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Articles by Brad Klein
Balancing tradition and technology | Renovation Report with Martin Ebert
In this episode of the TurfNet Renovation Report, Brad Klein interviews distinguished British golf architect Martin Ebert about the complexities of golf course design and restoration. Ebert discusses his global project portfolio, including work in Argentina, Japan, and Canada, and delves into the delicate balance required when renovating historic venues like Royal Birkdale, Royal Liverpool, and St Andrews.
From civil engineering to golf course design | Renovation Report with Matt Schiffer
In this episode of the TurfNet Renovation Report, host Brad Klein interviews golf architect Matt Schiffer about his career path from civil engineering to golf course design. Schiffer discusses his transition into the profession through a master’s degree in Scotland and his subsequent work with various design offices. The conversation covers the importance of sustainable golf design, his work with the Golf Environment Organization, and how golf courses can act as biological assets.
The economics of club leadership | Renovation Report — Brad Klein with Kurt Kuebler and Tom Wallace
In this TurfNet Renovation Report podcast episode, host Brad Klein interviews Kurt Kuebler and Tom Wallace from the executive consulting and search firm of Koppin, Kuebler and Wallace about the critical relationship between leadership and golf course excellence. The discussion explores how successful golf courses require strong leadership not just from superintendents, but coordinated efforts between general managers, golf professionals, and board governance.
WATCHING THE SKIES: Jan. 11-17 | 2026 Astro highlights
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire. Mark your calendar for the total lunar eclipse that takes place just before sunrise on March 3. It will not be perfect conditions to view the moment of totality in the Lehigh Valley, since that occurs just as the moon is setting, and the sun begins to rise. But the beginnings of the lunar eclipse should be a treat for early risers if the weather cooperates. On Aug.
WATCHING THE SKIES: Jan. 4-10 | Jupiter is ruling the winter sky
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire. This week, the planet Jupiter will be at its brightest, as it reaches "opposition" to the Earth on Jan. 10. Just as the moon is seen at its brightest when it is opposite from the sun as seen from Earth, the outer planets also grow brighter and dimmer depending upon their "phase" as seen from Earth, and their distance from our home planet.
WATCHING THE SKIES: Dec. 28 - Jan. 3 | A spectacular live view from space
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire. This week, a suggestion for how to enjoy the view from the International Space Station, without the expense and arduous training needed to become an astronaut. The International Space Station now carries a camera providing a 4K live stream available online.
WATCHING THE SKIES: Dec. 20-26 | A change in the seasons
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire. This week marks the start of astronomical winter which began with the December solstice, Sunday morning just after 10 a.m. EST. The change of seasons takes place due to the tilt of Earth’s axis, relative to its orbit around our sun, and the December solstice occurs at the moment that the North Pole reaches its maximum tilt away from the sun.
WATCHING THE SKIES: Dec. 14-20 | Orion, the constellation of winter
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire. This week, a look at Orion — the constellation most associated with the winter sky. The most prominent stars in the constellation can be thought of as representing the hunter’s shoulders and knees, with three stars at center representing Orion’s belt or waist. As with most constellations in the night sky, the stars that make up Orion are not near each other in space.
WATCHING THE SKIES: Dec. 7-16 | Valley entrepreneur nominated again to lead NASA
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire. This week, the discussion is about the revived nomination of Lehigh Valley entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead the U.S. space agency. “It is pretty exciting that somebody from the Lehigh Valley… has the chance to become the head of NASA,” McGuire said. Isaacman is the CEO and founder of credit card processing company, Shift4, based in Upper Saucon Township.
WATCHING THE SKIES: Nov. 30 - Dec. 6 | A meteoric rise
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire most weeks.
WATCHING THE SKIES: Nov. 23-29 | Interstellar comet fuels online misinformation
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire. For November, we’re taking a look at comets. One unusual "interstellar" comet, 3I/ATLAS has drawn attention from not just star-gazers, but also online UFO fans looking for clicks on social media. “It’s a true interstellar comet that's speeding through our solar system originating from some other star in the Milky Way galaxy,” according to McGuire.
WATCHING THE SKIES: Nov. 16-22 | Comets, the source of meteor showers
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire. For November, we’re taking a look at comets, with three getting a lot of attention as they pass through our inner solar system. This week, the subject is the relationship between comets and meteor showers.
WATCHING THE SKIES: Nov. 9-15 | Comets, ready for their closeup
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire. For November, we’re taking a look at comets, with three getting a lot of attention as they pass through our inner solar system. This week, the subject is astrophotography. If you spend any time on online astronomy sites, you will see some spectacular photos of Comets 3I/ATLAS, C/2025 A6 (Lemmon), and C/2025 R2 (SWAN).
WATCHING THE SKIES: Nov. 2-8 | All about comets
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire. During the month of November we will continue the look at comets that began here last week. There are three comets currently passing through the inner solar system: Comets 3I/ATLAS, C/2025 A6 (Lemmon), and C/2025 R2 (SWAN). Comets are generally named for their date of discovery and for the person or scientific instrument used to find them.
WATCHING THE SKIES: Oct. 26 - Nov. 1 | A rare interstellar comet
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire. This week, a rare interstellar comet is passing through our solar system. It was detected by an array of telescopes designed to warn astronomers should a comet be on a collision course with Earth. Comet 3I/ATLAS is not visible with the naked eye, and it is not going to hit the Earth.
WATCHING THE SKIES: Oct. 19-26 | The Orionid meteor shower
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire. This week, a look at the Orionid meteor shower. It peaks this week on Monday night-Tuesday morning. The Orionids have a reputation as being among the best meteor showers of the year. Annual meteor showers like this one originate with the debris left over from comets as they orbit the sun.
WATCHING THE SKIES: Oct. 12-18 | Signs of life on Mars
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire. This week, a closer look at photos taken by the Mars rover Perseverance. According to NASA, they may have found the most persuasive evidence yet of a history of microbial life outside of Earth. Perseverance is a robotic rover that has earned its name. It’s been moving over the surface of Mars since landing in early 2021.
WATCHING THE SKIES: Oct. 5 - 11 | Lehigh Valley Space Fest
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire. This week, a look at the presentations and exhibitions at this year’s Lehigh Valley Space Fest, held at Lafayette College in Easton Oct. 11-12. Presenters this year include: Joshua Pepper, program scientist for NASA's Astrophysics Division; Kim P.
WATCHING THE SKIES: Sept. 28 - Oct. 4 | Lehigh Valley Space Fest
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire. This week, they look forward to this year’s Lehigh Valley Space Fest at Lafayette College in Easton, set for Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 11-12. McGuire co-founded the event with Todd Sullivan. Both are part of the NASA ambassador program that encourages public outreach on space exploration.
Iconic bluegrass trio to regroup for rare show in Doylestown
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — An acoustic supergroup will be in the area for a rare performance Sunday. Phillips, Grier & Flinner combines the talents of double bassist Todd Phillips, acoustic guitarist David Grier and mandolinist and banjo player Matt Flinner. It will perform at 2 p.m., with doors at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28, at Moravian Pottery and Tile Works, 130 E. Swamp Road, Doylestown, Bucks County.
WATCHING THE SKIES: Sept. 21-27 | Saturn shining bright
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire. This week, a look at the planet Saturn which is shining particularly brightly. If skies are clear, Saturn will be easy to spot since it will be the brightest object in the eastern sky after sunset. And it remains visible for most of the night as it travels toward the western horizon. Like other planets, its apparent brightness changes over time.
WATCHING THE SKIES: September 14 - 20 | Astronomical autumn approaches
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire. This week, the subject is the beginning of ‘astronomical autumn.’ There are several ways to calculate the start and end of the seasons. So-called ‘meteorological autumn’ runs from Sept. 1 through the end of November. It’s a convenient way to assign each season three calendar months. But for the astronomically-minded, fall begins with the equinox, “Monday, Sept.
Listen: Allentown's Jordan Creek encampment highlights search for safe housing solutions
ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Dozens of people living in an encampment along Jordan Creek in Allentown are running out of time to find a new place to stay. Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk initially ordered the camp to close Aug. 25, but after pushback from residents and activists, he extended the deadline by about five weeks. WLVR’s Brad Klein gets an update from reporter Jason Addy on the status of the tent city, which at times has housed as many as 100 residents.
WATCHING THE SKIES: Sept. 7-13 | NASA’s nuclear mission
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire. This week, a discussion of how to provide power to a future base for astronauts on the moon. News reports in recent weeks have indicated that the Trump administration is moving forward with plans to place a nuclear reactor on the moon by the year 2030. It’s an idea that has been discussed for years.
WATCHING THE SKIES: Aug. 31-Sept. 6 | Chasing moon shadows
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire. This week the question is: Are eclipses of the sun and moon common, or rare? The answer is … both! Looking at astronomy as a "glass half full," there is the good news that September 2025 brings both a total lunar eclipse, and a partial solar eclipse to planet Earth.
WATCHING THE SKIES: Aug. 24-30 | New space station crew members settle in
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire. This week, an update on the International Space Station. The night sky has become crowded with human-made satellites, and on a clear night they are among the most conspicuous objects in the night sky. According to a recent article in Scientific American, there are about 11,000 working satellites in orbit.
WATCHING THE SKIES: Aug. 17-23 | 2025 Perseid meteor shower takes a bow
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire. This week, although the Perseid meteor shower has passed its peak, it’s not too late to see a "shooting star." The annual Perseid meteor shower peaked on the nights of Aug. 12-13, but the meteor shower extends for weeks before and after its peak night. And, the waning moon creates darker skies as the week goes on, which is a big help to meteor viewing.
WATCHING THE SKIES: August 10-16 | Planets align in the morning sky
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire. This week, you may have noticed a second bright object joining the ‘morning star’ before dawn recently. It’s the giant planet Jupiter, and this week it will make its closest approach to Venus in the morning sky. On the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 12 the two planets will be less than a degree apart in the night sky, in what’s known as a planetary conjunction.
WATCHING THE SKIES: Aug 3 - 9 | Betelgeuse has a ‘Betelbuddy,’ astronomers say
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire. This week, a look at a new discovery about one of the brightest stars in the night sky, the red supergiant, Betelgeuse. It has long been known that the star seen at the upper left of the constellation, Orion, periodically dims and brightens.
REVIEW: Avett Brothers at Musikfest make audience one big happy family
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Saturday night on Musikfest’s main Steel Stage was something of a family affair, with a brothers act drawing from family experience — and finding ways to transcend it, as well. The Avett Brothers — siblings Scott and Seth — with their band have spent more than two decades riding the wave of a musical mix that’s commonly gathered under the name Americana. It’s an elastic term that can include elements of folk, rock, bluegrass and country.
WATCHING THE SKIES: July 27 - Aug. 1 | Perseid meteor shower peaks mid-August
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire. This week, a look forward to one of the year’s best meteor showers, the Perseids. Patience is an essential ingredient when it comes to view a meteor shower, and it is much more comfortable to sit under the summer sky and watch for shooting stars than it is in winter. “The peak [for viewing the Perseids this year] is predicted to be August 12 to 13," according to McGuire.
Part two: Lehigh Valley historian reflects on Moravian’s role in the Revolutionary War
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is part of our recurring series: Lehigh Valley 250th — a project that examines our region's place and contributions in American history leading up to the nation's 250th anniversary next year. BETHLEHEM, Pa. — This is part two of an interview with Prof. Scott Gordon of Lehigh University. Gordon is professor of English and a scholar of the Colonial and post-Colonial history of the Lehigh Valley.
Lehigh Valley historian reflects on Moravian’s role in the Revolutionary War
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is part of our recurring series: Lehigh Valley 250th — a project that examines our region's place and contributions in American history leading up to the nation's 250th anniversary next year. BETHLEHEM, Pa. — This is part one of an interview with Prof. Scott Gordon of Lehigh University. Gordon is a professor of English and a scholar of the Colonial and post-Colonial history of the Lehigh Valley.
WATCHING THE SKIES: July 20-26 | Pioneering astronomer Vera C. Rubin born this week, 1928
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire. This week, a look at the late Vera C. Rubin, an American astronomer whose name is now associated with one of the most powerful observatories on Earth. Dr. Rubin, who was born July 23, 1928, did not live to see recently released images from the observatory in the high mountains of Chile that bears her name. But her life’s work, and the mission of the Vera C.
WATCHING THE SKIES: July 13-19 | 1st images from a game-changing observatory
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire. This week, they discuss the new Vera C. Rubin Observatory. Created by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation, it’s expected to be a game-changer in how scientists view the cosmos.
WATCHING THE SKIES: July 6-12 | Why there is a new, small crater on the moon
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire. This week, the sad news that an ambitious mission to land a robotic craft on the moon ended in failure last month. The Japanese company ispace launched the spacecraft Resilience earlier this year with hopes of landing on the moon and deploying a small robotic rover that would send back HD photos from the lunar surface.
WATCHING THE SKIES: June 29 – July 5 | A chance to spot Mercury
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire. This week provides one of the best chances of the year to spot the elusive planet, Mercury. That’s because Friday, July 4 marks the point of greatest eastern elongation for the innermost planet. That’s astronomical jargon for the moment when a planet appears furthest from the sun, as seen from Earth.
WATCHING THE SKIES: June 22-28 | Astronomical summer arrives
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire. This week, a discussion of the different start dates for summer. Relying on the calendar, "meteorological summer" is simply the warm months of June, July and August. But there is a more precise way to calculate the start of summer, based not on the calendar but on the position of the Earth as it orbits the sun.
WATCHING THE SKIES: June 15-21 | Celebrate Mars at Shankweiler's Drive-in
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Typically, WLVR’s Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire. But this week, he spoke with Lauren McChesney, co-owner of Shankweiler's Drive-In in Orefield with her partner, Matthew McClanahan. On Tuesday, June 17, the drive-in will host Klein and McGuire for Watching the Skies' first live event.
WATCHING THE SKIES: June 8-14 |Mars and the movies
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire. This week, a few thoughts on Marty’s favorite planet, Mars, along with notice of a special event.
WATCHING THE SKIES: June 1-7 | A Japanese lunar mission prepares to land
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire. This week, the Japanese lunar mission known as "Resilience," prepares to deploy its lander to the moon’s surface. If all goes according to plan, Resilience will land on the moon Thursday, June 5.
WATCHING THE SKIES: May 25-31 | A high point for the morning star
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire. This week, the planet Venus, in its role as the morning "star," reaches its highest point over the eastern horizon in the early morning sky. It rises about two hours before the sun and shines very brightly before dawn. Venus “is amazingly bright and high above the horizon these days,” according to McGuire.
WATCHING THE SKIES: May 18-24 | Contemplating the NASA ‘meatball’ logo
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire. This week, a look at the enduring NASA insignia, known as the "meatball" logo. It was created in 1959 by an early NASA employee, James Modarelli, according to the agency’s website. “The round shape of the insignia represents a planet," the NASA website says. "The stars represent space. The red v-shaped wing represents aeronautics.
WATCHING THE SKIES: May 4-10 | The return of the 'morning star’
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire. This week, the planet Venus has finished her long running role as "evening star" and now becomes the highlight of the pre-dawn morning sky. The so-called "morning star" is brightly visible for the remainder of spring, and easy to spot in the eastern sky just before sunrise. It is the brightest object in the night sky after the moon, and it’s not really a star at all.
National Space Day: A conversation with the Lehigh Valley’s resident astronaut
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The first Friday in May is observed as National Space Day, an occasion to celebrate space exploration and science, and encourage young people heading into the STEM fields. Astronaut Terry Hart, of Lower Saucon Township, took the occasion this week to speak with WLVR’s Brad Klein about his past role with NASA — and his present one, teaching at Lehigh University and mentoring a new generation heading into science and technology.
WATCHING THE SKIES: April 28 - May 3 | The future of the ISS and Boeing Starliner
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire. This week, an update on two astronauts who captured the world’s attention when their stay on the International Space Station went from a couple of days to the better part of a year. Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore launched into space last June, expecting to be back on Earth just days later.
WATCHING THE SKIES: April 20 - 26 | The Lyrid meteor shower
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire. This week marks the peak nights of the annual Lyrid meteor shower. The chance to "catch a falling star" in this spring meteor shower extends for several days before and after peak viewing time Monday night, into Tuesday morning. For your best chances, find a dark sky location, get comfortable, and prepare to stay up past midnight.
WATCHING THE SKIES: April 13-19 | The evening sky
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire. This week, a look at several striking objects that are visible in the evening sky after sunset. If you can find a spot with a clear view of the southern and western night sky, there are several eye-catching objects that should be in view this week. One is a temporary alignment of three bright objects in the southern sky.
WATCHING THE SKIES: April 6-12 | LV entrepreneur up for top NASA job
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire. This week, a preview of confirmation hearings scheduled for Wednesday to confirm a new head for NASA. The nominee is Jared Isaacman, CEO and founder of credit card processing company, Shift4, based in Upper Saucon Township. My commute into DC—the city looks amazing this time of year.
WATCHING THE SKIES: March 30 – April 5 | The new moon
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire. This week, how to spot the first traces of the young crescent moon that marks the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. For astronomers, the ‘new’ moon generally refers to the moment when the moon is directly between the sun and Earth. At that moment, it is invisible to observers on Earth, except during an eclipse of the sun.
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