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School Funding - Washington State style - February 8, 2012

Join jim as she talks with three Skagit County school superintendents: Laurel Browning, Burlington-Edison School District, Carl Bruner, Mount Vernon School District, and Mark Venn, Sedro-Woolley School District.

During the past few years schools have had state funding cut dramatically; last year a retroactive cut occurred in January, although school budgets are set the spring before the academic year. This January, the Washington State Supreme Court handed down a decision which determined that the state is NOT meeting its state constitutional mandate to adequately fund education.

Join us for this conversation about how all this effects school funding now and in the future. This is all critical information to make an informed decision about the upcoming levy elections - all 3 districts have ballots due on an operating levy by Feb. 14.

Laurel Browning, Superintendent
Burlington-Edison School District, http://www.be.wednet.edu/

Carl Bruner, Superintendent
Mount Vernon School District, http://mountvernonschools.org/

Mark Venn, Superintendent
Sedro-Woolley School District, http://www.swsd.k12.wa.us/

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NW Flower Growers' Market - January 25, 2012

Happy International Year of Cooperatives! In this show, SUSO's Jodie Buller talks with local cut flower grower Diane Szukovathy about the Northwest Wholesale Flower Growers' Market - a new cooperative venture she is working on, which is held weekly in Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood.

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The North Sound Alliance Organizes our Community - January 4, 2012

The North Sound Alliance is building a non-partisan alliance of organizations to work together for the common good in Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom Counties in northwestern Washington state. Broad-based community organizing unites churches, labor, education associations and local non-profits to develop grassroots leaders and take action on issues of common concern.

For today's show, Christie Stewart Stein, Mary Lindsey, and Lee Langdon, leaders of this local effort, join GInny Wolff to talk about what the North Sound Alliance is, and their recent meeting with Senator Kevin Ranker promote job creating legislation.

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Local Folks Oppose Coal Terminal at Cherry Point, part 2 - November 9, 2011

This is the second of 2 shows addressing the many consequences of building a coal shipping terminal at Cherry Point near Ferndale.

Co-host Ginny Wolff is joined by Phillip Holder, tireless proponent for the economic vitality of Skagit County and quality of life he treasures here; Matt Krogh, the North Sound Baykeeper at Re-Sources in Bellingham; and Carolyn Gastellum, the local coordinator of Skagit County citizens opposed to the terminal and increase in coal train traffic.

Topics discussed in this interview include concerns of the Mount Vernon businesses, health and environmental impacts of transporting coal from Wyoming to Asia, jobs and local economy, and some of the myths being promoted, such as that "the coal will go to Canada anyway."

Part One of this show aired on Oct. 26.

For more information:
http://www.re-sources.org and http://www.coaltrainfacts.org

Contact information for key decision makers:
Commissioner Peter Goldmark or 360 902-1004, through the DNR's website: http://www.wa.dnr.gov. or email cpl@wa.dnr.gov
Randel J. Perry, Army Corps of Engineers: Randel.J.Perry@usace.army.mil

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Local Folks Oppose Coal Terminal at Cherry Point - October 26, 2011

The proposed shipping terminal at Cherry Point near Ferndale has many people worried about the many consequences of sending US coal to China, transporting it through the heart of Skagit County.

Matt Krogh, the North Sound Baykeeper at Re-Sources in Bellingham; Carolyn Gastellum, the local coordinator of Skagit County citizens opposed to the terminal and increase in coal train traffic; and Phillip Holder, tireless proponent for the quality of life he treasures in Mount Vernon; join Ginny Wolff in this interview. Their many concerns include questions of the real intent of the SSA Marine, who proposes to build the terminal; the effects of the increased train traffic on the economy and quality of life in Skagit County; and the global consequences of mining, transporting and burning coal for energy. They examine some of the myths being promoted, such as that "the coal will go to Canada anyway".

This is the first half of an hour long discussion. The second will air Nov. 9.

For more information, see: http://www.re-sources.org and http://www.coaltrainfacts.org

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Working Stories - September 14, 2011

Workers, current and retired from all over the United States, talk about their work - both assigned tasks, and other things - that become a part of the job.

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Education Budget Cuts and Unions - September 7, 2011

A discussion with local teachers and union leaders from the Mount Vernon and Burlington-Edison school districts about recent state and local budget cuts, their effect on our schools, and what teachers and their unions are doing about them. SUSO's guests included John Sadzewicz, President of the Mount Vernon Education Association ( MVEA website: http://mountvernonea.org/ ) and librarian at LaVenture Middle School, Carolyn Anderson, Vice President of MVEA and a 6th grade teacher at Washington Elementary, Richard Glick, President of the Burlington-Edison Education Association ( B-EEA website: http://www.b-eea.org/ ) and a 7th and 8th grade social studies teacher at Allen Elementary, and Joe Werder, a B-EEA member and 6th grade math teacher at Edison Elementary.

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Project Homeless Connect - August 31, 2011

Felicia Minto-Rodman, Outreach Coordinator for the Mount Vernon YMCA Oasis Teen Center, and Quinn Slayton, Volunteer Program Manager for the Skagit County Community Action Agency - and volunteer coordinator for the Skagit County Project Homeless Connect are the guests. Dave McConnell talks with them about the project, what it is, how it works, and why it is needed in Skagit County.

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Defending Water - August 24, 2011

SUSO radio host Jodie Buller talks with Sandra Spargo, of the citizen's group Defending Water in the Skagit River Basin, about the contract the City of Anacortes signed with Tethys Enterprises, to build what could become the largest bottled beverage plant in the US. The Tethys contract is for 5 million gallons of Skagit River water per day, and would involve 800 rail cars each day to transport materials and product. Sandra explains some of the context of the contract and citizen response, and suggests an upcoming Water Summit to bring Skagit communities together to collectively decide what happens with the future of our water resources.

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Hunger Summit - August 3, 2011

Speak Up Speak Out's Ann Leason talks with Karen Parnell from Community Action and Terry Belcoe from the North Coast Credit Union, two of the organizers of the upcoming Summit to End Childhood Hunger in Skagit County - which will be held on Wednesday August 16th from 11-2pm in conjunction with the ribbon cutting on the Food Bank Distribution Center - about ending hunger as a community initiative.

http://www.skagitcap.org/page/Food-Bank-Distribution-Center.aspx
Interested participants please register by August 8th!

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Coal Coming Through - May 25, 2011

SUSO's Jodie Buller interviews RE-Sources for Sustainable Communities Executive Director Bob Ferris about the proposed coal contract at the Gateway Pacific Terminal and the potential social, economic, and environmental impacts affecting Whatcom and Skagit Counties. Bill McKibben will be appearing at Bellingham's Fairhaven Village Green on May 31st for an event to raise awareness about coal coming through our state on the way to China.

http://www.re-sources.org - petition posted online, info about McKibben's visit
http://www.climatesolutions.org
http://www.sightline.org

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Anticipating Growth in the Skagit Valley - April 13, 2011

Seattle architect Bill Kreager, presenter of "Honey I Shrunk the Lots," joins Ginny for this 1/2 hour interview about how "compact development" can address population growth in Skagit County without destroying the rural and small town character of the valley. In an introduction to the concept of "New Urbanism," he also addresses the social, economic, and ecologic benefits of living closer together. Bill Kreager offers specific recommendations to overcome such obstacles to compact development as fear of "the Uglies," and archaic zoning codes.

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Economy in Skagit County - February 16, 2011

Don Wick, Exec. Director of EDASC (Economic Development Assoc. of Skagit County), Marie Marchand, Exec. Director of Friendship House in Mount Vernon, Terry Belcoe, President and CEO of North Sound Credit Union and Board Chair of Skagit Community Action, and Kathleen Bisagna of the Mount Vernon Downtown Association talk with jim about where the economy is in Skagit County now.

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Gleaning and Envision 2060 - February 9, 2011

SUSO's Jodie Buller talks with Skagit County Community Action's Arielle Stein and Emily Nelson about their new gleaning program: Harvest for Hope, and other food access programs during the first half of the show.

During the second half,
SUSO's Ginny Wolff talks with members of Citizen Committee for Envision Skagit 2060, Jim Meyer and Peggy Flynn, about engaging the broader community in planning for growth in Skagit Valley.

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Envision Skagit 2060 - February 2, 2011

Envision Skagit 2060 is a 4 year project to study the consequences of how we respond to the growth Skagit Valley can expect to see in the next 50 years; and make policy recommendations to county authorities.
Kirk Johnson, project manager of Envision Skagit; John Lombard, a natural resources consultant to local project coordinators; and Kerri Cook, a member of the Citizens Committee for Envision Skagit give us their perspectives on the effort.

Community Meetings throughout Skagit County are happening now:
Feb. 08 Concrete High School 5:00 pm
Feb. 16 Anacortes City Hall 5:30 pm
Feb. 23 Burlington City Hall 6:00 pm
Feb. 28 LaConner Maple Hall 5:00 pm
Mar. 03 Mt.Vernon High School 6:00 pm
Mar. 08 Sedro-Woolley City Hall 6:00 pm

Event: "Honey I Shrunk the Lots" by Bill Kreager: Feb. 15, Lincoln Theatre, 6:30 pm

More info at http://www.skagitcounty.net/envisionskagit

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David Korten's keynote at Whidbey Bioneers - November 10, 2010

SUSO listens in to excerpts from author and YES! Magazine founder David Korten's recent talk at the Whidbey Institute during the Beaming Bioneers conference in October. David's keynote was video-recorded and can be viewed in five parts on YouTube. SUSO listeners can hear him outline 3 elements of change strategies for shift toward resilient local living economies, and outline design elements of re-organized economic systems.

http://www.whidbeyinstitute.org
http://www.bioneers.org
YouTube.com: David Korten Bioneers

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Beaming Bioneers Conference - November 3, 2010

Speak Up Speak Out Radio's Jodie Buller interviews Outreach Coordinator Kris McRea and Programs Director Heather Johnson, from the non-profit Whidbey Institute, about their programming, and their experience hosting the recent Beaming Bioneers Conference, with speakers like Jane Goodall, Lynne Twist from Pachamama Alliance, Gary Hirschberg from Stoneyfield Farm, and a local address by David Korten, advisor to the Whidbey Institute, publisher of Yes! magazine, and author of When Corporations Rule the World.

http://www.whidbeyinstitute.org
http://www.bioneers.org
David Korten's talk at Whidbey Bioneers, on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxNKTENQvAw&feature=related

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No Place for Domestic Violence in Our Communities - October 6, 2010

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and SUSO speaks with Colleen Connor and Courtney Long, from Skagit Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services, about the support services they offer and how the community can help victims of domestic violence to heal - including October's Awareness campaign: Purple Light Nights, the candle light vigil on October 23rd, and Shatter the Silence, a free monthly inter-generational gathering at the Skagit Food Co-op that explores how to create healthy communities.

For more information:
http://www.purplelightnights.org
http://skagitfoodcoop.wordpress.com/2010/09/12/fallworkshops/
http://www.skagitdvsas.org/

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Waste Management and Energy Efficiency in Skagit County - September 29, 2010

An interview with Callie Martin, Waste Reduction Outreach Specialist with Skagit County Public Works; and Katie Hampton, Sustainability Coordinator for the Climate Action and Sustainability Taskforce. Callie and Katie talk about nuts and bolts pragmatic attempts, by the County, to reduce waste and save energy in county operations; and to encourage the public to do likewise.

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USDA Rural Development - September 8, 2010

Dave McConnell interviews Elizabeth Elliott, Single Family Housing Specialist for the US Department of Agriculture Rural Development Program, about ways in which low income families might finance home ownership or rental.

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Skagit Wholesale Market and Viva Farms - September 1, 2010

The Skagit Wholesale Market runs through harvest season on Thursday mornings in the parking lot of the Skagit Valley Food Co-op. New farmers from Viva Farms, who went through the bi-lingual WSU program, are starting to grow crops at the Port of Skagit. Join us for a discussion about the Viva Farms incubator program with Sarita Schaffer, and the newly launched Skagit Wholesale Market, with Lucy Norris from Puget Sound Food Network.
http://www.vivafarms.org/
http://www.psfn.org/

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Project Homeless Connect - August 18, 2010

Project Homeless Connect is a one day event whose purpose is to provide a wide array of services to homeless people in Skagit County, while at the same time calling on the community to collectively address the diverse problems of this growing population. Service providers will gather on the campus of Skagit Valley College on Sept. 1, 2010, to meet as many of the needs of the homeless as possible in one day, in a friendly environment. In this show, Thad Allen, Vicky Young and Quinn Slayton, steering committee members of Project Homeless Connect, talk about the event and the greater issue of homelessness.
For information or to volunteer, call (360) 416-7585 and ask for Quinn.

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Bite of Skagit - July 21, 2010

Get Your taste Buds Ready, the Bite of Skagit is Back! SUSO talks to the organizers of the Skagit Food Share Alliance fund raiser, about this year's Bite of Skagit on Gates street in downtown Mount Vernon. Music, a local beer and wine garden, Cooking Corner demonstrations with chef Graham Kerr, and bites from many great Skagit restaurants. Terry Belcoe and Susan Lanahan from North Coast Credit Union, and Arielle Stein from the Skagit Food Bank Distribution Center, talk about the Food Share Alliance partnership with SCAA and the Skagit Valley Food Co-op, and the state of Skagit County's food security, with SUSO host Jodie Buller.

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Addressing the Global Climate Change Crisis Through Art - May 19, 2010

Local artist Lin McJunkin speaks of her passion to "do something" about global climate change" by blending her twin careers as a science educator and glass artist. She is touring the county with her unique presentation: "Artful Persuasion: Artists Helping Scientists Convey Messages of Change," showing artists' responses to the gravest environment challenge of our times in order to inspire, educate, and motivate.

Visit her website: http://www.mcjunkinglass.com or contact her at lin@mcjunkinglass.com . She welcomes invitations to speak. Lin will speak at Padilla Bay Interpretive Center on Thursday May 27 at 6 pm.

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Wellness Fair - April 14, 2010

This week, we get a good stretch for the car or workday and a taste of the native flute as Jodie Buller talks with Simme Bobrosky about Yoga and Ira Fein about Sound Healing and Resonant Silence Technique. Simme, Ira, and over 20 other local wellness practitioners will be demonstrating their work at a free Community Wellness Fair at the Skagit Valley Food Co-op on Saturday April 24th, from 11am-2pm. The Co-op will offer live music and free samples from all departments in-store, but make sure to head up to the 3rd floor for free presentations on the half hour on subjects ranging from dreams and aromatherapy, to nutrition testing and weight wellness, to Cranio Sacral Therapy and Alexander Technique. Full details available on the Co-op's website.

Follow up information:
http://www.skagitfoodcoop.com
http://www.yogaheartspace.com
http://ifein@seanet.com
http://www.happiness-project.com

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Diggin Food with Willi Galloway - March 31, 2010

Speak Up Speak Out Radio catches up to west coast Organic Gardening magazine editor WIlli Galloway, during her stopover in town for a presentation called "Grocery Gardening". Will is the author of an engaging blog: DigginFood: a vegetable garden and food blog that serves up organic gardening tips, recipes, backyard chicken advice, and DIY gardening projects. SUSO's Jodie Buller talks with Willi about how she grows food at home, how to harden off seed starts and help heat loving plants thrive, what to remember about chickens, and the speckled wonders of flashy troutback lettuce...

http://www.digginfood.com
http://www.organicgardening.com

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Low Income Needs in Skagit County - January 27, 2010

Skagit County is a leader in Washington State in studying the needs of it's low income population. Skagit County Community Action Agency commissions this study every 4 years in an effort to direct program development and collect data that helps to secure funding. In today's program, Karen Parnell, Deputy Director for SCCAA and Greg Winter, a consultant with Cornerstone Strategies in Bellingham discuss the recently completed Low Income Needs Assessment for 2009. Their findings shed light onto how the current recession is affecting the most vulnerable in our community and identify stresses that might be predicted from budget cuts.

Visit http://www.skagitcap.org

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Pine Square Project - June 26, 2009
Sue Edelberg, one of the organizers talks about the Pine Square Project; monthly gatherings in Pine Square in Mount Vernon for food, music, conversation. The goal is to provide some safe place for people to develop a sense of community.

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Sustainable Connections - December 10, 2008
Conversation with Melissa Grandy of Bellingham Sustainable Connections describing the organization and its goals, which focus on supporting local businesses of all types and connecting them to local consumers.

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Skagit Artists Together - July 23, 2008
In this program, Speak Up Speak Out interviews Thais Armsrtong of Skagit Artists Together. Thais discusses the annual Artists Studio Tour, the wealth of artistic talent in the valley and how artists and the community benefit from one another.

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