Today on Boston Public Radio:

Chuck Todd talks about Sen. Joe Manchin’s role as the 50th vote in the Senate, the impact of Kansans voting to retain their abortion rights, and the possibility of a red wave in the midterms. 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 if they think the MBTA’s Orange Line shutdown will be worth the hassle.

Andrea Cabral discusses the latest headlines from the ongoing Alex Jones trial for spreading misinformation about the Sandy Hook mass shooting. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety, and former CEO of the cannabis company Ascend.

Then we open the phone lines to let listeners lead the conversation, sharing the stories they can’t stop thinking about.

David Abel shares his thoughts on potential climate legislation in Congress, how the current drought is impacting the Charles River, and how climate change is affecting Maine’s puffin population. Abel is a Pulitzer Prize–winning writer who covers the environment for the Boston Globe.

Andy Ihnatko weighs in on the new CHIPS+ act, which incentivizes United States' companies to manufacture their own semiconductors, a recent controversy surrounding video footage from Ring doorbells, and the resurgence of Google Glass. Ihnatko is a tech writer and blogger, posting at Ihnatko.com.

We end the show by asking listeners whether they prefer iced or hot coffee in the summertime.