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Canadian born, Catholic raised, Dr. Ingrid Mattson made history in 2006 when she became the first woman and first convert to head up the continent’s largest Muslim organization. Today she’s speaking at St. Paul’s School in Concord as part of the New Hampshire Humanities Council “Shifting Ground: Religion and Civic Life in America” We’ll speak to Mattson about her journey to Islam, her goals as president of the Islamic Society of North America and the state of the Muslim faith in America today.

Guest

• Ingrid Mattson, President of the Islamic Society of North America, Professor of Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations and Director, Islamic Chaplaincy Program for the Duncan Black Macdonald Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations

NPR's contributing senior news analyst Cokie Roberts is one of the most recognizable women political reporters today. In 2004 she penned “Founding Mothers” about America's early revolutionary women; her new book, “Ladies of Liberty,” picks up where “Founding Mothers” left off. Last week, Cokie Roberts came to Portsmouth to talk about her new book in the latest installment of our Writers on a New England Stage series. Today we play back for you part of that performance.

At one time you could get a gallon of diesel for almost half the price of regular gas. Now diesel prices can be a dollar more per gallon. Truckers and farmers have been hardest hit; many truck fleets have been grounded or scaled back, while increased costs to run farm equipment have affected grocery prices. We’ll look at what’s behind the rising costs of diesel, how it’s affecting Granite Staters and what’s being done about it.

Guests

• Massood Samii, Chairman of the International Business Department and Director of Institute for International Business, at Southern New Hampshire University. He also served at the OPEC Secretariat in Vienna Austria as a senior economist and the head of the finance section
• Jim Collura, Vice President, Public Policy and Communications at the New England Fuel Institute

We'll also hear from

• Doug Currier, owner of Currier Trucking Corp. in Gorham
• Robbie Munce, owner of Muncie Superior, Inc., the parent company of Gorham Oil Inc.
• Phil Ferdinando, who runs J & F Farms, Inc. in Derry

The Exchange takes a break for an Earth Day special. As the nation becomes more urbanized, there are those who look at integrating nature back into the city. “Urban Green" looks at what they’re doing to maintain, preserve and expand green spaces within city limits, and how urban wildlife habitats, community gardens and farmer’s markets not only keep wildlife healthy but help humans too, getting us back in touch with our place on the planet.

At the Statehouse you can spot lobbyists right away, with their bright orange badges, but their influence is often “under the radar” in shaping laws ranging from corporate taxes to the environment. Lobbying was a 9.6 million dollar business in New Hampshire last year and growing. For some lawmakers, they’re a vital information source, but others feel the backroom politics and big business influence takes away from the state's trademark everyman politics. We’ll look at who’s lobbying, how much money is spent, and the ultimate impact on Granite State politics.

Guests

• Kevin Landrigan, State House reporter for the Nashua Telegraph
• Bruce Berke, lobbyist for the Sheehan Phinney Capitol Group
• Jim Splaine, Democratic State Representative from Portsmouth who has advocated for lobby reform

We'll also hear from

• Tricia Lucas, Policy Director at New Futures
• Ed Bender, executive director for the National Institute On Money In State Politics