Since U.S. Nobel Laureate John Enders first introduced a vaccine in 1963, the incidence of measles has dropped precipitously worldwide.  As recently as 1990, measles killed more than half a million people a year.  In 2020, the World Health Organization estimated 150,000 measles deaths, a decline the WHO attributes to vaccinations.  In the past few years, though, declining vaccination rates have led to measles outbreaks, with 32 so far in the United States in 2025, and 9 confirmed cases in Wisconsin.  Morgan Finke is the Communication Coordinator for Public Health Madison / Dane County.  She joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on August 18, 2025.

(Image of child with measles, CDC/NIP/Barbara Rice, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

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Tony’s guest on the 8 O’Clock Buzz is Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell, who talks with Tony about mistakes that were made in the 2024 election in Madison, and how the Wisconsin Election Commission has decided to handle future elections in the city.

Maribeth Witzel-Behl, the then City Clerk of Madison, oversaw a series of serious missteps that led to nearly 200 absentee ballots being uncounted during the November 2024 presidental election. Upon discovery of the 193 uncounted ballot, Witzel-Behl exhibted what the WEC described as an “astonishing” lack of urgency, leaving for vacation the day after learning about the issue.

Following an investigation into the ballot mishap, the WEC recently announced several key reforms aimed at Madison’s elections practices. In response to those recommendations, some Madison officials and election-law experts contend the WEC may be pushing the edge of its legal authority.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

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In July of 2024, the University of Maryland SJP’s (Students for Justice in Palestine) applied for an interfaith vigil on October 7th to mourn lives lost in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. Initially approved, the university bowed to KKK-like threats and eventually banned all rallies for that date. Daniela Columbi, member of SJP, talks about the subsequent lawsuit, and judgement in favor for SJP for $100,000 and permission to hold the rally as promised.

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Kevin Blakeslee (who plays Robert Kincaid in Music Theatre of Madison’s The Bridges of Madison County) talks to Jan Miyasaki about the upcoming six performances of that musical at the Play Circle Theatre at the Memorial Union, August 15, 16, 21, 22, and 23 at 7:30pm and August 17 at 2:00pm

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The UAW Local 95, involving over 120 nursing staff at MercyHealth East in Janesville, have been on strike for over 5 weeks, while management says that the workers are “not worth the investment”. Organizer Victoria Gutierrez, strike worker Enrique Casiano, and Madison labor activist Bryan Pfeifer talk about the issues leading to the strike, the negotiations (or lack of), and an upcoming rally and fundraiser for the striking workers, this coming Friday, August 15th, from 6-8PM at the Madison Labor Temple.

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Today on the too Turnt Up Tuesday 8:00 Buzz with Tara Wilhelmi and Antoine McNeail, talking up events going on in town this week!  In the first half, Kartez Rowel from Madison Black Chamber of Commerce and Nisa Carter, owner and operator of Sista’s Chicken and Fish join us to talk about this week’s Madison Black Restaurant Week.  In the second half, Jackie and Jacquesha Hunt join us to talk about the 5th annual Ju-Ju’s Block Party and Streetball tournament, and getting kids ready to go back to school with the 17th annual FOSTER Back to School Bash, both on Saturday at Penn Park.

More information on Black Restaurant Week, August 10-17 at Black-owned Restaurants around Madison at: https://mbrw.madisonblackchamber.com/

More information on the Ju-Ju’s 5th Annual Block Party and Streetball Tournament, and the 17th Annual Back to School Bash, August 16-17 at Penn Park: https://www.facebook.com/jujusblockparty/

Even more going on around town:

Music from today’s show: https://spinitron.com/WORT/pl/21070071/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!

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For much of its history, Western European philosophy has centered around the idea that human beings are ineffable souls trapped within an earthly body.  From Plato, to Christian theology, to the writings of Immanuel Kant and Renee Descartes, this idea of a separation between the spiritual, intellectual and physical has held sway across many centuries.  Many non-European cultures view the human experience differently, that the mind, soul and body are, in fact, all one.  Clinical psychologist and dancer Reenah Dixon seeks to demonstrate this unity through a series of belly dancing classes at the Arts and Literature Laboratory.  Reenah Dixon joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on August 11, 2025.

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On August 5, U.S.Health and Human Services Secretary and vaccine skeptic Robert Kennedy, Jr. announced the elimination of five hundred million dollars of federal funding for research on messenger RNA vaccines.  In his statement, Kennedy claimed that mRNA vaccines do not effectively protect against upper respiratory illnesses, such as COVID-19, and stated funds would be redirected toward vaccines that “remain effective even as viruses mutate.”  Aaron Hoskins is the Wasson Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His lab focuses on understanding the role of messenger RNA in human cells.  Hoskins joined the Monday 8 O’Clock Buzz on August 11, 2025.

Image of molecule of 5’mRNA cap analogue

The post Dispelling the Myths About mRNA appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

In 2022, the Guardian published a report showing that Wisconsin led the nation in murder rate for black women and girls, with 20 homicides per 100,000 residents.  Black women and girls living in Wisconsin face a murder risk five times higher than their counterparts in New York.  For the third legislative session in a row, Wisconsin Assembly District 78 representative Shelia Stubbs has introduced legislation (LRB-2995/1) to create a task force to study the issue. Two previous attempts to pass similar bills died in the state senate.  Representative Shelia Stubbs joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on August 11, 2025.

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The Great Taste of the Midwest beer festival is being held this Saturday, August 9th, at Olin Park in Madison.  This is the 38th year the event has been held which makes it the second oldest in the country.  Over 1,400 beers will be on tap but there is one small little twist of lime to the event this year.  A reinterpretation of the relevant Wisconsin alcohol bill requires expensive permitting for brewers not already permitted in the state, which has made it prohibitively expensive for some out-of-state brewers.  Organizers have overcome this issue by backfilling with in-state brewers and alternative breweries already permitted to sell in Wisconsin so there will be no decrease in the number of beers available to attendees.  Fred Swanson, brewery liaison for the event, joins Tony Castañeda to talk about all things foamy, and maybe how to score an elusive ticket.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unslash

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