Boston Public Radio

"I hope the Justice Department takes advantage of" a massive document dump negotiated in the Purdue Pharma family settlement, says Healey.

Former State Senator Ben Downing criticized Democrats and Republicans alike and called for a more thorough investigation into the COVID-19 outbreak at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home.

Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III weighed in on the emergence of the Boston-based parent action group Parents United.

Cabral agrees with cynics but also speaks to challenge of sustaining prison reforms across governors’ tenures.

"Families have been asked to wait too many times by Beacon Hill," she said on Greater Boston.

The group has ties to organizations that date back to the early 1900s.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We started the show with Democratic gubernatorial candidate and Attorney General Maura Healey. Healey discussed her endorsement of tax reform, her support of ballot Question 1, and her desire to have more dense housing built in the state. She also discussed the climate policies she would like to implement if she wins the election on Nov. 8. Next, we took our listeners' calls on how they feel leading up to the midterms elections now that recent polling shows Republicans have a chance of taking control of both chambers of Congress. Then Andrea Cabral discussed the implications of Justice Clarence Thomas freezing a lower court decision that would’ve compelled Senator Lindsey Graham to testify about election tampering in Georgia. Thomas has faced calls to recuse himself from all 2020 election matters because of his wife Ginny’s history of pushing election conspiracy theories onto public officials. Cabral is former Suffolk County Sheriff and former secretary of Public Safety. Gov. Charlie Baker was in-studio for his last “Ask the Governor” segment before the election. He answered our listeners’ questions about struggles at the MBTA, his endorsement of Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson, and refused to say who he plans to vote for to succeed him in the corner office. Then finally, we opened the lines again to ask our listeners if they are among the 50 percent of Americans who told a poll that they believe in ghosts.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened the show by taking listeners' calls, hearing their reactions to the news from the MBTA that Orange Line trains will run at reduced speeds until December despite work done during a 30-day shutdown. Jenifer McKim and Sarah Betancourt discussed GBH News' investigative reporting series ["Trafficking, Inc.,"](gbh.org/news/trafficking) which dives into labor trafficking in Mass. McKim is GBH News' Deputy Investigative Editor. Betancourt is a GBH News reporter. Juliette Kayeem discussed the death of former Defense Secretary Ash Carter, and backlash over a letter on Ukraine negotiations released by Democrats that has since been withdrawn. Kayyem was the assistant secretary for Homeland Security under former President Barack Obama, and is the faculty chair of the Homeland Security program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Her 2022 book is “The Devil Never Sleeps: Learning to Live in an Age of Disasters.” Erika Kinetz and Tom Jennings joined the show to discuss Frontline’s latest documentary, “Putin's Attack on Ukraine: Documenting War Crimes.” Kinetz is a global investigative reporter for the Associated Press. Jennings is a director for Frontline. Jared Bowen talked about ongoing arts events in and around Boston, from "Metal of Honor" at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum to Claudia Comte’s "Five Marble Leaves" along Boston's waterfront. Bowen is GBH News’ Executive Arts Editor. Joan Donovan joined us to discuss her new book, which looks into far-right meme culture and its dissemination into mainstream politics. Donovan is a media researcher and adjunct lecturer at the Harvard Kennedy School. Her new book is “Meme Wars: The Untold Story of the Online Battles upending Democracy in America,” cowritten with Emily Dreyfuss and Brian Friedberg. We ended the show by asking listeners if they're pro- or anti-leaf blower.

A combination of farmers hatching fewer turkeys during the pandemic and an outbreak of avian flu is going to impact the cost of Thanksgiving this year for American consumers. Food policy writer Corby Kummer told Boston Public Radio on Tuesday to keep an eye out now for your family’s turkey day centerpiece. “If you see a turkey that’s the right size right now, buy it and freeze it, it’s probably going to get more expensive,” said Kummer. Corby 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.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by asking listeners if they avoid spending money at morally questionable corporations. Shirley Leung weighed in on debates surrounding Massachusetts Ballot Question 1, commonly referred to as the "millionaires tax" or "fair share amendment." She also discussed the squeeze on Halloween candy this year. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe. Andrew Levitt, also known as Nina West, talked about LGBTQ+ activism amid homophobic attacks, his role playing Edna Turnblad in the 2022 tour of “Hairspray,” and his new children’s book, “The You Kind of Kind.” Levitt is a drag queen, singer, actor and author. Corby Kummer discussed the struggle for New York City’s street vendors to get more permits, and how inflation will impact Thanksgiving. 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. Anand Giridharadas shared insights from his new book, “The Persuaders,” including how storytelling is a tool for persuasion, the ways that people can more actively advocate in the midterm elections, and how President Joe Biden could be more effective at persuading. Giridharadas is a journalist, author and former New York Times columnist. John King gave us his thoughts ahead of the midterm elections and analyzed several specific races and debates. King is CNN's chief national correspondent and anchor of "Inside Politics,” which airs weekdays and Sunday mornings at 8 a.m. We ended the show by asking listeners where they draw the line in protesting politicians.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by talking with listeners about this year’s ballot questions. Art Caplan discussed a recent New York Times piece exposing a number of doctors who admit that they “don’t want patients with disabilities.” He also updated us on the latest COVID-19 headlines. Caplan is the Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor and founding head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU School of Medicine in New York City. Paul English talked about his new social app, “Deets,” which features restaurant reviews from your circle of friends and local influencers. English is a tech entrepreneur and co-founder of Kayak. He’s got a new app called Deets, aimed to reinvent the online review. Liz Neisloss and Deborah Winieicz discussed the latest reporting from GBH’s housing series “Priced Out,” focusing on mobile home ownership in Mass. Neisloss is a reporter for GBH News. Winiewicz is an advocate for mobile home communities across New England. Deirdre Barrett shared her latest research into how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we dream. Barrett is a dream researcher at Harvard University and the author of “Pandemic Dreams” and “The Committee of Sleep,” among other books on dreaming. Richard Blanco highlighted the poetry of writer Sandra Cisneros. Blanco is the 5th Presidential Inaugural Poet in U.S. history, and the first Poet Laureate of Miami-Dade County. His latest book is “How To Love A Country.” We ended the show by opening the phone lines, talking with listeners about the brutal world of online restaurant reviews.