The Jefferson Exchange

The Jefferson Exchange: January 14, 2014 Hour 2:Riverkeepers At WorkIt sounds like something out of a J.R.R. Tolkien novel: River Keeper. But the term is both modern and non-fiction, describing people dedicated to keeping their target rivers in good shape, and helping get them in better shape over time. We visit with the Rogue Riverkeeper and the Klamath Riverkeeper.

The Jefferson Exchange: January 13, 2014, Hour 1A:It's not just the dams on the Klamath River that are the subject of scrutiny in Northern California. The Karuk Tribe and an environmental group filed suit more than a year ago to change the way irrigation dams and diversions are managed on the Shasta River. And a recent settlement will result in changes. We hear the details from the tribe's Craig Tucker. 

The Jefferson Exchange: January 13, 2014, Hour 1B:It's still a bit hard to wrap our minds around the idea of human trafficking in the United States. But it does happen, and police keep uncovering new cases. The group ACT Southern Oregon--ACT stands for Abolish Child Trafficking--devotes its work to stopping the practice. Steve Raycroft from ACT S.O. joins us.

The Jefferson Exchange: January 13, 2014, Hour 2:Maybe your dog has a particular talent… can balance a dog treat on his/her nose, for example. Some dogs go way above and beyond in the talent department, finding everything from explosives to the remains of Civil War soldiers. These are working dogs, and the subject of science journalist Cat Warren's book What the Dog Knows. Cat--hmm, interesting name for this assignment--joins us with her knowledge of dogs. 

The Jefferson Exchange: January 10, 2014 Hour 1A:Where Christmas Trees Go When We're Done With ThemFrom memories to mulch… our Christmas trees can live on, in a sense, once we're done with them. In many communities, the beginning of the year is punctuated by visits from the Boy Scouts and other groups collecting Christmas trees for a variety of uses, back outdoors where they came from. You hear about the uses from a Scout leader from Ashland.  

The Jefferson Exchange: January 10, 2014 Hour 1B:Having Fun With FermentationHow many times have you left food in the fridge and found it MUCH later, turned into a "science experiment?" It's true, if you leave food lying around, it turns into something else. But the process can be fun and nutritious, not just gross. Join us as we talk to one of the presenters at a "Fun With Fermentation" event coming to Eugene.

The Jefferson Exchange: January 10, 2014 Hour 2:The Longest Date (Forever, Maybe?)Cindy Chupack mined a rich writing vein by NOT settling down. The Between Boyfriends Book made the bestseller lists, and she wrote five seasons of scripts for HBO's famed "Sex and the City." But then Chupack DID settle down... or at least settle into a routine with a permanent partner. The fits and starts, the negotiations and the lines in the sand are recounted in her latest book, The Longest Date: Life as a Wife.

The Jefferson Exchange: January 9, 2014 Hour 1A:Using Old Energy Leasing Rules On RenewablesThe use of renewable energy is meant to help curtail the use of oil and gas. But some of the practices of developing oil and gas sources may be adaptable to renewable energy. For example, the Association of Oregon Counties joins other group is supporting changes to the way federal land is leased for renewable sites. Under proposed legislation, developers would pay royalties, just like oil and gas developers. We'll hear the plan and the perceived benefits.

The Jefferson Exchange: January 9, 2014 Hour 1B:Moving On Up-To Oregon"We're Number One!" Oregonians can now make this claim, but perhaps not so enthusiastically. United Van Lines' latest migration study shows Oregon as the state with the highest percentage of inbound migration, moving up from second place. This is a big difference for the state whose governor once said (in the 1970s) that people should visit Oregon, but don't stay. 

The Jefferson Exchange: January 9, 2014 Hour 2:Getting Insured Means Getting To The E.R.The name of a recent study make its point clear in its title: "Medicaid Increases Emergency Department Use." The study is the latest in a series that tracks the effects of bringing previously uninsured people into Oregon's version of Medicaid, the Oregon Health Plan. The general belief before the study was that giving people access to doctors would reduce visits to the emergency room.  The study refutes that. Lead author Sarah Taubman joins us to explain the findings and the larger purpose of the Oregon Health Insurance Experiment.  

The Jefferson Exchange: January 8, 2014, Hour 1A:Taking a call from a loved one while you're driving just got more expensive in Oregon. The fines for cell phone use while driving just bumped up with the new year. And that's just one of many changes in state law effective 1-1-2014. State Representative Peter Buckley of Ashland visits to talk about the new laws, and even newer ones the legislature might consider in this year's session.  

The Jefferson Exchange: January 8, 2014, Hour 1B: If you believe in evolution, does that make you a Democrat? That IS the general trend in America, and one of the topics in this week's VENTSday segment, the other being a new plan for dividing California. We do not schedule guests for Wednesday at 8:30, because that's the time for VENTSday, your chance to vent (politely, please) on a pair of topics in the news.  We bring the topics, you bring the opinions.  It's VENTSday on The Jefferson Exchange, and you participate by calling 1-800-838-3760 or 541-552-6782 or emailing JX@jeffnet.org. This week's topics again: Are your feelings about evolution dictated by your politics? The other way around? What do you think about dividing California into multiple new states?

The Jefferson Exchange: January 8, 2014, Hour 2:Maybe we're finally getting away from the idea of different races, but in no great hurry. Remember, people once referred to "the Jewish race," among other things.  Science has established that there's ONE race--human--but the old ways die hard. Historian Jacqueline Jones tracks six stories of "black" Americans through history in her book A Dreadful Deceit: The Myth of Race from the Colonial Era to Obama’s America.

The Jefferson Exchange: January 7, 2014 Hour 1A:Giving Educated Drivers A PassOregon's newest drivers can actually get a break in the state requirements to get a license. A law effective at the beginning of the year allows driver education training to bypass the driving test. But there are some details here... like the driver education program has to be state-approved, and those are not available in all parts of the state. Bill Warner from the Oregon Department of Transportation explains how the changes work, and who is eligible.

The Jefferson Exchange: January 7, 2014 Hour 1B:Kicking An Old Habit In The New YearEven the people who resist making New Year's resolutions may be inclined to think in terms of "turning a page" into a new year, and changing some long-established habits. Smoking is a popular item for the top of that list. And health professionals are prepared to assist the people who want to kick the smoking habit. Gail Anderson at Medford-based Asante Health System talks about the offerings at Asante.