8 O'Clock Buzz

Today on the Too Turnt Up Tuesday 8:00 Buzz with Tara Wilhelmi, it's officially looking like summer time!   Talking about 608 Day coming up in a few weeks in Penn Park and other events we're looking forward to; in the second half, Antoine drops in on his day off after a big weekend and Jackie “Brodean” Morris calls in to recap the wildly successful 10th anniversary poetry and comedy jam, and more going on around town! More information on 608 Day coming up noon-8 on June 8th in Penn Park on the Facebook event https://www.facebook.com/events/999270165780642/ and the EOTO Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/EOTOCulturallyRooted/  Check in with Urban League at https://ulgm.org/calendar/ and https://ulgmhub.org/calendar/  for info on resume and job seeking workshops, banking workshops, home ownership clinics (new sessions starting soon), information on Expungement, childcare assistance, fatherhood support, healthcare administration, food safety and trades training, and more! Music from today's show: https://spinitron.com/WORT/pl/22485431/Tuesday-8-O-Clock-Buzz  Listen in Madison at 89.9FM or online anywhere at wortfm.org.  Support your community radio with a donation online at wortfm.org! Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post No Gatekeeping Around Here appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

 WORT 89.9FM Madison · Arts Lit Lab Hosts SynthFest Madison From the days of the punch card-driven, vacuum tube powered RCA Mark II in the 1950s to the various creations of Robert Moog, to modern software-driven MIDIs, the electronic synthesizer has revolutionized music creation.  To celebrate nearly three quarters of a century of electronic music, the Arts and Literature Laboratory hosts SynthFest Madison on Saturday May 30.  Visitors can hear a concert with various synth master performers, explore the synth gallery of various synths and even build their own synth that they can take home.  Tim Russell is the Music Director for the University of Wisconsin's Dance Department, he's the founder of Milwaukee's music and dance improvisational series Hyperlocal MKE and has studied with improvisational greats like Roscoe Mitchell.  He joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing in the WORT studios with a curious contraption. Tim Russell demonstrates his Don Buchla synthesizer with Buzz host Brian Standing in the WORT Studios. (Photo by Nicholas Wootton) Tim Russell in the WORT Studios. (Photo by Nicholas Wootton) Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Arts Lit Lab Hosts SynthFest Madison appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Vets for Peace’s Susan Schnall Wants No More Memorial Days Susan Schnall (Photo courtesy Veterans for Peace) Across the country, for the 158th national Memorial Day, speakers will talk about the valor and sacrifice of fallen soldiers.  The activist organization Veterans for Peace, however, has a simple message: stop the wars, stop killing people, and maybe we won't need a Memorial Day in the future.  Susan Schnall was a U.S. Navy Nurse who opposed the Vietnam War.  In 1968, Schnall rented a small plane and dropped anti-war flyers on five U.S. military bases near San Francisco.  After her court-martial and discharge from the Navy, Schnall continued her peace activism.  Schnall is now the President of Veterans for Peace.  Schnall will speak at Madison's Masonic Hall on Memorial Day, part of the Clarence Kalin Chapter of Vets for Peace Memorial Day commemoration.  Susan Schnall joined the Monday Buzz on Monday, May 25, 2026. Billboard erected by Veterans for Peace near military bases around the country. (Image courtesy Veterans for Peace) Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Vets for Peace’s Susan Schnall Speaks Out Against War on Memoria... appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Feds Blocked From Wisconsin Voter Data Alex Shur (photo by Nicholas Wootton) U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson dealt the Trump Administration a severe blow with a May 21 ruling blocking the U.S. Department of Justice from obtaining unredacted Wisconsin voter data.  Of the 30 lawsuits the Trump Administration has brought against states refusing to hand over detailed voter information, eight have now been dismissed by federal courts.  Alexander Schur is the Wisconsin reporter for Votebeat, and he joined the Monday Buzz on May 25, 2026. Featured image: An election worker processes absentee ballots in Milwaukee. A judge in May 2026 rejected the U.S. Justice Department’s lawsuit to obtain Wisconsin’s unredacted voter rolls. (Photo by Laura McDermott for Votebeat). Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Feds Blocked from Wisconsin Voter Data appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

Today on the Too Turnt Up Tuesday 8:00 Buzz with Tara Wilhelmi and Antoine McNeail, it's Antoine's birthday!  Talking about life and living in Madison, what's coming up over the summer and putting on events around town! Don't miss the 10th anniversary Poetry and Comedy Jam and Antoine's birthday party coming up this Saturday (May 23, 2026) at 7:00 at The Hub! More information and ticket info on https://www.facebook.com/ComedyAndPoetryJam/  More information on 608 Day coming up June 8th on the EOTO Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/EOTOCulturallyRooted/  Check in with Urban League at https://ulgm.org/calendar/ and https://ulgmhub.org/calendar/  for info on resume and job seeking workshops, banking workshops, home ownership clinics (new sessions starting soon), information on Expungement, childcare assistance, fatherhood support, healthcare administration, food safety and trades training, and more! Music from today's show: https://spinitron.com/WORT/pl/22451604/Tuesday-8-O-Clock-Buzz  Listen in Madison at 89.9FM or online anywhere at wortfm.org.  Support your community radio with a donation online at wortfm.org! Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Forgetting Your Punchline appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Childrens Museum Celebrates Asian / Pacific Islander Heritage Month May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and the Madison Children's Museum is throwing one hell of a party to celebrate.  On Thursday, May 21, the Museum will feature dancing, food, storytelling and artwork from Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Hmong cultures.  Junko Yamauchi, an Early Learning Program Specialist with the Madison Children's Museum and Charlotte Cummins, MCM's Director of Education and Community Partnerships joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on May 18, 2026. Charlotte Cummins(Photo courtesy Madison Children’s Museum) Junko Yamauchi and Brian Standing in the WORT studios. (Photo by Junko Yamauchi) Featured image: Lion dance (photo courtesy Madison Children’s Museum) Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Children’s Museum Celebrates Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage... appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Feds Remove Protections for Boundary Waters, Roadless Areas Jamie Ervin (photo courtesy Outdoor Alliance) On April 16, the U.S. Senate voted 50-49 to approve House Joint Resolution 140, stripping federal protections against metal mining in the watershed of the U.S. Forest Service's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Voyageurs National Park. The vote fell mostly along party lines, with all Democrats voting against the resolution.  Republican Thom Tillis of North Carolina crossed the aisle to vote against the measure, while Missouri Republican Josh Hawley did not vote.  The move comes in response to a proposed copper sulfide mine to be operated by Chilean-based Twin Metals.  Permitting for the mine now falls to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.  Meanwhile, on April 21, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers wrote to Brooke Rollins, secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to oppose the U.S. Forest Service's proposed rescission of the 2001 Roadless Rule, which includes wilderness protections for some 70,000 acres of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Northern Wisconsin.  Jamie Ervin is the Senior Policy Manager of the Outdoor Alliance, a coalition of outdoor recreation and conservation groups, and he joined the Monday Buzz on May 18, 2026. Featured image: Section Twelve Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Superior National Forest. (Photo by Daniel Ziegler, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons) Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Feds Remove Protections for Boundary Waters, Roadless Areas appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · SCOTUS Unleashes Gerrymandering Arms Race David Canon (Photo courtesy University of Wisconsin-Madison) After the defeat of the Confederacy in the U.S. Civil War, Congress proposed and the states ratified the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments to the U.S. Constitution to end slavery, ensure citizenship to anyone born in the United States, ensure equal protection and protect voting rights for racial minorities and former slaves.  Over the next 100 years, enforcement of the amendments was haphazard at best, with the U.S. Supreme Court repeatedly knocking down Congressional attempts to regulate against racially discriminatory Jim Crow laws.  In 1965, after tireless advocacy and protest from Civil Rights leaders, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act.  On signing the act, President Lyndon Baines Johnson declared it “a triumph for freedom as great as any victory on the battlefield.”  On April 29, in a decision reminiscent of the court's long discredited Reconstruction era rulings, the Roberts-led U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in Louisiana v. Callais that gutted the last remaining provisions of the Voting Rights Act.  The ruling has touched off an arms race of gerrymandering efforts by States in anticipation of the 2026 midterm elections.  David Canon is a professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin's La Follette School of Public Affairs, who has specialized in legislative redistricting and representation.  David Canon joined the Monday Buzz on May 18, 2026. Featured image: Map of Louisiana 6th Congressional District overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in Louisiana v. Callais. (Image by Twotwofourtysix, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons) Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post SCOTUS Unleashes Gerrymandering Arms Race appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

Right there in the river city, Watertown, Wisconsin.  In one of the most audacious decisions by a local school board since the enlightened members of the River City school board tried to prevent the spread of pool playing in their community, the Watertown Board voted to protect their vulnerable high school students from political indoctrination by a lyricless song.  Despite the protestations of the young musicians who've been practicing for months, and many parents who were supporting the students, the Board decided they knew what was be best for the corruptible youth of their fair city.  The 8 O'Clock Buzz explores the school board decision with the assistance of a former Watertown alumnus.  The Mother of a Revolution lives on! Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Ya Got Trouble appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Front Lines: A Lifetime 0f Drawing Resistance Susan Simensky Bietila (Photo courtesy Arts and Literature Laboratory) From protesting New York City bridal fashion shows in the 1960s with the Women’s International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell (or W.I.T.C.H.), to using giant puppets to protest a proposed copper mine in Crandon, Wisconsin in the 1990s, to her more recent work as an illustrator for WW3 Illustrated, Susan Simensky Bietila has been at the vanguard of creative grassroots resistance movements.  Now, Bietila, who now lives in Milwaukee, has written her memoir, FRONT LINES: A Lifetime of Drawing Resistance, out now from PM Press. Susan Simensky Bietila joined the Monday 8 O’Clock Buzz’s Brian  Standing on May 11, 2026. Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Front Lines: A Lifetime of Drawing Resistance appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Metropolitans: New York Baseball, Class Struggle and the People’s Team A.M. Gittlitz(Photo by David Siffert) Major League Baseball is a multi-billion dollar business venture, with teams owned by venture capitalist billionaires and star players earning upwards of fifty million dollars a year.  The idea of any major-league team, let alone the New York Mets, being a true “team of the people” seems, on the face of it, absurd.  But baseball, like any other cultural practice, reflects the politics and struggles of the society that produced it.  In his new book, avowed anti-capitalist activist and unabashed New York Mets fan A.M. Gittlitz looks at the history of working class movements through the lens of baseball in New York City. The book is “Metropolitans: New York Baseball, Class Struggle and the People's Team” out now from Astra House press.  A.M. Gittlitz joined Monday 8 O’Clock Buzz host Brian Standing on April 20, 2026. Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Metropolitans: New York Baseball, Class Struggle and “the People... appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

 WORT 89.9FM Madison · Reflecting on Tone Madison’s Legacy Grant Phipps(Photo courtesy Tone Madison) Since 2014, Tone Madison carved out an independent alternative slice of Madison's media landscape, featuring music, film and arts coverage and a no-holds-barred approach to news and political commentary. On March 19, 2026, Tone Madison announced that it was shutting down, citing financial difficulties.  Grant Phipps served as Tone Madison's film editor and was formerly a DJ on WSUM.  Grant joined the Monday Buzz with Brian Standing on April 20, 2026. Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Reflecting on Tone Madison’s Legacy appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Dane County Board Axes Flock Camera Funding Heidi Wegleitner(Photo courtesy Dane County Board of Supervisors) Back in March, WORT brought you the story of protestors demanding that the UW Police remove Flock Systems automated surveillance cameras from campus.  Flock Systems' website boasts it is “shaping the future of safety together” and claims that it has worked with “over 12,000 cities, towns, counties and business partners.”   Meanwhile, the ACLU and the Electronic Frontier Foundation have criticized the company for its indiscriminate surveillance, capturing people's comings and goings,whether or not they are suspected of a crime.  On April 16, the Dane County Board of Supervisors voted 32-1 to cut Sheriff's Department funding to install Flock System license plate readers.  Heidi Wegleitner represents District 2 on the Dane County Board of Supervisors and sponsored the budget amendment.  She joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on April 20, 2026. Featured image: Flock Camera (Aurora, IL) (Photo by LemononoM, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons) Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Dane County Board Axes Flock Camera Funding appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · “Slow Looking” Brings New Perspective to Art Elise Daugherty(Photo courtesy Elise Daugherty) We live in a world that values speed and efficiency above all.  The internet serves us thousands of bite-sized memes, which we quickly devour while doom-scrolling between Zoom meetings.  Alarms and calendar reminders rule our daily lives, with our phones constantly buzzing and chirping in our pockets to keep us on schedule.  AI-generated images pass by our eyes so quickly, that we fail to notice that people have too many fingers, or that famous buildings are duplicated in the skyline.  Elise Daugherty, Learning and Community Engagement Coordinator for the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art wants to give you a break from all that.  She's offering a series of events designed to encourage “slow looking,” or deliberate, meditative contemplation of works of art.  Elise joined the Monday Buzz on April 13, 2026. Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post “Slow Looking” Brings New Perspective to Art appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · How Rare are “Rare Earths?” Julie Klinger(Photo Courtesy University of Wisconsin-Madison) In February, President Trump announced the creation of “Project Vault,” a $12 billion public-private partnership to create a U.S. based strategic reserve of so-called “rare earth” elemental minerals widely used in modern technology.  That announcement came on the heels of an announcement in January by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick that the U.S. was extending 1.5 billion dollars in funding to the mineral firm U.S. Rare Earth, Incorporated.  China, which accounts for 60% of the market, recently tightened its exports of rare earth minerals, resulting in supply chain problems for electronic manufacturers.  On April 13, 2026, Julie Klinger, an Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin's Nelson Institute, and a specialist in energy analysis and policy, joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing. Featured image: Neodymium, a “rare earth” element (Photo by Tomihahndorf at German Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons) Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post How Rare are “Rare Earths?” appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Iran War at Stalemate Six Weeks In Andrew Kydd(Photo courtesy University of Wisconsin-Madison) As the U.S./ Israeli war on Iran enters its sixth week, the death toll continues to climb.  According to Al Jazeera, the region has seen a total of over 4,000 dead, with another 39,000 injured, since hostilities began on February 26.  The temporary ceasefire negotiated between the U.S. and Iran appears to have disintegrated, particularly on the part of Israel, which continues to bombard and invade southern Lebanon.  Meanwhile, the Pentagon has declared Iran's restrictions on vessels moving through the Strait of Hormuz “an act of international piracy.”  Beginning at 9:00 a.m. Central Time on April 13, U.S. Naval ships will attempt to block all maritime traffic from entering Iranian ports.  Where is all this headed?  Are there common interests in negotiating a more effective and longlasting ceasefire?  Andrew Kydd is a professor of International Relations and Political Methodology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  He joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on April 13, 2026. Featured image: Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Delbert D. Black (DDG 119) fires a Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) in support of Operation Epic Fury, Feb. 28, 2026. (U.S. Navy photo) Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Iran War at Stalemate Six Weeks In appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Finding Home On Highway 14: Episode 6 Nicole Gruter (photo courtesy Nicole Gruter) Since August of 2025, Madison-based performance artist Nicole Gruter has been searching for someplace that feels like home out on U.S. Highway 14.  Highway 14, one of the nation's first federal highways, runs 1400 miles from Chicago to Yellowstone National Park.  Along the way, Nicole's been collecting stories from the various personalities who reside along the iconic road.  Nicole joined the Monday Buzz on April 6, 2026. (All photos by Nicole Gruter) Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Finding Home on Highway 14: Episode Six appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · UW Science Expeditions 2026 On Friday, April 10 through Sunday, April 12, the University of Wisconsin offers a peek under the hood of its various science departments.  The UW Science Expeditions features an open house of research and experiments conducted by dairy scientists, limnologists, geologists, astronomers, physicists, ecologists, biologists and other types of mad scientists working at the UW Madison campus.  Haddie McLean, Outreach Program Manager for The Wonders of Physics and Allison Bender, Program Manager for the Wisconsin Energy Institute joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on April 6, 2026 to conduct some experiments. UW Physics Department Outreach Program Director Haddie McLean demonstrates “dragon breath” by chewing a cheese puff frozen in liquid nitrogen.(Photo by Nicholas Wootton) Wisconsin Energy Institute Program Manager Allison Bender demonstrates various designs for wind turbine blades.(Photo by Nicholas Wootton) Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Science Expeditions Open Up UW Labs appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Postmark Changes Could Impact Absentee Ballots Tom Lopach(Photo courtesy Center for Voter Participation) If you were planning on mailing in your absentee ballot before tomorrow's Wisconsin election, you might want to deliver it yourself instead.  Last December, the U.S. Postal Service issued new guidance about postmarks that could delay mail getting postmarked, particularly in rural areas, by several days.  That obscure rule change, along with dozens of state laws restricting alternative voting, coupled with the Trump Administration's legislative and arm-twisting efforts to make it harder for people to vote, could have a severe impact on the 2026 midterm elections.    Tom Lopach is the President and CEO of the Voter Participation Center and the Center for Voter Information. Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Postmark Changes Could Affect Absentee Ballots appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

Cuba is in the midst of the worst humanitarian crisis since 1959 according to Andres Pertierra, Historian at the UW-Madison.  The economy isn't functioning, and the healthcare and educational systems are collapsing.  Blackouts are the new normal.  This situation is being celebrated within the Trump administration, but it is the lives of normal everyday Cubans that are bearing the brunt of the Trump-Rubio sanctions.  Andres joins the Thursday edition of the 8 O'Clock Buzz to talk about the current situation and how the tightened oil embargo is impacting everyday life in Cuba. Photo by Estella Estevez on Unsplash Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Trumpargo on Cuba appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Retreating Into the Dark Forests of the Internet Yancey Strickler(Photo courtesy ystrickler.com) When new media technologies, such as radio, television, or even the printing press, first emerge, they hold the promise of democratizing access to information and to provide a platform for a wide variety of viewpoints.  The same held true for the internet, which for much of its early life enjoyed equal access and distribution for anyone who could get online.  In recent years, though, the growth of corporately controlled social media algorithms, artificial intelligence and mass-produced propaganda has made the once-safe and free web into a dark and scary place.  Yancey Strickler is a writer and entrepreneur. He’s the co-founder of Kickstarter, The Creative Independent, Metalabel, Artist Corporations, the Dark Forest Collective, and the author of This Could Be Our Future: A Manifesto for a More Generous World.   He recently wrote an op-ed about the idea of “Dark Forests” on the internet.  Yancey Strickler joined the Monday Buzz on March 28, 2026. Forest image by Eric Jones, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13073064  Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Retreating into the Dark Forests of the Internet appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Election Issues Front and Center in Supreme Court Race Alex Shur (photo by Nicholas Wootton) From ballot boxes, to legislative districts, to the privacy of voter information, the next Wisconsin Supreme Court justice may rule on a plethora of election-related issues in the court’s next term.  Votebeat Wisconsin’s Alex Shur joined the Monday Buzz for his monthly update on Wisconsin election news. Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Election Issues Front and Center in Supreme Court Race appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Maria Lazar Seeks Wisconsin Supreme Court Seat On April 7, voters in Wisconsin will select a new justice for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, to replace the retiring Justice Rebecca Bradley.  The nonpartisan race includes two current Court of Appeals justices, Judge Chris Taylor from District IV, which serves the Madison area, and Judge Maria S. Lazar from District II, which serves the Waukesha area.  Maria Lazar worked as assistant Wisconsin Attorney General from 2010 to 2015, and was elected to the Waukesha Circuit Court in 2015, and was elected to the Court of Appeals in 2020.  Supreme Court candidate Maria S. Lazar joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on March 30, 2026. Image courtesy Wisconsin Court of Appeals Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Maria Lazar Seeks Wisconsin Supreme Court Seat appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

Tens of thousands marched on the Wisconsin State Capitol as part of nationwide “No Kings” protests. We hear from some of the voices, talking about faith, service, history and revolution. All photos by Brian Standing. Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Voices from the Madison “No Kings” Rally 3/28/2026 appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Midwest Video Poetry Festival 2026 Madison's Arts and Literature Laboratory's Midwest Video Poetry Festival, now in its sixth year, seeks to synthesize one of humanity's oldest art forms with one of its newest.  As a particularly visual literary genre, poetry seems uniquely suited to the visual creativity of the moving image.  The 2026 festival, taking place on Saturday, April 4, features poets and filmmakers from such exotic places as Ireland, the Netherlands, Benin, the United Kingdom, New York, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee and Ypsilanti.  Genia Daniels, Coordinator of the Midwest Video Poetry Fest, and Rita Mae Reese, Executive Director of the Arts and Literature Laboratory, joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on March 23, 2026. Still from “Abjad Hawaz (أبجد هوز)” by Hadi Moussally(image courtesy Hadj Moussally) Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Midwest Video Poetry Fest 2026 Lands at ArtLitLab appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Taxes Only Part of Housing Costs Deaken Boggs(photo courtesy Madison Area Community Land Trust) In their February 2026 housing report, the Wisconsin Realtors Association found that the median price of a new home in Southern Wisconsin had grown to $365,000.  Even with lower mortgage interest rates, that price tag remains out of reach of many would-be homeowners.  In 2024, voters approved $607 million in property taxes going to the Madison School District, and $22 million going to the City of Madison, which resulted in a 16% average property tax hike in 2026.  Despite the popularity of the referenda questions, a recent Marquette Poll found that, statewide, concern over property taxes has outpaced support for public school funding.  So, how much do property taxes contribute to the unaffordability of housing in Southern Wisconsin?  Deaken Boggs is the Organizing Director for the Madison Area Community Land Trust, which focuses on the development of affordable housing.  Boggs joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on March 23, 2026. Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Taxes Only Part of Housing Costs appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Slaying the Gerrymandering Dragon iuscely Flores(photo courtesy LinkedIn) In 2023, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 4-3 that state assembly and senate district maps created by the Republican-led legislature in 2011 violated Article IV of the Wisconsin Constitution.  Rather than submit to district boundaries drawn by the court itself, the Legislature agreed to maps proposed by Governor Tony Evers after an extensive public participation process.  Although that case effectively ended what election experts called the worst partisan gerrymander in the nation, the process by which those maps were created remains intact.  With gerrymandering back in the news with recent congressional maps in Texas and California, Governor Evers signed an executive order calling for a special session of the Legislature to consider a constitutional amendment to make nonpartisan redistricting the law of the land.  Iuscely Flores is the Organizing Director for Fair Maps Wisconsin, who joined the Monday Buzz on March 23, 2026. Wisconsin legislative district maps in effect for 2026 elections(image courtesy Wisconsin Legislative Services Bureau) Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Slaying the Gerrymander Dragon appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

Today on the Too Turnt Up Tuesday 8:00 Buzz with Tara Wilhelmi and Antoine McNeail, Afra Smith, Founder and CEO of The Melanin Project, as well as founder and organizer of the Weath Empowerment Conference joins us to talk about finances, talking to your family about money, building a budget, becoming financially independent, her personal fight out of debt, and much more! More information on The Melanin Project at https://www.themelaninproject2053.com/ and on social media. Logistics, presenters and registration information for the 2026 Wealth Empowerment Conference, coming up April 18th at TruStage at https://www.themelaninproject2053.com/https-www-themelaninproject2053-com-wec2026  Keep up with Afra on social media and more at https://linktr.ee/afrasmith . Catch Fatherhood Unfiltered this week on 3/19 at The Hub: https://ulgmhub.org/onevents/fatherhood-unfiltered-building-bonds-breaking-barriers/ Don't miss Antoine's 10th anniversary Poetry and Comedy Jam coming up on May 23! Tickets and more information coming soon! Call or text 608-616-0089 or check them out on social media. Catch Tara at Buraka on Thursday nights for R&B slow jams with DJ G Money! If you're a Black musician in Madison and want to come on the show, contact Tara (https://www.facebook.com/EOTOCulturallyRooted) or Antoine (https://www.facebook.com/1MotionOutReachEnterprise) on Facebook or send a note through the “Announcements” form on the WORT webpage: https://www.wortfm.org/announcements/ . We'd love radio safe versions of your music to play on the show too! Check in with Urban League at https://ulgm.org/calendar/ and https://ulgmhub.org/calendar/ for info on resume and job seeking workshops, home ownership clinics (new sessions starting soon), information on Expungement, childcare assistance, fatherhood support, healthcare administration, food safety and trades training, and more! Listen in Madison at 89.9FM or online anywhere at wortfm.org. Support your community radio with a donation online at wortfm.org! Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Lots of Folks Realities appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · “Pants on Fire” Brings Craig Ferguson Back to Overture Back in the 1980s, Craig Ferguson started his entertainment career as a drummer for Glasgow punk bands Night Creatures, Exposure, Ana Hausen and The Bastards from Hell.  Later, Ferguson followed a career as a stand-up comedian and actor, appearing in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and in a London production of the Rocky Horror Show.  After moving to Los Angeles in 1994, Ferguson landed the part of Mr. Wick in the Drew Carey Show.  But it was in 2004 that Ferguson became a household name, when CBS named him the host of the Late, Late Show, a gig he would hold down for a decade.  Ferguson won a Peabody Award for his interview of Bishop Desmond Tutu on the Late Late Show in 2009.  On Thursday, March 19, Ferguson brings his new show “Pants on Fire” to Madison's Overture Center.  Craig Ferguson joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on March 16, 2026. Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post “Pants on Fire” Brings Craig Ferguson Back to Overture Cen... appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

 WORT 89.9FM Madison · Native Plants Promote Biodiversity at Neighborhood Scale Amy Staffen(Photo courtesy Amy Staffen) Sue Carpenter(Photo courtesy University of Wisconsin Arboretum) Though a half a foot of new snow in the Madison area may suggest otherwise, gardening season is right around the corner.  Rather than fill your yard with exotic hostas and honeysuckle, consider some alternatives that provide benefits to your local ecosystem.  Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Conservation Biologist Amy Staffen and University of Wisconsin Arboretum Native Plant Garden Curator Susan Carpenter  joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on March 16, 2026. Featured image: Obedient plant is a perennial native plant that attracts pollinators. Photo credit: Jay Watson Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Native Plants Promote Biodiversity at Neighborhood Scales appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Astria Suparak Presents "Asian Futures Without Asians" Helen Lee(Photo by Kaleb Autman) For years, performance and multimedia artist Astria Suparak has been challenging audiences with her blend of science fiction movies, rock ‘n' roll, internet memes and sports images to explore topics such as feminism, racism and colonialism.  Suparak returns to the University of Wisconsin campus with a live cinema event on March 11 and March 12 at the Play Circle Theater at the Memorial Union.  Helen Lee is a Professor of Glass at the UW Art Department and was instrumental in getting Suparak back to Madison.  Helen Lee joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on March 9, 2026. Photo of Astria Suparak courtesy University of Wisconsin Art Department. Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Astria Suparak Presents “Asian Futures Without Asians” appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Bonobos’ “Make-Believe” Play Challenges Assumptions of Human Intelligence Heidi Lyn(Photo courtesy University of South Alabama) Human beings guard their intellectual achievements very jealously.  For decades, students were taught that so-called “lower animals” were creatures who operated purely by instinct, incapable of abstract thought, complex communication or imagination.  Mounting evidence suggests, however, that we actually share many of these traits with other animals.  In recent experiments a bonobo named Kanzi seemed to understand the concept of “make-believe,” drinking from a cup filled with imaginary fruit juice, much the way children would at a pretend tea party.  Heidi Lyn is the Joan M. Sinnott Chair at the Comparative Cognition and Communication Lab of the Department of Psychology and Marine Science at the University of South Alabama.  Heidi joins us now by phone. Featured image: Kanzi, language-reared male bonobo, converses with Sue Savage-Rumbaugh in 2006 using a portable “keyboard” of arbitrary symbols that Kanzi associates with words. (Photo by William H. Calvin, PhD, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Bonobos’ “Make-Believe” Play Challenges Assumptions ... appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Federal Regulations Put the Squeeze On Cannabis Market In 2018, Congress passed the omnibus Farm Bill, which included changes to how the federal government regulates the plant cannabis sativa L., otherwise known as hemp.  While attempting to remove only industrial hemp from the federal Controlled Substances list, the legislation's wording – apparently inadvertently – also deregulated a wide variety of cannabis compounds that have mild psychoactive properties.  The loophole resulted in an enormous boom in THC and CBD products, becoming a multi-billion dollar industry by 2020.  In 2025, Congress passed an emergency budget bill to end a long shutdown.  That later bill included language that will close the THC loophole by November 2026, making the sale of THC products illegal under federal law once again.  Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers recently wrote to Wisconsin's congressional delegation urging Congress to delist THC products, citing the economic boom the market has provided to consumers and farmers alike. Cam Newberry is a co-owner of Dank of America, a cannabis product retail store on Madison's Williamson Street, and he joined the Monday Buzz on March 9, 2026. Photo of Presidential Kush cannabis strain  (Photo by Forcefield21, CC BY-SA 4.0  via Wikimedia Commons Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Federal Law Puts the Squeeze on Cannabis Market appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

Today on the Too Turnt Up Pledge Drive Tuesday 8:00 Buzz with Tara Wilhelmi and Antoine McNeail, multi-entrepreneur and music business expert Will “Chill” Rinehart joins us to talk about his businesses, accomplishments, story, and the ins-and-outs of being in the music business! More on Will's business deals: Come Clean Empire https://comecleanempire.net/ Maverick Global Distribution https://www.maverickglobaldistribution.com/  Hype Magazine: https://www.thehypemagazine.com/  More on Will's accomplishments from Grass Roots Music Seminar: https://grassrootsmusicseminar.com/about.html  Information on the IGM awards at https://igmawards.com/ and Will's Lifetime Achievement Award from Straight Official Magazine: https://www.straightofficial.com/william-rinehart-lifetime-achievement-award-2026/  Catch Tara at Buraka on Thursday nights for R&B slow jams with DJ G Money! If you're a Black entrepreneur in Madison and want to come on the show, contact Tara (https://www.facebook.com/EOTOCulturallyRooted) or Antoine (https://www.facebook.com/1MotionOutReachEnterprise) on Facebook or send a note through the “Announcements” form on the WORT webpage: https://www.wortfm.org/announcements/  Check in with Urban League at https://ulgm.org/calendar/ for info on resume and job seeking workshops, home ownership clinics (new sessions starting soon), information on Expungement, childcare assistance, fatherhood support, and much more!  Watch for a new Fatherhood Unfiltered coming up March 19th!  Get on the list for more training to get in to the trades coming up soon! Music from today's show: https://spinitron.com/WORT/pl/22063885/Tuesday-8-O-Clock-Buzz  Listen in Madison at 89.9FM or online anywhere at wortfm.org.  Support your community radio with a donation online at wortfm.org! Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Are You Working a Dream or Working a Business appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Air Wisconsin Survives by Serving ICE Paul Kiefer (photo courtesy wisconsinwatch.org) Across the country, regional short-hop airlines face potential extinction, as rising costs, pilot shortages and industry upsizing of commercial aircraft have led to air carriers dumping markets like Toledo, Ohio and Erie, Pennsylvania.  A recent analysis by Ailevon Pacific Aviation Consulting shows that major carriers have stopped serving over 74 small and mid-sized cities since 2020.  Here in Wisconsin, one regional carrier, Air Wisconsin, has managed to survive by catering to a new client: the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.  Paul Kiefer focuses on immigration and data reporting for Wisconsin Watch, and he's put together a deep analysis of Air Wisconsin's new flight patterns.  Paul Kiefer joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on March 2, 2026. Image of Air Wisconsin’s travel routes after its acquisition by CSI courtesy Paul Kiefer and Wisconsin Watch Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Air Wisconsin Survives by Serving ICE appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

Today on the Not Too Turnt Up Tuesday 8:00 Buzz with Tara Wilhelmi, Jennie Mullins, Director of Arts Education, and Matthew Sanborn, Exhibitions Manager, from Arts for All Wisconsin join us in the studio to talk about what they do and who they serve. For more information on Arts for All Wisconsin and their programs statewide, visit their website: https://www.artsforallwi.org/. More information on the Creative Power exhibition at MyArts, including the opening reception on March 3rd and the celebration and jury awards on April 18th, see: https://www.artsforallwi.org/creative-power .  Watch for Creative Power on the road coming to a location near you! Follow Arts For All Wisconsin on Facebook and Instagram at @artsforallwi. For more on arts, check our interviews with LaShay the Artist from January: https://www.wortfm.org/color-wherever-you-are/ https://www.wortfm.org/the-more-i-want-to-be-myself/ Catch Tara at Buraka on Thursday nights for R&B slow jams with DJ G Money! If you're a Black entrepreneur in Madison and want to come on the show, contact Tara (https://www.facebook.com/EOTOCulturallyRooted) or Antoine (https://www.facebook.com/1MotionOutReachEnterprise) on Facebook or send a note through the “Announcements” form on the WORT webpage: https://www.wortfm.org/announcements/  Check in with Urban League at https://ulgm.org/calendar/ for info on resume and job seeking workshops, home ownership clinics (new sessions starting soon), information on Expungement, childcare assistance, fatherhood support, and much more!  Watch for a new Fatherhood Unfiltered coming up March 19th!  Get on the list for more training to get in to the trades coming up soon! Music from today's show: https://spinitron.com/WORT/pl/22028706/Tuesday-8-O-Clock-Buzz  Listen in Madison at 89.9FM or online anywhere at wortfm.org.  Support your community radio with a donation online at wortfm.org! Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post There Are Always Ways to Dance appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Lead Between the Rhymes: 50 Years of Hip Hop Think of vibrant hiphop scenes, and major metropolitan areas like New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Detroit come immediately to mind.  But hiphop's cultural influence has permeated throughout the U.S., including Wisconsin.  Through the month of February, the Wisconsin Historical Society features the exhibit “Lead Between the Rhymes: Celebrating Over 50 Years of Hip Hop Culture in Wisconsin,” part of a documentary project by Pyramidal Productions.  Curators Menkhu Ara Maat and Greg Doby joined the Monday Buzz on February 23, 2026. Menkhu Ara Maat(photo courtesy Pyramidal Productions) Greg “G!Nx” Doby(photo courtesy Pyramidal Productions) Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Lead Between the Rhymes: 50 Years of Hip Hop in Wisconsin appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

 WORT 89.9FM Madison · UW African American Studies Student Symposium 2026 On February 27th from 8:00 am to 4:00 PM the University of Wisconsin Madison, Department of African American Studies will hold its 2026 student symposium. It’s an all-day affair taking place at the UW Madison Memorial Union’s Tripp Commons. Professor Max Felker-Kantor and undergraduate students Heaven Williams and Sophia Grigsby joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on February 23, 2026. Heaven Williams(photo courtesy Hope Kelham) Sophia Grigsby(photo courtesy University of Wisconsin-Madison) Max Felker-Kantor(photo courtesy University of Wisconsin-Madison) Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post UW African-American Studies Student Symposium 2026 appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · A Good Clerk is Hard to Find Alex Shur (photo by Nicholas Wootton) Between April, 2025 and February, 2026, thirteen towns, villages and cities in Wausau County, Wisconsin lost their municipal clerks due to retirement, only to have the new replacements resign within a few months.  That kind of turnover wreaks havoc on all kinds of functions for small communities, ranging from issuing dog licenses to running local, state and federal elections.  Votebeat Wisconsin's Alex Shur has dug into why nobody wants to be the town clerk anymore, and he joined the Monday Buzz on February 23, 2026. Photo of Wausau Town Hall (Wikideas1, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons) Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post A Good Clerk is Hard to Find appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

Rare earth minerals are a group of 17 chemically similar, heavy metals, that are used for many high-tech and sustainable energy applications.  Despite what their name would suggest, they are relatively abundant.  But refining the minerals from disperse ore deposits takes large amounts of energy and produces large quantities of sometimes hazardous waste.  Julie Klinger, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at UW-Madison, joins the Thursday edition of the 8 O'Clock Buzz to talk about the present status of rare earth mineral mining, and the possibility of reclaiming the minerals from existing mine tailings in the U.S. Photo by USGS on Unsplash Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Not-So-Rare Earth Minerals appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

Today on the Too Turnt Up Tuesday 8:00 Buzz with Tara Wilhelmi and Antoine McNeail, Dwight Hayes, serial entrepreneur, proud father and husband, and 2026 City of Madison Black History Month Honoree joins us to talk about his businesses and being a Black entrepreneur in Madison, eating right and being healthy, fatherhood, coaching basketball, horoscopes, and much more! Information on Dwight's honor from the city: https://www.cityofmadison.com/council/district17/blog/2026-02-15/celebrating-february-2026-as-black-history-month-in-the-city-of Information on his newest endeavor, House of Healing Health and Wellness: https://www.h3w.store/ Information on Hayes Place and event space: https://hayesplace.net/  Catch Tara at Buraka on Thursday nights for R&B slow jams with DJ G Money! If you're a Black entrepreneur in Madison and want to come on the show, contact Tara (https://www.facebook.com/EOTOCulturallyRooted) or Antoine (https://www.facebook.com/1MotionOutReachEnterprise) on Facebook or send a note through the “Announcements” form on the WORT webpage: https://www.wortfm.org/announcements/  Check in with Urban League at https://ulgm.org/calendar/ for info on resume and job seeking workshops, home ownership clinics (new sessions starting), information on Expungement, childcare assistance, fatherhood support, and much more!  Watch for a new Fatherhood Unfiltered coming up March 19th!  Get on the list for more training to get in to the trades coming up soon! Music from today's show: https://spinitron.com/WORT/pl/21993181/Tuesday-8-O-Clock-Buzz  Listen in Madison at 89.9FM or online anywhere at wortfm.org.  Support your community radio with a donation online at wortfm.org! Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Going Hard Against the Narratives appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Reports from Palestine’s West Bank While the world has focused on Israel's invasion and occupation of the Gaza Strip, other disputed territories on Israel's borders have started heating up.  Last week, the Israeli government approved a land registration system to facilitate new settlements in the West Bank.  The Palestinian Authority decried the move, calling it a de-facto annexation of the disputed territory and a violation of international law.  For its part, Israeli authorities state the registration system is an administrative measure of little consequence.   A delegation of West Bank observers, Brenna Cussen Anglada, co-founder St. Isidore Catholic Worker Farm, Eli Newell, Field Organizer with IfNotNow and Ziv Scher, activist and native of East Jerusalem, joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on February 16, 2026. Map of West Bank in Palestine (Image by TUBS, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons) Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Reports from Palestine’s West Bank appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Finding Home on Highway 14: Episode 5 Madison's Nicole Gruter has been travelling the historic U.S. Highway 14, bringing us the stories of those who live along the iconic road.  This time around, she brings us a report from Mankato, Minnesota, where we meet the generous chef and punk rocker “Dagger Chuck.” Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Finding Home on Highway 14: Episode 5 appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · New Madison City Clerk Has Hands Full with Election Prep Lydia McComas, Madison's new City Clerk has only been on the job for seven months, but she already has her hands full.  McComas' predecessor, Maribeth Witzel-Behl, resigned in April of 2025 amid investigations into 193 misplaced and uncounted absentee ballots in the November, 2024 elections.  Since then, Witzel-Behl and the City of Madison, in response to a lawsuit by disenfranchised voters, have made the novel argument that absentee voting is a privilege, not a right.  Meanwhile, on February 12, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility or SAVE Act, which, if approved by the U.S. Senate, would require proof of U.S. citizenship before registering to vote.  To top it all off, President Trump has spoken of trying to nationalize the election process in states like Wisconsin and has threatened to send Department of Homeland Security agents to the polls, allegedly to conduct sweeps for undocumented immigrants.  So, with all that background, we thought we'd check in with Lydia McComas, and see how the city's getting ready for what promises to be a rollercoaster of an election season.  Lydia McComas spoke with Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on February 16, 2026. Madison City Clerk Lydia McComas(Photo courtesy Lydia McComas) City of Madison polling place (photo by Chali Pittman / WORT News) Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post New Madison City Clerk has Hands Full with Election Prep appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

Today on the Too Turnt Up Tuesday 8:00 Buzz with Tara Wilhelmi and Antoine McNeail, Jackie Brodean joins us in studio, dressed to the nines, to announce his upcoming birthday celebration and to talk Black History Month, Black Love, and much more on this Valentines Day Buzz! Catch special guest Oran Juice Jones and more at Jackie's “Grown and Sexy” birthday bash at Hayes Place on February 21st! Catch Tara at Buraka on Thursday nights for R&B slow jams with DJ G Money! If you're a Black entrepreneur in Madison and want to come on the show, contact Tara (https://www.facebook.com/EOTOCulturallyRooted) or Antoine (https://www.facebook.com/1MotionOutReachEnterprise) on Facebook or send a note through the “Announcements” form on the WORT webpage: https://www.wortfm.org/announcements/  Check out working in the trades with Foundations for For The Trades info sessions (8 training course) on Wednesday (2/11) at 10AM and 3PM at Urban League on Park St: https://ulgm.org/events/foundations-for-the-trades-information-session-no-appointment-needed/  Check in with Urban League at https://ulgm.org/calendar/ for info on resume and job seeking workshops, home ownership clinics (new sessions starting), information on Expungement, childcare assistance, fatherhood support, and much more!  Watch for a new Fatherhood Unfiltered coming up in March! Music from today's show: https://spinitron.com/WORT/pl/21957743/Tuesday-8-O-Clock-Buzz  Listen in Madison at 89.9FM or online anywhere at wortfm.org.  Support your community radio with a donation online at wortfm.org! Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Can We Add More Black History? appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Combo Noir Says “To Hell With Love” Saint Valentine, the patron saint of epileptics and beekeepers, was beheaded at the hands of Roman Centurions on February 14, 225.  For reasons no-one really understands – maybe because birds were once thought to pair up in mid-February – or perhaps because modern greeting card companies needed to make money – St. Valentine's feast day has become associated with romance and love.  Madison's slinky blues/soul outfit Combo Noir isn't buying the whole Valentine's Day nonsense.  They're presenting “To Hell With Love” at the North Street Cabaret on February 14th.  Lead singer Anna Purnell joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on February 9, 2026. Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Combo Noir Says, “To Hell with Love” appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Magdalena Coline: A Life Beyond Slavery Daniel Lord Smail(photo courtesy Princeton University Press) Although the concept of slavery has existed, to some extent, throughout recorded history, the institution took on new dimensions in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, when it was transplanted to the Americas. Slavery in the United States of America marked the first time, slavery became institutionalized as an immutable condition of race, slaves were reduced to mere property, with no inherent rights at all, and with no chance of emancipation.   In medieval Europe, whether or not someone could be considered a slave was far more nuanced than commonly thought.   In his new book, Magdalena Coline: A Life Beyond Mediterranean Slavery, Harvard University historian Daniel Smail digs deep into the peculiar history of a captured Berber woman living in Marseille in the 1300s who successfully sued her former slaveowner in court.  Daniel Smail joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on February 9, 2026. Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Magdalena Coline: A Life Beyond Slavery appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · WI Democracy Campaign on Protecting 2026 Elections Nick Ramos(photo courtesy wisdc.org) Last week, President Donald Trump continued to throw shade at election officials in traditionally Democratic states. On Monday, February 2nd, Trump told former FBI director turned podcaster Dan Bongino that “Republicans should take over the voting in at least 15 places.” Two days later, Trump told NBC news reporter Tom Llamas that he would accept the results of the midterm elections “only if they're honest,” and renewed calls for the passage of the Safeguard American Voter Integrity or SAVE Act, currently pending in Congress. In other comments, Trump has threatened to send I.C.E agents to polling places, ostensibly to make sure non-citizens do not vote. While the Constitution grants states the right to manage elections, Trump's rhetoric has many on edge. Is Wisconsin ready for whatever the federal government does this November?  Nick Ramos, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign joined the Monday Buzz on February 9, 2026. Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post WI Democracy Campaign on Protecting 2026 Elections appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

David Crowley, the current Milwaukee County Executive, joins host Eli Wilz to discuss his candidacy for the Democratic gubernatorial primary to be held in August of this year.  David was previously elected to the Wisconsin State Legislature and served for three years before winning the County Executive race in Milwaukee.  In his interview on the 8 O'Clock Buzz, Crowley emphasized that affordable housing, health, safety and concern for the environment would be key issues that he would address if elected governor.  Photo by Connor Betts on Unsplash Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Governor’s Race – David Crowley appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

Living at 10,000 feet elevation in bitterly cold weather can have its challenges.  Christine Verdico, Electronics Engineering Technician at UW-Madison, joins host Eli Wilz to talk about her participation in a research project in Antarctica, from where she recently returned.  Christine lived for over two months at the Amundson-Scott South Pole Station where the IceCube Neutrino Observatory is located which was developed by the UW-Madison, Physical Science Lab.  The project searches for subatomic particles called neutrinos which provide information to probe astrophysical sources like exploding stars and phenomena involving black holes. Image by Michele Pitzel from Pixabay Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post In From The Cold appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

Today on the Too Turnt Up Tuesday 8:00 Buzz with Tara Wilhelmi, talking about beautiful alchemy, taking adversity and doing good with it.  In the first half, Dr Kim Whitmore joins us to talk about the pain of losing a child and her work channeling that pain into helping others.  In the second half, Dee Star from OuttaDeeBox Podcast joins us to talk about his honor today from the city of Sun Prairie, joined by Kingston Robertson from Holy Godz Clothing to talk about coming from incarceration to business and giving back to the community, plus a quick call from Jackie Brodean! More information about the 7th annual Alana Rose Foundation Butterfly Ball coming up on February 22nd at Monona Terrace: https://www.alanarose.org/annual-butterfly-ball  More information about Dee Star, and to listen and Subscribe to OuttaDeeBox Podcast: https://outtadeeboxpodcast.buzzsprout.com/  To learn more about Kingston and Holy Godz Clothing: https://www.holygodz.store/  Catch Tara at Buraka on Thursday nights for R&B slow jams with DJ G Money! If you're a Black entrepreneur in Madison and want to come on the show, contact Tara (https://www.facebook.com/EOTOCulturallyRooted) or Antoine (https://www.facebook.com/1MotionOutReachEnterprise) on Facebook or send a note through the “Announcements” form on the WORT webpage: https://www.wortfm.org/announcements/  Check in with Urban League at https://ulgm.org/calendar/ for info on resume and job seeking workshops, home ownership clinics (starting in February!), information on Expungement, childcare assistance, fatherhood support, and much more!  Watch for a new Fatherhood Unfiltered coming up in March! Music from today's show: https://spinitron.com/WORT/pl/21922107/Tuesday-8-O-Clock-Buzz  Listen in Madison at 89.9FM or online anywhere at wortfm.org.  Support your community radio with a donation online at wortfm.org! Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Beautiful Alchemy appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.