Archive for January, 2005

Freedom on the Menu/Forests of the Night

Monday, January 17th, 2005

Freedom on the Menu: Host Melinda Penkava talks with Carole Boston Weatherford, author of the children’s book “Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-Ins” (Dial Books/2005). The book chronicles the series of sit-ins that took place in Greensboro after the famous Woolworth’s sit-in on February 1, 1960. The story is told through the eyes of a child who only wanted to eat a banana split at the lunch counter. (30:00)

Forests of the Night: Melinda Penkava talks with novelist James Hall about his new novel, “Forests of the Night” (St. Martin’s Minotaur/2005). Known for thrillers that take place in Florida, Hall builds the plot of his latest novel around the summer camp he attended as a boy in North Carolina. Policewoman Charlotte Monroe travels there to unravel a mystery that involves her husband, her daughter, and an ancient Cherokee myth. Since he had his first novel published, James Hall has been crafting a theory about what makes some novels bestsellers. In talking about how he wrote “Forests of the Night,” he’ll share a few of his insights. (30:00)

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Crafts/Mail/Museum Voices

Friday, January 14th, 2005

North Carolina Crafts: Governor Mike Easley proclaimed 2004-2005 to be a two-year long “Celebration of North Carolina Craft.” As we move into the second year of festivities, what kind of an impact is the burgeoning craft industry having on North Carolina’s communities and economy? Host Melinda Penkava talks with Feather Phillips, founder of the Pocosin Arts; an artist from the Penland School of Crafts; and with a potter from the village of Seagrove. Listener Call-In. (40:00)

Delivering The Mail: When Judy Morris began carrying mail in 1968, she was Asheville’s first female courier and only the second female courier in the state. Host Melinda Penkava talks with Judy Morris about her career. Morris retired earlier this month after 36 years of service.(10:00)

Voices From The Museum: This weekend, the North Carolina Museum of Art will stay open for 32 consecutive hours to give visitors one last peek at the “Matisse, Picasso, and the School of Paris” exhibit before it closes on January 16th. We hear the voices of some visitors who have already enjoyed the works on display. (2:00)

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Ag. Commissioner/Murmur Lee/Weekend Look Ahead

Thursday, January 13th, 2005

Agriculture Commissioner Vote: Host Melinda Penkava checks in with WUNC’s Laura Leslie about Wednesday’s court decision regarding the election of North Carolina’s Commissioner of Agriculture. A Superior Court judge has cancelled a planned statewide election and sent the case back to the Board of Elections. (12:00)

The Problem with Murmur Lee: Host Melinda Penkava talks with writer Connie May Fowler about her new novel, “The Problem with Murmur Lee” (Doubleday/2004). The novel begins with the untimely death of Murmur Lee, and traces her story through the recollections of people she knew in Iris Haven, Florida. Murmur Lee tells her own story, too, looking back to the years before she was born from her lucent position in the afterlife. Connie May Fowler’s previous books include “Before Women Had Wings” (Putnam/1996), which was made into an ABC-TV movie. (20:00)

Weekend Look Ahead: Host Melinda Penkava talks with musicians Tim O’Brien and Bruce Molsky. O’Brien is a renowned singer and multi-instrumentalist with a wide-ranging style. Molsky is a fiddler, singer, guitarist and banjoist, known for melding the sounds of Appalachia with blues and African rhythms. Both will perform on Saturday, January 15th at the Community Church Coffeehouse in Chapel Hill. (15:00)

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Inaugural/Morgen

Wednesday, January 12th, 2005

Inaugural Preview: Deep fried dill pickles in ranch dressing and some 10-thousand Krispy Kreme donuts… Host Melinda Penkava talks with organizer Linda Douglas about the recipe for the Governor’s Inaugural Ball this Saturday. Melinda also talks with Andy Taylor, professor of poitical science at North Carolina State University; and Rob Christensen, columnist at the Raleigh News and Observer, about the historical power of the North Carolina governorship and what to expect in Mike Easley’s second term. Listener Call-In. (42:00)

Howard Morgen: Melinda Penkava speaks with Howard Morgen, jazz guitarist and teacher. Some of Morgen’s students include Paul Simon and James Taylor. His most recent album is “Howard Morgen Play Gershwin” (Grace Court West/2004). (17:30)

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Latino Media

Tuesday, January 11th, 2005

Latino Media: With the rapid growth of North Carolina’s Latino population, the Spanish-language media market has grown. The local radio and newspaper chain “Que Pasa” now operates in three markets across the state. Spanish speakers now have a 24-hour radio station in La Ley 96.9, and a Spanish-language television station on Univision’s WUVC 40. Advertisers are beginning to catch on to the business opportunities and growing buying power of North Carolina’s Latinos. Host Melinda Penkava hosts a conversation about the past and future of Spanish-language media in North Carolina. Guests include: Federico Van Geldren, publisher of Que Pasa newspapers and radio. Listener Call-In. (59:00)

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