Access Utah

In his book, “The Unintended Reformation: How a Religious Revolution Secularized Society,” Notre Dame History Professor Brad Gregory shows how the unsolved doctrinal disagreements and religious and political conflicts of 16th- and 17th-century Europe continue to influence American political, social, intellectual, and economic life today. He asks what propelled the West into a trajectory of pluralism, polarization and consumerism, and finds answers deep in our medieval Christian past. Brad Gregory, a USU alumnus, returns to Logan to give a presentation in the Tanner Talks series from the USU College of Humanities and Social Sciences. The talk is Friday at noon in USU Library room 101.

On today's Encore presentation of Access Utah, Sheri Quinn meets with Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, a group of over 300 medical doctors, last year declared an air-pollution public health emergency on Capitol Hill. The problem has been so bad that it drew a crowd of about 5,000 citizens to the State Capitol in late January, now regarded as the largest air-pollution-specific protest in U.S. history. Today, Dr. Roger Coulombe, professor of Toxicology at Utah State University, talks to Sheri Quinn about the side effects of bad in Cache Valley.

Political satirist and “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” panelist, P.J. O’Rourke, trains his eye on his own generation in his new book, “THE BABY BOOM: How It Got That Way…And It Wasn’t My Fault…And I’ll Never Do It Again.” O’Rourke writes, “Yes, we’re spoiled rotten. We’re self-absorbed. And it seems like we’ll never shut up. But the boomers made a better world for everyone else. You’re welcome.” P.J. O'Rourke’s books include “Don’t Vote,” “Parliament of Whores,” “Give War a Chance,” “Eat the Rich,” “The CEO of the Sofa,” “Peace Kills” and “On the Wealth of Nation.”

U. S. House Republican Leaders recently outlined principles they believe should be followed in any overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws. This has raised hopes that immigration reform might move forward in Congress. What you think: Path to citizenship? Increased border security? What’s needed most? Or should this issue not be a priority? Do you have a personal experience or concern regarding immigration? We’ll be talking to members of the group: Bibles Badges and Business for Immigration Reform, Pastor of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church Steve Klemz and Immigration Attorney Timothy Wheelwright.

This is an encore presentation of Access Utah, originally broadcast in May 2013.

Dr. Vernon L. Smith was teaching at Purdue in 1955 when he decided to test out an approach he hoped would help his students better understand how the marketplace functions. He conducted a classroom experiment that had half his students selling fictitious goods to the other students who were acting as buyers. That led to his research in experimental economics which eventually won him the Nobel Prize in 2002.

For the first fourteen years of their marriage, Utah residents Curtis and Pauline Hansen had it all--laughter, babies, vacations, and ball games--but the nine years that follow define their future, and it all begins with a dream. Curtis believes his dream to be direct revelation that they will receive a very large sum of money, but to receive it, they must play and win what is revealed to Curtis as The Game, a test to prove their faithfulness to each other.

The title of a recent rally at the State Capitol aptly describes the feelings of many Utahns: “Clean Air, No Excuses.” We’re going to open the phones and email to you on Tuesday’s AU to tell us what your experience has been with this bad air. And: how do we solve the problem? What to do in the meantime? We’ll also be talking with rally organizer, Carl Ingwell; and with members of the newly-formed Clean Air Caucus of the Utah Legislature. We’ll talk with Representatives Ed Redd and Patrice Arent.

On the opening day of the 2014 Utah Legislature we’re at the State Capitol. We’ll speak with Utah Governor Gary Herbert; Senate Majority Leader Ralph Okerlund; Senate Minority Leader Gene Davis; House Majority Leader Brad Dee; and House Assistant Minority Whip Rebecca Chavez-Houck. We’ll discuss air quality, education, the economy, Medicaid expansion, the budget and more.

Welcome to Access Utah. The Utah State University Science Unwrapped series this winter and spring focuses on "SuperPower Scientists." Today on the program, Sheri Quinn talks to tonight's featured speaker astro-physicist Lucianne Walkowicz about NASA's Kepler Mission and the search for planets.