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Issues & Ideas — Government
Issues & Ideas

Issues and Ideas features a wide variety of people sharing their thoughts and perspectives about local issues, initiatives and happenings 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; 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; Dr. Consuelo Meux’s “The Nonprofit Story” that covers the work nonprofits are doing on the Central Coast, and “People and the Planet” with Gianna Patchen, who explores the interconnection between our communities and our environment.The show also carries occasional episodes from “Journeys of Discovery” by KCBX travel correspondent Tom Wilmer; features from the KCBX Newsroom, from KCSB, the student-run radio station at UC Santa Barbara, and from The California Report; along with interviews by other occasional contributors from our Central Coast community.David McAbee hosts and produces Issues & Ideas, and contributes interviews to the program. You can contact him at dmcabee@kcbx.org.

Latest Episodes:

Permaculture, climate solutions, and fresh ideas for a sustainable future Sep 30, 2025

Father Ian plays with permaculture. Gianna Patchen speaks with the SLO Climate Coalition about local climate solutions and how you can save money by electrifying your home. Author Tom Bowman talks about his new book, "What if Solving the Climate Crisis is Simple?"

KCBX 50th Anniversary Special Sep 26, 2025

This week on Issues and Ideas, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of KCBX. Hear from the Waddell Family, KCBX leaders Frank Lanzone Jr. and Chris McBride, journalist Ailsa Chang, and Linnaea, the beloved longtime café owner on the Central Coast.

All Things Writing and Creativity Sep 17, 2025

It's all things writing and creativity on Issues and Ideas. First we sit down with Meagan Friberg of The Central Coast Writers Conference. Then, we speak with author and poet, Luke Johnson. Finally, how about wine and movies under the stars with The Paso Picture Show?

Tom Wilmer takes us up and down SLO county to find delicious food, fine wine and boutique hotels Sep 10, 2025

Tom Wilmer explores where you can find some of the best food, hotels and wine on the Central Coast.

Chilled red wines, Cal Poly cats, and two poets laureate Sep 05, 2025

Wine Country's Mira Honeycutt explores the fascinating world of chillable reds. Then Celeste Geary's guests from the Cal Poly Cat Program share unexpected insights about cat adoption and finding a good, furry match. Lastly, we'll revisit a favorite conversation from January 2025 when San Luis Obispo County Poet Laureate Caleb Nichols interviewed California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick.

Showers for the unhoused, Greek wines in Paso, and a local protest against Chevron for its ties to Israel Aug 18, 2025

We start this episode with The Nonprofit Story with Dr. Consuelo Meux, where she speaks with Garry Peterson from the nonprofit Shower the People about the impact that showers have on the lives of the homeless community on the Central Coast. Then, for Wine Country, journalist and author Mira Honeycutt talks to James and Manoli Boutzoukas of Boutz Cellars about Greek wines and the importance of heritage. And, last, we have KCSB News Director Rosie Bultman speaking with Carolyn Krueger from the Central Coast Anti-War Coalition about a weekly picket calling on people to boycott Chevron in San Luis Obispo.

Fr. Ian finds out why Spirulina is the future, poet Dian Sousa talks about why she is lovingly afraid of the sea, and composer and winemaker Brook Monroe demonstrates how he turns wine into music Jul 28, 2025

For Playing with Food, KCBX's Fr. Ian Delinger travels to southern San Luis Obispo County to talk to algae farmers and find out how one particular algae—Spirulina—is made, and why it is considered a complete health food. Then, KCBX's Meher Ali is in conversation with poet and activist Dian Sousa about poetry, the necessity of work, her immigrant parents and their love of the sea, on The Lonely Goat Cafe. Last, reporter Benjamin Purper walks with Brook Monroe, musician and winemaker, in the vineyard that he manages on the Central Coast, where the latter shows him how he incorporates winemaking into his compositions. Purper's story has been sourced from KQED's The California Report.

Author Kevin Carver on his debut novel, "The Forbidden Parallel," a nonprofit that provides mental health support for those impacted by cancer, and how the Sierra Club's local chapter supported the designation campaign for the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary Jul 21, 2025

For Bookwaves, Brian Reynolds speaks with local author and musician Kevin Carver, about his debut fantasy novel “The Forbidden Parallel“ that he has released alongside an album of the same name. Also, for The Nonprofit Story, Dr. Consuelo Meux talks with Candace Galli, Executive Director of the Cancer Support Community, about the reason why her nonprofit prioritizes mental health support for cancer patients. And, Gianna Patchen, the Sierra Club’s Santa Lucia chapter coordinator in San Luis Obispo County, shares the story of how the organization supported the designation campaign for the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, with KCBX's Meher Ali.

A deep-dive into SLO County's biggest summer music festival: Festival Mozaic Jul 14, 2025

Every summer in venues throughout San Luis Obispo County, Festival Mozaic presents chamber music, orchestral music, and some non-classical genres such as folk, bluegrass, world music and more. The festival presents free community concerts, ticketed concerts, educational opportunities, and even a children's concert. Listen as Marisa Waddell talks with Festival Mozaic Music Director Scott Yoo about what to expect for his 20th year with the festival. Then hear all about the Cuban mambo band Festival Mozaic is bringing to the Fremont Theater in SLO. KCBX Latin music DJ David Figueroa chats with one of the founders of Orquesta Akokán.

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 Jul 08, 2025

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.

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 Jun 30, 2025

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.

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 Jun 23, 2025

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.

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 Jun 17, 2025

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.

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 Jun 09, 2025

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…

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 May 26, 2025

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.

A nonprofit's struggle to reclaim its historic base, a support group for stroke survivors in San Luis Obispo, a UCSB Professor's research on Black linguistic justice, Tom Wilmer's visit to the Steinbeck Center, and celebrating bike month with the Cycling Without Age program May 20, 2025

KCBX’s Gabriela Fernandez reports on how a longtime nonprofit serving the Latino and immigrant communities on California’s Central Coast is fighting to reclaim its historic headquarters that it lost in 2021 after filing for bankruptcy. Next, May is National Stroke Awareness Month. KCBX's Meher Ali speaks with Maria Irthum, Neuroscience Coordinator at Adventist Health Central Coast and co-lead at the Hope for Stroke Survivors Group, as well as Dave Serverson, a stroke survivor and member of this support group. Both share their experiences and talk about how the group provide a space not only for support, but resource sharing for stroke survivors. And then, from KCSB, UC Santa Barbara's student-run radio station, reporter Christina McDermott's story on Dr. Michelle Petty, an academic at the university, who has won a prestigious award for her research that seeks to bring Black linguistic justice into college classrooms. Next is a segment from our archives! KCBX’s Tom Wilmer traveled to Salinas back in 2013 to visit the Steinbeck Center on the 75th anniversary of John Steinbeck’s celebrated novel “Grapes of Wrath". Last, in celebration of National Bike Month, KCBX's Meher Ali speaks with Rick Ellison, Executive Director of Bike SLO County, and Rose Levinson Wurtz, Program Coordinator for Cycling Without Age to find out about the nonprofit's history, and their latest program that offers free trishaw rides to older adults in San Luis Obispo.

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 12, 2025

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.

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 May 06, 2025

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.

Congressman Salud Carbajal on the state of our democracy, Fr. Ian travels to Guadalupe for locally-made sausages, and a peace activist shares their story of how they got banned from Israel for 99 years Apr 28, 2025

Congressman Salud Carbajal speaks with KCBX’s News Director Monica Lopez and KCBX reporter Gabriela Fernandez about the current administration’s policies and actions and what resonated with him at the Town Hall meeting that he co-hosted with Senator Adam Schiff at Cuesta College on April 22nd. For Playing with Food, KCBX's Fr. Ian Delinger travels to Guadalupe to ask, "What's in a sausage?" He talks to Ernesto Valle, the owner of Lobo Butcher, to find out just how pure, local, and fresh sausages can be. Then, Rosie Bultman, from UC Santa Barbara's student-run radio station KCSB, interviews Alex, an activist who went to the West Bank as part of their work with the International Solidarity Movement. They did not disclose their last name for security reasons. They were bearing witness to Israeli settler violence when they were arrested and then deported from Israel. They have been banned from returning for 99 years. They talk about their experience living there and why the everyday act of existence is an act of resistance.

Celebrating the history of our county's diverse workforce, Jennifer Adams on the impact of potential federal funding cuts on survivors, and Elaine Genasci reflects on two decades of keeping felines healthy and safe on the coast Apr 21, 2025

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