Best of 2016

Listen Here Now Originally broadcast 01/02/2017
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The Local Talk production team summons up the best of last year's Local Talk programming. In addition to the voices of hosts Greta, Gale, Ursula, Kay and Susan, we hear from Madeline Albright, Ben of Ben & Jerry's, a Republican caucus vote-counter, Henry Corbin, Jennifer Knox, Tyler Harms, Dennis Maulsby, Mark Edwards, Edna Clinton, Devita Harden, Chuck Cychosz, Laura Belin, Lucas Bleyle, Mucky Duck Pub, and Vic Moss. Music by Prince, Strong Like Bear and Paul McCartney.

The Fate of Public Education; Inclusive Ames

Originally broadcast 12/30/2016
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Peter Hammer, a professor of civil rights law at Wayne State University and author of a journal article on the fate of the Detroit Public Schools, discusses the effects of charter school deregulation in Michigan, the agenda pushed by billionaire Betsy DeVos, Trump's pick for Secretary of Education.

Iowa Senator Herman Quirmbach, for six years the Chair of the Senate Education Committee, discusses charter schools, home schooling, and his fears for Iowa's public education now that Republicans control both houses of the Iowa legislature.

Finally, monthly guests Victoria Szopinski and Anne Kinzel of Ames Progressive Alliance discuss late November's Inclusive Ames event and where we go from here. Their guest is Jodi O'Donnell, a key organizer.

Ballroom Dancing on NYE

Listen Here Now Originally broadcast 12/28/2016
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The traditional Red Friars dance at the Moose Lodge in Ames and the turning of the year took us on a nostalgic trip back to the era of big dance bands. Kathy Cline of the High Society Big Band came in to tell us the history of the three bands that entertain regional residents with the music of the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. We also spoke with John Basart about The Dixie Slicks with a sample of their music he recorded. We noted the changes in the area's New Year's Eve entertainment, then visited with Lynn Wilkinson, owner and manager of Lake Robbins Ballroom in the middle about the the era of ballrooms and the future of ballroom dancing. Their band for New Year's Eve is The Hebrons with Crystal Blue.

Small Town Christmas

Listen Here Now Originally broadcast 12/21/2016
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Brian Town, the principal of Roland Middle School, told us about the traditional Christmas banquet offered by the school to all senior citizens of the Roland Story district - after being escorted to their tables over 200 enjoy a full dinner, served by students, and enjoyed an impressive musical program. Gary Thompson and host Paul Wierson reminisced about the Roland Rockets and their achievements in the 1950s when Gary played there with his outstanding team mates and life-long friends. They talked about Chuck Offenburger's biography Gary Thompson: All American, showing why families still move to small Iowa towns because they want their kids to grow up there.

Then we moved to Hamilton county where Mayor Greg Campbell of Ellsworth told us about his town of 500 and the impact of its new business on I-35, Love’s Truck Stop and Country Store. It had its ribbon cutting the week before Christmas. Our last stop was Pilot Mound (population 175) where we heard from Mayor Leda Burton and resident Jeff Lass about the attractions and challenges of a very small town, where residents can enjoy the sense of living in the country (see "reindeer" in picture with Santa) while enjoying the amenities of a well-run town, part of the "larger community" of Boone County. We closed with a report from Leanne Harter, Story County Outreach and Special Projects Manager.

Weather, Chestnuts and Lincoln Way Corridor

Listen Here Now Originally broadcast 12/19/2016
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Our program today started with the year-end weather prediction by legendary weather forecaster Elwynn Taylor, courtesy of Von Ketelsen of Carroll Broadcasting. Then KHOI Board President Joe Lynch announced that the end of the year KHOI membership drive had met both its goals -- the $25,000 matching grant has been surpassed, with just over $29,000 contributed so far. We also exceeded our 50 member goal for new members.

John Wittrig of J & B's Chestnut Farm told us the story of how the Chinese Chestnut trees he and his wife Betty planted near Winfield, Iowa in 1994, have developed into a crop that is sought after by people from all over the country, thanks in part to his unique but simple packaging (listen for this secret). His shares his enthusiasm for chestnuts as a sustainable food source and culinary delight. John Wittrig and Joe Lynch related different parts of the story of the near extinction of the American Chestnut, and Joe told us the simplest way to roast chestnuts (NOT over an open fire -- Jon Wittrig calls that "musical mis-information")

Dan Culhane, President and CEO of the Ames Chamber of Commerce gave us a wrap up of the accomplishments of 2016 and plans for 2017 with special emphasis on the Lincoln Way Corridor

AHS-Biz Collaborative, PC Culture, and Martin House

Originally broadcast 12/16/2016
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Kathy Hanson brings in AHS business teacher Vicki Hales and two students, Sabrina Hegelheimer and Carter Mumm, who are participating in the Ames High School Business Engagement Collaborative with the ISU Research Park. They discuss the work they are doing for area businesses, and the skills they are learning during their time outside the school building.

ISU Students for Trump president Austen Giles and ISU associate professor Matthew Ellinwood share viewpoints on the cancellation of the Milo Yiannopoulos talk at ISU last week for security reasons. Giles had hoped Milo would challenge the campus culture of political correctness, which he feels constrains the free flow of ideas. Ellinwood had planned a counter-event to highlight an issue he considers more compelling--the prevalence of poverty in Iowa. Ellinwood and fellow organizers bought $500 worth of Kellogg's products for MICA (Kellogg's was attacked by Breitbart.com after pulling its advertising from the site).

Alex Fejfer of the Ames Historical Society shares the story of Archie and Nancy Martin, whose bungalow-style home at 218 Lincoln Way boarded African-American ISU students who otherwise would have had no place to live. Throughout the years, Lincoln Way has changed but the house has remained, and is now on the Historic Registry.

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