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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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Globalfest at Skagit Valley College - February 1, 2012

Dave talks with Ted Maloney about the 2012 Globalfest at Skagit Valley College; and in some detail about Lisa Shannon, the founder of Run For Congo Women and keynote speaker for the kick-off event for Globalfest.

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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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Martin Luther King Celebration January 18, 2012

Dave traveled to Bellingham to record the 2012 Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration and shares here some of the music and some of the speeches from the event.

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Viva Mexico - January 11, 2012

Dave talks with Daniela Contreras, producer of the film "Viva Mexico" about the film, the economic, political and social situation in Mexico.

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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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2011 New Year Special - December 28, 2011

Dave hosts a show that looks toward 2012. The show consists of clips from a variety of sources: the description of a LAN New year's eve party; the Persian New Year, some thoughts about praying for Peace, and some music - John Lennon's Imagine and Dona Nobis Pachem

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2011 Christmas Special - December 21, 2011

Dave hosts the 2011 Christmas Special that included short takes on such subjects as: the coded messages in Black Spirituals; kids talking about learning Santa Claus isn't real; the Southern Appalachia tradition of 'Breaking Up Christmas; and more.

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Reproductive Health and Healthy Sexuality with Mount Baker Planned Parenthood - December 14, 2011

SUSO host Jodie Buller talks with MBPP's Health Educator, Jill Sprouse and Director of External Affairs, Christina Wright about their integrative programs, their new location on Division St in Mount Vernon, and resources they offer to help parents, educators, and kids peer-to-peer.

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Racial Justice Report - November 30, 2011

jim airs excerpts from the Nov. 23rd, 2011 Skagit release of the 2011 Racial Justice Report on the legislature. This report talks about the racial disparity in the effects of budget cuts made and being considered by the Washington State legislature. Sixty-two organizations in Washington endorsed this 3rd Annual report written by Washington CAN! (Community Action Network).

The report can be found at http://washingtoncan.org/wordpress/reports

Check out the following link for ways to find money in the budget to fund basic needs for members of our communities. A Jobs and Recovery Plan for Washington and One Billion in Progressive Revenue
Economic Opportunity Institute -- http://www.eoionline.org/

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Alternative Radio producer David Barsamian - November 23, 2011

Dave talks with David Barsamian, producer of Alternative Radio, about the state of the media in the US, the future of the Occupy Wall Street Movement; Barsamian shares some of his background and how he became involved with the media and why he began Alternative Radio - and continues with it after 25 years.

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David Bacon on Migration and Globalization - November 16, 2011

jim speaks with photojournalist David Bacon about migration, globalization, and labor. David is a former union organizer and regularly contributes to truthout.org, The Nation and other publications.

http://dbacon.igc.org/

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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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Sustainable Energies - November 2, 2011

Co-host Jodie Buller talks with Steve Hoffman from the non-profit NW Center for Sustainability and Innovation (NW CSI) about climate change, our energy future, and his work as an Energy Detective, sleuthing out common sense efficiency and renewable energy solutions for homes, businesses, and communities.

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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

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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Southern Law Poverty Center - October 12, 2011

jim takes Speak up! Speak out! to Seattle to hear from Southern Law Poverty Center Exec. Director, Richard Cohen, and Founder and chief litigator, Morris Dees. Their presentation was entitled The State of Hate and Extremism in America, honoring their 40 years of championing and fighting for the civil rights of people of color and other foci of hate in America. Norm Gissel, a Coeur d'Alene, Idaho lawyer who spearheaded the lawsuit against the Aryan Nations and its leader, also speaks about that case and what it has meant to his community.

Southern Poverty Law Center - http://www.splc.org

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GMO Free with Goldie Caughlan - October 5, 2011

SUSO's Jodie Buller talks by phone with advocate and educator Goldie Caughlan, recently retired from a public career at PCC, about the ongoing work to fight against Genetically Engineered food, and this month's GMO Free events, including a rally at Westlake and a presentation from Jeffrey Smith on How to Navigate a World of GMOs.

info@GMOFreeSeattle.com for more information
http://www.GMOFreeSeattle.com
http://skagitfoodcoop.wordpress.com/2011/09/26/gmo-free-events-in-october/

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International Day of Peace - September 28, 2011

Rosalinda Guillan, Bellingham community organizer, speaks at the 8th annual International Day of Peace Celebration in Bellingham; describing how the war being waged by the powerful against the weak, particularly the disenfranchised and the workers can be countered by creating a radical peace culture.

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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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Labor Talk Today part 2 - August 17,2011

Today we host Part II of "Labor Talk Today" produced by a group of local leaders. Craig Jones, of the international Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local No. 191, speaks with Rich Ewing and Rachel McKibben of the Teamsters Local No. 231, and Ken Winkes, a retired educator. They discuss how the recent debt limit crisis affects working people, and give us some perspective on the history of unions locally.

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Mount Vernon Mayor's Race - August 10, 2011

Dave asked three questions of each the candidates for Mayor of Mount Vernon. The questions concerned a) the possibility of more coal trains; b) downtown revitalization, c) managing growth.

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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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DHS - Secure Communities - July 27, 2011

In 2008, the Department of Homeland Security implemented a pilot program entitled, "Secure Communities", which has now expand to include over 1400 jurisdictions including several in Washington State. jim talks with Margaret Stock, a lawyer and a retired military officer with considerable experience with national security and immigration issues, about this program. It was started to catch serious criminals who are immigrants living in the USA. Find out who is being caught in this web and what Margaret has to say to jurisdictions currently considering participation, including Skagit County.

Margaret Stock has a law degree from Harvard, is a retired military officer and taught from 2001 - 2010 at West Point, and is currently an adjunct instructor of Political Science at the University of Alaska Anchorage. She also works for the law firm Lane Powell. She has written about and testified before Congress on immigration and citizenship matters and immigration as related to national security. Margaret has won many awards - one being the 2008 American Immigration Lawyers Association Pro-Bono award and since 2007 has been Alaska's Super Lawyer.

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Bite of Skagit 2011 - July 20, 2011

SUSO's Jodie Buller talks with Arielle Stein from Community Action and Jenny Sandbo from the Skagit Valley Food Co-op, as well as Bite of Skagit organizers Susan Lanahan and Terry Belcoe from North Coast Credit Union about this year's event, which goes toward helping the Skagit Food Share Alliance source local produce for Skagit's 13 area food banks and 5 hot meal programs. The Bite of Skagit will go from 12 noon-4pm on Saturday July 30th, 2011 on Gates Street in downtown Mount Vernon.

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The WA State Funding Crisis for Education, pt. 2 - July 6, 2011

As the second part of our broadcast on the education funding crisis, WA State Representative Kristine Lytton, from the 40th LD, discusses in detail, why - and how we fund education, why the money isn't there, and what all this means in terms of specific cuts to education. Dr. Marsha Riddle Buly and Dr. Carmen Werder discuss just how bad it is.

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Labor Talk Today - June 29, 2011

This special broadcast on Speak Up! Speak Out! features a group of local Labor leaders holding a discussion which could also be called "Labor Unions 101." This show, which we hope will be pilot of a longer series on labor, was coordinated and edited by Janet McKinney. Our guest interviewer is Rich Ewing. Rich is speaking with Leonard Kelley of the Teamsters, Local 231, and Craig Jones of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 191.

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The WA State Funding Crisis for Education, pt. 1 - June 22, 2011

In this first of 2 shows on severe funding cuts to Washington State's public education system, Ginny talks with two professors from Western Washington University. Dr. Marsha Riddle Buly, the faculty representative from Western to the state legislature, and Dr. Carmen Werder of the Dept. of Communications and the Teaching Learning Academy discuss what amounts to a crisis, especially in higher education, from their individual perspectives. Pt. 2 airs July 6, 2011.

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Women in Farming - June 15, 2011

SUSO's Jodie Buller talks with three local female artist farmers: Ann Leason, Jess Gigot, and Sarita Schaffer, about what they do and why they do it, and how their creative process informs, and is fed by, their work on the land.

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VOICE - Voicing Our Ideas - June 8, 2011

Dave talks with Lisa Mitchel and three Mount Vernon High School juniors about VOICE - Voicing Our Ideas; Challenging Everyone - an youth driven organization that addresses issues for young people in the Skagit Valley - and beyond.

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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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Taking Back the Right to Self Governance - May 18, 2011

Environmental Legal Defense Fund. Mr. Linzey has worked for years to help communities protect themselves from corporate development project that would cause environmental destruction in their jurisdiction. He now helps municipalities design legislation to challenge the legal foundations that prohibit communities from governing themselves and creating a sustainable future. CELDF conducts "Democracy Schools" in communities throughout the country to train local leaders and activists to do this kind of work.

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Malalai Joya, Afghan activist - May 11, 2011

Malalai Joya, Afghan activist, feminist, outspoken critic of US involvement in Afghan politics, spoke at Western Washington University in April 2011; Speak Up! Speak Out! was able to record her presentation and some of the questions she answered as toured with her book "A Woman Among Warlords."

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A Tribute to Jerry Sommerseth - April 27, 2011

As Jerry Sommerseth lies in Harborview Hospital's intensive care unit recovering from a fall in his home, jim talks with a variety of people about how they know Jerry and what they know of him. Among the speakers are Marilyn Kallshian of Central United Methodist Church, Elinor Nakis, Consuelo Guandique, and those who have stood vigil with him at the courthouse: Bud Meyer, John Knudsen, Jim Johnson, Marilyn Kinney, Ginny Darvill, Irma Bode, and John, the peace wizard.

Sunday, May 1 is the 24th Annual Farmworkers Solidarity March. Jerry won't be out of the hospital, so the call has gone out to those who know him to join the march for him. Meet at Maiben Park in Burlington at 10:30 AM. March to Skagit Valley College's Pavilion where a meal will be served and a speakers will make presentations.

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GLBT in Skagit County - April 20, 2011

Host Dave McConnell talks with Kathy Reim, chair of Skagit PFLAG, Mike Travis, regional coordinator for GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Educational Network) and Lisa Mitchell, program coordnator for the Community Health Outreach Program for United General Hospital in Sedro-Wooley, about life in Skagit County for gays, lesbians, bi-sexuals and transgender persons - especially youth. Audio clips of young people addressing this issue from the movie 'We Live Here' are played.

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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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Take back the Night - April 6, 2011

Host Jodie Buller talks with Courtney Long and Colleen Connor from Skagit Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services about Denim Day, an awareness raising campaign in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness month, and their 2nd annual Take Back the Night rally and walk at SVC on April 28th.

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The Color of Cuts - March 30, 2011

The Color of Cuts: The Disproportionate Impact of Budget Cuts on Communities of Color in Washington State

Fatima Morales, the Communications Director of Washington CAN! (Community Action Network) and the Coordinator for the Racial Justice Report Card Coalition speaks with jim about the recent report, The Color of Cuts. Other guests are Mark Venn, Superintendent of the Sedro-Woolley School District and Jill Pettersen, Burlington Edison Migrant Home Visitor. Other local examples of the impact of state budget cuts are mentioned.

The Color of Cuts report available to download at http://www.washingtoncan.org

Week of Action (April 2-8) in Olympia to counter the budget cuts - info & to sign up for actions, go to http://www.wearewashington.org.

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LGBT Gender Issues - March 23, 2010

Dave talks with Joe Wilson, co-producer of the film "Out in the Silence"; Kathy Reim, chair of PFLAG Skagit; and Mike Travis, Human Right Festival planning committee - responsible for the final night of the 2011 festival, looking at GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual and Trans- gender) issues.

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Healthy Food in Schools - March 16, 2011

SUSO's Jodie Buller talks with Rita Ordonez, parent and W WA Coordinator of the Fresh Food in Schools grant, Ellen Gray, Executive Director of the Washington Sustainable food and Farming network, and Tim Terpstra, a local organic farmer, about their work to get healthy local food in Skagit cafeterias. Jodie's guests will continue their conversation on March 24th - after the WA premiere screening of the documentary Lunch Line. Lunch Line looks at the history of the school lunch program, and follows a group of students as they learn to cook, and try to satisfy the USDA's budget and guidelines at the same time. Rita Ellen and Tim will be part of a panel including one of the film makers, Ernie Park, and georgia Johnson from the La Connor school District. The Lunch Line screening is part of the Skagit Human Rights Festival, which is free -7pm on Thursday March 24th, at the Lincoln Theatre.

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Fifth Anniversary Speak UP! Speak Out! Special - March 9, 2011

This hour long special broadcast celebrates both our Fifth Anniversary on air at KSVR, and International Women's Day. Present and past hosts of Speak Up! Speak Out! gather to share both serious and comical reminiscences of a grassroots radio collective; and several local women talk about issues dear to their hearts.

Linda Allen - http://www.lindasongs.com/

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Countering Common Myths about our Latino Immigrants - March 2, 2011

As introduction to the Skagit Human Rights Festival's night focusing on immigration, SUSO's jim talks with three members of Community Action's Latino/a Advisory Committee (LAC) and some LaVenture Middle School students and their advisor. The topic for the Thursday, March 17th event at 7 pm in the Phillip Tarro Theatre on the Skagit Valley College campus is "Countering Common Myths about our Latino Immigrants." LAC members, Rev. Josefina Beecher who has an Episcopal Hispanic ministry in the valley, Bethany Dearborn who works with Tierra Nueva's Family Support Center, and Diana Morelli of EDASC (Economic Development Assoc. of Skagit County) introduce the topic by mentioning some common myths that will be addressed and telling stories to refute them. jim also talks with LaVenture Middle School migrant students, Marta, Angelina, and Ana who were present with their migrant graduation specialist, Janice Blackmore.

Skagit Human Rights Festival - http://www.skagithrf.wordpress.com
Skagit County Community Action Agency - http://www.skagitcap.org/

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Transition Towns - February 23, 2011

Two Skagit Valley women - Sarai Stevens and Janet McKinney - join Ginny Wolff in a discussion of the "Transition Movement". This is a world wide effort whose purpose is to create interdependence among neighbors, and build resilient communities that can adapt to the challenges of the future. Chuckanut Transition and Transition Fidalgo and Friends, are two such groups active in the valley who will participate in the opening event of this year's Skagit Human Rights Festival at 7 pm on March 10 at the Phillip Tarro Theatre at Skagit Valley College.

Visit their websites: http://chuckanuttransition.wordpress.com and http://transitionfidalgo.org/
Visit the website for the Skagit Human Rights Festival: http://www.skagithrf.wordpress.com

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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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Dr. Ernest Tutt - January 26, 2011

Dr. Ernest Tutt of Skagit Valley College talks about his re-enactments
of the speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr. and others; as well as
exploring the nature of racism and responses to it.

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INTERVENE: Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking in Skagit County - January 19, 2011

SUSO's Jodie Buller talks to Bethany Dearborn who works with Skagit Against Slavery, SDVSAS, and Tierra Nueva, about an upcoming training for support services, law, and legal professionals on this international and local human rights issue. Detective Sergeant Ryan Long from SPD's Vice and High Risk Victims Unit will be at the INTERVENE training, presented by Shared Hope Intl., and joins us in the studio by phone to talk about bigger picture of human trafficking and what it looks like close to home.

http://www.sharedhope.org
http://www.skagitagainstslavery.org
http://www.polarisproject.org

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Facing Race: 2010 Legislative Report Card on Racial Equity - Jan. 12, 2011

Do race and poverty matter when legislators in Washington state make laws? John Paul Chaisson-Cardenas, legislative director for Washington Community Action Network (CAN) and Julie Chinitz, Policy Director for the Alliance for a Just Society (formerly the Northwest Federation of Community Organizations) join Speak up! Speak out! this week to discuss how Washington state legislators in Olympia scored in the 2010 legislative session when considering legislation that affects racial justice. With one quarter of the state's population being people of color, are they considered in the enacting of laws in the state. For the second year, a Washington coalition of groups concerned about poverty and racial justice evaluated legislators and presented the scores in a report available online at either of the mentioned speakers' websites.

John Paul Chaisson-Cardenas, legislative director for Washington Community Action Network (CAN) - http://www.washingtoncan.org

Julie Chinitz - Policy Director, Alliance for a Just Society (formerly Northwest Federation of Community Organizations) - http://www.allianceforajustsociety.org

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New Year's Special - December 29, 2010

Speak Up Speak Out's third New Year's Special. Looking back a bit, looking forward a bit; some history, some commentary, some music.

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Christmas special 2010 - December 22, 2010

The third annual Speak Up! Speak Out! Christmas special includes memories, history, commentary and music - all related to the season.

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How We Look and Feel: the Conundrum of Body Image - December 15, 2010

SUSO talks with Co-op health and beauty staffer and cooking class instructor Jill dodge, about the journey toward feeling good in your own skin. The holiday season can be charged with hard emotions under the celebratory glow, and we explore some ways to build positive momentum towards healthy eating, living, and thinking.

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Healthcare Reform 2010 - December 8, 2010

Dr. John Geyman, Professor Emeritus of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Washington, and past President of Physicians for a National Health Plan returns to Speak Up! Speak Out! to talk about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act - the healthcare reform legislation passed earlier this year. Dr. Geyman talks both about positive changes the bill is designed to make, as well as its limitations. He ends with reasons for optimism in the prospects for further reform.

Check out Dr. Geyman's books at: http://www.commoncouragepress.com

You can read more about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act at: http://www.healthcare.gov/law/introduction/index.html

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Migrating Towards Justice: Stories to Transform People and Policy - Dec. 1, 2010

Recently, Witness for Peace partnered with Tierra Nueva and the Skagit Immigrant Rights Council to bring a Nicaraguan campesino leader to Skagit. Augusto Castillo Obregon weaves personal stories to connect issues of globalization and neo-liberal economic models to migration and environmental degradation in Nicaragua.

"For me, free trade agreements, neo-liberal policies and the conditions on the aid from the international financial institutions has brought our country to extreme poverty..." Obregon explains, "In my community, the installation of a tobacco factory generates employment but also miserable salaries and contamination of our environment, principally to our water supply. The worst is that some farmers are selling their land to cultivate tobacco, causing less production of food to sustain us."

Join Speak up! Speak out! as we listen through an interpreter to what Obregon has to say about the perils of corporate and IMF (International Monetary Fund) and WTO (World Trade Organization) rule over communities and trade.

Witness for Peace, http://www.witnessforpeace.org/northwest
WFP, NW Coordinator, Colette Cosner at 206.250.2680 or wfpnw@witnessforpeace.org

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Life Transitions - November 17, 2010

Dave interviews Margo Grothe, Coordinator for the Life Transitions Program (formally the Displaced Homemaker program) at Skagit Valley College. The program's mission is to prepare (mostly) women, to transition to a new life career.

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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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Larson/Koster Forum - October 20, 2010

Skagit Business Alliance hosted a candidate forum at the Skagit PUD
for the candidates for Congressperson from the 2nd District - Rick
Larson and John Koster. This is a slightly edited recording of the
forum.

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LWV Candidate Forum - Commissioners - October 20, 2010

This week we listen in on the League of Women Voters of Skagit candidate forum in Sedro-Woolley. We hear the segment with county commissioner candidates (Sharon Dillon and Mike Anderson). Other races will be posted here as they are edited for presentation.

League of Women Voters of Skagit - http://www.lwvwa.org -- click on local leagues for Skagit. They have LWVWA positions on the initiatives posted.

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The Peace Wizard - October 13, 2010

Dave interviewed the Peace Wizard, the man who carries his Peace sign everywhere he goes. A Marine veteran, he talks about what led him to this position, what he hopes to accomplish, and comments on his very simple life style.

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LWV Candidate Forum - Coroner's race - October 12, 2010

Welcome to Speak up! Speak out! Today we air another segment of a KSVR recording from the League of Women Voters' candidate forum held in Sedro-Woolley on October 12. This segment is for Skagit County coroner - Ken Clark and Daniel Dempsey. Unfortunately candidate Ken Clark's microphone was off during his opening statement and answer to the first question so the sound is distorted.

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LWV Candidate Forum - Commissioners - October 12, 2010

This week we listen in on the League of Women Voters of Skagit candidate forum in Sedro-Woolley. We hear the segment with county commissioner candidates (Sharon Dillon and Mike Anderson). Other races will be posted here as they are edited for presentation.

League of Women Voters of Skagit http://www.lwvwa.org click on local leagues for Skagit. They have LWVWA positions on the initiatives posted.

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LWV Candidate Forum - 39 LD position 1 and 2 races - October 12, 2010

Speak up! Speak out! of KSVR brings you another segment of the League of Women Voters' candidate forum held in Sedro-Woolley on October 12. This is the races for state House Representatives in the 39 Legislative District. The empty chair rule is followed in this forum as well since position 1 candidate Dan Kristianson was present and was called away before this segment was presented. Eleanor Walters, running for position 1 is heard, along with Kirk Pearson who is the incumbent in position 2, running unopposed.

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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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DREAM Act: Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors, III - September 22, 2010

On Tues., Sept. 21, 2010, the US Senate voted on the Dept of Defense Appropriations bill which included both the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" provision and the DREAM Act attached to it. There were only 56 of the 60 votes need to pass.

Rev. Josefina Beecher of La Iglesia de la Resurreccion (Episcopal Hispanic ministry in Skagit County) talks about the DREAM Act and Alonso Chehade, a DREAMer, tells his story. Then Sally Hintz of Senator Cantwell's off ice talks about the HTATEFULL speech. Next Jorge Baron, Executive Director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project in Seattle, talks about the complexity of immigration issues and reform of immigration law. We close with high school students making a plea for the DREAM Act to pass.

As of 9/26/2010, in Washington State, Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell support the DREAM Act as well as Congress members Jim McDermott, Rick Larsen, and Adam Smith. Contact your representatives about the DREAM Act! DREAM Act H.R.1751 or S.729.

Check the status of these and other bills at http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas.html

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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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Witness for Peace Educational Delegation to Oaxaca - August 25, 2010

Speak up! Speak out! talks with Colette Cosner, Witness for Peace's NW Regional Coordinator about a recent WFP educational delegation to Oaxaca around the theme of "Roots of Migration: Trade, Privatization, and Resistance." We also talk with Henry Cruz who participated in the delegation.

http://witnessforpeace.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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Supreme Court decision in "Citizens United," and Corporate Personhood, part 2 - July 14, 2010

This is part 2 of our interview with Steven Reisler, practicing attorney and Chair of the Seattle Chapter of the National Lawyers' Guild, concerning the Supreme Court ruling in the Citizens United case removing limits to what corporations may spend in political advertising.

In this interview, Mr. Reisler discusses the nature of the modern corporation, what the legal standing of corporate personhood means in practical terms, and how this recent Supreme Court decision is being used to erode what's left of our democracy.

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Supreme Court decision in "Citizens United," and Corporate Personhood - July 7, 2010
Steven Reisler, practicing attorney and Chair of the Seattle Chapter of the National Lawyers' Guild, discusses the Supreme Court ruling in the Citizens United case removing limits to what corporations may spend in political advertising.

In this first of two interviews, Mr. Reisler puts this recent decision, and the legal status of corporations as persons into context, by reviewing the history of our court system and the role of corporations in our economy and politics since the late 18th Century.

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Weight Wellness - June 16, 2010
Speak Up! Speak Out! speaks with registered nurse, certified hypnotherapist, and life coach Karen Louise, about the obesity epidemic in the US, and balanced living strategies for maintaining healthy weight loss. We look at hypnotherapy and brain change, and how to make good choices into habits. Karen spoke with us in advance of her free June 28th workshop at the Skagit Valley Food Co-op.
http://www.awakenaware.com
http://www.skagitfoodcoop.com

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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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Anthony Chavez Remembers His Grandfather Cesar Chavez - April 21, 2010

This week Speak up! Speak out! presents a speech by Anthony Chavez of the Cesar Chavez Foundation. He was recently in Bellingham, WA to speak at a program by Community To Community honoring his grandfather, civil rights leader, Cesar Chavez on what would have been his 83rd birthday.

http://ufw.org - United Farm Workers

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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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Malili Joya on Afghanistan - April 7, 2010

A lecture by Joya in which she talks about her experiences in the Afghan Congress, from which she was expelled for speaking up for women's rights. Her view is that the best thing that could happen for the Afghani people is for all foreign troops to leave.

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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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2010 Census - March 24, 2010

This week on Speak up! Speak out! jim talks with Denie Luna, Media Specialist for the 2010 Census to find out the specifics about how the 2010 Census is attempting to reach the undercounted communities, a bit of census history and how one can track the census returns by zip code. jim also talks with Jeanne Youngquist, Skagit County Auditor, and/or Gabrielle Clay, Outreach Coordinator for Elections in the Auditor's office. They give the impact on our electoral system. Will Skagit County get a Spanish ballot as required by law if a language group reaches 5% of the total population? If per the census Washington State is allotted a 10th Congress person, who does the redistricting and how is it done? Also joining Speak up! Speak out! is Karen Parnell, Deputy Director of Skagit Co Community Action Agency to talk more specifically about the local impact of program funds based on the census.

http://2010census.gov - One can track census form return and much more

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Health Care as a Human Right - Is Capitalism Killing Us? - March 17, 2010

What makes a society healthy? Is it access to quality health care? According to Dr. Stephen Bezruchka, emergency room physician and professor in Population Health Studies at the University of Washington, healthcare does not make us healthy. The results of much research show that what determines the health of a society is related to the degree of equality in that society. Our growing disparity between the rich and poor, and lack of public policies to to assure well being to pregnant mothers and young children is the reason we are falling behind other developed countries.

For more information see http://depts.washington.edu/eqhlth/

We will carry Dr. Bezruchka's March 26 presentation to this year's Skagit Human Rights Festival on this site in a few weeks.

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Nike Mele, War and Peace - March 10, 2010

SHRF co-organizer Jodie Buller speaks with Whatcom Peace and Justice Center co-founder Nick Mele about his experience working with the Nonviolent Peaceforce, an international peacekeeping organization providing witness and facilitation of peacebuilding in conflict zones around the world. This show was aired in advance of the Peace, and War evening for the 2010 Skagit Human Rights Festival, which featured a screening of the 2009 documentary Rethink Afghanistan and the short feature Unarmed Civilian Peacekeeping: Building a Nonviolent Peaceforce.

http://rethinkafghanistan.com/
http://www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org/partone
http://www.ppplanet.org

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The Massacre at Srebrenica - March 3, 2010

Lifelong human rights' activist and writer, Peter Lippman has spent many years researching human rights issues in eastern Europe, as well as Israel/Palestine and Latin America. He has been traveling to Bosnia and other parts of the former Yugoslavia since 1981, lived in northern Serbia for a year, and speaks fluent "Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian." The Advocacy Project - a Wash. DC based NGO - sent Peter to Bosnia, Kosovo, Guatemala, and Ecuador to research and report on grassroots human rights campaigns. In the last few years he has been working on a book about post-war Bosnia.

Peter Lippman will be speaking at the Phillip Tarro Theatre at Skagit Valley College on April 2, 2010 at 7 pm. In conjunction with this presentation is a display of remarkable quilts - actually more like carpets - woven by a collective of Bosnian women, commemorating the thousands of slain Muslim men and boys who were massacred in Srebrenica in 1995 during the Bosnian War. The quilts will be on display at the Lincoln Theater during the month of March, and at Phillip Tarro Theater for 3 Festival events on March 12 &17 and on April 2, 2010.

More info and pictures of woven quilts at http://www.advocacynet.org.

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Housing as a Human Right - February 24, 2010

Housing as a Human Right night at the Skagit Human Rights Festival SUSO speaks with event and workshop coordinator Monica Chaplin, about what's in store for the first night of the Skagit HRF, including the movie *First Earth: Ecological Architecture *and a panel of Skagit housing and natural building experts. We learn about a hands-on workshop introduction to the simple joys of cob building, and hear excerpts from Monica's interview with Jack Stephens, from the Natural Building Network.

Links:
http://nbnetwork.org/
http://www.ppplanet.org

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Rainbow Festival and Hannah Free - February 17, 2010

Host Dave McConnell, talks with planners of third annual Over the Rainbow Festival at Mount Vernon, WA High School, the only event of its kind in Washington. Dave also interviewed the producer and the screen writer of the film Hannah Free.

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The National Alliance on Mental Illness in Skagit - February 10, 2010

NAMI - Skagit is a local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. In this show, four local NAMI members join me to talk about the organization which is such a important part of their loves. Mike Ellis, president of NAMI - Skagit; Marti Wall, longtime member and board member of NAMI - Skagit; Beth Gould, involved in NAMI on both a local and national level; and Brandon Nevi, a NAMI member who participates and leads some of the local programs, discuss how and why NAMI developed in our community, what programs it offers and who benefits from this all-volunteer effort.

Important contact numbers for help with mental illness:
Crisis Line: 1-800-584-3578 This line is staffed by mental health professionals with a masters degree or better.
County Mental Health Services - Mental Health Program Director, Rebecca Clark: 360-419-3363
Marti Wall: NAMI board member and organizer for Family-to-Family, and NAMI Basics courses: 360-770-5666

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DREAM Act and Immigration Films - February 3, 2010

Rev. Josefina Beecher of La Iglesia de la Resurrección (Episcopal Hispanic ministry in Skagit County) talks about the DREAM Act and Alonso Chehade, a DREAMer, tells his story. Filmmaker and director of The Other Side of Immigration, Roy Germano, talks about the importance of his film in the immigration debate.

Info on film screenings (Papers and The Other Side of Immigration) at http://www.skagitIRC.org or contact skagitIRC@gmail.com (Feb. 16th - Papers; March 14th - Other Side)

http://www.papersthemovie.com - Papers, the movie on students effected by the DREAM Act
http://www.theothersideofimmigration.com - immigration from the Mexican point of view.

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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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MLK and Racial Justice Report Card in Washington state - January 20, 2010

On the MLK holiday in 2010, the first Washington state racial justice report card (RJRC) was released at the People's Summit in the state capital, Olympia. This is a report on the 2009 Washington state legislators and how their voting impacted the lives of people of color in Washington state. Join jim for an interview with Maru Mora Villalpando of Washington CAN (Community Action Network) and Kendra Anderson of OneAmerica about the recent March for Justice in Everett.

RJRC - Report can be downloaded at http://www.nwfco.org - click on publications (by date), then click on 2010 (release date) then click on report to download.
More info at http://www.washingtoncan.org

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Amy Goodman - January 13, 2010

Amy Goodman, of Democracy Now! spoke in Everett about the healthcare system in the United States and Canada's paranoia about journalists in the lead up to the Winter Olypics in Vancouver.

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Deep Energy Reduction - January 6, 2010

Energy Efficiency for Home and Business SUSO speaks with Steve Hoffman, Executive Director of the Northwest Center for Sustainability and Innovation (NWCSI), about the big picture and everyday details behind energy conservation, for individual cost savings and for the sake of climate change. NWCSI's newly launched "Energy Sleuths" program helps business and homeowners ferret out where their energy leaks are coming from, and collaborates with local manufacturers to improve air quality and tighten up existing structures. Steve leads workshops on this topic, including one at the Skagit Food Co-op on Tuesday January 12th 6:30pm.

http://www.nwcenterforsustainability.com
http://www.skagitfoodcoop.com

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New Year's Show - December 30, 2009

Dave McConnell introduces music, opinion and commentary on the past on the last Speak Up! Speak Out! of 2009

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Speak Up! Speak Out! 2009 Christmas Special - December 23, 2009

Join host Dave McConnell for a collection of stories, readings, and music for the Holiday Season, some poignant, some amusing. Capture the flavor of the season - whatever your holiday may be.

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Agricultural Skagit County, WA & economic impact on Social Services - December 16, 2009

We've heard and read about the cuts in county government, but now listen as Peter Browning, Skagit Co Health Dept Director and Bill Henkel, Exec Director of Skagit Co Community Action Agency give us their perspective on the impact of the bad economic times on folk in Skagit County. And there is a silver lining.

Skagit County Community Action Agency - http://www.skagitcap.org Stacy Miller - 360 416-7585, Housing Manager, SC Community Action Agency

Skagit County Health Dept
Project Homeless Connect

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Mental Illness in Skagit County - December 09, 2009

This show is a tribute to Sue Boyle, long time advocate for the mentally ill, who recently passed away. We speak with Mike Ellis and Marti Wall from NAMI Skagit - That's the local chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness - about efforts in Skagit County to to provide services for people with mental illness. In the second half of the show Brandon Nevi, a young man with mental illness, talks about his own story. Margo Boyle, Sue's daughter; and Nancy Hoffman, friend and neighbor of Sue and Margo, tell stories about a remarkable woman who would stop at little to help this largely neglected population.

Visit http://www.namiskagit.org for more information. We will do a sequel to this show in early 2010.

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Comprehensive Immigration Reform - a conference call with Luis Gutierrez - December 02, 2009

Recently there was a national conference call about Comprehensive Immigration Reform with Congressman Luis Gutierrez of Chicago, Nydia Velasquez of New York, Chair of the Hispanic Congressional Caucus, and Raul Grijalva of Arizona, co-chair of the Progressive Democratic Caucus. Some 150 people in Skagit County listened in at Skagit Valley College thanks to KSVR. Listen in on the recording of the conference call. Apologies to Congressman Grijalva for some mis-pronunciations in this presentation. http://reformimmigrationforamerica.org/

Envía un mensaje de Texto con la palabra
"justicia" a 69866 para recibir:
* información en tu área sobre acciones y
* alertas sobre legislación federal

Text "justice" to 69866 to receive:
* updates on actions in your area
* action alerts on Federal Legislation

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Waste Wise Holidays - November 25, 2009

During the holiday season, Americans generate 25% more trash in the form of packaging, party supplies, and holiday gift wrapping. SUSO talks to Callie Martin, Skagit County Waste and Recycling Education Specialist, about practical ideas for cutting down on the amount of garbage you create during this holiday season, and a free presentation on Waste-Wise Holidays from Climate Steward Maribeth Crandell at the Burlington Library on Wednesday December 3rd at 7pm.
Listen for tips on trees, gift and gift-wrapping ideas, how to get yourself off junk mail lists, zero-waste party ideas, and what can be recycled in the Skagit Valley.

Maribeth's Waste-Wise Holiday article, The Seasonal Saint, is posted on the Skagit Valley Food Co-op's website blog: http://www.skagitfoodcoop.com
http://www.recyclenow.com
http://www.obviously.com/junkmail/ - for directions on how to get yourself off Direct Marketing lists
http://www.padillabay.gov/ClimateStewards.html - Climate Stewards program

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Dr. John Geyman update on Health Care Reform - November 18, 2009

Dr. John Geyman, family physician, professor emeritus in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Washington, and former president of Physicians for a National Health Plan returns to discuss HR 3962, the Affordable Health care for America Act, which just passed the House of Representatives and is now begin debated in the Senate.

For more information on the movement for national health insurance, see Physicians for a National Health Plan website: http://www.pnhp.org

Dr. Geyman's books are available through Common Courage Press and Amazon.com.

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Dr. Stephen Bezruchka on "Why We are so Unhealthy" - November 11, 2009

Dr. Stephen Bezruchka, emergency physician and professor of Population Health Studies in the University of Washington's Department of Global Health discusses the root causes of poor health care outcomes in this country, and how this is related to the social and economic disparities in our society. Dr. Bezruchka will present at the Skagit Human Rights Festival on March 26, 2010. You can also hear talks he gives through Alternative Radio, which are rebroadcast by KSVR, 91.7 FM in Mt. Vernon.
The website for the Population Health Forum is: http://depts.washington.edu/eqhlth/

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Hate Talk - November 4, 2009

Recording of presentation by David Neiwert at the Lincoln Theatre in Mount Vernon. Neiwert, spoke on the malignant influence of right wing hate talk on the conservative movement in the United States.

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Creating Holiday Traditions with Local Food - October 28, 2009

We hear from Burk, longtime co-owner and chef at Burk's cafe in Ballard and current leader of Slow Food Skagit, and WSU Extensions Climate Stewards coordinator Christine Betchley, about their upcoming presentation at the Burlington Library, and the wealth of local seasonal options for holiday feasts. Skagit County Climate Stewards are hosting a five part lecture series this season, sponsored by NW Clean Air Agency, Padilla Bay Estuarine Reserve, and WSU Extension. Climate Stewards is a university level educational program to engage community members in Climate Change projects.
For more information visit: http://www.slowfoodskagit.org and http://www.padillabay.gov/ClimateStewards.html

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Health Care Reform in the House - October 14, 2009

Bellingham resident Larry Kalb, president of Health Care For All - Washington, discusses HR 3200, the health care reform bill being considered in the House of Representatives. From his own reading of the bill, Larry dissects how the bill offers more benefit to insurance companies than to ordinary people, and how taxpayers will pay the costs.

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Duane Jager of Pastors for Peace on Cuba - October 7, 2009

Dave McConnell interviews Duane Jager about his recent trip to Cuba with Pastors for Peace. Duane calls into serious question most of what people think about Cuba.

The website for Pastors for Peace is http://www.ifconews.org/.

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The Handle Approach - a Non-Pharmacologic Treatment for ADD/ADHD - September 30, 2009

Speak Up Speak Out Radio speaks with Kate Bowers NDT, Owner/Director of Cascades Yoga and Neurotherapeutics, and her clients Jodi Thomas and Brianna Gardiner, to demystify ADD/ADHD and other common brain disorders. Bowers uses Aryuvedic nutrition, Hatha Yoga, and the HANDLE approach to increase learning efficiency and increase understanding of behaviors that create difficulties in school, at home and in the social lives of struggling children.

See http://www.handle.org or email Kate Bowers at yogakate@isomedia.com for more information.

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Media and Our Culture - September 23, 2009

Rip Robbins interviews Robert McChesney, professor at Northwestern University, about the ascendancy of right wing pundits in the media, and how they have become the voice of the Republican Party. In the second half of the show Chris Hedges talks about the impact corporate media has in defining our culture.

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League of Women Voters Health Care Forum - September 16, 2009

The League of Women Voters held a Health Care Forum in early summer of 2009. This show features the opening speeches of the presenters.

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A Different Mount Vernon, WA - September 9,2009

Mount Vernon, Washington has been in the news recently ? gaining notoriety for bringing a "native son" to town to receive a key to the city and have a day named after him, Glenn Beck Day. Today we talk with residents in Skagit County about why this is happening and to give a different view, a local spin, of the town in rural Skagit County an hour north of Seattle.

Joining in the conversation are Mike Urban, a business owner and City Council member; Georgiann Dustin, Executive Director of the Mount Vernon Downtown Association, a historical Main Street District; Alberto Candivi, a restaurant owner in downtown Mount Vernon; Kathy Reim, chair of Skagit PFLAG (Parents, Friends & Family of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender); Steve Crider, a local activist involved in the arts community who also has strong sustainability interests; and Jerome Edge, a young, black/Native man who has another radio show on KSVR.

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DREAM Act: Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors - Aug. 26, 2009

This is a recording of a recent student led DREAM Act forum at the University of Washington. Washington State Representative Phyllis Gutierrez-Kinney explains the DREAM Act then immigrant students talk about their or others? stories as they relate to the DREAM Act. This act, if passed by Congress, would allow immigrant students who were born outside of the United States, but grew up in the US, to fulfill their dreams to further their education and pursue gainful employment in the US, continuing their to give their generous gifts to the American society. Ultimately they would also be able to legalize their status in the US and become citizens.

In Washington State, Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell support the DREAM Act as well as Congress members Jim McDermott, Rick Larsen, and Adam Smith. Contact your representatives about the DREAM Act! DREAM Act H.R.1751 or S.729.

Check the status of these and other bills at http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas.html
Info on the House of Representatives: http://www.house.gov/
Senate information: http://www.senate.gov/

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Eat Local - August 19, 2009

Harvest time in the Skagit Valley makes it easy to choose Local! SUSO talks with Georgiann Dustin, from downtown Mount Vernon's main Street Program about upcoming downtown events and the 3/50 project, which asks people to choose 3 independent businesses and prioritizes $50 to go to supporting these businesses. We also talk with Slow Food Action committee member Shelley Schoenberger, about Skagit's upcoming Eat Local Week, September 14-20th, and how people can get involved by dining out at local restaurants and bringing a local dish to one of five community potluck picnics on Sunday 9/20 from 1-4pm.

For more information on these subjects, including potluck picnic locations visit http://the350project.net and http://www.slowfoodskagit.org

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Paul Cienfuegos: Challenging Corporate Power - August 12,2009

This interview was conducted and produced by Stephanie Potter for "Recovery Zone" on KBOO radio in Portland. We broadcast it with her permission. You can access the original broadcast at http://kboo.fm/node/14909.

Paul Cienfuegos believes that the rights and privileges of "corporate personhood" can be challenged by citizens in their local communities. He gives workshops and lectures training people how to confront this fundamental basis for corporate power, as a more effective way of addressing corporate harms than doing "damage control" through regulation. In this fascinating interview, Paul traces the history which redefined corporations as "persons" and discusses how local communities in this country have successfully challenged this concept. Programs which assist communities is this effort include Program on Corporations, Law and Democracy http://www.poclad.org, and The Community Environmental legal Defense Fund http://www.celdf.org. A coalition called Envision Spokane http://www.envisionspokane.org is the first to introduce a ballot initiative challenging corporate rights west of the Mississippi.

Paul Cienfuegos runs an online bookstore: 100fires.com. He can be reached at 707-443-4483 or paul@100fires.com.

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Anne Feeney Single Payer Road Show - August 5, 2009

This show is a recording of portions of the Single Payer Health Care Road Show concert in Bellingham put on by Anne Feeney and company in late July of 2009.

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Food, Inc. and the fight to re-localize our food system - July 29, 2009

Since Food, Inc hit the movie theatres this summer, the conversation about industrialized food is stirring up some interesting questions about the consolidation of control over our food system. We talk with local organizer Shonie Schlotzhauer from Whatcom County's Sustainable Connections and Max Morange from the Small Potatoes Gleaning project about efforts to re-localize our regions food system, creating an equitable food system where people of all income levels have access to good food, and how to engage the Eaters to pay more attention to where their food is coming from.

http://www.sconnect.org
http://www.skagitgleaners.org
http://www.gleaningproject.org

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Skagit Food Share Alliance - July 22, 2009

jim interviews Arielle Stein, Distribution Center Coordinator & Justin Keefe Community Resource Coordinator both of Skagit County Community Action Agency and Terry Belcoe, CEO/President of North Coast Credit Union about the Skagit Food Share Alliance and the current status of food needs in Skagit. They also talk about the upcoming Bite of Skagit, a fundraiser for the Skagit Food Share Alliance on Sat., Aug. 1, noon - 6 PM on Gates St, Mount Vernon, WA between First and Second.

North Coast Credit Union - http://www.northcoastcu.com
Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland - http://www.skagitonians.org
Skagit County Community Action Agency - http://www.skagitcap.org

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Anne Feeney, "Sing out for Single Payer" - July 15, 2009

An interview with Anne Feeney about the Single Payer Road show. Anne has been an effective community organizer for almost 40 years. She will perform in Bellingham on Monday, July 27. 8 PM. Whatcom Peace and Justice Ctr.100 E Maple St, Bellingham. Concert is free. More info Betsy Pernotto betsyp@openaccess.org or Dotty Dale dotty@nas.com

http://annefeeney.com

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Think Local: Dave Hedlin on Family Farms - July 8, 2009

Revisit of an interview recorded in the summer of 2007 with Dave Hedlin of Hedlin Farm, a local, multi-generational family farm. Dave talks about the reality of farming in Skagit, the future of family farms, buying locally, various certifications, Community Supported Agriculture, and ecology.

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Addressing Global Climate Change, part 2 - July 1, 2009
Local resident Dr. Jerry Whitfield, Cambridge trained PhD, engineer, inventor and pioneer in energy innovations continues the discussion of how we can reduce atmospheric CO2 emissions to the levels necessary to avert devastating climate change. In this show we explore mechanisms that would put a price on carbon emissions, and how that would influence the "mix" of power generation by our electric utilities. Dr. Whitfield concludes the interview by explaining how these changes, coupled with using electricity for transportation would not only lower CO2 emissions to safe levels, but would actually save us all some money.

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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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March for Health Care Reform - June 17, 2009
The rally and march for Health Care Reform in Seattle on May 30 drew an estimated 3,500 people. This program features the voices of some of the participants, and an interview with single payer advocate Marshall Goldberg M.D. - retired Ob/Gyn doctor from Whidbey Island.

In Washington State, contact Senators Murray and Cantwell. Ask them to co-sponsor Senate Bill 703: Call toll free 866-338-1015 and ask for the Senator you'd like to speak with. Or call their offices directly:
Senator Maria Cantwell: 202-224-3441 Email through her website: http://cantwell.senate.gov/
Senator Patty Murray: 202-224-2621 Email through her website: http://murray.senate.gov/

To reach Representative Rick Larsen, and to ask him to co-sponsor HR 676:
202-225-2605 rick.larsen@mail.house.gov

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Wellness - June 10, 2009
What is it? A multidimensional state of being, impacted by many factors. During this program, SUSO talks with local biological dentists Dr Russ Borneman and Dr Ken Killpack from the Sound Health Center in Anacortes about the impacts of mercury amalgam fillings and visit The Scientific Case Against Mercury Amalgam from the Institute for Oral Medicine and Toxicology. And we speak with Bowenwork Health Center Therapist and Integrated Wellness Practitioner Nancy Clark, about the body's capacity to heal itself, once it is no longer in a state of distress.

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Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Kathy Kelly; Marie Marchand, Exec. Director of the Whatcom Peace and Justice Center; Nick Spring of the B'ham Sanctuary City Movement - June 3, 2009
Kathy Kelly, Nobel Peace prize nominee and co-founder of Voices in the Wilderness, has participated in peacemaking missions to Bosnia, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Haiti, and Iraq. Part II of an interview done in Sept. 2008 while she was in Bellingham for International Day of Peace.

Following Kathy, Marie Marchand speaks about the Whatcom Peace and Justice Center?s Iraq Vet Outreach program to start summer 2009. Then, Nick Spring of the B'ham Sanctuary City Movement, talks about the recent hearing and vote by the Bellingham City Council on becoming a Sanctuary City for Iraq Vets.

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Addressing Global Climate Change - May 27, 2009
Local resident Dr. Jerry Whitfield, Cambridge trained PhD, engineer, inventor and pioneer in energy innovations, discusses how we can lower our CO2 emissions to address the challenges of global climate change. Specifically, Dr. Whitfield speaks to the changes we need to make to "green" our electric grid, and electrify transportation.

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Food Sovereignty - May 20, 2009
Speak Up Speak Out radio looks at Food Sovereignty this week: the right of peoples to nutritious, sustainably grown food, and the right of farmers and agricultural workers to control the land they work and the policies that impact them. We talk with Betty Carteret from Skagit Beat the Heat's Anacortes Community Garden project, Jayne Uerling, owner of Eco Com, a quadruple bottom line company doing sustainable landscaping and gardening, and Callie Martin, Skagit County's Waste Reduction and Recycling Educator, who works with the Skagit County Climate Action and Sustainability Taskforce.

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Witness for Peace - May 13, 2009
In the cafeteria of Skagit Valley College, Baldemar Mendoza Jimenez from the Union of Organizations of the Sierra Juarez, Oaxaca, spoke about the devastating effects of the Green Revolution and NAFTA on small-scale agriculture in Oaxaca and throughout Mexico.

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Immigration Outside the Law - May 06, 2009
Hiroshi Motomura spoke recently at Fairhaven College. He is a UCLA immigration law professor who is a noted expert on immigration having co-authored the leading immigration law text and he served the Obama transition team on immigration policy. Hiroshi also wrote, Americans in Waiting: The Lost Story of Immigration and Citizenship in the United States. Hiroshi Motomura looks at the 1982 Supreme Court case of Plyler vs Doe in which Justice Brennan's and Justice Berger's arguments frame today's immigration debate.

Hiroshi was featured in the recent New York Times, Room for Debate on immigration. April 22, 2009, Immigrant Children in Legal Limbo. April 27, 2009, Siblings Divided by Immigration Laws. http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/siblings-divided-by-immigration-laws/#more-5611

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Realities and Politics of Single Payer Healthcare - April 29, 2009
Two local activists, Ginny Wolff and Richard Austin, discuss why single payer healthcare is the answer to our broken health insurance system, and why we can't get our lawmakers to support in, despite the support of nearly 2/3 of the American public. See http://www.pnhp.org and http://www.healthcare-now.org for more information.

Action: Contact Maria Cantwell (202-224-3441), member of the Senate Finance Committee, and ask her to invite a member of Physicians for National Healthcare, or the California Nurses Ass. to their weekly roundtable discussions on healthcare reform, May 5 and 14. Ask Senator Cantwell and Senator Patty Murray (202-224-2621) to cosponsor S703, and ask Rep. Rick Larsen (202-225-2605) to co-sponsor HR 676.

If you have questions, or comments of any kind, or would like to have the opportunity to ask a questions on the air, please email us at askagitspeaks@yahoo.com.

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Earth Day: The Impacts of Plastics on Marine Environments - April 22, 2009
This interview with Jen Kingfisher from the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, and Adria Banks, coordinator for WSU Skagit County Beachwatchers and Shore Stewards, looks at the plastic soup we call the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and the dangers that plastics pose to our food chain. We also check in with the health of our Skagit watershed and look at everyday habit changes that people can make to curb their use of plastics.
For more information visit Port Townsend Marine Science Center, WSU Skagit County Beachwatchers, and Algalita Marine Fesearch Foundation

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Community radio - April 15, 2009
Rip Robbins, General Manager of KSVR 91.7 FM, talks about the mission of community radio; and producers of local programs share their views of the importance of KSVR to the community.

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The Threat of GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) to Small Farmers and the World's Food Supply - April 08, 2009
Steve Crider, Skagit Valley resident and long time advocate for sustainable and organic food production, joins us to discuss the implications of private ownership of seed genetics, made possible by the science of Genetic Engineering. He talks about the threat to seed diversity, and to the autonomy of small farmers world wide.

Listen to "The Future of Food and Seed" by Dr. Vandana Shiva at http://www.seedalliance.org. Also visit http://www.thecampaign.org, http://www.amyskitchen.com, http://www.non-gmoreport.com, http://www.irish-eyes.com.

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Green Power in Skagit County, Part 2 - April 01, 2009
The continuation of our interview with Gary Smith, Renewable Energy Project Director for Highland Energy Systems in Burlington. Gary discusses the current local. state, and national climate for renewable energy resources and how that is influencing the whether, and how, people use them. Highland Energy Sytems is located on Hwy. 99 north or Burlington at 360 757-4496, or http://highlandenergysystems.com.

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Sharon Abreu and Michael Hurwicz in Concert - March 25, 2009
Sharon Abreu and Michael Hurwicz opened the celebratory Finale for the Sixth Annual Human Rights Festival at the Lincoln Theatre on Sat. March 21. If you missed this delightful performance, here it is. With humor and pathos, this sample of Sharon and Michael's original compositions is an eloquent testament to our current environmental crisis and how fundamentally it is linked to human rights.
More about Sharon and Michael online at http://www.sharmuse.com.
Learn about their environmental education campaign at http://www.irthlingz.org.

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Eat Better on a Budget - March 18, 2009
Jodie Buller, Skagit Valley Food Co-op's Marketing and Outreach Coordinator, and Jill Dodge, SV Food Co-op's Cooking Skills Coordinator, talk about why & how eating whole and organic foods can be cost effective and be done on a budget.
http://www.skagitfoodcoop.com

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6th Annual Skagit Human Rights Festival - Food and Farming - March 11, 2009
The third event of the Sixth Annual Skagit Human Rights Festival, on March 19, addresses Food and Farming locally. Melissa Young, one of the filmmakers of "Good Food" to be shown at the event; Anne Schwartz, long time organic farmer and activist from Rockport who appears in the film; and Jodie Buller, outreach coordinator for the Skagit Valley Food Coop and event organizer, are interviewed in this show. Visit http://www.goodfoodthemovie.org and http://www.blueheron-farm.com.

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6th Annual Skagit Human Rights Festival - Water - March 04, 2009
Water: who owns it? who gets access? at what price? We take clean drinking water as a given; but much of the world struggles to find access. This program is a discussion of the issues raised by the movie: FLOW - For Love Of Water

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6th Annual Skagit Human Rights Festival - February 02, 2009
Renewable Energy, Thursday, March 5, 2009, 7 PM at the Lincoln Theatre. Ron Nichols, of the Festival planning committee with a passion for the issue, provides a glimpse of the movie Kilowatt Ours. Panel member Gary Smith of Highland Energy talks about the higher than average usage of energy in Washington state, the history of wind energy in the US, and how the new administration could support the development of renewable energy. SUSO closes with an excerpt of an interview with Jim Page demonstrating his storytelling abilities and biting commentary. The HRF runs Thursdays through March 19th, then closes with a Jim Page concert on Saturday, March 21 at 7 PM. Reception for musicians at 5:30 PM with local wine, beer, pizza and tamales available. Sharon Abreu and Michael Hurwicz open for Jim Page.
Details about the festival at http://www.lincolntheatre.org
Film - http://www.kilowattours.com
Jim Page - http://www.jimpage.net
Sharon Abreu - http://www.sharmuse.com/sharmuse/

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6th Annual Skagit Human Rights Festival - Revitalizing Community - February 18, 2009
Discussion with 5 panel members about Revitalizing Community. Jodie Buller of the Skagit Valley Food Co-op coordinated the discussion for the festival's first night. Kimberly Neagle of the Mount Vernon Main Street project, Russ Weiser (a green architect), and Callie Martin and Ryan Walters of Skagit County's new Climate Action and Sustainability Taskforce (CAST) give insights as to what is happening or could happen in our community. Jodie first gives an overview of the entire HRF for this year - running Thursdays from Feb. 26th to March 19th, then closing with a Jim Page concert on March 21. Details about the festival at http://www.lincolntheatre.org.
http://www.skagitcounty.net/sustainability
http://www.greendrinks.org
http://www.mainstreet.org

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Green Power in Skagit County - February 04, 2009
Gary Smith, Renewable Energy Project Director for Highland Energy Systems in Burlington, discusses the "nuts and bolts" of residential solar (photovoltaic), wind, and solar hot water systems. Gary has pearls for homeowners interested in installing systems, and thoughts for those who think this is out of their budget. This is the first of a 2-part interview about green energy in Skagit County. Highland energy Sytems is located on Hwy. 99 north or Burlington at 360 757-4496, or http://highlandenergysystems.com

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Martin Luther King, Jr - January 14, 2009
A dozen people from the Skagit Valley - ages 15 to 80 - share their thoughts about Martin Luther King, Jr., on the 80th anniversary of his birth.

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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 County Food Bank - December 3, 2008
Ariel Stein and Justin Kelly, who work with the Food Banks in Skagit County describe the needs and the possibilities for those in the county who are living on the financial edge.

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Christian Fascism, Part 2 - November 24, 2008
Part 2 of our interview with Reverend Rich Lang on "Christian Fascism." In this segment, Rev. Lang discusses the biblical narratives which fundamentalist Christian thought use as its foundation, some of the reasons for the popularity of these churches, and the biblical narratives progressive Christians draw on to support a very different world view.

Rev. Rich Lang is the pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Seattle. Visit their website at http://www.tumseattle.org for more information and links to articles by Rev. Lang.

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Christian Fascism - November 19, 2008
Reverend Rich Lang discusses what he terms "Christian Fascism": the fundamentalist Christian movement which preaches an end times theology and supports the political policies of the neoconservatives. He explains the genesis of this theologic movement, and how it is used to serve the purposes of fettered capitalism and American empire. Rev. Rich Lang is the pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Seattle. Visit their website at http://www.tumseattle.org for more information and links to articles by Rev. Lang.

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NW Detention Center Report on Detained Immigrants - Nov. 5, 2008
Rosalinda Guillen, Executive Director of Community to Community Development in Bellingham talks about immigrants detained at the NW Detention Center in Tacoma and what she has witnessed during her organization's vigils there.
Community to Community Development
OneAmerica - article on website about NW Detention Center with links to Executive summary of "Voices from Detention" report and full report.

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A Public Utility District General Manager speaks for public ownership of Electric Utilities - October 23, 2008
Rick Lovely, General Manager of Grays Harbor PUD, which provides electric service in the Aberdeen area, discusses how public ownership and local control of a utility translate to better service with lower rates and higher customer satisfaction than private investor-owner utilities provide. He warns Skagit residents of the magnitude of debt we may be incurring if Macquarie assumes control of Puget Sound Energy.

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Skagit Transit Ballot Measure- A Good Deal - October 22, 2008
The interview described a current ballot measure which will allow Skagit Transit to preserve all its current service (some of which is funded by expiring grants) and also allow improvements to the service. For example, the very popular Everett service will likely have to be abandoned if the measure doesn't pass. The measure will also allow some Sunday service (there is currently none), more frequent service during the rush hour, and service in areas like East Mount Vernon, which currently have no service. Coupled with policies that favor walking and bicycling, these improvements will make our communities cleaner, safer, more attractive, quieter, more vibrant, and will help to combat the obesity epidemic.
For more information go to http://peopleforskagittransit.com, or call 428-7929

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Presidential Election 2008 in Skagit County - October 15, 2008
Jeanne Youngquist, Skagit County Auditor and David Cunningham, Skagit County Election Supervisor talk about the upcoming election. Ballots went out Oct. 15th, Last day to register in-person MONDAY, Oct. 20 (Skagit Election office open until 8 PM that night - 2nd and Kincaid, Second floor of Administration Building), ballots due back on Nov. 4th - in drop boxes by 8 PM, or postmarked Nov. 4th.

Check for active/inactive status for election - http://wei.secstate.wa.gov/OSOS/VoterVault/Pages/MyVote.aspx. If inactive, call Election office (360) 336-9305 by Monday, Oct. 20th to update address.
Skagit County Election website - http://www.skagitcounty.net, click on Elections.
Electronic version of voter guide online plus other information, including results election night after polls close. Information about election at national level - Election Assistance Commission (EAC) - http://www.eac.gov

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PUD Proposition 1 - October 08, 2008
John Smith and Mike Newman, members of Skagit Citizens for Electric Authority explain why a group of Skagitonians are working in support of Proposition 1, which would give Skagit Public Utility District the authority to provide electric service in Skagit County.

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Nobel Peace prize nominee Kathy Kelly - October 1, 2008
Kathy Kelly, Nobel Peace prize nominee and co-founder of Voices in the Wilderness, has participated in peacemaking missions to Bosnia, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Haiti, and Iraq. Kathy was in Bellingham, WA to speak at the 5th Annual International Day of Peace Celebration held by the Whatcom Peace and Justice Center. She talks about Iraq, non-violent direct action, and a path to social change.
For more information visit, Voices for Creative Nonviolence, Whatcom Peace and Justice Center, and read this [Bellingham Herald article](http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/564220.html].

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Washington Public Campaigns Works for Voter Owned Elections - September 24, 2008
Craig Salins, the Director of Washington Public Campaigns, explains public campaign financing and how it has worked to elect candidates in Maine and Arizona who are more responsive to voters that to big moneyed interests. He describes current legislative efforts in Washington State and in the U.S. Senate to make public financing of campaigns a reality. Craig Salins is visiting Mt. Vernon to help start a chapter of Washington Public Campaigns in Skagit County. He will be at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at 6 pm on Sat. Sept. 27. Visit http://www.washclean.org.

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Peace Corps Activities - September 17, 2008
The Northwest Washington representative for the Peace Corps describes the Corps activities and tells how to become involved.

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SedroWoolley Transfer Station Conflict - September 10, 2008
Mary McGoffin describes the conflict over the proposed siting of a trash transfer and recycling station across the street from the SedroWoolley High School.

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Alternatives to Military - Opt out of Military calling database for students - September 03, 2008
In this program jim interviews (with Ginny's help!) Steve Crider and Ginny Wolff - parents of students attending Burlington-Edison High Schools or who have attended BEHS. Also, involved in the interview is Evan Knappenberger an Iraq Vet Against the War who this past year was involved with the Whatcom Peace and Justice Center's Alternatives to Military program which Skagit is trying to duplicate. Opt out forms are due in school districts immediately!! So, if you (a student) or your student hasn't turned one in, go to http://www.leavemychildalone.org to download a form for the high School opt out form. While there, download the Pentagon Opt out form and send it in, too! Other websites: http://www.afsc.org and a video on what military recruiters don't want you to know at http://www.noarmy.com.

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Iraq Vet Talks About His Experiences - August 20, 2008
Recording of Ash Woolson presentation. Ash, President of Bellingham Chapter of Iraq Vets Against the War, talks of why he joined the Wisconsin National Guard, his observations about Iraq, and his experience on a Peace Walk in Japan supporting the Japanese constitutional restrictions on military activity. IVAW, Bellingham WA Chapter

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Chuckanut Mountain Parks District - July 30, 2008
Franklin Eventoff joins us to make the argument for why a Chuckanut Mountains Park District would be a good think for the residents of Skagit County. Since this show was recorded, the issue has failed to make the ballot this November, but Frank's arguments tell us the issue - and the interest - is still alive. Stay tuned.

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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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Support Iraq War resisters - July 16, 2008
Marie Marchand, Director of the Whatcom Peace and Justice Center and Nick Spring, WWU student leader of the Bellingham Sanctuary City Movement, speak about the deportation of Mr. Robin Long, the first Iraq War resister to be deported from Canada rather than be offered refugee status. Nick also talks about Bellingham's process as it seeks to become the first city to legally offer sanctuary to Iraq War resisters. For more information contact Whatcom Peace and Justice Center at whatcompjc@fidalgo.net - (360) 734-0217 and Bellingham Sanctuary City Movement at sanctuary.city@gmail.com - (360) 610-3700

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Wetlands Mitigation Banking - July 09, 2008
Dave interviews Mary Heinrich, executive director of Washington Ag Institute, about Wetlands Mitigation Banking - especially as it affects agriculture in Skagit County. For more information Ms Heinrich can be contacted at: washingtonaginstitute@earthlink.net or 360-572-4356.

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Mt. Vernon Chamber of Commerce hosts Skagit PUD and PSE - July 02, 2008
The June 25 membership luncheon of the Mt. Vernon Chamber of Commerce featured presentations by Dave Johnson, General Manager of Skagit Public Utility District, and Jennifer O'Connor, senior vice president and attorney for Puget Sound Energy. Dave Johnson presents PUD's feasibility study and makes a case supporting consideration of the public assuming ownership of the electric utility. Jennifer O'Connor gives PSE's reasons why the utility should remain private, and defends the pending sale to Macquarie Consortium. This is the abbreviated version edited for our radio show. For more information goto Skagit Citizens for Electric Authority.

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Hold the Dept of Homeland Security Accountable - June 25, 2008
A conversation with Pramila Jayapal, Executive Director of One America, formerly Hate Free Zone, about the Summer of a 1000 Conversations campaign to hold the Dept. of Homeland Security accountable for the lack of due process in immigration matters - raids, poor conditions at detention facilities, and the backlog of unprocessed citizenship applications.
To participate in, or host a conversation, visit We Are One America and Night of 1,000 Conversations - toolkit and much more available.
In Skagit County, contact skagitspeaks@yahoo.com. To participate in the electoral program underway at One America, contact aj@WeAreOneAmerica.org.

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Skagit County Mediation and Facilitation Services - June 11, 2008
Roger Ridgeway of Skagit County Mediation and Facilitation Services joins Speak Up, Speak Out to discuss the various programs offered to the community. Roger explains how mediation resolves disputes in many different situations from international to family conflicts and how Skagit County residents can access these services.

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Dunga Orphanage Project - June 4, 2008
The Dunga Orphanage Project for AIDS orphans in Dunga, Kenya is the creation and mission of Skagit County native Sarah O'Brien. In this interview, Sarah tells the story of the orphanage, including the impact the recent political crisis in Kenya has had on her ability to care for the children.
To learn more visit http://www.dungaproject.org. Contact Sarah O;Brien by phone at 360 466-8726, or email sarahob76@yahoo.com. "Afrika Nite," a fundraiser for the Dunga Project, will take place Friday, July 11, 6 pm at the Croatian Club - 1202 7th St. - in Anacortes.

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Death with Dignity - May 28, 2008
Michael Bonacci, former executive director of Compassion and Choices of Washington, talks about Initiative 1000. If backers are successful in obtaining the necessary number of signature, I-1000 will place a Death with Dignity measure on the state ballot in November - a measure patterned after the Death with Dignity law in Oregon. For more information: Death with Dignity.

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Iraq Vet Walks for Peace in Japan - May 21, 2008
Ash Woolson, President of Bellingham's Iraq Vets Against the War, speaks about his recent 3 month participation in The Peace Walk in Japan. Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution forbids Japan from having a standing army and becoming involved militarily in disputes in other countries. Current Japanese leadership would like to do away with Article 9. For more information: Global Article9 Campaign and contact Ash at Bellingham@ivaw.org

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WUTC Hearing - Public Testimony on Proposed Sale of PSE - May 20, 2008
The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) heard testimony from the public about the pending sale of PSE to Macquarie Partners, and the proposed PSE rate increase. About 50 of the 150 people who attended the Bellingham hearing spoke. The comments recorded here have been edited to remove contact information for the people who spoke. Most speakers were from Skagit and Whatcom counties, but Island and Kitsap counties were represented as well.
The WUTC will continue to receive comments on the proposed merger until July 31, and on the proposed rate increase until the end of August. Contact them on line at http://wutc.wa.gov/; by mail at Box 47250, Olympia, 98504; by phone at 360 664 1160. Contact PSE directly about the merger by email: merger@pse.com
You may obtain more information about the proposed merger, as well as find easy links to take action, at http://www.savepse.org/ and Skagit Citizens for Electric Authority.

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Skagit Public Utility District - April 30, 2008
Dave Johnson, General Manager of Skagit Public Utility District talks about the possibility that the Skagit PUD could provide electric service to Skagit County in light of the increasing electric rates here - soon to be the highest in the state. For more information goto Skagit Citizens for Electric Authority.

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Affordable Housing and Homelessness - April 23, 2008
Stacy Miller, Housing Manager at Skagit County Community Action Agency, and Brian Paxton, Skagit County Superior Court Commissioner, share their perspectives on "Who are the Homeless, and those struggling with affordable housing." They advocate a holistic, comprehensive approach to working with people in these circumstances as the best, and in the long run, cheapest, way to achieve long term success.

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Pending Sale of PSE to Macquarie Partners - April 22, 2008
Ed Jenkins, a concerned citizen living in south Whidbey Island, relates some of his findings in researching the pending sale of Puget Sound Energy to Macquarie Infrastructures Partnership. He urges people to get involved, and inform themselves about what this sale may mean to our energy rates long term, and the ownership and health of our considerable energy resources in NW Washington.
For more information contact Ed at localpower@live.com. Contact the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission through their website. You can learn more about this case by entering the docket number (U-072375) in the search function. Visit PUD's website. For more information goto Skagit Citizens for Electric Authority.

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Winter Soldier - April, 16, 2008
As part of her work with The Peace Alliance, Orcas Island resident, Rena Patty went to Washington D.C. in mid March of 2008, to witness testimony by Iraq Veterans at the Winter Soldier event. In this interview she talks about what she heard there, and what messages she brought home with her.

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Rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina - April 2, 2008
Zane Mehl, local college student shares his experiences working with AmeriCorps rebuilding in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

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Community Land Trust: Affordable Housing - March 26, 2008
Kari Russom of Skagit County Community Action Agency describes Community Land Trusts as an alternative model of property ownership that allows people in certain lower to medium income brackets to own their own homes, who would not otherwise be able to do so. She talks about recent early efforts in Skagit County to establish such a Community Land Trust.

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Iraq Veterans Against the War - March 19, 2008
On this 5th anniversary of the Iraq War Evan Knappenberger talks about his experiences in Iraq and as a veteran in America. Evan also speaks about IVAW's winter soldier event and counter-recruiting in local high schools. IVAW, Bellingham WA Chapter

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San Juan County Council meeting with Border Patrol - March 18, 2008
About the end of February, the US Border Patrol started random searches at the Anacortes ferry dock of incoming ferries from the San Juan Islands - not CANADA since those ferries have not yet started for the year. On Tues., March 18, 2008, the San Juan Co. Council allowed Joe Giuliano, Deputy Chief of the Custom and Border Protection in Blaine, time to explain what is happening and then took comments from islanders.

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Fifth Annual Human Rights Festival - March 05, 2008
Planning committee talks about what, why, where and when the 2008 Skagit Human Rights Festival takes place. The festival takes place March 11-15 at the Lincoln Theatre, in down town Mount Vernon, WA. Human Rights Festival

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Poverty, One Woman's Story - February 27, 2008
Dr. Donna Beegle grew up in abject poverty. Remarkably she was able to move out of that world, and now uses her personal experience, education, skills, and passion to improve the lives of people living in poverty. In this interview she tells her own story, speaks about what helped her, and talks about the paradigm shift in the way we think about people in poverty - from judgment to understanding - that is needed to be able to make a difference in their lives. Communication Across Barriers

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Iraq Veterans Against the War - February 20, 2008
Spc. Evan Knappenberger talks about "Winter Soldier", personal stories about counter recruiting, and more. IVAW, Bellingham WA Chapter

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YES! Magazine - January 30, 2008
We recently spoke with Susan Gleason of Yes! magazine and Positive Futures about the development and direction of the magazine and their recent issue on global warming. Susan explains how Yes! maintains a level of hope and positivity without obscuring the grave dangers our world faces. Yes! Online

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Mount Baker Planned Parenthood - January 23, 2008
Around the 35th anniversary of Roe v Wade legalizing abortion in the US, Linda McCarthy talks about abortion and abortion services then and now, availability of birth control, Planned Parenthoods 3R program, and the problem with Crisis Pregnancy Centers. Mount Baker Planned Parenthood

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Iraq Veterans Against the War - January 16, 2008
Part 3 of our discussion with a group of Iraq Vets Against the War.  In this segment, 4 veterans from Bellingham and one from Seattle join in a conversation about their experiences in Iraq and their reflections on the war.

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Privilege and Power - January 19, 2008
6th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr Festival keynote speaker Cecily Hazelrigg-Hernandez, Western Washington University Professor, in Mount Vernon Washington.

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Iraq veterans Against the War - January 2, 2008
This is part of our ongoing conversation with a group of Iraq Vets Against the War from Bellingham.  In this recording, 3 of them share more of their stories and reflections on why they choose to oppose the war. IVAW, Bellingham WA Chapter

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Wetlands Mitigation Banking - December 26, 2007
Interview with Mary Heinricht. Is it possible to balance the pressure for more homes and businesses with the desire to preserve prime agricultural land. How does Wetlands Mitigation Banking fit in the picture. Who profits?

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Iraq Veterans Against the War - December 12, 2007
Five Iraq Veterans tell why they oppose the Iraq War and share personal experiences that led to their decision to speak out. They talk about the mission of IVAW. IVAW, Bellingham WA Chapter

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Larry Kunzler on Flood Control in Skagit County - December 19, 2007

Doris Brevoort interviews Larry Kunzler, local historian with years of study on the history of flooding in the Skagit River Basin, about current policies and thinking about flood control.

For more information visit http://www.skagitriverhistory.com

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Iraq Veterans Against the War - December 05, 2007
An interview with Spc. Evan Knappenberger and Lt. Doug Connor of Bellingham, two Iraq War veterans active with Iraq Veterans Against the War, who share their personal stories in Iraq and at home, and why they have chosen to speak out against the war. IVAW, Bellingham WA Chapter

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Transgender - December 13, 2006
Interview with the founders of the Washington Gender Alliance that explores the nature of transgender and other gender variant aspects of our culture. Washington Gender Alliance

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Migration and NAFTA - October 18, 2006
Miguel Pickard, an economic and political researcher and co-founder of the Center for Economic and Political Research for Community Action (CiEPAC) in the southern state of Chiapas, Mexico, talks about his organization's work with indigenous groups and explains the impact of NAFTA on migration out of Chiapas and its impact on Mexican industry and the economy. CiEPAC

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Continuing to Honor Skagit Women - March 29, 2006

The program continues our honoring of Skagit women who other Skagit women "nominated" for the honor. jim also interviews Skagit's own, Virginia Spray at age 93 - teacher, thespian, Vietnam protester, Peace Corps volunteer at age 70 to Liberia, West Africa just after she retired from teaching.

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Honoring Skagit Women - March 8, 2006

Inaugural Speak up! Speak out! program honoring Skagit Women.
Join the original hosts of Speak up! Speak out! on their first radio show at KSVR, 91.7 FM. The first half of the program honors Skagit Women who other Skagit women found worthy of the honor. For the second half of the program hosts talk with MVHS students who were triumphant in successfully lobbying to have a MVHS Peace and Justice Club.

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