Tedesco Park and Immigrant Issues

Listen Here Now Originally broadcast 02/08/2017
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Leanne Harter gave her monthly Story County report including plans for Tedesco Environmental Learning Corridor.

The implications of State Study Bill 67 to beconsidered by the House Public Safety Commitee were explored, first at the forum held in Story City on February 4, in a dialogue between Representative Dave Deyoe and Rick Exner. We reported its fate in the Public Safety Committee where 75 protesters stormed the hearing, denouncing the “You’re Not Welcome Here” bill. The protest failed to prevent the bill passing out of committee.

Then we focused on Webster City, where we heard from Janet Toering, director of All Cultures Equal Community Center (ACE) about the importance of immigrants to the economy of Iowa. Zoami Calles-Rios-Sosa, President of ACE, told us about the ways citizens of Webster City are supporting their immigrant populations through a new organization Better Together.

We wrapped up this topic with an interview with JoAnn Barten, Ames immigration lawyer, about some of the legal complexities immigrants can face.

Trout at Ada Hayden, Grinnell Sit-In, Legislative Action

Originally broadcast 02/06/2017
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Wildlife correspondent Pat Schlarbaum bringing us Jeff Kopaska of the Iowa DNR fisheries department, who will be stocking Ada Hayden Lake with trout this week, Michael Metz of the Isaak Walton League and Story County Conservation, and Hank Kohler, winner of this year’s Olaf Smedal Conservation Award. Ole was a columnist for the Ames Tribune who, kind of like our own Pat Schlarbaum, kept the public connected to the great outdoors.

Then we follow up on Ursula Ruedenberg's interview of "Ross," a student organizer at Grinnell College who staged a sit-in this weekend outside the President’s office in the Administration building in an effort to move forward divestment of the college's $2 billion endowment fund from the fossil fuel industry.

Finally, Sue Dinsdale of Iowa Citizens Action Network told folks of three critical actions her group is promoting: calling our Senators in Washington DC to reject the nomination of Education Secretary nominee Betsy DeVos, participating in an open public hearing on the education budget in the House chambers in Des Moines, and a labor rally to be held tomorrow in the face of as-yet-unknown changes to Chapter 20 of Iowa Code establishing the rules for bargaining between government entities and their employees.

Presidential Executive Orders Affect Local Commuity

Listen Here Now Originally broadcast 02/03/2017
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On Friday, February 3, the president signed an executive order barring entry to the Unites States for residents from 7 predominantly Muslim countries, including Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. The immigration ban impacts 100 students at ISU.

A protest in solidarity with Black and Muslim communities.was planned at ISU for February 9 – “Hoodies and Hijabs”. On February 2nd there was a rally and march in Des Moines to protest the Immigration Ban and the Border Wall. Brenda Brink, from Huxley and Suzanne Zilber, from Ames were a the rally and give their reports. Jim Pease, retired Iowa State Professor in the Natural Resource and Ecology Management Department and longtime extension wildlife specialist, speaks about national as well as local ramifications for science due to the presidential executive order putting a gag on public statements and inter-departmental emails and freeze on grants for the United States Department of Agriculture and Environmental Protection Agency.

Susan Gwiasda, Public Relations Officer for the City of Ames gives a monthly civic update.

Crisis at the Statehouse and Comic Relief

Originally broadcast 02/01/2017
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The first part of today’s program began with an in depth look at the controversy surrounding Senate File 2, a bill to shift the responsibility for women’s health clinics to the state, thus blocking Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood. We included this in our Wednesday “around the counties” show because we believed that our listeners throughout the area would be affected by something as basic as the availablity of basic medical care and how it will be funded. We had interviews with Janet Petersen (D), member of the Judiciary Committee; a recording from the League of Women Voters legislative coffee held in Nevada January 28, including a question by citizen Jodi O’Donnell and the responses of Representatives David Deyoe (R) and Lisa Heddens (D) as well as State Senator Herman Quirmbach (D). Then Victoria Skopinski gave us a first-hand report of the hearing at the Iowa State Capital yesterday and the colorful struggles outside the chambers.

I'll Make Me A World Iowa, Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Listen Here Now Originally broadcast 01/30/2017
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Von Kettelson brings Elwynn Taylor's weather prediction for the week.

Viveca Dillard reports on the 19th annual I'll Make Me A World Iowa, festival of African American culture in Des Moines that kicks off February, Black History Month.

Gale Seiler interviews Joseph Mazibuko, in anticipation of the Ladysmith Black Mambazo concert at CY Stephens Auditorium in Ames on Sunday February 5th at 2:30 PM.

Reid Miller describes the upcoming pot luck dinner and house Sassafras Stomp concert and guest artist Sean Oshima. This will occur at 711 Carroll Ave in the home of Valerie Williams and Larry Gleason. Potluck is a 6:00 PM and the concert starts at 7:00 PM.

Chinese New Year, Community Solar, Inclusive Ames

Listen Here Now Originally broadcast 01/27/2017
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Mapmaker Nitin Gadia gives us the first of his "Oil Spill of the Week" reports, as he talks about the spill of nearly 140,000 gallons of diesel fuel in North Central Iowa on Wednesday, January 25.

Young students from the Chinese language school in Ames talk about the meaning that Chinese New Year festival celebrations has for them as they live in Ames, Iowa. Then Cinian Zheng-Durbin talks about the rather different meaning of the festival in homeland China, where it means a massive migration of people traveling home across the vast continent.

Anne Kinzel and Victoria Szopinsky from the Ames Progressive Alliance (APA) on FaceBook give updates on the Community Solar project, and on the community action projects building on the energy generated by the Inclusive Ames meeting in November. Anne and Victoria also give their personal impressions of the Women's March in Des Moines.

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