The Human Beat

The Human Beat

The Human Beat, hosted by Roger Rocka, features community conversations about our people, issues, environment, history and the joys of living here. Produced by the studios of KMUN.

Episodes

January 12, 2026 28 mins
Roger speaks with two women experiencing homelessness on the streets of downtown Astoria– Mama Rain and her 33 year old daughter Shana – in the week after Christmas.
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The Clatsop County Animal Shelter is overwhelmed right now with more dogs and cats than it can hold. But a non-profit, Clatsop Animal Assistance, is fostering some of the animals and helping all of them with its scores of volunteers. Roger talks with Executive Director of Clatsop Animal Assistance Lily Tollefsen.
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November 10, 2025 28 mins
Introducing new KMUN station manager Mari Bergeron: We talk about her history in Clatsop County, her family, her departure for school and work and international travel, her return home and of course, her initial impressions, hopes and plans for KMUN.
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October 13, 2025 28 mins
Part 2 of Roger Rocka speaking with Willis Van Dusen about Astoria history and his own transition from protesting citizen to Council member and long-time Astoria mayor.
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September 8, 2025 28 mins
In this first part of a two-part series, Willis Van Dusen talks Astoria history and his own transition from protesting citizen to Council member and long-time Astoria mayor. Part two will air October 13.
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July 14, 2025 29 mins
Astoria’s population has hovered around 10,000 for a very long time. But it grew to 25 thousand during WW II. I wondered where all those thousands of extra people lived so I headed to the Clatsop County Historical Society at the Heritage Museum. I talked with Liisa Penner and Julie Burpee to learn about that, and other bits of local history. Liisa is something of a local legend for her k...
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June 9, 2025 28 mins
Part 2 of Roger Rocka’s conversation with Paul Benoit
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May 12, 2025 28 mins
Part One of Roger Rocka’s conversation with Paul Benoit
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April 14, 2025 28 mins
Roger Rocka speaks with Jeff Burright, who is leading development of the Offshore Wind Roadmap.
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March 10, 2025 28 mins
Through the magic of radio, we take you back to a Sunday evening in 1983 – high atop the Gunderson Building in downtown Astoria – when KMUN began it’s very first broadcast. Then, hear from Paxton Hoag, Doug Sweet, Susie McLerie, Carol Newman and Rebecca Rubens.
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February 12, 2025 28 mins
Our country is struggling over issues of diversity, equity and inclusion. It’s a struggle that recurs throughout our history. Here’s a look back at a Human Beat interview from 2011, the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Riders.  
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December 9, 2024 28 mins
We’re talking today with Steve Forrester, former editor and publisher of The Astorian and the former president and CEO of the family company, EO Media Group with its two dozen newspapers and magazines across Oregon and Washington. As of November 1, EO Media Group was sold to the larger Carpenter Media Group, which operates more than 160 publications. The sale included The Astorian. ...
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November 11, 2024 28 mins
A discussion of the continuing overload at the Clatsop County Animal Shelter with Justin Dersham, Clatsop County Animal Control Supervisor and Lily Tollefsen, Clatsop Animal Assistance.
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October 14, 2024 28 mins
Astoria Chief of Police Stacy Kelly and Communications Center Manager Jeremy Hipes discuss the years-long effort to fully staff the 911 center, and how its larger staff now includes 2 dogs from the Animal Shelter.
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September 9, 2024 28 mins
Roger Rocka speaks with North Coast Land Conservancy Executive Director Katie Voelke.
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August 12, 2024 29 mins
Roger presents a panel on the Clatsop County Comprehensive Plan revisions.
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July 8, 2024 28 mins
Roger Rocka speaks with Liisa Penner and Julie Burpee at the Clatsop County Historical Society.
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June 10, 2024 28 mins
Part two of a  program about the Habitat Conservation Plan in Oregon State Forests.
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May 13, 2024 28 mins
Roger Rocka speaks with Oregon Department of Forestry division Chief Michael Wilson about the State Habitat Conservation Plan.
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April 8, 2024 28 mins

Featuring the women managers of KMUN – Lisa Smith, Victoria Stoppiello, Joanne Rideout and Susan Peterson – as they were honored by the American Association of University Women.

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