Episodes
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Corby Kummer: "At least 4 million" households losing emergency SNAP benefits in the U.S.
Following Bridget Huber’s reporting for the Food & Environment Reporting Network (FERN) on the end of emergency SNAP benefits, food writer Corby Kummer joined Boston Public Radio to discuss an impending “hunger cliff” that could dramatically increase food insecurity in the U.S. In the early days of the pandemic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) temporarily strengthened SNAP, with households under the program receiving at least $95 extra per month. But 12 Republican-led states that have ended their pandemic emergency declarations without placing “a narrower public health emergency declaration in place,” thereby ending additional SNAP benefits provided by the USDA. The Biden administration recently extended the National Public Health Emergency, which was originally declared in March 2020, to mid-July — continuing emergency SNAP benefits for states that still have public health emergency declarations in place. “People who have gotten used to the increased pandemic benefits on SNAP for food assistance are suddenly seeing the monthly bump in their SNAP benefits go — in the case of a woman in Des Moines, Iowa — from $250 a month to $20 a month,” Kummer said. “The USDA, which runs SNAP, issued 4.1 billion in emergency allotments to more than 19 million households. This February, the most recent data available was $2.8 billion as opposed to $4.1 billion in emergency allotments. [That’s] 15 million households, not 19 million,” Kummer continued. “So you're already looking at billions cut: at least 4 million fewer households [are] getting it, and we can only imagine what that's going to be in the months to come.” 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. -
BPR Full Show: Marathon Monday
Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners whether they would consider cheating on their taxes. Bill Evans discusses how security at the Boston Marathon changed in the wake of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings. He also talks about his love of running, and his experiences running in the Boston Marathon. Marathoner and former Boston police commissioner Bill Evans is now the police chief at Boston College. Corby Kummer talks about the death of the non-profit food news publication The Counter, and a new Wollaston Beach restaurant promoting vegan seafood. 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. Bobbi Gibb reflects on her experience as the first woman to complete the Boston Marathon, and the last 50 years of women running in the race. Gibb was the first woman to complete the Boston Marathon in 1966. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III share their thoughts on the Vatican inviting both a Russian woman and a Ukrainian woman to carry the cross at Rome’s Via Crucis, and the conservatives legislating the erasure of trans and queer people. Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist and the Boston voice for Detour’s African American Heritage Trail. Price is founding pastor of Community of Love Christian Fellowship in Allston, the Inaugural Dean of Africana Studies at Berklee College of Music. Together they host the “All Rev’d Up” podcast. We then ask listeners whether they loved – or loved to hate – Peeps. Des Linden joined us last week to talk about her 2018 Boston Marathon win as the first American woman to win the marathon in 33 years. Linden is a long-distance runner, a two-time Olympian, and the 2018 winner of the Boston Marathon in the women’s category. -
BPR Full Show: Cash or credit?
Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners why Americans don’t spend more time volunteering, and whether the U.S. should implement a mandatory service year for young adults. John Carroll weighs in on the latest trends in political ads, including latest trends and how they affect voters. Carroll is a long-time media analyst, a former journalism professor at Boston University and former ad man. You can read his work at AskDoctorAds.com and ItsGoodToLiveinaTwoDailyTown.com Callie Crossley discusses Texas Governor Greg Abbott sending asylum seekers to Washington D.C., the police killing of Patrick Lyoya in Michigan and efforts to make marathon running more inclusive to Black runners. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black. Shirley Leung talks about her latest columns and business news, including the return of the wedding industrial complex and a new center for social change at Northeastern University. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe. Robin Baker and Tony Morales play music from their upcoming concerts and discuss their local music work. Baker is the Associate Director of Community Engagement for the Boston Celebrity Series, and the organizer of the four shows through the Neighborhood Arts branch of her organization. Morales is a violinist with the Orchestra of Indian Hill, the Vermont Symphony, the Missouri Symphony and the Boston Festival Orchestra, and a teacher at Boston String Academy. Viewers can watch Solos Together at BostonCelebritySeries.org, and see the final show April 23 at the Arlington String Church. Sue O’Connell explains why Boston will not have a pride parade this year, the growing trend of lingerie for men, how CNN+ has fared a few weeks after its launch and the finale of “Killing Eve.” O’Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and South End News, and contributor to Current, on NBC LX and NECN. We end the show by discussing the pros and cons of a cashless world. -
BPR Full Show: How to change a mind
Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd updates listeners on the latest in politics, including the newest inflation report and updates on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Todd is the moderator of “Meet The Press” on NBC, host of “Meet The Press Daily” on MSNBC and the political director for NBC News. Then, we ask listeners their thoughts on the role of social media and free speech in society, after Elon Musk put forth an offer to buy Twitter. Andrea Cabral discusses a dropped murder charge for a Texas woman for a self-induced abortion and the latest news on the Brooklyn subway shooting. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety, and former CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Paul Reville argues why schools should implement personalized “navigators” to help students with learning, and the Danvers Superintendent retiring after allegations of racism and harassment in the school’s hockey team. Reville is the former Massachusetts secretary of education and a professor at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, where he also heads the Education Redesign Lab. His latest book, co-authored with Lynne Sacks, is “Collaborative Action for Equity and Opportunity: A Practical Guide for School and Community Leaders.” Arthur Brooks shares insight from his recent columns, including how to respectfully change others’ minds and the role of sports in friendships. Brooks is the William Henry Bloomberg professor of the practice of public leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School, a professor of management practice at the Harvard Business School, the happiness correspondent at The Atlantic and host of the podcast series “How to Build a Happy Life.” His latest book is “From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life.” Jon Gruber weighs in on the state of inflation and how costs got so high in the first place. Gruber was instrumental in creating both the Massachusetts healthcare reform and the Affordable Care Act, and his latest book is “Jump-Starting America: How Breakthrough Science Can Revive Economic Growth And The American Dream.” We end the show by discussing the role of sports in friendships. -
BPR Full Show: Living in the Age of Anxiety
Today on Boston Public Radio: Art Caplan talks about recommendations to screen children 8-years-old and up for anxiety, and new research into the effects of psilocybin in treating depression. 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. We continue our conversation on kids and mental health with listeners. Valerie Biden Owens shares what life was like growing up in the Biden family, and discusses her experiences as the longtime campaign manager and political adviser to her older brother, President Joe Biden. Biden Owens is Chair of the Biden Institute at the University of Delaware, a partner at Owens Patrick Leadership Seminars and a senior advisor to Diversified Search Group. Her book, “Growing Up Biden: A Memoir,” came out on April 12. Susan Zalkind discusses a 2011 triple homicide in Waltham that could have involved now-dead Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev, and the questions that remain for victims’ families. Zalkind’s forthcoming book “The Waltham Murders: An Unsolved Homicide, a National Tragedy and a Search for the Truth,” comes out next March. Michelle Singletary joins us for “Ask the Financial Expert,” answering listeners’ questions on finding financial advisers, dealing with student loans, and saving money during rising inflation. Singletary is a nationally syndicated columnist for The Washington Post, whose award-winning column, "The Color of Money," provides insight into the world of personal finance. -
BPR Full Show: Boston in Bloom
Today on Boston Public Radio: Juliette Kayyem talks about the Sunset Park subway shooting in Brooklyn, and Elon Musk’s purchase of a major stake in Twitter. 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. Then, we ask listeners how they’re coping with rising inflation. President Lynn Perry Wooten discusses the state of women’s leadership ahead of the Simmons Leadership Conference, and the importance of women’s-centered colleges. Lynn Perry Wooten is the ninth president of Simmons University. Trenni Kusnierek talks about Tiger Woods’ return to the Masters Tournament, and the death of 24-year-old NFL quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Kusnierek is a reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. Jared Bowen shares his thoughts on Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of “To Kill a Mockingbird” at the Boston Opera House, and talks about his interview with Mark Wahlberg on his performance in “Father Stu.” Bowen is GBH’s executive arts editor and the host of "Open Studio." John King updates us on the latest national news headlines, focusing on a subway shooting in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park, and rising inflation. King is CNN's Chief National Correspondent and anchor of "Inside Politics,” which airs weekdays and Sunday mornings at 8 a.m. We end the show by asking listeners about the Boston Blooms Block Party, and efforts to revitalize downtown Boston. -
BPR Full Show: Choose your vice
Today on Boston Public Radio: Michael Curry and Jennifer Nassour bring back our politics roundtable, weighing in on the governor’s race and what successful voter engagement would look like. Curry is chair of the NAACP Advocacy and Policy Committee, and is president and CEO of the Mass League of Community Health Centers. Nassour is former chair of the Massachusetts Republican party, and co-founder and president of the Pocketbook Project, a nonprofit geared toward getting women elected to public office. Then, we ask listeners their thoughts on the decision to ban runners from Russia and Belarus from the Boston Marathon. EJ Dionne updates listeners on the latest national politics headlines, including on the state of political polarization and the national response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Dionne is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. His latest book is “Code Red: How Progressives and Moderates Can Unite to Save Our Country.” Dan Adams weighs in on the latest news from the cannabis industry, including reports that the quality of marijuana in Massachusetts ranks lower than other states, and changing laws that could lead to cannabis cafes. Adams is a cannabis reporter and author of the “This Week in Weed” newsletter for the Boston Globe. The Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III react to Pope Francis’ speech at Palm Sunday Mass, and the growing religious fervor on the American right. Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist and the Boston voice for Detour’s African American Heritage Trail. Price is founding pastor of Community of Love Christian Fellowship in Allston, and the inaugural dean of Africana Studies at Berklee College of Music. Together they host the All Rev’d Up podcast. Seema Tikare recommends spring wines as the summer gets warmer, weighs in on corks versus screw tops and discusses other news from the wine industry. Tikare is a wine expert who has taught at Commonwealth Wine School and now runs her own wine website, thepremiercru.com. We end the show by asking listeners whether they prefer wine or marijuana. -
BPR Full Show: Spring Peepers
Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by opening phone lines, talking with listeners about the loosening of office dress codes. Bill McKibben talks about the International Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) latest report on climate change. McKibben is an author, educator and environmentalist. He’s the founder of 350.org and ThirdAct.org. He has a new newsletter on Substack titled “The Crucial Years.” He’s also got a new, serialized book titled “The Other Cheek: An Epic Nonviolent Yarn.” Callie Crossley discusses the confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, and dives into National Poetry Month ahead of this weekend’s Under the Radar. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black. Jim Aloisi and Stacey Thompson share their thoughts on Mayor Michelle Wu’s moves to electrify MBTA buses, and explain how public transit factors into the IPCC’s 2022 climate change report. Aloisi is the former Massachusetts transportation secretary, a member of the Transit Matters board and contributor to Commonwealth Magazine. Thompson is executive director of Livable Streets. Ming Tsai and Ken Oringer talk about their upcoming dinner fundraiser for Ukraine, in which they’ve already raised $400,000. Chef Ken Oringer is the James Beard Award-winning chef and partner behind restaurants Uni, Toro, Coppa and Little Donkey. This spring, Oringer and his business partner – chef and restaurateur Jamie Bissonnette – are opening their first new concept in six years, Italian restaurant Faccia Brutta. Chef Ming Tsai, a James Beard & Emmy Award-Winning chef, chef and partner at BaBa at Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, chairman of the National Advisory Board with Family Reach, and host of PBS-TV's “Simply Ming.” Sue O’Connell discusses Elon Musk’s appointment to Twitter’s board of directors, and shares her thoughts on Louis C.K.’s controversial Grammy win. O’Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and South End News, and contributor to Current, on NBC L-X and NECN. We end the show by asking listeners what they believe marks the arrival of spring. -
BPR Full Show: 90 COVID shots
Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners their experiences with student loans, after the Biden Administration announced plans to extend the pause on federal repayments through August. Jon Gruber reflects on his experiences working on the Affordable Care act 12 years ago, and what he thinks should be done to improve health coverage in the U.S. Gruber was instrumental in creating both the Massachusetts healthcare reform and the Affordable Care Act, and his latest book is “Jump-Starting America: How Breakthrough Science Can Revive Economic Growth And The American Dream.” Andrea Cabral responds to the news of no criminal charges for the police officers who killed Amir Locke, and a Chicopee school superintendent arrested on charges of lying about alleged threats sent via anonymous text messages. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety, and former CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Chuck Todd updates listeners on the latest political headlines, including his opinion on student loan forgiveness and Senate votes for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson. Todd is the moderator of “Meet The Press” on NBC, host of “Meet The Press Daily” on MSNBC and the political director for NBC News. Governor Charlie Baker and Juliette Kayyem discuss Kayyem’s latest book, “The Devil Never Sleeps: Learning to Live in an Age of Disasters,” and how to best prepare for disasters. Baker is Governor of Massachusetts. Kayyem was formerly an assistant secretary for homeland security under President Barack Obama, now the faculty chair of the homeland security program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Then, Baker answers questions from listeners, including on the state of COVID vaccinations, how Massachusetts is supporting Ukraine and other refugees and the fate of sports betting legislation. -
Corby Kummer: As the fate of Kowloon is sealed, the future of Route 1's kitsch remains unclear
People are worried about the future of Route 1 landmark Kowloon after co-owner Bobby Wong announced the pan-Asian restaurant will be downsizing its 1,200-seat space to 350 seats in order to add two residential buildings to the lot. “If you miss [Kowloon], go now — [but] that's not going to save it,” food writer Corby Kummer told Boston Public Radio on Tuesday. “The Wong family … has been eyeing real estate development for years.” “After the first phase of housing development, the Wong family seems to have gotten approved after years,” he continued. “This is not a quick process. They've gone through many, many housing review boards, then they might raze the whole thing. Who knows if they'll have a nostalgic building in its place?” Read more of the story here.
