mar / apr • 2017 - public...

V A L L E Y P U B L I C R A D I O

Mar / Apr • 2017

Be Public...Live! A Panel Discussion on Health Care(page 22)

Valley Chihuahuas Traveling Far to Find Forever Home(page 8)

FM89 Wine Tasting! Save the Date(Details inside)

All proceeds benefit Valley Public Radio

Splendorin the Glass

This is an event for adults over the age of 21. Complimentary lunch and roundtrip transportation is available from Bakersfield and Visalia. Reserve a spot by calling 800-224-8989.

Tickets $80 per person Available at kvpr.org

Live Music, Silent Auction, & Raffle

Proprietor Sponsor

3 3 r d A N N U A L

W I N E TAST I N G

SundayMay 7, 2017

3:30 to 6:30pm

LESTER ESTATEIn Fresno, on the beautiful

San Joaquin River

Over 40 Vintners Delicious Food

& Great Friends!

3March / April | 2017

March / April • 2017Volume 39, Number 2KVPR-FM 89.3KPRX-FM 89.1

FM89 offices and studios are located at2589 Alluvial, Clovis, CA 93611Business phone: (559) 862-2480Membership line: (559) 862-2475www.kvpr.org

Audiophile Magazine is published bi-monthly byWhite Ash Broadcasting, Inc., dba Valley PublicRadio. Printed by Dumont Printing.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS —Bernard C. Barmann, Vice Chairperson • Jerry Behrens • Diane Buckalew • Paul Chen, Treasurer • Dr. Jay Center • Celeste DeMonte, Secretary • Jackie Doumanian • John Gilbert • Michael Grannis • Judith L. Kuipers, PhD • Malcolm J. McDonald, MD •David Parker, Chairperson •Debrah Prewit •Mariam Stepanian, President •

DIRECTOR EMERITI —Rick Ataide • Marian Mosley • Susan Early •Dr. Troy Smith •

COMMUNITY ADVISORY COUNCIL —Lynne Ashbeck • Jefferson Beavers • Hagop T. Bedoyan • Cynthia Bruno • Bruce Gibbings • Virginia Coningsby • Dr. Bobby Eghbalieh • Jean W. Fennacy • Dr. Anna Hamre • Neal Howard • Ty Kharazi • Jeanine King • Nikiko Masumoto • Renee Mathis • Ruth Medlin • Jim Meyers • Cris Monahan Bremer • Jerry Palladino • Connie M. Parker • Ren Ramshaw • Joy Sakai • Gayle Takakjian-Gilbert • Jennifer Ward • Tina Wyneken

KERN ADVISORY COUNCIL —Gay & Ray Barney • Sue Deininger • Greg Gallion • Jessica Huang • Jerry Kleinsasser • Dr. Christopher Meyers • Carla J. Musser • Eric & Yvonne Pennestri • Thomas P. Seville • Jim Varley

STAFF —John English, Membership Manager •Joe Garcia, Development Director •Joe Moore, Director of Program Content •Patty Ramirez, Corporate Marketing •Kristina Richardson, Assistant to the GM •Ezra Romero, Reporter/Producer •Shirin Assemi, Director of Finance • Caitlin Cherry, Accounting Manager •Mariam Stepanian, President & General Manager •Don Weaver, Operations/Production Manager •Franz Weinschenk, Program Host •Announcers: Marv Allen • Vince DiCiccio • Don Fischer • Leigh Murray • Jason Scott • Mark Thomas • David Aus •Engineers: Scott Dean • Steve Mull •Jeffrey Hess, Morning Edition Reporter • Kerry Klein, Reporter • Laura Tsutsui, Intern •

A Note from the MANAGER

SIX GOLDEN MIKES AWARDED TO THE FM89 NEWS TEAM.

Late January, the news team lead by Joe Moore, and journalists Ezra David Romero, Kerry Klein and Jeffrey Hess, was awarded six Golden Mike Awards from the Radio & Television News Association of Southern California. Kerry was awarded three Golden Mikes in Division B for Best Individual Writing, Best News Reporting and Best Medical and Science Reporting. Reports covered the Fresno needle exchange program, the water situation in East Porterville, and the impact of tree die-offs on wildfire risk.

Ezra David Romero, Producer and Reporter, received two awards for Best Entertainment Reporting in Division B with his report on making mental health cool, and Best Business and Consumer Reporting in Division B, reporting on the cotton conspiracy. The Best Government and Political Reporting for Division B was awarded to Jeffrey Hess for his reports on Fresno residents and lead water contamination.

Congratulations to Joe Moore for leading the news team to state recognition. I want to add many of their reports are broadcast on NPR, nationally, California Report and on blogs. This content is yet another way to speak to life here in the San Joaquin Valley, with our journalists telling our story and making it possible for others to have a better understanding of the Valley.

Kerry Klein has also been awarded a California Health Journalism Fellowship from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism in Southern California. Kerry will join other healthcare journalists to learn more about health care reporting, and meet others who are interested in future collaborative projects.

Valley Public Radio is reaching out to the art community in search of art donations to be displayed on the walls of the station’s Education Suite. Visitors to the Education Suite will have the opportunity to view art from Valley artists, and learn about the artist and the art work selected for display. Requests will commence in March with a tentative deadline set for June. A panel of judges will make the final selections. The winners will be honored at a July reception. For details, please contact the station. We are happy to provide specifics for interested parties. Special thanks to Ginny Burdick of A Sense of Place Art Gallery, for her guidance on this collaborative project.

Be Public Live is yet another community outreach project coming March 23rd. A topic will be selected and a panel of experts will participate in a live discussion in the Barmann Chaney Performance Studio. Excerpts will be used for news reports, online, and Valley Edition. A live audience is invited to participate in the discussion.

Young Artist Spotlight with host David Aus, is heard Wednesday afternoons, live from the Barmann Chaney Performance Studio. Special thanks to Bee Barmann for her Bakersfield recruitment efforts. Students represent many of our communities in the San Joaquin Valley. It is a thrill to see the students and their families perform live to thousands of listeners. Thanks to Dr. Alice Martinson, Carole Sturgis and the Bonner Family Foundation for helping make this series possible.

Laura Tsutsui has newly joined the station as our first official intern in the new broadcast center. We are delighted to provide Laura with the experience of working with our journalists, as she gains knowledge and experience in the world of journalism. She is a Fresno State Mass Communications and Journalism student.

The station wishes Vince DiCiccio the very best as he is retiring from his regular VPR duties, following sixteen years of weekly jazz presentations. He and his wife, Barbara, are ready to pursue other interests. Don’t be surprised if you hear Vince as we present specials from the Barmann Chaney Performance Studio.

Join us for “Splendor in the Glass” at the Lester Estate on Sunday, May 7th. Wine Tasting tickets are available online, as well as a preview of silent auction items. It’s a most enjoyable Sunday afternoon on the river sipping wine, sampling appetizers, listening to music, visiting with friends, and discovering great adventures and gifts in the silent auction tent. Special thanks to Whole Foods for orchestrating the cheese selections for this year’s event. We look forward to seeing you there.

So many happenings here at Valley Public Radio, as we look to engage with the residents of our region. Thank you for helping make this new broadcast center a place to gather and engage residents who are making a difference for life in the San Joaquin Valley.

Mariam Stepanian President & General Manager

ON THE COVER: “Yosemite Falls” by Rose Tripp. Rose is a self taught artist, painting in Oil and Acrylic. Her work has been seen at the Madera Circle Gallery, The Mariposa Sierra Gallery and the Merced Arbor Gallery.

She’s always enjoyed creating art, but started painting 6 years ago when her son and daughter bought her paint, brushes and canvas for Christmas. She says she always looks forward to creating the next painting around the corner.

4

Valley Public Radio PROGRAMS

MusicFor a listing of our music selections, visit KVPR.org or contact the station.

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA The weekly broadcasts offer a unique format that includes dynamic and innovative content to illustrate the fascinating stories found inside the music, with insight from the performers themselves. Broadcasts are Tuesdays at 8pm.

CLASSICS ALL NIGHT with Peter Van De Graaff The classics come alive after dark with host Peter Van De Graaff. You’ll hear sweet and soothing selections perfectly suited for late night and early morning listening, and many of your classical favorites. Late nights & early mornings: weekdays until 3am; weekends until 5am.

CLEARLY CLASSICAL Your weekday classical companion with a mix of musical selections from the FM89 library. You’ll hear familiar favorites and rare gems. Monday thru Friday 9am-11am (except Tuesday 10am-11am) and 1pm-4pm.

CONCIERTO Classical music by Spanish and Latin American composers and performers, presented in English and Spanish. Hosted by Frank Dominguez. Saturdays at 9pm.

JAZZ NIGHT IN AMERICA Host Christian McBride takes listeners on a tour of live jazz performances from today’s top stars. Saturdays at 8pm.

NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC Recorded performances of the New York Philharmonic hosted by Alec Baldwin. Mondays at 8pm.

THE OASIS A mix of mainstream jazz, Latin & Brazilian jazz and more. Hosted live from the FM89 studios by Vince DiCiccio on Sundays from 9pm to midnight.

SUNDAY BAROQUE This program celebrates the current wealth of recorded Baroque music. Suzanne Bona hosts every Sunday from 9am to Noon.

SUNDAY NIGHT JAZZ Hosted by FM89’s David Aus with jazz classics to new recordings. Sundays from 9pm to midnight.

THE THISTLE & SHAMROCK Host Fiona Ritchie’s weekly program has become a gathering place on the radio for those that love music with Celtic roots. Sundays at 8pm.

WEEKEND CLASSICS Musical selections from FM89.

News & InformationALL THINGS CONSIDERED News magazine from NPR. Weekdays 4pm to 7pm.

(ends at 6:30 on Fridays) Weekends 5pm to 6pm.

THE CALIFORNIA REPORT This statewide newscast is heard weekday mornings at 6:50am and 7:50am. The California Report Magazine, a half-hour news magazine program, is heard Fridays at 6:30pm, with a rebroadcast Saturdays at 6:30pm.

FRESH AIR WEEKEND Hosted by Peabody Award-winning Terry Gross. Sundays at 6pm.

HERE AND NOW News and features from NPR and WBUR in Boston. Mondays through Thursdays 11am to 1pm.

LEFT, RIGHT & CENTER A fast-paced half-hour of smart, witty, and serious talk that takes on the week’s front-page issues. Now at a new time, Saturdays at 6pm.

LATINO USA Hosted by Maria Hinojosa. The only national, English language news and culture program from a Latino perspective. Saturdays at 7pm.

MORNING EDITION National and international news from NPR. Weekdays from 3am to 9am.

VALLEY EDITION Hear the issues that matter to Valley residents each week with a mix of in-depth reports, studio discussions and calls from listeners. Valley Edition airs live on Tuesdays at 9am, and is repeated Tuesdays at 7pm.

SCIENCE FRIDAY with Ira Flatow. Talk about science and the environment. Fridays 11am to 1pm.

WEEKEND EDITION The Saturday and Sunday edition of NPR’s most popular news program. Weekend mornings from 5am to 9am.

Talk & EntertainmentMILK STREET RADIO Host Christopher Kimball explores the wide world of food.

Saturdays at 4pm.

THE MOTH True stories told live, from professional and amateur storytellers based in New York. Fridays and Sundays at 7pm.

PHILOSOPHY TALK On this program hosts John Perry and Ken Taylor, “question everything except your intelligence.” This fun and thought provoking program explores philosophy and how it shapes our lives. Thursday nights at 7pm.

RADIOLAB Radiolab believes your ears are a portal to another world, where sound illuminates ideas and the boundaries blur between science, philosophy and human experience. Saturdays at noon.

TED RADIO HOUR Innovative ideas from the world’s top thinkers. Sundays at 4pm and Fridays at 8pm.

TRAVEL WITH RICK STEVES This is a weekly one-hour conversation about travel, cultures, people, and the things we find around the world that give life its extra sparkle. Saturdays at 9am.

THE THOMAS JEFFERSON HOUR Renowned Humanities scholar Clay Jenkinson, as Thomas Jefferson, explores the mind and achievements of the great President. Mondays at 7pm.

THIS AMERICAN LIFE Hosted by Ira Glass. Themed stories with a unique focus on our everyday experiences. Saturdays at 10am, Wednesdays at 7 pm.

WAIT WAIT…DON’T TELL ME! Join host Peter Sagal for this fun-filled hour of mind-stretching fun, based on the week’s news. Saturdays at 11am.

FeaturesA MOMENT IN TIME Weekdays at 4:30am.

STAR DATE Weekdays at 5:30am, 6:30am and 10:00pm.

NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO (NPR) • 1111 North Capitol St. NE • Washington, DC 20002 NPR Audience Services – (202) 513-3232 between Mon – Fri. 10 am and 5 pm (EST) • On the web at www.npr.org.

Transcripts for Morning Edition, Weekend Edition and All Things Considered from January ‘92 to present are available on Nexis (a nationwide on-line database for researchers and journalists). General correspondence may be sent to: (Specific Program Name), c/o National Public Radio, Washington, DC.

FM89 Podcasts & Live Web streaming available by visiting our website: kvpr.org


WEEKENDEDITION

WEEKENDEDITION

TRAVEL WITH RICK STEVES

THIS AMERICAN LIFE

WAIT WAIT...DON’T TELL ME

RADIOLAB

WEEKENDCLASSICS

SUNDAY BAROQUE

WEEKENDCLASSICS

ALL THINGS CONSIDERED ALL THINGS CONSIDERED

THE CALIF. REPORTLEFT RIGHT & CENTERFRESH AIR

CLASSICS ALL NIGHT

THE MOTH THE THOMAS JEFFERSON HOUR VALLEY EDITION THIS AMERICAN LIFE

CLASSICS ALL NIGHT WITH PETER VAN DE GRAAFF

PHILOSOPHY TALK THE MOTH LATINO USA

THE THISTLE & SHAMROCK


CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA



CLASSICS ALL NIGHT WITH PETER VAN DE GRAAFFSUNDAY NIGHT JAZZ

TED RADIO HOUR


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SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

THE CALIF. REPORT

MILK STREET RADIO

NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC

HERE AND NOW HERE AND NOW HERE AND NOW HERE AND NOW “SCIENCE FRIDAY”


MORNING EDITION

VALLEY EDITIONCLEARLY CLASSICAL

CLEARLY CLASSICAL

ALL THINGS CONSIDERED

JAZZ NIGHT IN AMERICA

CONCIERTO

March / April 2017 AUDIOWEEK

TED RADIO HOUR

Saroyan Theatre • Box Office • 800-745-3000 • Ticketmaster.comMARCH 20 APRIL 26 & 27

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6

The Radio Television News

Association of Southern

California has awarded Valley

Public Radio six prestigious

“Golden Mike” Awards at its

annual awards banquet in Los

Angeles. The event which took

place on January 28, 2017 at

the Universal City Hilton honors

excellence in broadcast news

production. Honorees from the

station included reporters Jeffrey

Hess, Kerry Klein, and Ezra David

Romero and ranged in categories

ranging from “Best News Reporting”

to “Best Government and Political

Reporting.” The awards are open

to broadcast radio and television

stations in the counties of Fresno,

Imperial, Inyo, Kings, Kern, Los

Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San

Bernardino, San Diego, Santa

Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Tulare

and Ventura Counties.


Valley Public Radio’s awards included the following:

BEST INDIVIDUAL WRITING (Radio, Division B)

“Political Battles in the Past, Fresno Needle Exchange Improves Lives”

– Kerry Klein

BEST NEWS REPORTING (Radio, Division B)

“With Water, One Era Ends and Another Begins in East Porterville”

– Kerry Klein

BEST ENTERTAINMENT REPORTING (Radio, Division B)

“Making Mental Health Cool: A Look Inside

Demi Lovato’s Wellness Workshops”

– Ezra David Romero

BEST BUSINESS AND CONSUMER REPORTING (Radio, Division B)

“Cotton Sheet Conspiracy Brought Down by DNA Testing”

– Ezra David Romero

BEST GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL REPORTING (Division B)

“Fresno Residents Raise Concerns about Lead In Their Water”

– Jeffrey Hess

BEST MEDICAL AND SCIENCE REPORTING

(Division B)

“Tree Die-offs Won’t Increase Wildfire Risk, Expert Says”

– Kerry Klein

8

Animal shelters in the San Joaquin Valley are inundated every year with thousands of rescued dogs, cats and even pigs. But what happens to the animals that no one seems to want? While some shelters may euthanize, others go to great lengths to keep them alive. One group of animal rescuers has found a creative solution to a supply and demand problem.

From Fresno With Love: Valley Chihuahuas Welcomed In MidwestBy Kerry Klein

Veterinarians Cindy Karsten, left, and Christy Camblor evaluate the chihuahuas in Fresno shelters and choose which will make the journey to the Midwest.

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AS HEARD ON VALLEY EDITION


It’s almost 11 p.m. in an industrial zone of south Fresno. A small back lot near highway 99 is dark except for the headlights of a van with tinted windows. Hooded figures load up the van with plastic crates. One opens the door to survey the cargo.

“Hello everybody,” she shouts, as dozens of tiny tails wag against their crates and excited barking fills the air. “The condo is ready!”

Brenda Mitchell is co-founder of Animal Compassion Team in Fresno, and she’s here with a troop of other animal shelter workers. Their cargo? Chihuahuas. They’re rescues, strays and fosters being sent off to a new life.

“So we have Lisa, Flower, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, Poochini...” says Mitchell, reading off the roster. “That’s all of them.”

Out of the thousands of animals rescued in the Fresno area each year, says Mitchell, chihuahuas wind up staying in shelters longer than practically any other breed.

“They’re not getting adopted here,” she says. “It’s one of the hardest breeds that we have to find homes for here in the Valley. Pit bulls and chihuahuas.”

So this late-night maneuvering is a solution. The dogs are being packed up and driven to San Francisco for an early-morning flight. It’s part of an ongoing program that transports unclaimed chihuahuas out of the Valley and into areas where tiny dogs are in short supply. In four years, the program has relocated over 1,400 Fresno chihuahuas. It’s a sum that wasn’t easy to reach—because their new homes are in Minnesota.

“It’s quite a production to load up 40 chihuahuas and fly them across the country,” she says, “but it’s always wonderful to load em up and see em go and then to see the happy faces on the other end from the wonderful people there.”

A shipment of around 40 chihuahuas goes out every six weeks or so. Before the dogs fly, veterinarians like Cindy Karsten from UC Davis travel to Fresno to evaluate the dogs’ temperaments and medical conditions.

“For these guys, the biggest things are their teeth, heart murmurs, knees, eyes,” she says. “We’ve got a lot of eye issues this trip.”

Karsten thought of the idea for this program when she was working in the area a few years ago.

“The whole reason it started is because I was at Clovis, and they had some chihuahuas that have been here over a year, and I was like, ‘this is insane,’” she says.

She’s from the Midwest and she knows how much people there want tiny dogs. So she founded this program with the non-profit group Compassion Without Borders. They coordinate the flights and raise the money to make it all happen. It’s cheaper than you might think—costs only include gas to and from the airport and around $60 for each dog to fly in cargo. All the labor is done by volunteers.

“It’s worth it to us, you know,” Karsten says. “I love it.”

In 2014, about 75 California chihuahuas and their families showed up at a Chihuahua “reunion” at an Animal Humane Society shelter in Golden Valley, Minnesota.

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Once the dogs reach the Midwest, Sally Thornton says Minnesotans are just clamoring for them. Thornton is with the Animal Humane Society, which distributes the arrivals to five shelters in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. She says, for most of their animals, it takes around 10-12 days to be adopted.

“But when the California chihuahuas get to the adoption floor, I would say most of the time they’re adopted within a few hours to about 3 days,” she says.

And they go home with owners like the Ludwigs.

“This is Señor Pico, this is Lovella, and this is Sally T. She was the thousandth Chihuahua that was adopted,” says Analise Ludwig, pointing to three tiny dogs snuggling with her on a blanket—something she says they love to do.

She and her husband Nic have two kids and three California chihuahuas. Ludwig says they fell so in love with their first, Pico, that they stalked the Animal Humane Society’s website for new arrivals and decided to bring home two more.

“[Nic] was even given the job of standing outside the humane society on a blistering cold day to make sure that we were the first people to get an opportunity to adopt Sally T because I had already fallen in love with her,” says Ludwig.

Brenda Mitchell and the other Fresno volunteers say knowing the dogs are going to good homes is what helps them say goodbye. And besides, by that point, it’s already time to rescue the next wave of chihuahuas.

Saint Paul, Minn. resident Nic Ludwig and his family have adopted three California chihuahuas—Pico, Lovella and Sally T.

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Poochini is one of about 1,400 dogs who’s made the journey from Fresno to the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area.

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12

Richard Nuwintore was barely three weeks into his sentence at Taft Correctional Institution when he began to cough and experience chest pain. Within a few days, it was obvious something was wrong.

“I could touch my skin and I was really hot,” Nuwintore said. “I had the coughing, the night sweat. My appetite was gone. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t swallow, and I was losing weight really, really fast.”

A diagnosis arrived after X-rays and blood tests: valley fever, a fungal disease endemic to dusty areas of California and Arizona. Kern County, where Taft is located, has the highest rate of valley fever cases of any county in California. Originally a refugee from the east African country of Burundi, Nuwintore had never heard of the disease before arriving at Taft.

“Other inmates were telling me about valley fever, and I was like, ‘What is it? What is it?’” he said. “It was something scary, you know?”

Nuwintore was a victim of climate, genetics and confinement. In 2011, when he was diagnosed, valley fever rates in Arizona and California were skyrocketing — a peak experts largely attribute to weather cycles of rain and drought. And research shows people of African-American or African descent, like Nuwintore, are more prone to the disease than Caucasians.

At that time, valley fever rates were particularly high within prisons in the Central Valley. State prisons there reported hundreds of cases and as many as nine

deaths from valley fever every year. In the hardest hit prison in 2011, 7 percent of the inmates contracted the disease. Taft is a federal prison and its health data have not been made available.

In the last few years, state prisons, at least, have made changes. They have worked harder to screen out prisoners who are the most vulnerable to the disease and to take measures to lower the risk to inmates who are incarcerated there. Between 2011 and 2015, their valley fever rates fell dramatically — close to 90 percent overall. Within that time period, valley fever became less prevalent all around, but even in the most endemic areas of the southwest, background rates fell by only 30 to 50 percent.

Health impacts last beyond prison sentence

Nuwintore came to the U.S. as a refugee in 1992. In 2011, he began a 14-month prison sentence for credit card fraud. Now, he lives on a suburban cul-de-sac outside Sacramento with his mother and girlfriend.

Years after completing his sentence, Nuwintore’s time in prison remains in his system. Twice a day, he twists open a thick bottle of itraconazole, an antifungal medication that he’ll likely take for the rest of his life. The huge pink and blue pills keep him alive, but their side effects are almost as bad as valley fever itself.

JUST ONE BREATH...

California prisons reduce risk of valley fever for inmatesBy Kerry Klein, Center for Health Journalism Collaborative

AS HEARD ON VALLEY EDITION

14

“You wake up. You have a little bit of energy, but as the day goes by you start to just feel pain in the joints,” he said. “Of course, your stomach is still on fire because the medicine is kind of powerful. And fatigue, and sometimes you get dizzy.”

Nuwintore isn’t alone. In the last decade, over 3,500 state inmates have contracted valley fever while doing time. Many still struggle to manage the disease.

Prisons take steps to reduce risk

Those improvements in state prisons did not happen quickly or easily. In fact, it took outside intervention to bring the numbers down.

Beginning in 2006, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation began excluding inmates with suppressed immune systems — due to factors such as HIV or chemotherapy — from all eight prisons in the Central Valley. But valley fever rates still spiked.

More sweeping interventions arrived in 2013. That’s when a federal receiver appointed to oversee health care in state prisons mandated that individuals from the most at-risk ethnicities — African-Americans and

Filipinos — be excluded from Avenal State Prison in Kings County and Pleasant Valley State Prison in Fresno County. Prior to that year, those two facilities each diagnosed hundreds more cases of valley fever annually than almost any other state prison.

“I think [valley fever] is one of the biggest issues that we’ve had in this system,” said Janet Mohle-Boetani, a health administrator with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. “We’re taking precautions for every prison in the Central Valley, and we’re taking extra special precautions for the two prisons that have the very high rates of valley fever.”

Those two prisons have also modified their landscaping to minimize dust, and they allow inmates to stay indoors when wind speeds are high. Inmates also are allowed to wear dust masks while they’re outside.

The biggest change arrived in 2015 on the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s a skin test called Spherusol that can detect valley fever immunity, and it’s offered to every inmate entering the state prison system. An individual who tests positive is immune.

“If they inhale the dust with the fungus in it and they’ve tested negative, they’re much more likely to get the disease than someone who has a positive test,” said Mohle-Boetani. “So if someone comes into the reception center and then they test negative, we put a medical restriction on those patients so they are not sent to live in Avenal or Pleasant Valley State Prison.”

People gain immunity after successfully fighting off the disease — and because so many people are infected without developing symptoms, many people never know


they had the disease. In a mass screening in early 2015, around 35,000 inmates in the California prison system took the test and 9 percent were shown to be immune.

The CDC recommended Spherusol to the state prison system shortly after the test became commercially available in 2014. The FDA has not actually approved of using the test for this purpose, but like other medical products, it can be used off-label.

“Given the fact that they were having such high rates of cocci, we knew that we needed to do whatever we could to try to help them lower the risk,” said Tom Chiller, chief of the Mycotic Diseases Branch at the CDC, referring to valley fever by its scientific nickname. “We immediately thought, maybe this could be used to understand which prisoners could exist in an area with the fungal spores but not get infected, or at least have an extremely low risk of getting infected.”

The CDC predicted Spherusol would prevent more valley fever cases than any other measure so far, but Chiller said it’s still too early to calculate the test’s precise impact. Sharing that opinion is Dr. John Galgiani, director of the University of Arizona’s Valley Fever Center for Excellence.

“I think they should be given credit for the drop to some extent, but it’ll take time to see if it stays low to

see if it’s because of the policies that are now put in place,” Galgiani said.

Taft, a federal prison, is a slightly different story. According to a representative from MTC, the company that runs the privately operated prison, incoming inmates are provided with information about valley fever risk, but they are not offered a Spherusol test. The representative did not reveal if at-risk inmates are relocated to other facilities.

Richard Nuwintore may not have the energy to hold down a job, but he has been keeping busy. Earlier this year, he and another Taft inmate won a landmark court case that granted inmates who contract the disease in federal prison the right to sue the U.S. government. Lawsuits have been filed against the state prison system for years.

It’s one path of recourse for Californians who do their time and come out with a life sentence.

Editor’s Note: This project results from an innovative reporting venture– the Center for Health Journalism Collaborative – which currently involves the Bakersfield Californian, Radio Bilingüe in Fresno, Valley Public Radio in Fresno and Bakersfield, Vida en el Valle in Fresno, Hanford Sentinel, the Voice of OC in Santa Ana, the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson, La Estrella de Tucsón and CenterforHealthJournalism.org. The collaborative is an initiative of the Center for Health Journalism at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

16

Day Sponsors For more information on how you can become an FM89 Day Sponsor, visit kvpr.org.

2 in celebration of John Putman Junior’s birthday, from his parents John and Maryann Putman.

4 by James R Homola, Attorney at Law, a certified criminal defense specialist serving the legal needs of Valley people for 30 years. Information is available at 559-441-7111.

8 by Diana and Eldon Marks, wishing a happy birthday to Melinda Melhoff from her family.

10 by Suzanne Meek, in celebration of her sister’s birthday. Marilyn Dianne Brownell is a retired nurse practitioner at Fresno Veteran’s Hospital and her family’s gifted geneaologist.

12 by Peter and Lynn Baldwin, in loving memory of Robin Baldwin, Papa. We will celebrate Mimi’s birthday in your honor!

13 by Christopher and Amy Milles, in celebration of Amy’s 47th birthday.

16 by Peter Golombek and David Barman with the Principal Financial Group in Visalia, providing retirement planning and insurance services to business owners and individuals.

18 by the Prochnow family, reminding listeners that March is Trisomy Awareness Month, to learn more about local support for Trisomy families go to: trilliumkids.org.

19 by Lori Wolf, in congratulations of her husband David Wolf’s swearing in as a Kern County Superior Court Judge.

20 by Realtors Ken and Carol Maul, in joyous celebration of Ken’s 75th Birthday!!

23 by Chris Hays, wishing her husband David Slater a happy 26th anniversary.

25 by Lori Wolf, to thank her best friend David Wolf for 25 magnificent years of marriage together.

30 by Fernando Fan, wishing PERMANENTE physicians serving Bakersfield Kaiser members a Happy Doctors’ Day.

30 by Bob and Kim Hansen, in celebration of their 32nd wedding anniversary.

3 by Michelle Antonell, wishing her husband, Dr. John Tolley of Bakersfield Veterinary Hospital, a Happy Birthday.

3 by Thomas J Tusan, Attorney at Law, representing injured workers in their workers’ compensation and disability retirement cases in the Central Valley for over 43 years.

8 by Peter Betts and Laurie Rude-Betts, in memory of Ben Rude, who believed in the mission of Pyles Boys Camp for At-Risk Boys, online at pylescamp.com.

12 by Carole and Peter Clum, in honor of Point Blue Conservation Science, securing healthy ecosystems for birds, other wildlife and human communities through science, partnerships and outreach. Online at pointblue.org.

17 by Karen Morais, in honor of the 100th Anniversary of Baker Peterson Franklin CPA firm’s 100th anniversary year.

19 by Suzanne Meek, in celebration of her mother’s 96th birthday. Norma Nelson Meek is a 1938 graduate of Clovis High School, a current docent at the Clovis Muse4um, and a wonder to her family.

Valley Public Radio Community Artwork Project

Valley Public Radio is seeking donated two-dimensional art from artists living and working in the Central Valley. The subject matter for the artwork must be representative of the Central

Valley – the people, places, and things that make our Valley unique. Chosen art will adorn the walls of the Educational Conference Suite

in the new station facility. A panel of judges will determine the winning artwork.

For more information, visit kvpr.org and go to “Community Artwork Project” in the

“Membership and Events” menu.


Program SPOTLIGHT

Loyal FM89 listeners may have noticed a new voice behind the station’s long-running jazz programming on Sunday nights. FM89’s David Aus, who has been with the station for the past two years as a classical announcer is the new host of the Sunday Night Jazz program, which can be heard from 9:00 PM – Midnight on Sundays.

Aus replaces the retiring Vince DiCiccio who left the station at the end of the 2016. FM89’s Director of Program Content Joe Moore says the switch from “The Oasis” is made easier by the talent and experience of new host David Aus.

“Vince is a truly unique talent and there’s no replacing his own personal style, but we are very fortunate to have a talented host like David ready to step in and help this program grow for the future. We thank Vince for his many years of service to the station and most importantly our listeners. We wish he and his wife Barbara the best as they travel and enjoy retirement.”

In addition to his work at FM89, Aus is a professional jazz musician, composer and educator. Prior to joining Valley Public Radio he spent nearly a decade on the air as a jazz host on another radio station. This year, he is also serving as the host of FM89’s popular program “Young Artists Spotlight.”

David Aus Assumes Host

Duties For “Sunday Night

Jazz”

18

Special thanks to our volunteers:

Leigh Murray

Celeste De Monte

Mark Thomas

Jim Ashford

Laurel Barton

Sean Boyd

Kathi Carrle

Dr. Jay Center

Dr. Rod Coburn

Jim & Diane Durando

Barry Falke

Mike Grannis

Karana Hattersley-Drayton

Chris Hays

Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval

Dr. Judith Kuipers

Ren Ramshaw

Kiah Tiftick

Dave Tyckoson

Jefferson Beavers

Paul Betancourt

Lorraine Christiansen

Lori Clune

Denise Fletcher

Ty Kharazi

Jim Meyers

David Parker

Jennifer Ward

Beth Van Voorhis-Kuney

Jeanie Borba

Isaac Antonio

Deanna Bailey

Virginia Coningsby

Francesca Eidson

Pat Foster

Marty Frantz

Sue Goldman

Steve Guinn

Neal Howard

Kathy Long-Pence

Deborah “Debbie” Osborne

Gerald Palladino

Eric & Yvonne Pennestri

Judith Swick

Gayle Takakjian-Gilbert

Margaret Tynan

Jim Varley

Keri Bourzac

Veronica Bynum

Dede Case

McKenna Friend-Hoffman

Christopher Gu

Rosa Maria Henry

Bill Lewis

Sally Selby

Marie Slater

Alexandra Williams

Thank You!To all of those who contributed during our #InformAndInspire January Membership Campaign! You raised more than $139,000 to support the programs you love.


And our Challenge grant providers:

Alfonso Hernandez

Anonymous

Bea & Kevin Olsen

Beverly & Robert Tomasevich, RDT Architecture

Carol Johnson

Dean Smith

Dr. Ivy Darden

Dr. Jay Center

Dr. Kimberly Dougherty

Dr. Tim Bourne

Eric & Yvonne Pennestri

George & Nancy Whitmore

Heidi He and the staff of Comprehensive Pulmonary and Critical Care Associates in Bakersfield.

Hugh & Jennifer Williamson

James Hering

Jason Leal

Jerry Behrens & Maile Sherman

John & Gayle Gilbert

John Spolsdoff

Kathryn & Herman Wage

Kiko La Rue

Maricopa Orchards

Mary Hazzard

Robert & Betsy Sullivan

Sharon Hanley

Sierra Imaging Associates

Susan Moran

The Skjellerup Family

FM89 Vehicle Donors

Yarra Kharazi Clason & Aniotzbehere

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Community CALENDAR

Events/Exhibits

9 25th Annual Parties for the Parkway Kickoff Party Clovis Veterans Memorial District Building, 808 4th Street, Clovis . . . . . . . . . . . .riverparkway.org

11-12 Wind Wolves Preserve’s 4th Annual Nature Festival 16019 Maricopa Hwy, Bakersfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . wildlandsconservancy.org

Theatre/Dance

10 Thru 4/1 Always…Patsy Cline Stars Theatre Restaurant, 1931 Chester Avenue, Bakersfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . bmtstars.com

16 Thru 5/14 Peter and the Starcatcher Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater, 1226 N. Wishon Avenue, Fresno . . . . . . . . . . . . rogerrockas.com

17 Thru 4/1 Tollberry Theater: Hello Dolly! Sierra High School Presentation Center, 33326 Lodge Rd., Tollhouse . . . . tollberrytheater.weebly.com

4 Lively Arts Foundation: Dance Theatre of Harlem William Saroyan Theatre, 700 M Street, Fresno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . livelyarts.org

Music

1 Philip Lorenz Memorial Keyboard Concerts: Seong-Jin Cho Fresno State Concert Hall, 2380 E. Keats Avenue, Fresno . . . . . . . . . . . . keyboardconcerts.com

11 Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra: Mozart in the Jungle Rabobank Theater, 1001 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . bsonow.org

11 Tulare County Symphony: Great Movies, Great Music, Oscar Winners Visalia Fox Theatre, 308 W. Main Street, Visalia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tularecountysymphony.com

12 Fresno Grand Opera: Broadway on Van Ness! The Big Red Church, 2131 Van Ness Blvd., Fresno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . fresnograndopera.org

19 Fresno Philharmonic: Tchaikovsky Fifth William Saroyan Theatre, 700 M Street, Fresno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . fresnophil.org

23 Pacific Artist Series V: Impetus Percussion Quartet McDonald Hall Atrium, Fresno Pacific University, 1717 S. Chestnut Ave. . . . . . . . . fresno.edu/events

Events/Exhibits

8 Air Pollution & Climate Change Symposium UCSF Fresno Center for Medical Education and Research, 155 N. Fresno Street, Fresno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . fresno.ucsf.edu/center

18 31st Annual Charles W. Kegley Memorial Lecture: Mira Sorvino Doré Theatre, 9001 Stockdale Hwy, Bakersfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . csub.edu/kie

27-29 Theatre in the Garden: The Very Ecstasy of Love Bakersfield Museum of Art, 1930 R Street, Bakersfield. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . bmoa.org

29 18th Annual Men Who Cook Fresno Art Museum, 2233 N. First Street, Fresno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . fresnoartmuseum.org

29 Spring Fling on the Kings 2017 Lapp River House, Sanger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . kingsriverconservancy.org.org


Theatre/Dance

1 Fresno Ballet Theatre: Cinderella William Saroyan Theatre, 700 M Street, Fresno . . . . . . . . . . . . . valleyperformingartscouncil.org

26-27 Broadway in Fresno: The Illusionists William Saroyan Theatre, 700 M Street, Fresno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . broadwayinfresno.com

Music

2 Kings Symphony Orchestra: Young Artist Spring Concert Hanford High Presentation Center, 120 E. Grangeville Blvd., Hanford . . . . . . . . kingssymphony.org

7 Philip Lorenz Memorial Keyboard Concerts: Rafał Blechacz Fresno State Concert Hall, 2380 E. Keats Avenue, Fresno . . . . . . . . . . . . keyboardconcerts.com

8 Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra: Don’t Cry for Me Rabobank Theater, 1001 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . bsonow.org

9 Fresno Philharmonic: Stravinsky Firebird William Saroyan Theatre, 700 M Street, Fresno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . fresnophil.org

9 Bakersfield Community Concert Association: Alina Kiryayeva Harvey Auditorium, 1415 G Street, Bakersfield. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .bakersfieldcca.org

28-29 31st Annual Bakersfield Jazz Festival CSUB Amphitheatre, 9083 Stockdale Hwy, Bakersfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . bakersfieldjazzfest.com

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1820 E. McKINLEY • East of Blackstone • 445-0206

Valley Remnants & Rolls

Se Habla Español

All the name brands you admire and trust!

G A L L E R Y

Hardwood HeavenPlease visit our huge, all-new

Memorial GiftsIn memory of James Richardson

By Mariam Stepanian & John Thoens

In memory of Mary Jean DelozierBy Dawn Delozier

In memory of Dave FosterBy Pat Foster

Be Public Live Event“What’s Next: A Look At Health

Care In the Valley After The Affordable Care Act”

Thursday March 23 – 7:00 PM

Valley Public Radio’s Barmann Chaney Performance Studio

2589 Alluvial Ave Clovis, CA 93611

Join Valley Public Radio for the first event in our series of community gatherings called “Be Public: Live.” This new series of panel discussions about important issues in the region will be hosted at Valley Public Radio’s new broadcast center in Clovis. The initial event takes place Thursday March 23rd at 7:00 PM and will feature a discussion with local health care leaders surrounding the future of health care in the valley.

The event will ask a number of questions: With major changes likely coming to the nation’s health care system, what are local leaders doing now to prepare? How much has the system of care and coverage changed - for better or for worse - since the passage of the ACA in 2009? And what sorts of changes would make the most sense to ensure the health of residents in the valley?

The panel will be led by Valley Public Radio’s news team and feature thoughtful discussion and audience questions. Get updates about the events, including panelists and related coverage online at kvpr.org/programs/be-public-live

The event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited and RSVPs are required. To reserve your seat email [email protected].


A Sense of Place Fine Art

Aegis Groundwater Consulting

Aporjon Leather & Luggage

Arts Consortium

Bakersfield Master Chorale

Bakersfield Museum of Art

Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra

Barbich Hooper King Dill Hoffman Accountancy Corporation

Bertha and John Garabedian Charitable Foundation

Bonner Family Foundation

The Bridge Church

California Bank & Trust

California Health Sciences University

California Society of CPAs

Carden School of Fresno

Cenergy Power

Center for Agricultural Business at Fresno State

Central Distributing

Central Valley Toxicology

Paul C. Chen Accountancy Corporation

Clovis Community College

Colibri Ecological Consulting

Crazy Squirrel Game Store

CSU Bakersfield, Kegley Institute of Ethics

DeMera DeMera Cameron LLP

Dr. Thomas & Cynthia Downing

Dukes Concert Series

Dumont Printing

E. Nakamichi Foundation

Educational Employees Credit Union

Babak Eghbalieh, MD; University Surgical Associates

Emporium Presents

Festival Mozaic

First Congregational Church

Fresno Dermatology Specialists, Dr. Carlos Paz

Fresno First Bank

Fresno Home Shows

Fresno Master Chorale

Fresno Metro Ministry

Fresno Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Center

Fresno Philharmonic

Fresno State, College of Arts and Humanities

Fresno State, Craig School of Business MBA Program

Gilmore, Magness, Leifer

Golden One Credit Union

Granville Homes

Haron Jaguar & Land Rover

Hedrick’s Chevrolet

Islamic Cultural Center of Fresno

Kaweah Delta Healthcare District

Kern County Library

Kern Medical Center

Kings Symphony Orchestra

Dr. John Kirby & Dr. John Edwards

Klein, Denatale, Goldner, Cooper, Rosenlieb & Kimball, LLP

La Boulangerie

Lerandeau and Lerandeau LLP

MagicSpace Entertainment

Maricopa Orchards

Maserati of Bakersfield

Charles McMurray Company

MB Technology

Miles, Sears & Eanni

Dr. Adam Brant & Dr. Ali Najafi

Neurosurgical Associates

Paint Care CA

The Painted Table

Parker, Kern, Nard & Wenzel

Petunia's Place

Price, Paige & Company

Rabobank, N.A.

RDT Architecture & Interior Design

Regency Investment Advisors

San Joaquin Community Hospital

San Joaquin Valley Rehabilitation Hospital

San Joaquin Valley Town Hall

Save Mart Center

Sierra Nut House & Wine Bar

State Center Community College District

Tower Theatre

Dr. Peter Truong, FACES

Tulare Symphony Orchestra

Tuolumne River Trust

United Security Bank

University High School

Valley Air District

Valley Children’s Healthcare

Valley Remnants and Rolls

Van Beurden Insurance Services, Inc.

Vina Robles

West Coast Mennonite Relief Sale

Whelan Financial

Whitie's Pets

Worklogic HR

Yarra, Kharazi & Clason

Zumwalt Construction

Valley Public Radio CORPORATE PARTNERS

Non-Profit Org.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDFresno, CA

Permit No. 785

PRESALE INTEREST LIST AT

DeauvilleEast.com

R.E.License #01258537 | Contractor License #586845

SPRING 2017

FM89 • KVPR • KPRX

White Ash Broadcasting, Inc.2589 Alluvial

Clovis, CA 93611

mar / apr • 2017 - public...

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