Public Radio Hour Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Public Radio Hour 'A Sundial Christmas' 12/22/22 Dec 20, 2022

Show notes

The Public Radio Hour teams up with the Sundial Writers Corner to present a hour of holiday stories with A Sundial Christmas! Featuring Monita Soni. Sara McDaris, Sara Belanger, Doreen Fulcher, Rosemary McMahan, Judy Cameron, Michael Guillebeau, Melissa Ford Thornton and two never-before-broadcast stories from Kathryn Tucker Windham.

Public Radio Hour 'Science Of Music & Ghost Story' 10/27/22 Oct 30, 2022

Show notes

What started as the Huntsville Science Festival has this year grown into the Alabama Science Festival … an annual week-long celebration of science and technology that culminates this weekend with two big events. Saturday (10/29/22) at the VBC in Huntsville, it's STEAMFest from 10am-5pm; a day of dinosaurs, Tesla guns and other activities and demonstrations for all ages. This Friday night (10/28/22) at 7 at UAH’s Roberts Recital Hall, the Festival is hosting a live show called The Science of Music, which features four music professionals and four stories of how science helps them create their art. In this Public Radio Hour, we’ll meet them … Emilio Palame, Steve Trash, Adara and Chris Vrenna. At the end of the show, we’ll carve out some time for a ghost story from Kathryn Tucker Windham.

Public Radio Hour 'Orion Update, SluiceFest, Funny You Should Ask' 8/11/22 Aug 30, 2022

Show notes

On this episode of The Public Radio Hour, we get an update on what's happening at Huntsville's Orion Amphitheater from Orion general manager Ryan Murphy, Invisible City host Brad Posey sits down for a lively converstaion with SluiceFest local music festival organizers Ashleigh Jackson and Christina Nava, and Arts Underground host Katy Ganaway delivers another fun-filled edition of 'Funny You Should Ask' with local comedian Christy Montgomery.

Public Radio Hour 'Meyer, Lift Every Voice, Young Musicians' 3/24/22 Apr 06, 2022

Show notes

On this episode of the Public Radio Hour, we talk with Marshall Space Flight Center’s new associate director Rae Ann Meyer about battles with shyness, the Near Earth Asteroid Scout, and about her optimism in the new generation of engineers and scientists. We’ll talk with Jason Max Ferdinand and Patricia Hacker about a new community-wide choir festival hosted by Huntsville Master Chorale on Saturday June 4th at 530pm at Trinity United Methodist Church. And we’ll hear from young local musicians, trying to find their way in this crazy world and learn about what’s known as a “Music Performance Assessment”. We'll also make a visit to the Sundial Writers Corner for a big announcement!

Public Radio Hour 'The CAC, Ogre, Horse Dreams' 3/3/22 Mar 22, 2022

Show notes

On this episode of the Public Radio Hour, Dorrie Nutt brings us some Sundial Writers Corner fun from Danielle Kirkland, as she revisits her dream of being a cowboy. We’ll also hear Katy Ganaway's latest Funny You Should Ask episode, as we meet a hilarious gentleman named, Ogre, who by his own account, likes to ‘kill’ on stage. And as part of her award-winning series called The Hard Part, Katy also talks with Huntsville Police Citizens Advisory Council, (known as the CAC) chairperson Jonathon Rossow …

Public Radio Hour 'History Makes the Future at NASA' 2/24/22 Mar 03, 2022

Show notes

On this episode of the Public Radio Hour, we meet two African American women playing key roles at Marshall Space Flight Center in helping humankind get back to the Moon, and to Mars. Tawnya Laughinghouse is the manager of Marshall’s Technology Demonstration Missions … also known at NASA by the acronym TDM … which involves a variety of projects, including propulsion, deep space optical communications, in-space robotic satellite servicing, and entry/descent/landing . Also joining the conversation is Dr. Ruth Jones, an associate manager for Marshall Space Flight Center’s Human Exploration Development & Operations, where she helps manage operations on the International Space Station (ISS) and leads teams working to develop the next generation of rockets, spacecraft, and other technology that will help humans explore the solar system. As we will hear, both women had an early love of numbers and started on career paths much different than where they are today. And both gained the confidence to walk that path because they saw just enough people who looked like them, to make them believe it was possible … something they hope to do for younger generations.

Public Radio Hour - Exploring Huntsville's Civil Rights History' 2/10/22 Mar 03, 2022

Show notes

On the February 10th episode of the Public Radio Hour, we explore the importance of African American history in Huntsville. Dr Beth Patin, director of Rocket City Civil Rights, talks about 'cultural competence' and gives us directions for a cool driving tour of local historic sites. NASA's Acting Chief Historian Brian Odom helps us understand the impact of the civil rights movement on Huntsville’s NASA legacy and how it affected Historically Black Colleges and Universities. And Donna Castellano, executive director of the Historic Huntsville Foundation, explores the lives of six women who were part of an early fight for voting rights in Huntsville.

CLICK HERE to listen to the award-winning documentary 'One Giant Leap: How The Integration Of NASA Helped Mankind Reach The Moon'

Public Radio Hour 'A Sundial Christmas' 12/23/21 Dec 27, 2021

Show notes

On this episode of The Public Radio Hour, we hope to boost your holiday spirit with a special selection of stories from members of our Sundial Writers Corner. We'll hear tales and poems from master storyteller Kathryn Tucker Windham, Rosemary McMahan, Melissa Ford Thornton, Cathie Mayne, Sam Mitchell, Judy Cameron, Rosalind Fellwock. We'll also have a few funny Christmas tree memories from WLRH staff members Ginny Kennedy, Jessie LouAllen, Julie Williams, Elaine Oakes, Nate Emery, Katy Ganaway, Tom Froehlich and Dorrie Nutt. And all the love in the world to Alabama Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame member and most beloved WLRH host (now retired) Judy Watters, who cofounded Sundial with her husband, Harry, back in WLRH's earliest days. We hope you enjoy the show!

Public Radio Hour 'STEAMFest 2021 Preview Special' 10/28/21 Nov 04, 2021

Show notes

On this episode of The Public Radio Hour, we explore the evolution of STEM learning and preview STEAMFest 2021, presented by the Huntsville Science Festival, Saturday October 30th from 10am to 6pm at the Von Braun Center's East Hall. We'll talk with Huntsville Science Festival creator and director Joe Iacuzzo, YouTube star and host of Smarter Every Day Destin Sandlin and Northrop Grumman's K-12 STEM and Workforce Development lead Dr. Erica Hopkins.

LINKS TO THINGS YOU HEARD IN THIS EPISODE

CLICK HERE for The Huntsville Science Festival

CLICK HERE for Smarter Every Day on YouTube

CLICK HERE for more info on Northrop Grumman's STEM efforts

Public Radio Hour - The Power of Storytelling - 10/22/21 Nov 03, 2021

Show notes

On this episode of The Public Radio Hour, we explore the power of storytelling through history, music, dance and spoken word. We'll talk with Historic Huntsville Foundation's Donna Castellano about a historical marker dedication honoring six African-American women who worked for voting rights. The dedication is Sunday, October 24th 2pm at William Hooper Councill High Memorial Park in Huntsville. We'll also hear from Huntsville Ballet choreographer Stephanie Braley-Beutjer about their presentation of 'Carnival of the Animals' October 22-24. Melissa Ford Thornton fills us in on a live storytelling challenge happening at The Princess Theatre called 'StorySlam' Sunday October 24th at 2pm. And master storyteller Kathryn Tucker Windham reminds us to leave room for the silence and other tips to help you tell a great story.