Issues & Ideas

KCBX
  • 4.8 (4)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY
Issues & Ideas

Issues and Ideas is a show that features a wide variety of people sharing their thoughts and perspectives about local issues, initiatives and events on the Central Coast. You might hear a policy maker discussing new regulation, an artist sharing their creative process, an entrepreneur exploring sustainable business practices, or an author talking about her latest book.Our regular segments include: "Wine Country" with wine journalist and author Mira Honeycutt; "Standing-in-Courage: Stories of Social Justice and Resilience," with Rosie Bultman; literary conversations on "Bookwaves" with former librarian Brian Reynolds; "Playing With Food" with culinary enthusiast Fr. Ian Delinger; stories of Central Coast downtowns on "Talking Downtown" with Carol Tangeman; and "The Lonely Goat Cafe" with Meher Ali, that talks about loneliness and the immigrant experience. The show also carries features from the KCBX Newsroom and from KCSB, the student-run radio station at UC Santa Barbara, along with interviews by other occasional contributors from our Central Coast community. Meher Ali produces, edits, contributes interviews, and anchors the program.

  1. 2D AGO

    Reflecting on the 'No Kings' protests in San Luis Obispo County, making sparkling wine with Rava Wines, and the lineup for the upcoming Cuesta College Central Coast Writers' Conference

    Rosie Bultman, News Director at KCSB, UC Santa Barbara's student-run radio station, joins us with a brand new segment called "Standing-in-Courage." She speaks about the No Kings protests with her first guest, Linda Baker, organizer for the protests in San Luis Obispo County. For Wine Country, host Mira Honeycutt talks to Sherrie Holzer, winemaker of Rava Wines in Paso Robles, about how sparkling wine is made. And then, Meagan Friberg, Director of the Cuesta College Central Coast Writers' Conference, talks with Meher Ali about this year's lineup.

    57 min

  2. JUN 30

    Celebrating the centennial anniversary of the 1925 Santa Barbara earthquake, the impact of tariffs on local businesses and Mt Vallarta on poetry and the trauma of migration

    We start with Carol Tangeman’s new segment, “Talking Downtown”, where she brings us stories from downtowns across the Central Coast. This one is sourced from KCSB, where reporter Lisa Osborn speaks with author and historian Betsy J. Green about an earthquake that hit Santa Barbara exactly a hundred years ago and destroyed its downtown. This led to a decision: to rebuild downtown Santa Barbara in the Spanish style. Next, KCBX's Fr. Ian speaks with local businesses about the impact of tariffs on the food and drinks industries on the Central Coast. Last, KCBX's Meher Ali has a new segment called The Lonely Goat Cafe, and it explores immigrant life from a mental health perspective, specifically looking at the idea of loneliness: how people experience it, and how they use art, music, films, and literature, to move through it. For it, she speaks with poet and Cal Poly professor Mt Vallarta about the trauma of migration and poetry.

    1 hr

  3. JUN 23

    City Farm SLO's mission to create sustainable farmers of tomorrow, how Santa Barbara got its Juneteenth celebration, and the impact of budget cuts on the History Center of San Luis Obispo County

    Dr. Consuelo Meux speaks with Kayla Rutland, Executive Director, and Kate DiTrani, Program Manager, of City Farm SLO about its youth education programs and regenerative farming for the Nonprofit Story. Then, KCSB reporter Lisa Osborn's interview with Simone Ruskamp, co-founder of Santa Barbara's Juneteenth celebration about her efforts to get it started in the county. Last, KCBX's Meher Ali talks with Thomas Kessler, Executive Director, and Brittany Webb, Collections Manager, of the History Center of San Luis Obispo County, about the impact that recent budget cuts will have on the nonprofit's operations, and especially the 120,000 artifacts that make up its collection.

    58 min

  4. JUN 17

    Caring for donkeys on the coast, Art Center Morro Bay's upcoming events, celebrating Pride with intention and joy with the Gala Center, and UCSB Professor Mark Juergensmeyer on the recent India-Pakistan conflict

    KCBX's Meher Ali speaks with Carlen Eckford, founder of the Rancho Burro Donkey Sanctuary and it's medical director as well as volunteer Barn Manager Nancy DeRuchie about how the nonprofit rehabilitates of donkeys and the misconceptions surrounding the behavior and care of these animals. Then, Kathleen Heil, President of Art Center Morro Bay, talks with KCBX’s Newsroom Intern Myrna Waddle about the arts nonprofit and their upcoming Art in the Park event. Then, Linnea Valdivia, Program Coordinator at the Gala Pride and Diversity Center, talks to KCBX's Meher Ali about Pride Month and the challenges facing the LGBTQ community on the Central Coast. Lastly, KCSB reporter Devon Szalva interviews retired Professor Emeritus of Sociology and Global Studies, Mark Juergensmeyer about the history of India-Pakistan relations, and the global significance of the recent four-day military conflict.

    1 hr

  5. JUN 9

    Author Lucy Bledsoe on courage and celebrating Pride Month with books, making world-class white wines in Paso, ECOSLO's annual fundraiser, and Central Coast farmworkers' struggle with food insecurity

    For his segment Bookwaves, KCBX's Brian Reynolds speaks with award-winning author and activist Lucy Jane Bledsoe about how attitudes towards the LGBTQ community have or have not changed and about one novel in particular titled “Tell the Rest.” Bledsoe will be speaking on Saturday, June 14th at the Atascadero Library from 12-2pm and San Luis Obispo library from 4-5 pm. Then, Wine Country with Mira Honeycutt who is a Central Coast author and wine journalist. She's also the co-author of the recently published book, "Sideways Uncorked: The Perfect Pairing of Film & Wine." Mira speaks with winemaker Dave McGee, owner of Monochrome Wines and founder of the festival White Wine Invitational that is happening on Friday, June 20th from 4-7 pm in Paso Robles. Dave talks to Mira about the motivation behind the invitational and the world of white wines. This is followed by Meher Ali's interview with Grant Helete, Program Coordinator at the Environmental Center of San Luis Obispo or ECOSLO about their annual fundraiser and programs in SLO county from cleanup to nature awareness to tree planting. Their annual fundraiser is happening this Saturday on June 14th at The Octagon Barn from 4-8pm and tickets are on sale at ecoslo.com. Last is a story by Katie Brown, a reporter at KAZU 90.3, and her story has been sourced from The California Report, where she reports on food insecurity facing Central coast farmworkers and how it is being exacerbated because of raids by the U.S. Immigration Customs…

    1 hr

  6. MAY 26

    From Paso Robles to Orcutt, a delivery service that brings produce to your doorstep, the challenges and successes for Downtown SLO, and the logistics of putting together the Live Oak Music Festival

    On Playing with Food, Fr. Ian Delinger spotlights Harvestly, a local delivery service that fills the gap between farm boxes, supermarkets, and restaurants by delivering local produce to your doorstep. Then, KCBX's Carol Tangeman speaks with LeBren Harris, CEO of the nonprofit Downtown SLO, about its challenges and successes in making the city’s downtown economically and culturally vibrant. Then, Katelyn Schiavone, operations director and concessions coordinator at the Live Oak Music Festival, and Marisa Waddell, the festival’s artistic director, talk about the logistics of organising an event of such a scale, and what makes it special for them.

    59 min

  7. MAY 13

    Celebrating AAPI month with Samoan poet William Giles, Paso women winemakers talk business, wine and lapis lazuli, and an aviation entrepreneur shares why San Luis Obispo is the perfect base of operations

    May is Asian American and Pacific Islander or AAPI Heritage Month. In celebration of this, Issues and Ideas invited MT Vallarta, pronouns they, them, theirs, a poet and Assistant Professor of Ethnic Studies at CalPoly, to be in conversation with William Nuʻutupu Giles, pronouns he/they, who is a poet, Samoan writer, and arts educator. Giles was in San Luis Obispo on May 7th, 8th, and 9th to do poetry readings and workshops at Cal Poly and in the city. Vallarta and Giles speak about their writing process and the importance of having a community. Then, for her segment Wine Country, wine journalist and editor Mira Honeycutt talks to Paso Robles winemakers Molly Lonborg, senior winemaker at Booker Wines, and Nancy Ulloa, winemaker and owner of Uyua Cellars, about the challenges they faced starting out in a male-dominated industry, their mentorship initiatives, and the importance of asking for help. And, we conclude our episode with Working Lunch, hosted by Jim Dantona, CEO for the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce. He speaks with Bill Borgsmiller, CEO of ACI Jet, about the latter's journey in establishing his company at just 22 years old and why he decided to base his aviation business in San Luis Obispo.

    58 min

  8. MAY 7

    International student visa revocations, the future of abandoned boats in Morro Bay, Robin Greenfield's experiments in non-ownership, and a volunteer's tribute to the Live Oak Music Festival

    Professor Jared Van Ramshorst from Cal Poly's Department of Political Science talks to KCBX's Meher Ali about recent student deportations and visa revocations that have impacted international students across the country, including at Cal Poly. Then, KCBX’s Adam Solorzano reports on a state grant received by Morro Bay that will enable it to demolish abandoned boats docked at the Marina. Then, KCBX's Brian Reynolds is in conversation with Robin Greenfield, author and eco-activist, about the latter's immersive experience in non-ownership and living without money. Finally, Kathy Johnston, a journalist who is also a longtime volunteer at the Live Oak Music Festival, speaks to a “new generation” of young volunteers — many of whom grew up at Live Oak — about what makes the event so special. Thanks to Steve Ahlgrim, who edited and mixed Kathy's piece.

    59 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Issues and Ideas is a show that features a wide variety of people sharing their thoughts and perspectives about local issues, initiatives and events on the Central Coast. You might hear a policy maker discussing new regulation, an artist sharing their creative process, an entrepreneur exploring sustainable business practices, or an author talking about her latest book.Our regular segments include: "Wine Country" with wine journalist and author Mira Honeycutt; "Standing-in-Courage: Stories of Social Justice and Resilience," with Rosie Bultman; literary conversations on "Bookwaves" with former librarian Brian Reynolds; "Playing With Food" with culinary enthusiast Fr. Ian Delinger; stories of Central Coast downtowns on "Talking Downtown" with Carol Tangeman; and "The Lonely Goat Cafe" with Meher Ali, that talks about loneliness and the immigrant experience. The show also carries features from the KCBX Newsroom and from KCSB, the student-run radio station at UC Santa Barbara, along with interviews by other occasional contributors from our Central Coast community. Meher Ali produces, edits, contributes interviews, and anchors the program.

Information

  • Creator
    KCBX
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2025
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Issues & Ideas

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