On Hand

"Under the oaks" of Jackson, Michigan, is a birthplace of the Republican Party. But is it THE birthplace? Ripon, Wisconsin, lays claim to the founding of the political party started by abolitionists. But the Jackson Historical Society has the receipts in favor of our Michigan community. 

GUESTS ON THIS EPISODE:

Maurice Imhoff, president, Jackson Historical Society

Linda Hass, author and vice president, Jackson Historical Society

Want to submit a question to On Hand or a story about Michigan's political history? Do it here:

• Online Submission Form
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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We recently dug into how the robin become Michigan's state bird, and why it hasn't changed in nearly 100 years. Today, we reveal the result of our state bird poll, and hear from a listener who witnessed the circle of life unfold among the bird gathering at her neighbor's backyard pond. 

GUESTS:

• Tracey Walker, West Michigander

Want to submit a question to On Hand? Do it here:

• Online Submission Form
• Call us: 734-764-7840
• Email us: [email protected]

If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work: michiganpublic.org/podfund

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The American Robin is our state bird - but why? You can find Robins everywhere, including most states in the U.S. So should we reconsider our state bird and pick something more unique to Michigan? Like, say, the Kirtland's Warbler? A debate!

• Vote in the On Hand state bird poll here!
• Check out our other state symbols here
• Read about the Kirtland's Warbler Alliance, a nonprofit devoted to protecting the species

GUESTS:

• April Campbell, retired M.D. and bird enthusiast based in Ann Arbor
• Jen Owen, former director for the Michigan State Bird Observatory and center coordinator for Corey Marsh Ecological Center.
• Frances Heldt, archivist for the Archives of Michigan

Cover photo by Lester Graham

Want to submit a question to On Hand? Do it here:

• Online Submission Form

• Call us: 734-764-7840

• Email us: [email protected]

If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work: michiganpublic.org/podfund

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the last episode of On Hand, we dug into why people in Michigan say “ope.” And we found that “ope” likely traces back to European immigrants who settled in the Midwest—long before Midwesternisms were ever a thing.

Since then, we’ve heard from a few of you who say our Michigan way of speaking is about much more than just “ope". Today, we’re diving into the Michigan accent, in all its glory.

GUESTS:

• Sue Merritt, a Michigander-turned-Californian-turned-Michigander again

• Laurie Van Ark lives in Holland, and her family’s roots in Michigan go back to 1866

Want to submit a question to On Hand? Do it here:

Online Submission Form

Call us: 734-764-7840

Email us: [email protected]

If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work: michiganpublic.org/podfund

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you live in Michigan, you’ve probably heard someone say the word “ope” more than once. Linguists suggest that the term dates back to the very first European immigrants in the Midwest region but how. On this episode of On Hand, we go back to where we first learned about words and speak with a language expert about the origins of “ope” and why we use it.

GUESTS: 

• Katie Howell, Kindergarten Teacher at Buchanan Elementary School, Grand Rapids Public Schools
• Kindergarteners at Buchanan Elementary
• Betsy Sneller, Linguist at Michigan State University 

Want to submit a question to On Hand? Do it here:

Online Submission Form

Call us: 734-764-7840

Email us: [email protected]

If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work: michiganpublic.org/podfund

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the last episode of On Hand we theorized that ranch first collided with pizza in Michigan, and maybe even at a high school in Ann Arbor in 1992. Why not?

Well one listener, Junebug Harris, says we got it all wrong. He and his wife, Rio, were both dipping pizza - and everything else - in ranch in their high school cafeterias (Northville and Royal Oak, respectively) in the 1980s.

Here's further evidence that Michigan teenagers started the pizza/ranch trend - in the mid 1980s - probably because high school cafeteria food wasn't great, but the ranch was on point.

Junebug and Rio are musicians with a rockabilly band in southeast Michigan. Check them out!

GUESTS:

• Sean "Junebug" Harris, Gen X pizza/ranch pioneer

• Rio Scafone, Gen X pizza/ranch pioneer

• Arrow, Gen Z pizza/ranch legacy inheritor

Want to submit a question to On Hand? Do it here:

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Call us: 734-764-7840

Email us: [email protected]

If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work: michiganpublic.org/podfund

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are a couple things we know for sure:

1) Michigan is the chain pizza capital of the world. 

2) Michiganders love ranch dressing and all creamy dips.

So, then, isn't it logical that the pizza-and-ranch phenomenon started in Michigan? We dip as deep as we can into this tangy question, with a crossover episode from Dough Dynasty, our limited-run series on American chain pizza history.

GUESTS:

- Wesley Taylor, ranch-with-pizza proclaimer
- Scott Wiener, NYC pizza tour leader and pizza historian
- Alex Beggs, freelance food writer
- Vicki Haber, Hidden Valley Ranch brand experience lead

Want to submit a question to On Hand? Do it here:

Online Submission Form

Call us: 734-764-7840

Email us: [email protected]

If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work: michiganpublic.org/podfund

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It turns out that black is not the only unique color you’ll find on Michigan squirrels. We talked to John and Teri Flory about the furry neighbor they called “White Squirrel.” Plus, listener Carolyn Shalhoub tells us about a mischievous squirrel who tried to steal Christmas.  

You can find some REALLY cute pictures of White Squirrel here.

GUESTS: 

• John and Teri Flory, Wyoming residents
• Carolyn Shalhoub, Royal Oak resident 

Want to submit a question or story to On Hand? Do it here:

Online Submission Form

Call us: 734-764-7840

Email us: [email protected]

If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work: michiganpublic.org/podfund

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Squirrels aren’t a particularly exotic animal. The fluffy rodents are native to 49 out of 50 states. But there’s something that makes Michigan’s squirrels a little different–and it’s their color. Research suggests the state is part of a kind of Great Lakes “black squirrel belt.” On this episode of On Hand, we go looking for black squirrels–and talk to an evolutionary biologist about why Michigan has so many. 

(Tile photo by Corey Seeman. Check out more of Corey's black squirrel photos here.) 

GUESTS: 

• Brad Cosentino, Professor of Biology Hobart and William Smith Colleges
• Corey Seeman, University of Michigan librarian and squirrel photographer
• Jerry Wade, Detroit resident
• Gabrielle Riley, Detroit resident
• Kenny Stebner, Traverse City resident 

Want to submit a question to On Hand? Do it here:

Online Submission Form

Call us: 734-764-7840

Email us: [email protected]

If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work: michiganpublic.org/podfund

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the reasons the word "Kalamazoo" shows up in so many lyrics is because it's just a fun word to say. Rapper Jamall Bufford writes a freestyle around "Kalamazoo" and talks about creative writing in music.

• More music from Jamall Bufford, a.k.a. Buff1

GUEST: Jamall Bufford, rapper and lyricist

Want to submit a question to On Hand? Do it here:

• Online Submission Form

• Call us: 734-764-7840

• Email us: [email protected]

If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work: michiganpublic.org/podfund

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.