Wgtd's The Morning Show With Greg Berg

WGTD is celebrating its 50th anniversary this month. This interview is with two people who joined the WGTD team early in its history: Jayne Herring, who became one of the station's news directors in 1980 - and Barb Axelson, whose first on-air work for WGTD in 1983 was as an intern with Gateway's radio program. *WGTD is hosting a public reception in honor of its 50th anniversary on Friday, December 12th ... 7:30- 10:30 a.m. . There will be coffee from East View Coffee in Kenosha and kringle from O & H Danish Bakery in Racine. You can tour our studios, meet the staff, view station memorabilia, and even record an anniversary greeting that will be heard over the air in coming weeks. The event occurs in the Inspire Center, which is the northernmost building on the Kenosha campus of Gateway Technical College.

From 2009- John Eisenberg, author of 'That First Season: How Vince Lombardi Took the Worst Team in the NFL and Set It on the Path to Glory." We're replaying this interview as the Packers look forward to a very significant showdown with one of their division rivals, the resurgent Chicago Bears.

We preview Saturday night's Candlelight Concert at First Presbyterian Church in downtown Racine. We speak with Jim Schatzman and Pat Badger, Artistic Director and Associate Conductor respectively of the Choral Arts Society, which is headlining the concert. Other participants will include Mark Paffrath, Victoria Vollman, and dancers from the Studio of Classical Dance Arts.

In honor of WGTD's 50th anniversary, we speak with Former Circuit Court Judge Emily Mueller - a former chair of the Board of Trustees at Gateway Technical College - who has been a faithful listener to WGTD for several decades (and for a time was part of the station's Advisory Board.) Currently, Emily Mueller is president of the board of directors of the Racine Theater Guild. (The station is hosting a coffee and kringle reception on Friday, December 12th, 7:30 to 10:30 am in the Inspire Center on the Kenosha campus of Gateway Technical College.)

We talk with Dr. James Kinchen, director of choral activities at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, about upcoming performances of the Nguzo Saba Suite by Glenn Burleigh- a work celebrating Kwanzaa that was commissioned by UW-Parkside as part of the school's 25th anniversary celebration. This vibrant work will be performed this Sunday afternoon, Dec. 7th at 3 pm and this Monday evening, Dec. 8th at 7 pm in the Frances Bedford Concert Hall.

We catch up with Dr. Morgan Phillips, interim president of Gateway Technical College. He updates us on enrollment numbers at Gateway, talks about some exciting new initiatives, and explains where Gateway is in its search for a new president and ceo. Dr. Phillips also pays tribute to local education leader Scott Pierce, who passed away on November 20th. Dr. Pierce was a long time member of the board of trustees at Gateway.

From 2010- Harlow Giles Unger, author of "Lion of Liberty: Patrick Henry and the Call to a New Nation."

From 2008- Mark Kreidler talks about his book "6 Good Innings: How One Small Town Became a Little League Giant."

From 2008- Best-selling author John Grogan ("Marley and Me") talks about a later book titled "The Longest Trip Home: A Memoir."

We share my memorable encounter with local music legend Fred Hermes, a well-known theater organ aficionado who had a massive, 5-manual Wurlitzer theater organ in the basement of his home- which he transformed into a facsimile of a classic movie palace. This interview was recorded in Fred's amazing home back in 2008. He died ten years later. (His home recently went on the market, which is what prompts this re-sharing of this interview.)

We speak with Shawn Rivers, Racine County Veterans Service Officer, who works to make sure that area veterans are aware of and able to access the benefits that are available to them. We give special attention to the matter of mental well-being and to the special difficulties that veterans might be experiencing during this time of year. We also talk with Rivers about his own military career (he was part of the U.S. Air Force for 21 years.)

We speak with Greg Cope White, whose memoir "The Pink Marine" serves as the basis for the acclaimed new Netflix series "Boots." "The Pink Marine" tells the story of White's experience as a closeted gay man enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps in the early 1980s.

From 2003 - Todd Gitlin, author of "Letters to a Young Activist." Gitlin, who passed away in 2022 due to COVID, was a well-known activist, sociologist, and author.

James Kaplan, co-author with Jerry Lewis of "Dean & Me: A Love Story." The book explores the relationship between Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin- a professional partnership and friendship that eventually fractured.

We preview Saturday afternoon's concert by the UW-Parkside Orchestra, which will be devoted to great film music. Our guest is conductor Alvaro Garcia.

We speak with Dr. Julius Crump, a member of Carthage College's religion faculty since 2018 and co-director of the school's Teaching Commons. Dr. Crump was recently named the Rev. Raymon Pedersen Distinguished Professor of Social Change.

We talk to two young people- 13-year-old Jaxson Thomas and 19-year-old Jayden Eisenbraun - who have undertaken a huge toy drive. Jaxson happens to be on the Autism spectrum- and is happy to have people know that because he wants people to know that Autistic people are capable of accomplishing great things.

Esther Roberts, executive director of The Shalom Center, talks about all that they offer to people in Kenosha living in poverty. (There is a fundraiser this Saturday evening at Union Park Tavern will benefit The Shalom Center as well as The Sharing Center in Trevor.)

We speak with Sharon Pomaville, executive director of The Sharing Center, which works with people living in poverty in rural Kenosha County. (A fundraiser this Saturday evening at Union Park Tavern is donating proceeds to The Sharing Center and The Shalom Center.)

From 2012- Michael Schumacher, author of "Mighty Fitz: The Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald." Last week (Nov. 10) marked the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, one of the most tragic and mysterious events ever to occur on the Great Lakes. Schumacher's book is the definitive account of the tragedy and its aftermath.