Studio 619 for June 14, 2009

Posted byscrosby

Listen to the show

Hybrid Electric Water Heaters

Home water heaters have lagged a bit behind other residential appliances when it comes to energy efficiency. But since the federal government issued new Energy Star requirements for heaters this year, manufacturers are entering the market with new options. The first in the nation to announce a new, more efficient model is GE, which is just ramping up production of its new hybrid-electric water heater here in Louisville. WFPL’s Kristin Espeland spoke with GE’s National Account Manager, Gregg Halladay, about the new technology.

Bid-Rigging Case
There are new developments, including a trial delay, in the federal highway bid-rigging case against Kentucky road contractor Leonard Lawson and two others. Kentucky Public Radio’s Tony McVeigh has details.

State Funding and the Arts

Casualties of the recession in the art world include the 58-year-old Baltimore Opera Company 35-year-old Las Vegas Art Museum, which are among many groups that have closed. And it’s the backdrop to further cuts governments are making to state arts agencies.

Migraines
Migraine headaches are a common ailment. The malady is sometimes damaging and frequently ignored. One migraine sufferer who didn’t ignore his condition is Andrew Levy. Levy is a writer and the Edna Cooper Chair of English at Butler University. His new book, A Brain Wider Than The Sky chronicles his attempts to understand, treat and ultimately live with migraines. He talked with Gabe Bullard about the book.

Jim Tomlinson
A veteran misremembering a summer romance; a proud young girl realizing things aren’t always what they seem; a community mourning the loss of a mountain; these are ordinary people doing ordinary things. Kentucky author Jim Tomlinson finds his muse in the actions and language of the people around him.
Tomlinson just released his second short story collection Nothing Like an Ocean and took the time to talk with WFPL’s Robin Fisher about his characters, why sense of place matters, and what’s next for him. Tomlinson will be signing copies of his book on Saturday, June 20, 2pm, at Barnes & Noble at the Summit.