President Donald Trump threatens to nationalize elections and send I.C.E. agents to conduct raids on polling places. Is Wisconsin ready? Nick Ramos from the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign comes to the Buzz with some strategies to keep our elections fair. www.wortfm.org/wi-democracy...

Historian Daniel Lord Smail joins us with the compelling story of Magdalena Coline, a 14th century Mediterranean slave who ended up successfully suing her slavemaster in court. www.wortfm.org/magdalena-co...

Madison supergroup Combo Noir has had it with this whole Valentine’s Day thing. They’ll present their “To Hell With Love” concert on February 14th at the North Street Cabaret. But first, they’ll join us here on the Buzz with some tracks from their brand new CD. www.wortfm.org/combo-noir-s...

Minnesota Immigration Rights Action Coalition co-founder Erika Zurawski tells how they’ve prepared for years for the Department of Homeland Security’s “Operation Metro Surge.” #Minneapolis #Minnesota #immigrants #activist #ICE www.wortfm.org/mn-immigrant...

With Governor Tim Walz deploying the Minnesota National Guard to Minneapolis, what’s the risk of armed conflict between the state and federal governments? John W. Hall gives us a historical perspective. #ICE #NationalGuard #Minnesota #history www.wortfm.org/historical-p...

Thirty years ago, on Groundhog Day, in a howling snowstorm, Madison’s hardest-working klezmer band, Yid Vicious got its start. The band plays live in the WORT studios to celebrate! #klezmer #Wisconsin #YidVicious www.wortfm.org/yid-vicious-...

NEW: The @wired.com Security desk put together a comprehensive guide to filming ICE—with tips for reducing risk at the forefront. No paywall, but please consider subscribing to help find these kinds of resources. And stay safe out there. www.wired.com/story/how-to... www.wired.com/v2/offers/wi...

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Trump regime ICE forces are mutilating unarmed civilians. Regime forces are firing kinetic impact projectiles at close range, causing severe injuries that can result in permanent disability or death. Today, they tore off part of a woman’s hand. #3E #GoodvsEvil

This Could Be You. Spraypaint on cement. #alexpretti #fuckice #fucktruml

Thousands gathered in Madison’s Capitol Square to protest the killing of Alex Pretti by I.C.E. agents in Minneapolis. #alexpretti #ICE www.wortfm.org/speeches-fro...

Data centers and their associated power lines threaten rural Wisconsin communities and the environment. Journalist Christian Thorsburg spoke with the 8 O'Clock Buzz on WORT-FM. www.wortfm.org/data-centers...

The City of Madison argues in court that absentee voting is a privilege, not a right. Many in the state, including Governor Tony Evers, vehemently disagree. Votebeat Wisconsin’s Alexander Shur joins the 8 O'Clock Buzz on WORT-FM with the details. www.wortfm.org/madison-clai...

UW’s Cinematheque launches its spring season of art house films and restorations. The Monday 8 O'Clock Buzz on WORT-FM talks with curator Jim Healy. www.wortfm.org/uw-cinemathe...

Martin Luther King, Jr. speaks at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama on September 18, 1963. King spoke at the funeral of four young girls killed by a bomb planted by a group associated with the Ku Klux Klan. www.wortfm.org/martin-luthe...

New Minneapolis 911 logs and police and fire department documents shed new light on the shooting of Renee Good by I.C.E. Officer Jonathan Ross. We’ll talk with investigative journalist Matt Ehling, of the Forum for Constitutional Rights and Government Accountability. www.wortfm.org/open-records...

After the drunken mayhem of the New Year, many folks are giving up alcohol for “Dry January.” Stanford University public health scientist Robert Kaplan tells us why he’s not giving up booze entirely this month. www.wortfm.org/making-sense...

The next installment of the Arts and Literature Laboratory’s Project Projection microcinema will land this week, with a new crop of experimental short films. Curator Jim Kruel and filmmakers Blake Barit and our very own Nicholas Wootton join us with more. www.wortfm.org/project-proj...

🚨Border Patrol whistleblower outraged by ICE's conduct exposes over a dozen secret ICE programs in documents leaked to me: www.kenklippenstein.com/p/21-secret-...

Senate Democrats absolutely have to shut the govt down to stop this ICE insanity in the Twin Cities. This is not sustainable & cannot be normalized. Any Democratic vote to provide money to the thugs who are brutalizing this community is a grave betrayal to the people here. Accountability can't wait.

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What is an appropriate punishment for Miller, at this point? 👇 Prison, deportation, death sentence?!

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On January 9, 2026, hundreds of Madisonians turned out to Capitol Square to hold a vigil for Renee Nicole Good, who was shot dead by I.C.E. agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis. #robingood #ICE www.wortfm.org/voices-from-...

A lot can happen between now and November, but Wisconsin Democrats are hopeful they can take control of the statehouse for the first time in 15 years. Will they smite their enemies as ruthlessly as the Republicans have? Wisconsin Watch’s Brittany Carloni has the story www.wortfm.org/what_will_de...

The University of Wisconsin’s Children’s African Story Hour has proven so successful, it’s inspired a second Children’s International Story Hour. The Buzz hears from UW African Studies Program Assistant Director Olayinka Olagbegi-Adegbite. www.wortfm.org/childrens-af...

WSJ investigation: In the past 6 months ICE agents have fired at vehicles 13 times, leading to: * 8 people shot * 5 of which were U.S. citizens * 2 died * no victims drew a weapon The playbook: Agents box in a vehicle, block attempts to flee, then fire www.wsj.com/us-news/vide...

Speeches from the Madison, Wisconsin anti-ICE rally January 9, 2026. www.wortfm.org/speeches-fro...

"Stormtrumpers," a cartoon by Christopher Shields, only at Fight the Fire. All links are free. Subscriptions, too.

In 1916, the United States traded any interest it had in Greenland to Denmark as part of its compensation for the Danish West Indies, which are now the U.S. Virgin Islands. Heard about that from media or politicians? Teaching history is important… www.diis.dk/en/research/...

The whole country needs to take a few minutes to stop and realize how INSANE it is that the President of the United States ordered his administration to stop funding agriculture (ie FOOD) to an entire state because one his agents murdered a citizen there and people called it out.

Repressive occupying forces often believe that a few acts of horrifically unjustified violence will get the public to forfeit freedom and kowtow to them, especially if the violent is well publicized. But it usually does not work that way.

Here's a thought: Maybe Greenlanders should have a say in how they're governed? Side note: If they're annexed by the USA, do they get two Senators and a seat in the House of Representatives? www.bbc.com/news/article...

I'm beginning to think he's a lot worse than Trump.

Madisonians gathered to protest the abduction of Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro, joining hundreds of similar actions around the nation. www.wortfm.org/madison-prot...

Expert in international human rights law and Latin American policy Alexandra Hunneus gave WORT-FM's Monday 8 O'Clock Buzz a legal overview of the Trump Administration’s abduction of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro. www.wortfm.org/nicolas-madu...

Madison’s Oracular Studios gives us a production of "Twelve Angry Jurors" for the modern age. The Monday 8 O'Clock Buzz on WORT-FM welcomed Director Michael Kelley and Actor Dillon Sheehan. www.wortfm.org/oracular-stu...

Arts Lit Lab features an exhibit from one of Madison’s newest art spaces, Roundhouse Studios. Artists Katie Hogan and Katherine Rosing joined the Monday 8 O'Clock Buzz on WORT-FM. www.wortfm.org/arts-lit-lab...

Are we in World War III yet?

Marco Rubio is reportedly saying Maduro will stand trial in US courts. Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.

CIA Orchestrates Coup D’État To Replace Entire Population Of Venezuela theonion.com/cia-orchestr...

Congress, Now More Than Ever, Our Nation Needs Your Cowardice https://theonion.com/letter-to-congress/

Per NY Times’s Michael Grynbaum on X, this is Sharyn Alfonsi’s email to her “60 Minutes” colleagues in full:

City of Madison engineers Aaron Canton and Tom Mohr tell us what’s happening with John Nolen Drive, how long construction will last, and what the roadway might look like when all the dust has settled. www.wortfm.org/whats-going-...

Pulaski High School’s student paper has a reputation for top-notch journalism, serving as the local paper of record. We talk with student journalist Madelyn Rybak, professional journalist Jacqui Banaszynski and faculty advisor Bob Van Enkenvoort. www.wortfm.org/pulaski-high...

The Buzz’s own Nicholas Wootton previews his upcoming all-nude Access Hour, airing 12/15/2025 at 7 p.m on WORT 89.9 FM, Madison Community Radio and wortfm.org www.wortfm.org/nudism-in-th...

UW Ceramic artists set a table for twenty, and are adamant that there be no tomatoes! Artists Thalia Powell, London Huser and Asucena Boyer will explain how, what and why. www.wortfm.org/ceramic-art-...

Researchers discover a new species of whale off the coast of Baja California. Bioacoustic scientist Elizabeth Henderson spins us a gripping yarn about the expedition. www.wortfm.org/whale-specie...