Boston Public Radio

The governor acknowledged criticism from lawmakers but insisted the current mix of state and local efforts is most effective.

Students and advocates are calling on Harvard University to acknowledge its role in slavery and offer reparations.

Healey tells Boston Public Radio she supports legislation to update the state's existing hate crime laws.

If reparations to slavery were enacted before the pandemic, COVID-19 transmission and deaths could have been mitigated dramatically, according to Dr. Michelle Morse.

Andrea Cabral speaks about concerns regarding the 845 unvaccinated members of the State Police.

Three Atlanta-area spas were attacked on Tuesday by the same suspected gunman, who killed eight people.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Shannon O’Brien and Charlie Chieppo joined us for a politics roundup, covering the latest on coronavirus and the 2020 presidential race. We opened our lines to ask callers: do you think President Trump’s coronavirus response will impact his chances at re-election in November? WGBH News Analyst and GroundTruth Project CEO Charlie Sennott discussed the latest headlines around the peace deal between the U.S. and the Taliban, and talk about the possibility of a unified Ireland. WGBH’s Senior Investigative Reporter Phillip Martin broke down his reporting on the controversial relationship between M.I.T. and Russian technology institute Skoltech. Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett Price, hosts of WGBH’s All Rev’d Up, discussed a D.C. church rector who tested positive for coronavirus, and Rev. Jesse Jackson’s endorsement of Sen. Bernie Sanders. TV writer Bob Thompson discussed the end of “Judge Judy” and reviewed Hulu’s "the Devs.” We re-opened our lines to ask callers whether climate change has become a higher priority for you in recent years.

On Friday, food writer Corby Kummer joined Boston Public Radio to discuss a recent article in "The Conversation," positing that city rat populations could be lowered not by increasing the use of rodenticides, but by wasting less food. "This a story saying, stop wasting so much food. Be a lot more careful about throwing out food, and be a lot more careful when you do throw it out,” Kummer said. In January, Malibu, Calif., banned rodenticides in an attempt to protect the local non-rat wildlife. A bill to make that ban statewide failed to pass the state Senate, but may reappear. Boston, meanwhile, continues to use rodenticides. Read More: Rethinking The Way We Handle Rats “Rats are like people,” Kummer said. “They like exactly the same food that people do, and in fact they have evolved in different countries — in Paris … they like butter, cheese and croissants!” (Readers will of course recall the iconic New York City Pizza Rat, who went viral in 2015.) “[Rats] like what people dump and put into open garbage cans. That’s what they evolve to eat. It’s what keeps them alive,” he said. Kummer also discussed his recent article for "Vanity Fair" about the future of fine dining and the chefs who are reimagining it. Kummer is a senior editor at The Atlantic, an award-winning food writer, and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition and Policy.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened lines to ask callers: would you enjoy a two week self-quarantine? Tech writer Andy Ihnatko discussed a slew of ways that coronavirus fears have impacted the tech sector. Emily Rooney, host of WGBH News' Beat The Press, discussed the departure of anchor Chris Matthews from MSNBC, and read us for her famous list of fixations and fulminations. “Under the Radar” host Callie Crossley discussed Bernie Sanders' role in the split-up of Public Enemy, and why the Southern Black voters voted overwhelmingly for Joe Biden on Super Tuesday. Food writer Corby Kummer discussed fine dining as art at a New York restaurant, and Coca-Cola’s acquisition of Honest Tea. Media maven Sue O’Connell discussed the legacy of Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign, and the coming out of former GOP Rep. Aaron Schock. Gilbert Tsang and Meg Tartaskyof MEM Tea imports joined us for our weekly news quiz.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Washington Post reporter Annie Linskey reflected on the end of Elizabeth Warren’s presidential campaign. We opened our lines to continue the conversation about Elizabeth Warren’s election bid. Former Suffolk County Sheriff and Secretary of Public Safety Andrea Cabral discussed ICE agents on Peter Pan buses and Chief Justice John Roberts’ rebuke of statements by Sen. Chuck Schumer. Heather Goldstone, Chief Communications officer at the Woods Hole Research Center, discussed Jeff Bezos’ climate change pledge, and the role climate change has played in this winter's unusually warm weather. Boston Globe columnist Shirley Leung talked about the impact of coronavirus on Boston’s economy, and the passing of business executive Jack Welch. Director James Jacoby discussed his latest "Frontline" documentary, "Amazon Empire: The Rise and Reign of Jeff Bezos." Alex Beam talked about Harvey Weinstein’s prison consultant, and the passing of architect Henry Cobb. We re-opened lines to ask callers: do you feel guilty enjoying the warm weather brought by climate change?

Today on Boston Public Radio: Jennifer Nassour and Steve Kerrigan joined us for a political roundtable. Nassour is a former Chairwoman of the Mass GOP and founder of Conservative Women For A Better Future, and Kerrigan is the CEO of the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center and former CEO of the DNC. We opened our lines to talk with callers about the Super Tuesday results. CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem discussed the vegan protestors at Tuesday night's Joe Biden rally, and gave a primer on coronavirus preparedness. Medical ethicist Art Caplan discussed President Trump’s response to the coronavirus outbreak, and the ethical argument for cognitive tests for the elderly. We opened our lines to talk with callers about your strategies for not touching your face. NBC Sports Boston reporter Trenni Kusnierek recapped the latest rumors around Tom Brady’s future in the NFL, and the International Olympic Committee’s decision to not postpone the Tokyo games amid coronavirus worries. WGBH Arts Editor Jared Bowen reviewed Mass. Historical Society’s “Fire! Voices From the Boston Massacre” exhibition, and “rEVOLUTION,” currently showing at the Boston Ballet.