Today on Boston Public Radio:

We began the show by asking listeners whether they’re optimistic or pessimistic for the year to come.

Trenni Casey updated us on the status of Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin, who collapsed mid-game on Monday in cardiac arrest. She also shared her thoughts on broader safety concerns in the world of sports, from lacrosse to hockey. Casey is an anchor and reporter with NBC Sports Boston, and a Boston Public Radio contributor.

Trenni Casey on BPR | Jan. 3, 2023

Juliette Kayyem weighed in on a recent attack in New York, where a man from Maine attacked police officers in Times Square with a machete. She also dissected Republican Rep. George Santos' various lies, and shared how a potential re-opening of a criminal investigation into his past by Brazilian officials could complicate his time in Congress. Kayyem is former assistant secretary for homeland security under President Barack Obama, and the faculty chair of the homeland security program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

Juliette Kayyem on BPR | Jan. 3, 2023

Gina McCarthy discussed the future of climate action in the United States, and concerns over the Earth’s dwindling resources amid a changing climate. McCarthy served as the first-ever White House national climate advisor under President Joe Biden, the EPA administrator under President Obama and is co-chair of Governor-elect Maura Healey’s climate change transition policy committee.

Gina McCarthy on BPR | Jan. 3, 2023

Nancy Gertner shared her thoughts on the final Jan. 6 committee hearing. Gertner is a retired federal judge, a senior lecturer at Harvard Law School and a Boston Public Radio contributor.

Nancy Gertner on BPR | Jan. 3, 2023

Corby Kummer talked about the rise of drive-throughs, ghost kitchens and delivery apps over the course of the pandemic, as well as The Cheesecake Factory’s enduring legacy. 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.

Corby Kummer on BPR | Jan. 3, 2023

We ended the show by talking with listeners about America’s fascination with The Cheesecake Factory.