Podcasts about britta greene

Desperate for a cure for her insomnia, a young woman tries an experimental treatment at a mysterious clinic. But while her sleep begins to improve, she starts to suspect that her doctors may not have her best interests in mind. Brain Magnets was written by Sophie Nikitas. Starring Siri Hellerman, Janelle Kloth, Angelique Lisboa, and Sullivan Ojala Helmbolt. Additional voice acting by Julie Censullo, Alex Magnolia, and Sophie Nikitas.Sound design by Julie Censullo. Edited by Sophie Nikitas. Additional editing help from Rob McGinley Meyers, Nancy Rosenbaum, Britta Greene, Rachel Buhman, Cody Madison, Carolynn Oaks, Will Schroeder, and Jacob Walter.Music by Blue Dot Sessions, Free Music Archive, and Randy Dever. Additional audio from freesound.org and Audio Jungle. Series art by James Napoli. Special thanks to Solomon's Porch and the Coven co-working space. This show was recorded at the studios of KFAI Fresh Air Community Radio in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Out Cold is created, directed, and produced by Sophie Nikitas and Julie Censullo. 

Mike Sawyer fell in love with old folk music in his 20s, picking up the banjo and playing at festivals and jams around the state. But after a while, he began to wonder why nearly all the songs he and his fellow musicians were playing came from Appalachia and the South. What happened to early musical traditions from Minnesota? Now, Mike's on a mission to uncover the roots of Upper Midwest folk music and keep it alive for future generations.This documentary was produced by Britta Greene and James Napoli, and edited by Julie Censullo. Special thanks to Jim Leary and the Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for sharing many of the audio recordings included in this piece, including from the Down Home Dairyland recordings. Additional thanks to Rob McGinley Myers, Nancy Rosenbaum, Sophie Nikitas, Cris Anderson and members of the Upper Midwest Folk Fiddlers. You can find more of Mike's research and recordings on his websites: Upper Midwest Old Time and the Midwest Fiddle Tunes Project. Season 8 of MinneCulture is hosted by John Gebretatose and edited by Julie Censullo. Support for MinneCulture on KFAI is provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

MinneCulture is BACK for season 8! This season, we are bringing you 7 brand new audio documentaries about the people, places, and cultural phenomena that make Minnesota...well, Minnesota. Make sure you're subscribed to MinneCulture so you don't miss any of these fascinating stories about our state. Season 8 is produced by Michelle Bruch, Joe Friedrichs, Britta Greene, Todd Melby, James Napoli, Sheila Regan, Kira Schukar, and Kyle Shiely. Hosted by John Gebretatose and edited by Julie Censullo. MinneCulture is a production of KFAI. Support for MinneCulture is provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

Today's poem is Stereo by Anne Waldman. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Major writes… “‘Tis the season of weddings! In years past, I've poured libations; I've even read a poem, but this summer, I have the privilege and am hugely excited to officiate the nuptials of our friend and digital producer of The Slowdown, James Napoli and fiancé Britta Greene. Regarding, I'll just say this: Love is an unrestrained force of tenderness and light in our world.” Celebrate the power of poems with a gift to The Slowdown today. Every donation makes a difference: https://tinyurl.com/rjm4synp

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden snagged Minnesota’s 10 electoral votes Tuesday in a win he badly needed as the national race for president tightened. Biden held a 53 to 45 percent lead in the state over President Donald Trump with more than 90 percent of expected voting completed. Trump nearly won Minnesota in 2016 and had campaigned aggressively here this election cycle believing it was in reach. Find the latest results and analysis on our website. This is an MPR News morning update for Wednesday, November 4, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

The University of Minnesota will end men’s indoor and outdoor track and field, men’s gymnastics and men’s tennis as it slashes costs to ease losses from the COVID-19 pandemic and the Big Ten’s move to postpone football. This is an MPR News evening update for Thursday, September 10, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

More than 8 in 10 Minneapolis voters say the killing of George Floyd by police was not an isolated incident, but rather a sign of larger problems in how the city’s Police Department treats Black people, according to a new MPR News/Star Tribune/KARE 11 poll.  This is an MPR News evening update for Tuesday, August 18, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene. Our theme is by Gary Meister.

African American engagement with Shakespeare goes back a long way—maybe even farther than you'd imagine. And like so much else surrounding American race relations, African American performance of Shakespeare is inextricably linked to the experiences of slavery, freedom, Jim Crow segregation, and the battle for equal rights. In this episode, which we originally broadcast in 2015, we explore two periods in the long history of African American engagement with Shakespeare. One story begins in the 1820s, when freedom first came to the enslaved African Americans of New York. The other encompasses the long period of change stretching from the 1950s to today. We have help from five scholars of Shakespeare, race, and American History: - Kim Hall is a professor of English at Barnard College. - Caleen Sinnette Jennings is an actor, playwright, and professor of theater at American University in Washington, DC. - Bernth Lindfors is professor emeritus of history at the University of Texas. - Francesca Royster is a professor of English at DePaul University. - Shane White is a professor of history at the University of Sydney in Australia. This episode is narrated by Rebecca Sheir. From the Shakespeare Unlimited podcast. © Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. This podcast episode, "Freedom, Heyday! Heyday, Freedom!”, was originally February 11, 2015, and rebroadcast with an updated introduction on August 18, 2020. It was produced by Richard Paul. Garland Scott is the associate producer. Edited by Gail Kern Paster and Esther Ferington. We had help gathering material for Shakespeare Unlimited from Esther French. Esther French and Ben Lauer are the web producers. We also had help from Britta Greene and Anne Marie Baldonado at Fresh Air with Terry Gross, who gave us their 1987 recording of August Wilson. Original music composed and arranged by Lenny Williams.

The state’s second-largest school district won’t start the academic year with kids in classrooms, while the St. Cloud superintendent is recommending a hybrid plan this fall. Citing the prevalence of COVID-19 in the community and a survey of district families, the St. Paul school board opted Wednesday for distance learning to start the year Sept. 8. St. Paul joins Minneapolis in keeping kids at home for the start of school this year.  This is an MPR News evening update for Thursday, August 6, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

A Minneapolis commission is expected to take up a proposed amendment Wednesday that would dismantle the city's Police Department in the wake of George Floyd's death and replace it with a new public safety department. A majority of the City Council backs the idea, with supporters saying it would do away with a troubled department that has resisted change, and replace it with a more "holistic" and public health-oriented approach to public safety. This is an MPR News evening update for Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

The Minnesota State High School League on Tuesday agreed to move high school football and volleyball to spring seasons this year while other fall sports maintain modified schedules in response to COVID-19. Volleyball and football will be allowed to hold practices this fall with conditions. Girls tennis, boys and girls cross country and girls swimming and diving, boys and girls soccer will be allowed to to start Aug. 17. This is an MPR News evening update for Tuesday, August 4, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

The Twin Cities’ next light rail project, the $1.5 billion Bottineau or Blue Line, has ground to a halt, after Hennepin County and the Metropolitan Council said Monday that they’ve given up on getting access to a key right of way from BNSF Railway. Also video of George Floyd before he was pinned by a Minneapolis officer was posted online by a British tabloid. The video was available only for viewing by appointment. MPR News evening update for Aug. 3, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene.

Gov. Tim Walz signed a police accountability bill into law Thursday that includes a ban on neck restraints like the one that was used on George Floyd before his death in Minneapolis. The bill, passed by the Legislature earlier this week, also bans chokeholds and so-called warrior-style training, which critics say promotes excessive force. It imposes a duty to intercede on officers who see a colleague using excessive force. This is an MPR News evening update for Thursday, July 23, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday announced a statewide order requiring Minnesotans to wear masks in restaurants, stores and other public indoor gathering spaces to stem the spread of COVID-19 and put the state on a path back to normalcy. “This is the quickest way to ending the COVID pandemic,” he told reporters. “It is the surest way to getting us to the therapeutics and vaccines” while continuing to reopen the economy. This is an MPR News evening update for Wednesday July 22, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

A police accountability bill that the House and Senate passed in a special session early Tuesday morning is headed for the desk of Gov. Tim Walz for his signature. The legislation was crafted in behind-the-scenes negotiations and took shape quickly following the police killing of George Floyd on Memorial Day.  House Speaker Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, credited the family of Floyd and other Minnesotans killed by police for pushing for legislative action. Hortman said the policing bill is a considerable step forward, but she added that it is not nearly enough. This is an MPR News evening update for Tuesday July 21, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

Minnesota’s COVID-19 toll continued to climb Monday with 922 total new cases and an extra measure of heartbreak — the first death of a child in the state, a 9-month-old in Clay County. The infant is among the youngest deaths in the country from COVID-19. The child did not have an underlying health problem and had not been hospitalized, Kris Ehresmann, the state’s infectious disease director, told reporters. This is an MPR News evening update for Monday, July 20, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene and Tim Nelson. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

Minnesota's unemployment rate dropped last month as more businesses and restaurants began to reopen following the end of the stay-at-home order. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development reported that the state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 8.6 percent in June, down from a record high of 9.9 percent in May. This is an MPR News evening update for Thursday July 16, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene.

Police body camera footage of George Floyd’s final minutes of life shows him telling Minneapolis police officers that he’s claustrophobic and pleading with them not to put him in the back of a squad car. Floyd displays signs of distress as officers try to force him into the back of the vehicle, telling them he can’t breathe and volunteering to lie on the ground instead.  This is an MPR News evening update for Wednesday, July 15, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

Aiming to prevent a further spike in homelessness resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Tim Walz announced Tuesday that the state will offer up to $100 million in housing assistance to help homeowners and renters. Funding for the program will come from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act.  This is an MPR News evening update for Tuesday, July 14, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

The Washington NFL franchise announced Monday it is dropping the “Redskins” name and Indian head logo, bowing to recent pressure from sponsors and decades of criticism that they are offensive to Native Americans. A new name must still be selected for one of the oldest and most storied teams in the National Football League, and it's unclear how soon that will happen. But for now, arguably the most polarizing name in North American professional sports is gone at a time of reckoning over racial injustice, iconography and racism in the U.S. This is an MPR News evening update for Monday, July 13, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

A Hennepin County judge issued a gag order Thursday preventing lawyers from discussing the George Floyd case publicly. At least two attorneys representing the former police officers charged in Floyd’s death talked with reporters Wednesday about the case, according to the filing. In his order, Judge Peter Cahill wrote that pretrial publicity will taint the jury pool and could result in an unfair trial. This is an MPR News evening update for Thursday July 9, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

One of the former Minneapolis police officers charged in the death of George Floyd has filed a motion to dismiss charges, saying there isn’t enough evidence to establish probable cause that he committed a crime.  Thomas Lane is charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting manslaughter. He was one of four officers fired after Floyd was killed on May 25 when officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for nearly eight minutes.  This is an MPR News evening update for Wednesday July 8, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

Gov. Tim Walz is prepared to call Minnesota lawmakers into a special session that would begin Monday.  The first special session this summer ended without much to show for it. Disagreements over changes to policing and a package of state-financed construction projects left both undone. This is an MPR News evening update for Tuesday July 7, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

A federal judge on Monday sided with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and ordered the Dakota Access pipeline to shut down until more environmental review is done. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg said in April that the pipeline, which has been in operation three years, remains “highly controversial” under federal environmental law, and a more extensive review is necessary than the environmental assessment that was done. In a 24-page order Monday, Boasberg wrote that he was “mindful of the disruption such a shutdown will cause,” but said he had concluded that the pipeline must be shut down within 30 days and drained of oil while the environmental review happens.  This is an MPR News evening update for Monday July 6, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

State officials said Thursday that 31 Minnesota financial institutions have committed themselves to provide additional mortgage-relief options to homeowners facing financial hardship caused by the coronavirus pandemic who don't have federally backed mortgages. This is an MPR News evening update for Thursday, July 2, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

Thirteen Minnesota children have been found to have a worrisome inflammatory condition believed to be related to COVID-19, state officials said Wednesday. Multi-system inflammatory syndrome was confirmed in the children, who developed symptoms between mid-May and mid-June; their average age was 5, and most had no prior medical problems, Dr. Ruth Lynfield, the state’s epidemiologist, told reporters. This is an MPR News evening update for Wednesday, July 1, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

The State of Minnesota has a new coronavirus ad campaign in the works — to the tune of $9 million. The goal is to promote different options for getting tested and get more information out on how to prevent the spread of the virus. The ads will start running this summer on multiple platforms and in multiple languages. This is an MPR News evening update for Tuesday, June 30. Hosted by Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

The Hennepin County judge overseeing the trial of four former police officers charged in the killing of George Floyd last month warned elected officials against making public statements about the merits of the case, saying they endanger the defendants’ right to a fair trial and could lead to a change in venue. The trial for four former Minneapolis police officers charged in the killing of George Floyd has been set tentatively for March 8. This is an MPR News evening update for Monday, June 29. Hosted by Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

A narrowly divided Supreme Court extended Thursday a life-support line to some 650,000 so-called "Dreamers," allowing them to remain safe from deportation for now, while the Trump administration jumps through the administrative hoops that the court said are required before ending the program. Here in Minnesota, it's estimated that there are about 6,000 DACA recipients. This is an MPR News evening update for Thursday, June 18, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

We’re now well into the special legislative session that opened last Friday. Prospects for a suite of criminal justice reforms that some activists and democrats have been pushing are looking dim. This is an MPR News evening update for Wednesday, June 17, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo on Tuesday pleaded for patience from the people of Minneapolis as well as from his own officers. Arradondo said he’s been getting reports of people interfering with police and emergency medical personnel, even as they’re administering life-saving procedures. This is an MPR News evening update for Tuesday, May 16, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

Meanwhile, St. Cloud is cleaning up after a night of unrest following a shooting that wounded a police officer. Also, state health officials will wait until the end of July to make recommendations on school for fall. MPR News update for June 15, 2020, hosted by Britta Greene and Tim Nelson. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

A group of 14 Minneapolis police officers issued a public letter today condemning Dererk Chauvin, the former officer who’s now charged with the murder of George Floyd. “Dear Everyone - but especially Minneapolis citizens,” they wrote, “We are with you and want to communicate a sentiment that is broad within our ranks.” The letter is a rare break from the united front that the rank and file of the Minneapolis police usually present in public, even after the shooting of Justine Ruszczyk in 2017. It’s almost unheard of for any members of any department in the country to speak out regarding a criminal matter involving one of their own. This is an MPR News evening update for Thursday June 11, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo announced Wednesday that the city aims to withdraw from negotiations over the police union’s contract, but labor law experts say it’s not within the city’s authority, and would likely trigger a court battle. Community activists have long pointed to the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis as an obstacle to reform within the department. The union’s contract, which governs wages, benefits and work rules, has provisions that make it difficult for many firings of police officers to stick, Arradondo said. This is an MPR News evening update for Wednesday, June 10, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

George Floyd was lovingly remembered Tuesday as “Big Floyd” — a father and brother, athlete and neighborhood mentor, and now a catalyst for change — at a funeral for the black man whose death has sparked a global reckoning over police brutality and racial prejudice. More than 500 mourners wearing masks against the coronavirus packed a Houston church a little more than two weeks after Floyd was pinned to the pavement by a white Minneapolis police officer who put a knee on his neck for what prosecutors said was 8 minutes and 46 seconds. This is an MPR News evening update for Tuesday June 9, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

A Hennepin County judge on Monday set bail for Derek Chauvin at $1.25 million without conditions, $1 million with conditions, as the ex-Minneapolis police officer made his first court appearance since being charged with murder in the killing of George Floyd. Three other ex-officers have been charged with aiding and abetting in Floyd’s death and are being held on $1 million unconditional bail. This is an MPR News evening update for Monday, June 8, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

Hundreds of family, friends, elected officials, celebrities and civil rights activists gathered Thursday at a Minneapolis chapel to honor George Floyd at the first of three memorial services for the man whose killing sparked protests across the nation and world. As the four former Minneapolis police officers charged in his killing sat in jail cells, speakers — whose words were broadcast live — remembered Floyd as a kind man who was always there for his family. They demanded justice. “What we saw on that video was torture,” said attorney Ben Crump. “What we saw on that video was evil. So, America, we proclaim as we memorialize George Floyd, do not cooperate with evil. Protest against evil.” This is an MPR News evening update for Thursday June 4, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison on Wednesday added a second-degree murder charge to the counts against ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in the killing of George Floyd. He also charged the three other officers fired in the incident. “The investigation is ongoing. We are following the path of all the evidence, wherever it leads,” Ellison told reporters as he announced the charges and pleaded with the public for patience in the probe. This is an MPR News evening update for June 3, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

Gov. Tim Walz said Tuesday that the state is launching a broad investigation into the civil rights record of the Minneapolis Police Department following the killing of George Floyd. The agency intends to probe the last 10 years of Minneapolis police actions and practices for patterns of discrimination against people of color. MPR News update for June 1, 2020, hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

George Floyd's family was in town to encourage protesters to keep up the fight. But they also said the looting and violence must stop. MPR News update for June 1, 2020, hosted by Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

Ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in George Floyd’s death, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said Friday. Freeman said he anticipated charges for three other officers connected to the incident who were also fired, but “we felt it appropriate to focus on the most dangerous perpetrator.” This is an MPR News evening update for May 29, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene.

The vandalism and looting moved from Minneapolis to St. Paul, where Mayor Melvin Carter urged people to stay home. It followed the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died Monday while in a Minneapolis police officer’s custody. MPR News update for May 28, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene. Music in this episode from Blue Dot Sessions — Open Flames & Li Fonte

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called on prosecutors to charge the police officer accused in the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man. MPR News update for May 27, 2020. Hosted by Brian Bakst and Britta Greene. Music in this episode from Blue Dot Sessions — Open Flames & Li Fonte

Protesters were expected to gather in Minneapolis Tuesday evening in response to the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by a Minneapolis police officer on Monday. Video of the incident has been circulating on social media. MPR News update for May 26, 2020. Hosted by Brian Bakst and Britta Greene. Music in this episode from Blue Dot Sessions — Open Flames & Li Fonte

Thousands of people usually gather in Minnesota cemeteries each year for Memorial Day services, to honor veterans who have died while serving the country. But not this year. Instead, the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs has created a virtual Memorial Day program, which will air on PBS stations around the state and stream online. More on that story, and our interview remembering the life of Annie Glenn, wife of the late astronaut John Glenn. MPR News update for Monday, May 25, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene. Music in this episode from Blue Dot Sessions -- Open Flames & Li Fonte

Minnesota State Fair organizers said big-name entertainers have been canceling appearances, and fair operations would have needed to change significantly to keep people safe. MPR News evening update for May 22, 2020. Hosted by Nina Moini and Britta Greene. Music in this episode from Blue Dot Sessions — Open Flames & Li Fonte.

Twin Cities Archbishop Bernard Hebda and other church leaders are pushing back, saying Gov. Tim Walz’s rules are arbitrary and unfair. But state health officials say what may seem harmless for certain segments of the population could have devastating consequences for others. MPR News evening update for May 21, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene. Music in this episode from Blue Dot Sessions — Open Flames & Li Fonte.

The plan would take effect June 1 and would require six feet between tables and no more than 50 people in an outdoor restaurant space at a time. In addition, customers would have to make reservations. MPR News evening update for May 20, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene. Music in this episode from Blue Dot Sessions — Open Flames & Li Fonte.

Several nurses testified about the risks they face because of shortages of personal protective equipment, particularly as elective medical procedures have restarted. MPR News evening update for May 19, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene. Music in this episode from Blue Dot Sessions — Open Flames & Li Fonte.

State health officials want to know more about whether a rare syndrome linked to COVID-19 is occurring in Minnesota’s children. In New York there have been 100 reported cases and three deaths. MPR News evening update for May 15, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene and Nina Moini. Music in this episode from Blue Dot Sessions — Open Flames & Li Fonte.

The state is stepping up its efforts to combat the coronavirus outbreak in long-term care facilities. Health officials say the guard members are helping meet a need for concentrated testing. MPR News evening update for May 14, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene and Tim Nelson. Music in this episode from Blue Dot Sessions — Open Flames & Li Fonte.

Minnesota’s stay-at-home order will lift Sunday night, but restaurants, hair salons and other establishments must remain closed, Gov. Tim Walz told Minnesotans in a special address. Meanwhile, new modeling shows an estimated 28,000 people in Minnesota will die of COVID-19. MPR News evening update for May 13, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene and Tim Nelson. Music in this episode from Blue Dot Sessions — Open Flames & Li Fonte.

Minnesota’s stay-at-home order is set to lift this weekend, so without the emergency declaration, Walz would have to go through regular political channels — including a divided Legislature. MPR News evening update for May 12, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene and Tim Nelson. Music in this episode from Blue Dot Sessions — Open Flames & Li Fonte.

A bill to set up expanded contact tracing was sent to the House floor this week. It would allow the Minnesota Department of Health to temporarily hire more people to trace the spread of COVID-19. But some Republicans argue it’s not a wise use of money. MPR News Evening update for May 11, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene and Tim Nelson. Music in this episode from Blue Dot Sessions — Open Flames & Li Fonte.

Black, Latinx and Native American residents across Minnesota have been disproportionately hurt by the virus. MPR News evening update for May 8, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene and Nina Moini.  Music in this episode from Blue Dot Sessions -- Open Flames & Li Fonte.

Total COVID-19 deaths in Minnesota topped 500 for the first time today. MPR News evening update for May 7, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene.Music in this episode from Blue Dot Sessions -- Open Flames & Li Fonte.

City officials in Thief River Falls have asked the state to lift the stay at home order in their city and let business return to normal. MPR News evening update for May 6, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene and Tim Nelson. Music in this episode from Blue Dot Sessions -- Open Flames & Li Fonte.

A new Survey USA poll by KSTP-TV says Minnesotans largely approve of extending the state’s stay at home order until May 18th. MPR News evening update for May 5, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene and Tim Nelson.Music in this episode from Blue Dot Sessions -- Open Flames & Li Fonte.

Pence issues apology for maskless Mayo visit. MPR News evening update for May 4, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene and Tim Nelson.  Music in this episode from Blue Dot Sessions -- Open Flames & Li Fonte.

Covid-19 testing accelerates in Minnesota. MPR News evening update for May 1, 2020. Hosted by Nina Moini and Britta Greene.

The Bachelor Farmer closes, the latest in a series of restaurant closures due to the coronavirus. MPR News evening update for April 30, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene and Tim Nelson.

Don’t expect much change. MPR News update for April 29, 2020 hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene.

Vice President Pence didn’t wear a mask as he visited the Rochester medical center. MPR News evening update for April 28, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene and Tim Nelson. Music in this episode from Blue Dot Sessions -- Open Flames & Li Fonte.

The economic toll is surfacing in Minnesota tax revenue. MPR News Update for April 27, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene and Tim Nelson.

Governor Tim Walz says he won’t sugarcoat the existence of disparities. MPR News evening update for April 24, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene and Nina Moini.

Gov. Walz weighs in on the chances of a State Fair this year. MPR News evening update for April 23, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene and Tim Nelson.

MPR News evening update for April 22, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene and Tim Nelson.

MPR News evening update for Tuesday, April 21, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene.

MPR News evening update for April 20, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene.

Minnesota posted another decline today in the number of daily tests being run for COVID-19. That’s as Governor Tim Walz and health officials continue to emphasize how critical testing is for controlling the outbreak — and to inform any plan to restart the economy. MPR News evening update for April 15, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene.

Debate nationally and here in Minnesota continues to be focused on how and when to start reopening the economy safely. State lawmakers met again today in St. Paul, and we’re hearing more strident calls for Governor Tim Walz to start rolling back work and business restrictions. MPR News evening update for April 14, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene.

MPR News update for the evening of April 13, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene and Tim Nelson.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is extending his stay at home order through May 4. The move adds another 25 days to the two weeks of restrictions he initially imposed. Health officials say social distancing is working and the additional restrictions will push the state’s peak infections into July. MPR News evening update for April 8, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene and Tim Nelson

It’s now been one month since the first case of COVID-19 was reported in the state. There are now more than 1,000 cases, and so much about our lives has changed. MPR News evening update for April 7, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene.

Governor Tim Walz announced a new state website today, allowing the public to track COVID-19 cases as well as available medical supplies and ICU beds. MPR News evening update for April 3, 2020. Hosted by Nina Moini and Britta Greene.

Governor Tim Walz said today it's unlikely public and charter K-12 schools will be resuming this spring. Instead, Minnesota students will continue with distance learning through the end of the semester. MPR News evening update for April 2, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene.

I'm announcing a whole new podcast, and giving you a listen to the first episode. The podcast is called Before It Had a Theme, and on it, Britta Greene an I discuss and deconstruct old episodes of This American Life. On this episode, we discuss the very first episode of that show, as well as why the show is worth discussing, how we and others became fans of the show, and why we love Ira Glass’s mother. Clips from following were used in this episode: Coffaro’s Theme by Bill Frisell Episode of Tape with Jonathan Mejivar Episode of Tape with Ben Calhoun Ira’s talk at the Third Coast Audio Festival Longform Podcast, Episode 159: Ira Glass This American Life, Episode 1: New Beginnings Ira’s talk at the Gel Conference Rob's Twitter Britta's Twitter Show Twitter Review us on Apple Podcasts  

What happens when a company leaves a company town? We talk to an ethnographer who charts the story of a New Hampshire paper mill that closed, leaving hard feelings and few jobs behind. We also track water quality in two New England Bays, and examine the source of some of our water pollution problems — the lightly regulated residential septic system. Finally, we visit a Boston laboratory for creating new beats. Dryers on the Number 3 paper machine at the now-demolished paper mill in Groveton, Nh. From a 1955 Vanity Fair sales catalog. (Courtesy GREAT) State of the Bays Bangs Island Mussels worker Jon Gorman sets juvenile mussells onto rope that will be their home for the next year as they grow to market size. (Fred Bever/ Maine Public) When it comes to water quality, there's a lot that scientists have to monitor. Pollution, invasive species, and climate change are just a few of their concerns. And these problems are often linked together, so it can be hard to pinpoint the cause of unhealthy waterways. We go first to Maine's Casco Bay, where a new threat to New England’s shellfish industry seems to be establishing itself more firmly. Regulators are trying to stay ahead of potentially deadly blooms of toxic algae — blooms that may be driven by climate change. An unprecedented bloom in Casco Bay recently forced regulators to close off a large area to shellfish harvesting. Maine Public Radio's Fred Bever reports. New Hampshire’s Great Bay. (Annie Ropeik/NHPR) “Did you ever know anybody who looked really good, like, physically you just look at him or her and say, ‘Wow, they’re in real shape,’ and then you find out they’re struggling with a tough health problem? That’s our bay. Look how beautiful it is, right? Doesn’t it look great? Under the surface, there’s some issues.” – Kalle Matso, Coastal Science Program Manager, University of New Hampshire New Hampshire’s Great Bay and its estuary have suffered from nitrogen loading and other problems for years. And the latest data doesn’t show much improvement. But scientists say there’s still hope for the watershed.  As New Hampshire Public Radio’s Annie Ropeik reports, they’re trying to hone in on things people can control. Septic system installation underway for a home on steep slopes. (Soil Science/Flickr) But New England is an especially difficult place to control the flow of nitrogen.  That’s because half of homes here rely on septic systems — the highest proportion in the country. For decades, most conventional septic systems have done well removing pollutants and pathogens. But they’re not very good at removing nitrogen, which is in human waste. And too much nitrogen can wreak havoc on coastal ecosystems. As New England Public Radio’s Jill Kaufman reports, recent research indicates even the best septic equipment won’t do the job, if it’s ignored. Post-Industrial In a recent episode, we shared a series of stories from NHPR about the surge in off-road vehicle recreation in New Hampshire's woodsy North Country. State and local tourism officials there have made efforts to draw ATV riders to the area in hopes of boosting the economy — after the closure of paper mills that provided a livelihood for so many. Meanwhile, communities in northern Vermont and Maine are also trying to figure out an economic future without the paper industry. A new book, You Had a Job for Life: Story of a Company Town, chronicles the history of a mill that sustained the town of Groveton, New Hampshire through the 20th Century, and closed for good in 2007. The memories of the mill's workers and managers drive the narrative. Author Jamie Sayen is a writer and environmentalist who calls the North Country home. We’re also joined by Joan Breault, who worked at the Groveton mill for 43 years. Sharing Skis and Beats Rory Gawler stands in a storage room of a Lebanon, Nh. house he bought in a foreclosure sale. Without electricity, he uses a flashlight to illuminate the hundreds of skis he found inside. (Britta Greene/NHPR) This weekend's big snowstorm is good news for New England skiers. In New Hampshire, one man recently stumbled across an appropriately timed, ski-season mystery in the remains of an old, falling down house. NHPR's Britta Greene went to investigate. (Plus, the Valley News covered the story’s ending.)  We finish off the episode with some sounds from Boston, where hip-hop producers are getting out of their bedroom studios, where they've got all the equipment to create their own beats — .but none of the community they need to make them better. From WBUR, Amelia Mason reports. Producers sit at Wonder Bar during October’s Stew Beat Showcase, a semi-monthly beats battle in Boston. (Courtesy Bryan Trench) About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Fred Bever, Annie Ropeik, Jill Kaufman, Britta Greene, Amelia Mason, and Evan Sobol Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon. Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and fresh beats to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Utility companies face allegations that they drove up the cost of electricity in New England, and they’re pushing back. A rural doctor is told by the state she has to quit – in part because of her prescribing practices. Her patients ask, “who will help me with my pain?” We have the story of a wildfire that ravaged Maine 70 years ago. And we find out what the deal is with wild turkeys that are bugging residents around Boston. Dr. Anna Konopka of New London used only paper records and did not accept take insurance, but patients raved about her care. She closed her practice this month to settle allegations from the New Hampshire Board of Medicine. Photo by Britta Greene for NHPR Gaslighted A new academic report, released in conjunction with the nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund, says that New England electricity consumers paid billions of dollars more than necessary over a three-year period. The reason? Large utility companies created artificial gas shortages, according to the report. One of the big utilities named called the report a fabrication, but it's drawn concern from state officials. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey says she is “reviewing” the report, and public utility regulators in Connecticut have opened an investigation. Maine Public Radio’s Fred Bever has the story. Mellanie Rodriguez, Francisco Rodriguez’s 10-year-old daughter, goes shopping for school supplies with her grandmother, Jesus Rodriguez. Photo by Hadley Green for WBUR We've been following the story of a Chelsea, Massachusetts, man who remains behind bars after being arrested by federal immigration officials during a scheduled office visit. Francisco Rodriguez is awaiting potential deportation back to El Salvador, the country he fled more than ten years ago. But as WBUR’s Shannon Dooling reports, life carries on for his family. There are homework assignments, meals to cook and loads of laundry to be done. Greg Gibson, of Gloucester, Mass, with a photo of his son’s killer, Wayne Lo, on a computer screen. Gibson has kept up a correspondence with Lo for years, and the two men met in person for the first time this week. Photo by Anthony Brooks for WBUR It’s been a little more than two weeks since a gunman opened fire on crowd of concert-goers in Las Vegas, leaving 58 people dead and 489 injured. While investigators search for a motive, the family members of those who were murdered are just beginning a long and painful period of grief. WBUR’s Anthony Brooks has the story of two New England fathers who experienced this kind of grief firsthand, and who turned their losses into action. Not Your Typical Doctors Anna Konopka, M.D. Photo by Britta Greene for NENC Dr. Anna Konopka of New London, New Hampshire ended her decades -long practice this month. She's nearly 85, but her retirement is not voluntary. She says she was forced to shut her practice down by a system that no longer values her brand of patient-centered medicine. However, the New Hampshire Board of Medicine has a different opinion. The board challenged her medical decision making and other aspects of her work. While the details of the allegations against Konopka are confidential, it’s likely that her practice of  prescribing opioid painkillers to many of her patients is under scrutiny. New Hampshire Public Radio’s Britta Greene reports. An empty marijuana jar at the Canna Care Docs clinic in Burlington. The company opened its first location in Vermont last month, and offers patients a new avenue to medical marijuana. Photo by Emily Corwin for VPR Two weeks ago, a new health clinic opened its doors in Burlington to do in Vermont what it has already done in several other states: bring thousands of new patients into the state's medical cannabis program. Canna Care Docs bills itself as a “medical marijuana evaluation and education center,” and in places like Maine and Massachusetts, it has created an efficient new avenue for patients to gain legal access to medical marijuana. But some in Vermont worry that the Canna Care model sidesteps the important doctor-patient relationship. Vermont Public Radio’s Peter Hirschfeld has more. Wild Fires, Wild Turkeys Fast-moving wildfires in northern California have destroyed thousands of homes and taken more than forty lives. Seventy years ago, this same time of year, wildfires burned over hundreds of miles in Maine. These fires wiped out towns and forever changed the landscape. New England Public Radio’s Jill Kaufman reports. On Columbus Day, a Cranston, Rhode Island orthodontist stopped in to check on his office, only to find the double pane glass of his waiting room window shattered. And then he found the culprit– a fully-grown wild turkey – still alive. While smashing through a window is rare, human encounters with wild turkeys are becoming increasingly common in the Boston metro and other cities and suburbs around the country. Some residents complain that the animals are attacking humans and cars. Others are bemused or fascinated by the birds, like the Boston man who tweeted this cell phone video of a group of turkeys circling a dead cat, causing a stir online earlier this year. We talk with David Scarpitti, the wild turkey and upload game biologist for the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife about why we're seeing this influx of wild turkeys in urban and suburban areas – and what makes some of them so aggressive. Do you have a question about New England you’d like NEXT to investigate? Tell us about it here. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Fred Bever, Shannon Dooling, Anthony Brooks, Britta Greene, Peter Hirschfeld, and Jill Kaufman Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Gold Dayz” by Ultraista Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, and turkey tales to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New England communities prepare for an influx of hurricane refugees from Puerto Rico, and worry about family back home. We’ll learn what Germany can teach us about welcoming immigrants, and we’ll tour an old Hartford factory that’s preparing for a new life as a food and jobs hub for a struggling neighborhood. Plus, the craft beer industry is exploding in New England, but another time-honored trade is in danger of disappearing. A scene from the Swift Factory, which manufactured gold leaf in Hartford from 1895 to 2005. The nonprofit that owns the building hopes to house food operations, a health center, and more. Photo by Ryan Caron King for NEXT. In the News: Hurricane Survivors, Healthcare Laws, Racism There are over 600,000 Puerto Ricans living in New England, and many are struggling to get ahold of loved ones there after the devastation left by Hurricane Maria. WNPR’s Ryan Caron King spoke with one Hartford, Connecticut resident. In the city of Holyoke, Massachusetts, 80 percent of public school students are of Puerto Rican descent. As people try to flee the island, the district is expecting an influx of new students, as Jill Kaufman reports. We'd love to hear from you if you're still trying to reach loved ones or get help to Puerto Rico. Leave a note on our Facebook page or tag us on Twitter.  Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins in Lewiston, Maine in August. Photo by Robert F. Bukaty for Maine Public Maine Senator Susan Collins announced earlier this week that she would vote against the Graham-Cassidy healthcare bill, killing the latest Republican attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. It's not the first time she has broken with leaders in the GOP, and it's a reminder that the independently-minded “Yankee Republican” isn't extinct. But who is Collins, and how is she regarded back home? Our guest Steve Mistler is the Chief Political Correspondent for Maine Public Radio, and a close Collins-watcher. Residents of Claremont, Nh. gathered earlier this month for a vigil following news of an alleged lynching-style attack of a young biracial boy in town. Photo by Britta Greene for NHPR Claremont, New Hampshire is still reeling from an incident involving a young biracial boy and a group of teenagers. The victim's family says it's an open-and-shut case of racism: an attempted lynching. Parents of a teenager involved in the incident say that's not what happened. They say the kids were playing with a rope and climbing trees when things went wrong. As Britta Greene reports, The incident has divided the community. Turning Over a New Leaf Many New England cities used to be manufacturing hubs. Workers lived near where they worked, and supported the other businesses that sprung up around them. Today, old factories are puzzles to solve. Some retain a bit of small manufacturing — others are converted into high-end lofts, artists' studios, and even world-class art museums, like MassMoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts. The building that housed the Swift Factory is tucked into a residential section of Hartford's Northeast neighborhood. Gold leaf. Photo via Pixabay Gold leaf, a thin, paper-like gold product, was manufactured there for over 100 years. Leaf produced at Swift adorned the dome atop the Connecticut capitol building, and decorated the lettering on the sides of local fire trucks. The company was owned by a white family, the Swifts. And the neighborhood, which had mostly white immigrant residents early in the 1900s, gradually became African-American and West Indian. It still is today. The Swift Factory closed in 2005. A nonprofit called Community Solutions took ownership in 2010, and surveyed the neighborhood to figure out what to do with the site. Sometimes, a factory renovation can be an early sign of gentrification. But the plans for this particular building are a response to the needs and desires of the people already living here, representatives say. On a factory tour this summer, we learned about what’s to come. We also got a sense of what factory life was like from a woman who experienced it firsthand. How Does Germany Handle Refugees? Instructor Irene Sperfeld writes out German vocabulary during a course for language learners at Evangelische Hochschule Dresden. In Germany, language classes for newcomers are paid for by the state. Photo by Cassandra Bassler for NENC Germany's leader Angela Merkel has been spending tax dollars to house and educate more than 1 million asylum-seekers from places like Syria and Iraq. And that's made a lot of Germans unhappy: a far-right, anti-immigrant party fared better than expected in this past week's election. Cassandra Basler from member station WSHU has been covering immigration to New England for our Facing Change project, and recently traveled to Germany to look at the challenges facing immigrants and the places that host them. Of Beer and Clocks Selection of beers on tap at Grey Sail Brewing, Westerly, RI. Photo by Tom Verde for NENC. It's Octoberfest time, and the craft beer industry in New England has plenty to raise a glass to. Craft beer is growing faster here than anywhere in the country. But is growing too fast? Is it possible to have too much craft beer? Tom Verde went to find out. In the mid-1800s, New England was a global center for the clockmaking industry. Today, the region is filled with antique, often centuries-old clocks — in church steeples, libraries, courthouses, and homes. Master clockmaker James Roberts examines a churchtower clock in Redding, Mass. The timepiece in the center connects to four transparent glass dials, one on each wall. View of the clocktower room from above. Photo by Dan Richards for NEXT. David Roberts with a clock face and dial that he and his brother James restored. Photo by Dan Richards for NEXT. That industry, of course, is long gone. And slowly, the people who preserve its artifacts are disappearing, too. Dan Richards has the story. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Ryan Caron King, Jill Kaufman, Britta Greene, Cassandra Basler, Tom Verde, and Dan Richards Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Unsquare Dance” by Dave Brubeck, “Beer Barrel Polka” by Orchestra Will Glahé Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and scraps of precious metals to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The events in Charlottesville, Virginia earlier this month have echoes in New England. This week, we hear local reactions to seeing a Keene, New Hampshire local featured in a documentary about white supremacists at Charlottesville, and we recon with a quieter kind of racism in Boston in the wake of the “Free Speech” rally and counter-protest last Saturday. Plus, Granite Staters get the chance to “ask a Muslim anything.” Later in the show, we visit a Maine school on the cutting edge of composting, and a yacht race that is a reminder of another time. Counter protesters amassed outside of the barriers at the Parkman Bandstand on Boston Common on August 19. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR Grappling With Race and Inclusion in the Granite State It's been two weeks since a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, led to violent clashes between neo-Nazis and counter-protesters. One anti-fascist demonstrator was killed and many were injured when a car, driven by one of the alt-right marchers, plowed into a group of people. The events of the weekend were captured in a documentary by VICE News and HBO called “Charlottesville, Race and Terror.” The main subject of that report is Christopher Cantwell, 36, from Keene, New Hampshire, who advocates online for what he calls a white “ethno-state,” and promises violence. White nationalist Christopher Cantwell speaks with VICE News correspondent Elle Reeve. Cantwell’s tone changed somewhat in a video he shot himself, following news that authorities were seeking him in connection with violence at the rally. He has since surrendered to police, facing two felony counts of illegal use of tear gas, and one count of malicious bodily injury by means of a caustic substance. We’re joined by New Hampshire Public Radio reporter Britta Greene, who has been following Cantwell's story, and getting reaction from the Keene community. Robert Azzi. Photo by Peter Biello for NHPR Where Christopher Cantwell spreads a message of hate, Exeter resident Robert Azzi is working to spread understanding. The Lebanese-American Muslim photojournalist is traveling around New Hampshire hosting a series of conversations he calls “Ask a Muslim Anything.” WBUR’s Anthony Brooks reports. Dialogue between people of different races — or faiths — has been difficult in the weeks following Charlottesville. And one of the trickiest conversations has been about physical images of our racist past. While New England doesn't have many debates about Confederate statues, the history of white settlers and their relationship with indigenous people is also fraught. This week, Yale University announced that it would remove a stone carving of a Puritan aiming a musket at Native American. As New Hampshire Public Radio’s Jason Moon reports, a mural in a Durham, New Hampshire post office has also sparked a controversy. A mural including 16 images representing town history, including a Native American carrying a flaming torch and looking out at a colonial cabin,  was commissioned by the Women’s Club of Durham in 1959. Photo by Jason Moon for NHPR Moving the Needle on Systemic Racism in Boston Kevin Peterson is founder of the Boston-based New Democracy Coalition and a senior fellow at the Center for Collaborative Leadership at the University of Massachusetts at Boston. The scene at a so-called “Free Speech” rally in Boston last Saturday offered a stark contrast to the events in Charlottesville the weekend before. A few dozen attendees of the conservative rally were met on the Boston Common by an estimated 40,000 counter-demonstrators. Boston police didn't allow the protesters or the media to get near the rally, so their message couldn't be heard. Many in Boston, including our guest Kevin Peterson, applauded the counter-protesters — a majority white crowd — for standing up to bigotry and hatred. But in a column for WBUR's Cognoscenti, Peterson asks Bostonians to now do something more difficult: work to counter systemic, historic, everyday racism in their city. First Class Compost, J Class Yachts The Maine Compost School teaches the right way to compost with a series of test piles. Photo by Nick Woodward for Maine Public Radio A few times a year, people from all over the US — and well beyond — trek to Maine to learn the science of all things rotten. The Maine Compost School has been teaching people how to turn organic trash into treasure for 20 years, making it the longest-running program of its kind in the U.S. Maine Public Radio’s Jennifer Mitchell takes us there. A J Class boat sailing out of Newport Harbor, with the Pell Bridge in the background. A J Class yacht training on the waters off Newport Harbor. Photo by Pearl Mack for RIPR Newport Rhode Island is a world capital for sailing. This week, the city is host to a first in the sailing world: the J Class World Championship. J-Class yachts are rare, and they're huge. Picture a sailboat about as long as a basketball court racing around Newport harbor. Rhode Island Public Radio's John Bender went to take a look. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Britta Greene, Jason Moon, Jennifer Mitchell, and John Bender Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and photos of your compost pile to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Talking to strangers is tough. It's even tougher when you have a stutter. Listen to Chase's story in the final episode of the miniseries. Produced by Sophie Nikitas. Edited by Rob McGinley Myers and Britta Greene. Music by SRVTR, Monplaisir, johnny_ripper, and Maya Weisinger. Photo courtesy of Jeremy Jennene.

A new couple boards a boat in Florida headed for Cuba. Once they've sailed, they find out that they have no navigational system, working motor, or captain. Produced by Sophie Nikitas. Edited by Britta Greene. Music courtesy of High Plains Thunder, Chico Trujillo, Scott Holmes, Monplaisir, Randy Dever, Kosta T, and Minor Moon. Special thanks to the Free Music Archive and freesound.org. They are great resources if you're a podcaster without many (or any) funds.

It's never too late to try online dating. This episode, we hear from Mary, who made her first profile at age 71. Produced by Sophie Nikitas. Editing help from Britta Greene, Natalie Jablonski and Nancy Rosenbaum. Music from Fragile Tom, Scott Holmes, johnny_ripper, Doge Lounge, Alan Singley, Tri-Tachyon, and Maya Weisinger. Special thanks for the Free Music Archive.

After three months of dating, a couple embarks on a trip...where only one of them knows the destination. Produced by Sophie Nikitas. Edited by Rob McGinley Myers and Britta Greene. Additional support from Nancy Rosenbaum and Natalie Jablonski. Music from Randy Dever, Doge Lounge, Fragile Tom, High Plains Thunder, and Tri-Tachyon.

Two people grow up in conservative Christian households on opposite sides of the country. They both use online dating to find gay relationships. While one of them knows what he wants, the other one isn't so sure. Produced by Sophie Nikitas. Editing by Rob McGinley Myers and Britta Greene. Music courtesy of Free Music Archive. "Puzzles" by Fragile Tom "Jetaimemonamourlavieestbelle" by Bengale "back to the start," "vhs," "cloudgazer," and "a void" by johnny_ripper "tea tea tea" by chapelier fou "Distinguishing beams, Destination Spangles, The glint of cycles" by Project 5am

Black men are far less likely to get matches and responses on dating apps. So a college student in Indiana tries a different tactic on Tinder. Produced by Sophie Nikitas. Editing help from Rob McGinley Myers and Britta Greene. Music by Project 5am, johnny_ripper, Bengale, Infecticide, Randy Dever, and Dlina Volny. To learn more, visit http://freemusicarchive.org/.

There are two sides to every online dating story. In the first episode of “The Zoo,” Sophie and Jesse share their different perspectives on the same date. Editing help from Rob McGinley Myers, Britta Greene, and the Twin Cities Radio Club. Music: “A Dreary Loop” by Randy Dever “Recognize” by Waylon Thornton and the Heavy Hands “Electric Birds” by Scott Holmes “Kill Your Darlings” by Steve Combs “back to the start” by johnny_ripper “Happy Valentine's Day” by Doge Lounge

Introducing the new podcast, "The Zoo." Dive into intimate accounts of what it means to date online. Each episode features stories from some of the people behind the profiles. Created and produced by Sophie Nikitas. Editing help from Rob McGinley Myers and Britta Greene. Music: "Puzzles" by Fragile Tom. Visit http://freemusicarchive.org/ to learn more.

Sometimes it seems you can hear or see traces of Shakespeare just about anywhere on Earth. But how about around the planet Uranus, which had not even been discovered in Shakespeare's time? In this celestial edition, Rebecca Sheir, host of the Shakespeare Unlimited podcast series, traces the quirky, fascinating, and little-known tale of the 27 known moons of Uranus—nearly all of which have Shakespearean names. Through the voices of historians, actors, and modern scientists, "Brave New Worlds" tells the story behind that curious fact, starting with the planet's discovery in 1781 and continuing through Voyager 2's flyby in 1986 and the discoveries of still more moons in recent years. From the Uranian moons Ariel, Oberon, Titania, and Miranda, to Ferdinand, Caliban, and Cordelia (to name only a few), join us on a literary-scientific trip to the outer solar system you won't soon forget. Michael Crowe is an emeritus professor of liberal arts at Notre Dame University. Brett Gladman is a professor at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Lisa Grossman is a writer for New Scientist magazine. Michael Hoskin is a professor at Cambridge University. JJ Kevelaars is an astronomer at the National Research Council Canada. Tobias Owen is a professor at the Institute for Astronomy associated with the University of Hawaii. Derek Sears is a research scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center. Scott Sheppard is a research scientist at the Carnegie Institution of Washington. ---------------- From the Shakespeare Unlimited podcast series. © Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. Written and produced for the Folger Shakespeare Library by Richard Paul. Garland Scott is the associate producer. Edited by Gail Kern Paster and Esther Ferington. We had an enormous amount of help gathering material for this podcast. In particular, we would like to thank Jennifer Blue of the US Geological Survey, Bradford Smith of the International Astronomical Union, Dale Cruikshank at NASA's Ames Research Center, and David DeVorkin, senior curator of astronomy and space sciences at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Esther French and Georgianna Ziegler of the Folger Shakespeare Library provided additional assistance. Voice recreations were performed by Anthony Reuben and Elena Burger. We had technical help from Jean Cochran and Britta Greene.

"Freedom, high-day! High-day, freedom! Freedom, high-day, freedom!" —THE TEMPEST(2.2.192-193) In this second of two podcasts on Shakespeare and the African American experience, "Freedom, Hey-Day! Hey-Day, Freedom!" examines some of the many ways—including, but not limited to, performance—that black Americans have encountered, responded to, taken ownership of, and sometimes turned away from Shakespeare's words. Rebecca Sheir, host of the Shakespeare Unlimited series, narrates this expansive, interview-filled look at the intersection between African American life and Shakespeare, from stage productions to personal and academic encounters with the texts. Kim Hall is a professor of English at Barnard College. Caleen Sinnette Jennings is a professor of theater at American University in Washington, DC. Bernth Lindfors is professor emeritus of history at the University of Texas. Francesca Royster is a professor of English at DePaul University. Shane White is a professor of history at the University of Sydney in Australia. -------------------- From the Shakespeare Unlimited podcast series. © Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. Produced for the Folger Shakespeare Library by Richard Paul. Garland Scott is the associate producer. Edited by Gail Kern Paster and Esther Ferington. We had help gathering material for the Shakespeare Unlimited series from Esther French. We also had help from Britta Greene and Anne Marie Baldonado at Fresh Air with Terry Gross, who gave us their 1987 recording of August Wilson. Original music composed and arranged by Lenny Williams. The title of this episode uses an alternate spelling ("hey-day") in quoting Caliban's exclamation; it is "high-day" in the Folger Digital Texts edition of THE TEMPEST.