Best WXPR Podcasts (2025)

Local libraries have always been more than buildings with books, they’re the beating heart of a community. They preserve our stories, protect our history, and give every generation a place to learn, gather, and grow.By Kerry Bloedorn

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Field Notes: Rings of Time 4:01

Play Pause

24d ago4:01

4:01

Many people are aware that trees can be dated by counting the layers of tree rings in a cross section. But, less folks know that fish, snails, mussels, and the teeth of many local mammal species build seasonal growth rings that are used to age individuals.By Gretchen Gerrish

1
Mill reopening will benefit timber industry, live Christmas trees, Holiday lighting tips 6:02

3h ago6:02

6:02

WXPR News for 12-5-25By John Burton

1
Home destroyed in fire, avoiding Holiday scams, keep vents clear 7:01

18h ago7:01

7:01

WXPR News for 12-4-25By John Burton

1
Deer season numbers, making trails ready, ice rescue 6:19

2d ago6:19

6:19

WXPR News for 12-3-25By John Burton

1
Big early snow gets winter recreation started, Oneida County shop building future, ski resort bankruptcy 6:08

3d ago6:08

6:08

WXPR News for 12-2-25By John Burton

1
Deadly fire, drug arrest, dairy research in Wisconsin 5:43

4d ago5:43

5:43

WXPR News for 12-01-25By John Burton

1
Rhinelander area fire, supporting small business, St. Germain ice rink, tax filing program ends 6:25

7d ago6:25

6:25

WXPR News for 11-28-25By John Burton

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Power restoration, preparing for future extreme weather, small business expectations 6:12

8d ago6:12

6:12

WXPR News for 11-27-25By John Burton

1
Gun deer season early numbers, Park Falls death investigation, Wisconsin congressional districts 6:14

9d ago6:14

6:14

WXPR News for 11-26-25By John Burton

1
Winter storm warning, new Vilas County Sheriff, ancient canoes tell a story 6:39

10d ago6:39

6:39

WXPR News for 11-25-25By John Burton

1
Deadly Vilas County crash, Tomahawk Venison Feed, ski areas recognized 6:36

11d ago6:36

6:36

WXPR News for 11-24-25By John Burton

1
Wisconsin gun deer season, deer park in Forest County, proposed PFAS rule changes 5:54

14d ago5:54

5:54

WXPR News for 11-21-25By John Burton

1
Wildlife rehabilitation center needs venison, ruling in counselor death case, tribal college funding 5:18

15d ago5:18

5:18

WXPR News for 11-20-25By John Burton

1
Safe drinking water funding, SNAP bill, and supporting education workers 4:39

16d ago4:39

4:39

Local news for Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025.By Katie Thoresen

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CWD Testing, WPS supports Lights of the Northwoods, and be careful with outdoor burning 5:45

17d ago5:45

5:45

Local news for Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025.By Katie Thoresen

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Energy assistance, leave the leaves, and hunter heart health 6:11

21d ago6:11

6:11

Local news for Monday, Nov. 17, 2025.By Katie Thoresen

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Red Cross volunteers needed, farm bill extensions, and keeping cultural arts alive 4:30

24d ago4:30

4:30

Local news for Friday, Nov. 14, 2025.By Katie Thoresen

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Winter outlook, solar energy and farmland, and a lot more opossums 5:37

22d ago5:37

5:37

Local news for Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025.By Katie Thoresen

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Increase in suicides, food pantries see more families, and tree stand safety 6:00

23d ago6:00

6:00

Local news for Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025.

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Impact Aid letter, FORK pantries, and honoring Veterans 6:01

27d ago6:01

6:01

Local news for Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025By Katie Thoresen

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The killing of a Vilas County Sheriff, and the 12 Apostles of Rhinelander 5:28

1M ago5:28

5:28

The Northwoods of Wisconsin, with its rough logging boom towns and frontier justice, saw its own share of gun smoke and violence in the early 1900s.By Kerry Bloedorn

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Field Notes: Horseshoe crabs and health care 4:39

2M ago4:39

4:39

By Susan Knight

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History of the Wolf River Apple 3:13

2M ago3:13

3:13

In Wisconsin’s story, where tall pines once fed the logging booms, the rivers also carried life from forest to farm. Flowing from its headwaters in Forest County, the Wolf River connects the Northwood’s to central Wisconsin, and gave rise to more than timber, it gave us the Wolf River Apple, a variety that looms larger than the rest, quite literall…

1
The "Spymaster of Los Angeles" and his northern Wisconsin beginnings 3:22

3M ago3:22

3:22

From the iron hills of Hurley, Wisconsin, came a man who waged war not with weapons, but with secrets. Leon Lawrence Lewis, born in Hurley in 1888 to German Jewish immigrants, would one day be called the “spymaster of Los Angeles.”By Kerry Bloedorn

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Field Notes: Ruffed Grouse in the Northwoods 4:29

3M ago4:29

4:29

In this month's installment of Field Notes, Scott Bowe of Kemp Station discusses Ruffed Grouse – a hallmark species in the Northwoods.By Scott Bowe

1
Rhinelander’s Wartime Map Paper 2:50

4M ago2:50

2:50

Rhinelander Paper Company, quietly played a vital role in getting our troops the tools they needed to fight and winBy Kerry Bloedorn

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Field Notes: The Fruits of Summer 5:11

5M ago5:11

5:11

One of the many wonderful things about summer is the arrival of fresh and tasty local fruits.

1
Rhinelander’s Boom Lake Boat Races 4:26

5M ago4:26

4:26

There was a time when Boom Lake in Rhinelander wasn’t just a quiet, scenic waterway, it was a Northwoods’ racetrack.By Kerry Bloedorn

1
Field Notes: Mosquitoes in the Northwoods 5:08

6M ago5:08

5:08

In this month's installment of Field Notes, Scott Bowe of Kemp Station discusses mosquitoes – a favorite insect of the Northwoods.By Scott Bowe

1
Soda Pop and Steel Bars: The Curious History of Tourist Bears in the Northwoods 3:44

6M ago3:44

3:44

It wasn’t all that long ago that seeing a bear in Northern Wisconsin wasn’t just a wilderness encounter. It was a roadside attraction.By Kerry Bloedorn

1
Canadian Nightcrawlers: More Than Just Bait 4:04

7M ago4:04

4:04

While they’re famous among anglers, few people realize that Canadian Nightcrawlers—Lumbricus terrestris—have a fascinating biological story all their own, one that stretches across continents and ecosystems.By Gretchen Gerrish

1
A Northwoods Love Story: The Hodag Wedding 3:48

7M ago3:48

3:48

What began as a whimsical marketing campaign by the Rhinelander Chamber of Commerce transformed into a memorable community celebration of local culture.By Kerry Bloedorn

1
Field Notes: Nitrogen Fixation and Bombs 5:02

8M ago5:02

5:02

Though it may be a nuisance in some situations, tag alder has a magic trick – it can fix nitrogen.By Susan Knight

1
Frozen in Time: Northwoods Ice Storm History 2:02

8M ago2:02

2:02

The Northwoods is no stranger to winter weather, and ice storms have historically been among the most destructive. But even by Wisconsin standards, the most recent ice storm that slammed northern Wisconsin March 29th and 30th, 2025 was one for the books.By Kerry Bloedorn

1
Field Notes: Frost and Roads 5:02

9M ago5:02

5:02

In this month's installment of Field Notes, Scott Bowe of Kemp Station discusses frost and roads – all part of managing our sustainable natural resources.By Scott Bowe

1
Lelah Starks: Potato Pioneer 5:00

9M ago5:00

5:00

In the heart of Wisconsin’s Northwoods, Lelah Starks tilled out a legacy that would shape the potato industry for generations. A woman ahead of her time, Starks became one of the most respected seed potato growers in the country, blending science with practical farming expertise.By Kerry Bloedorn

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Field Notes: Calling a fish a ‘fish’ 3:33

10M ago3:33

3:33

‘Fish’ is one of those words, useful in the image it evokes but less reliable as a lineage, clearly defined.By Gretchen Gerrish

1
The Doctor is in: Remembering the life of Dr. Warner S. Bump 4:09

10M ago4:09

4:09

Among storied Northwoods doctors are names like Torpy, Pelham-Newcomb, Sheik, and Cline. But one Rhinelander doctor worked diligently to usher in a new age of medicine during his five decades of practice, Dr. Warner S. Bump.By Kerry Bloedorn

1
Field Notes: Otters 4:57

11M ago4:57

4:57

Otters are mustelids and related to other Northwoods mammals including mink and weasels. They were common throughout North America until Europeans overharvested the animals for their warm, dense and beautiful coats.By Susan Knight

1
Field Notes: The Fish of Vilas County 4:15

12M ago4:15

4:15

In this episode of Field Notes, Lonnie Parry Gillis takes us on an exploration of the fish of Vilas County, Wisconsin—an area blessed with an astounding 1,300 plus lakes.By Lonnie Parry Gillis

1
Looking back at Rhinelander’s winter weather history 3:37

1y ago3:37

3:37

Winter weather records are a fascinating thing to explore, from the longest stretches with snow on the ground to the heaviest snowfalls in a single season or day. Digging into the record books is a chance to relive the power of winter, and today, we’re taking a look at some of Rhinelander’s most memorable winter weather events.…

1
Field Notes: Producers and Consumers 4:43

1y ago4:43

4:43

In this month's installment of Field Notes, Scott Bowe of Kemp Station discusses producers (plants) and consumers (fungi) in the forest world around us.By Scott Bowe

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Rhinelander Woman’s Club played important role in Women’s voting rights 2:30

1y ago2:30

2:30

On Friday, March 12, 1920, the Rhinelander Woman’s Club gathered at the Teachers Training College in the old Oneida County Courthouse for a special “mock election.” This wasn’t just a simple exercise—it was the final exam for a citizenship class that aimed to prepare local women for their first opportunity to vote in a U.S. Presidential election.…

1
Field Notes: Bountiful Blooms in our Water Bodies 5:59

1y ago5:59

5:59

Seasonal blooms are common and often monitored in warm and high nutrient lakes throughout southern Wisconsin, but are less commonly reported in lakes up north. This makes it challenging to track and manage across the 1,000s of regional lakes.By Gretchen Gerrish

1
Tony Sarocka, Remembering a Rhinelander Football Standout 3:56

1y ago3:56

3:56

Anton Sarocka, known as Tony, was a standout football player for Rhinelander High School. Born in Port Washington on October 11, 1910, Tony graduated in 1928.By Kerry Bloedorn

1
The Three Lakes Cyclone, 100 years after 3:55

1y ago3:55

3:55

Sunday, September 21st, 1924 is listed on the Wisconsin Watch website as the third worst day of tornadoes in state history.Few single communities were impacted that day as much as Three Lakes, Wisconsin, which suffered the worst tornado in it’s historyBy Kerry Bloedorn

1
Field Notes: Harvesting Ginseng 5:38

1y ago5:38

5:38

One of the crops most iconic to our area is ginseng, Panax quinquefolia. Marathon County, just south of Lincoln County is the center of ginseng farming, not just in Wisconsin but it is recognized as the largest source and the best quality of ginseng in the world.By Susan Knight

1
Field Notes: Thermally Modified Wood 4:21

1+ y ago4:21

4:21

In this month's installment of Field Notes, Scott Bowe of Kemp Station discusses thermally modified wood, a chemical free way to preserve wood for outdoor use.By Scott Bowe