© 2025 New England Public Media

FCC public inspection files:
WGBYWFCRWNNZWNNUWNNZ-FMWNNI

For assistance accessing our public files, please [email protected] or call 413-781-2801.
PBS, NPR and local perspective for western Mass.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

May 5, 2025: Expansions, contractions

Today our size is shifting to get larger and smaller simultaneously.

We talk with Mr. Universe, Salman Hameed of Kainaat Studios and Hampshire College, who explains the proposed cuts to NASA and the NSF and the potential impact on both academic institutions (like the five colleges) and American astronomical research as a whole.

Then, just to narrow our aperture a bit, we explore books all over the four counties! All week, Mass Kids Lit Festival will host events for kids of all ages and their grown ups all over western Massachusetts. It’s their first year expanding into the Berkshires, and we chat with organizer Courtney Andree about bringing Children’s Book Week to the Bay State and the many authors your little one can meet and collaborate with in the coming days.

Speaking of narrowing, a much beloved event with a long running history at the Shea Theater in Turner’s Falls has had to put a pause on this year’s occasion. The Immigrant Voices performance has gathered many students, clients and alumni of the Center for New Americans to share talent and culture with the community. Director Laurie Millman s us to talk about the hard decision to put the series on hiatus and the shift in circumstances her organization is seeing.

Mr. Universe
May 5, 2025
Mass Kids Lit Fest
Immigrant Voices performance hiatus

Christopher “Monte'' Belmonte is host and executive producer of NEPM's The Fabulous 413. He was born and raised in Massachusetts and has been a radio host in western Massachusetts for the last 20 years — the last 17 of them as host of Mornings with Monte on The River 93.9/WRSI.
Kaliis Smith is a radio host and producer for NEPM's The Fabulous 413. She was most recently host and producer at The River 93.9/WRSI where she appeared on Mornings with Monte for the Nerdwatch segment and hosted weekday evenings.