Dan Klefstad

WNIJ Morning Edition Host

Dan Klefstad is a graduate of Northern Public Radio's "Slacker to Professional" program, starting as a part-time announcer in 1990.  He was a student then and had trouble getting to work before noon.  In 1997 Dan ceased being a night owl and began greeting the dawn, and listeners, as WNIJ's Morning Edition host.  Because of his 8pm bedtime, Dan doesn't have much of a life outside work.  But every now and then he writes a novel and, every now and then, one gets published.  He lives vicariously through his fictional protagonists and antagonists.  He shares a home in DeKalb with his wife and two cats.

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Arts
8:12 am
Tue May 29, 2012

Belvidere preacher rides a Harley for Jesus

  • Robert Kopp reads an excerpt from "I Just Wanna Ride"
  • Robert Kopp explains his book's subtitle, FTW.
  • Morning Edition version (June 1st, 2012)

Robert Kopp wants you to know something:  Jesus loves you, and he would've ridden a motorcycle back in the day.  The Rev. Dr. Kopp's new book, I Just Wanna Ride (FTW), describes how the biker lifestyle leads to a more authentic faith.  It's the first installment of WNIJ's Summer Book Series.

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Arts
12:48 pm
Wed May 23, 2012

Northern Illinois authors share stories with WNIJ

Robert Kopp visits WNIJ to discuss "I Just Wanna Ride"

Literature is alive and vital in DeKalb and the Rockford area.  I learned this after interviewing five authors for WNIJ's Summer Book Series, which airs every Friday in June. 

This is the first such series by WNIJ News since I started hosting Morning Edition in 1997 and, to be honest, none of us knew anything about the authors who lived here.  The only thing we knew was this:  The books we wanted for this series should be the kind you'd want to read while on vacation.

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Politics
12:19 pm
Wed May 23, 2012

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald stepping down

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald

Patrick Fitzgerald has scheduled a news conference Thursday to announce his resignation, according to the Justice Department.  Fitzgerald was selected as northern Illinois' top prosecutor in 2001.

During his tenure he successfully tried two Illinois governors, George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich, and media mogul Conrad Black.

As a special prosecutor, he investigated Lewis "Scooter" Libby, then chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney.  Fitzgerald's investigation led to Libby's conviction on charges that he leaked the covert identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson.

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Government
6:27 am
Wed May 9, 2012

GOP freshman gives qualified thumbs-up to President Obama

Northern Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger says President Obama has "been aggressive" when protecting Americans from terrorism.  The freshman Republican cites the Obama administration's increase in the use of drone strikes in Pakistan and Yemen. 

Kinzinger spoke a day after U.S. intelligence officials announced they foiled an alleged attempt to bomb a U.S.-bound airliner.  But in an interview with WNIJ, Kinzinger stressed he has "fundamental disagreements" with the administration's handling of Afghanistan. 

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Pensions
4:00 am
Mon April 30, 2012

What's the impact of Gov.'s pension fix?

NIU's Steven Cunningham, VP for administration & human resources

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn wants state institutions, such as Northern Illinois University, to contribute to their workers' pensions.  Currently, the state pays the employer share of contributions.   Quinn's plan would slowly shift the responsibility for paying the "normal cost of pensions" to universities, community colleges and school districts. 

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