Boston Public Radio

Boston’s mayor is not taking a public position on whether or not the MCAS should be removed as a high school graduation requirement.

David Cash, EPA administrator for Region 1, discussed efforts to replace fossil fuel heating systems with heat pumps, the Clean School Bus Rebate Program and Massachusetts making strides in offshore wind energy.

The congressman also defended Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's military service and criticized JD Vance.

A nasal spray to prevent influenza could make it easier for more people to get vaccinated, said Dr. Katherine Gergen-Barnett. But it won't be available until next flu season.

The Daily Show correspondent and stand-up comedian said this is his final tour, but he'll stay busy in other ways.

The GOP challenger seeking to unseat U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren says Massachusetts needs an independent voice.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners if they’re feeling positive about the state of current events. Trenni Kusnierek talks about last night’s Celtics loss, the suspension of several players from the PGA and Amy Schneider throwing the first pitch at the Giants-Dodgers game. Kusnierek is a reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. Juliette Kayyem reacts to the Jan. 6 hearings and the Senate’s potential gun deal. Kayyem is an analyst for CNN, former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security and faculty chair of the homeland security program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Quincy Roberts Sr. explains his new role as Executive Director of LGBTQ+ Advancement, and his past experiences and advocacy in Boston. Roberts is is the inaugural Executive Director for the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ+ Advancement in Boston and co-founder of the Hispanic Black Gay Coalition. Then, we ask listeners to debate the merits of eating alone. Corby Kummer discusses the James Beard awards and their efforts to diversify, obstacles facing young farmers and Rhode Island becoming a restaurant hotspot. 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. John King shares his insights about the Jan. 6 hearings and Joe Biden’s potential 2024 run. 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 continuing the conversation about eating alone.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Juliette Kayyem previews day two of the January 6 hearings. Kayyem is an analyst for CNN, former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security and faculty chair of the homeland security program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Then, we air the House Select Committee Hearings on the Jan. 6 insurrection. Andrea Cabral shares her reactions to the proceedings. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety, and former CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Michael Curry discusses whether he thinks former president Donald Trump will be prosecuted, and how he thinks Trump supporters will react to the hearings. Curry is chair of the NAACP Advocacy and Policy Committee, and is president and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. We end the show by taking calls from listeners on their reactions to the hearings.

Pandemic-era federal waivers that expanded children’s access to food through year-round, free school lunches are set to expire this month, after Congress failed to extend the waivers past their June 30 deadline. A cumulative 4.3 billion meals were distributed through the program over the last two summers. “Now parents have to go back to filling in humiliating applications saying, ‘Here's what money we make and why we need help from the school lunch,’” Kummer told Boston Public Radio on Friday. “What parent has time to do that, let alone wants the stigma of their kid asking for this kind of assistance?” 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.

John Rosenthal, co-founder of the Boston-based nonprofit Stop Handgun Violence, joined Boston Public Radio live at the Boston Public Library on Friday to share his thoughts on America’s inaction on gun violence.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by talking with listeners about the first night of the Jan. 6 committee hearings. DA Kevin Hayden discusses Mayor Michelle Wu’s release of the complete file on former Boston Police Patrolman’s Association union chief and convicted child-sex abuser Patrick Rose, Sr. He also talks about concerns over illegal guns in Mass. Hayden is the interim District Attorney for Suffolk County, and he’s running for election for a full term as DA this fall. David Gergen shares his thoughts on the future of youth leaders in politics, and the potential for mandatory community service. Gergen is a Senior Political Analyst for CNN, the Founding Director of the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard and a professor at the Kennedy School. He was a presidential advisor to four administrations. His new book is “Hearts Touched with Fire: How Great Leaders are Made.” Corby Kummer talks about the upcoming expiration of universal free school lunches, and updated us on the latest news from the baby formula shortage. 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. John Rosenthal discusses the state of gun reform in Mass., and updated us on upcoming March for Our Lives gatherings. Rosenthal is a longtime gun control advocate, and the founder of the group Stop Handgun Violence. Red Shaydez talks about her work in Boston’s music scene. She also performed her songs “I’m Not the Victim,” “I Like Dreamin’”, and “Catch a Vibe” live at the Boston Public Library. Red Shaydez is a rapper, entrepreneur, and youth mentor. She’s also the Vice Chair of Events for the group Women in Music, and the host of the Boston Public Library’s second annual Teen Music Maker Showdown. We end the show by asking listeners about their experiences with Boston’s Open Streets initiative, which creates car-free spaces on select roads in Boston during the summer.