Talk of the Bay KSQD - Latest News

Dan Haifley, a long-time ocean conservationist and former director of O’Neill’s Sea Odyssey and Save Our Shores, gives us an update on the multiple threats to ocean ecosystems and marine sanctuaries posed by the cuts to federal staff and budgets by the executive branch.

In this program we hear from members of the cast and crew of Steel Magnolias, opening at Park Hall in Ben Lomond, CA.

Have libraries been a vital part of your world? Did a librarian ever assist you with an important project? Like so many other public agencies libraries and librarians are under threat, but, you don’t have to take this news lying down, because the non-profit advocacy group EveryLibrary.org emboldens libraries and their communities to achieve political […]

  Will Rice is a policy consultant and senior writer for Americans for Tax Fairness, a coalition of more than 420 national, state and local endorsing organizations united in support of a fair tax system that works for all Americans. He is co-author and co-editor of the recently-released report “Private Equity, Public Damage”. The report […]

We hear from the singing group, the Ukes of Bonny Doon, Suzanne, Laurie, Rizzie and Becca, who recently returned from singing and playing at a protest at the state capital. Then, an interview with Amanda Harris Altice and Jenny Evans with Indivisible Santa Cruz County about their organizing efforts. Then, a visit with United Way […]

  Heidi Luckenbach is the Water Director for the City of Santa Cruz. In this role, she is responsible for maintaining the water system’s infrastructure, ensuring a reliable climate-resilient water supply, advancing environmental sustainability initiatives, and maintaining financial stability. Heidi has dedicated over 25 years of her career to the City of Santa Cruz, most recently as […]

Filmmaker Jon Silver talks about his film “Watsonville on Strike” about the Watsonville cannery strike, an 18-month strike forty years ago and his follow-up film, “Daughters of the Strike”. The films are screening at the Watsonville Film Festival on March 8th. We also hear from Sandina Robbins, one of the festival organizers. Chris Krohn shares […]

Chaos and confusion abound, and immigration lawyers are overwhelmed by the number of clients seeking their services. Here’s the view from Salinas Attorney, Blanca Zarazua.

  Sarah Christensen is the Executive Director of the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission. Sarah has nearly two decades of experience in organizational leadership, planning, and implementation of major capital projects along the Central Coast and in the Bay Area. As the RTC’s Senior Transportation Engineer from 2017 to September 2024, she oversaw engineering […]

With Trump threatening to eliminate the Department of Education, we take a deep dive into what it does, what would happen to local schools and programs if it was cut, and how local schools are coping with the current climate around education and immigration.

On KSQD’s Talk of the Bay, Host PK Hattis speaks with Community Bridges’ CEO Ray Cancino. Like so many nonprofits across the country, Community Bridges and Cancino were caught up in a world of chaos late last month when President Donald Trump’s budget office issued a sweeping order that froze all federal grants and loans. […]

On this episode of Talk of the Bay host PK Hattis is joined by nurses from Dominican Hospital who staged a picket last week in protest of chronic staffing shortages and a lack of investment from hospital ownership Dignity Health and parent company CommonSpirit Health. Nurses say the lack of staffing has led to extended […]

Rachel Anne Goodman talks with members of the community who are helping immigrants before, during and after Trump’s ICE raids. Guests include Sherry Cassedy, long-time family lawyer and mediator, immersing in immigration law and coordinator of the Childcare Safety Plan Network. Paul Johnston, participant in several networks (Welcoming Network, Interfaith Network, Removal Defense Collaborative, Know […]

On this episode of Talk of the Bay, host Bodie Shargel dedicates the first half of the show to honoring civil rights activist Thairie Ritchie, reflecting on his powerful legacy and the recent tragedy that shook Santa Cruz. Then, we shift gears to the national stage, analyzing the impact of the Trump administration’s first two […]

Talk of the Bay’s host PK Hattis is joined by longtime Santa Cruz Sentinel photographer Shmuel Thaler. Both Thaler and Hattis, who also works as a reporter at the Sentinel, are mourning the death of colleague Jess York, who died in January after battling a rare form of neuroendocrine cancer for more than four years. […]

Lithium-ion batteries power everything from our smartphones to electric vehicles, but they also come with risks. In this episode of Talk of the Bay, Meilin Obinata sits down with Patrick Durham, a mechanical engineer and firefighter, to dive deep into lithium battery safety, fire prevention, and risk management.   Who is Patrick Durham? Patrick Durham […]

On this Talk of the Bay, Meilin Obinata interviewed two members of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Workers United to find out what is motivating workers to form a union for the first time in the history of the aquarium. In this show, you’ll hear from two members of the organizing committee who are attempting to […]

Tom Little Bear is President and Chairman of the Esselen tribe of Monterey County. He discusses the land back movement to return stolen lands from native tribes, and a recent 327 -acre land acquisition on the Little Sur River in Monterey County, facilitated by the Western Rivers Conservancy. Native tribes are leading the way on […]

Happy Dog Hot Dog, a beloved hot dog stand in Santa Cruz, was recently featured in an interview with KSQD’s Meilin Obinata. During the conversation, owner Daniel Aguirre shared insights into the history of Happy Dog, its dedication to high-quality ingredients, and its role in Santa Cruz’s vibrant food scene. The interview also explored the […]

Author Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston passed away on December 21st, 2024. Ms. Wakatsuki Houston (aka Firehorse Woman) was the author of the best-selling young adult book, Farewell to Manzanar. which chronicled her family’s experience as prisoners during World War II at a concentration camp. Ms. Houston is remembered in this show by author/actor/friend Frank Abe, George […]

Bodie Shargel interviews two of the organizers behind the Workforce Housing Solutions Act, which kicked off its signature-gathering effort last week. Andrew Goldenkranz, the current chair of the County Democratic Party and Grace Stetson, signature gathering coordinator discuss the details of this proposed Santa Cruz city parcel tax and property transfer tax. If their effort […]

The Pregnant Mare Rescue project buys pregnant mares from auctions where they would have been sold for horse meat and rehabilitates them on a property in Aptos, California. We hear from director Denna Stone about how her rescued horses now serve as therapy animals for wounded veterans and people experiencing mental health challenges.

The McPherson Art and History Museum has a new director, Ginger Shulick Porcella. She comes with experience at museums big and small, from Arizona to Minnesota, and has big ideas as the MAH approaches its 30th anniversary next year. How does this organization straddle its dual missions of presenting the history of the region alongside […]