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


    • Dec 21, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekdays NEW EPISODES
    • 1m AVG DURATION
    • 1,392 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Perspectives - WNIJ

    Perspective: Upgrade your geriatric experience

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2025 1:24


    Rosie Klepper faces down the pains of aging with a hot new ally.

    Perspective: The children of Nagasaki were singing

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2025 1:41


    Scott Summers found redemption in a surprising way during a visit to Japan

    Perspective: A surprising loss

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2025 1:44


    Joseph Flynn's appreciation of Rob Reiner.

    Perspective: Why democracy needs an enemy

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2025 1:10


    Tom McBride has thoughts on civic democracy

    enemy democracy tom mcbride
    Perspective: The snowplows

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2025 1:27


    Katie Andraski appreciates the people who clear the snow.

    Perspective: Who were my teachers?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2025 1:40


    Lonny Cain knows a lot of stuff — but where did he learn it?

    Perspective: Weary of winter

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2025 1:37


    Suzanne Degges-White is getting a little tired of all this beautiful snow.

    weary suzanne degges white
    Perspective: Let's dance!

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2025 1:42


    Inspired by the remarkable Hubbard Street Dance Company, Paula Garrett looks at a life full of dance.

    Perspective: The magic of snow

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2025 1:52


    Lou Ness LOVES snow. She really really loves snow!

    Perspective: S.M.I.L.E.

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2025 1:41


    Anissa Kuhar has tips for socializing during the holiday season.

    Perspective: A place to begin again

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2025 1:45


    Julie Bassett shares a story of a community, a campus, and a calling.

    Perspective: The geopolitics of my fridge

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2025 1:36


    Frances Jaeger asks "how many mustards are too many?" It's a rhetorical question, of course, when the world has so much to offer.

    Perspective: What I learned from Robert Reich, Jon Stewart and 'A More Perfect Union'

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2025 1:30


    Andrew Nelson says the Democratic Party needs to prove that it can right the wrongs of a rigged system.

    Perspective: Next time

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2025 1:40


    Susan Goldberg's thoughts on gratitude lead her to her father.

    Perspective: A berry good debate for your holiday gathering

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2025 1:20


    Rosie Klepper would rather see America hotly divided over cranberry sauce than you-know-what at the Thanksgiving dinner table this year.

    Perspective: A father and son are grateful

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2025 1:55


    G.K. and Wester Wuori share what they are thankful for this Thanksgiving.

    Perspective: I'm thankful for my right to vote

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2025 1:57


    Connie Seraphine looks back at the long road that led to voting rights for women.

    Perspective: ICE raids in our cities

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2025 1:38


    Deborah Booth says immigration raids could normalize the appearance of armed agents in our streets — and that could affect future elections.

    Perspective: Giving thanks for the crabapple tree

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2025 1:42


    It's a fitting end for some of Marnie O. Mamminga's family friends.

    Perspective: Stop it!

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2025 1:33


    Rick Brooks goes low.

    Perspective: The Wendigo in America

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2025 1:40


    Dan Kenney says an ancient monster is afoot in the U.S. government leadership.

    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.

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