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Settled by Spanish conquistadors in 1598, the area’s rich cultural past is still evident today in its music, art, and way of life. But changing demographics, along with a shift in the local economy has left many residents without land, water, and a sense of identity. State of the Re:Union travels to the Española Valley of Northern New Mexico to explore the area’s history of dispossession, and to discover what the rest of the country can learn from this still vital region of the American Southwest. From ancient water distribution methods to low riders, SOTRU goes to find out.

For more visit stateofthereunion.com

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By State of the Re:Union

At one time, Oakridge was considered “The Heart of the Timber Empire,” but by the late 1970s, things started to come undone… the mills began to automate and the layoffs started. Today, the depressed city is a company town without a company – nearly 60 percent of the population consists of Medicaid recipients or is classified as working poor with no insurance and and about one quarter of the town lives in single-wide trailers.

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Photo: Courtesy of stateofthereunion.com

Baltimore is a city of many neighborhoods, of intense divides—racial, class, and otherwise– not easily overcome. It’s a city bogged down by a reputation for crime, poverty and dysfunction (thanks, in part, to the acclaimed TV show The Wire)—a reputation not entirely undeserved. But all of that often overshadows the passion and dedication many Baltimoreans have for their city, and for taking on what’s wrong with it in ways small and large.

For article & comments click here

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By J.D. Hillard

California State Senator Anthony Cannella represents much of the Salinas Valley as well as Hollister and Central Valley cities Los Banos, Merced and Madera. Mark Stone represents much of the coastal Monterey Bay area in the California State Assembly. Both will be working on imp[roving the state’s realignment program to alleviate impacts on local jails absorbing nonviolent prisoners from the Department of Corrections. hey’ll both be involved in changes in CEQA. Cannella hopes to make it easier for businesses and other organizations proposing projects to complete a CEQA review without fear of lawsuits. Stone expressed skepticism about the degree of the problem. Stone also said he hopes to help human services agencies like CALWorks make up some of the ground they lost in budget cuts in the last several years. Cannella hopes to secure Proposition 30 money so that community colleges and universities can keep tuition from rising.

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A NEW BLACK HISTORY MONTH SPECIAL FROM STATE OF THE RE:UNION
August 28^th, 1963 will forever be tied to Martin Luther King Jr.’s hallowed “I Have a Dream Speech.” This historic moment would probably have never come to fruition if it weren’t for a man standing in King’s shadow, Mr. Bayard Rustin.   Bayard Rustin was a man with a number of seemingly incompatible labels: black, gay, Quaker . . . identifications that served to earn him as many detractors as admirers. Although he had numerous passions and pursuits, his most transformative act, one that certainly changed the course of American history, was to counsel MLK on the use of non-violent resistance.

Rustin also helped to engineer the March on Washington and frame the Montgomery bus boycott.  With such lofty achievements, why isn’t Rustin considered an icon of both Civil Rights and humanity?   Why is Rustin not synonymous with Civil Rights? How could a person who changed the course of American history not be a household name? Was he purposely kept out of the history books? On State of the Re:Union, host Al Letson normally sets out to take listeners to a specific place, but for this special, the program takes the audience to a specific time in history that shapes the way we live now. More than just a Black History Month special, we found his complex story one for all seasons.

Link to State of the Re:Union “Bayard Rustin – Who is this man?”

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An editor at Udacity prepares a video of Sebastian Thrun. Photo: Stephen Smith / APR

How Technology is Influencing Higher Education| By Stephen Smith | APM - 

Digital technologies and the Internet are changing how many Americans go to college. From online learning to simulation programs to smart-machine mentors, the 21st-century student will be taught in fundamentally new ways. In this documentary, Stephen Smith asks whether these innovations can help more people get access to higher education and bring down the cost of college without sacrificing learning.

For more information visit American Radio Works

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The above audio was broadcast on KUSP January 6th 2013.

For more information about Planet Cruz and upcoming performances, visit their website.

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By J.D. Hillard

At the end of the  show Kirby Scudder, Executive Director of the Santa Cruz Institute of Contemporary Arts, speaks with Jake Thomas whose show at the Felix Kulpa Gallery “Dark Fields” combines three series each by a fictional character.

First Santa Cruz County’s Fifth district includes Scotts Valley and the San Lorenzo valley with the communities of Felton, Ben Lomond, Brookdale and Boulder Creek.

Eric Hammer and Bruce McPherson are vying for the seat on Santa Cruz County’s board of Supervisors vacated by Mark Stone, who’s running for State Senate. Hammer owns  Eric Hammer Construction and has served on boards of various San Lorenzo Valley non-profits. McPherson is the former editor of the Santa Cruz Sentinel, former State Assembly member and Secretary of State.

Since I spoke with McPherson and Hammer, McPherson’s Campaign distributed the charge that Hammer had misrepresented his status as a college graduate. Hammer attended San Francisco State University. The Press Banner reported that in an application to serve on the body that oversees Santa Cruz County’s treasury and in other professional representation, Hammer claimed to have a bachelors of science from SFSU. According to the Press Banner SFSU doesn’t acknowledge awarding Hammer a degree.

In a statement Hammer said he should not have said he had a BS, that he’s working to gain recognition from the University for credits that would earn him a B.S.

Meanwhile, Hammer’s Web site includes a link to a letter arguing McPherson’s claim to support women’s rights is inconsistent with votes he made in the legislature. Specifically on whether insurance companies should be required to cover contraception, and cervical cancer treatments. McPherson’s campaign argued the legislature handles numerous bills on the same policy, many of which are intended to demonstrate other legislators support for various positions. McPherson’s campaign argued that on bills where his vote counted, McPherson’s record shows he protects women’s rights.

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By J.D. Hillard
In the Monterey County supervisorial district comprised of the central portion of Salinas, incumbent Fernando Armenta and challenger Tony Barrera both prioritize jobs and reducing youth violence.

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In tonight’s Talk of the Bay Jeff Taylor and Sam Farr – Congressman Sam Farr has represented much of the MontereyBaysince the early 1990s. Jeff Taylor has challenged him for his seat in Congress for several successive elections. He’s doing it again this year. We roughly split the hour between them. Just a note, these are pretty broad ranging interviews. My goal is to introduce these candidates to you and to talk about the issues that affect the MontereyBayarea. They mention a lot of facts, I had time to check few of them. Please go ahead and if you find falsehoods, email jd@kusp.org with some clear citation and I’ll note the new facts on the Web page with this show.

Start some fact checking on your own: historical federal spending