Perspectives - WNIJ

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Local community members share their outlooks on the news, events and personal challenges in 90 second essays.

Dan Klefstad


    • Nov 15, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekdays NEW EPISODES
    • 1m AVG DURATION
    • 1,371 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Perspectives - WNIJ

    Perspective: Problems, not symptoms

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2025 1:31


    Anissa Kuhar says curiosity may be the key to identifying the real problems.

    Perspective: We need to slow our roll

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2025 1:40


    Suzanne Degges-White says we need to cool our nation's temperature before it destroys us.

    suzanne degges white
    Perspective: That's the way I like it

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2025 1:33


    Lori Drummond-Cherniwchan discovers some things get even better with age — including a disco anthem.

    Perspective: As safe as Little Red Riding Hood...

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2025 1:37


    Katie Andraski wonders what it's like to feel safe at home.

    Perspective: Observe Veterans Day with gratitude

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2025 1:52


    Bob Evans urges us to remember Veterans Day in this encore Perspective.

    Perspective: No free lunch

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2025 1:39


    As any state employee knows, accepting gifts on the job is unethical. Suzanne Degges-White looks at the bigger picture.

    no free lunch suzanne degges white
    Perspective: How to be cool after you retire

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2025 1:08


    Tom McBride thought he finally had time to become the rebel he always dreamed he'd be. But something was missing.

    retire tom mcbride
    Perspective: The secret to surviving retirement

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2025 1:46


    So you think retirement is all palm trees, naps, and low-impact sports? Lonny Cain says it's complicated.

    Perspective: Are you listening?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2025 1:42


    Paula Garrett values her hearing...and the ability to listen.

    Perspective: Estrangement

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2025 1:47


    Taylor Atkins says there's an epidemic of estrangement and wonders if it's an overused solution.

    Perspective: Welcoming quieter friends

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2025 1:43


    Anissa Kuhar is an extrovert who learned how to work better with introverts.

    Perspective: What's scarier than Halloween?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2025 1:46


    Nia Springer Norris gets spooky with AI doomsday theories.

    Perspective: Halloween traditions

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2025 1:29


    Traditions? Rosie Klepper talks Halloween candy.

    Perspective: These are a few of my favorite...bands!

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2025 1:41


    Wester Wuori has had a great few months, thanks to live music.

    Perspective: The best Halloween costume this year

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2025 1:46


    Remember being a kid choosing your Halloween costume? Kyle White does after laying eyes on the most perfectly simple homemade statement.

    Perspective: We could learn a lot from those demon hunters

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2025 1:44


    Kelli McGee Yugsi calls on K-Pop Demon Hunters to bring us together.

    Perspective: A child's wisdom about living free in a democracy

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2025 1:51


    A look at democracy through the wise eyes of Connie Seraphine's granddaughter.

    Perspective: Vulnerable families should make a plan

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2025 1:27


    Scott Summers says in today's climate, it's important for parents to consider setting up short-term guardianships for their children.

    Perspective: Preparing for Dia de los Muertos

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2025 1:32


    Yaritza Salgado talks with her grandmother about how she observes "Day of the Dead."

    Perspective: Where will you go when it's five minutes to midnight?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2025 1:42


    Frances Jaeger visits a nuclear bunker.

    Perspective: Is our president a populist or a demagogue?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2025 1:44


    Dan Kenney examines the difference between a populist and a demagogue.

    Perspective: Overreach

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2025 1:41


    Deborah Booth says the federal government is trampling on states' rights.

    Perspective: Freezer Jenga

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2025 1:19


    Rosie Klepper plays a game with her freezer. A very dangerous game.

    Perspective: Philanthropy and my father

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2025 1:37


    Frances Jaeger shares her dad's umbrella story.

    Perspective: Too much screen time

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2025 1:33


    Katie Andraski tries to put her phone down.

    Perspective: The canaries are singing. Who's listening?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2025 1:40


    Bob Evans hears the warning songs: Are we paying attention?

    Perspective: Venting is bad

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2025 1:41


    Lonny Cain wants to know how you blow off steam.

    Perspective: Chicago, Trump

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2025 2:01


    Joseph Flynn says federal troops aren't the answer to Chicago's crime problems.

    Perspective: A place that remembers us

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2025 1:46


    Julie Bassett is working with Together for Taft to find a way to save the former NIU Lorado Taft campus in Oregon.

    Perspective: Things left undone

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2025 1:25


    Katie Andraski says sometimes it's not what you do...but what you don't do.

    Perspective: Voting by mail is 'a thing.' A good thing!

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2025 1:42


    The President wants to kill voting by mail. Bob Evans says that's a mistake.

    Perspective: The grace of lifelong friends --The Sequel

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2025 1:40


    How did Marnie O. Mamminga's reunion with friends of a different political persuasion go?

    Perspective: Listen to the seashells

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2025 1:40


    She sells sea shells...or did she find them on a beach halfway around the world? No matter. Paula Garrett appreciates their presence in her life.

    Perspective: Who needs a golden ballroom?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2025 1:44


    Sharon Nicola thinks America has better stuff to spend taxpayer money on.

    Perspective: The door to everywhere

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 22, 2025 1:44


    Lonny Cain has a "wild church" experience.

    Perspective: You gonna eat that?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2025 1:28


    Road-tripping Rosie Klepper tries to balance the joy of gas station cuisine with common sense.

    Perspective: The manufacturing daydreams need a reality check

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2025 1:53


    Before we restore our nation's manufacturing glory, Frances Jaeger wants us to look at our past.

    Perspective: My collections

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2025 1:33


    Does Francisco Solares-Larrave really need all those watches and pens?

    Perspective: From Rockford, with gratitude

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2025 1:59


    Wendy Larson Bennett is grateful for the years Rockford has benefitted from the presence (and hard work) of Rev. Dr. Matthew Johnson.

    Perspective: A summertime breather

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2025 1:44


    Connie Seraphine highly recommends spending some time with family and friends before summer's over!

    Perspective: A few words of wisdom on marriage

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2025 1:41


    Wester Wuori and his wife celebrate more than a quarter century of marriage.

    Perspective: The three foes of human beings

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2025 1:52


    Tom McBride says you should cherish and protect your "human-ness."

    human beings foes tom mcbride
    Perspective: Why different perspectives matter

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2025 1:53


    Rick Brooks shares his thoughts about the value of public broadcasting.

    Perspective: The NIU Art Museum

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2025 1:34


    Northern Illinois University's art museum is closing. Deborah Booth calls it a huge loss for the community.

    Perspective: Education isn't dying in one place. It's being dismantled everywhere.

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2025 1:46


    Some of the luster is off a national award and that symbolizes a lot more to Marianna Ruggerio than her own experience.

    Perspective: Public broadcasting, I have your back!

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2025 2:03


    Lou Ness urges NPR and PBS fans to fight back.

    Perspective: Words will not save us, but they can point the way

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2025 1:47


    Dan Kenney has always turned to words in times of trouble — are they enough now?

    Perspective: You need a rest

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2025 1:56


    NIU student Donna Gillespie says "when in doubt, rest it out!"

    Perspective: It's time to speak out in favor of life

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2025 1:31


    Emily McKee says we all must speak out to make the annihilation of people in Gaza stop.

    Perspective: Support your public media

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2025 1:41


    Joseph Flynn urges fans of NPR, PBS, and their favorite local public stations to keep up the fight for funding.

    npr pbs public media perspective support
    Perspective: It's time for more research on this rare disease

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2025 1:39


    Katie Andraski learns about CRPS from her neighbor

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