Boston Public Radio

Harvard Alpaca Ranch boasts certified therapy alpacas like Sir Erik, who brings calm and smiles to nursing homes, libraries and even radio studios.

The state auditor is starting a ballot initiative to let voters decide whether the office has the power to audit the Legislature.

Actors are left without work opportunities, as they demand better pay and AI regulation.

The Massachusetts senator supports expanding the number of justices.

Comedian Jay Leno discussed his oddly fond memories of Massachusetts.

Massachusetts' first Black governor says it's necessary for Democrats to play "the long game."

Carbon Leaf joins for Live Music Friday, head of a performance at the Spire in Plymouth.Dan Primack is the business editor for Axios. He joins to talk about Trump’s business deals in the Middle East, Walmart’s tariff price hikes and HBO’s big re-re-re-brand to HBO Max.Director Gene Tempest & American Experience EP Cameo George talk about their latest project, “Mr. Polaroid,” a new documentary about the invention of the Polaroid camera (which started in Cambridge). Armani Thomas is a local artist who makes mini-paintings of Boston scenes and leaves the canvases up around the city. He chronicles his work on TikTok as @armoneythomas. Retired federal judge Nancy Gertner discusses yesterday's SCOTUS arguments on the 14th Amendment, along with other contested Trump executive orders and the sense that "rule of law" is ending in America.

Political analyst Chuck Todd with his weekly D.C. rundown.Rep. Ayanna Pressley talks about the return of Tufts student Rumeysa Ozturk. And, her new bill to stop the garnishment of wages for people with student loans in default. Dr. Sarah Fortune leads a tuberculosis research team at Harvard whose NIH funding was just cut by the Trump administration. She talks about the importance of scientific research and the future of her lab.MIT economist Jon Gruber explains how cuts to higher education will impact the biotech, medical and education economy in Massachusetts.

Today:Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley tells of her visit to constituent Rumeysa Ozturk in a Louisiana detention center, of the fight to get her released, and how Democrats are fighting back against the Trump administration.And, Dr. Sarah Fortune, chair of the department of immunology and infectious diseases at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, discusses how a surprise philanthropic donation is keeping her scientific research alive – despite cuts from the Trump administration.

Today:National security expert Juliette Kayyem discusses the amount of work that will have to go into retro-fitting the Qatari airplane to suit Trump's presidential needs.And, naturalist Sy Montgomery discusses warming climate's impact on ticks and the humans who get bit by them.

GBH executive arts editor Jared Bowen discusses the no-nudity dress code at Cannes and 'Kimberly Akimbo' at the Emerson Colonial Theatre.Harvard national security expert Juliette Kayyem explains why the Qatari plane gifted to President Donald Trump poses security problems. Food policy analyst Corby Kummer discusses new FDA-approved 'natural' food colorings, the golden age of the fried-chicken sandwich and Michelin stars coming to Boston restaurants.Naturalist and author Sy Montgomery on this season's tick problem and new research on the rhythmic capabilities of sea lions.