ON AIR JULY 2013 ISSUE Heroin in Wisconsin NPR's Code Switch Project WPR Archive Project Vote for Wisconsin at NPR Grandparents University The Moth in Milwaukee Featured Photo (Top) Dr. Jonathan Overby, host of Higher Ground, at a recent live broadcast WPR News Investigates: Heroin in Wisconsin from the UW-Madison Memorial Union Terrace. Between 2007 and 2011, the number of deaths in Wisconsin Photo by Stick People attributed to a heroin overdose rose from 38 to 134. Last year, Productions. heroin cases were investigated in all but about a dozen of Wisconsin's 72 counties. The drug is causing problems not only in urban centers like Milwaukee, Madison and Green Bay, but also in Sound Bits the state's smaller, rural communities. Free WPR Mobile Apps WPR's free Android and Last week, WPR took a look at this problem in its six-part "Heroin in iOS mobile apps feature Wisconsin" series, as part of our efforts to cover important issues in live streams of our three the state. Our reporters learned that some law enforcement networks, integrated agencies that weren't dealing with heroin cases a few years ago are program schedules, news now spending much more time fighting the abuse of the drug. We've headlines, searchable heard the stories of people like Karen Hale, whose 21-year-old archives and more. Free daughter Alysa Ivy died of an overdose in May. We also heard from in iTunes and Google people addicted to heroin in Wausau and La Crosse and their efforts Play. to kick those addictions. Our series also looked at community efforts to fight heroin's effects See Michael Feldman in through the use of a drug called Narcan, Madison's approach to Bayfield on Aug. 3 combating heroin by treating its public health effects as well as a Join Michael and the criminal issue and how drug courts are involved in addressing this gang for a live national issue. broadcast of Whad'Ya Know? from Bayfield's Read or listen to the series, and see a map of where heroin cases Big Top. Spend a have been investigated. summer morning under the tent and enjoy the [Photo by WPR/Rich Kremer: Sherri Hole of Hudson (left) lost her son to Northwoods. Tent flaps heroin after he overdosed at an apartment in Owatonna, MN in February. open at 9:30am. Tickets Karen Hale, also of Hudson (right) lost her daughter Alysa Ivy after she available online or by overdosed on heroin at a Super 8 Motel in Hudson last May. Their calling the Big Top box children are two of seven heroin related deaths in the Hudson area during office at 715-373-5552! the last two years.] WPR's 2012 Annual Did you Code Switch Today? Report Online Find WPR's 2012 Annual Code-switching is a term linguists use Report on our website - when people mix languages or with a review of activities patterns of speech in conversation - and audited financial something that is increasingly information. common in our increasingly diverse nation. This spring, NPR launched a new project focused on what they Quick Links called the "frontiers of race, culture and ethnicity." The project, named WPR Online Code Switch, is made up of six NPR Donate Now journalists who cover race, culture and ethnicity for broadcast and online distribution. According to Find Your WPR Station NPR's Code Switch blog host Gene Demby, "In one sense, code- NPR Online switching is about dialogue that spans cultures. It evokes the conversation we want to have here." Code Switch Team Manager Matt Thompson recently shared his Be Part of WPR's Online insights on the project during a brown bag session with Wisconsin Community Public Radio staff. His presentation touched on the power of purposeful humor when discussing difficult subjects like prejudice and racism. Take part of Kat Chow's recent post on the public response to the crash landing of Asiana Flight 214 in San Francisco and the dueling racial stereotypes she saw in popular culture for example: "You might call it the racist stereotype oxymoron. Mexicans are lazy, but are also taking all the jobs. Asians are bad drivers, but are super tech-wizard ninjas. How can a group be stereotyped in such diametrically opposite ways?" While not all of the stories from the Code Switch team use humor to connect, the group has a knack for provocative observations that draw plenty of discussion. You can follow Code Switch online, on Tumblr, Twitter and Facebook. And, whether it's breaking news like the George Zimmerman verdict or pop culture commentary on the National Spelling Bee, Burger King and diversity, you're sure to find something that starts a conversation. And that, after all, is what the project is all about. BEHIND THE SCENES Archivist Working to Preserve WPR History In 2011, Wisconsin Public Radio and Wisconsin Public Television were awarded a grant as part of a Corporation for Public Broadcasting effort to inventory and preserve the holdings of public stations across the nation. Over 102,000 historic WPR and WPT titles were inventoried in Madison. With the help of former and current WPR staff, 781 reel-to-reel tapes, 47 News digital audio tapes and a handful of audio cassettes and LPs were selected for digital preservation. The materials covered a range of historic programs and topics, including Wisconsin School of the Air titles, College of the Air titles, UW lectures, news stories and programs related to the history of Wisconsin, WPR and the use of radio as a public forum. While our broadcasting efforts started much earlier, the oldest title found was a program labeled "Peace and War" from Friday, March 9, 1928, hosted by Grayson Kirk. Kirk was a doctoral student at the time, but later became a distinguished professor of Political Science at UW-Madison. He moved to Columbia University in the 1940s and eventually became president of that institution. He was also instrumental in the formation of the United Nations Security Council. This summer, Archivist Allison Smith (above) packed the 450 hours of recordings for digital preservation. WPR's goal is to have this material available to staff and eventually to the public. And, if you have historic WHA or WPR items that you'd like to share with us, please email [email protected]. Vote for Pat Mulvey - WPR Member & NPR Recipe Contest Finalist Wisconsin's own Pat Mulvey was recently selected as a "Taste of Summer" finalist on NPR's special series "Found Recipes." Her Ensenada Slaw is one of three recipes selected for online voting. "I was sitting at work when I got this email from [NPR's] Melissa Block telling me that I was a finalist. My business partner and I just started Pat Mulvey of Madison, WI. screaming. I was blown away and Photo by Shine Photografx so excited," Pat said. Pat is an advocate for local food, nutrition for children's health and an author - she also happens to be a sustaining member of WPR (thanks Pat!). She served as an editor of From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm Fresh Seasonal Produce - a book that has helped many of us prepare mysterious items purchased at our local farmer's markets. In short, Pat knows food. NPR's "Found Recipes" series was created to share great recipes with compelling stories behind them. According to the NPR post about her recipe, Pat's Ensenada Slaw certainly fit the bill. Driving in Mexico, Pat and her husband ran into road construction, gun-toting federales and had to abandon the car they were driving - which they had borrowed from a friend in San Diego. Their very bad day turned into a very good night when they found a restaurant with margaritas, mariachi music and fish tacos topped with this amazing slaw. "It was bright; it was crisp; it had just the right hint of heat," she told NPR. To read the whole story and try Pat's recipe "Ensenada Slaw with Fish Tacos" visit the Found Recipes page at NPR.org. And, to vote for Pat, leave a comment on the recipe page or send a message to All Things Considered. Make sure to put "Taste Of Summer Vote" in the subject line and tell them you vote for Pat's slaw! AROUND WISCONSIN Grandparents' University at WPR in Green Bay Grandparents' University is a yearly, multigenerational summer camp at UW-Green Bay. This year's camp took place July 11th and 12th. WPR's Green Bay Bureau added to the learning experience with "hands-on" recording sessions at the WPR studio on campus. UWGB Communication Department Senior Lecturer, Danielle Bina, taught students about the world of radio, from its humble beginnings to the age of podcasts. WPR Regional Manager, Ellen Clark, then showed them WPR's radio studio and spoke about what it takes to record live interviews and newscasts. Participants finished the day using their newly learned skills to conduct an interview and to prepare and read the news. WPR's Carina Abrego Koch then edited and recorded those sessions on a CD as a keepsake for the grandparents and grandkids to take home with them. The camp is designed to give an up-close look at college life and show kids the importance - and fun - of going to college. The Moth StorySLAMs - Thursdays in Milwaukee Everyone has a story to share - that's the concept behind a special series of StorySLAM events presented by The Moth and sponsored by Wisconsin Public Radio at Milwaukee's Miramar Theater on 8/1, 9/4, 10/3, 11/7 and 12/17 at 7:00 p.m.