COVID-19 Community Report, March 2, 2021: Student Voices Part 1

This month, I’ve been focusing on the return to in-person instruction in the Davis Joint Unified School District. I’ve interviewed administrators, teachers, and parents, and now, I’m speaking with students from various grades throughout the DJUSD. This week you’ll hear from Harper Pfeifer and Henry Schumaker, who are 6th and 7th graders respectively, and on March 9, I’ll chat with two high school seniors who have had very different pandemic experiences, Emme Dunning and Daniel Engotto.

In the youth advocacy and mentoring work I do, I believe it’s critical to hear directly from young folks, especially when they’re so deeply impacted by decisions that adults are making for and around them. I want to be clear that I had no agenda when I talked with these kids around school reopening — I just wanted to know how they were feeling about it. And with the two student voices you’ll hear today, they have very different perspectives on the matter.

The Wild Fox Party, March 2, 2021: Frank Fox interviews musical colleague Norman Bergen, Part 1

This week we air Part 1 of the interview with Norman Bergen -  a musical colleague and personal friend. Norman Bergen has been professionally involved with many aspects of music since the 1960s including pianist, songwriter, record producer, arranger, musical director, and performer. He has worked with Vito and The Salutations, The Tokens, The Chiffons, Tony Orlando, and numerous others, and co-wrote the beautiful ballad "Only A Fool Breaks His Own Heart" recorded by more than 100 artists worldwide. Norman serves as musical director for the American Queen Steamboat Company, and is shown here perfroming on the American Queen riverboat.

Celtic Songlines, March 2, 2021: Traditional tunes with a twist

This week on Celtic Songlines, Ireland's Fullset opens the program and is followed by tunes from the exciting trio Inver. Guitarist Arty McGlynn shows why he was one of the most influentional musicians in the modern era--ditto for vocalist Christy Moore. Scotland's The Shee join the program too, along with Solas, Karan Casey & John Doyle, Toni and David Arthur, and the Old Blind Dogs.

During the always special month of March, Celtic Songlines will feature artists' performances of traditional tunes and the sometimes contemporary twist to "trad" music. The exploration of traditional Celtic songs and arrangements is always fascinating, as is listening to the musicians' special talents and skills. They interpret and rearrange traditional songs and tunes to place their own stamp on the music.  

Davisville, March 1, 2021: New UC Davis research says teens who bully often target their friends

We hear a lot about teen bullying, but this research from the University of California, Davis, is new: It says most such bullying occurs among peers climbing the social ladder, and the “highest rates of bullying occur between friends, and between friends of friends.” As if junior high weren’t difficult enough.

Today I talk with sociology Professor Robert Faris about why this happens—it’s “driven by this pursuit of something that is so ephemeral: popularity in high school,” he says—and what to do about it. Many conventional anti-bullying efforts, Faris continues, aren’t working. Churning, low-quality friendships contribute to the abuse, but solid and stable friendships can be part of the cure.

The report's co-authors are sociologists Diane Felmlee at Pennsylvania State University and Cassie McMillan at Northeastern University.

Live Tracks Feb 25th, 2021: A high-octane dose of live music with The Nickel Slots

This episode features a never-before aired live recording of The Nickel Slots from their Nov. 2019 gig at Thursday Live! at the Davis Odd Fellows Hall.  The Nickel Slots are in the Sacramento Sammie Awards Hall of Fame for multiple category wins, and are described as "taking you on a journey through hard times and desperation that always carries hope that better things are just around the corner".  Just what we all need! Also featured in this episode are live recordings of Joe Craven and The Sometimes (also from the Davis Odd Fellows Hall), and an extended live set by Mumbo Gumbo from the 2018 Paradise Fire Relief Benefit broadcast live by KDRT.  

Jazz After Dark Feb 23, 2021: West Coast and Hard bop

Tonight's show features a mix of West Coast jazz and some Hard bop. We'll hear Lena Horne, Richard Twardzik & Russ Freeman, Lennie Tristano, Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong, Gerry Mulligan & Johnny Hodges, Nat King Cole, The Modest Jazz Trio, Shelly Manne & His Men, Eddie Harris, Lee Konitz & the Brazilian Band, The Taylor Eigsti Trio. Jazz After Dark broadcasts locally at 8 pm Tuesdays on KDRT-LP, 95.7 FM in Davis, CA with replays Wed. 4 pm and Thursday evenings at 11 pm.  Link to Show page here.    Podcasts are also on iTunes or your favorite podcast site, such as https://player.fm/featured/jazz

COVID-19 Community Report, Feb. 23, 2021: Speaking with two local parents groups about school reopening

This month, I’ve been focusing on the return to in-person instruction in the Davis Joint Unified School District. This week I’m speaking with parents who represent different viewpoints on reopening. Dr. Audrey Pan with Safe Classrooms, Safe Community - Davis  joins me in the first interview, and Dr. Rachel Klein of DJUSD Parent Coalition- It's Time to Safely Go Back to School joins me in a second interview. Over the next 1-2 weeks, I will wrap this monthlong series by speaking with several DJUSD students. Previous interviews have included the teachers' perspectives on Feb. 16, and the district 's administration perspective with Dr. John Bowes on Feb. 9, 2021.  All 53 episodes can be streamed at the COVID-19 Community Report show page.

Meraki Radio Perspectives: Beans and Rice, but Mostly Beans

On this episode of Meraki Radio: Perspectives, Alison opens up the show with Mary Oliver's poem "Beans" as well as a few lines from John Steinbeck's Tortilla Flat. Many cultures through out the world include beans as a staple food. The conversation ensues about beans-- Deema even surprising herself, describing recipes from Egypt and beyond. Embrace the bean! Rice is discussed as well, though beans are certainly the star of the show. Enjoy and go eat some beans!

 

Words cited

"Beans" by Mary Oliver: http://ciaosamin.com/ciao/aosamin.com/2015/01/beans-by-mary-oliver.html

Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck: https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.226094/2015.226094.Tortilla...

Recipes

20. Pandemic Pets

Since mid-March 2020 there has been a huge surge in animal adoptions, fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Melissa Bain, a professor at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, tells us about the joys and challenges of pandemic pets, and what to consider when adopting animal companions during the pandemic. We meet 14-year-old Davis resident Kate Phillips and her canine companion Winston. Winston became part of the Phillips family last summer. Hear about the science behind why there is such a deep bond between dogs and humans and learn some cool facts about dogs. Then visit Siberia, where dogs first joined the human pack 23,000 years ago.

Cowboy Tracks for Feb. 19, 2021 - Ten Gallon Boogie

“Ten Gallon Boogie" and other great old and new western tunes fill today’s Cowboy Tracks show playlist (Feb. 19), including tunes by Pee Wee King, Hot Texas Swing Band, Marshall Tucker Band, LeeLee Music and Cowgirl Jazz, Corb Lund, Hot Club of Cowtown, Rusted Spurs West, The Wardens, Rita Hosking, Dave Stamey Page, Ginny Mac, WALT Wilkins the Mystiqueros, and Thick Crust Doughboys. Plays live Friday afternoons 1 -2 pm, with replays on Saturday 6-8 pm and Monday 7-8 pm.