Happy (belated) 2022! We’ve returned from our holiday hiatus, and we’re discussing some of the big news stories of the past week or so, including how insurance companies are now going to be required to pay for some COVID tests. Plus, the pope makes a rare appearance in the News Fix, and our beloved former co-host has some smart things to say about schools and omicron. In the make me smile department, we’ll talk about the first Black woman to appear on the U.S. quarter and a video about the special dogs that got us through 2021.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “U.S. insurers must cover 8 at-home tests per member each month” from The New York Times
• “Starbucks Union Wins Vote at Second Store, Labor Board Rules” from Bloomberg
• “The IRS is warning of a messy tax season.” from The New York Times
• Molly’s tweet about schools and omicron
• “‘This is a disaster.’: Severity of learning lost to the pandemic comes into focus” from Politico
• “Pope Scolds Couples Who Choose Pets Over Kids” from The New York Times
• The Maya Angelou quarter
• Video: The dogs that got us through 2021

What’s making you smile so far in 2022? Let us know. Send a voice memo or give us a call at 508-82-SMART (508-827-6278).