8 O'Clock Buzz

From tracking dark money in right-wing politics to efforts to privatize the U. S. Postal Service, True North Research and founder Lisa Graves and her staff work’s focus is on front groups, corporations, and people underwriting a reactionary agenda that undermines our nation’s commitment to core principles. In her discussion with Jan, she talks about The Federalist, Biden’s nomination of Black Women to the Supreme Court, the right-wing group “Women for America Fist”, and updates on the USPS.

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WORT 89.9FM Madison · Actor Billy Dawson On Tour With Hairspray

The unlikely Broadway hit, “Hairspray” comes to Madison at the Overture Center.

The theatrical production boasts eight Tony Awards and enjoyed long runs in New York and London. 

The touring company of “Hairspray,” comes to Madison’s Overture Center this week, with shows from Tuesday February 22 through Sunday, February 27th.  

Actor Billy Dawson,  who plays television dance show host Corny Collins joins the show.

Image Courtesy: Brian Standing / WORT News

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WORT 89.9FM Madison · Calculating the Social Cost Of Carbon

On February 11th, a federal court ruling blocked the Biden administration from considering the full future impact of climate change. One of the rules affected centers on an regulatory mechanism dealing with the “social cost of carbon.”

Jim Krane and Mark Finley join to discuss this rule and the social cost of carbon. Jim Krane is a Wallace S. Wilson Fellow for Energy Studies at Rice University and author of the book “City of Gold: Dubai and the Dream of Capitalism.” Mark Finley is a Fellow in Energy and Global Oil at Rice University and senior fellow of the U.S. Association for Energy Economics

Image Courtesy: Kelly Sikkema / UNSPLASH

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WORT 89.9FM Madison · “Honoring The Black Woman”

“Honoring the Black Woman” is an exhibit currently going on at Madison College now through March 1st. The exhibit, put on by the Black Women’s Affinity Group, is in honor of long-time academic advisor at the college, the late Dzigbodi Akyea.

Joining Friday Buzz host, Diana Lucas, to talk more about the Exhibit and the Black Women’s Affinity Group is Community Engagement Coordinator, Jodie Williams.

 

 

(Images courtesy of  Jodie Williams and Madison College)

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WORT 89.9FM Madison · Madison Opera Returns for 2022 With “She Loves Me”

Since its founding in 1961 Madison Opera has brought over 70 different operas to the community. For their first performance of 2022 they bring us “She Loves Me”, whose plot revolves around two perfume shop clerks Georg and Amalia who are unaware that each is the other’s secret pen pal met through lonely-hearts ads. General Director of Madison Opera, Kathryn Smith, joins Friday Buzz host, Diana Lucas, to talk more about this production.

(Image courtesy of Kathryn Smith and Madison Opera)

 

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WORT 89.9FM Madison · FeLion’s Annual Community Pour Returns

FeLion Studios’ 13th annual Pour’n Yer Heart Out community iron pour returns Saturday, Feb. 19th outside Olbrich Botanical Gardens. The sand mold scratch tile workshop goes from 9-11 am, and the iron pour taking place from noon-4 pm. Afterwards there will be an afterparty at Garver Feed Mill from 5:30-10 pm

Alisa Toninato of FeLion Studios joins Friday Buzz host, Diana Lucas, to talk more about this event.

 

 

(Image courtesy of Francisco Fernandes on Unsplash)

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The threat of conflict in Ukriane goes back to broken U.S. promises to Russia, according to Professor of History at University of Arizona, David Gibbs. In 1990, the U.S. made an agreement with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev that NATO would not expand into previous Soviet territories and Russia would not oppose the re-unification of Germany. Since that time, the U.S. and NATO has broken that promise numerous times, each time coming closer to encroaching on Russia’s borders. Gibbs’ recent article in “Truth Out” entitled “Claims Over Broken Promises About NATO Simmer at the Heart of the Ukraine Crisis” details the broken promises.

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With all the political rhetoric and accusations of “stolen elections” and attempts to “get me 11,779 votes” in 2020, more efforts are being made to gain control of state agencies which oversee elections. Ian Vandewalker, Senior Counsel for Democracy Program at The Brennan Center for Justice, talks about his research on outside money working to capture offices, such as local Secretary of State which may oversee voting in the state, in order to be able to overturn elections.

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Wisconsin Literacy Inc. teams with other state agencies to support not just reading and writing, but also financial literacy, medical literacy, science literacy, and more. In this month’s episode of Community Shares of Wisconsin partner interviews, Communications Manager Liz Fitzgerald and Health Literacy Director Stan Hudson, talk about the many ways the agency helps the 1.5 million people in Wisconsin who need help building literacy skills.

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Today on the Tuesday 8:00 Buzz with Dr. Damita Brown, Sarah Weintraub and Sunny Kurhajetz from Wisconsin Poor People’s Campaign join us to talk about what the Poor People’s Campaign is, the work they do, and the “Moral March on Washington and to the Polls” coming in June in Washington, DC.

Their upcoming MORE (Mobilizing, Organizing, Registering, and Educating) Tour stop in Madison is on March 28th with National Call for Moral Revival leaders Dr. Rev. William J. Barber and Dr. Rev. Liz Theoharris.  Join their email list to get more information!

More on Poor People’s Campaign: https://www.poorpeoplescampaign.org/

Moral March on Washington and March 28th rally: https://www.poorpeoplescampaign.org/june18/

Join the Madison bus to Washington June 17: https://rally.co/booking/115578/153/trips

Wisconsin Poor People’s Campaign on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wisconsinppc/ 

Provided Photos

Sarah Weintraub is a tri-chair of the Wisconsin Poor People’s Campaign. She is a mother, educator, and community organizer in the movement to unite the poor and dispossessed to end the interlocking injustices of systemic poverty, systemic racism, ecological devastation, and the war economy. In particular, she draws on her family’s experience of being impacted by the broken immigration system and years of organizing for the human right to healthcare. In addition to organizing with the Poor People’s Campaign, Sarah and her family have helped create and develop a garden and organizing space in their neighborhood on Milwaukee’s South Side called el Jardín del Pueblo, or the People’s Garden. Prior to moving to Milwaukee, Sarah lived in Vermont where she was a leader in the Vermont Workers’ Center’s Healthcare is a Human Right Campaign.

Sonia “Sunny” Kurhajetz is a volunteer organizer for the Wisconsin Poor People’s Campaign-Dane County Chapter. She is originally from Milwaukee and is the daughter of a union social worker and union high school teacher. She has lived in Madison for six years. She works for Dane County Human Services in the Economic Assistance and Work Services division determining eligibility for life sustaining benefits such as FoodShare and BadgerCare Plus. She is also president of AFSCME Dane County Local 720, a 450+ member local.

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