The Exchange

Several states, and roughly three hundred U.S. cities and towns, have banned single-use plastic bags. Now, several states in New England, including New Hampshire, are considering similar bans. These efforts come amid rising concern about the huge amounts of plastic polluting our oceans and health research warning of tiny, microplastics present in our food. Recently, a bill to ban the bags passed the New Hampshire House and has moved on to the state Senate. GUESTS: Glynn Bingham - Owner,

The Exchange follows up on the NHPR series "Adequate," about how the state decides the value of public education, with a discussion in front of a live audience at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 30th. We speak with NHPR reporter Sarah Gibson, school superintendents, an attorney who has represented school districts, and two representatives from the House Education Committee on how the Legislature is handling public education funding.

Nationally, newspaper readership is way down , but we talk with four New Hampshire publishers about how they're adapting and thriving. We also examine new research on the impact of when a local paper goes away: with no journalistic oversight, taxes often go up and incumbent politicians face less competition .

Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld will challenge President Trump for the Republican nomination. It's not the former two-term governor's first shot for the Oval Office: he was the Libertarian vice presidential nominee in 2016 with Gary Johnson. He recently changed his party affiliation from Libertarian to Republican. We ask Weld about economic policy, the role of government in social programming and where New Hampshire fits in his strategy to win the White House. Send your questions for Bill

While many still see commuity colleges as technical and vocational training schools, on these campuses in New Hamphsire, there's a robust conversation now about the broader value of that two-year degree -- and what courses it should include, to develop not just skilled workers but well-rounded citizens.

This year has featured bipartisan discussion around offshore wind development in the Granite State. Why now? And what effect could this have on our state's economy, environment, and energy landscape?

Police, firefighters, and emergency personnel have specific stressors in their daily jobs that can lead to long-term mental health impacts. We look at how the profession and our state are trying to improve its understanding, and response, to PTSD in this workforce.

We find out how Granite Staters are reacting to the release of the Mueller report, and how it is playing out on the campaign trail with 2020 candidates. Secretary of State Bill Gardner urges lawmakers to go slow when it comes to undoing voting laws enacted by the last Legislature. And the Senate backs a bipartisan plan to expand net energy metering in New Hampshire by a veto-proof margin.

Marianne Williamson's campaign is based on some of the same themes that brought her acclaim and finanicial success for the past 30 years. She is calling for a "moral and spiritual awakening" in this country. The best-selling author and lecturer on such topics as spirituality and miracles is calling for a new American revolution, a "politics of love." We'll ask Marianne Williamson what that means in terms of policy, including health care, immigration, education.

In 2008, Congress passed the landmark Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, considered a major achievement in expanding access to care for mental illness and substance abuse. Ten years later, advocates say there has been progress in addressing some of the more obvious barriers to treatment but disparities remain -- including reimbursement for mental health care providers. Also, in some cases, state oversight has been lacking. We'll look at the situation in New Hampshire.