Thursday, December 22 at 10 am, Wisconsin Public Radio’s Route 51 welcomes back critically acclaimed Iola, Wisconsin writer John Jackson Miller. Primarily known for his work in the Star Wars universe, Miller has just published Star Trek: Prey, an epic trilogy bridging the century between the original crew and The Next Generation . We’ll also talk about the latest release in the Star Wars universe, Rouge One and his work with the Halo and Mass Effect franchises. Listeners are encouraged to call in with their Star Trek and Star Wars questions and memories.

This Thursday, December 15th at 10 am, Wisconsin Public Radio’s Route 51 welcomes back to our airwaves critically acclaimed jazz violinist and educator Randy Sabien, for an hour of Christmas music and memories. Host Glen Moberg will ask Sabien about his newly released holiday music album Meet Me Under the Mistletoe , and about his appearance Friday night at the annual John Altenburgh Christmas Extravaganza at the Grand Theater in Wausau. Sabien will also perform a selection of holiday classics live in our Wisconsin Public Radio studios. Listeners will be asked to call in with their favorite Christmas songs, and the memories that are linked to the music.

This Thursday, December 8th at 10 am, Wisconsin Public Radio’s Route 51 celebrates the growing popularity of bluegrass music in our region, with members of three critically acclaimed central Wisconsin bands. Host Glen Moberg will moderate a discussion with guitarist Adam Greuel and banjo player Russell Pederson, both members of Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, and mandolinist Bob Weigandt of Dig Deep. The program will also feature an interview with guitarist Art Stevenson, the leader of High Water, who has been playing bluegrass music in the Midwest for 25 years. All of the featured musicians will be performing at the New Year’s Eve Jubilee Jamboree December 30th and 31st at Bernard’s Country Inn in Stevens Point. Thursday’s Route 51 program will feature a live jam session from our Wisconsin Public Radio studios in Wausau.

This Thursday, December 1st at 10 am, Wisconsin Public Radio’s Route 51 gets reaction from central Wisconsin Hispanics to President-Elect Trump’s immigration policy, and his promise to deport millions of people after taking office. Host Glen Moberg will moderate a discussion with Tony Gonzales, executive director of EAG Interpreters and co-chair of the Toward One Wausau organization and Lisa Temich Kaiser, a bilingual attorney for Ruffi Law Offices in Wausau. The program will also feature an interview with Alejandro Vazquez, publisher of Noticias, a Spanish language newspaper in Abbotsford, and his daughter Ivone Vazquez who coordinates marketing for the publication. We will be taking comments and questions from listeners live on the air during this broadcast.

This Thursday, November 17 at 10 am, Wisconsin Public Radio’s Route 51 will look at the stunning electoral upset of Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton, and the future of the Republican and Democratic Parties. Host Glen Moberg will moderate a discussion with Brian Westrate of Eau Claire, a Trump supporter, Republican Party convention delegate, and Presidential elector for Wisconsin’s Third Congressional District; and Christine Bremer-Muggli of Wausau, a Clinton supporter, Democratic Party convention super delegate, and former Presidential elector for Wisconsin’s Seventh Congressional District. We will be taking comments and questions from listeners live on the air during this broadcast.

This Thursday, October 27 at 10 am, Wisconsin Public Radio’s Route 51 features a conversation with Robert Yano and Robert Izumi, two members of the heroic 442nd Regimental Combat Team of WWII. Even though they were forcibly taken from their homes and placed in internment camps, Yano, Izumi volunteered with other Japanese-Americans to serve in the U.S. Army. The 442nd became the most decorated unit of the war, and was the subject of the 1951 film Go For Broke . Host Glen Moberg will ask Yano and Izumi about their actions during the war, and the prejudice they faced at home. They are in central Wisconsin for a Veterans Day series of programs presented by the school history project A Walk in their Shoes , which is sponsored by Wisconsin Public Radio . We will be taking comments and questions from listeners live on the air during the broadcast.

This Thursday, November 3rd at 10 am, Wisconsin Public Radio’s Route 51 features a debate between the candidates running for Wisconsin’s 34th State Assembly seat, incumbent Republican Rob Swearingen, and Democratic Party challenger Matt Michaelson. WPR’s Glen Moberg will serve as a panelist and questioner, along with Stephanie Haines of WJFW-TV, Eileen Persike of Star Journal Now, and Brian Jopek of the Lakeland Times, in a debate moderated by Ken Krall, news director of WXPR Rhinelander. Due to the special nature of this program, we will not be taking questions, comments and phone calls from listeners.

This Thursday, October 27 at 10 am, Wisconsin Public Radio’s Route 51 features a combined debate featuring the candidates running for Wisconsin’s 86th State Assembly seat, incumbent Republican John Spiros, Democrat Nancy Stencil, and Independent Michael Tauschek; and the candidates running for Wisconsin’s 85th State Assembly seat, Democrat Mandy Wright and Republican Pat Snyder. WPR’s Glen Moberg will ask the five candidates about their positions on issues facing voters in central Wisconsin. The 85th State Assembly district is centered on the city of Wausau. The 86th State Assembly district stretches from Marshfield on the west to the Wausau area on the east. We will be taking comments and questions from listeners live on the air during the broadcast.

This Thursday, October 20 at 10 am, Wisconsin Public Radio’s Route 51 features a debate between the candidates running for Wisconsin’s 12th State Senate seat, incumbent Republican Tom Tiffany, and Democrat Party Bryan Van Stippen. WPR’s Glen Moberg will serve as a panelist and questioner, along with Stephanie Haines of WJFW-TV, Eileen Persike of Star Journal Now, and Brian Jopek of the Lakeland Times. The debate will be moderated by Ken Krall, news director of WXPR Rhinelander. Due to the special nature of this program, we will not be taking questions, comments and phone calls from listeners.

This Thursday, October 13th at 10 am, Wisconsin Public Radio’s Route 51 features a debate between the candidates running for Wisconsin’s 70th State Assembly seat, incumbent Republican Nancy VanderMeer, and Democratic Party challenger Mark Holbrook. WPR’s Glen Moberg will ask the candidates about the issues facing the people of North Central Wisconsin and the next session of the state legislature. The candidates will be taking comments and questions from listeners live on the air at 1-800-780-9742.