Today's Segments
The High Cost of Not Listening – Featuring Christine Miles
In this enlightening segment, we talk with Christine Miles, author of What Is It Costing You Not to Listen?, about the often-overlooked skill of listening—and the profound personal and professional costs of neglecting it. Miles introduces her practical framework, the Listening Path, designed to help people go beyond just hearing words to truly understanding others. She discusses how poor listening habits can damage relationships, stall workplace productivity, and even lead to lost business opportunities. By recognizing and overcoming limiting listening behaviors, and by using a few intentional questions, listeners can build stronger connections, solve problems more effectively, and ultimately improve their influence and empathy.
Plains Folk – A Coyote in Manitoba
Historian Dr. Tom Isern recounts a gripping story from the early 1900s, when trachoma—a contagious eye disease—was used to justify strict U.S. immigration inspections, disproportionately affecting Eastern European immigrants. The episode centers on Magdalena Klipfel, a German-Russian woman who was barred from entering the U.S. through Canada due to the disease. Undeterred, she turned to a smuggler—a “coyote”—and made a daring illegal crossing into North Dakota to reunite with her family. Her journey highlights the intersection of public health fears, immigration policy, and personal resilience during an era of rising nativism in North America.
Harvest Public Media – Birds vs. City Lights
As millions of birds migrate through the Midwest each year, many never reach their destination—falling victim to light pollution and fatal collisions with buildings. In this report from Harvest Public Media, Celia Llopis-Jepsen shares the story of a Chicago high-rise that became a deadly trap for birds, revealing the unseen costs of urban development on wildlife. The segment also highlights how simple changes—like dimming lights during peak migration periods—can drastically reduce bird deaths, offering hope and a path forward for more bird-friendly cities.
Our Living Lands – Buffalo Return to Indigenous Lands
This segment from Our Living Lands explores how returning buffalo to Indigenous lands is not only a cultural restoration but also a powerful environmental solution. Daniel Spaulding reports on the work of the Tanka Fund, an Indigenous-led nonprofit based in South Dakota that collaborates with Native ranchers to reintroduce buffalo to ancestral territories. The return of these keystone animals contributes to soil health, biodiversity, and climate resilience—while also helping restore traditional food systems and spiritual connections for Native communities. The story demonstrates how environmental justice and cultural revitalization can go hand in hand.