June 2019

FUN DAYS, JUNK JAUNT, PLANETARIUM, AND DUCKS

Listen Here NowOriginally broadcast 06/26/2019
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Today's program started in Ogden whith Ben Hollingshead, co-chair of the Ogden Fun Days, telling us about that festival this weekend (June 27, 28, and 29).  Then we heard about a completely different kind of event in the rural parts of our area -- Central Iowa Junk Jaunt, with owners, Haleigh Eason and Brenda Schwager giving us a preview of their 21 locations.  Carrying on with the national topic for summer reading programs, "A Universe of Stories," Bertha Bartlett Library in Story City is hosting a one-day opportunity to view the night  the night sky in an inflatable planetarium (today, May 26) as described by Kolleen Taylor, executive director of BBL.  From the heavens to rubber ducks, Jay Wilson, executive director of Story City Greater Chamber Connection, told us how the community is overcoming the lack of the usual water route on the Skunk River since the iconic Swinging Bridge is under renovation.  

Just Up The Road - Suicide Prevention - Bill De Blasio in Story County

Listen Here NowOriginally broadcast 06/24/2019
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Dennis Hart provides Iowa in the News from the prior week.

Excerpts from NYC Mayor and presidential candidate Bill De Blasio's speech given at the Democrats Big Tent event at Alluvial Brewery on June 8th.

Alex Haberer, resident, poet, and musician from Boone, explains the reason and purpose for "Just Up the Road," a concert to be held to bring attention to suicide prevention and support for friends and families who experience the suicide of a loved one. Haberer also recites and original poem.

The concert will include musicians and poets honoring their deceased friend, Kyle Muench. Muench, who was as a published musician, died last year; this concert honors him while celebrating the continuation of life after a suicide occurs with a loved one.  The concert will occur on June 29 at 6 PM at the new Lockwood Cafe in West Ames. Lockwood Cafe is located at 4625 Reliable Street. All donations collected will be given to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Crystal Davis from the Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau gives  preview of public events and entertainment for the month of July. Schedule of events.  

Sundance and Solstice

Listen Here NowOriginally broadcast 06/21/2019
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Following the news by Dennis Hart, Pat Schlarbaum brought us an interview from Loren Sephier, Chief Eagle of the Yankton Sioux, telling the history of the Sacred Sun Dance, which was outlawed for many years.  Our show closed when Alex Fejfar from the Ames Historican Society, who came by to tell us about the  the final program this year for the society, The Battle to Save the Morris Farm from Involuntary Annexation

Heddens, Collins Days, Space Exploration, Gardening and Royce Johns

Listen Here NowOriginally broadcast 06/19/2019
Listen to the entire episode now!Story County Outreach and Special Projects manager Leanne Harter introduced the newly appointed Story County Supervisor Lisa Heddens, who outlined priorities she had heard from her constituents.  Continuing our tour of activities throughout Story County we spoke with Katie Baldwin, Collins City Clerk and member of the Collins Days 2019 Committee.  Katie described the some of the events of the three day festival (June 21-23), telling how they featured new businesses in Collins.  Turning south we visited with  Jay Robinson, librarian of the newly opened Cambridge Memorial Library who described the Summer Reading Program "A Universe of Stories," which involves many creative activities for both children and adults to encourage reading and learning about outer space. Then Tracy Blackmer told us about  Gardening for Good--a program involving in students and adult volunteers of all ages working together to grow fresh fruits and vegetables to donate to food pantries throughout the year.  We wrapped up our hour when Ron Carson stopped in to tell us about tonight's Pantorium SessionRoyce Johns and classic steel guitar player Al Kabela

Therapy Dog, Politics, and July events

Listen Here NowOriginally broadcast 06/17/2019
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After the news with Dennis Hart, Kinsey Phillips, ISU police department's first mental health advocate, came into the studio with her therapy dog Zosia to tell us about their work.  Then we learned about the work of KHOI campaign reporters Cal Haliburton and Merl Crabb, host of KHOI's Saturday night hip-hop show Merl on the Move, telling us how they plan to provide voter education as well as interviews.  We wrapped up today's show with Sarah Dvorsky, Events Coordinator for Ames Main Street, and her guest Sonya Stoltze Newstrom, vice president of the Ames Mainstreet Team telling us about some of the July events and how the team works to make Mainstreet Ames a business and entertainment destination. 

ISU Student on Ames City Council

Gale Seiler interviewed Devyn Leeson, who is the newly appointed ex-officio ISU student City Council member. He talked about his goal of representing the voices of ISU students to the City Council, in particular around issues of housing and safety in Ames. He brings with him experience on the ISU Daily where he often reported on City Council meetings.

Ames Healthy Life Center, Win Cowger's Research On Trash in Iowa's Waterways

Listen Here NowOriginally broadcast 06/14/2019
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Keith Abraham, Director of Ames Parks and Recreation, Nancy Carroll, Director of Heartland Senior Services, and Susan Gwiasda Ames Public Relations Officer give an in-depth description of the proposed Ames Healthy Life Center. The Ames City Council recently approved the holding of a referendum on September 10 for 29 million dollars in public funds to match 20 million dollars in private and partners' donations toward the center, which will integrate recreation, youth and elder care, nutritional education, gardening, and research.

Ames and ISU Sustainability Director Merry Rankin introduced former ISU student Win Cowger, who explains his recently published paper: "Anthropogenic Litter Cleanups in Iowa Riparian Areas Reveal the Importance of Near-Stream and Watershed Scale Land Use."

The research paper studies near-stream and watershed scale land use control of litter in Iowa's streams. 

Royce Johns Band at Pantorium Sessions

Our featured artist for June 2019 was Royce Johns (age 23), whose rich baritone voice is both reminiscent of Randy Travis and George Jones. He has a voice that sound guys dream about. He played classic country favorites as well as Nashville-style songs by his friend Robert Deitsch. Royce was accompanied by pedal-steel guitarist Al "Steel Sensation" Kabela, violinist/vocalist Greg "Fiddleman" Valentine, bassist Phil "Midnight" Morris, and drummer Russ "Tasty" Tomlinson.

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