Host Jill Spears and gardening guru Lance Swigart chat about winter garden chores and take calls from listeners.

Host Jill Spears and gardener Lance Swigart discuss seasonal gardening subjects and take calls from listeners. Got a question? Email worm@kvnf.org or call during the show! 970-527-4868 or 1-866-KVNF-NOW, 6:30-7:00 pm every Tuesday!

Host Jill Spears and gardener Lance Swigart discuss seasonal gardening subjects and take calls from listeners. Got a question? Email worm@kvnf.org or call during the show! 970-527-4868 or 1-866-KVNF-NOW, 6:30-7:00 pm every Tuesday!

Host Jill Spears and gardener Lance Swigart, plus special guest Wind Clearwater, discuss seasonal gardening subjects and take calls from listeners. Got a question? Email worm@kvnf.org or call during the show! 970-527-4868 or 1-866-KVNF-NOW, 6:30-7:00 pm every Tuesday!

Guest host Amber Kleinman and gardener extraordinaire Lance Swigart discuss early spring gardening chores and take calls from listeners.

Host Jill Spears and gardener Lance Swigart are staying home & staying safe, and calling in for this special Pledge Drive Edition of As the Worm Turns. They're discussing spring gardening topics and taking questions via text message and email.

Host Jill Spears and gardeners Lance Swigart and Lulu Volckhausen are staying home & staying safe, and calling in for this edition of As the Worm Turns. They're discussing spring gardening topics and taking questions via text message and email.

Our intrepid gardening crew are once again calling in from their respective home gardens, ready to take your questions via email or text - worm@kvnf.org or 970-234-5863.

The coronavirus "safer at home" protocol is still in effect, so our gardeners are joining us once again via telephone. Host Jill Spears & gardening gurus Lulu Vockhausen & Lance Swigart are deep into spring garden preparation and planting.

The coronavirus "safer at home" protocol is still in effect, so our gardeners are joining us once again via telephone. Host Jill Spears & gardening gurus Lulu Vockhausen & Lance Swigart are deep into spring garden preparation and planting.

Someday, the COVID-19 pandemic will be history. And that’s why one DeKalb County photographer is urging people to document it now. Bob Myers took his wife’s advice. She’s DeKalb County historian Sue Breese, and she encouraged him to photograph the empty store shelves, the empty parking lots, and the altered daily interactions that are now part of life under the State’s stay-at-home order. In turn, Myers turned to social media to ask other DeKalb County residents to join the effort. For him, it’s important to keep the project local because it “makes it hit home more.” Myers has received photos of closed businesses, school lunch distributions, the parking lot tents at Kishwaukee Hospital, and a mother and daughter touching hands through a closed glass door. Of course, there’s a touch of humor, too. One photo is of a downtown Sycamore icon, the statue of Pumpkinfest founder Wally Thurow standing next to his old-time bicycle. Someone had already thrown a scarf around his neck for winter.

The Rockford Area Convention and Visitor's Bureau (RACVB) wants you to stay home and write songs. "Stay Home Songs" is a community song writing contest that is open to all ages and all types of musicians. There is no fee to enter and all genres of music are welcome. Musicians who live in Winnebago County and may enter one original song that is less than three minutes long. Nick Povalitis is the vice president of marketing and sports development for the RACVB. He believes this contest creates an engaging way for people to stay together during Governor J.B. Pritzker's stay-at-home order. "We want to do our part to tell stories and connect people," Povalitis said. "Musicians are some of our best creators and there are a lot of talented musicians within Winnebago County and the Rockford region." This includes the contest judges. Jodi Beach, Vince Chiarelli, Duntai Mathews, Miles Nielsen, and Antonio Ramirez will select the winning songwriter. The winner will receive a $200 gift card to a

Listen to a special edition of Sessions from Studio A this week, as celebrate the first ever Public Radio Music Day. Sessions has been on the air for 4 years and has had over 100 artists featured on the show. In this episode, we'll take a listen back through the years to a variety of performances recorded for Sessions from Studio A. Local musicians need your support now more than ever. Download an album, buy some merch, and most importantly, go see a local artist live once you are able. We at WNIJ would like to thank all the artists who have performed on Sessions from Studio A and all of the listeners who support the show. You are what keeps music on public radio alive and strong. Thank you. Don't forget, you can find the full episodes of these performances here in our show archive and watch behind-the-scenes video on our YouTube channel .

A storage safe manufacturer is closing two Chicago-area factories and moving operations to Mexico to counteract the effects of metal tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump's administration. The Chicago Tribune reports Stack-On Products will lay off about 150 people at its Wauconda and McHenry plants when they close Oct. 12. Human resources director Al Fletcher said Tuesday the decision to relocate operations to Juarez, Mexico, was made about two months ago. That's when Trump announced tariffs on numerous goods and materials from China as well as other countries. Stack-On makes products ranging from tool boxes to gun vaults. Fletcher says the company has a plant in China and another in Mexico, and its only U.S. factories were the two in the Chicago area.

Every fall, northern Illinois farmers set up roadside shops to get their crops to market, as well as get visitors to check out their farms. You can find several of these along a stretch of Lincoln Highway east of DeKalb. One of the largest is Kuipers Family Farm in Maple Park. It has a pumpkin farm and apple orchard, plus a lot of family attractions. These range from train rides and corn mazes to climbing walls and a "bouncing pillow." Co-owner Kimberly Kuipers says these were inspired by taking their own kids to nearby farms. "They were very nice, but there was just a lot of stuff to look at and our kids wanted to climb over everything, and were constantly getting in trouble so we thought, 'Why don't we take what we want to see for our kids, and see if we can duplicate it at our own farm?'" she said. That's what attracted Michelle Barton and her children. "I love it, and we have a great time, so we enjoy running around and doing all the activities." Kuipers says her biggest source of

The Mayors of DeKalb and Rockford responded to the statewide minimum wage hike that was signed into law last week. The measure will raise the state's minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025. DeKalb Mayor Jerry Smith worries about the effect this may have on small businesses. Smith says he would have preferred that the increase be done more incrementally. "I would have liked to have seen something that was written into law that mandated perhaps a one or two year step, and then let's take a look at it," he said. "You know, economies change." But he says the law taking effect means businesses know what to expect. "If you know that you're going to be paying nine and a quarter next year and ten the following year, or whatever the case may be, the smart businesses -- small or large -- are going to make those adjustments that are necessary so the bottom line is still black," he said. Smith says the City of DeKalb already pays its employees at a level where the wage hike's effect on city

Below, listen to a Spotify playlist of Mississippi Blues artists. Listen to the first volume of the Mississippi Blues Project playlist here.

The legendary James Cotton is playing a free show at the TLA on South Street in Philadelphia on Friday, September 6. It’s the finale concert of the year long Mississippi Blues Project and will be hosted by Jonny Meister, host […]

Coronavirus testing will continue at a drive-thru testing site in Rockford this morning, after the state health department and the Governor’s office intervened in a problem with receiving test results. Winnebago County Board chairman Frank Haney asked for help from the state, saying 2,100 tests taken at the site at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford were “missing.” Haney said test results were not available after nearly two weeks when they should have taken only a few days. He announced Wednesday evening that testing would be suspended at that site. However, the state determined the tests were never missing, but the laboratory the state had contracted with to process the samples used a paper system to report results, significantly delaying them. The site will now be served by a different lab, which can report results to the county electronically. The Illinois Department of Public Health told the Winnebago County Health Department late Wednesday it developed a

I’ve been watching a pair of yellow-bellied sapsuckers excavate a cavity in a dead white oak behind the shed. Since I’m home all the time, I can wander over and look at them whenever I feel like it, which is more often than you might expect. Sapsuckers, a kind of woodpecker, aren’t supposed to be here. They nest in northern Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Canada. In fact, according to the Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas, there has never been a confirmed nesting of yellow-bellied sapsuckers in my neck of Wisconsin. Yet here they are anyway, doing their thing in my dead oak. I guess they got lost and didn’t have a Bird Atlas. You can’t watch a woodpecker batter the trunk of a dead tree for very long without thinking about... brain trauma. I’m sure you’ve also wondered how woodpeckers sustain such head rattling without concussing themselves. My father-in-law used to say that woodpeckers could wrap their tongues around their brains to soften the blows. What an image! Without ever looking up, I

I write this as news breaks that deaths from coronavirus in Scotland are nearing the four-figure mark, so it is with the proviso that everything in sport, and I mean everything, is an inconsequential matter of trivia at this time that I venture to suggest that some sports in Scotland, and especially rugby union, could do with a little image boost.

RICHARD COCKERILL believes that a full programme of Guinness PRO14 play-offs would be a fairer way to end the current season if possible, even though his own Edinburgh team would be one of the beneficiaries if the league went straight to a final.

Andy Murray does not think getting the professional tennis circuit back up and running should be a priority any time soon.

GUS MACKAY was full of good intentions when he agreed to become Cricket Scotland’s new chief executive last October.

On today's show, we have the latest updates from Governor Asa Hutchinson following his daily coronavirus response briefing. Plus, we speak to renters and landlords in the region as they worry about having to make their rent and mortgage payments during skyrocketing unemployment. And, we speak with Arkansas artist Kat Wilson about her interactive art project called Quarantine Habitat.

On today's show, we provide the latest highlights from the governor's daily coronavirus response briefing. Plus, we speak with representatives from Communities Unlimited about a new toolkit the nonprofit has put together to help people and small businesses navigate the relief options provided through the federal CARES Act. And, we find out how you can still get your Girl Scout Cookie fix.

On today's show, we have updated information on the state's coronavirus response from the governor's daily briefing. Plus, we speak with a University of Arkansas psychologist about how to manage mental health during the pandemic. And, we learn the basic ins and outs of gardening and baking bread from the experts as many of you take up new hobbies while staying at home.

On today's show, we have highlights from the governor's daily coronavirus response briefing. Plus, we find out how local animal shelters are faring during the COVID-19 pandemic. And, we hear about a new grant program designed to help arts and cultural nonprofits weather the outbreak.

On today's show, we provide the latest updates from the governor's daily coronavirus briefing. Plus, we hear from Michael Tilley with Talk Business and Politics about the impact of the pandemic on Arkansas River traffic and what that could mean for the economy. And, we speak with the Washington County sheriff about why he's ending his office's participation in the federal 287(g) program.

On today's show, we have the latest from the governor's daily coronavirus response briefing. Plus, we hear from a pulmonologist who is treating COVID-19 patients at Mercy Hospital about what he's been experiencing on the ground. And, we launch a series of conversations with local seniors called Senior Portraits where we discuss what it's been like to finish high school during a pandemic.

On today's show, we have highlights from the governor's daily coronavirus response briefing. Plus, we speak with a representative from Northwest Arkansas National Airport about the funding the airport has received from the federal CARES Act that's meant to provide relief during the pandemic. And, we head to Eureka Springs where a pastor has organized an effort to make sure Carroll County residents have food to get them through the outbreak.

On today's show, we have the latest update from Governor Asa Hutchinson's daily coronavirus response briefing. Plus, we hear from advocates at the Children's Safety Center of Washington County about how they're continuing to organize trainings during the pandemic. And, we mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day with the founder of the OMNI Center for Peace, Justice and Ecology.

On today's show, we have an update on the state's coronavirus response from the governor during his daily briefing. Plus, we hear about a new food access map developed by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture and Uplift Arkansas. And, we find out about Southwestern Electric Power Company's purchase of new wind generation and transmission facilities in Oklahoma.

On today's show, we hear from advocates who have filed a complaint on behalf of prisoners at Cummins State Prison, which has become a coronavirus epicenter. Plus, we find out how the local Muslim community is adjusting its observance of Ramadan to abide by social distancing guidelines. And, we have our final intallment of our conversations with local seniors about what's in been like to finish their high school careers during a pandemic.

On today's show, we have the latest from Governor Asa Hutchinson's daily coronavirus briefing, which aired at noon today overlapping a portion of the noon edition of Ozarks at Large . Plus, we speak with protestors and Tyson Foods representatives as the company closes several plants in other parts of the country because of coronavirus outbreaks in the facilities. And, we find out what local gym operators are doing to keep customers engaged as they wait for the governor to provide guidelines for reopening their businesses.

On today's show, we have the latest highlights from the governor's coronavirus response briefing. Plus, we hear from the Startup Junkie Foundation about the expansion of its Kiva loan program to help small business owners during the COVID-19 outbreak. And, we speak with University of Arkansas researchers about why they are studying how we express our of fears during the pandemic.

On today's show, we have the latest updates from Governor Asa Hutchinson's daily coronavirus response briefing. Plus, we hear from local law enforcement officers about the changes they've had to make in their daily operations and why that has resulted in fewer bookings at county jails. And, we speak with Eddie Schmeckenbecher, who stands by the governor's side every day during his COVID-19 briefings, about what it's been like to be Arkansas's American Sign Language translator during the pandemic.

On today's show, we have the latest information from Governor Asa Hutchinson's coronavirus response briefing. Plus, we begin our series of conversations with instructors who will lead sessions next month for a University of Arkansas Honors College course about the pandemic. And, we speak with a local hair stylist, who has been connecting with her clients during the outbreak through virtual appointments.

On today's show, we have the latest from the governor's daily coronavirus response briefing. Plus, we speak with Michael Tilley of Talk Business and Politics about the latest jobless numbers in Arkansas and how River Valley restaurants are reacting to the upcoming restriction rollbacks. And, we learn more about how the coronavirus outbreak is impacting the state's Marshallese population, which is at higher risk for complications from COVID-19.

On today's show, we have the latest from Governor Asa Hutchinson's daily coronavirus response briefing. Plus, we continue our series of conversations with instructors for a University of Arkansas Honors forum taking place later this month called Pandemic. And, we find out about how unemployed and dislocated Arkansans can access free workforce training classes.

On today's show, we have the latest information from the governor's daily coronavirus response briefing. Plus, we speak with the emergency chiefs in Washington County about how they and their teams are faring and responding during the pandemic. And, we find out why smaller Arkansas cities and rural communities will likely take a harder economic hit from the outbreak than larger metro areas.

On today's show, we hear what the governor had to say during his latest coronavirus response briefing. Plus, we find out how Arkansas business owners and bankers are navigating the Paycheck Protection Program application process. And, we speak with local farmers about the types of adjustments they've had to make to get their products to customers.

On today's show, we have the latest from the governor's daily coronavirus response briefing. Plus, we find out about a new initiative that aims to expand opportunities for farmers and increase consumers' access to fresh produce. And, we speak with the director of the Illinois River Watershed Partnership about the recent changes made by the Trump administration to historic federal environmental policies.

On today's show, we have the latest updates from the governor's coronavirus response briefing. Plus, we hear from religious leaders at local churches, mosques and temples about their plans to reopen and how their congregations have fared during the pandemic. And, we find out about a virtual support group created to help people who've had COVID-19.

I was devastated when I saw the notification ping onto my phone that Nanika were taking away some of their noodle dishes.

There was a peaceful anti-war protest in DeKalb on Thursday evening. The event was part of a nationwide effort led by MoveOn.org. It gave people the opportunity to gather at 5:00 p.m. in their cities and say, "No War With Iran." DeKalb's protest took place at Peace Corner, just off Lincoln Highway and 1st Street. More than 50 people gathered to express their concern. Dani Brzozowski is running for Congress in Illinois' 16th District. She said, "I think President Trump and people like Representative Kinzinger thought they'd be able to take military action in Iran without fear of any consequence from the American public." She gestured to the cars driving by and the dozens of people around her and said, "That's not the case, right? People did not just sort of turn a blind eye to this." Matthew Fazekas said, "I'm 23. We went to war with Iraq when I was six years old. I think it's time for this kind of thing to stop." He continued, "We live in a very unpredictable time. Another war is just

When Celtic arrived home after their defeat by Feyenoord on May 6, 1970, everyone at Parkhead was understandably deflated, while the fans were in mourning for the lost chance of glory.

Many of us have flocked to our TVs to binge-watch a range of shows during the lockdown.

SINGER Marti Pellow has told fans he is proud of his Scottish roots and hometown Clydebank.