Wisconsin Life

In some cases, clocks also mark the passage of people. But in special circumstances, clocks seem to work in the opposite direction – bringing back times and loved ones from the past. Ben Meyer of WXPR Public Radio in Rhinelander introduces us to the owner of a clock repair shop and a thankful customer.

Human trafficking is a reality across Wisconsin: it impacts urban and rural communities. It involves young people and older ones, men and women. The legal difficulties that survivors of trafficking face can be substantial — and the trauma they’ve experienced can be immense. The new podcast from our partners at Wisconsin Humanities called “Human Powered” is exploring that issue in one of its episodes. It looks at program that hopes to promote healing through poetry and sharing stories.

(Editor’s Note: This following story talks about sexual assault, human trafficking, and suicide.)

Comedian Charlie Hill grew up in Oneida, Wisconsin watching his favorite comics get laughs on late night TV. He eventually ended up as a 30-year regular at The Comedy Store, launched a career in acting, and performed comedy on many of the biggest TV talk shows, including “The Tonight Show.” WPR’s “BETA” recently featured comedy historian Kliph Nesteroff, who talked about Hill’s path to becoming an unsung hero of comedy and a symbol of hope for many Indigenous people.

Retired Legal Chief Lorrie McNeal Saylor of Kenosha knew before she graduated high school that she wanted to see the world. She was ready for something different, for new experiences outside of her childhood home in Alabama. So, she joined the United States Navy, travelled the globe and made lifelong friends from many cultures along the way. Saylor’s daughter, Erika Saylor, interviewed her about her experiences as part of StoryCorps’ Military Voices Initiative, which is made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

The Pearl Harbor attack caught America by surprise and led to our entry into the Second World War. Longtime “Milwaukee Journal Sentinel” reporter Meg Jones tells us about the Milwaukee-born Captain Franklin Van Valkenburgh of the USS Arizona.

As the coronavirus pandemic has left more people stuck inside, a yearning to get back to nature has flourished. This is something writer Yia Lor of Eau Claire has been paying attention to over the last year. She tells us how she found solace in her family’s garden and at the farmers’ market…closely watching the fruits and vegetables.

If you’ve been to Madison sometime in the past year, chances are you’ve seen them — stout strangers from a strange land about the size of a cooler. They scuttle down the sidewalk on four wheels, flag raised, dodging obstacles as they go about their business. They’re called Starships and about 35 of them in Madison work for the University of Wisconsin’s food service, delivering food to students mostly. WPR’s Norman Gilliland tells us more about these service robots.

It’s only human to want to relive the past, to recreate the good old days. But, it’s a tough task; we often find it’s just not quite the same. As an avid fisherman, author Ron Davis tends to agree, but that hasn’t stopped him from trying. He takes us on fishing trips to the Eau Claire River.

Some people like to ask for directions – or at least consult their phone – while others like to go by feel. Writer Crystal Chan tells us about her Dad’s shortcut to Milwaukee from their home in Oshkosh.

In recent years, Wisconsin’s Driftless Region has experienced some of the most severe flooding in its history. A new storytelling project is focused on preserving the stories of people who experienced the distasters. The new podcast from our partners at Wisconsin Humanities called “Human Powered” is exploring that issue in one of its episodes.