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This is going to be a big weekend for college sports. There's basketball -- of course -- but for commentator Bob Cook, the real action is going to be at Bethany College in Kansas. It's the President's Cup, where the top four collegiate chess programs in the nation will compete. But, he says, the tournament's favorites are as disliked in the chess world as any outlaw basketball program.

Number 21 on the Billboard top 100 this week: India Arie, with her first CD, Acoustic Soul. She has drawn impressive comparisons to Roberta Flack, Tracy Chapman and Bill Withers. Reviewer Sarah Bardeen says that Arie deserves the success. India Arie's Acoustic Soul is on Motown Records.

Tom Manoff has a review of the CD Reflections of Spain, featuring Spanish music for guitar, played by David Russell. Manoff thinks Russell — who is Scottish, not Spanish — plays with a natural elegance, and is passionate but never over the top.

The Dixie Chicks are one of the top selling country artists of all time. Will Hermes, a senior contributing writer for Spin magazine, says their first CD in three years,Home, has a less commercial sound than their other offerings, but still may be one of the best pop CDs of the year.

Host Jacki Lyden talks with singer Aaron Neville about the ups and downs of his 30 year music career. Neville has just released Devotion, his first-ever collection of inspirational songs and a new book, The Brothers, which tells of his colorful past encompassing drug addiction, burglary and chart- topping records.

If you couple community building with the power of storytelling, perhaps we can build a better world. That’s a big part of the philosophy of the 826michigan organization. It serves the creative young minds in Ann Arbor, Detroit and Ypsilanti and has now moved operations to the campus of Eastern Michigan University. WEMU's David Fair caught up with 826michigan's Washtenaw County Program Manager, Megan Gilson, about the process of engaging the right brain and putting it to work for personal and societal growth.

Sandra Murchison is an artist and the director of Eastern Michigan University’s School of Art & Design. She recently set aside her art supplies and gladly picked up a shovel for the groundbreaking ceremony for EMU’s 3D Arts Complex. Sandra joins Deb Polich on "creative:impact" to talk about this exciting addition to the EMU campus expected to open in the fall of 2024.

They say it’s your birthday! The Neutral Zone, the organization envisioned as a youth-driven place for teens to gather, is 25 years old. The Zone's director, Lori Roddy, and youth leader, Sana Schaden join host Deb Polich on this edition of "creative:impact." With a glance back at Neutral Zone’s early days, they’ll bring us up to date on what is now a national model for teen gathering places and tell us about the birthday celebration.

We’re about to enter a new year, and Michigan and Washtenaw County are looking to grow environmental sector jobs. In November, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed into law the Clean Energy and Jobs Act. Supporters say it puts Michigan on a path for quicker buildout of renewable energy, like wind and solar. And that could mean significant job growth. Washtenaw County Commissioner Yousef Rabhi is a proponent of such measures and advocated for such legislation when serving as a state representative. He joined WEMU's David Fair to take a look at what growth we might see in Washtenaw County in 2024.

Governor Whitmer has signed measures into law to require all children be tested for lead exposure. Additionally, a new law requires installation of lead water filters in all schools and childcare centers. It is progress, but there is still a lot of work to be done. WEMU's David Fair discusses its impacts with lead policy expert Mary Sue Schottenfels.