WGTD's The Morning Show with Greg Berg

One week after the start of classes and a new school year, we speak with Dr. John Swallow, the President of Carthage College.

*Intermittently through the month of September, we are airing newly recorded as well as archival interviews to commemorate the 25th anniversary of 9/11*. Part One- Dave Dunbar, co-author of "Debunking 9/11 Myths: Why Conspiracy Theories Can't Stand Up to the Facts." The book, which actually grew out of an article in Popular Mechanics, methodically examines the many conspiracy theories that sprang up in the wake of 9/11. Part Two- A 2005 conversation with the late Dr. Jack Keating, who was chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside from 1998 to 2008. His academic field was Psychology, and the primary focus of his research was on how people behave during disasters and other kinds of crisis- and what sort of trauma do they experience and carry with them in the aftermath.

From 2011 - Ethan Trex, author of "Mental Floss-The Book: Only the Greatest Lists in the History of Listory."

We speak with Dr. Lynn Akey, Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, at the outset of a new school year.

From 2016- Dr. Joseph Burgo, author of "The Narcissist You Know: Defending Yourself Against Extreme Narcissists in an All-About-Me Age." [The Morning Show airs every weekday morning between 8 and 9 o'clock on WGTD FM 91.1. We are an affiliate of Wisconsin Public Radio and National Public Radio, broadcasting from the Kenosha campus of Gateway Technical College."

From 2005- Fred Watson, author of "Star Gazer: The Life and Times of the Telescope." [The Morning Show airs every weekday morning between 8 and 9 o'clock on WGTD FM 91.1. We are an affiliate of Wisconsin Public Radio and National Public Radio, broadcasting from the Kenosha campus of Gateway Technical College.]

Part One- We speak with best-selling author and motivational speaker Chris Tuff about his latest book, "Save Your Asks." He will be one of the keynote speakers for the upcoming Inspire 2026 Leadership Conference on October 16th that is sponsored by KABA .... the Kenosha Area Business Alliance. The deadline for early bird registration for this exciting event is this Monday, August 31st. More information about the event is available at kaba.org. Part Two- from the archives- "How to Raise Self-Disciplined Children."

My guests are Kristi Helmkamp, assistant director of the Kenosha Public Library System, and DJ Hanson, who is KPL's Marketing and Communcations Manager. We focus most of our conversation on the library's summer reading program, which culminates in a celebratory party in Library Park (outside of the Simmons Library) tomorrow (Friday) afternoon.

We speak with Luke Mickelson, founder of the national charity Sleep In Heavenly Peace (which has a Racine-Kenosha chapter, as well as several hundred other chapters across the country), will be one of the keynote speakers for the upcoming Inspire 2026 conference on October 16th at Journey Church in Kenosha. Part two features a brief interview from 2002 with former journalist Chris Matthews.

We speak with Robb Woulfe, executive director of the Racine Art Museum, about recent renovation at RAM Downtown, changes in admission fees and hours of operation, expansion of their studio art program, and an exciting multi-arts festival opening on September 18th titled "In/Between" in which RAIM will be extending itself into some intriguing places in the community.

We speak with writer Joel Dinerstein about his new book "The Last Jews of Ellis Island: a Brooklyn Memoir." Dinerstein's parents were among the last European Jews to enter the United States through Ellis Island- and they had Joel when they were both in their mid to late forties. Consequently, Joel was at the very end of that generation of children of so-called Ellie Island Jews. In his engrossing memoir, he not only chronicles what life was like in his particular family, but also the dramatic changes he saw in the Flatbush neighborhood where he grew up.

From 2005- John Grogan, author of "Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog"

From 2018 - Laurence Bergreen, author of "Casanova: The World of a Seductive Genius."

Tiffany D. Jackson talks about her novel for young readers titled "Ghost in the Night." From the archives- we hear from Tim Federle, author of "Better Nate than Ever" - and John Feinstein, author of "The Walk On" - both of these books also intended for young readers.

Part One: Jim Zondlak, a board member with the Kenosha Sportfishing and Conservation Association, talks about the group's Pike River Clean-Up on Saturday, September 19th. This is the group's 19th annual clean-up event - a massive event that involves hundreds of volunteers. Part Two: from the archives- David Coggins, author of "The Believer: A Year in the Fly Fishing Life."

We begin the program with Gary Gronke, who is chairman of the board of Kemper Center, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a plethora of events coming up this Saturday, August 22nd. We fill out the hour by replaying a portion of a conversation from 2022 with three women (Barb Axelson, Susan McMinn and Anna McGuire) who were students at Tremper Hall, the girls' school that operated for a century on the grounds of what is now Kemper Center. The occasion of that conversation was the 150th anniversary of the founding of Kemper Hall.

We speak with James M. Scott, author of "Empire of Ashes: Truman, Hirohito, and the Descent into Total War." The book examines the very end of World War Two and what sort of discussion and debate behind closed doors led to the decision for the U.S. to drop the atomic bomb to bring the war to a close - when and where the bombs would be dropped - and why such a move was deemed to be necessary.

This 2023 interview is probably requested for resharing more than any other .... David Brooks, talking about his book "How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen." Brooks was a columnist for the New York Times for many years before leaving to join the staff at The Atlantic earlier this year. He is also a well-known commentator.

From 2011- Erin Morgenstern discusses her fascinating and engrossing novel titled "The Night Circus."

From 2002 ...... Best-selling author Mark Bowden talks about his book "Finders Keepers: The Story of a Man who Found One Million Dollars."

Dr. Katie Taylor's newly published book is titled "Gridiron Invasion: The Hidden History of Women's Football." This is a surprisingly long and complex history that actually stretches back to the 1890s. Following that is a 2005 interview with sportswriter Mike Lupica talking about his novel for young readers titled "Too Far" that explores the serious issue of hazing among young athletes.

For Kailyn Palomares's August visit to the Morning Show, we meet Kara DeLanty, who is Area Supervisor of Primates for the Milwaukee County Zoo. She works with a staff of ten zookeepers to care for 40 different animals representing 10 different primate species. We talk about how these animals are cared for, fed, and stimulated.

In honor of the 101st birthday of identical twins Norris and Ross McWhirter, the co-founders of the Guiness Book of World Records, we are resharing a 2008 interview with Tom Olmsted, author of "Getting into Guiness: One Man's Longest, Fastest, Highest Journey Inside the World's Most Famous Record Book." The book not only chronicles the history of the book, but also tells the story of the many people who have risked life and limb in order to secure their place in its pages. (Olmsted himself has managed to achieve two world records himself.).

This is an expanded version of the interview with saxophonist and composer Kirk Whalum that was heard on today's Morning Show. Whalum once again is the headline artist for the Harbor Park Jazz Rhythm and Blues Festival that is coming up this Saturday, August 15th. More information is available at mahonefoundation.org.

Tim Mahone and Teri Jacobsen preview the 2026 Harbor Park Jazz Rhythm and Blues Festival this Saturday, August 15th. The program also includes a short excerpt from a past interview with Grammy Award-winning artist Kirk Whalum, who is back as the headliner for this year's festival. (A longer version of that interview is available in a separate post.). More information about the festival is available at Mahonefoundation.org.

In honor of the Kenosha Kingfish once again making the playoffs in the Northwoods League, we're replaying this 2014 conversation with Jim Collins, author of "The Last Best League: One Summer, One Season, One Dream." Collins follows the exploits of the Chatham A's, one of the best teams in the Cape Cod League. The book is one of the best books ever written about minor league baseball. (The book was originally written back in 2004. The occasion of this interview was the re-release of the book in a 10th anniversary updated version.)

From 2019 - Jill Tietjen and Barbara Bridges, co-authors of "Hollywood Her Story: An Illustrated History of Women and the Movies." The book primarily examines the surprisingly significant presence of women directors and producers in the early years of the movie industry.

In memory of writer and advice columnist Margo Howard, who died earlier this summer, we are replaying a conversation from 2014 where we talked about her memoir "Eat, Drink, and Remarry: Confessions of a Serial Wife." Howard was a 3-time divorcee who, in her words, "finally got it right with husband #3." Howard's mother was Ann Landers. Howard was responsible for creating the Dear Prudence advice column.

This is the interview with Ellen Schutt, one of the Republicans squaring off in the August 11th Republican primary for Wisconsin State Senate District 11. (Interviews with the other two candidates are available in separate postings.).

This is the interview with Sandy Wiedmeyer, one of the Republicans facing off in the August 11th Republican primary for the Wisconsin State Senate District 11. (Interviews with the other two candidates are available in separate postings.).

This is the interview with Nick Polce, one of the Republicans squaring off in the August 11th Republican primary for the Wisconsin State Senate District 11. (Interviews with the other two Republicans are available in separate postings.)

We present interviews with Nick Polce, Sandy Wiedmeyer, and Ellen Schutt, who will be squaring off in the Republican primary on August 11th. The order of the broadcast was determined by the flip of a coin. (The two Democrats facing off in the Democratic primary were on yesterday's program.).

This is the interview with Steve Doelder, one of the Democrats squaring off in the August 11th Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Senate District 11. (We have an interview with the other candidate in a separate posting.).

This is the interview with Adam Duda, one of the Democrats squaring off in the August 11th Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Senate District 11. (We have an interview with the other candidate in a separate posting.).

We present interviews with Adam Duda and Steve Doelder, who will square off in the August 11th Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Senate District 11. The order of the broadcast was determined by a flip of a coin. (We will be presenting interviews with the three Republicans in the Republican primary on Friday's Morning Show.)

Today's program is a memorial tribute to Tom Vignieiri .... born and raised in Kenosha and an alum of Carthage College .... who went on to be the director of the Tanglewood Institute, the artistic administrator of the Handel and Haydn Society, and the music director/producer for NPR's "From the Top" .... as well as a prolific and highly-regarded composer. We are replaying a 2012 interview in which Tom talks about "From the Top" just as the program was added to Wisconsin Public Radio's broadcast schedule. (The program still airs over the classical music network of Wisconsin Public Radio on Sunday afternoons at 4:00- and more information is available at the program's website, fromthetop.org.) We follow the interview with recordings of two of Tom's most beautiful compositions: "To Sing," which was commissioned for the farewell of then-Carthage College president F. Gregory Campbell (text by Charles Anthony Silvestri) - and "An American Hymn," originally composed for symphony orchestra but heard here in a transcription for wind orchestra by Carthage College's Dr. James Ripley. You can hear more of Tom's music by visiting his website, tomvignieri.com. Tom passed away on July 30th.

We present interviews with Rick Bailey and Maria Elena Bisabarros, who will be squaring off in the August 11th Democratic primary for the Wisconsin State Assembly District 33. The order of the interview was determined by the flip of a coin. (We shared interviews with the two Republicans facing off in the Republican primary on yesterday's program.).

This is the interview with Maria Elena Bisabarros, one of the Democrats squaring off in the Aughust 11th Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 33. (We have an interview with the other candidate in a separate posting.).

This is the interview with Rick Bailey, one of the Democrats who will be facing off in the August 11th primary for the Wisconsin State Assembly District 33. (We have an interview with the other candidate in a separate posting.).

This is an interview with Rick Stacey, one of the Republicans in the upcoming August 11th primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 33. (We have an interview with the other Republican in a separate posting.)

This is the interview with Steve Wicklund, one of the Republicans in the upcoming August 11th primary for the Wisconsin State Assembly District 33. (We also have an interview with the other Republican in the race in a separate posting.)

We present interviews with Steve Wicklund and Rick Stacey, who are squaring off in the Republic primary for the August 11th Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 33. The order was determined by a flip of a coin. (We present the two Democrats in the Democratic primary on tomorrow's program.).

On July 30th, Barb Salvo died. She was a high-regarded science teacher at Washington Park High School in Racine for many years - and after retiring from Park, she worked with many of the science education majors at Carthage. During her years at Park, she was the faculty advisor for the school's science team, which was one of the finest in the state. This interview from spring of 1998 came shortly after the team won the state championship- which in turn qualified them for the National Science Olympiad. The interview is with Barb Salvo and with three students who were members of the science team: Jeremiah James, Amanda Schneider, and Nick Barootian.

Tom Vignieri, a Kenosha native and Carthage College alum, had an impressive and wide-ranging music career that included stints with the Handel-Haydn Society, the Tanglewood Institute, and public radio's "From the Top." He was also a prolific and highly-regarded composer. He died this past Thursday, July 30th. In his memory, we are replaying a Morning Show conversation from the fall of 2018, when he returned to Carthage to participate in a special concert in honor of Dr. Richard Sjoerdsma, a long-time member of the music faculty and one of his most treasured mentors. (We will also be replaying a 2012 conversation with Vignieri on Wednesday, August 5th.).

Today is the last day that Kevin and Julie Ervin are the co-owners of Frank's Diner, one of Kenosha's most beloved landmarks. (They have sold the diner to a longtime employee so they can retire.). In this interview from last year, Ervin outlines the 100-year history of the diner.

This is a brief interview with Bill Diekhoff, who was the choral director at Washington Park High School in Racine for many years. He is returning to Racine this weekend to sing a voice recital Saturday afternoon, 2:30, at Holy Communion Lutheran Church in Racine .... to celebrate his 90th birthday! The program includes arias by Donizetti and Bizet, songs by Sigmund Romberg and Rodger & Hammerstein, and much much more.

This is the interview we recorded with current Racine County Sherif Cary Madrigal ahead of the Republican primary on August 11th. (We also have an interview with her Republican challenger.).

This is the interview we recorded with Henry Perez ahead of the upcoming Republican primary on August 11th for Racine County Sheriff. (We also have an interview with the current sheriff whom Perez is challenging in the primary.).

Here are interviews with the two Republicans facing off in the Republican Primary for Racine County Sheriff on Tuesday, August 11th.: (The order of these interviews was determined by random draw). Heny Perez and Cary Madrigal. (Madrigal is the current sheriff. Perez is challenging her in the primary.). We are also posting each of these interviews separately.

We preview the 2026 Starving Artists Fair - coming up this Sunday, August 2nd, at the Dekoven Center - with Jayne Herring, coordinator of the fair, Sue Smith, current president of the Racine Art Guild, and past-president Jill Castillo. The fair this year will feature the work of 130 artists.

This is the interview we recorded with James Beller ahead of the upcoming Republican primary for Kenosha County Sheriff on August 11th. (We also have interviews with the other two candidates.).