BPR Full Show 12/16/20: Permission to Hope

Today on Boston Public Radio:

Adam Reilly discusses his reporting on scholastic sports during the era of COVID, and the pressure on local-level leaders around whether or not to postpone basketball and hockey seasons as Mass. returns to phase three, step one of Gov. Baker's reopening plan.

We open lines to talk with listeners about your experiences with scholastic sports during the pandemic.

Ali Noorani, CEO of the National Immigration Forum, discusses conclusions drawn Tuesday by Mass. A.G. Maura Healey that Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson violated the civil rights of immigrant detainees. He also weighs in on a recently-filed court case out of Texas that’s threatening the future of DACA.

Medical ethicist Art Caplan talks about the latest news on the COVID-19 vaccine front, reflecting on how the world’s richest nations have already bought up much the supply. He also offers his take on right-wing criticism of First Lady-elect Jill Biden using "Dr." in her title.

Next, we return to listeners, opening lines to talk about your feelings around the upcoming snowstorm. 

CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem discusses the importance of setting up fair expectations for the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines, issues with vaccine skepticism, and explains what's publicly known about a recent string of Russian hacks against several federal U.S. agencies.

Journalist and naturalist Sy Montgomery closes out Wednesday’s show by discussing her work patrolling Cape Cod beaches to help protect cold-stunned sea turtles, recapping a dramatic swan rescue in New York City, and explaining the bizarre ways that bees are protecting themselves against murder hornets.