Today on Boston Public Radio:

We begin the show by opening phone lines, asking listeners if they thought it was time for the government and employers to mandate vaccines.

Andy Ihnatko talks about the multiple states that have filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google, and offers tips on safely handling damaged lithium-ion batteries. Ihnatko is a tech writer and blogger, posting at Ihnatko.com.

Callie Crossley speaks about Zaila Avant-garde’s historic win of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. She also talks about Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott’s plans to revive failed GOP voting legislation, and Harvard University’s plans to return civil rights leader Standing Bear’s tomahawk to the Ponca Tribe. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black.

Dr. Marcia Chatelain discusses the historic role McDonald’s plays in the Black community, and the origins of Black capitalism. Dr. Chatelain is a professor of history in African American studies at Georgetown University. She’s the author of Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America, which won a Pulitzer Prize this year for history.

Shirley Leung talks about Massachusetts’ settlement with the Sackler family for their role in the opioid crisis. She also discusses the story of Toni Columbo, who runs a reweaving business in Charlestown. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe.

Sue O’Connell explains the status of LGBTQ+ rights in Japan, and shares her thoughts on Britney Spears’ conservatorship. O’Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and the South End News, as well as NECN's political commentator and explainer-in-chief.

We end the show by hosting our own spelling bee with listeners.