Lake Effect Spotlight
by WUWM 89.7 FM - Milwaukee's NPR
Latest episode
Chirp Chat: how to track a raptor
Chirp Chat: how to track a raptor
About this podcast
The Lake Effect Spotlight podcast features some of our favorite conversations about the people, places and organizations that shape Milwaukee.
Episodes
The newest 50 of 393 episodes
- Chirp Chat: how to track a raptor · 10 minTucked away just outside Sheboygan…is probably the most important raptor research site you’ve never heard of. The Cedar Grove Ornithological Research Station has been banding…
- MPS students continue their fight for better school lunches · 9 minFor people of all ages, lunch is a mid-day refueling break. For kids in school, lunch provides nutrition, improves focus, and can impact test scores. But for some Milwaukee…
- Remembering Bob Uecker after we "did it for Ueck" · 13 minBrewers fans everywhere are still riding the high of the team’s World Series victory. The only way it could’ve been better is if Bob Uecker was around to see it. This was the…
- Diverting food waste to those in need · 14 minOne in seven people in the U-S goes hungry. Yet we also generate tons of food waste – that includes discarded, lost, or uneaten food. But there are some new solutions to get that…
- Chirp Chat: Raptor research and hidden gems · 23 minTucked away just outside Sheboygan…is probably the most important raptor research site you've never heard of. The Cedar Grove Ornithological Research Station has been banding…
- 'Best era of Brewers baseball': Reporter Sophia Minnaert on the road to the World SeriesThe Brewers’ World Series run continues tonight in Tampa Bay after two games here in Milwaukee over the weekend. If you’ve watched Brewers baseball on TV at any point in the…
- How being a Brewers fan can be good for your mental health · 9 minWhether it's the anxiety of bases loaded and two outs or the euphoria of seeing a grand slam — it turns out rooting for the Brewers… or any sports team… can be good for your…
- Meet the candidates for Wisconsin governor · 29 minWe interview Democratic candidate for governor David Crowley. Republican candidate Tom Tiffany did not agree to a recorded interview. We detail his positions and list the…
- Swing State of the Union: Immigrants' Disappearing Pathways · 33 minFor a special drop this Friday, enjoy one of the episodes from season three of Swing State of the Union, WUWM's election podcast. This episode covers immigration, and who on your…
- Wandering Wisconsin: botanical gardens and light shows · 17 minOlbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison has 16 acres of gardens to explore as well as a domed conservatory full of tropical and exotic plants. By day, it’s a lovely place to stroll…
- Meet the Wisconsin Food Hub · 13 minThere’s a network of players involved in delivering food to communities in need. During the COVID-19 pandemic a federally funded program called the Local Food Purchase Assistance…
- 2 Chainz co-wrote a book with this UWM professor · 16 min2 Chainz is a grammy-winning Hip-Hop artist, known for hits such as I’m Different, Feds Watching, and It’s A Vibe. He’s a businessman, a family man, and most recently, he added…
- Spooky Lake Month is back! · 13 minIt’s the start of the spookiest month of the year, and that’s especially true for educator and content creator Geo Rutherford. The UWM grad and Sauk City based artist celebrates…
- Chirp Chat: how to save a bird's life · 17 minUp to one billion birds die from building collisions every year in the U.S. In downtown Milwaukee alone — hundreds of birds die from flying into glass buildings each year. But…
- Milwaukee museum exhibit examines the legacy of racist memorabilia in the US · 12 minAmerica’s Black Holocaust Museum & the Wisconsin Black Historical Society have partnered on a new exhibit that opens tomorrow. It’s called: An American Inheritance: The Story of…
- Milwaukee Film's Dialogues Documentary Festival opens today · 14 minMilwaukee Film’s 3rd Annual Dialogues Documentary Festival opens today. Now through Sunday, September 27, more than 30 documentaries are showing at the Downer Theatre and…
- A poetry roundtable with Bob Reitman, Bryon Cherry & Milwaukee Youth Poet Laureate Jodie Jasim · 23 minWhether spoken or written, we've been drawn to poetry and its power to connect us, inspire, and reflect on the human condition. As Bob Reitman’s album "12th House" showcases his…
- Why wasps bee buggin' you right now · 15 minHave you been chased by a wasp lately? Or maybe you decided to eat indoors in case wasps, bees and yellow jackets want you to share that picnic you’re trying to enjoy? Perhaps…
- Wisconsin has its own version of Stonehenge · 20 minMore than a million people visit Stonehenge in England each year. It’s a popular tourist destination, but what if I told you there’s something similar right here in Wisconsin?…
- Invasive Asian Carp creep closer to Lake Michigan · 11 minInvasive carp has been found near Lake Michigan. It’s been 24 years since Asian Carp were found in the upper Illinois River. Ever since, scientists and environmental groups have…
- How measles interacts with the immune system · 12 minWith the measles outbreak in Wisconsin now surpassing one hundred cases, state public health officials are urging people to get vaccinated. Dr. Freddy Caldera is a…
- Turning excess produce into full bellies · 13 min“Eat your vegetables,” remains some of the best health advice out there. But it can be especially tough for vulnerable populations or those in food deserts. A program in…
- The art of showing a 70mm film · 16 minMilwaukee Film currently has a 70-millimeter series, featuring five films on actual film. While there are many ways to see movies nowadays, it is a unique experience to go to a…
- Chirp Chat: how bird migration becomes art · 26 minThe ARTservancy is a year-long artist residency that promotes the visionary work of both artists and conservationists. The program is a partnership between Gallery 224 in Port…
- Milwaukee NNS examines what's changed since the 2016 Sherman Park Uprising · 16 min10 years ago this month, a Milwaukee police officer shot and killed Sylville Smith in the Sherman Park neighborhood. Protestors filled the nearby streets for days after the…
- How proposed deregulation of Head Start childcare could impact WI immigrant families? · 9 minHead Start provides free and low-cost early childcare for more than 12,000 kids across Wisconsin. That includes many immigrant families and families dealing with the impacts of…
- How kids get fed over the summer · 11 minIn Milwaukee, there’s a program that blends federal money, city agencies, and private donors to provide free meals for kids during the summer. Across the country, feeding kids…
- Uncovering secrets buried within Lake Michigan · 13 minWhen you think about archaeology, your mind probably went to a scene of an excavation site. Probably in a dry landscape, with hammers and dust and someone looking like Sam Neil…
- After Crowley wins Dem nomination, what's next? · 15 minThere was a big upset in the Democratic gubernatorial primary when Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley defeated State Representative Francesca Hong. Hong, a democratic…
- Enbridge Line 5 pipeline ordered to stop trespassing on tribal land · 13 minLast month, the seventh circuit court of appeals issued a decision on the ongoing battle over the Line 5 pipeline in northern Wisconsin. The Bad River Band of Lake Superior…
- Homer Blow shares his secrets to success, on and off the air · 18 minHomer Blow has held many titles throughout his 35-year career in Milwaukee radio. On-air personality, talk show host, program director & music director. He even has his own…
- The Eaux Claires Festival returns without missing a beat · 15 minIn some circles, music festivals happen on the coasts, the desert, or in big cities. Think Coachella, Burning Man and Lollapalooza. But there’s another big music event – with…
- How the president's lies about election integrity affect Wisconsin · 14 minPresident Trump continues to tout a lie that he won the 2020 election, despite evidence that confirms that Joe Biden won. While Trump continues to focus on what happened in 2020…
- Economic Check-In: Cozy Nook Farm battles dry weather and a 'break even year' for dairy farms · 12 minJuly has been dry and hot, which aren’t ideal conditions for farmers or their cows. This, combined with uncertainty about a future Farm Bill and a 'break-even year' for dairy…
- How to stay healthy when wildfire smoke worsens air quality · 7 minAir quality in Milwaukee reached historically hazardous levels last week. And while it’s gotten better, there are still reasons to be cautious. Wildfires in Canada continue to…
- No arms, all wings: world's first pilot without arms comes to Wisconsin · 13 minThousands of airplane enthusiasts are in Oshkosh this week for the annual AirVenture celebration. The festival is put on by the Experimental Aircraft Association, based right…
- We remember the Great Oconto Frog Invasion · 11 minIt’s July 1952 in Oconto, Wisconsin. You wake up, stretch, pour some coffee, all while strange sounds filter in from outside. Some witnesses describe sounds like a combination of…
- 'Summertime' through the times · 12 minTo mark the beginning of summer, WUWM’s Maayan Silver is looking into the origins of the beloved and unmistakable song “Summertime.” She’s joined by Jason McKinney, an opera…
- Chirp Chat: a bird's-eye view on Bank Swallows · 17 minBeyond Our Senses is a new nature documentary that gives you a bird’s-eye view of the world of Bank Swallows. The 30-minute film follows thousands of Bank Swallows as they…
- Fake pitches, real problems: AI journalist impersonators · 18 minNicholas Hune-Brown is an editor at a nonprofit online magazine called The Local. It covers health and social issues in Toronto, Canada. Nick has shared how, as an editor, he…
- From zero tolerance to new tools: How AI is changing Milwaukee education · 11 minFrom our 'AI in the workplace' episode on Tuesday: we look at how artificial intelligence is impacting education. WUWM education reporter Katherine Kokal takes us on a trip to…
- Giannis will always be Milwaukee: a tribute to our superstar · 8 minFor the past 13 years, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been synonymous with the Bucks and the city of Milwaukee. Sadly, last week, he was traded. But even though the Giannis era has…
- The Milwaukee Socialists, part 4: Frank Zeidler · 18 minWe look at the tenure of Milwaukee’s last Socialist mayor, Frank Zeidler, and his aggressive campaign to expand the size of the city. We also explore what socialism looks like in…
- The Milwaukee Socialists, part 3: Daniel Hoan · 16 minMilwaukee Mayor Daniel Hoan became the longest-serving socialist mayor in U.S. history, and redefined life in the city by creating parks, publicly-funded housing and the first…
- The Milwaukee Socialists, part 2: Emil Seidel · 13 minMilwaukee is known for its deep ties to Socialism. It was the first city to elect a Socialist mayor and was the first place to elect a Socialist to Congress. But their rise to…
- The Milwaukee Socialists, part 1: Igniting a movement · 13 minThe legacy of the Milwaukee Socialists looms large in the city. But the rise of the Social Democratic Party was anything but inevitable. It was a struggle against monied…
- Summerfest preview week one · 17 minMilwaukee is known for its summer festivals but none is as anticipated as the Big Gig. Crowds will flock to the lakefront as Summerfest gets underway tomorrow. To help you plan…
- How Milwaukee became home of the longest continuously held Juneteenth celebration · 13 minJune 19th, or Juneteenth, commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas learned they had been freed from bondage. It was two years after the…
- Economic Check-In: American Science and Surplus · 10 minAmerican Science & Surplus is a Milwaukee staple for many science enthusiasts and DIYers. While its online store has closed, its brick-and-mortar locations in Milwaukee and…
- Why closed Walgreens locations can't host new businesses · 15 minRecent reporting from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel looked into Walgreens leases throughout the city. The reporting found that leases contain terms that restrict pharmacies and…
