It's the time of year for Padres fans' favorite words: Play ball!

On today's arts and culture show, we get a peak into Padres Opening Day and hear from a Carlsbad chef in the running for a major award.

Plus, our Midday Movies critics highlight women directors for Women's History Month, from trailblazers to emerging new voices.

Then, the weekend preview of upcoming events in the music scene.

Guests:

• Jacob Aere, producer, KPBS
• Eric Bost, chef and owner of several Carlsbad restaurants
• Beth Accomando, arts reporter, KPBS
• Yazdi Pithavala, host, Moviewallas
• Julia Dixon Evans, arts reporter, KPBS

Laughter and joy have always been central to the Black experience.

The '90s especially were a golden era for Black comedy. But it didn't just start then — there were others that paved the way for shows like Living Color, Martin, and A Different World.

The truth is: Black comedians have always shaped culture and civic discourse in America.

We sit down with broadcaster and author Geoff Bennett to talk about his new book, "Black Out Loud," which explores Black comedy's history and cultural influence.

Guest:

• Geoff Bennett, co-anchor of PBS NewsHour, author of "Black Out Loud: The Revolutionary History of Black Comedy from Vaudeville to '90s Sitcoms"

Across the country, hundreds of thousands of children are living in the foster care system.

It's an experience that author David Ambroz knows all too well.

In his memoir, "A Place Called Home," Ambroz recounts his experiences in and out of the poverty cycle — growing up homeless and later unprotected in the foster care system.

In spite of these harrowing experiences, his memoir is also a story about love, strength and solutions.

We sit down with Ambroz ahead of an upcoming appearance at the San Diego Writer's Festival.

Guest:

• David Ambroz, child welfare expert and author, "A Place Called Home"

The San Diego Unified School Board voted this week to rename César Chávez Elementary School.

It's one of many efforts to remove Chávez' name from schools, parks and other spaces following allegations of sexual abuse and rape that surfaced last week.

We unpack the layers of issues surrounding Chávez' legacy and what this means for survivors of sexual assault.

Guest:

• Jean Guerrero, investigative journalist and author of the substack, "UNSILENCING"

In 1992, federal agents and a white separatist family faced off in a remote part of Idaho, culminating in a violent standoff that became known as the Ruby Ridge incident.

The 11-day siege is chronicled in the book, "End of Days: Ruby Ridge, the Apocalypse, and the Unmaking of America."

Tuesday on Midday Edition, we hear from the author about the confrontation that transpired, the family's belief in the apocalypse, and how it foreshadowed conspiracy-driven politics — and the ongoing resurgence of white Christian nationalism.

Guest:

• Chris Jennings, author, "End of Days: Ruby Ridge, the Apocalypse, and the Unmaking of America"

Events:

• San Diego Writer's Festival - March 28

The latest release of files by the Justice Department have shed light on Jeffrey Epstein's relationships with prominent researchers across the country.

That includes several researchers affiliated with UC San Diego — Deepak Chopra and V.S. Ramachandran.

Epstein helped them fund research into whether autistic children had telepathic abilities.

We break down the research and what it reveals about Epstein's interests and the level of scrutiny in research funding.

Guest:

• Lucas Robinson, reporter, The San Diego Union-Tribune

On Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission and Justice Department approved Nexstar Media Group's $6.2 billion acquisition of rival Tegna.

The deal puts San Diego's CBS, CW and FOX affiliates and KUSI under the same ownership.

Monday on Midday Edition, we talk about what this merger could mean for San Diego's journalism landscape and information ecosystem amid declining trust in news.

Guest:

• Lynn Walsh, assistant director, Trusting News

A rapid effort is well underway to erase Cesar Chavez' name from schools, parks and monuments following allegations last week about the labor leader's sexual abuse of women and girls.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria has signed an executive order directing city departments to remove public references to Chavez.

This week, the San Diego Unified School Board will vote on whether to begin the renaming process for César Chávez Elementary School.

But historians know that the full story of the farmworkers' movement does not begin or end with Chavez. We sit down with a scholar to unpack that history and the significance of this moment.

Guest:

• Verónica Martínez-Matsuda, associate professor of history, UC San Diego