Hear Me Out

Writers Read is produced by Northland College and broadcast in partnership with Wisconsin Public Radio. Each year, writers from the Twin Ports and northern Wisconsin write their best pieces surrounding a theme. This year’s theme is Awakenings. Writers read original works of fiction, nonfiction and poetry recently before a live audience at Northland College in Ashland.

Part 2 of our look at the ITVFest, now known as the Catalyst Content Festival, which moved to Duluth last year after two previous homes in Vermont following its 2006 founding in LA.

Host Robin Washington provides a look into the Catalyst Content Festival, formerly known as ITV Fest. The festival's executive director, Phil Gilpin, Jr., answers questions about the state of the festival's finances. The event is coming to Duluth, and it's considered a draw for budding TV producers who want to exhibit their work and possibly pick up a contract with HBO or Netflix.

Planners discuss the Rainbow Gathering, July 1-7, as some 5,000 back-to-nature enthusiasts are descending on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest near Iron River for a week seeking peace and harmony. It's the first time in four decades the group will meet in Wisconsin.

Host Robin Washington interviews Julie "Jitterbug" Pearce and listeners get a preview of the 34th season of Big Top Chautauqua in Bayfield.

Are your spirits sinking with rising (or lowering) lake levels? If so, you may be suffering from climate change anxiety.

Hear Me Out presents a one-hour special on WPR's 'High Tolerance' series exploring Wisconsin's relationship with alcohol, including added interviews by reporter Danielle Kaeding with Northland residents in recovery after years of struggling wit the disease. Robin Washington hosts.

Forever Ace: The Richard Bong Story is a nationally-recognized Wisconsin Public Radio documentary about Poplar, Wisconsin native and World War II "Ace of Aces" Richard Bong.

Happy 153rd Birthday, Erik Satie! Yes, it's an odd-numbered year, but one that the eccentric and influential French composer would appreciate.

Guests discuss future options for the I-35/535 interchange – a major gateway from Superior to Duluth, as well as one of the top accident locations in the area.

Guests preview the Twin Ports’ Homegrown Music Festival featuring local musical talent.

In the next hour, host Robin Washington offers a primer on recycling with Jamie Harvie of Bag It Duluth and Susan Collins of the Container Recycling Institute.

Robin Washington, a freelance reporter for WGBH in Boston and veteran journalist, assumes the role as the new host of Hear Me Out.

In the next hour, we take a closer look at the city of Ashland’s troubles with overflows from its sewer system. Last June, around 15 million gallons of water overflowed from the city’s system into Lake Superior.

Canadian company Husky Energy announced plans this week for rebuilding its oil refinery in Superior, and company officials say they will continue using hydrogen fluoride in their operations.

This week, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announced the St. Louis River hit a milestone in the decades-long cleanup of contamination there. The river is listed as one of the most polluted sites around the Great Lakes. It was designated as an Area of Concern (AOC) in 1987.

President Trump’s head of the U.S. EPA said this week that climate change is something that will affect communities 50 years from now. But, in the next hour, we’ll hear from a panel of speakers that say they’re already dealing with the impacts in northern Wisconsin.

This week, Acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt announced plans to lift protections for the gray wolf across the continental U.S. Some farmers and lawmakers are celebrating the proposal, which would return management to the states and tribes. But, animal protection groups and tribes say the wolf still hasn’t recovered.

Governor Tony Evers unveiled his plans for the next two-year state budget last night. And, Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes stopped at Lac Courte Oreilles Community College this week to announce what the budget holds for Wisconsin tribes. In this hour, we’ll hear what the Lt. Governor and tribal officials had to say at the event on Tuesday, including plans for a youth treatment center.

In this hour, we’re featuring original works of fiction, nonfiction and poetry from writers across the region. Their work is part of the 9th annual “Writers Read” event.

Many talented writers make their home in Duluth-Superior and the Chequamegon Bay area. Up next, we feature original works of fiction, nonfiction and poetry from writers across the region. Their work is part of the 9th annual “Writers Read” event.

UW-Superior associate professor of political science Alisa Von Hagel will sit down to discuss this week's State of the Union address and the latest lawsuit in Wisconsin over the lame-duck session.

Writers from the Chequamegon Bay area and Twin Ports read fiction, non-fiction and poetry before a live audience on Friday, Jan. 26, 2018. Judges Cynthia Belmont, Claire Duquette and Gina Kirsten selected 19 writers to read their submissions at Northland College in Ashland.

Nancy Yarbrough is founder and executive director of the Milwaukee nonprofit Fresh Start Learning, Inc. Yarbrough provides resources, services and “purpose-filled purses” to women and children who are victims of sexual exploitation.

Counties in northern Wisconsin are seeing costs skyrocket as they deal with the impacts of a drug epidemic. In Douglas and Ashland counties, they’re seeing shortfalls in their health and human service budgets of roughly one to two million dollars. And, local governments are seeing a need for more mental health services with few providers and options for treatment.

Think back to a time before smartphones or before the internet. Well, about one-third of the world’s population can’t because it’s all they’ve ever known. This group of young people has become known as Generation Z or iGen.

Agencies across Wisconsin and Minnesota are intensifying efforts to increase awareness of sex trafficking, as well as train people to recognize the signs of sexual exploitation.

In the next hour, we’ll talk about Wisconsin lawmakers who are drafting legislation that would change the state constitution. The bills aim to improve public safety and better protect the legal rights of people charged with crimes.

Repeat: From Frog To Prince - The Chequamegon Bay area and Duluth-Superior is home to many talented writers. We feature original works of fiction, nonfiction and poetry from writers across the region.

Governor-elect Tony Evers and Lieutenant Governor-elect Mandela Barnes have been touring the state to hold listening sessions on what people would like to see from the next two-year state budget. We spoke with Barnes about how that input is helping craft the budget after he stopped in Superior this week.