Originally broadcast 03/25/2022  Listen to the entire episode now!

Local Talk for Friday, March 25, 2022 featured the news summary of the week from the pages of the Ames Tribune by Dennis Hart.

Zaid Gustafson with Community Choice Credit Union, 202 East Lincolnway in Ames talked about their Food Court that will host a grand opening May 21 st yet is open until then. For more information contact foodtruckparc.com and that’s foodtruckparc with a “C” for Community Choice. Community Choice has been very innovative in converting an old motel space into an attractive and useful area for the public.

Susan Gwiasda, Public Information Officer for the City invited Assistant Water and Pollution Control Director, Neil Weiss to Local Talk. He provided updates on some projects the department will be working on during the next year. Also some pertinent information about Ames water which is award winning quality. The Water Plant Open House is scheduled for Saturday, April 23.

Mike Havlik, Naturalist with the Dallas County Conservation Board talked about Swainson’s Hawk migration from Argentina. Mike also provided updates on the fishing birds of prey, Ospreys in Dallas County that will be returning to Iowa soon. Last year there were 49 Osprey pairs reported in Iowa with 29 active nests with 26 young produced.

Music featured Pieta Brown with another installment of Women’s History Month. Before Gas and TV, All My Rain, and Little Swainsons were featured from her album Paradise Outlaws.

Originally broadcast 03/22/2022 

Originally broadcast 03/14/2022  Listen to the entire episode now!

Local Talk for Friday, March 11, 2022 started with a recap of the news for this week from the Ames Tribune by Dennis Hart.

Recently, there was a gathering at the Iowa Capitol in support of the people in Ukraine.  Here is a recording from last Monday after Kate Krzystolik from Poland gave her address at the Capitol.  It is now day 16 of the war in Ukraine.

Sustainability Director for the City of Ames, Merry Rankin is unable to join us for her monthly segment, yet provided some positive information concerning a recent Symposium on Sustainability. 

A number of years ago, Merry had been introduced to the deeply poignant work of Chris Jordan. Chris is the artist that captured the collective impact of individual decisions, so powerfully, through his collection, “Intolerable Beauty – Portraits of American Mass Consumption.” 

Merry emphasized a message from Chris juxtaposing “Intolerable Beauty” with his most recent collection, “Emerging Beauty.”  

Chris’ words were also so well connected to a companion event for the Symposium on Sustainability, Sustainapalooza.  And Sustainapalooza was reviewed by a fabulous intern team that made it happen.  Ashley Kleve and Valentine Chenus, two sophomores at Iowa State University provided an enlightened background of Sustainapalooza that 400 people attended.

Jean Eells President of E Resources Group rounded out the hour with information about her sustainable agriculture group. Workshops are planned in April that will discuss a healthy inclusion of cover crops and no-till agriculture.  Anywhere farmers and land-owners hoping to address the “leaks” in their farming practices will be highlighted.  Jean explained leaks as anything from nitrogen and phosphorous to profits that producers lose due to farming practices that do not include cover crops and no till.  Workshops will be carried via Zoom on April 1 and April 15 noon to 2PM.  Workshop information can be found at eresourcesgroup.com.

Music for the program was by local musician Rose Griffin from her cd Slick Rock Walker.  We heard Behind the Lodge, and Heyah.

Originally broadcast 03/08/2022  Listen to the entire episode now!

Mike Murphy had an opportunity to be present at the Ukranian Rally in Des Moines this past weekend and recorded portions of the event to share with our listeners.

Beth Waage, Naturalist with Story County Conservation joins us for our regular monthly visit with Conservation.  She reviews a number of the activities planned for the upcoming weeks and describes a bit about some of the activites and defines for us what a naturalist does. 

Susan Gwiasda, Public Information Officer for the City of Ames  provides updates for the upcoming week’s meetings as well as providing us with some insights regarding the Ames Energy Survey available for citizens to provide their comments then Stormwater Analyst Liz Calhoun has information about upcoming meetings regarding Ioway Creek bank stabilization and habitat renovation and upgrades for the portions adjacent to Brookside Park and the immediate neighborhood.