Originally broadcast 03/16/2022  Listen to the entire episode now!

Hosts Gina McAndrews and Susan Franzen take a road trip to "walk in the footsteps of Kate Shelley" in sites on Honey Creek, the Shelley Farm, and Moingona to help imagine the dramatic events of July 8, 1881, when Kate Shelley, a teenage girl, braved a driving storm to crawl across the railroad bridge spanning the flooded Des Moines River to warn the station master at Moingona that a railroad bridge on Honey Creek was washed out. The broadcast was interrupted due to technical difficulties, but to hear the whole thing, including a visit to the Shelley Farm and the ghostly bridge on Honey Creek,and a tour of the Moingona Station, listen here for the voices of Misty McNally, author of Kate Shelley: Heroine of the High Bridge, Pam Schwartz, executive director of the Boone County Historical Center, Joseph Reutter, owner of the Enchanted Valley Tree Farm (located on the Shelley land).

Originally broadcast 03/09/2022  Listen to the entire episode now!

Del Christiansen director of IRIS, Iowa Resource for International Service, told us how this organization got started over twenty-five years ago after the collapse of the Soviet Union,  training Ukrainian journalists in open and transparent journalism and how that work has continued.

Then we visited Bloomington Cemetery, a pioneer cemetery that has just been annexed by Ames.  This archived tour from 2014 was guided by Ursula Ruedenberg  and Story County Natural Resources Coordinator, Amy Yokum.

We turned to Huxley where we visited with Hollie at Miss Hollie's Preschool and learned about the Ballard pre-schools.

We ended with a visit with Larry Sloan at The Talent Factory who has lots of news about the future of entertainment in Nevada.

Originally broadcast 03/04/2022  Listen to the entire episode now!

Local Talk for Friday, February 4, 2022 started with recap of the news for this week from the Ames Tribune by Dennis Hart.  

Carolyn Raffensberger, Director of Science and Environmental Network, discussed Pfas or Perflourinated Carbons that were recently discovered in Ames drinking water.  A Science and Environmental Health Network newsletter will be on their website soon.

Susan Gwiasda, Public Relations Officer with the City of Ames included Angie DeWaard this week.  Ms. DeWaard is Public Arts Commission Chair and shared information about two public art programs currently underway and how residents can get involved.  Also, today is the deadline for applying for a City Board or Commission. 

Jess Soderstrum with ISU Extension for Story County filled the hour with two Programs:  No School Day programs that will occur for kindergarten thru 6th grade students Feb. 18 in Story City, and Feb. 21 at Gilbert.  Pre-registration is required at website listed below.  And a six week “The Mindful Teen” workshop will be held Thursday nights free for teens 12 – 18 years.  Additional information can be located at their website.

Originally broadcast 03/01/2022  Listen to the entire episode now!

Dr. Molly Lee, Story County Board of Health joins us with the latest information on COVID-19 and helps us interprete the new guidelines announced by the CDC. We also update seasonal influenza numbers and discuss the growing concern about an avian influenza strain that is infecting poultry flocks and the concern it raises regarding our poultry as it relates to our food supply.

A visit with Sara Carmichael, Story County Watershed Coordinator to discuss watersheds, IDNR announce impaired waters,  water quality and some ways to treat surface waters before entering our local ponds, streams, and rivers. 

Susan Gwiasda, Public Information Officer for the City of Ames  along with Resource Recovery Plant Superintendent Bill Schmitt will discuss the importance of waste reduction, and announce some upcoming spring events that include “Stash the Trash Day”, Ioway Creek steam clean-up, a free yard waste drop-off day, and notification of tours to visit the resource recovery plant.