Issues & Ideas

The Grape Nut visits the Santa Rita Hills, In Between, Solvang's Pride Banners, and making tortillas

By Carol Tangeman,

Betsey Nash, Erick Gabriel, Amanda Wernik, Fr. Ian Delinger

Published May 2, 2023 at 12:56 PM PDT

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Winemaker Kathy Joseph was one of the first people to discover the barely- recognized viticultural area, the Santa Rita Hills, and her Fiddlehead Cellars has been an award-winner ever since. Betsey Nash, KCBX's Grape Nut, talks with her about making Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.

The Grape Nut Santa Rita Hills.

In Between is our series about queer and trans people of color in San Luis Obispo County. We’ve been exploring safe and brave spaces for LGBTQ+ people of color locally. In this final episode of In Between, reporter Erick Gabriel explores the thriving drag scene in SLO County.

In Between #8 Drag community

After public outcry, last week the Solvang City Council partially reversed their denial of a proposal to hang banners and paint crosswalks in celebration of pride month. KCBX’s Amanda Wernik speaks with Santa Maria Sun Reporter Taylor O’Connor about her two-part series on the controversy.

Solvang Pride Banners

Some people made handmade tortillas every single day. In King City, Isabel Garcia does just that. Her experience, skill, and love produce amazing tortillas with just a few ingredients. In this episode of Playing With Food, Fr. Ian learns to make tortillas.

Playing With Food- tortillas

Issues & Ideas

Carol Tangeman

Carol started as a newsroom volunteer at KCBX in the summer of 2017, inspired by her daughter's internship with KCBX News. She joined the KCBX staff in 2018 as a substitute host, and became the local host for Morning Edition in 2020.

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Betsey Nash

Betsey Nash is the former host of a wine segment on Issues & Ideas called "The Grape Nut." Betsey moved from Burbank to the central coast to attend Poly in January of 1969, only to be greeted by a horse tied to a tree in front of the English building. "Oh no, what have I done!": Her culture shock didn't end there: there were vacant lots between the houses! People drove on the beach! And, oh look at those gorgeous green hills! A tradition that she and her roommates embraced was started when their Morro Bay neighbors brought a couple dozen chocolate chip cookies and a jug of Pesenti Zinfandel Rose over to help them get through mid-terms and finals weeks. The place became home, and her exploration of the region's wines continued.

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Erick Gabriel

Erick Gabriel is a Los Angeles-based multimedia journalist with an interest in current events, breaking news and popular culture.

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Amanda Wernik

Former KCBX Reporter Amanda Wernik graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a BS in Journalism. Amanda completed a data fellowship with the USC Center for Health Journalism in 2023. In July 2025, Amanda left KCBX to attend law school at UC Davis.

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Fr. Ian Delinger

Fr. Ian Delinger hosts "Playing with Food," a monthly segment on "Issues and Ideas" that explores unique ways of looking at and preparing everyday foods on the California Central Coast.

See stories by Fr. Ian Delinger