The IHIH gang talks friendly skunks, free hydrangeas, and rain gardening on this week’s episode. Also, Becky, a University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill student, calls in to tell us how Hurricane Florence has affected her community. Also, IHIH novice Aurora introduces a new word-of-the-day segment featuring: “zenith.”

The semester is just starting up again and we’re live once more! We’re still building up the student team so we returned to a classic formula: riffing on the news of the day!

Featuring:

Old-timer Ed Waisanen, returning champion Bella Isaacs, and proper BBC journalist Leana Hosea. We even heard from Detroiter and WCBN legend Jim “Tex” Manheim from the other side of the studio glass.

Hits include: (more…)

Joe Zettelmaier and Joey Albright of Roustabout Theatre Troupe were greeted by familiar faces as they descended into the basement studios of WCBN this past Friday. It’s not Joe’s first time on the mic as you may remember our spooky halloween show from last fall. Hoping to steer clear of ghost-related technical difficulties this time, Joe and Joey joined regular host Ben Sonnega to talk about the upcoming rendition of All Childish Things.

A comedy set in a galaxy far, far away (Cincinnati, Ohio). Three life-long friends and die-hard Star Wars fans, along with a less-than-enthralled conspirator, gather in a basement to plan the caper of the millennium. Together, they will steal millions of dollars worth of Star Wars merchandise and memorabilia. But even the best laid plans can go awry as friendships are tested. Will the force be with them?

Whether you’re a Star Wars lover or not, this isn’t going to be a show you’ll want to miss.

SHOW TIMES:

Thursdays at 7:30pm — May 31st and June 7th

VENUE: The Dennis McComb Performing Arts Center within Milan High School. 200 Big Red Dr. Milan MI 48160.

Grab your tickets HERE!

Under the current administration, phrases such as “fake news” or “alternative facts” have made their way into the common vernacular. On this episode of It’s Hot In Here, guests Kylie Schafer, Amy Pandit, and Justin Schell joined regular host Ben Sonnega for a discussion of their undergraduate class’s collaboration with Justin and the Environmental Data & Governance Initiative.

Kylie is a junior in the school for public health, and Amy is a junior studying data science in the school of engineering. They were part of a class run by Liz Ultee that looked into the effects of climate change and pollution through readings on events such as the famed contamination in Love Canal, NY, or in Flint, MI. Beyond that the class is a community-based learning course. This means that the class usually takes part in some sort of direct community engagement or volunteer experience related to their topic, and this class got to do something particularly relevant.

Justin Schell is Director of the Shapiro Design Lab at U-M and has been involved with the Environmental Data & Governance Initiative since early 2017. The EDGI website was designed to monitor wording changes made to government websites, particularly pertaining to climate science and data sets. The website uses an algorithm to track changes, but it takes citizen involvement to sift through the changes and determine what is actually significant. This is where Liz’s class stepped in. The class got to contribute to EDGI’s efforts while learning about access to information and how to play an active role in holding governments accountable.

Tune in for a delightful and thought-provoking discussion!

(UPDATE: Applications extended to April 14th!) Apply HERE!

On this episode of It’s Hot In Here, hosts Bella Isaacs and Ben Sonnega to speak to Ingrid Diran and Josh Shapero, two co-facilitators of the University of Michigan Biological Station’s newest course offering: Great Lakes Arts, Cultures, and Environments.

GLACE is an interdisciplinary humanities program held in Northern Michigan during the Spring half-term. Josh and Ingrid will be joined by other instructors as they teach four interconnected, two-credit courses: two in English, one in Anthropology, and one in American Culture.

The University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS) is a research campus situated on Douglas Lake, amid 10,000 undeveloped acres in Pellston, Michigan. For two to six weeks, 20-25 students will work closely with the four faculty members while exploring concepts like as “place,” “natural history,” and “cultural identity” through an engagement not only with literature but also the local landscape and its inhabitants, ecologies, and histories.

In addition to formal academic work, the GLACE program experience includes creative writing, hiking, swimming, playing, and taking trips to the many natural and cultural sites in and around Pellston. GLACE students will live and work alongside student and faculty researchers in microbiology, climatology, geology, and ecology. GLACE adds a new humanistic dimension to the cross-disciplinary interactions that have long been strengths of UMBS, fostering a greater understanding of the natural world and our approaches to it.

Hit play NOW to check out this awesome conversation that will surely get you excited about arts, culture, place and environment!

On this episode of It’s Hot In Here, Andrea Aiuto of the Bird Center of Washtenaw County joined hosts Ben Sonnega and Bella Isaacs for a casual Friday dialogue on her current work with bird rescue and how her love of birds came about.

The Bird Center of Washtenaw County primarily aims to aid birds, wildlife, and the environment through public education and rehabilitation. Trained staff help take in injured birds to be kept and rehabilitated at the center in Ann Arbor, as well as answer calls to help citizens learn what to do when an injured bird is spotted.

Click play now to hear Andrea talk about bird sanctuary work outside the US, how it is different and the same, and hear bird rescue stories from right here in Washtenaw County!

To get involved with the Bird Center, check out the Flyaway Fundraiser on April 7th, and the Volunteer Orientation on April 21st!

This week, we bring you conversations with the three co-founders of “Food Literacy For All,” a weekly speaker series hosts experts in agriculture, food justice, sustainability, and more. Each talk is broadcast via Detroit Public Television and posted online. Students at the University of Michigan can take the course for credit, but the talks are open to the public.

Catherine Badgley is a professor and Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies in LSA’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology department, Malik Yakini is an activist, educator, and Executive Director of the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, and Lilly Fink Shapiro is Program Manager for the Sustainable Food Systems Initiative at the University of Michigan. They sat down with regular host Bella Isaacs to discuss what inspired them to create “Food Literacy for All” and what they hope students and community members alike will learn from the series.

The use of antibiotics in animal husbandry has promoted not only antibiotic-resistant bacteria among livestock but also spillover between other livestock, wildlife, and humans. On this episode, guest and Ph.D candidate Hayden Hedman and SEAS graduate student Priscilla Papillas joined host Ben Sonnega and Bella Isaacs to discuss their work studying the spillover of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and how agricultural practices affect the ecology and evolution of antimicrobial resistance within a tropical agricultural setting.

First-hand stories of the data collection and lived experience from Hayden are complimented by Priscilla’s experience in helping with translation duties from home. The two worked together on creating organizational sustainability in the community through education. One of these tactics was through a comic book and hosting bingo night.

Hit play to hear how antibiotic resistance is affecting livestock and what is being done about it!

On this episode of It’s Hot In Here, guest Mitchell Mead joined hosts Ben Sonnega and Bella Isaacs to discuss his unique perspective on climate change and the use of a carbon tax to combat it.

As a small-town Michigan kid, Mead says that he always cared for the environment and nature that surrounded him, but it wasn’t until he got to the University of Michigan that he really became actively engaged with the fight to protect it. Citing his environmental toxicology course with professor Rita Loch-Caruso as a springboard, Mead ultimately became interested in the way that policy and economics can work to combat climate change.

He is now building on previous work done by students calling upon the university to create their own carbon tax structure. The University of Michigan has explicitly written sustainability goals, but will they rise to the challenge that has been set forth by their student body on this one? Tune in to hear more from Mitch, Ben, and Bella!

If you’re seeking a show with a more casual and conversational tone, look no further! On this episode of It’s Hot In Here, guests Aman Agrawal and Lo Vesprani join hosts Ben Sonnega and Bella Isaacs for a conversation on the way that information is disseminated in the current age, and what the implications of that are for environmentalists and advocates across the board. The conversation flows from one topics to another, ultimately drawing the attention of a listener who called in with a tough question for our radio panel. Listen now to find out what they said!

You can also find a recap of host Ben Sonnega’s favorite tunes from 2017 shows in this episode!