The Wisconsin "Spill Law", established 50 years ago, states, in brief, that if someone makes a mess, they have to report it to the DNR, and are responsible for cleaning it up. Makes sense, right? But in 2021 the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) filed a lawsuit against the DNR to limit the agency’s ability to investigate PFAS contamination and require responsible parties to clean up contaminated sites, essentially hamstringing the DNR. However, recently the Midwest Environmental Advocates (MEA), working with other environmental groups, has won an important ruling by the WI Supreme Court, affirming the ability of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to protect Wisconsinites from toxic environmental pollution under the state’s Spills Law. MEA Staff Attorney Rob Lee, stopped by the WORT studios to talk about this important victory.

Dan Rosenberg and Marichka interview by WORT 89.9FM Madison

Young people are too often victims of our broken criminal justice system. 1 in 14 US children either has or has had a parent behind bars. And too often their teachers, administrators, guidance counselors, and even their own friends routinely overlook or stigmatize these young people as troubled, or trouble.

To talk about the experiences of youth impacted by the justice system, host Ali Muldrow welcomes back to the show Victor Trillo Jr. and Amy Friedman, to talk about the collection, Home and Away.

Featured image: the cover of Home and Away.

The U.S. Senate is poised to pass their version of the federal budget by this coming Friday, with hopes to get the bill to the President's desk by July 4th. Program Director for the National Priorities Project, Lindsay Koshgarian, talks about the bill -- with its proposed record $1 trillion for defense spending, cuts to Medicaid and funding for food for poor as well as huge cuts to taxes for the wealthiest. Some estimate that $51,000 could die prematurely due to cuts to healthcare. Koshgarian's recent article "We Have a Choice: Weapons and War, or Food and Health Care?" goes into the details.

Today on the too Turnt Up Tuesday 8:00 Buzz with Tara Wilhelmi and Antoine McNeail, musician, entrepreneur, restaurateur and more, Big Mike Relerford A/K/A Blazo joins us from Rockford/Beloit to tell his story and talk about making music and producing events while staying true to yourself.

Keep up with Blazo and stream his music at @iamblazo815 on Facebook and Instagram, @zotalk815 on TikTok and @blazo815 on YouTube.

More on “When It Was Fun” 90’s and 2000’s music fest coming up August 16th in Rockford: https://www.facebook.com/whenitwasfun

Music from today’s show: https://spinitron.com/WORT/pl/20842482/Tuesday-8-O-Clock-Buzz

Listen in Madison at 89.9FM or online anywhere at wortfm.org. Support your community radio with a donation online at wortfm.org!

Sarah Schulman speaks with Zoe Sullivan about what made the ACT Up movement successful, how those lessons apply today, and the danger posed by corporate control of culture.

The state Supreme Court sided with environmental regulators today in a lawsuit challenging Wisconsin’s Spills Law. The 5-2 ruling allows the state’s Department of Natural Resources to require the cleanup of pollutants, like PFAS, that haven’t been officially designated yet as hazardous substances.

Tony Wilkin Gibart is the executive director of Midwest Environmental Advocates, a nonprofit law center that intervened in the lawsuit.

He told our News Producer Faye Parks this afternoon that today’s ruling affirms the DNR’s ability to hold polluters accountable.

Image courtesy: Adam Fagen via Flickr.

At a committee meeting yesterday, Madison leaders and staff discussed how the federal budget could affect Dane County. Looming in the background is the city’s own budget, which may face repercussions from federal decision making.

Image courtesy: Brian Standing / WORT News

On today’s show, host Sara Gabler speaks with Stephen Zunes and Negin Owliaei about the rapidly developing situation in Iran. On June 13 Israel launched an unprovoked attack on Tehran and only days ago President Trump ordered the bombing of three locations in Iran. Even if (as of this morning) the nations have reached a possible ceasefire, Israel and the US’s escalation of force will have long consequences for Iranian civilians and so much more.

Featured image: the skyline of Tehran via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).

This Week on Mel & Floyd: Ruby fills in while Mel contemplates What Is Hip?; A Message from Mel [scroll down]; The problem with earbuds; What is A.I. really?; “Mein Pillow” guy’s latest trials & conspiracy theories; Plummeting sales in the trump economy; A millennial saint; RFK Jr gets one right; First-time father at 135; 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 Moritz Kindler on Unsplash