Access Utah

According to at least one poll, 1 in 5 Americans say they wouldn’t vote for a Mormon for president.  The nation is about to test that proposition, of course, and in the meantime on Monday’s AU we’ll talk with Trevor C. Hill producer and director of "The Religious Test—A Documentary Film about Mormonism and Politics."

In the second half, Tom Williams’ guest is BYU Assistant Professor of History, J. Spencer Fluhman, author of A Peculiar People: Anti-Mormonism and the Making of Religion in Nineteenth-Century America.

Sheri Quinn speaks to local author Christine Geery, who wrote "A Heart Full of Hope," a memoir about the challenges of growing up. 

At 9:30 on Science Questions, we explore a new trend in education at community colleges across the nation- Industry in the classroom, specifically in the bio-technical field. The change is happening to better prepare students for jobs in the ever-changing market. 

The RAPZ (Recreation, Arts, Parks and Zoos) tax is on the ballot this year for renewal this year. The tax was approved by a large margin originally, and is a tax of a tenth of one percent, a small portion of which is given to the state for collection purposes, the rest is put toward community organizations in Cache Valley. 

In his new book, "Apocalyptic Planet: Field Guide to the Ever Ending Earth" author Craig Childs makes it clear that our planet is not stable, and alternate futures, not all of them pretty, are waiting in the wings. He refutes the idea of an apocalyptic end, and points instead to the inevitable end in some of the most physically challenging places on the globe. From Chile to Iowa and the Bering Sea, he looks to the past to see the possible ends of the earth. Childs is our guest on Access Utah today. 

Mark Anderson joins Bryan Earl in studio today to discuss hydrating a garden for the winter months especially after a dry season, as well as how to properly shut down a garden. 

You can ask Bryan Earl any gardening question on Twitter, by visiting his page or using #AUGarden. 

Mary Robinson served as president of Ireland from 1990 - 1997 and was the first woman to chair the U.N. Commission for Human Rights. She is also the founder of the Ethical Globalization Initiative, advocates for the integration of human rights, gender sensitivity, and enhanced accountability in politics. As president, Robinson bravely fought for women's rights, gay and lesbian rights, and for other underserved populations in the country, bridging religious, social, and economic groups.

Richard Brookhiser, a Senior Editor at the National Review, has written several books on our founding fathers.  His latest is a biography of James Madison, who he calls the “father of politics.”  We’ll talk about James Madison, review the state of conservative politics, and look at the presidential election with Richard Brookhiser on Wednesday’s AU.

Rhodes Scholar and Navy SEAL, Eric Greitens has worked in Bolivia, hunted terrorists in Iraq, and learned from refugees in Bosnia and Croatia, survivors of genocide in Rwanda, and fellow SEALs who fought in Afghanistan.  He is founder of The Mission Continues, a non-profit organization that challenges veterans to lead in their communities, and author of the bestselling book, "The Heart and the Fist: The Education of a Humanitarian, the Making of a Navy SEAL." 

Yellow jackets are swarming, the box elder bugs are massing, aphids are increasing their numbers. We've discussed these insects before, but we're going to talk about them again with Utah State University Extension Entomologist Diane Alston will be with us today for the last time of the season. 

The science of dinosaurs is the topic at USU's Science Unwrapped lecture series tonight.  Today on the program, Sheri Quinn talks to the guest speaker, paleontologist Dr. Kenneth Carpenter about dinosaur behavior and biology.  

At 9:30 Science Questions profiles leading scientists in Utah’s pharmaceutical industry.  It is a risky business that pays off well when a drug makes it to market but the chances of getting there are slim.