Diary of a Nation

Over the course of his careers as a police detective and an animal cruelty investigator, Steve Sprowl has seen the worst of humanity. He's a retired detective from the Rochester, NH, police department, where Sprowl spent 25 years. Today, he works as an animal cruelty investigator at the New Hampshire SPCA. Be advised, we discuss disturbing crimes and cases of animal cruelty in this interview.

The NHSPCA receives no federal or state funding and relies entirely on community support. Paws Walk, the organization's largest annual fundraiser, takes place next month. To register or to donate, visit https://nhspca.org/paws-walk.

War causes so much needless suffering, and Russia’s war with Ukraine is one distressing illustration. New Hampshire resident Marianna Lundberg grew up in Ukraine, in the port city of Odessa. Today, her mother and grandmother remain in Ukraine. In this episode, Marianna shares stories of her country and its people as they live in the midst of the Russian invasion. 

Photo credit: Leila White, Y'R Charm Photography. https://www.yrcharmphoto.com.

Here are several organizations that help the people of Ukraine:  

https://razomforukraine.org. Razom means “together” in Ukrainian. Together, the organization works to build a better future for the people of Ukraine. 

https://www.sunflowerofpeace.com. Sunflower of Peace is a Boston-based non-profit that provides medical and humanitarian aid for paramedics and doctors in areas of Ukraine that are affected by the violence. 

https://www.sbcnh.org/welcome/en. For a resource local to New Hampshire, reach out to the Slavic Baptist Church in Londonderry to donate supplies or money.  

https://ukraine.welcome.us. Welcome.US is a humanitarian group for refugee resettlement. Most people who live legally in the US may apply to sponsor Ukrainian migrants, as long as they can provide financial support. 

The New Hampshire high school teacher I interviewed for this episode did something quite rare in his profession. He quit during the school year. After 17 years in the classroom. His story is one experience, but I imagine his challenges mirror what any number of other teachers across the country face today. Please be advised that some of the issues he describes may be disturbing to hear. 

Fred Marple is to New Hampshire what Garrison Keillor is to Minnesota. That is to say, Fred has a vivid imagination. Fred is an author, playwright, humorist, cartoonist, singer and songwriter. His most important role is serving as the official spokesman for Frost Heaves, a quaint New England town that flies under the radar, despite his half-hearted attempts to promote it. Listen as Fred and I share our love of his home state of New Hampshire and my home state of Oklahoma.

Learn more about Fred at fredmarple.com. 

The following episode contains explicit language and descriptions of disturbing incidents. My guest spent a decade in prison after he accepted a plea deal on drug conspiracy and gun charges. He went from stashing hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash under his bed at home to earning a few dollars a day in federal prison while managing over $200 million in military contracts. 

The United States is the incarceration capital of the world. We're home to just 4% of the global population but nearly 25% of the world's incarcerated. Do Americans commit more crimes than other people, or are other factors at play? Listen as we explore the issue together. 

In New Hampshire, this summer was a banner season for mushrooms. Enthusiast Christine Gagnon with the Uncanoonuc Foraging Company recently led me on a walk in the woods and schooled me on the science of mushrooms.

From opposing the death penalty despite the murder of his father to opposing nuclear power to defend the will of the people, the impact of Renny Cushing's activism reaches beyond the borders of his home state of New Hampshire. The state representative continues to dedicate his life to a wide range of social justice issues, but a diagnosis of prostate cancer is now making demands on his time.  Photo credit: Jim Cole, Associated Press.

Update: Renny passed away on March 7, 2022. Obituary in The New York Times: https://tinyurl.com/uv2enbzm.

Worldwide, one person dies by suicide every 40 seconds. Steve Boczenowski's son, Jeffrey, died by suicide. So did my first boyfriend. Together, Steve and I share our loved ones' stories and discuss how to prevent more suicides. If you're struggling, help is available. Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting “home” to 741741.

A Saudi Arabian cat that immigrated to New Hampshire. A rooster that helped a teenager get to college. A dog that evaded cop cars and a helicopter. A raccoon that overstayed its welcome. A poodle with a Tinder profile. Through a series of short stories, this episode explores our bonds with our pets. Some stories are funny. Some are sad. Some aren't even appropriate for children.

The US has waged a $1 trillion war on drugs. Even though opioid addiction has faded from the news cycle, drug overdoses have surged during the pandemic, and millions remain addicted. This month, my guest Katie celebrates three years of being clean. Her story offers some solutions.

Vera Rivard was just 16 when she swam the English Channel last year, nearly a century after her idol did the same. Vera's 13-year-old sister Margaret and her mother Darcie supported her along the route as they traveled with a crew in a pilot boat. Listen as the New Hampshire family discusses the trip and their love of swimming. 

The content in this episode is graphic and may be disturbing for some listeners. Former POW Capt. Hubert Buchanan was an Air Force fighter pilot when a Vietnamese fighter ace shot down his F-4 Phantom in 1966. He was quickly captured and moved among half a dozen POW camps over the next 6.5 years. Capt. Buchanan was held captive one year longer than the late US Senator John McCain. 

In part one, Capt. Buchanan recounts the dogfight that ended with his capture. He describes what happened to his aircraft commander, Major John Robertson, the pilot who flew with him that fateful afternoon. To this day, Capt. Buchanan remains in contact with his captor. 

A handful of landmark rulings over the past 25 years significantly advanced gay rights in the US. Despite that, institutions and individuals continue to discriminate against gay people. My guest Fausto Di Ianne even tried to pray away the gay. 

Breast cancer dramatically changed Irene Alton. Today, she's a 5-year survivor. Listen as she describes the events leading up to her diagnosis, her cancer treatment and her life today. 

The US is home to approximately 1.4 million transgender adults, yet most of us don't know anyone who is transgender. NH State Representative Gerri Cannon is a transgender woman who also serves on the school board in her community. This is her story. Photo credit: Deb Cram. 

Diary of a Nation is produced and hosted by Christina Zlotnick. Follow the podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at diaryofanation. Comments and story ideas welcome.