Rhonda McBride

  There’s a growing number of music festivals that mix up jazz and classics. But at the Juneau Jazz and Classics Festival, the silos were broken down long ago. On this Friday’s Juneau Afternoon, a sampling of some of the musical adventures in store for this year’s fall festival. Also on this program: The Juneau…

Part 1: Juneau Jazz and Classics Fall Festival overview.

Guests: Juneau Jazz and Classics — Sandy Fortier, executive director. Rachel Disney, operations assistant.
The Juneau Jazz and Classics festival not only draws artists from different musical disciplines but often has them performing in the same concert or playing together. The headliners are for this year’s fall festival are: Matt Herskowitz, a classically trained pianist with a passion for jazz. Shelly Watson, an opera and cabaret singer, who works…

Part 2: Juneau Public Library’s bookmark design contest now accepting entries.

Guests: John Thill, Juneau Public Library Director.
    Every fall, kids in Juneau design bookmarks in hopes that theirs will be among the winning entries, printed up and distributed at the public library. There’s even a gallery of winners that goes back more than 40 years on the library’s website. Entries will be accepted from September 15-October 15.

Part 3: Juneau Audubon Society: Why Pelagic Cormorants stay through the winter.

Guests: Brenda Wright, Juneau Audubon Society programs manager.
      You’ll see Pelagic Cormorants perched on rocks along the shoreline. Sleek, with black, iridescent plumage during mating season. And to the delight of Juneau birdwatchers, they stick around through the winter. Brenda Wright shares her observations from the field.

  Next month, Perseverance Theatre will bring the world premiere of Where the Summit Meets the Stars to the stage — a play written by Frank Katasse  — that pulses with Lingít music, dance and culture. Katasse  also directs the play, and on this Thursday’s Juneau Afternoon, he’ll talk about how he came up with…

Part 1: Where the Summit Meets the Stars breaks new ground for Alaska Native theatre.

Guests: Frank Henry Katasse, Writer and director. Actors: Jake Waid and Erin Tripp
Frank Katasse, who wrote Where the Summit Meets the Stars, explains all the moving parts in his play — how it showcases the talents of Lingít actors. musicians and dancers. In all his years of theatre, Katasse says bringing this play to the stage is probably one of the most important things he’s done. One…

Part 2: Sharing Our Knowledge Conference: How to watch the presentations online.

Guests: Conference organizers: Joaqlin Estus, Jim LaBelle and Peter Metcalfe.
  The name for this biennial gathering of Lingít, Haida and Tsimshian tribes and clans is simply, “Sharing Our Knowledge.” Since 1993, it’s lived up to its name by sharing videos and other materials from the presentations. During the conference in Wrangell this September, more than 40 videos were produced and are available online at…

From indie rock to hip hop, Ben Love makes music just about everywhere he goes. On the prairies of North Dakota. Across Canada. On The beaches of Southeast Alaska. Even inside a glacier. On this Wednesday’s Juneau Afternoon, Love will talk about his band, LoveStroke, which is releasing a new recording this week called Encephal…

Part 1: Ben Love: Using music to tell stories.

Guests: Ben Love, musical artist.
Ben Love talks about how composing and performing music is an important outlet for him, that he uses to fight depression. He says his music is also a way to tell stories, which he does in his new EP, Enchephal Wealth.

Part 2: Juneau Police: Changing seasons means changing road conditions.

Guests: Lt. Krag Cambell, Juneau Police Department.
As the days grow darker, colder and wetter, so does the danger on Juneau Roads.  And while it’s hard to switch to the winter driving mode,  Lt. Krag Campbell with the Juneau Police Department says there are some ways to prepare.  

Part 3: Juneau League of Women Voters hosts candidates forum.

Guests: Kirsa Hughes-Skandijs, President, Juneau League of Women Voters.
Even though the October 4th Municipal Election is just a few weeks away,  for many voters, it’s not on their radar screens just yet. But on Wednesday night,  the Juneau League of Women Voters is hosting a forum, so voters can get to know the candidates for assembly and school board, as well as learn…

Part 4: Juneau fall community clean-up.

Guests: Debbie Hart Southeast Alaska Fish Habitat Partnership. Raechel Juzeler, Ratchet Construction and Makerspace. Ryan Lange, Alaskan Brewing Company.
As the saying goes, many hands make light work. That’s the spirit behind this Saturday’s community clean-up campaign.  Several organizations in Juneau have teamed-up to draw as much support as possible.  

Steve Haycox never gets tired of writing about Alaska history. It’s a state with many a political page-turner. And Mary Peltola’s swearing-in ceremony in Washington D.C.  on Tuesday afternoon was just another example. Peltola won the race in August to fill the remainder of the late Congressman Don Young’s term. On Juneau Afternoon, Haycox reflects…

Part 1: Steve Haycox: The curious history of Alaska’s U.S. House seat.

Guests: Steve Haycox, author, historian and professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage.
Alaska’s lone U.S. House Seat has a history has, well, quite a history. The first time the late Congressman Don Young ran for office in 1972, he was actually beaten by Nick Begich, a Democrat, who died in a plane crash just before the election — so Young got the job by default, one that…

Part 2: Joni Mitchell retrospective concert, a longtime dream of Teri Tibbett.

Guests: Teri Tibbett, Juneau singer-songwriter.
  For years, Teri Tibbett wanted to get a group of singers together to do a concert featuring Joni Mitchell songs. At the Crystal Saloon in Juneau this week, that dream will finally come true. Tibbett says, as an aspiring singer and performer in the 1960’s, Mitchell was a role model for her, because there…

Part 3: Crystal Saloon holds Juneau’s first Babefest concert series.

Guests: Taylor Vidic, Crystal Saloon stage and marketing manager. June Bunch, singer-songwriter.
Juneau’s first Babefest, which features four nights of feminine focused entertainment, includes a Joni Mitchell retrospective, a “Babes and their Ballads” concert, a performance of “The Vagina Monologues”  and an open mic and market night, with local artisans selling their wares.      

Part 4: Why Trail Mix and the Juneau Park Foundation support Propositions 2 and 3.

Guests: Ryan O’Shaughnessy, Executive Director Trail Mix, Inc. John Pugh, Juneau Park Foundation board member.
On October 4th, Juneau voters will asked to approve $6.6 million in spending to upgrade Juneau’s parks and trail systems, as well as extend a temporary one percent sales tax. which would also include money for trail improvements. Why Trail Mix and the Juneau Parks Foundation supports both ballot measures. Editors note: Organizations with other…

As summer fades and fall begins, Juneau’s favorite evening pastimes return in full force. On this Friday’s Juneau Afternoon, a preview of Mudrooms’ new season of storytelling – seven true tales, told in seven minutes on the second Tuesday of each month, from September to April. Also on this program: Evening at Egan presentations get…

On this Thursday’s Juneau Afternoon, travel back in time to Alaska’s Territorial Days – a time when mental illness was considered a crime in Alaska, when adults were convicted of insanity and children were labeled as “defectives” — then sent away to Morningside Hospital in Portland, escorted by Federal marshals. Some were lost to their…

If you’ve been infected with COVID-19, how long should you wait to get a vaccine booster shot?  What versions of the virus does the new vaccine protect against?  Where can you get the updated booster shot? On this Wednesday’s Juneau Afternoon, the answers to those questions and an update on the prevalence of the virus…

Part 1: New COVID booster shot availability in Juneau.

Guests: Robert Barr, Deputy City Manager, City and Borough of Juneau.
Although the urgency is not the same as it was in the beginning of the pandemic, the City and Borough of Juneau still maintains that the need for protection from COVID-19 still exists.

Part 2: Juneau Arts and Humanities Council: Recognizes artists, businesses and supporters of the arts.

Guests: Reggie Schapp, Operations Manager. Kathleen Harper, Centennial Hall Manager.
In honor Kathy Kulkhorst Ruddy, a lover and supporter of the arts, the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council recognizes artists, local businesses and patrons of the arts each year.  This year the following people will be recognized Bing Carrillo, Patron of the Arts  Melissa Leeanne Bakes, Inspiration and Innovation in the Arts.  Michael Bucy, Arts…

Part 3: Gigi Monroe: Champagne Brunch drag shows.

Guests: Gigi Monroe, Drag show producer and performer.
Gigi Monroe, one of Juneau’s favorite drag queens, talks about her upcoming monthly series of drag shows that include a champagne brunch,

  The Sharing Our Knowledge Conference gets underway this week in Wrangell – a gathering that explores the culture, history and languages of Lingít, Haida and Tsimshian tribes and clans. The first symposium was held almost 30 years ago in Haines, the brainchild of the late Andrew Hope III, who envisioned an exchange of information…

  Alaska’s labor unions say there’s a lot to reflect upon this Labor Day holiday – especially union members, who worked in service jobs during the pandemic and put themselves at risk, while others were able to work from home. On this Thursday’s Juneau Afternoon, a look at Labor Day as a time to recognize…

Part 1: Unions celebrate Labor Day in Juneau at Sandy Beach.

Guests: Miguel Rohrbacher, political organizer for the Alaska Public Employees Association. Trenton English, the coordinator of the Juneau Central Labor Council.
Some of the things the Juneau Central Labor Council wants to highlight on Labor Day: Sacrifices of union workers in high risk jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. How the high percentage of union workers in Juneau also benefits non-union workers and the overall economy. Public service role in the community.

Part 2: Quinton Woolman Morgan plays songs from his new CD, Blue Stone Middle of Nothing

Guests: Quinton Woolman Morgan, Juneau singer and songwriter.
  Quinton Woolman Morgan works on a cabin crew for the US Forest Service but has another life as a singer-songwriter. He says his new recording, Blue Stone Middle of Nothing, was released in January. He says this collection of songs was mostly written in Juneau and also features local musicians.

Part 3: Juneau Artists Gallery August exhibit: Wearable art from Christine Kleinhenz.

Guests: Christine Kleinhenz, Artist.
  Mini paintings and nature scenes, inspired by Southeast Alaska scenery are Christine Kleinhenz’ stock and trade. In this conversation with Andy Kline, she talks about her exhibit this month at the Juneau Artists Gallery which features “wearable art” — in which she’s incorporated her painting into a line of jewelry.

Part 4: Juneau Harvest Fair celebrates 28 years of gardening.

Guests: Ed Buyarski, Master Gardener.
  Every year, the Juneau Community Garden Association holds a Harvest Fair at the community garden on Montana Creek Road, land the City and Borough of Juneau has made available for gardening, education and charitable uses. Eight prizes are awarded in four categories: Most unique, most traditional, best Alaskan theme and best use of recycled…

  Heading into Alaska’s special election for U.S. House, there were so many unknowns. Would voters, who ranked Republican Nick Begich as their first choice, cross party lines for their second choice candidate – or would those votes go to fellow Republican, Sarah Palin? And how many voters would choose not to select a second…