The news cycle picked up momentum of late, and we've been scurrying to keep up on the Exchange. In this week of the program, we WILL feature both sides of the public safety levies on the election ballots in Josephine and Curry Counties.
We will also spend some time on the recently released draft plan for BLM timberlands in Western Oregon, and retired astronaut (and writer) Mark Kelly is scheduled as well.
Below is the outline of a big week on the air:
Monday, May 4, 2015/8:00 Safety Levy Time In Curry County
Curry County on the Oregon coast needs help. The loss of timber dollars from the federal government hit the county hard, and county services have been cut to the bone. County leaders will try once again in the May 19th election to pass a levy to fund the sheriff's office. This one differs from past efforts in that the property tax rates would not be the same for residents inside and outside the cities in the county. We hear from both sides of Measure 8-81 in this hour, separately. The supporters, including Sheriff John Ward, will go first. After a break, we visit with the opponents.
http://www.supportoursheriff.org/
Monday, May 4, 2015/9:00 Carole Tavris Debunks Beliefs
How many times have you listened to someone make a case for their beliefs, only to wonder "what are they THINKING?" Carol Tavris puts a lot of work into answering that question. She is a psychologist who studies the way people develop and hold onto beliefs. The title of her Ashland lecture (May 5th) should give you a clue to her focus: "Self-Justifying Delusions." Tavris comes to Ashland as part of Southern Oregon University's theme for the year, "Revolution." She joins us in the studio prior to her talk.
https://tavris.socialpsychology.org/
Tuesday, May 5, 2015/8:00 Josephine County Votes On Safety (Again)
Declining federal timber revenue has driven Josephine County to the brink of insolvency. And the impact has been most acutely felt in public safety, where just a handful of deputies are available to patrol for the sheriff's department. Voters have rejected several property tax levies to boost patrols, and they get another chance to decide a levy, in the May 19th election. Measure 17-66 is the latest effort, and we will hear both sides in this hour. The opponents get the first crack, then--following a break--the supporters make their case.
http://communityunitedforsafety.com/index.html
www.Jocoalert.com
Tuesday, May 5, 2015/9:00 BLM, O & C, And Forest Plans
Some of the fiercest arguments over proper federal forest management in Oregon focus on the "O & C lands," forests once granted to the Oregon & California Railroad to finance construction. Back in federal hands, they are supposed to give half their timber revenue over to the counties containing them. But with little timber being cut, county budgets have suffered. BLM is out with a draft of its management plan for Western Oregon forests, and will take comments into July. In this hour, we visit first with EarthFix reporter Jes Burns to get perspective on the lands and plans. Then forest economist Ernie Niemi in Eugene has a few theories on the value of the O & C lands, and whether their value is greater as standing forest... or as saw timber. He joins us with his views.
http://www.nreconomics.com
Wednesday, May 6, 2015/8:00 Diana Abu-Jaber And Fellow Writers
We're still trying to figure out what Diana Abu-Jaber does NOT do; she's good at so many things. Novelist, cookbook author, teacher, speaker... and there's more. Abu-Jaber will be the keynote author at the Northwest Women Writers Symposium later this week in Eugene (May 7-9). She visits with a preview and thoughts on her work.
http://csws.uoregon.edu/programs/women-writers-rig/
Wednesday, May 6, 2015/8:30 VENTSday
Our weekly VENTSday segment puts the listeners front and center. We throw a pair of topics on the table, and let callers and emailers vent--politely--on those topics. Topics range from the global to the hyper-local, and all responsible opinions are welcome. We bring the topics, you bring the opinions. It's VENTSday on The Jefferson Exchange, and you participate by calling 1-800-838-3760 or emailing JX@jeffnet.org.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015/9:00 Down To Earth With The Astronaut
Only two siblings have ever traveled in outer space, and they are twins: Mark Kelly and his brother Scott. Scott is the one currently spending a year on the International Space Station; Mark is retired from space but still writing about it for kids. His latest book, based on their childhood, is "Astrotwins -- Project Blastoff." Mark Kelly always has plenty to talk about, from his space experiences to his support of gun control after his wife, former Congress member Gabrielle Giffords, was shot. He visits The Exchange with his thoughts.
http://books.simonandschuster.com/Astrotwins-Project-Blastoff/Mark-Kelly/Astrotwins/9781481415453
Thursday, May 7, 2015/8:00 Dam Removal, Small Stream Size
When the talk turns to removing dams from streams, the attention turns to the Klamath River. But while the long process of (maybe) removing four large dams inches forward, smaller projects are underway. WaterWatch of Oregon is one of several players working to remove a pair of small dams from Evans Creek, a tributary of the Rogue River. Bob Hunter from the group joins us to talk about that project and other water-quality improvement efforts.
http://waterwatch.org
Thursday, May 7, 2015/8:30 Fighting Hunger With Empty Bowls
It seems only appropriate to begin a fundraiser against hunger with an empty bowl. And that's just how the Empty Bowls Supper organized by Ashland's Peace House starts. Attendees do get to put food in the bowl, but they also have to put some money in the kitty to continue several anti-hunger programs in the area. We talk about the tradition and the results with one of the organizers.
http://peacehouse.net/2015/03/27/empty-bowls/
Thursday, May 7, 2015/9:00 Longmire's Creator, Craig Johnson
We admit it: we could not say no to the guy who created Walt Longmire. Longmire is a fictional sheriff in a western county, the title character of books and a TV series. Craig Johnson tells the latest installment of the sheriff's adventures in "Dry Bones," hitting bookshelves next week. Craig joins us to talk about writing, character development... and having your character show up on a TV screen.
http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/316314/dry-bones-by-craig-johnson/
Friday, May 8, 2015/8:30 Questioning Klamath Water Allocations
The ongoing efforts to distribute water in drought years always cause concern for someone. We recently visited with the Klamath Water and Power Authority about its program to pay some landowners to pump groundwater rather than irrigate. Some observers are less interested in the details than in the fact that it happens at all. Klamath River observer and critic Felice Pace certainly has some questions. He visits to air his concerns about the fish-vs-farms situation in the valley of the Klamath, from mountains to ocean.
http://klamblog.blogspot.com/
