By: Rob Schmitz
VILSECK, Germany — It was Thorsten Grädler's first day on the job as mayor of the Bavarian town of Vilseck when, at his introductory press conference, a journalist broke it to him.
Rob Schmitz is a Correspondent at NPR. He covers a diverse range of topics, including regional interest and world news, with a focus on the music business, climate policy, and the environmental impacts of mining in the United States and Asia. Schmitz is also the author of "Street of Eternal Happiness: Big City Dreams Along a Shanghai Road" and has been featured in numerous public radio outlets, including WCBU-FM, Public Radio Tulsa, and WUWM 89.7 FM.
