Public Square Blog

KCPW Membership Drive Home Stretch

Wed, 21 May 2008 15:51:43 -0600

Lara Jones here -- KCPW News Director and host of Midday Metro. So ... it's been 3 months since I last blogged. It's been about that long since it was announced that KCPW would be sold by parent non-profit Community Wireless of Park City. We're pushing ahead on our goals to raise the 25 percent down payment to keep KCPW local. Click here for more details on how you can help.

In the meantime, KCPW staff and our wonderful volunteers are putting on a great spring membership drive. Your pledges pay for operating costs -- programming from NPR, BBC, American Public Media, local news, utilities, pens, paper, and light bulbs. Thanks for doing your part.

Below are some pictures of the action behind the scenes -- a big thanks to volunteer Madelyn Boudreaux for taking the pix. Listen for Madelyn's alter-ego, Salt City Derby Girl Lulu Garou, Friday morning at 11 a.m. on Midday Metro.

Book Bin Debuts

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 14:51:31 -0700

Today Midday Metro launched Book Bin, an occasional series featuring book picks from librarians at the City Library. Tania Toro, a reference librarian on Level 3 of the main library, and Matt McLain, assistant manager at the Sprague Branch, brought in some of their favorites, new and old, as well as those climbing biz book reader lists.

Now, you don't have to be a CEO or middle manager to read these books or get something out of them. The best ones offer universal advice. I'm reading Strengths Finder 2.0, which is about identifying strengths and building your life around them. A radical idea in business and life, where we seem hung up on managing our weaknesses.

Here's the first Book Bin booklist, compiled by Matt McLain, Assistant Manager at the Sprague Branch Library, Tania Toro, Reference Librarian at the Main Library-Level 3, and one suggestion by me. If you wish to get one, may I suggest the Amazon click through at the bottom of this post? KCPW gets a piece of the referral. -- Lara Jones

Ancient Utah Stuff

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 18:23:38 -0700

OK, I finally got the new stuff I need to download photos from my camera phone. These photos show ancient stuff collected around the Beehive State by the Utah Museum of Natural History.

Associated Director Ann Hanniball (pictured) and Registrar Kara Hurst stopped by the show Thursday and brought very cool items with them. All neatly packed and protected from the likes of me.

While a new museum is in the planning stages and they hope to break ground this summer, the collection is going on the road. Below are pix of a few items you might see at local libraries and schools as the traveling exhibit makes its way across Utah.

Click here for a podcast with Hannibal and Hurst. -- Lara Jones

Midday Metro Changes Hands -- Sort Of

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 18:31:24 -0700

It's official. The powers that be at KCPW have made me full-time host and producer of Midday Metro. I've been given free rein to mold the show as I see fit.

And that's where you come in. What do you want to hear? Now's your chance to program at least one hour of radio, so let's hear it. More arts, politics and advocates? Health, science, technology? People you should know?

Regardless, I definitely want to hear more from you during the show. Start calling up and talking with me -- 355-TALK is the number.

FYI, I'll be hiring an associate producer soon. Stay tuned.

Governor Huntsman Changing Tune on Nuclear Question?

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 16:00:15 -0700

With nuclear power suddenly the new green in energy production, I was curious what Governor Huntsman's attitude would be toward the idea of nuclear power plants in Utah. He has said repeatedly, including on this show, that nuclear waste would be allowed in this state over his dead body.

This morning, the governor said exploring the idea of nuclear power must be considered as an option -- contingent upon a way to handle the nuclear waste -- in order to decrease our dependency on fossil fuels.

All told, Governor Huntsman says nuclear power plants in Utah are at least 20 years away and he's confident technology can innovate to handle the nuclear waste problem. That's certainly placing a greater confidence in technology that politicians when it comes to negotiating this issue, especially when certain lawmakers see no conflict of interest in advocating for nuclear power plants before telling their colleagues -- let alone the public -- that they may have a financial interest in such a proposition. Yes, I'm referencing both Rep. Aaron Tilton (R-Springville) and Rep. Mike Noel (R-Kanab), who both are on the inside of a deal to build nuclear power plants in the Beehive State.

American Trivia Mogul

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:30:54 -0700

Former Utahn and Jeopardy champ Ken Jennings stopped by the studios today. I even have a photo to prove it. It's just that ... it's on my camera phone and I have no idea how to get it off of there. I mean, I don't want email on my phone, then I'd never get a break from work. So I guess I need some sort of USB cable to pull it off of there. Yes, I'm a bit of a dork, even to dorks, because I don't embrace the latest gadget. Anybody else suffer from gadget overload and too much connectedness?

Click here for today's podcast. Man, Jennings talks a mile a minute. Kept me on my toes. If you buy his book online, go through the link on the podcast page. That way KCPW gets a little $$ love, too.

Judge for a Day

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:59:56 -0700

Students thinking about a career on The Bench will get a little insight with the Judge for a Day program being sponsored by Utah State Courts. But you got to submit an essay -- isn't that the way of things.

Utah Appeals Court Judge Judith Billings says the three-year-old program is an outreach tool that's a good way to disabuse the public of stereotypes and out-and-out falsehoods perpetuated by TV shows like Boston Legal and Law & Order. However, the judge admits to a penchant for the latter. When it comes to the wackiness on the bench that is Captain Kirk's Boston Legal, the real Judge Judy says, "never seen it."

Click here for a podcast of the Billings interview.

Jeopardy champ and former Utahn Ken Jennings will be on the show tomorrow. If you think you have a trivia stumper, post away. Also, call in tomorrow at (801) 355-TALK to test the champ yourself.

Talking of Faith -- no, not Salie

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 17:29:31 -0700

Today I wanted to talk about the legacy of Gordon B. Hinckley -- the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who died Sunday at the age of 97 -- from a non-Mormon clergy point of view. My guests said Hinckley will be remembered as the LDS president who encouraged tolerance among the LDS faithful toward those of other faiths.

Rev. Steve Goodier said he was pleasantly surprised at how welcoming a place SLC is to non-Mormons. He's been here since 2003 and says living in the heart of Mormondom has made him and other members of Christ United Methodist Church stronger in their faith.

And Elaine Emmi, Salt Lake Quakers, says she's one of those "weird" (her word, not mine) non-Mormons who has enjoyed listening to LDS conference broadcasts, and especially those in which Hinckley spoke. Click here to listen to today's podcast and find out why Hinckley's talks resonated with her.

Of course, there are those who don't feel tolerance from the LDS community, or vice versa. But that wasn't what today's show was about. To learn more about the Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable, which Emmi chairs, and the group's efforts to bridge the religious divide, click here for details about their upcoming events.

Brother, Can You Spare $2

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 17:40:54 -0700

As you go about filing you tax return for 2007, please consider adding $2 on line 19a, code 02, for the Pamela Atkinson Homeless Trust Fund.

It's just one of many donation options on your tax form, and one I think is a good investment. Homeless advocates like today's guest, Pamela Atkinson, have the hard data to backup the results of the new housing first approach to ending chronic homeless. Get people into permanent housing, then deal with their issues.

So, cut out a couple of Big Gulps, lattes, even a pack of smokes, and tack it on to your tax bill. If you're getting a return, they'll just deduct it -- and you won't feel a thing.

Of course, you're always welcome to donate more than $2 -- Governor Huntsman added $1,000. For those that can, please do.

Click here for today's podcast on the homeless trust fund and the good work it's doing to move people off the streets and on to better lives.

Frosted Corneas, Not for Flakes

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 16:50:43 -0700

Phil Ershler and his wife, Susan, climbed the seven highest peaks in the world together and lived to tell the tale. However, one climb led to frosted corneas for Phil. He says it was like looking through wax paper, but wore off after 24 hours.

Being willing to make that 180, as he calls it, is the difference between life and death on such extreme climbs. Even though they were 1,000 feet from the summit, Phil says he knew it was the right decision to turn back and try again another day. Click here for today's podcast.

And a big thanks to Simon Ashdown and Frank Meyer at Adventure Medical Kits for bringing Phil over to the studios. Every Outdoor Retailer tradeshow -- winter or summer -- Frank and Simon bring interesting guests and nifty swag to share with Midday Metro listeners. Thanks, guys.

Nearly 7,000 Miles, But No Moleskin

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 18:13:52 -0700

Andrew Skurka, the enlightened outdoor adventurer, was on the show today. He's in town as a guest of GoLite for the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market. His claim to fame: being the first person to walk the nearly 7,000-mile-long Great Western Loop. While the scenery was beautiful and he talked about that, the most interesting thing to me was ... any blisters? The man said no, no moleskin necessary. He did say he went through a pair of shoes about every 10 days, and he lived on protein bars. What, hiking 40 miles in a day a little tiring? Click here for the Midday Metro podcast.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:13:28 -0700

Crowns playwright Regina Taylor was on the show today. You may know her from her role as Lily Harper on the TV show I Fly Away (1991-1993) or maybe you caught her last night on CBS as Molly Blaine in The Unit.

Taylor will be SLC January 25 for the Utah premiere of Crowns, which revolves around black women and the hats they wear to church. Now that's a really simple explanation.

Click here for today's podcast and Regina's own explanation of the play and the fact behind the fiction.

Click here for a great DNews story on the production, which runs Jan. 25-Feb. 9 at SLCC's Grand Theatre.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:18:44 -0700

Opening day of the Utah Legislature and I'm talking about porn. Actually, quite appropriate considering it was that august body which created Utah's Porn Czar. Although the PC is out of biz (b.2001 - d.2003), the amount of what just 20 years ago would have been considered soft-core porn in today's mainstream culture indicates perhaps an even greater need for the post today. Talking with Dr. Gail Dines during today's show was an eye-opener. She studies the impact of porn on pop culture. It's a domino effect that she traces from the 80s, the rise of MTV and highly-sexualized videos from the likes of Madonna to today's celebutantes who launch their "careers" with sextapes "leaked" onto the Internet. As soft-core porn has become mainstream, the porn industry has gotten more hardcore, says Dines. Young boys are now regular uses of porn, and young girls are feeling the pressure to perform like porn stars. While an adult conversation, I suggest anyone raising or mentoring young girls and boys should listen to this podcast. Dines also offers material via email: stoppornculture@gmail.com. And you can hear her speak Wednesday evening, 7 p.m., at Westminster College. It's free and open to the public, but no one under 18 will be admitted.

Update: Here's the Stop Porn Culture website.

Friday, January 18, 2008

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:03:22 -0700

Today's show went off on health care reform. Guest Clark Newhall can claim and MD and a JD. He wants "Medicare for all," which will be a hard sell in bootstrap Utah. He thinks Michael Moore might be a way to start the conversation, so he's hosting Sicko Day at the Legislature January 29. From 8-5 in the Capitol Board Room (Rm. 210), he'll be showing the documentary and talking about health care reform. Special guest will be Donna Smith, who's featured in the documentary. After a series of health issues, she and her husband loose everything and wind up moving in with their daughter. In addition to a free movie, there will be free food and, ideally, a free exchange of ideas on what is shaping up to be the most important issue of our time.

Also on today's show were Jeanetta Williams and Edward Lewis Jr. of the NAACP Salt Lake Branch, which hosts its 24th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Luncheon Mon., Jan. 21, 12 noon, at the Little America Hotel Ballroom, 500 S. Main St., SLC. Call (801) 250-5088 to see if you can still get a seat.

Other NAACP events coming up:

Sundance Institute will host the NAACP Salt Lake Branch and guest for a free screening of The Black List Mon., Jan. 21, 4 p.m., Broadway Centre Cinemas, 111 E. Broadway, SLC. The film is a series of mini-portraits of 20 influential African-Americans, from artists to CEOS, politicians to activists.

Fox 13 will air "We Have a Dream" Jan. 27, 1-3 p.m., plus on Feb. 14, 7-9 p.m., you can tune in for the 39th Annual NAACP Image Awards.

And Salt Lake Community College's Grand Theatre will present the Utah premiere of CROWNS, a musical tribute to the role of hats in the African-American culture. The show runs Jan. 25-Feb. 9. For more information, call (801) 957-3322.

Comments, questions, suggestions -- post away!

Click here for podcasts of today's show.

-- Lara Jones, producer and co-host, Midday Metro

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:53:25 -0700

First, my apologies for getting today's podcasts up so late. But I do have a good reason -- I had to blast out of the studio right after the show to moderate a legislative preview at the Hinckley Institute of Politics. Click here for a podcast of that event.

On to today's show:

Every Thursday, pretty much without fail, SLC Police Chief Chris Burbank comes in to talk with Midday Metro. Today, we covered current police cases in the news, but what was more interesting to me was the Chief's consistent stance against cross-deputization of law enforcement to nail illegal immigrants. The Chief says he takes heat for it from lawmakers, but he feels that immigration policing is not the job of local law enforcement. That's not to say SLCPD doesn't call ICE when appropriate. Chief Burbank feels that cross-deputization also would threaten law enforcement's ability to build trust within ethnic communities. If mugged/raped/burgled, would you call law enforcement if you're here illegally or someone in your house is an illegal immigrant?

Check out HB 237, sponsored by Rep. Glenn Donnelson, R-North Ogden. What do you think?

Another great edition of Poetry is Wanted Here on today's show. Every third Thursday of the month, Ken Sanders and Alex Caldiero come in and we talk about poetry. This edition focused on the snobbery of poetry -- snobbery from the audience, snobbery of poetry circle, yada, yada, yada. It was a spirited discussion with great selections from Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein and Charles Bukowski (a poet, I must admit, I have a snobbish attitude against -- but Ken's selections are making me rethink that). Click here for the poetry podcast.

Also, check out poetry around town:

There's a poetry slam at Cup of Joe, 353 W 200 S, SLC, this Saturday

Poetry at Cafe Marmalade, 361 N 300 W, SLC, Tuesday nights at 9:30

Rumi Poetry Club meets Feb. 6, 7-8pm, at the Anderson Foothill branch of the City Library, 1135 S 2100 E, SLC

The Westminster College Anne Newman Sutton Weeks Poetry Series hosts Nance Van Winckel Thursday, January 24, at the Dumke Student Theatre, located inside the Emma Eccles Jones Conservatory at 7 p.m.

Ken Sanders Rare Books, 268 S 200 E, SLC, hosts A Nite of Kerouac: Singing & Scrolling Off the Road, featuring word sonosopher Alex Caldiero and saxophonist John Flanders, on Saturday, January 19th at 7:30 pm.

Coping with Children with Special Needs

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 14:23:49 -0700

Today's show highlighted the rate of birth defects in Utah and ways parents and individuals dealing with the situation can access state resources. This weekend's conference at the U is a good networking opportunity, and it's free!

To learn more about the Utah Birth Defect Network and the Utah Bureau of Children With Special Health Care Needs, listen to today's podcast.

Favorite Pick Today: Hot Jobs

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:52:05 -0700

My favorite part of today's show was the future hot jobs list provided by Tony Rizutto, a job counselor at Salt Lake Community College. Click here for the list. Tony's put together an incredible website that puts all the resources job seekers could want in one spot. It'll help you combine your match your education -- past, present, future -- to a job -- past, present, future.

For podcasts of today's show, click here.

-- Lara

First Mayoral Visit to Midday Metro

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 14:46:07 -0700

Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker has agreed to stop by Midday Metro at least once a month this year to talk with listeners. Plan on the first Monday of the month, which means Feb. 4 is our next scheduled visit from Mayor Becker. Of course, we'll contact him as breaking news warrants, but plan on calling in or emailing or posting comments the first Monday of the month for him. Also, feel free to email me any time you've got something you think the show should be investigating at City Hall.

The thing that really stuck out to me today was Mayor Becker's comments about the Airport TRAX line, that it could be an iffy deal. I agree that it's a crucial element to west-side economic development. How about you?

The rest of the show today was dedicated to the six-year anniversary of the first prisoners to arrive at the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center in Cuba. Note: Mayor Becker was not a part of this discussion. Guests included Karen McCreary, executive director of the ACLU Utah Chapter, and Dr. Tim Chambless, poli-sci prof at the U of U -- at least until we lost the connection to his cell phone. I'm grateful for the few minutes we had with him, what with more than 100 students waiting on his lecture about the Declaration of Independence. Listen to the podcast -- Chambless had some great things to say. Note: Chambless knows a little something about being the target of government scrutiny. He's involved in research of the papers of Jack Anderson, the muckraking journalist whose files the FBI wants to redact on the grounds of national security.

The local chapter of the ACLU will be hosting a "Close Gitmo" candlelight vigil at 5 this evening in front of the Federal Building, 125 So. State St.

Tune in Monday for job trends and insight from folks at Salt Lake Community College. As always, tell me what you want to hear on the program. Post away!

SWAT, Food and Books

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 15:08:03 -0700

Today's show covered a lot of ground.

SWAT: I learned that I'm grateful SWAT Teams are patient and don't grant suicide-by-cop wishes just to get the situation over. Lt. Rick Findlay, SWAT Commander with SLCPD, says his team does everything possible to avoid deadly force, especially when the suspect in question is clearly mentally ill. This requires an immense amount of patience. And I do think barricading yourself in your apartment, turning on all the gas, wielding an ax and taunting the police does mean you have some issues in the mental health area.

FOOD: The Utah Food Bank still needs your canned good. They're going for 1.5 million pounds by Jan. 15 and need another 100K pounds. Please rotate your food storage, add an extra can or two of tuna during your next shopping trip, and drop it off at 1025 S. 700 W., M-Th, 8a-9p; F, 8a-5p; and S, 8a-2p. You can also swing by any Jiffy Lube, Smiths, Wells Fargo branch, or Riverton Motors. And remember, NON-PERISHABLES. I suggest canned tuna, peanut butter, and other stuff high in protein.

BOOKS: If you're like one-quarter of American adults, you have not picked up a book, for pleasure, in the last year. Wh-huh?! C'mon, develop that reading muscle this year. A great way is to track what you read. Click here to learn more about Rachelle Knight's great tool to do just that. Bonus: you're buying local. Rachelle lives in South Jordan. Question: what are you reading? I've just picked up Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and The Machiavelli Covenant by Allan Folsom.