Issues and Ideas

On today's show we’ll learn about the union that more than 200 workers at Alphabet—the parent company of Google—have announced they're forming with the Communications Workers of America. This winter, the butterfly sanctuary in Pacific Grove is empty, and monarchs across the Central Coast and North America are disappearing while federal protection is still years away. You’ll hear from Santa Barbara filmmaker Heather Hudson, who recently released her third film—a tribute to surf pioneer Marge Calhoun. We'll speak with the head of SLO Village, a local organization helping to keep seniors living independently in their own homes. And finally, we explore the way San Luis Obispo is using lights and activites to attract people to the downtown core.

In this episode of Issues & Ideas, we learn about a project aimed at addressing climate change by planting trees in Stockton and renewing urban forests. A new law could help many musicians and performers in California once venues reopen. You’ll hear about a local company called Comevo that experienced success during the pandemic and stepped up to help others. The San Luis Obispo County Library system has faced challenges this past year, but continues to move forward with innovations and a lot of hard work. And finally, a local resident has been planting lots of fig trees from cuttings, and we’ll share some ideas about gardening, cooking and eating figs.

Finding figs on the Central Coast is easy: there are wild trees along local river beds. Mission figs are the most common, but one Central Coast resident has been the 'Johnny Appleseed' of the Turkish fig.

On the December 21 edition of Issues & Ideas, we'll hear a report on how some GOP lawmakers in California oppose business shutdowns because they say there’s no evidence they reduce COVID-19 cases or spikes. And, you’ll hear about how the pandemic is impacting the fishing industry on the entral Coast and beyond, as KCBX speaks with a Central Coast fishing industry official and two academic researchers. Lake Tahoe has finally received a measurable amount of snow, and more is forecasted, but the pandemic has buried the tourist economy there. The rainy season is upon Monterey County and because of this summer’s major wildfires, the season brings a significant risk of debris flows. We have a report on how COVID-19 has affected one Central Valley family. We’ll also hear from a San Luis Obispo business owner about current challenges and opportunities—and the risks her family took during the pandemic to help their business stay afloat. Finally, we’ll learn about a new "un-textbook" written about the Channel Islands.

Join spokesperson Doug Yakel as he shares insights about the world of SFO, where more than 45,000 workers provide services for more than 150,000 travelers daily. SFO is just like a city with fire, police, shops, dining facilities, spas and an onsite Hyatt hotel.

On this week's edition of Issues & Ideas: Chris Lambert created the podcast "Your Own Backyard," about Kristin Smart and the nearly quarter-century-long unsolved case of her disappearance from San Luis Obispo's Cal Poly campus.

Join correspondent Tom Wilmer for a visit with Tim O’Brien, assistant director and curator of exhibitions at the SFO Museum. SFO showcases the arts, science, pop-culture, anthropology and aviation history in 28 galleries located in terminals throughout the airport.

Have you ever been to a fancy reception with wine flowing, an array of canapés made with all manner of produce from the Central Coast, charcuterie platters in various corners of the room alongside cheese boards large enough to climb? Did you ever notice that flowers adorned these platters and boards? Often, those flowers are edible. Playing With Food ventured up to Paso Robles to find out more about these culinary treats.

On this week's edition of Issues & Ideas: Since the beginning of the pandemic, facilities that care for the elderly have been hotspots for the spread of COVID-19. A new report says nationwide new cases in nursing homes have reached record numbers in November. You’ll hear from Michael Latner of Cal Poly, discussing partisanship, polls and what could change going forward in our country's elections. And we’ll learn about the nonprofit BraveMove.org from its founder and executive director Paul Monroe. He speaks about his experiences which led him to teaching and the work he does to help others succeed. And finally, many on the Central Coast book airline tickets through hubs like Los Angeles or San Francisco. But how safe are those larger airports? Doug Yakel with the San Francisco International Airport talks about COVID-19 holiday travel precautions at the airport.

Rick Stollmeyer co-founded the San Luis Obispo-based company Mindbody. Earlier this year, Stollmeyer stepped away from his role as CEO of the tech company and transitioned to board chair. He's written a book on entrepreneurship, with business advice based on his experience over the years with Mindbody. Garrett Olsen of the San Luis Obispo County Food Bank gives us an update and shares the challenges of providing food for community members in need during a pandemic. Finally, Father Ian Delinger takes us to Loo Loo Farms in Paso Robles to explore their edible flowers on "Playing With Food."

Six San Luis Obispo city council candidates answer questions posed by the KCBX newsroom, Pismo Beach residents decide their next mayor and a bed tax. We hear from Kim Bisheff of the Cal Poly Journalism Department, speaking about the changes in today’s media. And finally, we learn about the Elfin Forest Natural Area in Los Osos.

Pumpkin spice seems to be everywhere, and many are looking forward to that Thanksgiving pumpkin pie. But there’s one kind of pumpkin spice that is ewe-nique to the Central Coast. 

(This version has an additional 4 minutes of content not heard during the broadcast.)

Join correspondent Tom Wilmer for a conversation with David Congalton about his 28-year journey as a conduit for conversations about life on the California Central Coast as the Home Town talk show host on radio station KVEC.

Among the dozen ballot measures this election, California voters are deciding on Proposition 17 and Proposition 15: we hear more about those two measures. John Laird and Vicki Nohrden are vying for termed-out Bill Monning’s state senate seat. Assemblywoman Shirley Weber chairs the California Black Legislative Caucus, and speaks about which laws she believes can help address systemic racism. We look at the long-term impacts of wildfire on the Central Coast, and we get a look at the local aviation industry. Two elderly friends talk about the Japanese-American internment camps during World War II and how they adjusted to life afterward. And, we hear from a fourth-generation resident about the changes downtown San Luis Obispo has experienced over the years.

KCBX's Greta Mart speaks with San Luis Obispo County top election official Tommy Gong about what is different in this November 3, 2020 election: the pandemic, new machinery, operational changes and possible power shutoffs. Scott Yoo, music director of Festival Mozaic and host of the newest installment of the PBS series "Now Here This," talks about  filming an episode in San Luis Obispo during the pandemic. The San Luis Obispo Legal Assistance Foundation helps people on the Central Coast who cannot afford to pay for legal services, and you’ll hear from the organization's executive director. Finally, on this month's Playing With Food, Father Ian Delinger joins a quest through poison oak to collect local wild yeast for brewing beer.

Come along as Father Ian joins Chip Nasser of Night Lizard Brewing Company on a hunt for local wild yeast to make beer and bread. 

Correspondent Tom Wilmer reports from the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport. County airport director Kevin Bumen shares information about COVID-19 sanitation initiatives within airport terminals and aboard aircraft. Bumen also talks about dealing with reduced daily flights (down fifty percent from 2019), a marked reduction of income from ancillary revenue streams such as long-term parking, and Bumen's new position as the first chief commercial officer at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), with his last day at San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport set on October 9.

The Monterey Jazz Festival usually takes place at the Monterey County Fairgrounds on the third weekend in September, but the 63rd annual festival will be virtual. You'll hear from Beau and Melissa Kramer of Kramer Events talking about the recent challenges of the event business. The University of California at Berkeley is starting a new center to study the science of psychedelics and you’ll hear from one of the center's cofounders—journalist and author Michael Pollan. YouthWell is a nonprofit based in Santa Barbara that provides free mental health workshops and resources for teens, parents, and educators. The San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden’s programs have adapted to the pandemic, and there are big plans for the future. And finally today, you’ll hear a story of stranded hikers trapped in the wilderness by a raging wildfire.

California voters will decide this fall on a dozen ballot measures, including one measure that would exempt gig companies from a law that makes it harder to classify workers as contractors. A black box theater in Santa Barbara that was almost exclusively a rental venue before the pandemic is now producing its own shows. We’ll hear from a Central Coast grape grower, who talks about the possible effects of smoke particles on wine grapes. The cities of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara are responding to COVID-19 and imagining new ways for the respective downtowns to operate as spaces for people to live, work, and play. Finally, we’ll hear from the owner of San Luis Obispo's first cannabis retail store. 

Correspondent Tom Wilmer visits with grape grower Vic Roberts, owner of Victor Hugo Winery in Templeton, about the effects of smoke particles from recent Central Coast fires on grapes. Roberts shares industry recommendations to mitigate effects of smoke and ash on grapes.

More than 173,000 people have died of the coronavirus in the United States. We learn more about one of those who died of COVID-19 in July—Su Thao, a Hmong businessman and filmmaker who had a profound impact on thousands of others. Also on the program, Smart Share Housing Solutions helps people in San Luis Obispo County by matching homeowners who have extra bedrooms with those looking for an affordable place to live. Chuck Davison of Visit SLO CAL discusses the state of tourism on the Central Coast.

San Luis Coastal Unified School District is not only providing students with nutritious food, but making sure that no child goes hungry, even in a global pandemic. The district's director of food services tells the story.

The base commander at California National Guard base Camp San Luis talks with correspondent Tom Wilmer about the process of becoming the first military base in America to achieve 100 percent carbon neutrality. Initiatives include installation of extensive rooftop solar arrays, 40 electric vehicle charging stations, replacing gasoline powered vehicles with electric power sources, and transitioning to 100 percent LED lighting inside buildings and for exterior lighting. 

We’ll hear from Dr. Gail Newel, Santa Cruz County's public health officer, who discusses a variety of topics—from new evidence on the effectiveness of masks to how the pandemic has affected her daily life. We'll learn about Downtown SLO's efforts to maintain a vital city center during the pandemic from the organization’s CEO Bettina Swigger. The Point San Luis Lighthouse just celebrated its 130th birthday, and while it's closed for actual tours during the pandemic, its history is rich and there are lots of plans for the future. Finally, insects are included in the everyday diet in many parts of the world, and we’ll learn about raising awareness and changing the perception of Americans around eating bugs.

While the bars have been closed, one person is doing his best to do his part to flatten the curve by staying home and recreating the ambiance of a cocktail bar right in his own home. Dusty Colyer-Worth has been creating his own unique "Quarantini a Day," and turning into a fine mixologist.

In this episode of Issues & Ideas: Wildfire season has arrived in California, and managers of a preserve in Monterey County are hoping to change the way communities approach wildfires. We’ll hear from a Santa Barbara historian to learn more about what was making news one hundred years ago. Bakersfield’s South High School has had a Confederate rebel for its mascot since 1957, and we’ll hear from Marcus Hicks, who, as a Black student, talks about what it was like to be in that environment. The Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture brings new art exhibits to the community throughout the year, and we’ll learn about a current sculpture at what locals call Hendry's Beach. The San Luis Obispo Airport has an upcoming project to the airport's runway. The US Forest Service plans to prevent wildfires in the Los Padres National Forest by cutting down trees. And finally, we'll hear from a local tech business leader who believes “it’s high time we demand the right to open, tinker with, and repair everything we own.”

The San Luis Obispo County chapter of the NAACP has big plans for the next five years; we share a conversation with the chapter’s leaders. KCBX's Greta Mart speaks to a researcher who is studying ways in which community groups can help immigrants within the Latinx community get access to better health care. The authors of a new book on stress management techniques for first-responders share some practical tips. We’ll learn about a remote mountain top in rural California where a years-long renaming effort continues, and we’ll visit a rare underwater lab run by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute— one of the world's only long-term monitoring sites at that depth. Finally, San Luis Obispo County's Miss Oddette serves up pulled pork and a conversation about racial justice.

In this episode of Playing With Food: Getting authentic Southern smoked pulled pork and a sought-after Southern BBQ sauce isn't always easy on the Central Coast, but Miss Oddette's Creole Kitchen will deliver, with a side of coleslaw and more. Father Ian visits with Oddette Augustus and talks about the recent local Black Lives Matter and George Floyd demonstrations, and how nationwide calls for racial justice were felt here on the Central Coast.