Wgtd's The Morning Show With Greg Berg

Dr. Michael Hansen is a member of the Political Science faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.  In this conversation recorded on August 21st, Dr. Hansen talks about some of the intriguing research he is doing on the wide variation in how counties across Wisconsin share information with the public through their respective websites.   Back in late April, he studied the sharing of COVID information county-by-county throughout the nation.   <This interview was originally scheduled to be broadcast on Friday, August 28th- but was postponed because of events in Kenosha.>

We discuss this week's turmoil in Kenosha with Jennifer Cobbina, Professor of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University,  author of  "Hands up!  Don't Shoot!  Why the Protests in Ferguson and Baltimore Matter, and How They Have Changed America."  

Dr. Art Cyr, Clausen Distinguished Professor of Political Science/ World Economy and Director of the Clausen Center at Carthage College.

Part One of today's program features Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian Jon Meacham, talking about his newest book-  "His Truth is Marching On:  John Lewis and the Power of Hope."   John Lewis, one of the most inspiring figures in the Civil Rights movement,  died on July 17th.  My conversation with Meacham was recorded on Tuesday with the city of Kenosha engulfed in unrest over the shooting of Jacob Blake.  

Today is the monthly visit of Bryan Albrecht, the president of Gateway Technical College, who begins by weighing in on the turmoil in Kenosha over the last several days.  His guest is Patrick Fennimore,  director of facilities for the Kenosha Unified School District.   They discuss the challenges being faced by KUSD as it prepares for the beginning of the fall semester - and how those preparations have had to change in the wake of the School Board's decision last week to shift from all-virtual to a hybrid of virtual and in-person learning.   

Dr. Jerald Mast, Professor of Political Science at Carthage College, offers his analysis of the recently concluded Democratic National Convention- and gives his thoughts on what the republicans need to do with their convention this week.  

On August 10th,  the upper midwest was slammed by exceptionally severe thunderstorms, and much of Iowa was slashed by a Derecho- sometimes known as an inland hurricane - with straight line winds between 100 and 140 miles per hour.   Cedar Rapids and the surrounding area was completel devastated. Peter Ylvisaker, who lives in nearby Marion, IA,  gives an account of what it was like to experience the storm- and what has transpired in the wake of it.  (600,000 Iowans lost power, and thousands of people are still without power two weeks later.)  

From 2008-  James M. Tabor, author of "Forever on the Mountain: The Truth Behind One of Mountaineering's Most Controversial and Mysterious Disasters."  The book chronicles the doomed 1967 expedition on Alaska's Mount McKinley; only five of the twelve climbers survived.  

From 2003 comes this interview with opera singer Shirley Verrett, talking about her book "I Never Walked Alone:  The Autobiography of an American Singer."  Verrett was one of the most compelling opera singers of her generation- and an African-American who came to prominence during the height of the Civil Rights movement.   This is the first time that the entire interview is being shared without abridgment.   Verrett died in 2010. 

We reconnect with Star Trek expert Marc Cushman to get an overview of his three most recent books titled "These are the Voyages: Gene Rodenberry and Star Trek in the 70's."   In these three volumes,  Cushman chronicles the events that ensued in the wake of the cancellation of Star Trek: the Original Series in 1969- and the persistent efforts to resurrect the franchise. 

Nan Calvert's monthly visit features an interview with Chris Litzau, Director of the Great Lakes Community Conservation Corp - as well as two of the crew supervisors who help carry out their important work in and around southeast Wisconsin.  They also talk about a new Racine County project to improve storm water run-off in the area.   

Part One:   Dr. Uma Naidoo, author of "This is your brain on food:  An Indispensable Guide to the Surprising Foods that fight Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, and more."     Part Two:  (from 2009)  Richard Farrell, author of "What's Left of Us: a Memoir of Addiction."  

Part One:   Brad Ricca, author of  "Olive the Lionheart:  Lost Love, Imperial Spies, and One Woman's Journey into the Heart of Africa."   In 1910, 30-year-old Olive MacLeod traveled over 3,000 miles through the heart of Africa to learn the fate of her fiance, explorer and naturalist Alexander Boyd.  It's an amazing and true story.  Part Two:  (from 2018)  Kristin Helms, author of  "From Boardroom to Baby:  A Roadmap for Career Women Transitioning to Stay-at-home Mom."   

Our guest is Dr. Leslie Cameron, Professor of Psychology at Carthage College.  She has done extensive research on the sense of smell for many years.  This interview focuses on how one of the most common symptoms of COVID-19 is the loss of the sense of smell.  Professor Cameron is helping to arrange widespread olfactory testing for students, faculty and staff at Carthage as one more means of screening for COVID as the school resumes in-person instruction.  

From 2003-  Father Dominic Grassi's talks about his book "Still Called:  Why I Love Being a Priest."   Update: Father Grassi recently retired from the priesthood and is now writing novels.   Grassi spent the last quarter century of his ministry serving parishes on the north side of Chicago.  

From 2010:  "Game Change:  Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime."  

Howard Furman examines the childhood and adolescence of baseball superstar Micky Mantle in "Mutt's Dream:  Making the Mick."   

We begin with Margaret Gesner and Jeffrey Langlieb from the Greater Racine County Health Department-  and finish up with Carlo Nevicosi from the Walworth County Department of Health and Human Services .... for COVID-19 updates.  

From 2006 comes this interview with Simon Houpt, author of "Museum of the Missing:  a History of Art Theft."  

Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave tells the story of being diagnosed with COVID-19.