The Brian Lehrer Show WNYC

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.

Transit Latest: Congestion Pricing, Fare Evasion, the End of Free Bus Routes and More (First) | Are SATs a Good Thing? (Starts at 27:57) | Peak Spring Migration Season (Starts at 50:38)

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It's peak spring migration season for birds. Jason Saul, assistant program director at WNYC and former managing producer for BirdNote, talks about where the birds are and what to look for (and listen to) if you're heading out on a birdwatching walk.

Every year, 50 teenage girls representing each state in America descend on Alabama to compete for large scholarship checks in the Distinguished Young Women program. Shima Oliaee, host and creator of "The Competition," creator of Pink Card, co-creator of Dolly Parton's America and founder of Shirazad Productions, discusses her new podcast, "The Competition", which follows young women on their 2-week journey and offers a peek into what it's like to be a teenage girl in America today.

Mayor Adams released his executive budget this week that restored many of the cuts he'd previously proposed. Justin Brannan, New York City Councilmember (District 43-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach) and chair of the Council Finance Committee, talks about areas where the council and the mayor still differ.

The Department of Justice plans to change the way the federal government classifies cannabis, which will loosen restrictions on weed. Natalie Fertig, federal cannabis policy reporter for Politico, reports on the change, including how it will affect people, businesses and research in states where cannabis is legal (and not).

This year, many selective colleges are reversing Covid-era test-optional admissions policies, requiring applicants to submit ACT or SAT scores again. Emi Nietfeld, author of Acceptance: A Memoir (Penguin Press, 2022), discusses how taking the SAT changed her life and helped her, as a disadvantaged youth, to attend Harvard.