to talk with listeners about the state’s gradual reopening, ahead of Gov. Charlie Baker’s Tuesday press conference. We aired live audio from Gov. Baker’s press conference. Behavioral economist Mike Norton talked about the exclusionary power of the inside joke, and responded to comments and questions from listeners. CNN’s John King discussed the politicization of the COVID-19 crisis, and President Trump’s efforts to quash mail-in voting.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened lines to talk with listeners about your concerns around the reopening of Massachusetts, and the people disregarding safety protocols. TV expert Bob Thompson commemorated the lives of actor Fred Williard and sportscaster Phyllis George, and discussed CBS' purchase of John Krasinski's "Some Good New" YouTube series. Travel guru Rick Steves showed off his piano skills on the blues scale, and talked about what he envisions for the slow reopening of European travel. Playwright Ryan Landry discussed the coronavirus politics that are causing issues in Provincetown, and gave his thoughts on virtual theater. Poet Richard Blanco called in for the latest edition of “Village Voice,” where he read a selection of poems by U.S. Poet Laureate Jo Harjo. Writer and naturalist Sy Montgomery discussed animal war heroes, in commemoration of Memorial Day.