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EIGHT FORTY-EIGHT

Audio Library

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Eight Forty-Eight—January 31, 2005

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Listen to Audio Cook County Board Infighting, Part One
Larry Suffredin—Commissioner, Cook County, 13th District

In a battle one player has compared to the infamous Chicago city council wars, the Cook County board is locked in a fight over taxes, spending cuts, and the future of an old hospital. We're first joined by 13th district commissioner Larry Suffredin.
   
Listen to Audio Cook County Board Infighting, Part Two
John Stroger—President, Cook County Board

We now turn to Cook County board president John Stroger to get his perspective on the Board's battle over taxes, spending cuts, and the future of old Cook County Hospital.
   
Listen to Audio Business Update
David Greising—Business Contributor

United Airlines's pilots' union has ratified a contract that includes an 11.8-percent pay cut. But the northwest suburban Elk Grove Village-based carrier is still scrambling to find common ground with its mechanics and flight attendants.

Business contributor David Greising is chief business correspondent for the Chicago Tribune.
   
Listen to Audio Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life
Amy Krouse Rosenthal—Author

If you've noticed copies of Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life sprinkled throughout Chicago, it's because Amy Krouse Rosenthal left them there. The Chicago writer and Eight Forty-Eight contributor sits down with us about her book.

Rosenthal is host of “Writers' Block Party,” our “show within a show.” She reads from and signs copies of Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life on Tuesday, February 1, 2005, at 7pm at Quimby's Bookstore—1854 West North Avenue in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. She also appears on Wednesday, February 2, 2005, at 7 pm at the Book Cellar—4736 North Lincoln Avenue in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood.

Book Information
Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life (Crown, 2005)
   
Listen to Audio Sports Update
Cheryl Raye-Stout—Sports Contributor

If all goes according to plan, Sammy Sosa's homers, hops, and two-fingered kisses will be history at Wrigley Field. Sports contributor Cheryl Raye-Stout joins us to discuss the possibility of Sosa being traded to the Baltimore Orioles.
   
Listen to Audio Elephant Behavior
Megan Wilson—Curator, Regenstein African Journey and Carnivores, Lincoln Park Zoo
Gianofer Fields—Producer and Correspondent

Do elephants grieve? Producer and correspondent Gianofer Fields visits Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo to learn how Wanky the elephant is coping with the deaths of her companions Peaches in January 2005 and Tatima in October 2004.
   
Listen to Audio Monday Music Corner: Juli Wood and Earma Thompson

The album, Blues for Earma Jean (Juli Wood, 2004), brings together two unique performers on Chicago's jazz scene: vocalist and baritone saxophonist Juli Wood and pianist Earma Thompson. Here's their track, “Evil Woman Blues.”

You can hear Earma Thompson on Saturday & Sunday, February 5 & 6, 2005, on Chicago Public Radio's Performance Space. She helps kick off the program's monthlong focus on the art of piano. Learn more at the Performance Space Web site >>
   

Eight Forty-Eight—January 28, 2005

With guest host Tony Sarabia

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Listen to Audio Month in Review
Julie Sell—Chicago Correpsondent, Economist
Steve Warmbir—Reporter, Chicago Sun-Times
Eric Zorn—Columnist, Chicago Tribune

Guest host Tony Sarabia reviews the top news stories of January with Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn, Chicago Sun-Times reporter Steve Warmbir, and the Economist's Chicago correspondent Julie Sell.
   
Listen to Audio Marketing the CHA
Originally aired January 28, 2005, on our news broadcasts
Catrin Einhorn—Producer and Correspondent, Chicago Public Radio News

The Chicago Housing Authority is about halfway through its Plan for Transformation, the $1.6 billion overhaul of the city's public housing. It's also in the middle of a marketing campaign aimed at selling Chicagoans on its vision. Chicago Public Radio's Catrin Einhorn reports.

Related Link
The Promise of Public Housing, 1936–1983: Photographs from the archives of the Chicago Housing Authority and the Chicago Historical Society

Web Extra!
See some of the new names of the new CHA properties, and hear how one of the names was generated, in our “Marketing the CHA” Web extra >>
   
Listen to Audio

Architect Philip Johnson Dies
Steve Edwards—Host, Eight Forty-Eight
Ed Keegan—Architecture Contributor

Architect Philip Johnson popularized "glass box" modernism and the internatonal style in America. Steve Edwards recently met up with contributor Ed Keegan at Johnson's building at 190 South LaSalle in Chicago to discuss his architectural legacy.

Johnson was the first person to receive the Pritzker Prize for Architecture. He died on Tuesday, January 25, 2005, at his home in Connecticut at the age of 98.

Keegan is a contributing editor of Architecture Magazine.

   
Listen to Audio Film Reviews
Jonathan Miller—Film Contributor

Film contributor Jonathan Miller reviews Jean-Luc Goddard's Notre Musique and the retrospective of Yasujiro Ozu's works at the Gene Siskel Film Center.

Notre Musique opens Thursday, January 28, 2005, at the The Music Box, 3733 North Southport Avenue, Chicago. Ohayo runs through Thursday, February 3, 2005 as a part of the Yasujiro Ozu film series at the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 North State Street, Chicago.

Jonathan Miller teaches film at University of Illinois, Chicago and the Illinois Institute of Technology.
   
Listen to Audio To The Beneficent Snow Shovellers
Kevin Coval—Poet and Contributor

Poet Kevin Coval reads his ode to the good samaritans who keep the sidewalks shoveled, "To The Beneficent Snow Shovellers."
   
Listen to Audio The Legacy of Carlos Cortez
Steve Edwards—Host, Eight Forty-Eight
Victor Sorrell—Art Historian and Associate Dean, School of Arts, Chicago State University

Steve Edwards speaks with art historian Victor Sorrell about the life and work of poet, muralist, and graphic artist Carlos Cortez. We also hear an excerpt from a recent documentary about Cortez in which the artist reads one of his poems.

Cortez died Wednesday, January 26, 2005, at the age of 81.
   

Eight Forty-Eight—January 27, 2005

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Listen to Audio Libraries of the Future
Kathleen Bethel—African American Studies Librarian, Northwestern University
Nathan Bierma—Journalist
Mary Dempsey—Commissioner, Chicago Public Library
Julie Spielberger—Senior Researcher, Chapin Hall Center for Children, University of Chicago

Some observers thought the rise of the Internet would be the death knell for local public libraries. But many libraries are busier than ever. What's keeping libraries viable, and what might they look like in the future?

Guest Kathleen Bethel is a part-time librarian at the Wilmette Public Library in the north suburbs. She's also a member of the American Library Association board. Nathan Bierma writes the weekly “On Language” column for the Chicago Tribune. His article, “Future Bound: The greatly exaggerated demise of an American institution,” appears in the January/February 2005 issue of Books and Culture magazine. Julie Spielberger is coauthor of the study, “New on the Shelf: Teens in the Library—Findings from the Evaluation of Public Libraries as Partners in Youth Development.”

Related Links
American Library Association
Chapin Hall—University of Chicago
Chicago Public Library
   
Listen to Audio Pictures of Home
Douglas Bukowski—Writer and Historian
Al Gini—Resident Philosopher

In his book, Pictures of Home: A Memoir of Family and City (Ivan R. Dee, 2004), Douglas Bukowski tells the story of one of Chicago's Polish communities seen through his immigrant family's eyes. Resident philosopher Al Gini talks with Bukowski.

Gini is a professor of philosophy and business ethics at Loyola University Chicago. He's also cofounder and associate editor of Business Ethics Quarterly, the journal of the Society for Business Ethics.
   
Listen to Audio The Streets and San Man's Guide to Chicago Eats
Dennis Foley—Writer
Steve Dolinsky—Food Contributor

Author Dennis Foley spent seven years driving for the City of Chicago's streets and sanitation department. And along the way, he learned about little restaurants, taverns, and other culinary gems tucked away in all corners of the city.

Contributor Steve Dolinsky is a food reporter for ABC Channel 7 in Chicago.

Book Information
The Streets and San Man's Guide to Chicago Eats (Lake Claremont Press, 2004).

Restaurants Mentioned
Borinquen Restaurant
1720 North California Avenue
Chicago
Tony's Beef
7007 South Pulaski Road
Chicago
Chi Tung
9560 South Kedzie Avenue
Evergreen Park
Top Notch
2116 West 95th Street
Chicago
Frank and Mary's Tavern
2905 North Elston Avenue
Chicago
Vito and Nick's
8535 South Pulaski Road
Chicago
Sean's Rhino Bar
10330 South Western Ave
Chicago
   
Listen to Audio The Chicago Dance Project
Scott Silberstein—Creator and Producer, The Chicago Dance Project

The Chicago-area dance community is launching an ambitious effort to reach out to local audiences with The Chicago Dance Project, a 13-part television series profiling 40 area dance companies—from the Joffrey to Jump Rhythm Dance Project.

The series debuts Sunday, January 30, 2005, at 9:30 pm on WTTW Channel 11 in Chicago.
   
Listen to Audio Playwright and Director Moises Kaufman
Moises Kaufman—Playwright and Theater Director
Jonathan Abarbanel—Theater Contributor

Acclaimed for such shows as The Laramie Project and Gross Indecency, Moises Kaufman has adopted Chicago sort of as a home away from home. He joins us to talk about the Chicago production of his Tony Award-winning play, I Am My Own Wife.

The show runs through February 20, 2005, at the Goodman Theatre—170 North Dearborn in downtown Chicago.
   
   

Eight Forty-Eight—January 26, 2005

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Listen to Audio Park Proposed for Former Meigs Field
Steve Shadley—Correspondent, Chicago Public Radio News

Almost two years after Chicago mayor Richard Daley bulldozed Meigs Field to make way for a new park on Northerly Island, the battle over the future of the lakefront site is heating up. Chicago Public Radio's Steve Shadley reports.

Public Hearings on the Chicago Park District's Northerly Island Park
February 19, 2005
10am–12pm
Humboldt Park
1440 North Sacramento Avenue, Chicago
March 2, 2005
6:30–8:30pm
Marquette Park
6734 South Kedzie Avenue, Chicago
March 15, 2005
10am–12pm
South Shore Cultural Center
7059 South Shore Drive, Chicago
   
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  444 North LaSalle Drive in downtown Chicago.
  444 North LaSalle Drive in downtown Chicago.
Chicago's Seven Most Threatened Buildings
Jonathan Fine—President, Preservation Chicago

Preservation Chicago president Jonathan Fine joins us to discuss “The Chicago Seven,” the group's annual list of the seven most threatened buildings in Chicago.

See our “Chicago Seven” slideshow >>
   
Listen to Audio Finding Your Chicago Ancestors
Grace Dumelle—Author and Historian
Jim Carrane—Contributor

Chicago historian Grace Dumelle first became interested in genealogy when she learned of her family's connections to the 1915 Eastland disaster. Now she's written a guide helping Chicago and Cook County residents dig into their own family histories.

Book Information
Finding Your Chicago Ancestors (Lake Claremont Press, 2004)
   
Listen to Audio In the Company of Sisters
Deborah Donnelley—Photographer

Oak Park photographer Deborah Donnelley spent more than a decade photographing and interviewing more than 40 sets of sisters, eventually weaving them into the book, In the Company of Sisters: Portraits and Reflections (Self-Published, 2003).
   
Listen to Audio Sister Monologue
Myra Donnelley—Author, Playwright, and Educator

The threads of art and sisterhood seem to run deep in the Donnelley family. Here now is Deborah's sister, Myra, reading an excerpt from “The Ninth Monologue.” It's part of her series of dramatic, sister-inspired monologues based on the nine muses.

Myra Donnelley lives in Portland, Oregon.
   
Listen to Audio Hot Chocolate
Delmy Rodriguez—Student

High school student Delmy Rodriguez shares a poem reflecting on a wintry treat and the warm thoughts of family it evokes. Rodriguez attends Curie High School on Chicago's southwest side, where she's part of the youth radio program.
   
   

Eight Forty-Eight—January 25, 2005

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Listen to Audio Toxic Sludge, Part One
Harold Henderson—Staff Writer, Chicago Reader

What do you do with nearly five million cubic yards of toxic mud? We dive into the debate over a plan to dredge the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal and put the toxic mud in a contained disposal facility in East Chicago, Indiana.

Guest Harold Henderson examines the issue in his article, “Don't Call It a Cleanup.” It's the cover story in the January 28, 2005, edition of the Chicago Reader.
   
Listen to Audio Toxic Sludge, Part Two
Bill White—Manager, Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal Project, United States Army Corps of Engineers

We now talk with the manager of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plan to dredge the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal. Some say the canal is the biggest single source of pollution in southern Lake Michigan.
   
Listen to Audio Studs Terkel—Will the Circle Be Unbroken?
Originally broadcast December 12, 2001
Studs Terkel—Special Contributor

We revisit a conversation with author, historian, and special contributor Studs Terkel about his 2001 book, Will the Circle Be Unbroken?: Reflections on Death, Rebirth, and Hunger for a Faith.
   
   

Eight Forty-Eight—January 24, 2005

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Listen to Audio Business Update
David Greising—Business Contributor

With talks of a merger between Marshall Field's parent company May Department Stores and Federated Department Stores, could it mean the end of a Chicago icon? Contributor David Greising weighs in on this and other Chicago-area business stories.

Greising is chief business correspondent for the Chicago Tribune.
   
Listen to Audio Historic Ties between Industry and Slavery
Lonnie Bunch—President, Chicago Historical Society

J.P. Morgan Chase's revelation that it has historic ties to slavery has been grabbing headlines, but Chicago Historical Society president Lonnie Bunch says you might be surprised to learn how many companies have such ties.
   
Listen to Audio Economics of Higher Ed
Tom Fuechtmann—Executive Director, Community and Government Relations, DePaul University

The list of economic powerhouses in Chicago's Loop isn't limited to banks, law firms, and other businesses: a study commissioned by DePaul University and 19 other educational institutions finds that college students carry surprising clout.
   
Listen to Audio Sports Update
Cheryl Raye-Stout—Sports Contributor

As the Chicago Bulls attempt to continue their winning streak, we talk with sports contributor Cheryl Raye-Stout about the Bulls' chances of doing something they haven't done since the Michael Jordan era: post a winning record.
   
Listen to Audio Deconstructing Documentaries
Sergio Mims—Film Critic and Screenwriter
Barbara Scharres—Director of Programming, Gene Siskel Film Center

With the success of films such as Fahrenheit 9/11, some are declaring 2004 “The Year of the Documentary.” We discuss the state of documentary filmmaking and the Gene Siskel Film Center's annual documentary series, “Stranger than Fiction.”

The series continues through February 3, 2005. Guest Sergio Mims is an occasional contributor to our program.

Related Link
Gene Siskel Film Center
   
Listen to Audio Rule 225
Brian Timpone—Publisher, Madison County Record

Madison County, Illinois, has become a lightning rod in the national debate over class action lawsuits, attracting attention from tort reformers such as President Bush. And tort reform advocates are taking their case to the Illinois supreme court.

Listen to Audio Related Audio
Originally aired January 5, 2005, on our news broadcasts
Chicago Public Radio's Tony Sarabia reports on the debate over medical malpractice and tort reform in Illinois.
   
Listen to Audio Monday Music Corner: L'Altra
Lindsay Anderson—Musician
Joe Costa—Musician

Lindsay Anderson and Joe Costa of the Chicago band, L'Altra, tell us about the long and winding road to their 2005 album, Different Days (Hefty Records, 2005)...and why breaking up is hard to do.
   
   

Eight Forty-Eight—January 21, 2005

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Listen to Audio In the Realms of the Unreal: The Mystery of Henry Darger
Jonathan Miller—Film Contributor
Jessica Yu—Director, In the Realms of the Unreal: The Mystery of Henry Darger

Film contributor Jonathan Miller speaks with director Jessica Yu about her film, In the Realms of the Unreal: The Mystery of Henry Darger, and about the life of the Chicago janitor/artist.

In the Realms of the Unreal: The Mystery of Henry Darger
screens through January 27, 2005 at the Music Box, 3733 North Southport Avenue, Chicago, and at The Century 12 and Cine Arts Theater, 1715 Maple Avenue, Evanston. The Music Box will host a Q & A with Darger expert Michael Bonesteel at 7:30 pm on January 21 and 22. 
   
Listen to Audio Chicago Gas Service Outage
Ray Salazar—Contributor

Contributor Ray Salazar recalls his experience with the gas service outage near Midway airport. 
   
Listen to Audio

Sewage Blending

The EPA is considering a change in policy for sewage treatment plants in the Great Lakes region. Environmentalists say this could lead to increased water polution and greater risk to public health. Mark Brush reports on the debate over sewage blending.  

Related Link
Great Lakes Radio Consortium

   
Listen to Audio Theater Reviews
Jonathan Abarbanel—Theater Contributor

Contributor Jonathan Abarbanel reviews Solo Latinas, The Game of Love and Chance, and Someone Who'll Watch Over Me.

Solo Latinas
runs through February 13, 2005 at Chicago Dramatists, 1105 West Chicago Avenue, Chicago. The Game of Love and Chance runs through February 13, 2005 at the Breadline Center for the Performing Arts, 1802 West Bernice Avenue, Chicago. Someone Who'll Watch Over Me runs through February 27, 2005 at the Victory Gardens Theater, 2257 North Lincoln Avenue, Chicago. 
   
Listen to Audio Strawdog Wireless: WRLS Radio Theater
Nic Diamond—Artistic Director, Strawdog Theater Company
James Anthony Zoccoli—Director, Strawdog wireless Programme Three

An off-loop theater company resurrects the art of the radio drama.

Strawdog Wireless Programme Three runs through January 31, 2005 at the Strawdog Theater, 3829 North Broadway Avenue, Chicago. 
   
Listen to Audio Cookin'
Yung Choi—Castmember, Cookin'

The percussion based off-Broadway hit Cookin' is a mix of Benihana meets Stomp.

Cookin'
runs through January 23, 2005 at The Chicago Theatre, 175 North State Street, Chicago. 
   
Listen to Audio Lukas Foss
Lukas Foss—Composer

Composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher Lukas Foss speaks with Peter Whorf about a life in music. 
   
   

Eight Forty-Eight—January 20, 2005

Part of this edition was preempted for special coverage of President George W. Bush's second inauguration.

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Listen to Audio Too Much Convention Space?
Heywood Sanders—Professor, Department of Public Administration; University of Texas, San Antonio

As the City of Chicago continues its $850 million expansion of McCormick Place, the Brookings Institution has released a study finding that nationwide, convention attendance has been declining, even as exhibition space has been increasing.

Related Link
Brookings Institution—“Space Available: The Realities of Convention Centers as Economic Development Strategy”
   
Listen to Audio Kendall College Moves to Goose Island
Steve Dolinsky—Food Contributor

After 70 years in north suburban Evanston, venerable culinary school Kendall College has relocated to Goose Island on Chicago's near-west side. Food contributor Steve Dolinsky drops by to check out Kendall's new digs.

Dolinsky is a food reporter for ABC Channel 7 in Chicago.

Related Link
Kendall College
   
Listen to Audio Riding the Illinois Rails
Originally aired January 20, 2005, on our news broadcasts
Tony Sarabia—Correspondent, Chicago Public Radio News

On the eve of President Bush's second inauguration, Chicago Public Radio's Tony Sarabia hops aboard Amtrak's California Zephyr to find out what's on the hearts and minds of Illinois residents. He takes us from Chicago southwest to Galesburg.
   
Listen to Audio Bush-Daley Connection
John McCarron—Journalist

Chicago mayor Richard Daley may be the Illinois leader with the closest political and personal relationship with President George W. Bush. So what could that mean for Illinois under Bush's second term?

Guest John McCarron is a former editorial board member and urban affairs reporter for the Chicago Tribune.
   
Listen to Audio Dear Mr. Bush
Dan Sinker—Founder, Publisher, and Editor, Punk Planet

Chicago writer and Punk Planet founder Dan Sinker tells us about his pledge to send a letter a day to President Bush until the end of his second term.

Listen to Audio Related Audio
Originally broadcast December 8, 2004
A conversation with Dan Sinker about Punk Planet
   
   

Eight Forty-Eight—January 19, 2005

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Listen to Audio Renaissance 2010 Roundtable
Elizabeth Kneebone—Research Project Manager, Illinois Facilities Fund
Jay Field—Correspondent, Chicago Public Radio News
Alexander Russo—Education Contributor

The Chicago Public Schools has announced the first 18 schools in its ambitious Renaissance 2010 plan. We discuss what the move means for students, parents, and neighborhoods and for the future of school reform in Chicago.

Contributor Alexander Russo is a contributing editor of Catalyst magazine and editor of the book, School Reform in Chicago.
   
Listen to Audio Choosing a Summer Camp
Gordon Kaplan—Executive Director, American Camping Association, Illinois

With reportedly more than 8000 day and overnight camps in the U.S., choosing the right one can be mind-boggling. The American Camping Association of Illinois's Gordie Kaplan stops by with his advice.

The Camp and Summer Adventure Fair takes place on Saturday, January 22, 2005, at Seven Bridges in southwest suburban Woodridge and on Sunday, January 23, 2005, at the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort in north suburban Lincolnshire.
   
Listen to Audio Director Robert Altman
Robert Altman—Filmmaker

Legendary film director Robert Altman sits down with host Steve Edwards about transferring his 1978 movie, The Wedding, from the silver screen to the operatic stage.

A collaboration among Altman, Pulitzer-winning composer William Bolcom, and librettist Arnold Weinstein, The Wedding continues through Friday, January 21, 2005, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Related Link
Lyric Opera of Chicago

Listen to Audio Related Audio
Originally broadcast December 15, 2004
A conversation with composer William Bolcom about A Wedding
   
Listen to Audio Sing a Song of Tuna Fish
Esme Raji Codell—Author

Writer and former teacher Esme Raji Codell wants children to revel in the joy of their everyday lives. And she's tapped into her own memories of growing up on Chicago's north side for a collection of essays reflecting on both the ordinary and the absurd.

Book Information
Sing a Song of Tuna Fish: Hard-to-Swallow Stories from Fifth Grade (Hyperion, 2004)
   
Listen to Audio Las Guitarras de Espana
Carlo Basile—Musician

The flamenco-inspired sounds of Chicago's Las Guitarras de Espana reflect the lifelong musical journey of founder Carlos Basile. He joins us to talk about the ensemble's CD, Un Respiro por el Mundo (Sweet Pickle, 2005).

Las Guitarras de Espana performs on March 9, 2005, at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago.
   
   

Eight Forty-Eight—January 18, 2005

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Listen to Audio Iraqis Vote Out-of-Country, Part One
Originally aired January 18, 2005, on our news broadcasts
Jay Field—Correspondent, Chicago Public Radio News

As Iraqis living abroad begin registering to vote in Iraq's January 30, 2005, elections, Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field visits a registration site in north suburban Skokie, one of two in the Chicago area.

Registration continues through Sunday, January 23, 2005. More information is available at 800.916.8292 or at the Iraq Out-of-Country Voting Program Web site.
   
Listen to Audio Iraqis Vote Out-of-Country, Part Two
Oliver Vick—Head of Office, International Organization for Migation, Chicago

We're now joined by Oliver Vick, who heads the Chicago office of the group that's organizing the Iraq Out-of-Country Voting Program.
   
Listen to Audio McKenna Elected Illinois GOP Chair
Andrew McKenna, Jr.—Chairman-Elect, State Central Committee, Illinois Republican Party

North suburban Glenview businessman Andrew McKenna, Jr., faces the task of resurrecting a state party battered by election defeats, ideological struggles, and high-profile scandals. He talks with host Steve Edwards about his plans for the Illinois GOP.
   
Listen to Audio Race and Environmental Policy

The Great Lakes Radio Consortium's Lester Graham reports on one person's efforts to involve more people of color in the administration of environmental policy.

Related Link
Great Lakes Radio Consortium
   
Listen to Audio Heart Surgery Pioneer, Dr. Daniel Hale Williams
Margo Crawford—Education Consultant, Provident Foundation
Jim Myles—President, Provident Foundation

In 1893, an African American doctor named Daniel Hale Williams performed the world's first successful heart surgery at Provident Hospital in Chicago. We learn more from two organizers of a tribute to Dr. Williams's life and legacy.

Related Link
Provident Foundation
   
Listen to Audio Hero, Hawk, and Open Hand
Originally broadcast January 16, 2005, on Hello Beautiful!
Richard Townsend—Curator, Department of African and Amerindian Art, Art Institute of Chicago
Edward Lifson—Host, Hello Beautiful!
Segment produced by Ernst Karel

Art Institute of Chicago curator Richard Townsend reflects on how he was enchanted by archaeology when he was eight years old and how digs in Mexico inspired an exhibit exploring the Midwest's American Indian past.

The exhibit, Hero, Hawk, and Open Hand: American Indian Art of the Ancient Midwest and South, runs through January 30, 2005, at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Related Link
Art Institute of Chicago
   
Listen to Audio Meet “Me-TV”
Wally Podrazik—Media Contributor

Barney Miller and the gang are back. They're part of the lineup on a Chicago television station where old is new again. Media contributor Wally Podrazik has these thoughts on Chicago's Channel 23, better known as “Me-TV.”

Podrazik is coauthor of Watching TV: Six Decades of American Television.
   
Listen to Audio Deep Blue Organ Trio
Bobby Broom—Musician
Chris Foreman—Musician
Greg Rockingham—Musician
Dan Bindert—Jazz Host and Producer, Chicago Public Radio

Tuesday nights, the Green Mill cocktail lounge in Chicago's Uptown is filled with the up-tempo grooves of the Deep Blue Organ Trio. Chicago Public Radio's Dan Bindert talks with the Trio about its 2004 release, Deep Blue Bruise (Delmark).

The Deep Blue Organ Trio performs Tuesday, February 18, 2005, at 9 pm at the Green Mill—4802 North Broadway.
   
   

Eight Forty-Eight—January 17, 2005

A special encore edition honoring the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., featuring stories about trailblazers in the civil rights movement

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Listen to Audio Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement
Originally broadcast July 25, 2003
Barbara Ransby—Associate Professor of African-American Studies and History, University of Illinois, Chicago
Richard Steele—Special Contributor

Unless you've studied the civil rights movement in depth, you may not know the name Ella Baker. But the story of the tireless leader is told in an award-winning book by UIC professor—and Eight Forty-Eight contributor—Barbara Ransby.

Book Information
Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement: A Radical Democratic Vision (University of North Carolina Press, 2003)
   
Listen to Audio Martin Luther King, Jr., Poem
Originally broadcast February 6, 2004
Kevin Coval—Poet and Contributor

Contributor Kevin Coval offers a modern interpretation of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy.

Coval is a poet and performance artist in Chicago. He works with the organization, Young Chicago Authors, and is a regular guest on Russell Simmons's Def Poetry Jam.
   
Listen to Audio Pullman Porters Influenced Labor, Civil Rights Movements
Originally broadcast July 21, 2004
Larry Tye—Journalist

In his book, Rising from the Rails, former Boston Globe reporter Larry Tye says that for 100 years after the end of the Civil War, the most important black man in America was the Pullman porter.

Book Information
Rising from the Rails: Pullman Porters and the Making of the Black Middle Class (Henry Holt and Co., 2004)
   
Listen to Audio We Shall Overcome
Originally broadcast November 29, 2004
Herb Boyd—Journalist
Monique Carradine—Contributor

Sounds and images of the civil rights movement are captured in a book and CD collection by award-winning author and journalist Herb Boyd. He's paired historic and newly-discovered photos with two CDs of speeches, news reports, and personal stories.

Book Information
We Shall Overcome: The History of the Civil Rights Movement As It Happened (Sourcebooks Mediafusion, 2004)
   
   

Eight Forty-Eight—January 14, 2005

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Listen to Audio O'Hare Environmental Impact Statement—Part One
Joseph Karaganis—Attorney for the Suburban O'Hare Commission

Chicago city officials hope an FAA report will speed up O'Hare Airport expansion plans but suburban officials say not so fast. We discuss the O'Hare Enviornmental Impact Statement with Joseph Karaganis, attorney for the Surbaban O'Hare Commission. 
   
Listen to Audio O'Hare Environmental Impact Statement—Part Two
Rosemarie Andolino—Executive Director, O'Hare Modernization Program

We hear another view of what the O'Hare Environmental Impact Statement means for the city of Chicago with Rosemarie Andolino, executive director of the O'Hare Moderization Program. 
   
Listen to Audio The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till
Keith Beauchamp—Filmmaker

Final justice in the case of a 14-year-old African American boy from Chicago who was tortured and murdered for allegedly whistling at a white woman in Mississippi. Keith Beauchamp joins us to discuss the film and the investigation that it prompted.

The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till
screens Friday, January 14 and 18, 2005 at The Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 North State Street, Chicago. 
   
Listen to Audio Film Reviews
Jonathan Miller—Film Contributor

Film contributor Jonathan Miller reviews Wong Kar Wai's Days of Being Wild, In the Realms of the Unreal: the Mysterious Life of Henry Darger, and the DVD release of Un Chien Andalou, a 1928 film by Luis Bunuel and Salvidor Dali.

Wong Kar Wai's Days of Being Wild
screens through January 20, 2005 at The Music Box, 3733 North Southport Avenue, Chicago. In the Realms of the Unreal: the Mysterious Life of Henry Darger opens January 21, 2005 at The Music Box, 3733 North Southport Avenue, Chicago. Miller teaches film at Illinois Institute of Technology and at the University of Illinois, Chicago.  
   
Listen to Audio Embodying Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Kevin McLlvaine—Singer and Performer

Chicagoan Kevin McLlvaine embodies the spirit of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in performance around the country and gains the strength to embody Dr. King through divine guidance.

Kevin McLlvaine performs with the Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church Choir January 14-17, 2005 at The Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. 
   
Listen to Audio Stories on Stage Live Performance of Temporary Insanity
Bradley Mott—Actor

Bradley Mott reads an excerpt from the Stories on Stage season opener by R. T. Smith.

Temporary Insanity
can be seen at 3 pm Sunday, January 16, 2005, at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago. 
   
Listen to Audio Tribute to “The King” Competition
Jimmy “King” Kai—Elvis Impersonator

Jimmy “King” Kai warms up for this weekend's tribute to Elvis competition held in Springfield.

Recycled Records and Miller Lite's 9th annual Midwest “Tribute to the King” competition is Jan 14-15, 2005, Springfield, Illinois. 
   
   

Eight Forty-Eight—January 13, 2005

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Listen to Audio Illinois GOP Elects Chair
Jeff Berkowitz—Host, Public Affairs, CAN TV
Christine Dudley—Republican Strategist
Carlos Hernandez Gomez—Correspondent, Chicago Public Radio News

As Illinois Republicans take a major step toward rebuilding the state party after the 2004 elections, a panel of political experts joins us to discuss what it'll take to right the GOP ship, who can make it happen, and the party's chances in 2006.

Guest Christine Dudley is a former executive director of the Illinois Republican Party. She's also a former Midwest regional director for the Republican National Committee.
   
Listen to Audio Al Gini—Social and Cultural Facts and Stats
Al Gini—Resident Philosopher

It's been said that there are three kinds of lies in the world: lies, damned lies, and statistics. Resident philosopher Al Gini stops by to explore our endless fascination with statistics...and to share a few lies of his own.

Book Discussed
Numbers by David Boyle and Anita Roddick (Chelsea Green Publishing Company, 2004)

Gini is a professor of philosophy and business ethics at Loyola University Chicago. He's also cofounder and associate editor of Business Ethics Quarterly, the journal of the Society for Business Ethics.
   
Listen to Audio Indoor Grilling
Steven Raichlen—Writer
Steve Dolinsky—Food Contributor

Food contributor Steve Dolinsky learns how to extend barbecue season into the winter months, as he sits down with Steven Raichlen, coauthor of How to Grill: The Complete Illustrated Book of Barbecue Techniques (Workman Publishing, 2001).

Raichlen is also author of The Barbecue! Bible, and he hosts a PBS series about barbecue. Dolinsky is a food reporter for ABC Channel 7 in Chicago.
   
Listen to Audio River North Dance Company Turns 15
Originally broadcast January 9, 2005, on Hello Beautiful!
Frank Chaves—Artistic Director, River North Dance Company
Kelly Kleiman—Dance and Culture Critic, Hello Beautiful!
Segment produced by Ernst Karel

Hello Beautiful! dance critic Kelly Kleiman praises Chicago's River North Dance Company for choreography that represents some of the best in the American jazz tradition. We also hear from River North artistic director Frank Chaves.

Performances Mentioned
Saturday, January 15, 2005
7:30 pm
Moraine Valley Community College
Fine and Performing Arts Center
Palos Hills, Illinois
Sunday, January 16, 2005
7 pm
Prairie Center for the Arts
Schaumburg, Illinois
   
Listen to Audio Mahalia, Marian, and Civil Rights
Geraldine DeHaas—Founder and President, Jazz Unites
Travis Jackson—Associate Professor of Music and the Humanities, University of Chicago
Richard Steele—Special Contributor

We explore how legendary singers Mahalia Jackson and Marian Anderson helped shape the civil rights movement, using their powerful voices to battle prejudice and break racial barriers.

Guest Geraldine DeHaas's organization, Jazz Unites, hosts the 20th annual historical and musical tribute to Mahalia Jackson and Marian Anderson on Sunday, January 16, 2005, at 4 pm at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, located at Millennium Park in downtown Chicago.
   
   

Eight Forty-Eight—January 12, 2005

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Listen to Audio Chicago's Falling Crime Rate—Word on the Street
Diantha Parker—Correspondent, Chicago Public Radio News

Chicago Public Radio's Diantha Parker visits part of Chicago's Harrison police district, where the homicide rate dropped by more than half in 2004, to see what residents are saying about their safer community.
   
Listen to Audio Chicago's Falling Crime Rate—CeaseFire
Tio Hardiman—Director, Gang Mediation Services, CeaseFire Chicago

Working with Chicago police, the organization CeaseFire tackles crime from a public health angle, treating violence like a behavior that can be prevented through education and personal intervention. We meet up with CeaseFire Chicago's Tio Hardiman.
   
Listen to Audio Chicago's Falling Crime Rate—How Low Can It Go?
Dr. Gary Slutkin—Executive Director, CeaseFire Chicago; Research Professor, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Illinois, Chicago

We talk with CeaseFire Chicago's executive director, Dr. Gary Slutkin, about the factors that are contributing to Chicago's lower murder rate and how City officials and residents can work together to maintain the decrease.
   
Listen to Audio Illinois Gay Rights Bill, Perspective One
Larry McKeon—State Representative, 13th District, Illinois

Both chambers of the General Assembly have passed a measure that puts Illinois in position to become the 15th state to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. We're joined by Chicago Democrat Larry McKeon, who supported the bill. McKeon is the only openly gay lawmaker in the Illinois general assembly.
   
Listen to Audio Illinois Gay Rights Bill, Perspective Two
Terry Parke—State Representative, 44th District, Illinois

We now turn to State Representative Terry Parke, a Republican from northwest suburban Hoffman Estates. He opposed the gay rights amendment to Illinois's human rights law, which already bans discrimination on race, religion, and other bases.
   
Listen to Audio Lutherans May Ordain Clergy in Same-Sex Relationships
Jason DeRose—Correspondent, Chicago Public Radio News

A task force within the Illinois-based Evangelical Lutheran Church of America is getting ready to weigh in on two questions: should the Church ordain clergy in same-sex relationships? And should it create a ceremony for blessing same-sex unions?
   
Listen to Audio Climate and Water
Torbjörn Törnqvist—Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, Chicago
Gianofer Fields—Producer and Correspondent

About 8200 years ago, a lake in the North Atlantic broke through barriers, drained through Hudson Bay, and drastically changed Earth's climate. Dr. Torbjörn Törnqvist tells our Gianofer Fields what we can learn from this catastrophic event.
   
Listen to Audio Tsunami Relief Benefit at Uncommon Ground
Jeff Libman—Musician and Author

Chicago singer-songwriter Jeff Libman tells us about a concert he's organizing to help survivors of the South Asian tsunami disaster. Libman is author of the book, An Immigrant Class: Oral Histories of Chicago's Newest Immigrants.

The benefit takes place on Saturday, January 15, 2005, at 7:30 pm at Uncommon Ground coffeehouse and cafe—1214 West Grace Street in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood.

Listen to Audio Related Audio
Originally broadcast October 19, 2004, on Worldview
An interview with Jeff Libman about his book, An Immigrant Class
   
   

Eight Forty-Eight—January 11, 2005

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Listen to Audio Duff Pleads Guilty
Carlos Hernandez Gomez—Correspondent, Chicago Public Radio News

The federal fraud case against Chicago's Duff family, longtime Mayor Daley supporters, has taken a major turn: James Duff has pleaded guilty to all 33 counts related to bilking the City of Chicago out of millions under its minority contracting program.
   
Listen to Audio Substance Abuse Treatment in Illinois
Originally aired January 11, 2005, on our news broadcasts
Catrin Einhorn—Correspondent, Chicago Public Radio News

Cook County voters overwhelmingly passed a referendum on the November 2004 ballot asking whether Illinois should fund substance abuse treatment for any state resident. Now advocates are pushing lawmakers to actually implement the measure.
   
Listen to Audio Great Lakes Policy

The Great Lakes Radio Consortium's Lester Graham talks with the U.S. chair of the International Joint Commission, which advises the U.S. and Canada on Great Lakes issues, about major policy decisions on the table for 2005.

Related Link
Great Lakes Radio Consortium
   
Listen to Audio Boeing and Airbus Continue Negotiations
Raphael Minder—Correspondent, Financial Times

U.S. and European Union officials are back at the bargaining table in another effort to resolve a monthslong trade dispute between Chicago-based Boeing and its chief rival Airbus over subsidies and unfair practices.
   
Listen to Audio Faith and Medicine
Dr. Farr Curlin—Instructor of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine; Department of Medicine, University of Chicago
Jason DeRose—Correspondent, Chicago Public Radio News

Do modern medicine and religious faith collide? Chicago Public Radio's Jason DeRose talks with the University of Chicago Hospitals' Dr. Farr Curlin, lead author of the study, “When Patients Choose Faith over Medicine.”

The study appears in the January 2005 edition of The Archives of Internal Medicine.
   
Listen to Audio Advances in Radiology
Dr. Thomas Brady—Radiologist, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
Dr. Michael Brant Zawgdzki—Radiologist, Hoag Memorial Hospital; Newport Beach, California
Dr. Quentin Young—Medical Contributor

X-ray, ultrasound, and other nonsurgical ways to look inside our bodies are one of the fastest-growing fields in medicine. Contributor Dr. Quentin Young talks with two experts about some radiological breakthroughs and how they're helping doctors.
   
Listen to Audio The Coctails
Mark Greenberg—Musician
Barry Phipps—Musician
Archer Prewitt—Musician
John Upchurch—Musician

Known for kitschy, yet charming, musical performances, the Chicago-based band, the Coctails, played its last show on New Year's Eve, 1995. But the members have temporarily reunited in support of a box set encapsulating the Coctails experience.

Album Information
Popcorn Box (Carrot Top Records, 2004)
   
   

Eight Forty-Eight—January 10, 2005

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Listen to Audio Illinois Lawmaker Tries to Squeeze in Gay Rights Measure
Christie Parsons—Staff Reporter, Chicago Tribune

With only one day left in the tenure of the 93rd General Assembly, Democratic State Senator Carol Ronen of Chicago is trying to pass a long-debated gay rights measure.
   
Listen to Audio Indiana Politics Changes Guard
Dan Lowery—Associate Professor of Management, Calumet College of St. Joseph

When Mitch Daniels takes the oath of office, Indiana inaugurates its first Republican governor in 16 years. Calumet College of St. Joseph professor Dan Lowery joins us to talk about Indiana politics, the state's economy, and the job ahead for Daniels.
   
Listen to Audio East Chicago Mayor's First Week
John Byrne—Staff Writer, Post-Tribune, Northwest Indiana

George Pabey—East Chicago, Indiana's first new mayor in 32 years—has wasted little time in making his presence felt. We discuss Pabey's transition to office with the Northwest Indiana Post Tribune's John Byrne.
   
Listen to Audio What You've Been Missing
Janet Desaulniers—Author

Janet Desaulniers's award-winning short story collection, What You've Been Missing (University of Iowa Press, 2004), is filled with characters coping with a profound sense of loss. The north suburban Evanston writer joins us in studio.

What You've Been Missing won the University of Iowa's 2004 John Simmons Short Fiction Award. Desaulniers teaches in the Master of Fine Arts in Writing program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
   
Listen to Audio Business Update
David Greising—Business Contributor

Contributor David Greising brings us up to speed on bankruptcy proceedings and labor negotiations at United Airlines, a settlement in the Pritzker family lawsuit, and ongoing trouble for Arthur Andersen.

Greising is chief business correspondent for the Chicago Tribune.
   
Listen to Audio Sports Update
Cheryl Raye-Stout—Sports Contributor

Host Steve Edwards talks with sports contributor Cheryl Raye-Stout about the red-hot Bulls, the Bears' offensive coordinator Ron Turner, and off-season baseball moves.
   
Listen to Audio Oprah's Boy
Paolo Presta—Actor
Jim Carrane—Contributor

After working at his father's produce store for most of his life, Chicago resident Paolo Presta was itching for a new opportunity. And thanks to his idol, Oprah Winfrey, Presta landed a guest spot on NBC's “Will and Grace”...and a shot at stardom.
   
Listen to Audio Monday Music Corner: International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE)

Comprised of Chicago- and New York-based musicians, ICE works to expand the boundaries of contemporary chamber music. Its 2003–04 season won first prize in the Chamber Music America/ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming.

In this segment, we feature the Ensemble's Confluence: Concerto No. 4 for 15 Players. ICE performs Friday, January 14, 2005, at 8 pm at Columbia College Chicago. The concert is free, and it features music by Pulitzer-winning composer, Mario Davidovsky.

Related Link
International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE)
   
   

Eight Forty-Eight—January 7, 2005

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Listen to Audio United Airlines Bankruptcy Troubles
Douglas Baird—Professor, Law School, University of Chicago

United Airlines's CEO seeks approval from a Chicago judge to allow United to pursue new labor agreements with union employees without the possibility of strikes. United needs to cut $725 million in labor costs to survive.

   
Listen to Audio Airline Industry Analysis
David Field—Americas Editor, Airline Business

United is not the only airline struggling to stay aloft these days. David Field joins us to discuss the highs and lows of the airline industry.  
   
Listen to Audio University of Chicago Graduate School of Business
Originally broadcast December 5, 2004, on Hello Beautiful!
Judith McBrien—Author, The Pocket Guide to Chicago Architecture

Designed by architect Rafael Vinoly, the U of C's new Graduate School of Business in Hyde Park is intended to coexist with three important structures very near the site: Rockefeller Chapel, Ida Noyes Hall, and Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House.

The GSB's Hyde Park Center is located at 5807 South Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago.

Related Link
University of Chicago Graduate School of Business
 

   
Listen to Audio Verbatim: The Language Quarterly
Erin McKean—Editor, Verbatim: The Language Quarterly

Erin McKean, editor of the Chicago based magazine Verbatim: The Language Quarterly, talks about what it's like to be a lexicographer and the 30th anniversary issue of Verbatim
   
Listen to Audio Theater Reviews
Jonathan Abarbanel—Theater Contributor

Contributor Jonathan Abarbanel reviews productions of From Fear to Eternity, Teibele and her Demon, and Confessions of a Mormon Boy.

From Fear to Eternity is open ended and is at The Second City e.t.c.—1608 North Wells Street, Chicago. Teibele and her Demon runs through February 6, 2005 at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 North Southport Avenue, Chicago. And Confessions of a Mormon Boy runs through January 16, 2005 at the Balliwick Arts Center—1229 West Belmont Avenue, Chicago. 
   
Listen to Audio Misconceptions of a Delusion and Shades of a Charade
Ernest Dawkins—Blues Saxophonist

Ernest Dawkins's CD release Misconceptions of a Delusion and Shades of a Charade is inspired by the 1969 trial of Abby Hoffman and seven others for their role in the riots that took place during the Democratic National Convention.

Misconceptions of a Delusion and Shades of a Charade
CD release party January 7, 2005 at the HotHouse—31 East Balbo Drive, Chicago. 
   
   

Eight Forty-Eight—January 6, 2005

Preempted for Special Coverage
   
   

Eight Forty-Eight—January 5, 2005

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Listen to Audio Ryan Racketeering Evidence Unsealed
Carlos Hernandez Gomez—Correspondent, Chicago Public Radio News

With the release of a 114-page document known as a Santiago proffer, the public is getting its most complete look yet at the federal government's case against former Illinois governor George Ryan and his longtime friend and associate Larry Warner.
   
Listen to Audio Cook County Budget
Mickey Ciokajlo—Staff Reporter, Chicago Tribune

After weeks of delay, Cook County Board president John Stroger is finally unveiling his 2005 spending plan. Reports say it includes a mix of tax and fee increases, and it's expected to face strong criticism from some County commissioners.
   
Listen to Audio Cook County Property Taxes
James Houlihan—Assessor, Cook County

Cook County assessor James Houlihan joins us to respond to Chicago mayor Richard Daley's proposals to assess property values annually instead of every three years and to establish permanent property tax caps.
   
Listen to Audio Ryno Elected to Hall of Fame
Cheryl Raye-Stout—Sports Contributor

By the end of his career, former Chicago Cubs star Ryne Sandberg had set the record for the most home runs of any second baseman in history. We talk with sports contributor Cheryl Raye-Stout about Sandberg's election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
   
Listen to Audio TV's Second Season
Wally Podrazik—Media Contributor

January has become such a popular time for the launch of both new and returning programs that many refer to it as the beginning of TV's “second season.” Media contributor Wally Podrazik shares some of his highlights for 2005.

Podrazik is coauthor of Watching TV: Six Decades of American Television.
   
Listen to Audio The Arts and Crafts Interior
Stephen Eisenman—Associate Professor of Art History, Northwestern University

Host Steve Edwards tours an exhibition at Northwestern University's Block Museum of Art that explores the roots of the arts and crafts movement through the work of British designer William Morris and American furniture manufacturer Gustav Stickley.

The exhibit, How We Might Live: The Arts and Crafts Interior, continues through March 6, 2005.

Related Link
Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art