To make sense of all these changes, we’re joined by Rebecca John. Her reporting has uncovered how Big Oil denied that burning fossil fuel contributed to the climate crisis. She says that this time around the Trump administration is much more organized in its approach to energy and fossil fuels. In response to Trump declaring an “energy emergency,” John says that our energy crisis is the crisis created by the burning of fossil fuels.

Remix of CO2 emissions graph (CC BY-SA 4.0) and a fossil fuel plant (CC BY 3.0).

Amy Everett was announced as the new director of Dane County's largest agency several weeks ago.

She's now rejected the job, after facing additional questions about her previous position – a fact that came to light in warring press releases late on Friday.

Photo Courtesy: Sevie Kenyon

Trump’s on-again / off-again, illegal funding freeze seems like it’s definitely on for Dane County’s Head Start program. Reach Dane executive director Jen Bailey tells us how her agency is trying to cope.

Trump’s deportation threats have immigrants on edge. Immigration attorney Shabnam Lofti joins us with a primer on migrant rights.

Larry Bellorin and Joe Troop discuss their unique blend of Appalachian Bluegrass and Venezuelan Llanera music.

On the Friday 8 O’Clock Buzz, Cynthia Green, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning for the Madison Public School District, discusses how the district is preparing for potential ICE enforcement actions under Trump’s aggressive immigration policies.

Green explains Madison’s status as a “Sanctuary City” and how the district’s policies are designed to protect immigrant families. She emphasizes that the district does not collect or share information on students’ immigration status, meaning there is little for ICE to access in schools. She also highlights the protections offered by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and walks through the district’s protocol and training for handling ICE visits, ensuring staff are trained to respond appropriately.

On the Friday 8 O’Clock Buzz, Madison immigration attorney Grant Sovern discusses the rapidly shifting landscape of U.S. immigration policy under President Trump. Sovern, who helps run the Community Immigration Law Center, sheds light on the legal battles surrounding Trump’s attempt to abolish birthright citizenship—blocked this week by two federal judges—as well as the expanding role of ICE in Wisconsin.

Sovern details how ICE enforcement varies across counties, the potential impact of a proposed state bill requiring sheriff cooperation with federal immigration authorities, and what actually happens when an individual is apprehended by ICE. He also addresses the administration’s claim that deportations only target criminals and explains how Trump’s policies are affecting Wisconsin’s dairy industry, which relies heavily on immigrant labor.

Photo Credit to Quarles

Eli Tsarvosky is a grad student studying public health and public affairs at UW-Madison. He’s also the president of Capitol Neighborhoods, Inc., an association of five downtown neighborhoods striving to improve quality of life in the area.

Tsarovsky is challenging incumbent alder Mike Verveer this spring on a “CARES” platform, which stands for community, affordability, rights, environment, and safety.

With just two candidates in the running, District 4 will skip the primary later this month and downtown voters will select their next alder on April 1st.

Elias Tsarovsky sat down with WORT News Producer Faye Parks to introduce himself to the voters of District 4.

Image courtesy: Eli Tsarovsky.

Jennifer Loewenstein, Middle East expert and commentator, joins host Tony Castañeda on the Thursday edition of the 8 O’Clock Buzz to talk about the latest proclamations from Don Trump and his vision for the future of Gaza. Don has a dream of taking over the Gaza Strip, and in his bizarre fantasy world he envisions a new Riviera on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean. The Zionists in Israel and the US have warmed to the idea which will require the deportation of Palestinians and annexation of the region. Lost in all of this nonsense is the very real possibility of Phase 3 of the peace treaty not being honored by Israel and the US to hasten the new Exodus.

Photo by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash

Among the executive actions carried out on his first day in office, Donald Trump fired Jennifer Abruzzo from her post as General Counsel at the National Labor Relations Board (the NLRB). Two days prior to Abruzzo’s dismissal from her influential position, journalist Dan Kaufman wrote an article about her and the NLRB for the New York Review of Books.

Remix of the seal of the NLRB via Wikipedia.