Episodes
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BPR Full Show: Superintendent Brenda Cassellius has advice for whoever takes her job
Today on Boston Public Radio: Congressman Seth Moulton calls on the U.S. to do more to support Ukraine, short of a U.S. enforced no-fly zone, and shares other reactions to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s address to Congress this morning. Moulton represents Massachusetts’ 6th Congressional district. Then, we ask listeners their thoughts on Zelensky’s speech and U.S. actions in Ukraine. Art Caplan weighs in on the ethics of the West refraining from direct involvement in Ukraine and the 988 mental health crisis helpline. 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. Juliette Kayyem talks about the Russian anti-war protester who waved a sign on Russian TV and UPS failing to make ferry reservations for its trucks on Nantucket. 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. Her forthcoming book is “The Devil Never Sleeps: Learning to Live in an Age of Disasters.” Superintendent Brenda Cassellius updates listeners on the status of the two people shot outside TechBoston in Dorchester, calls for more measures to promote school staffing growth and retention and gives advice to those thinking of applying for her job as she leaves the role of Superintendent in June. Cassellius is the Superintendent of Boston Public Schools. Jonathan Van Ness previews their newest Netflix show “Getting Curious,” as well as their upcoming comedy performances in Boston. Van Ness is best known for their role as Expert of Grooming on Netflix’s reboot of Queer Eye. They also host the Getting Curious podcast, and is performing at the Chevalier Theatre this week as part of their comedy tour: “Imaginary Living Room Olympian” Sy Montgomery dissuades fears about the Joro Spider coming to the Northeast and talks about the creatures found on the recently discovered 1915 shipwreck of “Endurance.” Montgomery is a journalist, naturalist and a Boston Public Radio contributor. Her latest book is “The Hummingbirds’ Gift: Wonder, Beauty, and Renewal on Wings.” We end the show by asking listeners whether they’re afraid of spiders, and other fears they have. -
BPR Full Show: Mayor Wu at the Library
Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners for their thoughts on whether they support a no-fly zone over Ukraine as Russia continues its invasion. Trenni Kusnierek discusses Naomi Osaka battling hecklers at Indian Wells last weekend and the latest on basketball player Brittney Griner detained in Russia. Kusnierek is an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Boston. She's also a Boston Public Radio contributor. Dr. Katherine Gergen Barnett answers listener calls on the threat of long COVID, the difference between natural immunity and vaccine immunity to the virus and the 988 mental health hotline. Gergen Barnett teaches in the family medicine department at Boston Medical Center and Boston University Medical School. Mayor Michelle Wu takes audience questions on her climate change agenda, the state of Boston Public Schools, the need for mental health resources and funding and more. Wu is Mayor of Boston. -
Corby Kummer on the Future of Seaweed and Kelp Farms
The seaweed and kelp farm industry could become one of the largest sustainable maritime food industries — provided that enough people buy in. Award-winning food writer Corby Kummer joined Boston Public Radio on Monday to weigh in on the future of seaweed and kelp farms. “There are so many advocates for it who say you don't need any additional resources,” Kummer said. “It doesn’t cause pollution like fish farms in the open water do, from excrement from fish that are all penned up. You can farm seaweed [and] kelp.” Kummer noted that Alaska already has “a strong cultural tradition of eating” seaweed. The Alaska Sea Grant, a federal-state program that funds marine and coastal research at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, has recipes for bull kelp salsa and kelp seasoning. But it might be harder to convince the rest of the nation to make seaweed and kelp a regular part of their diet. “The question is getting people to buy it and need it,” Kummer noted. “It's going to take a lot longer for the U.S. to want to have seaweed or seaweed burgers in their Impossible Burger — which is actually not impossible. It's a good texture builder and it can be incorporated.” 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. -
BPR full show: Permanent Daylight
Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by talking to listeners about the jobs they’ve regretted quitting, following Tom Brady’s announcement that he would be returning to football. Jim Aloisi and Monica Tibbits-Nutt discuss the state of the T, as the MBTA heads towards an impending fiscal cliff. Aloisi is former transportation secretary, a member of the Transit Matters Board, and contributor to Commonwealth Magazine. Tibbits-Nutt is executive director of the 128 Business Council, and formerly served on the MBTA’s fiscal control board and the MassDOT board of directors. Corby Kummer explains how seaweed farming could be the future of sustainable farming – if regulatory hurdles decrease. He also talks about the legacy of meat in America. 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. Brian O’Donovan and Keith Murphy preview the St. Patrick's Day Celtic Sojourn series of shows, which runs from March 16-20. O’Donovan hosts A Celtic Sojourn on GBH, and Keith Murphy is music director for the St. Patricks Day program. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III discuss the disproportionate impact of two years of the pandemic on families of color in Mass. 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. Sen. Ed Markey shares his thoughts on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and his push to make Daylight Saving Time last year-round. We end the show by asking listeners for their thoughts on making Daylight Saving Time permanent. -
BPR Full Show: Undercarriage Cleaning
Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners if Americans would have the same courage as Ukrainians if Russia invaded. Jenifer McKim and Vanessa Rosa talk about a recent investigative report into receiverships in Springfield, which has led to some people losing their homes. McKim is a senior investigative reporter at the GBH News center for investigative reporting. Rosa is an Assistant Professor of Latina/o Studies at Mount Holyoke, where she studies racism and urban inequality in cities. Callie Crossley discusses what’s at stake with inaccuracies in the 2020 census and the history of a World War Two unit made up completely of Black women receiving posthumous Congressional medals. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black. Katherine Tallman updates listeners on the latest with Coolidge Corner Theatre, and how the movie theater industry is managing two years into the pandemic. Tallman is the CEO and Executive Director of the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline. Shirley Leung shares different ways to think about hybrid work and talks about anti-Russian sentiments affecting local businesses. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe. Sue O’Connell weighs in on backlash against Disney’s tepid response to anti-LGBTQ legislation in Florida, and a new type of spider coming to New England. 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 their thoughts on why Americans do not embrace bidets like other countries. -
In It Together...Again
It’s been two years since Governor Charlie Baker declared a COVID state of emergency in Massachusetts. To mark the occasion, In It Together brought back some old friends of the show to reflect on the pandemic and where we go from here. Arun Rath speaks with Boston Medical Center’s Dr. Cassandra Pierre, Franciscan Children’s Hospital behavioral health director Dr. Fatima Watt, La Colaborativa executive director Gladys Vega, and local comedian Lamont Price, as well as GBH reporters Craig LeMoult and Meg Woolhouse. -
BPR Full Show: Don't Touch Your Face
Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd updates listeners on the latest in politics, including President Joe Biden’s response to Ukraine and the disagreement between the U.S. and Poland over fighter jets. 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 latest opinions on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Jon Gruber breaks down the economics of sanctions and how they’re going so far in an attempt to stop Russia. 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 talks about the Supreme Court’s unanimous decision to overturn an overly harsh sentence, and the Quincy post office manager arrested for selling confiscated cocaine. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety. She’s currently the CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Juliette Kayyem discusses the state of Ukraine and the latest on Jan. 6 prosecutions. 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. Her forthcoming book is “The Devil Never Sleeps: Learning to Live in an Age of Disasters.” Arun Rath previews tonight’s In It Together reunion show, commemorating two years since Governor Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency because of the pandemic. Arun Rath is the host of All Things Considered here at GBH, which you can catch weekdays from 4 to 7 P.M. Tonight’s In It Together reunion special will air right afterward, at 7 P.M. tonight. We end the show by asking listeners for their memories from the start of the pandemic. -
BPR Full Show: COVID, Ukraine, and Fossil Fuels
Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners for their thoughts on loosening pandemic restrictions around the country. Art Caplan shares his thoughts on Florida breaking with CDC recommendations that healthy kids should still get vaccinated. 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. Audrey Schulman and Zeyneb Magavi talk about the fight for cleaner energy in New England, and the challenges ahead in breaking away from fossil fuels. Schulman and Magavi are co-directors of the Cambridge nonprofit Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET). Ali Noorani explains how the Ukrainian refugee crisis is an opportunity for the U.S. to affirm the country’s commitment to human rights, and talks about his forthcoming book, “Crossing Borders: The Reconciliation of a Nation of Immigrants.” Noorani is President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Immigration Forum. Yuriy Matsarsky discusses his experiences on the ground in Ukraine after leaving his job in journalism to volunteer for the country’s defense forces. Matsarsky is a longtime Ukrainian journalist who, two weeks ago, put down his pen and took up arms to defend his country against the Russian invasion. Christopher Muther talks about exploring Black history in Richmond, Va., and searching for landmarks of Gilded Age New York. Muther is a travel writer for the Boston Globe. To wrap up the show, we talk with listeners about cheating at Wordle. -
BPR: President Biden bans the import of Russian oil, and more
Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by talking with listeners about rising gas prices before carrying President Joe Biden's speech announcing a ban on the import of Russian oil. Trenni Kusnierek discusses Russia’s detainment of WNBA player Brittney Griner, and the 50th Iditarod race, which started this past weekend. Kusnierek is an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Boston. She's also a BPR contributor. Deborah Douglas and Amber Payne talk about the upcoming relaunch of The Emancipator, and their partnership with BU’s Center for Anti-Racist Research and the Boston Globe. Douglas and Payne are co-editors in chief of The Emancipator, in partnership with the Boston Globe opinions team and the Boston University Center for Anti-Racist Research. Ty Burr shares his thoughts on the latest movies, from “The Batman” to “Power of the Dog.” Burr’s reviews and thoughts on all things movies can be found at “Ty Burr’s Watch List” on Substack. John King updates us on the latest political headlines, focusing on President Joe Biden’s announcement that imports of Russian oil would be banned. 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 how they find joy after doomscrolling. -
Corby Kummer: McDonald's, PepsiCo should take a stand on Russian operations
Social media users and investors are calling on various U.S. fast food companies with operations in Russia to speak on the country’s invasion of Ukraine, with many companies remaining silent and continuing business as usual. A number of U.S.-based fast food chains in Russia — such as Starbucks, Papa John’s, and Yum Brands-owned KFC and Pizza Hut — are owned and operated by franchisees, making it difficult for companies to uniformly close stores due to political issues. “[Companies] don't have as much control over their franchisees,” food writer Corby Kummer told Boston Public Radio on Monday. “It's mostly franchise owners who decide whether or not to close the restaurant because of political turmoil, not the brands themselves.” According to the New York Times, however, McDonald’s owns the majority of its 847 restaurants in Russia, with the country accounting “for 9 percent of the company’s total revenues and 3 percent of its operating income” — leaving the company in a prime position to make a statement. PepsiCo, which counts itself as the largest food and beverage manufacturer in Russia, is in a similar position. “[McDonald’s and PepsiCo] can make a difference; they're not doing it yet. They're not stopping bottling and sales there,” Kummer said. “Starbucks and others that don't own their own franchises, they're doing something clever, which is saying, ‘Okay, so we're not telling our franchise operators to shut down. But we're going to donate a percentage of all the income that they make to Ukraine.’” “Starbucks was saying they condemn the unprovoked, unjust, and horrific attacks. McDonald's can act. They're the ones that I'd like to see take a stand and say, ‘You guys shut down for a while.’” 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.
