A Station for Everyone
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

The Exchange, February 6, 2019, The Warrior, Tenure and The Day the Music Died

You’re listening to The Exchange on Siouxland Public Media. I’m Mary Hartnett. 

A major renovation is underway at the historic Warrior Hotel in Sioux City.  Closed for more than 40 years, the real estate company Restoration St. Louis is giving the old building near 6th and Nebraska new life.  Siouxland Public Media Sheila Brummer toured the Warrior building yesterday with the owners of Restoration St. Louis and talked to them about the transformation of a Sioux City landmark.  Here’s her conversation with Amrit (auhm-rit) and Amy Gill.

TRT:  6:08

OUTCUE: “be here shortly”

TAG:  The cost of the restoration project that includes the nearby Davidson building is $73 million dollars.  The Gills were credited with revitalizing another river town in Iowa; Davenport. 

They opened the Blackhawk Hotel there in 2010.  It is a Marriott Autograph Collection Hotel.  Once finished, the Warrior will have the same designation given to luxury hotels by Marriott.  The Gills first got involved in the Warrior Hotel Project after Sioux City developer Lew Weinberg who owned the Warrior and nearby Davidson building reached out to them a couple years ago.

For a look inside the Warrior Hotel take a look at Siouxland Public Media’s Facebook Page. 

Crews started working on the building on January 7th.

Last week, a proposal resurfaced in the Iowa State Senate that calls for eliminating tenure at state universities.  The measure cleared one legislative hurdle after a Senate education subcommittee approved it Jan. 30. The full Senate Education Committee will need to approve the bill before it moves on to the Senate

Several lawmakers have expressed concern about the measure, as have the Iowa Board of Regents. The regents have issued a statement opposing getting rid of tenure.  Josh Lehman is a spokesman for the board.

That was Josh Lehman, spokesman for the Iowa Board of Regents, explaining the board’s reasons for an opposing a measure being considered by the State Senate that would end tenure at the state’s universities.

Higher education researchers and critics also say tenure is important to the health of colleges and universities.  Richard Vedder is a Distinguished Professor of Economics at Ohio University.  Vedder says tenure 

Richard Vedder is a Distinguished Professor of Economics at Ohio University, who writes about issues like tenure.  The bill to end tenure has yet to come before the full Senate education committee.

You’re listening to The Exchange on Siouxland Public Media, I’m Mary Hartnett.  Iowa Women Lead Change will hold its Siouxland Conference at the Sioux City Convention Center next Wednesday and the group will have a new name, Women Lead Change.  Tiffany O’Donnell is the CEO of Women Lead Change.  O’Donnell says the organization was no longer just in Iowa.  

That was Tiffany O’Donnell at Women Lead Change, which holds its Siouxland Conference next Wednesday, February 13that the Sioux City Convention Center. 

Exchange, on SPM.  Next week, Tony-nominated lyricist and playwright Bill Russell will return to Morningside College to speak to students.  Russell attended Morningside College years ago.  He will be speaking informally about his career and we will share excerpts from his most recent musical, “Unexpected Joy,” which was performed in New York and London last year.  I talked with Russell about his life growing up in Western South Dakota and how it shaped his future career.

That was Bill Russell, a Tony award nominated songwriter and playwright who will visit his alma mater next Tuesday to perform and speak with students. Here’s an excerpt from his latest production Unexpected Joy

Morningside College will get a visit from one of its distinguished alumni this weekend.  Bill Russell is an award-winning lyricist.

Bill Russell

The past weekend marked the 60th anniversary of the day “The Music Died”.  Siouxland Public Media’s Sheila Brummer with a special report on the tragedy leaving a long-lasting legacy in one Iowa community.

The Day the Music Died

Related Content