Boston Public Radio

Harvard Alpaca Ranch boasts certified therapy alpacas like Sir Erik, who brings calm and smiles to nursing homes, libraries and even radio studios.

The state auditor is starting a ballot initiative to let voters decide whether the office has the power to audit the Legislature.

Actors are left without work opportunities, as they demand better pay and AI regulation.

The Massachusetts senator supports expanding the number of justices.

Comedian Jay Leno discussed his oddly fond memories of Massachusetts.

Massachusetts' first Black governor says it's necessary for Democrats to play "the long game."

Today the presidential candidates give their closing arguments to voters. We ask listeners what issues Harris should focus on during her speech at the Ellipse.Trenni Casey, anchor/reporter for NBC Sports Boston, discusses the NFL concussion protocol after Patriot's QB Drake May took a helmet-to-helmet hit on Sunday, and a Hail Mary pass by the Washington Commanders.Sue O'Connell of NBC10 discusses the ramped-up rhetoric leading up to the election, efforts to rescue Newburyport's Pink House, and Elon Musk's latest claims about aliens.CNN's John King joins one week until election day to discuss how voters across the political spectrum are feeling.State auditor Diana DiZoglio discusses her ballot campaign that would authorize her to audit the legislature and the legislative leaders who say they might just change the law if it passes.Election day isn't the only thing we're counting down to. Halloween is Thursday, so we ask listeners about their favorite candies.

The Washington Post killed their planned endorsement of Kamala Harris. Former editor Marty Baron joins us to discuss, and the newspaper man doesn’t mince words: he calls it a spineless, cowardly decision.And, a return to the gilded age – with union-busting billionaire robber barons operating in this country under very different rules than the rest of us. We discuss with former labor secretary Robert Reich.

Former Washington Post editor Marty Baron discussed the paper's decision not to endorse a presidential candidateWe opened the lines to discuss newspaper endorsementsGroundTruth Project Charlie Sennott spoke from Michigan to discuss Arab American voters concerned with Harris over the administration's support for Israel amid widespread civilian deaths in Gaza. Former labor secretary Robert Reich on the presidential race being so closeRevs Irene Monroe and Emmett Price on Harris' increasing but cautious discussion of faith on the campaign trailWe ended the show discussing Halloween decorations and Skelly

We talk about the best bad movies to watch, and the rock stars still rocking with James Bennett II, arts & culture reporter for GBH and a co-host of The Culture Show, daily at 2:00 on 89.7 GBH.And, Music Worcester will kick off a feat we’re pretty sure no one has done before. 11 years of music: everything ever composed by Johannes Sebastian Bach over his 65 years on this planet. They’re calling it, fittingly, “The Complete Bach,” and it begins this weekend with a bang. 25 year-old Zlotomir Fung, cellist and professor at Juilliard, performs; Music Worcester executive director Adrien Finlay tells us about the program.

We open the lines to talk about election anxiety across the political spectrum and what we can do to combat it in the final days ahead. Live Music Friday with folks from Music Worcester, who are kicking off an 11-year series around the music of Bach. We’ll talk with Executive Director Adrien Finlay and 25 year-old cello master Zlatomir Fung, who’s headlining this weekend’s BACHtoberfest.Bay State Banner co-publishers Ron Mitchell & André Stark discuss dual interviews with Ayanna Pressley, drama over at the LA Times about a decision not issue a presidential endorsement and split opinions on Ballot Question 5.Boston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung discusses what we know (and don’t know) about the Celtic's sale and the local businesses getting support through Jaylen Brown’s incubator project. We hear from you about whether fish should be banned from small spaces.GBH News arts and culture reporter James Bennett II talks about the era of flop movies, like Megalopolis & Joker 2. He’ll also talk about an exhibit about the occult at the Peabody Essex, a new BSO program to encourage young kids of color to take up classical music, and more.Boston is ranked as the 12th rattiest city, according to the pest control company Orkin. We ask listeners about the rats – stories, fears and if we should just learn to live with them already.