Issues & Ideas

Issues and Ideas is a show that features a wide variety of people sharing their thoughts and perspectives about local issues, initiatives and events on the Central Coast. You might hear a policy maker discussing new regulation, an artist sharing their creative process, an entrepreneur exploring sustainable business practices, or an author talking about her latest book.Our regular segments include: "Wine Country" with wine journalist and author Mira Honeycutt; "Standing-in-Courage: Stories of Social Justice and Resilience," with Rosie Bultman; literary conversations on "Bookwaves" with former librarian Brian Reynolds; "Playing With Food" with culinary enthusiast Fr. Ian Delinger; stories of Central Coast downtowns on "Talking Downtown" with Carol Tangeman; and "The Lonely Goat Cafe" with Meher Ali, that talks about loneliness and the immigrant experience. The show also carries features from the KCBX Newsroom and from KCSB, the student-run radio station at UC Santa Barbara, along with interviews by other occasional contributors from our Central Coast community. Meher Ali produces, edits, contributes interviews, and anchors the program.

Episodes

Reflecting on the 'No Kings' protests in San Luis Obispo County, making sparkling wine with Rava Wines, and the lineup for the upcoming Cuesta College Central Coast Writers' Conference

July 8, 2025 • 56 mins

Rosie Bultman, News Director at KCSB, UC Santa Barbara's student-run radio station, joins us with a brand new segment called "Standing-in-Courage." She speaks about the No Kings protests with her first guest, Linda Baker, organizer for the protests in San Luis Obispo County. For Wine Country, host Mira Honeycutt talks to Sherrie Holzer, winemaker of Rava Wines in Paso Robles, about how sparkling wine is made. And then, Meagan Fribe...

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Celebrating the centennial anniversary of the 1925 Santa Barbara earthquake, the impact of tariffs on local businesses and Mt Vallarta on poetry and the trauma of migration

June 30, 2025 • 59 mins

We start with Carol Tangeman’s new segment, “Talking Downtown”, where she brings us stories from downtowns across the Central Coast. This one is sourced from KCSB, where reporter Lisa Osborn speaks with author and historian Betsy J. Green about an earthquake that hit Santa Barbara exactly a hundred years ago and destroyed its downtown. This led to a decision: to rebuild downtown Santa Barbara in the Spanish style. Next, KCBX's Fr. ...

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City Farm SLO's mission to create sustainable farmers of tomorrow, how Santa Barbara got its Juneteenth celebration, and the impact of budget cuts on the History Center of San Luis Obispo County

June 23, 2025 • 58 mins

Dr. Consuelo Meux speaks with Kayla Rutland, Executive Director, and Kate DiTrani, Program Manager, of City Farm SLO about its youth education programs and regenerative farming for the Nonprofit Story. Then, KCSB reporter Lisa Osborn's interview with Simone Ruskamp, co-founder of Santa Barbara's Juneteenth celebration about her efforts to get it started in the county. Last, KCBX's Meher Ali talks with Thomas Kessler, Executive Dire...

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Caring for donkeys on the coast, Art Center Morro Bay's upcoming events, celebrating Pride with intention and joy with the Gala Center, and UCSB Professor Mark Juergensmeyer on the recent India-Pakistan conflict

June 17, 2025 • 59 mins

KCBX's Meher Ali speaks with Carlen Eckford, founder of the Rancho Burro Donkey Sanctuary and it's medical director as well as volunteer Barn Manager Nancy DeRuchie about how the nonprofit rehabilitates of donkeys and the misconceptions surrounding the behavior and care of these animals. Then, Kathleen Heil, President of Art Center Morro Bay, talks with KCBX’s Newsroom Intern Myrna Waddle about the arts nonprofit and their upcoming...

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Author Lucy Bledsoe on courage and celebrating Pride Month with books, making world-class white wines in Paso, ECOSLO's annual fundraiser, and Central Coast farmworkers' struggle with food insecurity

June 9, 2025 • 59 mins

For his segment Bookwaves, KCBX's Brian Reynolds speaks with award-winning author and activist Lucy Jane Bledsoe about how attitudes towards the LGBTQ community have or have not changed and about one novel in particular titled “Tell the Rest.” Bledsoe will be speaking on Saturday, June 14th at the Atascadero Library from 12-2pm and San Luis Obispo library from 4-5 pm. Then, Wine Country with Mira Honeycutt who is a Central Coast au...

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From Paso Robles to Orcutt, a delivery service that brings produce to your doorstep, the challenges and successes for Downtown SLO, and the logistics of putting together the Live Oak Music Festival

May 26, 2025 • 58 mins

On Playing with Food, Fr. Ian Delinger spotlights Harvestly, a local delivery service that fills the gap between farm boxes, supermarkets, and restaurants by delivering local produce to your doorstep. Then, KCBX's Carol Tangeman speaks with LeBren Harris, CEO of the nonprofit Downtown SLO, about its challenges and successes in making the city’s downtown economically and culturally vibrant. Then, Katelyn Schiavone, operations direct...

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Celebrating AAPI month with Samoan poet William Giles, Paso women winemakers talk business, wine and lapis lazuli, and an aviation entrepreneur shares why San Luis Obispo is the perfect base of operations

May 12, 2025 • 58 mins

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander or AAPI Heritage Month. In celebration of this, Issues and Ideas invited MT Vallarta, pronouns they, them, theirs, a poet and Assistant Professor of Ethnic Studies at CalPoly, to be in conversation with William Nuʻutupu Giles, pronouns he/they, who is a poet, Samoan writer, and arts educator. Giles was in San Luis Obispo on May 7th, 8th, and 9th to do poetry readings and workshops at Cal P...

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International student visa revocations, the future of abandoned boats in Morro Bay, Robin Greenfield's experiments in non-ownership, and a volunteer's tribute to the Live Oak Music Festival

May 6, 2025 • 58 mins

Professor Jared Van Ramshorst from Cal Poly's Department of Political Science talks to KCBX's Meher Ali about recent student deportations and visa revocations that have impacted international students across the country, including at Cal Poly. Then, KCBX’s Adam Solorzano reports on a state grant received by Morro Bay that will enable it to demolish abandoned boats docked at the Marina. Then, KCBX's Brian Reynolds is in conversation...

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Congressman Salud Carbajal on the state of our democracy, Fr. Ian travels to Guadalupe for locally-made sausages, and a peace activist shares their story of how they got banned from Israel for 99 years

April 28, 2025 • 58 mins

Congressman Salud Carbajal speaks with KCBX’s News Director Monica Lopez and KCBX reporter Gabriela Fernandez about the current administration’s policies and actions and what resonated with him at the Town Hall meeting that he co-hosted with Senator Adam Schiff at Cuesta College on April 22nd. For Playing with Food, KCBX's Fr. Ian Delinger travels to Guadalupe to ask, "What's in a sausage?" He talks to Ernesto Valle, the owner of L...

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Celebrating the history of our county's diverse workforce, Jennifer Adams on the impact of potential federal funding cuts on survivors, and Elaine Genasci reflects on two decades of keeping felines healthy and safe on the coast

April 21, 2025 • 58 mins

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Poets from SLO County celebrate National Poetry Month, Immigrant winemakers on their journey from "cellar rats" to entrepreneurs, and seeing the world through the SLO International Film Festival

April 7, 2025 • 58 mins

April is National Poetry Month, and we invited Caleb Nichols, the Poet Laureate of San Luis Obispo County, to gather local poets from the region to do a poetry reading session at our studio. Caleb hosts the segment. Mira Honeycutt, host of Wine Country, speaks to winemakers Edgar Torres and Enrique Torres about their journey to making Spanish wines in Paso Robles. Then, the San Luis Obispo Film Festival starts April 24th and contin...

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Ira Glass on storytelling and documenting our times, making handmade caramels with entrepreneur Erin Holden, and a nonprofit's fundraiser to boost school band programs

April 1, 2025 • 59 mins

Marisa Waddell, KCBX Program Director, is in conversation with Ira Glass, the creator, producer, and host of This American Life. Ira is touring with a show called An Evening With Ira Glass, Seven Things I’ve Learned, and he’s coming to the San Luis Obispo Performing Arts Center on April 5th at 8 pm. Here, he shares his thoughts about what makes a great radio story and the importance of documenting our times. Next, KCBX's Fr. Ian De...

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Monarch butterflies and why their survival is key, Mothers for Peace on advocating for Diablo Canyon's closure, the Santa Barbara Transgender Advocacy Network and a brief history of birthright citizenship

March 26, 2025 • 58 mins

KCBX Programming Intern Sam Doyle-Jacobson's interview with Randy Widera, Director of Programs for California State Parks Foundation, where he discusses the decline in monarch butterfly populations and why their survival is key. Linda Seeley and Jane Swanson, board members of San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace, speak with KCBX's Meher Ali about their concerns related to the Diablo Canyon Power Plant and why they continue to advocate...

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Following Harry Belafonte in Santa Barbara, Wine for Paws weekend and a wine memoir about working the 1995 crush on California's Central Coast

March 18, 2025 • 58 mins

Susanne Rostock, director of “Following Harry,” a documentary about the life of singer, actor and activist Harry Belafonte, speaks with KCSB reporter Kelly Darroch about her lifelong friendship with Belafonte. The documentary was featured at this year’s Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Then, for Peace, Love and Pets, Robin Coleman of Woods Humane Society talks to Sarah Tomasetti, organizer of Wine 4 Paws Weekend, about pa...

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Vintners carrying the Paso Cab flag, nurturing youth learning through the loop of music and how Dignity Health's hospitals serve the Central Coast

March 10, 2025 • 59 mins

We have a brand new segment here on Issues and Ideas! It’s called Wine Country and it’s hosted by wine journalist Mira Honeycutt. Mira is in conversation with Paso Vintners Gary Eberle, founder of Eberle Winery, and Jerry Lor, founder of J. Lor Vineyards and Wines, about Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles. Sarah Mason, founder of the nonprofit Infinite Music, talks to KCBX Programming Intern Sam DJ about the long-term learning ben...

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Amanda Wernik on the Refugio pipeline, California's Wheat2School program, SLO Repertory's Million Dollar Quartet and a poetry reading to honor Refaat Alareer

February 24, 2025 • 57 mins

KCBX reporter Amanda Wernik talks about why it's important for her to report on the Refugio pipeline. Fr. Ian Delinger visits schools in San Luis Obispo County to learn more about California Wheat Commission's Wheat2School project. KCBX reporter Alyssa Toledo's story about the musical Million Dollar Quartet playing at the San Luis Obispo Repertory Theater until March 9th and what sets it apart from other productions. And my intervi...

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Central Coast's first-ever cat cafe, Cal Poly's Mariachi ensemble, musician Chencho Perez's journey and author Yang Huang on her life and writing

February 17, 2025 • 59 mins

KCBX's Robin Coleman talks with Jaime Pierce, owner of the Caffeinated Cat Cafe in Grover Beach for Peace, Love and Pets. Sam DJ, Programming Intern at KCBX, talks to members of Cal Poly's Mariachi ensemble about their heritage and what Mariachi means to them. From the California Report, reporter Benjamin Purper talks to Chencho Perez, a musician, who is part of a community of artists celebrating and experimenting with Norteño musi...

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Maureen Zawalick on Diablo Canyon's safety and future, fulfilling end-of-life dreams at Dream Makers SLO and sips of wisdom on building a brand

February 10, 2025 • 57 mins

Jim Dantona, host of Working Lunch and CEO of San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce sits down with Maureen Zawalick, Vice President of Business and Technical Services at PG&E to talk about the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant. KCBX's Brian Reynolds talks to Reilly Newman, co-author of a new book, along with his business partner Scott Saunders, titled “Brandy: 101 Sips of Wisdom For Attaining a Successful Brand.” Dr. Ronda Beaman, Ex...

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Music education and the SLO Youth Symphony, scholarships to honor Dr. King, SLO County's immigrant community and the NIH funding pause

February 4, 2025 • 59 mins

Grace Seng, Music Education Manager of the SLO Symphony, in conversation with Marisa Waddell, KCBX's Program Director about music education and the SLO Youth Symphony. Mary Matakovich, Board President for the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. High School Memorial Scholarship Fund, speaks to Sam DJ, Programming Intern at KCBX, about honoring Dr. King through scholarships for SLO high schoolers. One of the founders of SLO County UndocuSup...

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