Kevin Kamps, Radioactive Waste Specialist at Beyond Nuclear, discusses their lawsuit in federal court against US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Holtec, the company behind Palisades nuclear reactor restart on the Lake Michigan shoreline. The lawsuit alleges that the exemptions granted to Holtec from safety regulations are hazardous and illegal, and seeks temporary and permanent injunctions against the restart.

Johnson Bridgwater, Water Advocates Organizer at the River Alliance of Wisconsin, shares his recent experience at an intergenerational intertribal rice camp, where he learned from tribal leaders the traditional harvest philosophy and process. Wild rice, or Manoomin, is spiritually, ecologically, and economically important, but facing threats from climate change and settler colonialism, such as sulfate contamination. Addressing these dangers requires partnerships with tribal and non-tribal partners. Interested folks can learn more and keep up to date on this issue by signing up for Manoominews.

Karl Habeck, General Manager of WOJB Woodland Community Radio, shares how they have been able to persist after CPB (Corporation for Public Broadcasting) cuts with funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, private foundations, and individual donors. WOJB provides invaluable news updates and music programming to their rural community.

Helena White joins Jan Miyasaki to discuss how the "Honk for Democracy" protests are a fun, peaceful, and straightforward way to speak out against rising authoritarianism. The monthly event is usually on the first Saturday of the month, alternating between East and West Towne Malls. Protesters stand outside with signs, and passing drivers can honk to show their support. In December, the protest will be from 11 am to Noon at the intersection of Odana Rd and Gammon Rd on Saturday the 6th. Signs are provided.

Robin Greenfield discusses his journey from a low-income childhood, to seeking financial fortunes, to a philosophy of non-ownership and sustainability. For a whole year starting on October 9, 2025, he is foraging all of his food and medicine, subsisting on foods that are growing freely without human cultivation.

Michelle Reinen from the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection works to protect Wisconsin consumers and businesses from fraud, unfair and deceptive trade practices, and unsafe products. She advises caution while signing up for rewards cards, warranty registration, sweepstakes, etc., making sure the website is legitimate, and not handing over more personal information than necessary. This protects consumers in case of data breaches, as well as from scammers impersonating respectable organizations.

This week on Mel & Floyd: Mel & ‘Pants brave the elements to deliver the goods while it’s warmer on Mars!; Board of Peace or Legion of Doom?; Greenland or Iceland?; Study finds Americans pay 96% of tariff cost; in other news, water is wet; And other random topics; Notice something missing? For the complete Mel and Floyd Experience, buy the CD “The Very Best of James Brown” and play it on your Hi-Fi while listening to this podcast! Or listen live at 89.9 FM or wortfm.org/listen-live/ every Friday from 1 to 2 PM Central Time.

Photo courtesy Mark Chan on Unsplash

Kadijha Marquardt-Davis is the Program Director of ECCHO (Engaging Communities to Change Health Outcomes), an initiative of Embolden WI. ECCHO is a paid, cohort-based civic engagement training program for black and brown women and non-binary persons in Milwaukee, Dane, and Rock counties. The two-year program has a training phase and an implementation phase, where cohorts work together to identify a community need and come up with a solution. The next cohort starts in March 2026, and interested parties can contact Kadijha via email at [email protected].

Chris Mills Rodrigo, managing Editor of Inequality.org, catches up with Jan Miyasaki about his recent article on "10 Inequality Victories of 2025". He highlights Zohran Mamdani's NYC mayoral election, democracy reforms that facilitated this win, LA’s $30 minimum “Olympic Wage”, and a bipartisan House bill to restore federal worker bargaining rights. He also talks about some city and state-level wealth tax initiatives and grassroots organizing to look forward to in 2026.

Bruce Spangenberg is the Statewide Horticulture Outreach Specialist with UW-Madison Division of Extension. He writes a weekly Wisconsin Yard and Garden column. In a recent edition, he shared that poinsettias are perennial plants, not annuals as usually assumed. With careful maintenance, they can beautify homes year-around instead of just during the holiday season. In another entry, he suggests that while winter is downtime for hands-on gardening, it is a good opportunity to plan ahead for the upcoming growing season, and recommends resolutions such as thoughtful fertilizer use and pest management.