WXPR Public Radio

01/05/2024

“The disc golf, the hiking, the biking was fantastic on our ski trails, which isn't normally an option this time of year. People came out to play and enjoy the park. We're a four-season park now and we're planning for this, we are planning for years of low snow."

People and organizations are trying to make the best of the lackluster winter we've had so far.

How have you been getting outside?

With temperatures recorded at or around 50 degrees, Rhinelander and many other communities in the region experienced record-breaking highs on Christmas Day.The unusually warm and dry weather thus far has put a damper on winter fun.

01/04/2024

Ten years into the federal ban on alcohol, prohibition agents, also know as dry agents, were making frequent visits to the Northwoods, on the trail of mobsters and speakeasy’s. In January of 1930, a still had been discovered operating in a building at Highways 8 and 51 near Harshaw.

Hear the story on this episode of A Northwoods Moment in History by Kerry Bloedorn - Northwoods Historian

Prohibition began in 1920, banning all sales of alcoholic beverages, as defined by the Volstead Act. The quiet Northwood’s of Wisconsin became a haven for big city black market liquor production and smuggling.

01/03/2024

“Every kid does need to eat. The kids need to exercise to have a healthy life. They need to understand their finances."

Starting with the graduating class of 2028, Wisconsin high school students will need a half credit of personal financial literacy to graduate.

By 2028, high school students in Wisconsin will be required to take a financial literacy course.The School District of Rhinelander has already had this requirement.Its faculty and students were part of the push to make it a statewide requirement.

01/02/2024

The 2024 WXPR Concert Series kicks off 1/27 with The Cactus Blossoms! Get your tickets now at wxpr.org.

Looking forward to a very Midwest-y start to 2024!

1/1 - St Paul, MN Turf Club
1/8 - St Paul, MN Turf Club
1/15 - St Paul, MN Turf Club
1/20 - Des Moines, IA xBk Live
1/22 - St Paul, MN Turf Club
1/25 - Evanston, IL Evanston SPACE
1/26 - Mineral Point, WI Mineral Point Opera House
1/27 - Rhinelander, WI WXPR Public Radio
1/29 - St Paul, MN Turf Club

Tickets on sale now thecactusblossoms.com/tour

📸: Lindsay Ann Snyder Lindsay Ann Photography LLC

12/31/2023

Ring in the new year with WXPR and The Vienna Philharmonic from 10 am-12 pm on January 1st! This year, there is an appearance by the Vienna Boys Choir and, for the first time, the Vienna Girls Choir. Learn more about the program and listen online at wxpr.org.

12/31/2023

Say goodbye to 2023 with an evening of New Year's Eve programs on WXPR, including longtime favorite Toast of the Nation! Listen on your radio, smart speaker, on our mobile app, or at wxpr.org.

12/28/2023

WXPR is here today because of listener power - it's behind everything since the station began in 1983 and everything there is to look forward to in the new year ahead and beyond. We are so proud to be listener-powered and are grateful to each and every person who has supported this station over the last four decades. As WXPR's 40th year draws to a close, now is the time to join the WXPR community with a donation at wxpr.org.

12/26/2023

Tune in at 11 am on Wednesday, December 27th for "The Sounds of Kwanzaa," featuring a background on the history of Kwanzaa and musical selections from Florence Price, Duke Ellington, Sean O’Loughlin, and special performances by Imani Winds. Learn more and listen online at wxpr.org.

12/24/2023

WXPR's holiday lineup continues with a full day of Christmas programs from a diverse group of storytellers and musicians! Listen on your radio, smart speaker, on our mobile app, or at wxpr.org.

12/23/2023

Don't miss WXPR's Christmas Eve lineup! From holiday stories to festive music including jazz, rock, pop, soul, and so much more, there's something for everyone to enjoy on WXPR. Learn more about the schedule and listen online at wxpr.org.

12/21/2023

Celebrate the winter solstice with an afternoon of special programs on WXPR! Tune in from 1-4pm today (12/21) for three hours of music celebrating winter and the return of the sun. Listen on your radio, smart speaker, on our mobile app, or at wxpr.org.

12/15/2023

Ross Thorn stopped by WXPR last week for a Live From the White Pine session last week. Listen to his full performance here.

Ross Thorn's Live From the White Pine session.

12/15/2023

In this week's episode of WXPR: The Story of How It Started, station founder Peter Nordgren shares the final steps it took to get WXPR 91.7 on the air.

In this episode, WXPR founder Peter Nordgren share the final steps it took to get WXPR 91.7 on the air, also known as what Mary Kay did to save the station.

12/12/2023

Check out Wade Fernandez's performance in the latest episode of WXPR's Live From the White Pine podcast!

A Live From the White Pine session with Wade Fernandez.

12/12/2023

Tune in to WXPR from 9 am-12 pm on Wednesday, December 13th for a morning of Chanukah stories, music, and more. Learn more about WXPR's holiday programming and listen online at wxpr.org.

12/10/2023

Tickets to Project North Festival are a great gift! Get yours now at projectnorth.org.

Still looking for some holiday gifts? 2 day Project North passes are only $50 through the month of December and we bet your special people would love to open up the gift of music, art and sustainability! Get your tickets now. projectnorth.org



amazing drone shot in the PN^23 September sun by Wes Tank
Teens Grow Greens Tankthink Mke-Lax Washington Park Media Center Kelly Michael Anderson Video & Photo .media

12/08/2023

In this week's episode of WXPR: The Story of How It Started, station founder Peter Nordgren tells us about the support from the community that helped establish WXPR.

In this episode, WXPR founder Peter Nordgren tells us about the support from the community that helped establish WXPR.

12/07/2023

Tune in tomorrow during the 3 o'clock hour of WXPR's Crossroads Cafe for a Live from the White Pine session with Ross Thorn!

With a pastoral upbringing in northern Wisconsin, Ross Thorn’s music emanates as a warm and soulful hymn, waking up optimistically beside a snow covered window. His sharply crafted lyrics – distinctly reminiscent to the likes of Jason Isbell – reveal internal struggles of empathy, questions of human character and virtue, and a search for hope – often finding solace in some unanticipated truth.

Listen on your radio, smart speaker, on our mobile app, or at wxpr.org.

12/07/2023

On December 16th, 1944, the German military launched a last-ditch effort to confront the allied powers on the Western front. A 40-mile push into the Ardennes Forest created a bulge in the Allied lines.

One of the young men fighting in the Battle of the Bulge was Private First Class David Rice.

Kerry Bloedorn - Northwoods Historian shares his story and how Rice earned the Bronze Star during that battle in this episode of A Northwoods Moment in History.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas 1944, Americans were tuned into newspaper headlines about a German offensive in the Ardenne forest of Belgium between Germany and France. One young soldier from Pelican Lake, would earn a bronze star in what became known as the Battle of the Bulge.

12/04/2023

Tune in to WXPR for all your favorite holiday programs!

Check out the full lineup of WXPR's 2023 Holiday programming, from Chanukah to the Winter Solstice to Christmas.

12/01/2023

In this week's episode of WXPR: The Story of How It Started, WXPR founder Peter Nordgren tells us about the some of the many people that worked together to make the station possible.

In this episode, WXPR founder Peter Nordgren tells us about the some of the many people that worked together to make WXPR possible.

11/29/2023

Only a few more days until Project North Festival tickets go on sale!

2024 Project North tickets go on sale Friday, December 1st! This is your chance to get Project North ^ 2 day passes for only $50! 2 days of art, music, + sustainable practices - get your tickets before the prices go up on January 1.
projectnorth.org has tickets waiting for you!!!
;)

11/29/2023

WXPR celebrates 40 years as a public radio station in 2023. That's 40 years of informing, entertaining, and engaging our community through a diverse range of programming, on air and online, each and every day. Make your gift for 40 years of WXPR now at wxpr.org. There's still time to have your donation automatically doubled thanks to a generous WXPR supporter!

11/28/2023

Maybe you listen to WXPR for the latest local news, to better understand what's going on in our world, or to discover new musical favorites, Whatever your reasons for listening, today is the day to support local public radio with your gift at wxpr.org. The first $5,000 we receive today will automatically be doubled thanks to a generous WXPR supporter!

11/28/2023

Today is Giving Tuesday! Around the world, people are giving to the causes that matter the most to them, including vital news and music programming on WXPR. Join the global movement and donate today—thanks to a generous WXPR supporter, the first $5,000 we recieve will be automatically matched. Give now at wxpr.org.

11/24/2023

On November 28th, WXPR will participate in 24 hours of unprecedented giving – Giving Tuesday. Mark your calendars to help support essential music and news programming on WXPR! Thanks to a generous supporter, the first $5,000 we receive will automatically be matched.

11/24/2023

In the latest episode of WXPR: The Story of How It Started, WXPR founder Peter Nordgren shares how the greater Rhinelander area was chosen for the home of WXPR.

In this episode, WXPR founder Peter Nordgren shares how the greater Rhinelander area was chosen for the home of WXPR.

11/22/2023

*** UPDATE ***

U.S. Highway 8 and all connecting roads are now back open to the normal flow of traffic.

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The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating a serious motor vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 8 near the intersection of Rapel Road in the Township of Bradley north of Tomahawk. As a result, U. S. Highway 8 will be closed to through traffic. This closure is expected to last several hours. If traveling through this area please be advised of the following detour:

Eastbound traffic will be rerouted southbound on County Road U to County Road A, then back northbound on County Road A to U.S. Highway 8.

Westbound traffic will be rerouted southbound on County Road A to County Road U, then back northbound on County Road U to U.S. Highway 8.

This post will be updated when U.S. Highway 8 reopens to normal traffic later this evening.

11/21/2023

Tune in to WXPR on Thursday, November 23 from 11am-1pm for Turkey Confidential, The Splendid Table's annual Thanksgiving show! Francis Lam takes calls and comes to the rescue of Thanksgiving cooks, kitchen helpers, and dinner guests during the biggest cooking day of the year. Listen on your radio, at wxpr.org, on smart speakers, and on our mobile app!

11/20/2023

This warmer than usual November means some migratory species may be hanging around longer than they normally would. Have you had any unusual November animal sightings this year?

After 30-plus years working with wildlife, Wild Instincts Director of Rehabilitation Mark Naniot says the animals tell him a lot about the weather.