Wisconsin Life

The culture of coffee can be seen everywhere – from the aisles of your local grocery store, to the wide variety of options on the menus at big box chains and small local shops. Wisconsinite Ryan Castelaz is on a quest to raise the bar even further for the drink he’s so passionate about. He’s the founder of Discourse Coffee in Milwaukee and the author of the new book, “The New Art of Coffee – From Morning Cup to Caffeine Cocktail.”

Sometimes, we can take the world’s beauty for granted. We don’t notice these natural works of wonder that are in front of us every single day… Until we do. For writer Catherine Jagoe, it took a global pandemic to open her eyes to the trees that surrounded her in Madison.

Learning to ride a bike can be a milestone in a person’s life. Lately, WPR producer and local DAD Brad Kolberg has been thinking about when he first learned how to ride a bike, teaching his daughter to ride, and what biking has meant to his family over the years. All because of a song he recently heard by Pedro the Lion.

There’s a certain point every spring in Wisconsin, when it seems like winter is finally gone for good. We put our heavy coats away for the season. Trees and flowers begin to bloom. And, as WPR’s Bridgit Bowden tells us, we begin to hear songbirds welcoming warmer weather.

Forty-three years ago this month, almost 15,000 Cuban refugees were sent to live in southwest Wisconsin following the Mariel Boatlift. WPR dove into the history of this situation in the podcast “WPR Reports: Uprooted.” Here’s producer Maureen McCollum with a preview of that podcast, which explores the lives of Cubans who remained in Wisconsin.

Cities inevitably change through the decades. People move in and out. Businesses come and go. Often times, these shifts are most obvious in your own neighborhood. Author and historian John Gurda has been reflecting on changes surrounding his childhood home in Milwaukee’s Layton Park. He talks about how waves of immigration continue adding to the rich history of this beloved neighborhood.

Many of us grow up singing our family’s favorite songs. They can carry a deeper meaning if they’re rooted in tradition. For writer Jen Rubin of Madison, she’s fortunate to have recordings of her grandmother’s songs … tapes that were recently called upon during a family crisis.

The oldest Lionel Railroad Club in the world is hiding inside a boxy commercial building in New Berlin, just outside Milwaukee. Jane Hampden discovered the club when she was ready to say goodbye to a special set of vintage Lionel trains, which came from her grandparents.

For those who have fought and died in the U.S. Armed Forces, they leave with their families the weight of their sacrifice. Holly Higgins of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, lost her son, Daniel Johnson, while he served in the U.S. Air Force in Afghanistan in 2010. Higgins talks about dealing with the loss with her other son, Erik Johnson, a Specialist in the Wisconsin Army National Guard. They shared their experience as part of StoryCorps’ Military Voices Initiative, which is made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Sijo is a form of poetry that originated in Korea about 700 years ago. Today, it’s gaining popularity right here in Wisconsin, as educators have established an annual Wisconsin Sijo Competition. Saemee Kim recently talked with some of the organizers about their love of the art form.