Lake Effect Spotlight

Whether spoken or written, we've been drawn to poetry and its power to connect us, inspire, and reflect on the human condition.As Bob Reitman’s album "12th House" showcases his spoken word poetry, we wanted to connect three different generations of poets to learn more about what the practice means to them – and to share their work.This poets roundtable is led by lifelong Millwaukeean, musician and poet Bryon Cherry. He's the author of three chapbooks, including ‘death moan.’ Joining Cherry is Jodie Jasim, an Iraqi-American poet, visual artist, advocate and the current Milwaukee Youth Poet Laureate. Lastly, there’s Bob Reitman. While he’s best known for his long career in radio, Reitman has been practicing poetry for most of his life.

Have you been chased by a wasp lately? Or maybe you decided to eat indoors in case wasps, bees and yellow jackets want you to share that picnic you’re trying to enjoy? Perhaps you’ve had to deal with a nest near or even in your home. These insects seem to be everywhere lately – and they’re often stinging those of us who encounter them. So, what’s behind all that activity and when might it come to an end? To find out, Lake Effect’s Audrey Nowakowski speaks with P.J. Leish from UW-Madison's Department of Entomology.  

More than a million people visit Stonehenge in England each year. It’s a popular tourist destination, but what if I told you there’s something similar right here in Wisconsin? While it’s not prehistoric like Stonehenge, Kinstone is a sculpture park that also features massive stones arranged in different circles and patterns. Kinstone is in the far western part of the state. To help you plan a trip there to see it, Lake Effect’s Becky Mortensen is joined by its founder Kristine Beck and Amanda Weibel from Travel Wisconsin. 

Invasive carp has been found near Lake Michigan. It’s been 24 years since Asian Carp were found in the upper Illinois River. Ever since, scientists and environmental groups have been pushing for a way to stop the invasive fish from reaching Lake Michigan. A year ago, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers started construction on a project called Brandon Road Interbasin Project that would put barriers in place to protect the lake. But the Trump administration abruptly stopped that project in July without explanation. Then the juvenile carp were found in the Illinois River – 80 miles from Lake Michigan – the closest they’ve ever been detected. But just last week, the Army Corps of Engineers announced that work on the barriers would resume. Joel Brammeier heads the Alliance for the Great Lakes. He joins WUWM Environmental Reporter Susan Bence for an update.

With the measles outbreak in Wisconsin now surpassing one hundred cases, state public health officials are urging people to get vaccinated.  Dr. Freddy Caldera is a gastroenterologist and a professor of medicine at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. He’s written about the importance of community immunity and how immunocompromised people with inflammatory bowel disease, organ transplants and other conditions navigate concerns about their risk during outbreaks.   Caldera joins me now to talk about the measles outbreak and what his research has found when it comes to immunocompromised people. Dr. Caldera, welcome to Lake Effect, thank you for taking the time to speak with me today.