In Focus with Carolyn Hutcheson

Guest Host Kyle Gassiott fills in for the vacationing Carolyn Hutcheson, and finds a baby hippo stealing the spotlight in the weekly newswrap.

On The Newswrap, Randy Scott, Reporter and Executive Producer for Alabama Public Television's Capitol Journal, talks with Carolyn Hutcheson of In Focus about the recent school schooting case in Winder, Georgia, and how Montgomery law enforcement is dealing with similar threats by several area students and teens online.

Jeff Sanders, Executive Producer and Correspondent for Alabama Public Television's Capitol Journal, often reports from across the state. He shares an update on his travels from the gulf to the mountains, especially at Alabama State Parks, with Carolyn Hutcheson for the Tri-State Travel Series from In Focus.

On The Exchange, Amanda Senn, Director of the Alabama Securities Commission, talks with Carolyn Hutcheson of In Focus about how the Internet and A.I. are changing the landscape of investment fraud.

Forest owners across Troy Public Radio's coverage area are fighting pine bark beetle infestations accelerated by drought.  Drew Metzler, Registered Forester and Forest Health Coordinator for the Alabama Forestry Commission, talks with Carolyn Hutcheson of In Focus about what he calls an epidemic.  Information is at the forestry.alabama.gov website. To report a wildfire, call 1-800-392-5679.

In Part Two of his interview, Pulitzer prize-winning writer Howell Raines, author of "Silent Cavalry, How Union Soldiers From Alabama Helped Sherman Burn Atlanta, And Then Got Written Out Of History," talks with Carolyn Hutcheson of In Focus about Union General Sherman's tactics that destroyed civilian property.The goal of the author in this Storyline book series segment is to share research into previously suppressed Civil War records. The Alabama Department of Archives and History has subsequentlydigitized many of the records of the FirstAlabama Cavalry USA for public access.

On The Newswrap, Todd Stacy, Host of Alabama Public Television's Capitol Journal, talks with Carolyn Hutcheson of In Focus about why Governor Ivey is asking for the resignation of Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Kent Davis.  And the Wildcard is about some noisy birds at the center of a court case!

For children with respiratory conditions like asthma, the school year brings the challenge of viruses and environmental changes. Professor Linda Gibson-Young,Chair of the Alabama Asthma Coalition, talks with Carolyn Hutcheson of In Focus about asthma and school children. The AAC is working with Georgia and Florida, to learn how their legislatures passed a mandate that schools carry rescue inhalers for asthma emergencies. The AAC is eager for the Alabama legislature to follow suit. Professor Gibson-Young joined us by Skype from her office in the Auburn University College of Nursing.
 

Producers of the popular public radio program, "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me," MikeDanforth and Ian Chillag, talk with Carolyn Hutcheson of In Focus about their ownpodcast, "How To Do Everything," which is ramping up for a new season. Listeners can e-mail their own questions tohowto@npr.org, and the guys will try tofind an expert to provide answers.

Pulitzer Prize - winning writer Howell Raines talks with Carolyn Hutcheson of In Focus for The Storyline book series about his family's Civil War story and his book, "Silent Cavalry, How Union Soldiers From Alabama Helped Sherman Burn Atlanta - And Then Got Written Out of History."The author's research revealed that conflict between "mountain whites" who didn't own slaves and south Alabama plantation owners divided citizens' loyalties. Somewanted to stay in the Union, while others wanted to secede. This is part one of a two-part interview.