Bill Buchanan's blog

Stan Forbes, one of the 14 members of the Citizens Redistricting Commission, discusses how the panel will go about the job of redrawing legislative and congressional districts for California on the current edition of “Davisville” here on KDRT-LP 95.7 FM. Forbes, a businessman, farmer and former Davis City Council member, is the only person on the commission from Greater Sacramento. Just getting appointed required a mix of determination and luck, a process he talks about with “Davisville” host Bill Buchanan. Voters created the commission in 2008 to draw new district lines according to strict, nonpartisan rules, based on the 2010 census. The current districts, set by elected state officials, have been widely criticized as drawn to protect the political status quo. Forbes believes the commission, which will start public hearings soon, could create a model for other states to follow. “Davisville” airs on Monday at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday at 4:30 p.m., and Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. The interview with Forbes will be broadcast from March 14 to March 23. CLICK HERE to listen.

This spring, Davis voters will vote yes or no by mail on an emergency, two-year, $200 parcel tax to raise money for Davis public schools. If Measure A wins at least two-thirds approval, Davis will have three school parcel taxes in effect at the same time. Davis voters almost always vote yes on questions like these. But the major employer in town -- government -- is facing fresh, severe, payroll-hacking cuts of its own. UC Davis alone anticipates another 450 to 500 job losses soon. Richard Harris, school board president, came by Davisville this week to talk about the tax, why the board put it on the ballot, and related issues that include continuing step-and-column pay raises, the programs Measure A would preserve, and more. We also hear via email from John Munn, a skeptic of the tax in its earlier form but who has decided not to oppose Measure A. Listen in at http://www.kdrt.org/node/4803

For the Feb. 14 show, I interviewed the guy who does "Live Tracks" at KDRT, also known as my brother, Jim. We talked about his Thursday night program, a little about his experience as sound engineer for "Davisville," then headed into deeper waters with some questions about life in the 50s -- our 50s, that is. He and I talk about stuff like this all the time. I thought, why not try to capture some of that on the radio. And he was game, I hope not to his regret :-)

A mental image that might stick with you from this program is, Beware of collecting ashtrays. What starts out as fun becomes, after 30 years, a room full of things you have to step around. And don't make the mistake of thinking that comment is really about ashtrays.

If "Davisville" were ever presented as a boxed set, this experiment would be a hidden track. http://www.kdrt.org/node/4717

Chris Dunford, who will retire this year as president of Davis-based Freedom from Hunger, is a return guest on the current edition of “Davisville” on KDRT 95.7 FM.

Dunford last appeared on the program in early 2010. This time he draws a few lessons from his long career, updates news from Haiti and other topics from last year, and discusses whether he thinks the world is better, the same, or worse than it was when he started at the international charity nearly 30 years ago.

“Davisville,” hosted by Bill Buchanan, is recorded at Davis Media Access. The program airs at 5:30 p.m. on Mondays, 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, and 10:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. You can also find it at http://www.kdrt.org/node/4642.

Kimball Sargeant, president of the Davis Community Network and one of the first people in town to have a web address nearly 20 years ago, talks about the network and technology on the latest “Davisville.”

The volunteer-run nonprofit started in 1993 with a Caltrans grant to look into telecommuting, a new idea at the time. Davis Community Network has evolved, and among other things now provides free website tools and training to more than 200 Davis nonprofits.

“Davisville,” hosted by Bill Buchanan, airs on Mondays at 5:30 p.m., Tuesdays at 4:30 p.m., and Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. The interview with Sargeant — an attorney who is interested in technology, but does not see himself as a technologist — will air through Jan. 26. It can also be heard anytime (look for the Jan. 17th program) in the “Davisville” archives at http://www.kdrt.org/station/archives/867 .