WGLT-FM: Assorted stories from WGLT-FM : NPR

For students enrolled in the MFA program in the Illinois State University College of Fine Arts, the MFA Biennial is a chance to show off their artistic chops.

McLean County's future solid waste plan could include provisions that would divert up to 74 percent of items and materials being landfilled today.

Famed actor and ISU alum Jane Lynch made her mark in the Christopher Guest movie parodies of the dog show and folk music worlds Best In Show and A Mighty Wind. Charlie Schlenker has the interview with Lynch who may be best known for the TV show Glee. The McLean County Landfill will close soon. Then what? Michael Brown with the Ecology Action Center has the answers. He’s developing a new 20 year solid waste plan for the County. And meet the band Gay Neighbors. Jon Norton has the interview and

Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli were both born during the 4th week of January—violinist Grappelli on January 26th, 1908, in Paris, and guitarist Reinhardt on January 23rd two years later in Belgium. When the two jazz virtuosos signed on as the new house band at the Hot Club of France in the early ‘30s they made history founding a jazz genre that flourishes today. Don features some “Gypsy Jazz” from the Quintet of The Hot Club of France on this week’s radio Munson.

Psychedelic-rock in its late 1960's heyday was an attempt to enhance and replicate the effects of psychedelic drugs. It was also a reaction to the social and political turbulence of that era. Aesop Adams and Aaron Dooley of the Bloomington-Normal based psych-rock band Gay Neighbors see a correlation between the late 1960's and today.

The so-called grand bargain for a potential state budget would raise income taxes, freeze local property taxes, borrow to pay off back bills, expand casino gambling, and many other things. Prospects for the package under consideration in the Senate could cut either way: too complex to succeed, or needfully inclusive in that everyone must give something.

A classic Star Wars villain made a return appearance in the most recent offering of the film series, Rogue One . While some fans were delighted, others were troubled.

In what may be a new era of so called "alternative facts" and much talked about fake news, a librarian at Illinois State University is working to document involvement by Bloomington Normal residents at women's marches across the country.

Donald Trump has given his first speech as president and we’ll break it down. How did Trump's inaugural address compare to others? You'll hear from a Vanderbilt University scholar who has studied inaugural addresses and political speech for 30 years. You’ll also hear from two women who marched on Washington. One of them is busy archiving the trip for future research. And get to know the eclectic Mucca Pazza coming to the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts.

Many presidential inaugurals aspire Americans to do great things, think great ideas. Donald Trump's speech seemed to vary significantly from that theme.

Mucca Pazza ("Crazy Cow") founding member Rick Kubes said the forming of the 30-odd member marching band was organic. He gives kudos to fellow founder Mark Messing, the band's original director, choreographer, and music director.

Artist Amy Wolfe keeps her eyes open when she's out for walks. That's because there's always the chance she'll find something interesting to collect and add to her original art.

Tar on a bench and a spate of calls to police complaining about homeless people near businesses in downtown Bloomington last summer focused attention on the issue. Not a lot has happened publicly since then, but Downtown Bloomington Association Director Tricia Stiller says there has ben an effort to communicate on the issue among stakeholder.

Bloomington Alderman Scott Black says he is ready to vote on the West Jefferson Street Community House next week. The property was originally proposed as a police substation. The WGLT interview with Black is part of series of interviews on the west side house and its proposed use.

The term “Lounge Act” has become such a caricature in recent years that Don Munson thinks it is doing a gross injustice to the great artists who have flourished in small jazz clubs and lounges thru the decades. So he’s inviting you to drop by the Radio Munson West Jazz Lounge this week to hear Bobby Troup, Carmen McRae, Matt Dennis, Ben Webster, Blossom Dearie, Gene Harris, and more. It’s small group jazz at its best—not a big band in the house!