This week on “Sunday Morning” (July 18)
Host: Jane Pauley
COVER STORY: What the megadrought means to the American West
Farmers dependent upon water from river systems in the American West are seeing massive cuts in their supply, as reservoirs drop to their lowest levels due to the worst drought to hit the region in 1,200 years. Correspondent Ben Tracy talks with scientists who say there is no quick or easy recovery, and with a California farmer whose livelihood is in danger.
For more info:
- Del Bosque Farms, Firebaugh., Calif.
- Park Williams, HyFiVeS Research Group, UCLA
- J.T. Reager, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
- U.S. Drought Monitor, National Drought Mitigation Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
SUNDAY BEST: Fireflies put on a summertime light show
There’s forest in Tennessee where fireflies put on a show unlike anywhere else. It’s no wonder thousands of tourists turn out each year to witness the spectacle of nature’s nightlife: a species of synchronous fireflies that flashes in unison. Correspondent Lee Cowan brings us a front row seat. Originally broadcast on July 13, 2014.
For more info:
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park (nps.gov)
WORLD: UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites: Protecting the world’s treasure
For nearly 50 years the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has listed outstanding natural and man-made sites as culturally significant locations worthy of protection. But what does designation as a World Heritage Site actually mean for a glacier or coral reef, or a landmark like the Taj Mahal? Correspondent Conor Knighton treks for answers.
For more info:
MUSIC: Nothing can stop Marilyn Maye
Jazz singer Marilyn Maye, who has just turned 93, wasn’t about to let a pesky pandemic prevent her from doing what she was put on this Earth to do: sing the Great American Songbook. Correspondent Mo Rocca reports.
For more info:
- marilynmaye.com
- billystritch.com
- The Wick Theatre, Boca Raton, Fla.
PASSAGE: In memoriam
HARTMAN: Bench therapy
HUMOR: Cartoons from The New Yorker
“Sunday Morning” sends you off to the rest of your Sunday with a smile, courtesy of recent cartoons from The New Yorker magazine.
MOVIES: Matt Damon on “Stillwater” and a return to the movie theater
The Academy Award-winner is back, starring in the new drama “Stillwater,” about an Oklahoma oil rig worker whose daughter is imprisoned in France. Matt Damon talks with correspondent Seth Doane about making the critically-praised film; what the COVID-19 lockdown has taught him; and how becoming a father of four daughters has changed him as an actor.
PREVIEW: Matt Damon on what the pandemic has taught him
To watch a trailer for “Stillwater” click on the video player below.
For more info:
- “Stillwater” opens in theaters July 30
COMMENTARY: Josh Seftel’s Mom is ready for a reunion
Throughout the pandemic lockdown, “Sunday Morning” contributor Josh Seftel has been checking in virtually with his mother, Pat. Now, she’s ready for an in-person get-together – and a long-awaited chance to meet her newest granddaughter.
For more info:
JUSTICE: Why are wrongly-convicted people still imprisoned in Missouri?
“48 Hours” correspondent Erin Moriarty talks with two Missouri men, Kevin Strickland and Lamar Johnson, who have served a combined 70 years in prison for murders most people now believe they did not commit. And yet, even though prosecutors have called for their release, innocence may not be enough to earn their freedom – both men are still behind bars. So, what’s going on in the state of Missouri?
For more info:
- Conviction and Incident Review Unit, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney
- Sean O’Brien, University of Missouri Kansas City School of Law
- Conviction Integrity Unit, Jackson County Prosecutors’ office
- Midwest Innocence Project
NATURE: Cypress trees
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