Boston Public Radio

Toad re-opens under the same ownership as The Burren.

Margaret McKenna remembered the former president as "whip smart" and determined to do the right thing.

The former White House COVID-19 response coordinator reflects on pandemic preparedness, past and future.

Leaders of the Greater Boston Food Bank and Globe Santa are encouraging people to donate money or time this holiday season to support people in need.

The fall of the Assad regime ends a brutal dictatorship, but questions remain over the future of peace in Syria and the Middle East.

Roundhead Brewing Company was founded in 2022 by Luis Espinoza and Craig Panzer. The brewery blends Latin-inspired brewing with a community-focused mission, aiming to create cerveza que reúine — beer that brings people together.

Juliette Kayyem debriefed the attack in New Orleans that killed 15, and the Cybertruck explosion outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas.Margaret McKenna reflected on her time working under President Jimmy Carter as a White House deputy counsel in the 70’sWe replayed Jim & Margery’s 2014 interview with Jimmy Carter about his book “A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence and Power.”Andrea Cabral on the downward trend for violent crime in BostonCorby Kummer talked about the craft beer breweries celebrating Pres. Carter’s legacy

Today: Boston Globe Love Letters columnist Meredith Goldstein discusses the region's newest romance-specific brick-and-mortar bookstore, Lovestruck Books, in Harvard Square.And, the team from the Urban Nutcracker joins Jim and Margery at the BPL for Live Music Friday.

BPR Full Show 12/20: The 2024 Finale

We start the show by asking people how they maintain a "no crap for Christmas" policy.Ashish Jha was Biden’s COVID-19 response coordinator, now he’s the dean of Brown University’s School of Public Health. He joins to talk about RFK Jr. at the helm of HHS and whether the U.S. is ready for another pandemic.Former secretary of public safety Andrea Cabral reacts to a Georgie appeals court disqualifying Fani Willis, GOP officials targeting Liz Cheney for prosecution in 2025 and the third guilty plea in the Cambridge/Watertown brothel case.Former secretary of education Paul Reville discusses how Linda McMahon will impact the Department of Education, skill gaps at Massachusetts community colleges, a lawsuit alleging price-fixing at major universities, and pushback to Newton’s multilevel teaching model. Vulture podcast critic Nick Quah talks about this year's best shows. Then it's "Am I the A-Hole" day. At issue is an early Christmas dinner time.

Today:Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University school of public health, and former COVID-19 coordinator under President Biden joins Jim and Margery in Studio 3 -- He reflects on mistakes made around school closures and vaccine mandates.And, our final Am I The A-Hole segment of the year: Is one family member the jerk for wanting to hold the big Christmas meal later in the afternoon than 1:00 p.m., so he can enjoy time with his own young children and family before meeting up with the big group?