radio
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“Orion Samuelson, The Elvis Presley Of Agricultural Radio”
At the time of his death, I wrote an article about Orion Samuelson, the famed radio broadcaster who worked at WGN radio and reported on agricultural news. This weekend, The New York Times reported the news in its obituaries, and the headline certainly caught my eye. Raised on a Wisconsin dairy farm without electricity or… Continue reading
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Dean Richards: A Chicago Voice We Counted On
On this blustery Saturday, when a heavy coat is needed when walking outside, I sit at my desk to write what I hope will be a warm column about Dean Richards. This is one of those pieces that are from a list of topics needing a comment or two, but get left behind, given the… Continue reading
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Wisconsin-Born Legendary “Voice Of Agriculture”, Orion Samuelson, Dies At 91
Legendary WGN Radio farm broadcaster Orion Samuelson passed away Monday at the age of 91. Known as the “Voice of Agriculture,” his life is most worthy of recalling. Samuelson was born on a dairy farm in Ontario, Wisconsin, where a leg disease left him for a time nearly crippled as a teenager. He would take classes for six… Continue reading
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The Night Snow Took Over Sturgeon Bay, Stranding Radio Announcer At WDOR
I woke up today with news reports that Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, received 33 inches of snow from this weekend’s blizzard. That is not a typo. One’s mental jaw drops. All of a sudden, the snowblower work at our home in Madison did not seem daunting at all. I thought, after hearing the news of the… Continue reading
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Iran Fiasco Is Proof Why VOA Matters
The killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the joint U.S.–Israeli strikes this weekend marks one of the most consequential geopolitical ruptures in decades, and it underscores—more starkly than ever—why a fully empowered Voice of America is not a luxury but a strategic necessity. The breaking of international law by Donald Trump and his administration, along… Continue reading
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DXing Captivated Young And Old Alike
I came across the following diary entries from my husband’s 2nd great-grandfather, George Rowe, who was born just before the Civil War started in 1860. That means he was about 62 years old at the time he was DXing. Say what? George was a sheep farmer and retired schoolteacher who would sit by the amber… Continue reading
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Bruce DuMont Deserves To Be Remembered
In light of the news about Charlie Kirk so many other important stories have fallen between the cracks. Bruce DuMont, a longtime host of the Beyond the Beltway political radio talk show; the founder of the Museum of Broadcast Communications; and a former television producer, host, and analyst died at the age of 81. He… Continue reading
Caffeinated Politics 