WORT 89.9FM Madison

On today’s show, guest host Yuri Rashkin is in conversation with James, an American in the Ukrainian National Guard who has been serving on the frontlines for nearly two years. He is head of the fiber optic and fixed wing drone laboratory for his unit. He has family in Wisconsin and Minnesota and runs the YouTube channel Y Ukraine. Featured image of a Ukrainian vampire drone via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).

With farmer's market season in full swing — and fall on the horizon — Stuff Yer Face host Emily Tucker talks with Kathryn Premo Mingione, market organizer of Capitol View Farmers' Market on Madison's far east side. Kathryn shares her favorite vendors and makes the case for the "we all do better when we all do better" spirit of farmer's markets.

Incumbent Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett is running for another term in office. He’ll face off against challenger Jack Ordman, a civilian activist, in the August primary. Speaking with our News Producer Faye Parks, Sheriff Barrett touted his achievements over the last five years and described the work ahead. He also defended his department’s handling of protesters at Ridglan Farms this spring and explained why the county isn’t ready to shut down the aging jail. Image courtesy: Sheriff Kalvin Barrett.

The Trump administration wants to stop immigrants with temporary status from working. Labor Radio has the story. Image courtesy: Chandler Denise / UNSPLASH

Since the police killing of Corey Ruiz on Wednesday, July 22, the corner of South Baldwin and Williamson street remains closed indefinitely. Community members have turned the intersection into a memorial, and organizers are demanding the arrest of the officer who shot Ruiz. Meanwhile, a number of local events have been cancelled in solidarity and city officials have announced new proposals on body-warn cameras. Featured image of a memorial quilt displayed at the corner of South Baldwin and Williamson Streets, courtesy of Sara Gabler/WORT News.

This week on “Madison Mixology,” feature contributor Charlie Belawski introduces us to Donn Beach, the man who started the Tiki Culture movement. We'll check out the multi-step Zombie Cocktail, and the impact it had on the world at large.

Hejira world music radio host interview of Xabi Aburuzzaga about his latest album Bask, joined by his promoter Araceli Tzigane

The UK has a new prime minister, Andy Burnham, who replaced Keir Starmer after he resigned just two years due to general lack of support. On today’s show, guest hosts, Adrienne Pagac and Pete Ramand, are in conversation with David Jamieson about British politics, the future of the Labour left, and how all this corresponds to US politics. Featured image of 10 Downing Street via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Monday Buzz producer Nicholas Wooton sends an audio postcard from merry old London, England where he meets “Kit,” a typewriter-wielding street poet.

Rising healthcare premiums not only ding consumers, but small businesses as well. The big businesses, though? They like things fine the way they are. We’ll talk with StatNews Business of Health Care reporter Bob Herman.

Sent in an absentee ballot and changed your mind? Tough luck, says the Wisconsin Election Commission. Oh, yes and the U.S. Postal Service is making no guarantees about getting your ballot in on time. Votebeat Wisconsin’s Alexander Shur has the story.

This week marks the anniversary of the No Gun Ri Massacre in South Korea. US troops, on orders from the highest ranks of the military started the widespread practice of killing civilians, "No refugees will be permitted to cross battle lines." Three hundred to four hundred civilians were killed mostly women, children and elderly. The tragedy was July 26th, 1950, but was not publicly acknowledged until an Associated Press article in 1999, after decades of campaigning by survivors and family members of the victims. Feature contributor Harry Richardson has the story. 2008 photo shows a concrete abutment outside one of the twin underpasses of the No Gun Ri railroad bridge, where investigators' white paint identifies bullet marks and embedded fragments from U.S. Army gunfire in the 1950 massacre of South Korean refugees trapped beneath the bridge. Image courtesy: Cjthanley under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license via Wikipedia.

Mother Nature has a stranglehold on the American agricultural industry. Drought conditions are driving up grain prices, while the hot weather and wildfire smoke is hitting the dairy cows particularly hard. Pete Hardin and Bert Zipperer outline the potential ripple effects, in this edition of “The Milkweed.”

This week on Mel & Floyd: Fallout from Willy Street shooting; Madison behind the curve on body-cams; Where to see local Art(Paul); New nurses’ union certified by NLRB; Another new Prime Minister; A surge in student loan defaults; Measles cases are surging too; Air pollution & socioeconomic status correlate with autism rates; NJ protects voter rolls; And other random topics; Notice something missing? For the complete Mel and Floyd Experience, buy the CD “The Very Best of James Brown” and play it on your Hi-Fi while listening to this podcast! Or listen live at 89.9 FM or wortfm.org/listen-live/ every Friday from 1 to 2 PM Central Time. Photo courtesy Ksenia Yakovleva on Unsplash

Folk-pop duo The Montvales talk Americana storytelling and their upcoming Atwood Fest set.

Monster storms, too much rain, not enough rain, hail, and heat have become more prevalent in a political context made worse by a fossil-fuel cozy federal government. On today’s show, host Esty Dinur speaks with Dr. Michael Mann about climate change, super El Niño, and the Trump administration’s attacks on environmental protections. Featured image: a temperature map of El Niño from 2003.

Working people need affordable, quality childcare at the same time as childcare workers need a living wage and childcare providers struggle to keep their doors open. Labor Radio spoke with Lisa Fiala, the Executive Director of Red Caboose, a long time childcare provider in Madison.

CHILDCARE_REDCABOOSE by WORT 89.9FM Madison

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission voted this week to rescind the requirement that large employers and government contractors submit annual demographic data, a reporting requirement that has been in place since the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964. Labor Radio spoke with Valerie Wison from the Economic Policy Institute about the decision.

Mitch McConnel speaks out after 5 weeks of silence on his health after a fall.

On the Friday 8 O'Clock Buzz, Ankur Malhotra shares his picks for the best music events happening around Madison the next week.

Jessie Opoien breaks down the latest Marquette poll and Wisconsin gubernatorial primary chaos.

The United States and Iran continue to exchange fire across the Middle East, nearly five months after the U.S. launched the first strikes. President Trump has requested nearly 70 billion dollars in additional funding to further the war. At a Senate hearing Tuesday, Wisconsin’s Democratic U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin described the request as another example of the administration’s backwards priorities. She joined our News Producer Faye Parks to discuss where the war is headed and what she’s doing to bring it to an end. Image courtesy: Senator Tammy Baldwin.

Demands for justice reached a fever pitch this afternoon, a day after Madison police killed a man in broad daylight on the city’s near east side. Image courtesy: Maria Segura / WORT News.

With the upcoming Midterm elections and the balance of power in Congress up for grabs, people are concerned that the Trump administration will meddle in election results. On today’s show, guest host Tony Castañeda speaks with election expert Stephen Richer, who says we should have confidence in the free and fair elections process that our local election officials oversee. Featured image of a ballot machine via Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).

It’s Plastic-Free July, a global movement that aims to reduce plastic waste through small changes in daily habits. The Willy Street Co-op is taking that mission to heart with the roll-out of their new Bring It Back program. To learn how it works, our News Producer Faye Parks sat down with Brendon Smith, marketing and communications director at the Willy Street Co-op. Image courtesy: Willy Street Co-op via their website.

Madison alders got a refresher this week on effective police civilian oversight, as they prepare to revisit a controversial proposal that would reform the civilian bodies that monitor the city’s police. The presentation comes as temperatures run high between the city council, the Independent Police Monitor, and local activists. Image courtesy: Brian Standing / WORT News.

MSO Music Director Designate Laura Jackson speaks with Ava Borelli on Classical Jukebox on WORT 89.9 FM

Forecast from Wednesday 7-22-26 by WORT 89.9FM Madison

On today’s show, host Ali Muldrow is in conversation with Sophie Lewis about her new book, Femmephilia: Love Letters to Trans Mermaids, Queer Mothers, and Marilyn Monroe. Lewis describes her journey from being a “queer runaway” child to a professional writer as an adult. Her writing confronts the white, bourgeois feminist worldview and advocates for a radical embrace of “femme” and a future with abundance for all. Featured image of the cover of Femmephilia: Love Letters to Trans Mermaids, Queer Mothers, and Marilyn Monroe.

Chris Jimieson, the founder and Director of Strides for Africa, came into the WORT studio to talk about the organization that helps rural Africans get clean water for better health and better lives. Chris is a local resident with a compelling story and he and his family and organization have done so much to mobilize people in our community to make connections that provide help to others to meet their basic needs. Read and listen here to his previous visits to WORT: www.wortfm.org/14th-annual-strides-for-africa-run-walk/, www.wortfm.org/strides-for-africa-africa-fest-culture-fun-fundraising/, www.wortfm.org/africa-fest-and-strides-for-africa-2025/ AT MCPIKE PARK 202 S. Ingersoll Street, Madison Strides for Africa, Fun for the Whole Family 10:00 AM to Noon Saturday, August 15 Africa Fest, The Fabric of Africa 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM Saturday, August 15 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM Sunday, August 16 Strides for Africa will kick off Africa Fest, the event where African residents celebrate and share African traditions and cultural heritage with our community. Enjoy music, dance, drumming, food, crafts and a delightful display of the fabric of Africa. As a change, this year, Africa Fest will be two days long instead of just one day. So, mark your calendars now, starting with the kids fun run on Saturday morning August 15th, then various adult and family runs and walks, awards and prizes and then Africa Fest from noon on Saturday through Sunday, August 16th. All the information about Strides for Africa at www.stridesforafrica.org And for Africa Fest: https://africancentermadison.org/event/2026-africa-fest-the-fabric-of-africa/2026-08-15/, www.madtownjamz.com/event/africa-fest/ Photo courtesy of Chris Jimieson, Strides for Africa

Today on the Too Turnt Up Tuesday 8:00 Buzz with Tara Wilhelmi, Jackie Brodean, and Chakari Daezhare, featuring Antoine McNeail and Special Guest Nandi … What’s going on around town. Today’s planned guest is out sick and that leads to talking about everything goin on around town, if you don’t have something to do every night, you need to pay more attention! Catch Jackie’s life story from the Tuesday Buzz three years back: https://www.wortfm.org/if-you-take-a-fall-make-a-come-back/ So Much Going On: - Madtown Nights at High Noon Saloon on Friday 7/24 with DJ Chamo, DJ VPS and Blazo: https://high-noon.com/event/gary-knowledge-presents-madtown-nights-july-edition/ - Urban League Unity Picnic - Saturday noon-4: https://ulgm.org/events/july-25-2026-unity-picnic/ - R&B on the lake on Saturday 7/25 at Elks Club 4-9 with J Clark and Chakari Daezhare, food from Nana’s Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18bTWLJXfH/ - Creating a Village Father/Daughter Dance on Sunday July 26 5PM - See Chakari twice on Sunday, early at Gamma Ray and late a Rigby: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18BPvvZ35m/ Further out: - Chris Davis Jr Youth Basketball Camp Aug 8 at West High School: https://www.instagram.com/chrisdavisyouthcamp/ - Chakari Jamboree at High Noon coming up 8/20: https://high-noon.com/event/thee-chakari-daezhare-jamboree/ And Regular Shows - TK late night DJs at 11 every Friday and Saturday: https://www.tavernakaya.com/tkevents - R&B Thursdays at Buraka featuring DJ Money - R&B Tuesday at Fyah Side every-other week: https://fyasydekitchen.com/events - Madison’s coming back with DJs 10-1 on Fridays: https://www.madisonsdowntown.com/event-list Check in with Urban League at https://ulgm.org/calendar/ and https://ulgmhub.org/calendar/ for info on resume and job seeking workshops, banking workshops, home ownership clinics, information on Expungement, childcare assistance, fatherhood support, healthcare administration, food safety and trades training, and more! Music from today’s show: https://spinitron.com/WORT/pl/22753586/Tuesday-8-O-Clock-Buzz Listen in Madison at 89.9FM or online anywhere at wortfm.org. Support your community radio with a donation online at wortfm.org!

Do you want to experience an absolutely out of this world international DJ set? Well FNU brings forward one of a kind and never before episode of Subtle Desi Traits! We at Subtle Desi Traits LOVE trying out new episode concepts and this one wont disappoint you! So play the track and have an INTERNATIONAL PARTY at any place any time!

Wisconsin’s primary election is less than a month away, and the office of Dane County Sheriff will be on the ballot. Frustrated with incumbent Sheriff Kalvin Barrett’s handling of protesters at Ridglan Farms this spring, software engineer Jack Ordman has stepped up as a last-minute challenger. He joined our News Producer Faye Parks this afternoon to explain why he believes the Sheriff’s Department needs a change in leadership. Image courtesy: Jack Ordman.

The Board of Health Madison and Dane County voted to move forward with a budget that plans on more than one-point-six million dollars in reduced spending. Image Courtesy: Chali Pittman / WORT News

For many, parasites elicit feelings of disgust or fear, but today’s guest has developed an affection for these small and mighty creatures. Award winning entomologist and evolutionary biologist Dino Martins joins host Patty Peltekos to discuss his new book, Hidden Creatures: Luscious Leeches, Bashful Botflies, and the Wondrous, History-Shaping World of Parasites. Featured image of the cover of Hidden Creatures: Luscious Leeches, Bashful Botflies, and the Wondrous, History-Shaping World of Parasites.

Two elementary schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District could soon go by different names. The public will have a chance to weigh in on the options at a pair of public hearings later this week. Education reporter Erin Gretzinger has been following this story for the Cap Times. She joined our News Producer Faye Parks to explain how the renaming process works and why it got started in the first place. Image courtesy: Elvehjem Elementary School via Facebook.

Nonfat dry milk is the unsung hero of the dairy industry. The product is added to cheese, yogurt, and many baked goods to boost protein content. But recent fluctuations in market price – along with a couple major salmonella contaminations at one of the nation’s largest manufacturing plants – is affecting the supply chain. This week on “The Milkweed,” Pete Hardin and Bert Zipperer talk about the chaos – and how the change in costs could flow down to consumers and farmers alike. Photo by Alex Saks on Unsplash

On today’s show, host Esty Dinur speaks with Sasha Abramsky about his recent article for the Nation Magazine, “Trumpworld’s Global War on Multiracial Democracy.” Featured image of Sasha Abramsky from 2023 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

The hot summer months often mean full immersion in the natural world for those who grow their own food. On today’s show, host Douglas Haynes speaks with master gardener and social media star Toni Farmer who has made it her life’s work to educate people about the joys of gardening and solutions to the broken food system. Featured image of a community garden via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Queery Celebrates 30 Years with Special Compilation CD by WORT 89.9FM Madison

Justice Served 50 Years After Pinochet Dictatorship Assassination by WORT 89.9FM Madison

Open Doors for Refugees Mobilizes Support as Federal Assistance Shrinks by WORT 89.9FM Madison

Wisconsin Public Radio Capitol Bureau Chief Shawn Johnson joins us to help us decipher the sudden chaos in the Democratic primary for Wisconsin Governor.

Madison activist and citizen journalist Michelle Ellinger Linley digs into the campaign finance reports of candidates for Wisconsin governor, so you don’t have to.

Madison's Annual Big Ride to Raise Funds for Palestinian Children by WORT 89.9FM Madison

Summer Inflation and Housing Crisis Linked to Corporate Power by WORT 89.9FM Madison

Madison filmmaking production company Cut the Deck Creative inches closer to the premiere of their new film “The Park People.” We’ll talk with director Corey Holl and cinematographer David Guenther.

This week on Mel & Floyd: Breathing advice for Madison’s worst air quality EVER; A review of “his” speech; The internet doesn’t know everything?; Rapper “Boosie” fails to obtain presidential pardon despite big payoff; Arnold Palmer’s what??; How David Carr lined his pockets; Testosterone and the “warrior ethos”; Funding cuts lead to “butt covid”; A newly discovered monkey species and other primate news; Drug use at a Phish concert???; And other random topics; Notice something missing? For the complete Mel and Floyd Experience, buy the CD “The Very Best of James Brown” and play it on your Hi-Fi while listening to this podcast! Or listen live at 89.9 FM or wortfm.org/listen-live/ every Friday from 1 to 2 PM Central Time. Photo courtesy Malachi Brooks on Unsplash

Rock legend Graham Nash talks harmony, protest music, and his upcoming Orpheum concert.