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We’re heading into another summer with the specter of serious supply chain disruptions. The union representing dockworkers at ports on the East and Gulf Coasts has called off negotiations with shipping companies, because the union says those companies are trying to replace workers with automation. Also: a look at how failing to meet kids’ basic needs hurts their educational outcomes and how bankruptcy has become an “escape hatch” for big corporations.

Today, we’re heading to the Georgia-South Carolina border to hear about a program that pays as they train. It’s at the Savannah River Site, overseen by the Department of Energy, where workers do everything from from dimming down highly toxic plutonium into something no longer weapons-grade to processing spent fuel rods pulled from nuclear reactors. Also on the show: a lawsuit over forever chemicals in the nation’s drinking water.

From the BBC World Service: Singapore Airlines has offered $10,000 compensation payments to passengers who suffered minor injuries during a flight that hit sudden, extreme turbulence last month. Then, European soccer championships kick off on Friday, and a thriving market has popped up to sell counterfeit replica kits. And later: Nollywood, Nigeria’s movie industry, could be worth as much as $15 billion by 2025, but questions are being raised over safety.

Back in January, a U.S. Senate committee probed executives from Meta, TikTok, X, Snap and Discord about social media’s effect on kids. During a heated exchange with Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg stood, turned and apologized to families of victims who were sexually exploited on social media platforms. No federal legislation on the issue has become law, but some states are taking the lead. New York just passed two laws aimed at regulating social media, and California Attorney General Rob Bonta is pushing similar legislation in his state. Marketplace’s Lily Jamali sat down with Bonta to ask about what his state is doing to protect social media’s youngest users.

As the Southwest prepares for 100-plus-degree days this week, we’ll look at where energy grids are prepared for a hot summer. A key factor? Whether grids have new electricity generators, like wind or solar plants. We’ll visit eastern Colorado, where clean energy jobs have been a boon for rural residents. Plus: More first-time homeowners enlist their parents as mortgage cosigners, and brands back away from trans representation, instead angling to keep both LGBTQ and transphobic customers.

The main channel into the Port of Baltimore is expected to reopen soon, but the city is still dealing with the aftermath of the collapse of Francis Scott Key Bridge in late March. Guest host Amy Scott explains how the port’s closure has affected global supply chains, shipping container costs and life in Baltimore. Plus, a shake-up at the Federal Election Commission is making certain gray areas of campaign finance even grayer. Then, we’ll celebrate the first transgender and Asian American woman to be crowned Miss Maryland USA.

Here’s everything we talked about today:


“Full channel into Port of Baltimore expected to open ‘in the next few days,’ officials say” from The Baltimore Sun
“With widened channel, port seeks to recover traffic lost after Key Bridge collapse” from The Baltimore Sun
“Sudden container crunch sends ocean freight rates soaring, setting off global trade alarm bells” from CNBC
“How the Federal Election Commission Went From Deadlock to Deregulation” from The New York Times
“Bailey Anne Kennedy: Trans woman wins Miss Maryland USA, makes pageant history” from The Baltimore Banner
“Gen Z Plumbers and Construction Workers Are Making #BlueCollar Cool” from The Wall Street Journal
“A labor shortage stands in the way of the clean energy transition” from Marketplace

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