The Jefferson Exchange

Jefferson Exchange – May 8, 2013, HOUR 1 Siskiyou Upland Trails You can certainly drive or ride a bicycle from Jacksonville to Ashland, but would you ever consider walking the distance?  How about if you could walk through the mountains the whole way?  Connecting the trail systems of the two cities is the mission of the Siskiyou Upland Trails Association.  SUTA's board president joins us to talk about the steps in the process.  VENTSday No guest, two topics, and all the calls and emails we can fit in half an hour.  That's the general structure of our weekly VENTSday segment, a chance for listeners to vent politely on topics in the news.  Take part by calling 1-800-838-3760 or 541-552-6782 or emailing JX@jeffnet.org THIS WEEK: --Your feelings on Internet sales taxes? --What statue should represent your town (think the caveman in Grants Pass?

Jefferson Exchange – May 8, 2013, HOUR 2 Among Murderers Imagine, if you can, emerging from prison after decades behind bars for committing murder.  Sabine Heinlein can imagine better than most of us, after following a couple of convicted murderers through the months after their releases.  She tells their stories in "Among Murderers: Life After Prison." 

The Jefferson Exchange: May 7, 2013, Hour 1: Dalai Lama in Eugene Matthew Knight Arena at the University of Oregon is usually a venue for basketball games, but if the Dalai Lama wants to speak in Eugene, why not use Matt Court?  The Tibetan spiritual leader will indeed speak in Eugene on Friday, and we'll get a preview of the event and what it took to bring it together.+ Caveman Sunset? When one of your best-known natural features is a series of caves, it only makes sense to publicize the connection.  Thus Josephine County long celebrated the presence of the Oregon Caves with human and inert representations of cavemen... fur clothing, heavy club and all.  But now that the caveman statue at the north end of Grants Pass could use some care, members of the community are wondering aloud if the old boy should simply be retired.  Oregon Cavemen member Hank Geiske brings us up to date on the discussion.

The Jefferson Exchange: May 7, 2013, Hour 2: Our Common Wealth The concept of "commons" can be a tricky thing, especially in a culture like ours that places a high value on ownership… of property, of material goods, of money.  But does anybody really own any portion of the water, the air, the earth? These were issues pondered and written about often by former "Nader Raider" Jonathan Rowe, who died two years ago.  Many of his writings have been collected in "Our Common Wealth: The Hidden Economy That Makes Everything Else Work."  Editor Peter Barnes joins us.

The Jefferson Exchange: May 06, 2013, Hour 1: Arson Explored The figures on arson can be staggering… more than a thousand deaths or injuries in a year, along with more than half a billion dollars worth of property damage across the country.  This week is Arson Awareness Week across the country, a chance to get reacquainted with arson and its effects.+ Fruit Fly Fears You can say this much for nature: change is constant.  If you grow fruit for a living, the stuff that could have destroyed your crops last year might not be an issue this year.  But something else will be.  The fruit fly known as Spotted-wing Drosophila appears to be growing in strength in Southern Oregon, a major fruit-growing region.  You'll hear the numbers and projections.

The Jefferson Exchange: May 6, 2013, Hour 2: "Her," a Memoir of Twins The bonds between identical twins are well-documented.  But perhaps you did not know this: when a twin dies, 50 percent of the time the other twin dies within two years.  This is the reality Christa Parravani faced when her twin sister Cara died relatively young.  The pathway through grief in the aftermath is recounted in the memoir "Her".

The Jefferson Exchange: May 3, 2013, Hour 1: First Friday in the Arts It's the first Friday of another month, time for our First Friday Arts Segment… we run down a list of events in the performing nd visual arts and invite you to add to the list, or add details to items you've heard.  Call in during the program at 800-838-3760 or 541-552-6782, or email us!+ Curry/Lane Safety Levies Curry County on the Oregon Coast is one of several counties voting to preserve or restore public safety services damaged or threatened by budget cuts.  The cuts came after federal timber dollars dried up in the region.  Lane County is also floating a levy for voters to consider.  You'll hear the details of the public safety levies in the May 21st election. 

The Jefferson Exchange: May 3, 2013, Hour 2: Camino Documentary It's not rare for us to talk about people taking very long hikes; it's not every day we talk about people walking clear across a country.  But that's what some modern-day pilgrims did in Spain, following the path of pilgrims in history... with little more than a backpack, a pair of boots, and an open mind.  Their story is told in the documentary film "Walking the Camino," screening this weekend in Ashland.  Producer/director Lydia Smith joins us. 

Jefferson Exchange – May 2, 2013, HOUR 1 Allergy Season Peaks Bless you.  Or gesundheit, if you prefer.  The terms get a lot of use this time of year, as springtime and the growth of new plant life fill the air with pollen, triggering allergies some people didn't even know they had.  Allergist Dr. Edward Kerwin will join us in studio to talk about the mechanisms of seasonal allergies, and how to ease their effects.  Children in Poverty It may be slow in coming, but the numbers tell a story of a recovering economy.  But it does not appear to be recovering quickly enough for Oregon's children.  The recently released annual report of Children First for Oregon shows an increase in childhood poverty in the state, among many other findings.  You'll hear the results statewide, and within some of the region's counties.                               

Jefferson Exchange – May 2, 2013, HOUR 2 Grandma Power Just because there's another generation bearing children does not mean the previous one becomes irrelevant.  Women across the world continue to prove the point through "the grandmothers' movement," working on issues ranging from genital mutilation to traditional arts.  Paola Gianturco tells many of the grandmothers' stories in "Grandmother Power: A Global Phenomenon."

Jefferson Exchange – May 1, 2013, HOUR 2 Asante Award Medford-based Asante Health System gained some bragging rights recently when it was named one of the top 15 health systems in the country by a group that measures clinical quality and efficiency.  You'll hear the measures, and what Asante plans to do with the recognition. VENTSday No guest, two topics, and all the calls and emails we can fit in half an hour.  That's the general structure of our weekly VENTSday segment, a chance for listeners to vent politely on topics in the news.  Take part by calling 1-800-838-3760 or 541-552-6782 or emailing JX@jeffnet.org THIS WEEK: --Are gray wolves no longer in need of protection? --Do the homeless need a Bill of Rights?

Jefferson Exchange – May 1, 2013, HOUR 2 Can You Hear Me Now? "Against the odds, life is good."  That's the way Annie O'Sullivan describes her life now.  And she traveled a very long road to be able to say that.  The Klamath County resident endured repeated abuse at the hands of her father, bounced through her early adult years with little focus, and logged ten years of counseling in search of peace.  The path to redemption is recounted in her book "Can You Hear Me Now?" 

The Jefferson Exchange: April 30, 2013, Hour 1: Josephine County Levy I Josephine County voters face a big decision in the election of May 21st: a three-year increase in property taxes to restore some of the county's public safety structure.  The sheriff's office and district attorney absorbed large cuts when the last of the federal timber replacement dried up.  Our first hour today focuses on views of the levy, pro and con.  We'll begin with James Rafferty on the con side, from the group We're For a Constitutional Government.  + Josephine County Levy II …and we'll continue our examination of the public safety levy in Josephine County by talking to people who support the levy and are working to pass it.

The Jefferson Exchange: April 30, 2013, Hour 2: Hiking the Applegate Valley There's so much to do in the outdoors in our part of the world, it can be hard to make decisions.  A couple of writers from the area aim to lighten the load just a bit; Janeen Sathre and Diana Coogle teamed up to assemble a trail guide for one of the region's valleys, "Favorite Hikes of the Applegate." 

The Jefferson Exchange: April 29, 2013, Hour 1: Health Insurance Savings Oregon is getting a reputation for innovation in health care and health insurance.  Now the state's health insurance rate review program is getting the credit for a lot of money saved--$80 Million--in what would otherwise have been considered health insurance waste.  You'll hear an explanation of the savings and how they helped the insured. + Mom! No Cavities! Maybe we've been listening to the dentist after all.  Recent reports indicate that the rate of cavities is dropping in Oregon.  Some parts of the state saw a 50 percent improvement in cavity rates over the five years ending in 2012.  You'll hear details of the report and its findings.