The Flint Hills Discovery Center

During our first hour this week we take up the Flint Hills Discovery Center with its executive director, Bob Workman. The Flint Hills Discovery Center celebrates the importance of the tallgrass prairie, through a presentation of its geology, biology and cultural history. With 7,000 square feet of dynamic permanent exhibits, visitors will learn the importance of this rare eco-system and its rich biological diversity. Visitors will also learn how the first Native peoples lived here in harmony with nature for 13,000 years, and how Euro-Americans adopted grazing as the principle economy of the Flint Hills that has essentially saved it. Workman discusses the architecture of the building, its green features, and what the Center will offer the people of Manhattan and the state of Kansas.

Additional Links/Resources:

Kansas - Flint Hills: tourism resource site.

Flint Hills map and resources - Kansas Geological Survey resource site.

Flint Hills Scenic Byway is the gateway to the tallgrass prairie. It offers travelers an unchanged view of the grasslands of the Great Plains. Explore historic sites, quaint towns, and scenic vistas as you discover where the West truly begins.

Flint Hills Nature Trail is a 117 mile rail-trail in northeast Kansas. It crosses 7 counties along its east-west course.

Protect the Flint Hills is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information and education about issues that affect the Flint Hills of Kansas, the last expanse of tallgrass prairie on the continent.

National Geographic Photo Gallery: The Splendor of the Grass.

Konza Prairie

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

Beattie Linestone

The Future of Water in Kansas

For our second hour, Chris Cardinal, Legislative Director for the Kansas Sierra Club, joins us for a discussion of water policy for the state of Kansas as well as discussing some strategies people who are concerned about the environment can employ given the actual political reality.

Additional Links/Resources:

Kansas water policy must transition from development to management, by Doug Rich, High Plains/Midwest Ag Journal, 2010.

Perspectives on Sustainable Development of Water Resources in Kansas, by Marios Sophocleous, editor, Kansas Geological Survey, 1998.

The Future of Water - Podcast from American Public Media.
Water on earth may be more scarce than you may think. Charles Fishman, author of "The Big Thirst," talks about what people should do to help secure the world's water future.

Vision: The Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth Is Our Roadmap to a Liveable Future, by Nnimmo Bassey, AlterNet, June 6, 2011.

Gas Drilling Companies Hold Data Needed by Researchers to Assess Risk to Water Quality, by Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica,May 17, 2011.

Federal Budget Deal Slashes Key Community Water Funds, by Judith Lewis Mernit, High Country News (via AlterNet), May 12, 2011.

Privatization Has Failed to Deliver Safe, Affordable Water for All -- Here's a Better Idea, by Mthandeki Nhlapo and Peter Waldorff and Susan George, AlterNET, April 28, 2011.

Discovering Queer American History

Community Bridge celebrates the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots this week with Michael Bronski, Senior Lecturer, Women's and Gender Studies Program at Dartmouth College for a discussion of the his newly released book A Queer History of the United States.

Related Links:

A Queer History of the United States - ordering info from Beacon Press.

How Gays Helped Make and Remake America, Johann Hari, Slate Magazine, May 23, 2011.

The Gay Bar: Can It Survive?, June Thomas, Slate Magazine, July 1, 2011.

Gay Heroes - website dedicated to educating about famous LGBT people throughout history.

People with a History - online guide to lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans history. 

GLBT Historical Society

What is the People's Budget?

For the second hour Stephanie Mott, Executive Director of the Kansas Statewide Transgender Education Project (K-STEP), joins host Christopher Renner for a discussion of transgenderism and to show support for transgender Kansans and their families. Mott kicks off a state-wide tour at 7:30 am Friday morning at the Bluestem Bistro to raise awareness of K-STEP and transgenderism in the state.

Community Bridge closes out with Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting's Peter Hart for a discussion of the People's Budget. This week Sen. Bernie Sanders challenged President Obama - and over 50,000 people co-signed his letter to the President - to stand with the poor of our nation and demand that the Republicans raise taxes on the wealthy. People's Budget was put forward by the co-chairs of the 80-member Congressional Progressive Caucus. Their plan is humane, responsible, and most of all sensible, reflecting the true values of the American people and the real needs of the floundering economy. Unlike Paul Ryan's almost absurdly vicious attack on the poor and working class, the People's Budget would close the deficit by raising taxes on the rich, taming health care costs (including a public option), and ending the military spending on wars and wasteful weapons systems.



Additional Links:

The People's Budget - Congressional Progressive Caucus.

CHART: As Services For Main Street Are Gutted, Richest Pay Lowest Taxes In A Generation

People’s Budget offers sound alternative to Ryan’s draconian plan, Economic Policy Institute, April 13, 2011.

The People's Budget, Jeffery Sachs, the Huffington Post, April 8, 2011.

Progressive Caucus Budget: The Only Honest Plan on the Table, Tim Dickinson, Rolling Stone, April 28, 2011.

The Only Responsible Budget in Town, Michael Tomasky, The Guardian UK, April21, 2011.

Wonkbook: A Congress problem, not a deficit problem, Erza Klein, The Washington Post, June 23, 2001.

The Truth About the Economy
Robert Reich connects the dots on the economy, in less than 2 minutes and 15 seconds. Who knew he could draw!?!

Little Apple Jazz Festival 2011

Community Bridge opens this week with Beth Bailey and Ben Hopper, Union Program Council, along with musician CJ Manning for a preview of this year’s Little Apple Jazz Festival. At about half past the hour, Ashley Long, Lindsay and James Thompson of the Riley County Humane Society join us in studio to discuss the work of the organization and how people can support it.

2011 Little Apple Jazz Festival Line-Up
5:00 - 6:00 pm KC Youth Jazz Band
6:00 - 6:30 pm Barefoot Dixieland Band
6:30 - 7:00 pm Kelly McCarty Band
7:00 - 8:00 pm Pablo Sanhueza Latin Jazz Trio
8:00 - 9:00 pm Steven Richard Band
9:00 - 9:30 pm Swing Machine, a KSU Jazz combo
9:30 - 10:45pm CJ Manning and Company

Related Links:

Our Animal Selves, Linda Hogan, YES! Magazine, March 9, 2011.

10 Best Things We Can Do For Animals, Jane Goodall, YES! Magazine, March 31, 2011.

What’s So Special About Humans?, James Trimarcom YES! Magazine, April 13, 2011.

How Happy Was Your Meal?, Madeline Ostrander, YES! Magazine, March 27, 2011.

Collusion between KDHE and Sunflower Energy

In our second hour, we are first joined by Stephanie Cole, Kansas Sierra Club, and Scott Allegrucci, Great Plains Alliance for Clean Energy, to discuss the collusion that was revealed in KDHE e-mails between the department and Sunflower Energy over the proposed Holcomb plant permit process.  Then at half past the hour, Elaine Mohr and Darrel Parks from the Manhattan Farmers Market join us to talk about what's new at the market this summer.

Related Links:

Kansas agency, utility worked closely on permit for plant, Karen Dillion, Kansas City Star, June 18, 2011.

Kansas failed its residents on Sunflower power plant, Kansas City Star editorial, June 20, 2011.

The Message to Kansans: ‘Let Them Eat Coal Dust’, Editorial, Great Plains Alliance for Clean Energy.

KDHE had close ties with Sunflower Electric Co., Associate Press in the Lawrence Journal World, June 20, 2011.

“The Cleanest Coal Plant in the Country?” Not., report from the Great Plains Alliance for Clean Energy on whether or not Holcomb 2 is the "Cleanest Coal Plant in the Country." 
Read the GPACE White Paper here.

New Coal Plants Fail To Provide Promised Jobs, Beth Buczynski, Care2.com, April 2, 2011.

Kansas Farmers' Markets, website of the Kansas Rural Center.

World Social Forum 2011

Community Bridge opens this week with Jim Hamilton and Gwethalyn Williams for a discussion of this weekend’s youth experimental theatre project at the Manhattan Arts Center. Then Mallory Knodle joins host Christopher Renner for a discussion of the World Social Forum that took place in February in Dakar, Senegal.

Additional Links/Articles:

Experimental Theatre Workshop

World Social Forum 2011 Dakar - in pictures, The Guardian UK, February 9, 2011.

World Social Forum activists buoyed by fall of Egypt and Tunisia regimes, Liz Ford, The Guardian UK, February 14, 2011.

Climate Justice Declaration at World Social Forum 2011


Axelrod claims Bush saddled Obama with a big deficit, PolitiFact.com, January 2010.


Bush Administration "the Least Fiscally Responsible in History," Budget Hawk Says, Aaron Task, Newsmakers, March 31, 2010.


Bush Era Tax Cuts Increased Budget Deficit, Joshua Sanders, The Economy in Crisis, August 188, 2010.

GOP Cuts To Food Aid For Seniors And Food Banks Equals One Day Of Bush Tax Cuts For Millionaires, Pat Garofalo, Think Progress, June 14, 2011.

Study: Bush Tax Cuts Cost More Than Twice As Much As Dems' Health-Care Bill, Susie Madrak, Crooks and Liars, September 9, 2009.

MP3 File

June 16 - Obama and the Gays

In our second hour we first hear about what programs are available for young and old alike at the Manhattan Arts Center this summer with Amanda Hedrick. Then we hear from singer-songwriter Jeremiah Clark about his music. Clark will be in concert in Manhattan on June 25th. Due to work conflicts, our discussion of the Koch brothers with Mark Ames and Mike Elk has had to be rescheduled. Instead we will hear from Progressive Radio as Matthew Rothschild interviews editor and author Tracy Baim about her book “Obama and the Gays: a Political Marriage.”

Additional Links/Articles:

Manhattan Arts Center

Jeremiah Clark Music

Windy City Times

Obama and the Gays: a Political Marriage

Obama and the Gays - Book Salon Review at FireDogLake

Obama administration calls on United Nations to support gay rights, Julie Mianecki. Los Angeles Times, March 23, 2011.

Obama, gay marriage, the constitution and the Crackerjack prize, Michael Tomasky, The Guardian UK, February 24, 2011.

UN Rights Council Passes 'Historic' Gay Rights Bill, Hui Min Neo, Common Dreams, June 17, 2011.

MP3 File

Mark Potok on the Rise of Right-Wing Extremists

Community Bridge opens this week with Mark Potok, Southern Poverty Law Center, in a discussion of the Center's annual report "The Year in Hate."  Potok discusses the rise of right-wing extremists and how they are infiltrating organizations such as the Tea Party to make racism mainstream once again.  We close out the hour with Monique King, Yasche Glass, and Jonathan Anderson, from the Manhattan Juneteenth Planning Committee discuss this year's celebration.

Related Articles:

The Year in Hate and Extremism, 2010; Marl Potok, Intelligence Report, Spring 2011.

'Armed and extremely dangerous' ex-militia leader hunted after Mont. shootout; The Associated Press, Reuters, NBC News and msnbc.com staff contributed to this report, June 14, 2011.

Exclusive: Polluter Billionaire David Koch Says Tea Party ‘Rank And File Are Just Normal People Like Us’; Lee Fang, Think Progress, January 6, 2011.

Right-Wing Militias Are Resurging -- Will They Produce More Terrorists Like Timothy McVeigh?; David Love, AlterNet, August 2009.

MP3 File

The Impact of Budget Cuts on Kansas Schools

In our second we open with a short chat with Lisa Engelken about her upcoming concert at Jardine's in Kansas City, then we take a look a the impact of Brownback’s budget cuts on Kansas public education. Several days after taking office, the extremist Brownback proposed the largest cut to our public schools in Kansas history. The final budget left many state agencies decimated and more than $72 million in the state’s savings account, something the fanatic Brownback called the budget “a victory for Kansas.” Such cuts are anything but a victory for Kansans! Mark Desetti, KNEA; Tom Krebs, Kansas Association of School Boards; Kathy Cook, Kansas Families for Education; and Usha Reddi, a elementary school teacher for USD 383 discuss the impact of the budget cuts to public education in Kansas.

Related Articles:

Kansas budget focuses on mere numbers without regard to the harm, Rep. Paul Davis, Kansas City Star, June 7, 2011.

REPORT: Meet The Billionaires Who Are Trying To Privatize Our Schools And Kill Public Education, Zaid Jilani, Think Progress, May 21. 2011.

Brownback score card? Toss up, Steve Kraske, Kansas City Star, May 13, 2011.

Senate Passes State Budget, Dion Lefler, Wichita Eagle, May 12, 2011.

KNEA reacts to Brownback's budget cuts, Tim Huelskamp, Kiowa County Singal, March 14, 2011.

Public schools take hit in Kan. gov.'s budget cuts, John Milburn, Associate Press, March 11, 2011.

Casualties in the American Right-Wing's War on Science and Education, ToddWV, DemocraticUnderground.com, January 23, 2011.

MP3 File