WUOT Podcasts

Dialogue: Tennessee Commissioner Dave Mitchell

Eleven days after the events of September 11th, 2001, President George W. Bush announced the creation of a Federal Office of Homeland Security. The words "Homeland Security" have been mentioned often in the news: as a department of law enforcement with a voice in drafting legislation and rules... and as a philosophy and a psychology of securing the nation's borders and transportation hubs, and of protecting US citizens. Dave Mitchell is the Commissioner of Tennessee's Department of Safety and the Director of the state's Office of Homeland Security. Mitchell has had a lifelong career in law enforcement. Chrissy Keuper spoke with Commissioner Mitchell about his career and about Homeland Security in Tennessee...

Knoxville's Family Justice Center: Executive Director Amy Dilworth and Domestic Abuse Survivor "Ann"

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month but all year, Knoxville's Family Justice Center helps and counsels the abused through the tragic consequences of that violence. Their website is: http://fjcknoxville.com/ and the 24-hour hotline number is: 865.521.6336.

Amy Dilworth is the Center's Executive Director. She and Ann, a survivor of domestic violence, spoke with Chrissy Keuper. Ann is now happily married with two stepchildren... but before that, she was in a violent and abusive marriage. Ann is not her real name...

Rheta Grimsley Johnson

Rheta Grimsley Johnson is one of the best-known modern Southern writers. She writes a syndicated newspaper column and is the author of the new book "Poor Man's Provence". For several years, Johnson and her late husband divided their time between their home in Mississippi and a smal house in Cajun Louisiana. Johnson tells WUOT's Ann Lloyd she borrowed the title for her new book from another author's successful travel journals about France...

Memories of the S&W

From 1937 to 1981, the S&W Cafeteria was an important part of life on Knoxville's Gay Street. Built as one of the area's first cafeteria-style restaurants, the S&W offered downtown patrons inexpensive food, dinner music, a friendly and familiar wait staff and an innovative art-deco design. After laying empty and abandoned for years, the restaurant will re-open this week as the S&W Grand. To mark this occasion, WUOT-FM and the Knoxville News Sentinel asked some former S&W employees and customers to recount their memories of this cultural landmark. This story was co-produced by WUOT's Matt Shafer Powell and Carly Harrington of the Knoxville News Sentinel and features Avon Rollins Sr., Anna Turner "Blondie" Johnson, David Watson, Dorothy Burchfield "Mother" Blackburn, John Craig and Von Garrett...

Dialogue- Scott McNutt and "Snark Bites"

Scott McNutt has found an interesting way to keep our elected officials accountable-- his wit. McNutt writes an on-line column for Knoxnews.com called "Snark Bites". It's a sharp, funny, unapologetic stab at politics and government. Imagine the satirical news website the Onion, but with a local spin. And no surprise here-- among McNutt's favorite targets are the Knox County Commission, County Mayor Mike Ragsdale and Law Director Bill Lockett. On this segment of Dialogue, host Matt Shafer Powell speaks with Scott McNutt about Snark Bites' origins, how people react to it and the risks you take when you try to use humor to expose some very real concerns...

Lessons Learned- NPR

The unemployment rate in Tennessee is 10.8 percent--- twice as high as a year ago. Among the state's metropolitan areas, Knoxville is weathering the recession well. Business analysts say Knox County's diverse economic base means its booms are modest--- as are its busts. Matt Shafer Powell reports for member station WUOT on how business planners have learned lessons from the city's industrial past...

Jeffrey Kovac: Refusing War, Affirming Peace

Until World War Two, conscientious objectors drafted for military service in the US generally had two options: serving in the military as non-combatants or dodging the draft, often meaning prison time. In 1940, the Quakers, the Church of the Brethren, and the Mennonites lobbied President Franklin D. Roosevelt to institute another option for those opposed to the violence of war who wanted to serve their country. The Selective Service Draft that was passed that year included a provision for Civilian Public Service Camps. Chrissy Keuper speaks with Jeffrey Kovac, who teaches at the University of Tennessee. His new book focuses on one such camp, CPS Camp #21 at Cascade Locks, Oregon, and is called Refusing War, Affirming Peace...

A War Widow's struggle

A Maryville family is living a bureaucratic nightmare. In August 2008, Marine Sergeant Michael Ferschke was killed in battle in Iraq. He left behind his new Japanese bride, pregnant with his son. The couple had been married, by proxy, only a month before Ferschke was killed. Despite the legal union, U.S. Immigration law forbids Hota Ferschke from living here permanently, because the couple did not consummate their marriage, after the ceremony. WUOT's Ann Lloyd spoke with Michael's mother, Robin Ferschke. She says they're gathering political support in order to keep Hota with her new American family...

Dr. Frederick Frese

Mental Health Provider Dr. Frederick Frese recently spoke to students at the University of Tennessee. Frese works with mentally ill patients in Akron Ohio. He brings a unique perspective to mental health care. He was diagnosed with Schizophrenia in 1968. Despite that handicap, he earned a doctorate degree in Psychology and has spent more than 40 years treating and teaching about mental illness. Frese tells WUOT's Ann Lloyd public attitudes about mental illness seem to be changing...

Interview Series: Knox County Legislators: Republican Senator Randy McNally

The 2009 Session of the 106th Tennessee General Assembly adjourned in June. The Assembly includes ten representatives of Knox County districts: three are Senators who each serve a four-year term and seven are House Representatives, each serving a two-year term. We generally hear from our legislators around election time, but this year they're sitting down with us between sessions for a conversation.

Chrissy Keuper speaks with Republican Senator Randy McNally, who serves the state's 5th District and begins his 32nd year in the Legislature in January. McNally won his first elected office in the House in 1978. In 1986, he won a Senate seat and has been there ever since...

Photographer Brian Wagner and Sound Booth

Knoxville photographer Brian Wagner's latest project is called Sound Booth. The collection is currently showing at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville. In October, a smaller version of the show will move to The Square Room on Knoxville's Market Square. The collection can also be seen at www.soundboothcreative.com; Wagner's other work can be found at www.brianwagnerphotography.com.
Chrissy Keuper spoke with Wagner and has this report about the Sound Booth project...

Interview Series: Knox County Legislators: Republican House Representative Harry Brooks

Chrissy Keuper speaks with Republican House Representative Harry Brooks, who serves the state's 19th District and begins his eighth year in the House in January. Brooks says he was always interested in government. but one decision really got his career in government rolling...