Local Talks

Originally broadcast 12/22/2020 

Dan Culhan, President and Chief Executive Director of Ames Chamber of Commerce discusses how local businesses are fairing this holiday season, the limitations imposed by the pandemic affected local businesses and shared some examples of innovative ways that have helped businesses cope. He also discusses the Revitalization Grant: the City of Ames is considering an aquatic center; discussed the ways businesses are attempting to take advantage of this opportunity.

Erica Place, Outreach Coordinator for Story County Conservation reviews their activities during the holiday season. Outdoor opportunities include ice fishing, ski/snow shoeing, and winter hikes and gives an update on the photography contest.

Wolf Osterreicht, from Friends of Ada Hayden Park shares observations of winter wildlife at  Ada Hayden Heritage Park and gives Trumpeter Swan numbers.  He also describes the annual Christmas bird count: its history, what is involved, where are they conducted, and what data is collected and shared. He re[orts on unusual sightings.
 
 

Paid Leave, The Price of Pharmaceuticals the Cardinal, & Healing Stones

Originally broadcast 12/21/2020 

Listen to the entire episode now! 

Dennis Hart gives a summary of Iowa news from this past week.

Susan Dinsdale, Executive Director of Iowa Citizens Action Network, a  grassroots public interest organization working with individuals, communities, and organizations in Iowa and nationally, for social change and a progressive vision. Susan describes two campaigns ICAN was addressing prior to the pandemic, that have gained even more importance with the onset of Covid-19: the Paid Leave for All campaign - calling for regulations and federal support for paid leave for workers, when necessary,  and the Lower Drug Prices Now Coalition - raising awareness and  combating the rising cost of prescription drugs. 

KHOI naturalist Pat Schlarbaum re-introduces us to that reddest of brds - our cardinal!

Julia, who works at Transform Gift shop on Fridays, gives a minitutprial on stones and crystals and explains why relating to these beautiful stones is meaningful to her.

Anna Banana's Heart toHeart message is about authenticity.

State Politics, the Caucuses, Vaccines and THE AUCTION

Originally broadcast 12/17/2020 

Political organizer Evan Berger discusses the findings of the investigation into what caused the inability of the Iowa Democratic Party to produce timely and possibly accurate results last February on 2020 Caucus Night. The findings of the study were released last Saturday. Berger, a Slater resident who served as the caucus director for the Bernie campaign in 2020 and on the 2016 Iowa Democratic Party Caucus Review Committee, published an op-ed piece in the Des Moines Register calling for simplification of the caucus process and switching to using the popular vote instead of the current complex system of calculations.  

Laura Belin, author of Bleeding Heartland, a community blog about Iowa politics,  gives us a preview of what to look for and what to expect from the Iowa legislature in the coming year.

Susan Gwiasda, Ames Public Relations Officer and Rich Higgins, Ames Fire Chief and City of Ames COVID coordinator, give an update on Story County numbers of COVID-positive residents. Higgins reports that the numbers have dropped slightly from 14% to 10.5 % in Story County due to citizen cooperation with safety procedures. Higgins also gives a preliminary report on vaccine dissemination in Story County. The vaccines are expected to arrive today.

Stephanie Bates, KHOI producer and jewelry-maker who has volunteered to help build the KHOI Holiday GiftAuction describes her favorite item: Moritz the designer Teddy Bear made by the late Steve Schutt, who was an internationally acclaimed leader in Teddy Bear artistry. To see Moritz and the many other beautiful gifts in the auction, go here. The auction ends today, December 17, at 10 PM. 

Books, Butterflies, Christmas Season

Originally broadcast 12/16/2020 

Cari McPartland, site administrator of the Salvation Army of Ames and Story County, told about the work of the Salvation Army as it centers around the 2020 holidays, from red kettles to food boxes and a "Toy Store" at the North Grand Mall, where people can find practical help and donated toys and books for their children.  The books are donated through Raising Readers in Story County, an extensive program throughout the county linking children 0 to 8 years old with volunteers who provide both readers and virtual experiences to develop pre-literacy.  Jerri Heid, president and Lisa Reeves, Executive Director of RRSC came to explain this institution.  Jerrie Heid, Children's Librarian at Ames Public Library  was joined by Cathy Cooney, APL Adult Services Librarian, to tell about "Reading Radio," a program airing on KHOI at noon on Wednesdays  as one of the online services provided by APL while the building is closed during COVID-19.  We closed our program with author  Rachel Mans McKenny telling us about why she wrote her new novel, “The Butterfly Effect.”

Mama Mouta Fashion Show, The First Vaccines arrive in Iowa!

Originally broadcast 12/14/2020 

Dennis Hart gives a  summary of Iowa news from the past week

Artist and ISU alum Tre Moore recently directed the production of Mama Mouta! - an online fashion show. The production, filmed and produced by Sharon Stewart and Lyndsay Nissen in Ames at Reliable Street and Lockwood Cafe, is a dramatic display of repurposed and handcrafted apparel, as well as a visual journey with theatrical  story-telling. The fashion show will premiere on December 17 at 7 PM on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and Tre's web site.

Keith Morgan, Story County Emergency Coordinator and Les White from Story County Public Health describe the onset of distributing COVID19 vaccines as they arrive in Iowa today.

Anna Banana brings Heart to Heart messages bringing connection and care to us all..

 

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