A new book called “The Black Guy Dies First: Black Horror Cinema From Fodder To Oscar” traces 50 years of Black characters and culture in scary movies. What pies could constitute a full dinner? Consider a savory one with swiss chard for the main course, and a sweet one with rhubarb and raspberries for dessert. The Sklar Brothers talk about Japan topping the U.S. in Tuesday night's World Baseball Classic, and March Madness. The Federal Reserve raised interest rates, while juggling banking turmoil and ongoing inflation. What does this say about the health of the U.S. economy?

The LAUSD strike has started. KCRW hears from a special ed assistant teacher who says she makes $37,000/year. She says her classroom has too many students and not enough resources. This tax season, personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary explains how to claim adult dependents, get deductions for classroom expenses, and find an accountant. A Fox News producer is suing the network, alleging its lawyers coerced her to give misleading testimony in the legal battle over Fox's coverage of Dominion Voting after the 2020 election.The band Blood, Sweat, & Tears says the State Department blackmailed them into touring communist Yugoslavia, Romania, and Poland in 1970. A new film tells the story.

Gov. Newsom wants to transform the state’s oldest prison — San Quentin — into a rehabilitation center inspired by prisons in Scandinavian countries like Norway. Earth is approaching catastrophic levels of global warming and irreversible damage within the next decade, but there’s still a little time to avoid calamity, says the U.N. COVID-19 may be linked to raccoon dogs that were illegally being sold at a seafood market in Wuhan, China. That’s according to a team of international researchers. Wyoming recently became the first state to ban the pills used for medication abortions. Drugs like mifepristone and misoprostol are the most common way to end a pregnancy. The Persian New Year is a time to celebrate spring and fresh beginnings. Nassir Nassirzadeh, a first-generation Iranian American and KCRW DJ, shares songs for the holiday.

SEIU Local 99 — the union representing LAUSD staff like bus drivers, janitors, cafeteria workers, and teacher aides — could be on the verge of a three-day strike. Sunday is the 20th anniversary of the start of the Iraq War. Along with the government con to sell it to the public, the war launched a still-current age of grift. Critics review the latest film releases: “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” “Inside,” “La Civil,” and “Wildflower. Wouldn’t it be lovely to cultivate a pot or two of easy-to-grow plants just for the visual pleasure of their flowers, then snip a few to enhance a familiar dish at the table?

Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award-winning actress Lily Tomlin reflects on her biggest roles and female representation in Hollywood. In Texas today, a federal judge heard a case that could undo the Food and Drug Administration’s decades-old approval of the abortion pill mifepristone. LA Metro’s trains and buses are facing a huge increase in crime and drug overdose deaths. Fewer commuters are using public transportation now. Gustavo Dudamel will leave for the NY Philharmonic in three years. One of his greatest legacies in LA is spreading youth music education. Who might replace him?