Lester Graham is the host of The Environment Report, and also hosts Stateside on Fridays. He has reported on public policy, politics, and issues regarding race and gender inequity. He was previously with The Environment Report at Michigan Radio from 1998-2010.
He has been a journalist since 1985. Graham has served as a board member of the Public Radio News Directors Inc., and also served as President of the Illinois News Broadcasters Association. He is a member of the Radio-Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), Society of Professional Journalists and other professional groups.
Lester has received 15 first place national awards for journalism excellence and scores more at the national, regional, and state levels.
Contributions from Lester Graham
- Artisans of Michigan: Making mandolins in Marshall
In a nondescript building in Marshall, Derek Smith is reaming a hole to fit a tuning key into head of a mandolin. That sound is a squeaky and a little irritating. It wasn't long before I asked Sm … - Cheers! Peppercorn and arugula spice up a St. Patrick’s Day drink
On the counter there was a big stone mortar and pestle, and a capped bottle with a vivid green liquid in it labeled “ARUGULA.” It was clear, this was going to be a different kind of drink. - Artisans of Michigan: Let a stone be a stone
Tom Fuleky is showing me some of his work. He’s a stonemason and he’s been at it for nearly 50 years. “And it took me 30 to really figure it out. And I know it sounds crazy, but once I figured it out, … - Municipal water treatment plants figuring out PFAS contamination
The state has finished testing all the public water systems in Michigan for PFAS chemicals. Of more than a thousand municipal systems, 119 are contaminated by PFAS. - Cheers! Mardi Gras and the history of the Hurricane
Mardi Gras in New Orleans is the inspiration for our drink on Cheers! If you’ve ever been on Bourbon Street late at night, you’ll see people sipping from a rum-heavy, red, sugary drink in a plastic cu …