Chase the storm until it chases you.

Tornadoes! They don’t look like they do in the movies. When you’re in the path of one, all you’ll see is a wall of black wind. This week, Snap is heading directly into the monster’s maw to chase storms that should be left alone.

Big thanks to Craig Wolter! Thank you, Windom High School… especially Sarah, Benny, and Danielle. Crystal Frank, another student on the trip, shared her home video with us. This story would not have been possible without her.

Many thanks also to Sue, for sharing your story with us. Sue’s memoir is titled The Lake Turned Upside Down.

Produced by John Fecile, original score by Renzo Gorrio, artwork by Teo Ducot.

If you listened to our radio broadcast and want to find out what happened to the 24 people that shut themselves in a beer cooler to wait out one of the strongest tornadoes in recorded history, you can listen to the full length version of the “Eye of the Storm” story here.

Season 17 – Episode 35

Randy, the local surfing legend is in a one-man battle with the blaze at Sunset Point. Plus, the blizzard of the century traps four men on top of a Tennessee bald, frozen and hungry, but with a song in their heart.

Sunset Point

Randy, the local surfing legend is in a one-man battle with the blaze at Sunset Point.

Thanks to Randy and Andrew for sharing your stories with us.

Thanks to the whole Sunset Point surf crew. Special thanks to Sonya Geis, Phil Richards, and KCRW. And shout to Los Angeles Fire Department Station 23. The heroes who put out the fire on Gladstones and fought the flames in the Palisades.

This story was produced by Jesse Dukes, John Fecile, and David Exumé. Original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff.

Tennessee Whiteout

The blizzard of the century traps four men on top of a Tennessee bald, frozen and hungry, but with a song in their heart.

Thank you Roger Redding for sharing your story with us!

Produced by Anna Sussman, edited by Nancy Lopez, original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff.

Season 17 - Episode 34

Dad goes into hero mode and no hurricane, no barricade, no live power line is gonna stand between him and his daughter’s wedding day.

Father of the Bride

Dad goes into hero mode and no hurricane, no barricade, no live power line is gonna stand between him and his daughter’s wedding day.

Thank you David Jones and his daughter Elizabeth Marquez for sharing their story!

David is a performance excellence coach and consultant for businesses and the founder and president of the Excellence Advisory.

Produced by Bo Walsh, edited by Anna Sussman, original score by Nick Marks, artwork by Teo Ducot.

Reservoir Panic

As a violent wildfire heads toward the town of Twisp, Andrew Denham realizes he’s the guy responsible for making sure the town has enough water for the firefight. But there’s a big problem... there are only two well pumps to get water to the reservoir... and one of them isn’t working.

Thanks Andrew for sharing your story!

Produced by Shaina Shealy, original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff.

Today, we are sharing the debut episode of First America, the brand-new history podcast from Critical Frequency and Pushkin Industries.

Hosted by award-winning journalist Rebecca Nagle and featuring leading Native historians, First America explores how Native people have been left out of the American story. And without them, that story is wrong. From the Declaration of Independence to the founders' real motivations for rebellion and the government they built, First America reveals the true story of the founding of the United States – and how today's political moment has been 250 years in the making.

In this premiere episode, Rebecca sits down with Ned Blackhawk, who is Western Shoshone and a leading scholar of Indigenous history. They explore why the drive to seize Indigenous land – not taxation without representation – fueled the American Revolution.

To listen to the rest of the series, follow First America on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

A teenager is trapped behind the wheel of a speeding SUV with a mind of its own. It’s blowing through intersections at high speed, police in hot pursuit, Mom’s on with 911… and one lone trooper has got a crazy idea. And -- when NASA loses contact with a spacecraft over 12 billion miles away, scientist Suzanne Dodd has to throw a Hail Mary.

When the system crashes, when the first responders can’t respond, when you’re left all alone... what do you do? For the next four weeks, we’re sharing stories of people trying to think their way out of situations where no help is coming. And all of them are just gonna have to figure it out because this July on Snap Judgment... it's "All Systems Down."

Runaway Car

A teenager is trapped behind the wheel of a speeding SUV with a mind of its own. It’s blowing through intersections at high speed, police in hot pursuit, Mom’s on with 911… and one lone trooper has got a crazy idea.

A huge thank you to Sam Dutcher and his mother, Catherine Johnson Dutcher, along with Minnesota State Trooper Zach Gruver for sharing their story with Snap! Very special thanks to Lieutenant Mike Lee of the Minnesota State Patrol as well.

Produced by Bo Walsh, edited by Anna Sussman, original score by Renzo Gorrio.

Voyager

When NASA loses contact with a spacecraft over 12 billion miles away, scientist Suzanne Dodd has to throw a Hail Mary.

Thank you Suzy Dodd, for sharing your story with us! Learn more about the Voyager mission.

Produced by John Fecile, edited by Nancy Lopez, original score by Doug Stuart.

Season 17 - Episode 32

One man takes it upon himself to reintroduce the beaver to Belgium. When his proposal to the Ministry of Conservation is rejected he takes matters into his own hands. And -- the "Home Alone" Curse is all too real.

The Belgian Beaver Bandit

Sacré bleu! The damn beavers are on the loose! Belgium authorities are hot on the tail of Oliver Rubbers. A renegade with a wild mission… bring the beaver back.

Thank you, Olivier Rubbers, for sharing your story with us! Olivier now lives with his wife and kids in Belgium and is still engaging in nature advocacy work.

Produced by David Exumé, original score by Renzo Gorrio, special thanks to Isobel Cockerell, artwork by Teo Ducot.

The Home Alone Curse

The “Home Alone” Curse is all too real. The big-budget movie is in peril, and only one actor can save it. Not Macaulay Culkin. Not Joe Pesci. It’s the goofball cop, Larry Hankin, with one iconic glazed donut.

This story contains strong language, sensitive listeners please be advised.

Thank you, Larry Hankin, for sharing your story! From Escape to Alcatraz to Friends to Seinfeld and Breaking Bad, Larry has left an indelible mark on your TV screens over the last five decades. Yes, Llarry has a book, entitled, That Guy: A Cautionary Memoir.

Special thanks to Sam Shaw for sharing Larry’s story with us. Sam is working on a documentary on Larry’s improvisational theater company, The Committee. A special shoutout to The Crow Comedy Club in Santa Monica for hosting Larry during one of their unforgettable storytelling nights.

Engineering by Pat Mesiti-Miller & Miles Lassi.

Season 17 – Episode 31

From our friends at Love and Radio, the groundbreaking new series Blood Memory. In this first episode, two women meet the same man in prison and walk away with decidedly different impressions of him.

“Sometimes, if you want something great, you have to make a lot of sacrifices.”

You can listen to the rest of the series over at the Love and Radio podcast! Stay tuned after this episode for an interview with Love and Radio creator Nick van der Kolk and Snap Producer John Fecile.

This episode featured the voices of Ariel, Heather Brown and Michael Thompson. The series producer is Meera Kumar. Robin Amer is the Managing Editor with additional reporting by Brian Krans and Anya Schultz. Fact checking by Nicole Pasulka. Bill Rohlfing provided the voice of the radio announcer.

This episode featured music from:
The Lighthouse Trembles – Natalia Beylis – Mermaids
Mind Shifts – Michel Banabila – The Unreal Realm
Acqua – Las Olas – Las Olas
Not In Our Name – Pierre Bastien & Michel Banabila – Nuits Sans Nuit
Vertigo – Zoroxxe – Zoroxxe
Mermaids – Natalia Beylis – Mermaids
Après La Pluie – Memory Scale – And All Things Begin to Drift
Revoluciones (mirco) – Zoroxxe – Zoroxxe
Good Grief – Sereptie – Sulpher’s End
Intemperie – Glitch Bird – Intemperie
A Listening Voice – Russ Young – Cloak
La Inmanencia del Ser – Interspecifics – Reducción
Tigre de Papel (feat. King Klavé) – Quixosis – Zen & Caro
Chanclas de Mercurio – Quixosis – Zen & Caro
Sentimental, Sedimentary – Dialect – Under~Between
Vertigo – Zoroxxe – Zoroxxe
Lágrimas de Sangre II – Ezmeralda -Patrimonio Inmaterial de la Nada
The Process from Birth – Michel Banabil – The Unreal Realm
Paisaje Oblícuo – Zoroxxe – Zoroxxe
We’ll Find Out – Timber Timbre – Timber Timbre
dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The story of a self proclaimed “drunk drag queen,” and the music that saved them. Plus, we go on an adventure underwater to visit a secret kingdom for seahorses.

STORIES

Movement

From the podcast, Movement, we spotlight the story of a self proclaimed” drunk drag queen,” and the music that saved them.

Produced by Meklit Hadero and Ian Coss. The Movement show was co-created by Julie Caine.

You can find all of San Cha’s music and projects at churchofsancha.com.

If you want to find more stories at the crossroads of music and migration, search for “Movement with Meklit Hadero,” wherever you listen!

Movement is supported by The Mellon Foundation and National Geographic Society, and distributed by PRX.

Under Pressure

After traumatic experiences underwater, a diver falls in love with the ocean again by building a secret kingdom for seahorses.

BIG thanks to Roger Hanson. Roger’s writing a children’s book, called “A Seahorse of a Different Color,” about a unique seahorse who was born different. It comes out in June.

Roger has previously been covered by the LA Times and Spectrum Channel 1, which called him the “world’s foremost expert on the Pacific Seahorse.”

Seahorse Update: In September, pregnant Deep Blue stopped showing up. Roger thinks he was eaten by an octopus. He’s moved any remaining octopuses in the area and resettled them elsewhere.

Produced by Liz Mak, original score by Leon Moriomoto, artwork by Teo Ducot.

Season 17 - Episode 29