Erika K. Wesley, the Executive Director of the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County, sits down for a conversation with Bridgeport Mayor Joseph Ganim. They discuss  Bridgeport's numerous cultural initiatives and growing status as a city where many artists and other creative professionals choose to live. This interview marks the beginning of a 2024 series in which Erika plans to connect with the mayors of Fairfield's urban communities.

Spotlight on Arts and Culture — Discussion with Bridgeport Mayor Joseph Ganim

I welcome back to DITD  Jeff Masters of the Yale Climate Connection. Jeff, worked as a hurricane scientist with the NOAA Hurricane Hunters from 1986-1990. He has a Ph.D. in air pollution meteorology from the University of Michigan. In 1995, he co-founded the Weather Underground weather channel.  On Monday Jan 22nd , a relatively weak atmospheric river, along with favorable winds in the mid-to-upper atmosphere, combined to deliver a deluge to San Diego, with the city seeing 2.73 inches of rainfall in a very short amount of time causing major flooding and destruction of property.  Now California is being slammed up and down the coast in the same manner. What's going on?

Jeff Masters Meteorologist - Atmospheric rivers

On the February 4, 2024 episode of Mic Check, host Mike Merli is joined by Jose Sandoz, Board Member and 4.5-year resident of Success Village Apartments.

Jose discusses the heating crisis at Success Village currently affecting 924 families in Bridgeport and Stratford, and the ways in which he and others have been organizing to try to bring heat back to residents.

The Heating Crisis At Success Village Apartments

* Preventing a Wider Middle East War linked to Ending Israel's Brutal War in Gaza; Medea Benjamin, Co-founder Code Pink Women For Peace; Producer: Scott Harris. 
* Biden Pause on Approving LNG Export Terminals, Won’t Solve Frontline Communities’ Health Hazards; Roishetta Ozane is the founder and CEO of the Vessel Project in southwestern Louisiana; Producer: Melinda Tuhus.
* GOP and Far Right Forces Provoking National Emergency at Southern Border; Justin Akers Chacón, author and Professor of U.S. History and Chicano Studies San Diego City College; Producer: Scott Harris.

Between The Lines Radio Newsmagazine

Between The Lines - 2/7/24 ©2024 Squeaky Wheel Productions, Inc.

Growing "climate crisis" is fundamentally a human behavioral crisis 
European countries technological advances, won't limit global heating to 1.5°.
Greenlandic mainland is rising faster than sea levels
United States’ planet-overheating gas emissions dropped by 1.9% in 2023
Saudi Aramco call off plans to expand its oil output,
First-ever  white rhinoceros pregnancy using in vitro fertilization.
United States Postal Service to install electric vehicle charging stations nationwide

GaiaGram #193 Environmental Headlines from around a planet in crisis

I speak with Roishetta Ozane, one of the leaders of the effort to stop the build-out of LNG (liquefied natural gas) export terminals in Louisiana and Texas.

Roishetta Ozane -- (temporary?) victory in the Gulf South

-Climate scientist Michael E. Mann wins more than $1mn in 
  damages in defamation case  
-20% of the world’s migrating animals could be extinct due to 
  human activities  
-The EU on  rejects a plan to cut back reliance on pesticides in 
  agriculture
-The Oil Industry Knew About Its Role in Climate Change since 
  1954
-Devastating wildfires tear across large parts of Chile leaving 
  widespread destruction
-The U.S.  announces new funding for electric vehicle charging 
  stations
-Louisiana Govenor fills state environmental posts with fossil fuel 
  executives
-The world surpassed a key warming threshold for the first time 
  on record.

GaiaGram #194 Environmental Headlines from around a planet in crisis

*Biden's Ineffectual Response to Israel's Ongoing Carnage in Gaza War Phyllis Bennis, a fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies Producer: Scott Harris.   
* One Year After East Palestine Toxic Train Derailment Residents Still Seeking Help on Heath Impacts Hilary Flint co-founder of the group, Unity Council for the East Palestine, Ohio Train Derailment Producer: Melinda Tuhus.   
*SCOTUS Hearing on Colorado's Removal of Trump from State Ballot Ignores His Role as Insurrectionist   Amira Mattar, Counsel with the group Free Speech For People Producer: Scott Harris.

Between The Lines - 2/14/24 ©2024 Squeaky Wheel Productions, Inc.

Henry Lowendorf, chair of the New Haven Peace Council and longtime peace and social justice activist, speaks about the continuing brutal Israeli massacre taking place in Gaza.  
Panel:  Ruthanne Baumgartner, Scott Harris and Richard Hill.

Resistance Roundtable -- Feb. 10, 2024 -- Gaza Carnage Continues

James Sirch, Education Director at the Peabody Museum in New Haven, CT, discusses the numerous pros of native plants and urges us to grow them from seeds and avoid mistaking them for pesky weeds.
Hosts:  Richard Hill, Laura Modlin and Steve Munno

Organic Farm Stand -- Feb. 15, 2024 -- Native Plants Rule!

My guest this episode on DITD  will be Ellen Montgomery the Director of the Public Lands Campaign for Environment America.   Environment America is Working together with many organizations on a myriad of environmental issues .  We be talking about EA's efforts to preserve the  U.S ‘s old growth forests from logging because they are one of our best defenses against the warming of the planet.

Ellen Montgomery - Director at Environment America

Brandon "Taz" Niederauer is a prodigious guitarist. He was an original cast member of the Broadway musical "School of Rock" and has played on stage with everyone from Buddy Guy to Gregg Allman to Tedeschi Trucks. Taz is bringing his talents to Bridgeport on Saturday, February 24, 2024, as part of WPKN's celebration of Black History Month.

He is performing at the Bijou Theatre, and tickets are available here through Eventbrite.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wpkn-celebrates-black-history-month-w-brandon-taz-niederauer-friends-tickets-809332183347

Brandon "Taz" Niederauer Speaks with WPKN's Ebong Udoma

-Unseasonable warmth means winter is probably over
-World’s oceans reached the hottest temperatures ever recorded 
   early in 2024
-Amazon rainforest faces ecosystem collapse as soon as 2050
-Climate change warming threatens the Lake Geneva’s 
  biodiversity
-Pregnant women in Indiana show increased amounts of 
   weedkiller in their urine,
-New $24 million funding to support clean energy workforce 
   training  
 -44,000 of the world's species are on the brink of extinction

GaiaGram #196  Environmental Headlines from around a planet in crisis

MY guest on Digging in the Dirt is Louise Washer.  Louise serves on the Board of the Pollinator Pathway and is also President of the Norwalk River Watershed Association.  Louise is a regular on DITD because she is tirelessly working on issues that affect you and I and our planet.  She is here to tell us about an upcoming conference on pesticides, that she is part of, that is taking place next week.

Louise Washer  "The new DDT Conference"

The March Spotlight on Arts and Culture features Emily Derr, Christine Irvine, and Tania Hoppe from the Stamford Arts Association. In this conversation, The Stamford Arts Association discusses their approach to establishing a welcoming, inclusive space for artists to begin or nurture their career through workshops, exhibitions, and community!

March 2024 — Conversation with the Stamford Arts Association

John Nichols, The Nation Magazine's national affairs correspondent, analyzes President Joe Biden's State of the Union address and discusses his re-election prospects in light of his domestic and foreign policy agendas.
Panel:  Ruthanne Baumgartner, Scott Harris and Richard Hill

Resistance Roundtable -- March 9, 2024 -- Biden's SOTU, Gaza, and the 2024 Election

Michael Zweig, economist and labor historian, is joined by special guest Carl Rosen, president of the United Electrical Workers Union (UE), to discuss the nation-wide campaign by organized labor to demand an immediate and permanent cease fire in the ongoing slaughter of Palestinians by Israel in Gaza.
Interview by Richard Hill on March 5, 2024

Monthly Labor Report -- Edition #7 -- Labor Demands a Gaza Cease Fire

On today's show:
  --Dana Jackson from CT NOFA reports on the upcoming Winter Conference Scheduled for March 23 at Eastern CT State U., in Willimantic, CT.
   --Steve Munno's Small Farms Report from Massaro Farm in Woodbridge, CT
   --The Honey Bee Update with Vincent Kaye
   --Special Guest:  Esther Armmand tells the story of her family's farm in the Mississippi Delta.
    Host:  Richard Hill

Organic Farm Stand -- March 7, 2024 -- A Family Farm in the Mississippi Delta

Eclipse 2024 Interview with Joe Rao. Meteorologist Joe Rao discusses the upcoming April 8th Solar Eclipse that will cover the entire contiguous U.S & parts of Mexico & Canada...and how to view it safely
End Music, "2001 Funk" , by Larry Benigno

Eclipse 2024 - Interview with Meteorologist Joe Rao

-Fossil fuel industry says abandon the fantasy of phasing out oil and gas
-IEA, projects that oil and gas demand peaks by 2030 
-Philadelphia county is suing the oil industry, 
   saying oil producers deceived the public about global warming.
-Historic and significant climate regulations issued for U.S.
-Sea ice in arctic regions of the planet continued its decline in 2024
-Insurance rates going up for coastal properties

GaiaGram #200 Environmental Headlines from around a planet in crisis

Show features:
  --Small Farms Report with Steve Munno
  --Honey Bee Update with Vincent Kaye
  --Spring Farmers Markets Open with Kaitlyn Kimbell 
Hosted by Richard Hill

Organic Farm Stand -- March 21, 2024 -- Spring Farm Markets Open!

My guest is  E. Hardy Kern lll,  The  Director of Government relations pesticides and Birds Campaign for the American Bird Conservancy. Hardy will address  “Neonics” Neonicotinoids, the New DDT pesticide and it’s threat to birds.

The American Bird Conservancy is a non-profit membership organization with the mission of conserving wild birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. Its focus is on threats to birds in the Western Hemisphere – threats which include overuse of pesticides, urban sprawl, habitat destruction, and invasive species.

Hardy Kern American Bird Conservancy  "Neonic - The new pesticide"

* Abortion and Reproductive Rights are on the 2024 Election Ballot Dr. Kristyn Brandi, previous board chair of the group Physicians for Reproductive Health Producer: Scott Harris 
* Activists at Groton Submarine Base Protest the Ongoing Threat of Nuclear War Jackie Allen Doucot of the Hartford Catholic Worker Producer: Melinda Tuhus 
* Israeli Propagandists Target US Journalists, Skewing (Slanting) Coverage of Gaza War Arvind Dilawar, Independent Journalist Producer: Scott Harris

Between the Lines for 4/3/24 ©2024 Squeaky Wheel Productions, Inc.

This episode of Spotlight on Arts and Culture is a celebration of National Poetry month featuring a conversation with poet, artist, and archivist Shanna Melton. Shanna Melton runs the Writer's Group in Bridgeport, a monthly creative writing workshop.

Spotlight on Arts and Cuture — April 2024 — Poetry Month

* Israel's Attack on Iran's Syrian Embassy Could Trigger a Perilous Regional War; Melvin Goodman, a Senior Fellow at the Center for International Policy, Former CIA Analyst; Producer: Scott Harris. 
* The Supreme Court May be Poised to Weaken Federal Anti-Corruption Laws, Legalize Bribery; Katya Schwenk, a journalist reporting for The Lever; Producer: Melinda Tuhus. 
* Trump, GOP, Rightwing Media Weaponize Disinformation on Immigration; Phillip HoSang, FAIR intern, Master’s student NYU’s Media, Culture & Communications Program; Producer: Scott Harris.

Between The Lines

Between The Lines - 4/10/24 ©2024 Squeaky Wheel Productions, Inc.

Economist Michael Zweig and Labor attorney Arthur Schwartz analyze the attack by Amazon, Tesla and Starbucks on the National Labor Relations Board in a case that could wind up before the Supreme Court of the United States.
   Interview by Richard Hill, April 2, 2024

Monthly Labor Report -- Edition #8 --Bezos and Musk are gunning for the NLRB:   Game On!

Nancy Mansour, executive director of Eye Witness Palestine (www.eyewitnesspalestine.org) gives a first-hand report from Gaza where she led a recent tour of 10 doctors treating injured and sick Palestinians in Rafa.
     Miranda Rector-Cohen, co-director of the CT chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace, discusses the results from the "uncommitted" campaign in the Democratic presidential primary and the strategy to pressure the Biden administration to call for an immediate cease fire in Gaza and to stop supplying Israel with deadly military support.
   Panel:  Scott Harris, Ruthanne Baumgartner and Richard Hill

Resistance Roundtable -- April 13, 2024 -- Gaza:  Eye-witness Report

Laura Modlin hosts a discussion with Louise Washer, president of the Norwalk River Watershed Association and co-founder of the Pollinator Pathway.

Native pollinators are vital to our communities and they discuss why. As well as bills being proposed to protect native pollinators against the deadly effects of neonic pesticides; and what you can do to encourage their proliferation in your yards and beyond.

Originally aired April 7, 2024.

Living With Native Pollinators

-March was the Earth’s 10th consecutive month of record-breaking heat
-57 companies responsible for 80% of the world’s global  CO2 emissions 
-An "extremely active" hurricane season is likely in 2024.
-The rate of carbon emissions cuts in the United States has doubled 
-Billionaire Australian to invest in green projects  
-China is the most polluting nation and doing most for renewable energy.

GaiaGram #202 Environmental Headlines from around a planet in crisis

- Bogota Colombia  is rationing water due to drought
-  Morocco's second-largest reservoir drying up
-new scientific method pinpoints microplastic pollution 'hotspots' 
-Court finds climate crisis involves human rights violations.
-7 countries generate 100% of electricity from renewable energy
-The EU’s Green Claims Directive rules
 -Sea otters help kelp forest ecosystems

GaiaGram # 203 Environmental Headlines from around a planet in crisis

On the April 21, 2024 episode of Mic Check, host Mike Merli speaks with Omar Antar, the Founder of the CT Palestine Alliance, a confederation of Jews, Muslims, Christians, and other citizen groups, working to move the state of Connecticut and the nation toward peace & justice, in particular in Palestine. 

Omar discusses the Alliance's work, which includes organizing to shift municipal and state-level elected officials to support an immediate and permanent Ceasefire in Gaza.

For more on the CT Palestine Alliance:
www.palestinect.com

To access the Palestine Voter Pledge:
www.bit.ly/palestinepledge

Omar Antar Discusses The Work of The CT Palestine Alliance

*In a First, Biden Administration Poised to Sanction Israeli Military Unit for Human Rights Abuses Richard Silverstein, publisher of Tikun Olam, a blog addressing Israeli national security issues; Producer: Scott Harris. 
*Student Hunger Strikers Call for Yale Divestment from Companies Providing Weapons to Israel Yale Hunger Striker, Interviews and megaphone street announcements Producer: Melinda Tuhus. 
*Victory in European Climate Crisis Lawsuit Could Influence Parallel Efforts in the US & Around the World Kiley Price, a reporter with the online publication Inside Climate News Producer: Scott Harris.

-Dubai  recorded a year’s worth of rain in just 12 hours
-Hurricane season expected to be the worst on record
-(EPA) finalizes rules on “forever chemicals” in drinking water
-Corporations urgently need to halve their emissions before 2030
-US DOE to speed up the connection of clean energy to the grid.
-Peak wildfire season is heating up the Garden State,

GaiaGram # 204 Environmental Headlines from around a planet in crisis

Small Farms Report with Steve Munno of Massaro Farm in Woodbridge, CT.

Entomologist and ecologist Doug Tallamy is professor in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware.  Doug discusses the ways we can create sustainable ecosystems by supporting "keystone" and native plants in our back yards that link together with forests and protected parklands.

Interview by Richard Hill

Organic Farm Stand -- April 18, 2024 -- The Oak That Could Save the Planet

Hazel Kahan, long-time interview host, discusses her shows Tidings and North Fork Works and describes her journey from a successful publicist in the corporate world to a talk show host on WPKN.
Interview by Richard Hill

Hazel Kahan, host of North Fork Works on WPKN

Alan Stern has been involved in more than 20 NASA Mission. Dr Stern discusses his Virgin Galactic flight into space, the future of space communications, & the latest findings of the New Horizons mission to Pluto & beyond
End Music, 2001 Funk is a Larry Benigno Production

Alan Stern's Virgin Galactic Flight Into Space

My guest is Bill Weir.  Bill is a CNN anchor and Chief Climate Correspondent and he is host and executive producer of the acclaimed CNN Original Series "The Wonder List with Bill Weir."  Now Bill is the author of a wonderful new Book entitled  "Life as We Know It (Can Be) Stories of People, Climate, and Hope in a Changing World."

Bill Weir - CNN Anchor Author of "Life as We Know It (Can Be)"

* Weaponizing Antisemitism Fuels Dishonest Repression of Students Protesting Israel's Vicious Gaza War; Arun Kundnani, author of "The End of Tolerance;" Producer: Scott Harris. 
* Protest at Citibank NYC HQ Kicks of ‘Summer of Heat’ Actions targeting Wall St Fossil Fuel Financiers; Alice Hu, Senior Climate Campaigner at New York Communities for Change; Producer: Melinda Tuhus. 
* Haiti Crisis Draws International Intervention for Third Time in 30 Years; Kim Ives, an editor with the Haiti Liberté newspaper; Producer: Scott Harris.

WPKN is a nonprofit, freeform, community radio station (arts organization) that is more than 50 years old.  The vision of WPKN is to build community, a loyal and growing audience, and an engaged and educated citizenry by providing the highest quality of free-form programming that broadcasts entertainment, music, news, thoughts, sounds, ideas and event listings that support free speech, diversity, and the interests of the local and global communities WPKN serves.  Our radio frequency of 89.5-FM (Bridgeport)includes a coverage map of 1.5 million people in Farfield, New Haven and Litchfield counties in Connecticut and Suffolk county (The North Fork and Hamptons) in New York.  WPKN also maintains an on-demand streaming and archive of WPKN programming as well as our WPKN PODCASTS that focus on 22+ 'talk-oriented' community, cultural and news programs. We also feature an expanding list of interviews with music personalities and artists from all over the world.

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