Issues & Ideas

San Luis Obispo is changing the way it elects city council members. A whitepaper out of UCSB argues PG&E is overcharging ratepayers. We wrap up with winemakers from Turley Cellars and Radial Estate.

On today’s program, we hear from the new head of a local group that works to address food insecurity on the Central Coast… Wine Country producer Mira Honeycutt sits down with Alma Rosa Winery's Samra Morris to talk about winemaking on the Central Coast... and Father Ian takes listeners to a stunning fruit ranch and wedding venue for a look at seasonal pears in his segment, Playing with Food.

This week, we explore how music, storytelling, and environmental leadership are bringing our communities together. First, we’ll hear from the Master Chorale’s Outreach Committee about the power of choral music to connect people and inspire participation. Next, local author Chris Blake shares his journey of searching for meaning and connection in his new book, Searching for a God to Love. And final...

Brian Reynolds chats with Carroll Leslie, owner of Volumes of Pleasure, about the rich history of the independent bookstore that has been serving Los Osos for over 50 years. Then, for Wine Country, Mira Honeycutt visits with vintner Rajat Parr at his Parr Collective winery in Cambria.

Gianna Patchen is back with People and the Planet. This week she speaks with Kara Woodruff, a member of the Diablo Canyon decommissioning panel and the policy advisor to Senator John Laird. Then Carol Tangeman meets with Bob Revel of the Morro Bay Bird Festival. And our news correspondent, Natalia Young, talks with the SLO County Food Bank about the recent government shutdowns and how the food ban...

Halloween’s around the corner, and things are getting spooky at the SLO Film Center. David McAbee talks with Skye McLennan about what’s creeping onto the screen at The Palm Theater, just in time for Halloween. Then, Father Ian’s back with Playing with Food. This week, he’s going nuts for beans as he learns about legumes. And finally, David McAbee speaks with Melisa Beveridge of Woolleybear Travels...

David McAbee sits down with Carlos and Kyle Plummer of the SLO Film Society. With the Film Expo coming up in November and a fundraising night at The Bay Theater, they’ve got a lot happening, both on screen and behind the scenes. Then, Dr. Consuelo Meux is back with The Nonprofit Story. This week, it’s all things library as she talks with Juliane McAdam, President of the SLO Library Foundation, and...

David McAbee sits with Bob Whiteford, one of the owners of Insomniac Video, to talk about the rise, and eventual fall, of the beloved video store and how he’s now teaming up with The Palm Theatre to bring back a little movie magic through Insomniac Secret Cinema. Then, Gianna Patchen returns with another edition of People and the Planet. She speaks with Sandy Alesworth and Steph Wald about the Poi...

David McAbee sits down with Jordan Chesnut, executive director of the SLO County Arts Council, to talk about National Arts and Humanities Month. She also shares the data from the 2025 Arts and Culture Economic Impact Report. It’s art, passion, and data, all coming together. Then Rosie Boultman has a conversation with Christina Dawson from SLO County UndocuSupport, sharing how they’re helping longt...

Father Ian plays with permaculture. Gianna Patchen speaks with the SLO Climate Coalition about local climate solutions and how you can save money by electrifying your home. Author Tom Bowman talks about his new book, "What if Solving the Climate Crisis is Simple?"

This week on Issues and Ideas, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of KCBX. Hear from the Waddell Family, KCBX leaders Frank Lanzone Jr. and Chris McBride, journalist Ailsa Chang, and Linnaea, the beloved longtime café owner on the Central Coast.

It's all things writing and creativity on Issues and Ideas. First we sit down with Meagan Friberg of The Central Coast Writers Conference. Then, we speak with author and poet, Luke Johnson. Finally, how about wine and movies under the stars with The Paso Picture Show?

Tom Wilmer explores where you can find some of the best food, hotels and wine on the Central Coast.

Wine Country's Mira Honeycutt explores the fascinating world of chillable reds. Then Celeste Geary's guests from the Cal Poly Cat Program share unexpected insights about cat adoption and finding a good, furry match. Lastly, we'll revisit a favorite conversation from January 2025 when San Luis Obispo County Poet Laureate Caleb Nichols interviewed California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick.

We start this episode with The Nonprofit Story with Dr. Consuelo Meux, where she speaks with Garry Peterson from the nonprofit Shower the People about the impact that showers have on the lives of the homeless community on the Central Coast. Then, for Wine Country, journalist and author Mira Honeycutt talks to James and Manoli Boutzoukas of Boutz Cellars about Greek wines and the importance of heri...

For Playing with Food, KCBX's Fr. Ian Delinger travels to southern San Luis Obispo County to talk to algae farmers and find out how one particular algae—Spirulina—is made, and why it is considered a complete health food. Then, KCBX's Meher Ali is in conversation with poet and activist Dian Sousa about poetry, the necessity of work, her immigrant parents and their love of the sea, on The Lonely Goa...

For Bookwaves, Brian Reynolds speaks with local author and musician Kevin Carver, about his debut fantasy novel “The Forbidden Parallel“ that he has released alongside an album of the same name. Also, for The Nonprofit Story, Dr. Consuelo Meux talks with Candace Galli, Executive Director of the Cancer Support Community, about the reason why her nonprofit prioritizes mental health support for cance...

Every summer in venues throughout San Luis Obispo County, Festival Mozaic presents chamber music, orchestral music, and some non-classical genres such as folk, bluegrass, world music and more. The festival presents free community concerts, ticketed concerts, educational opportunities, and even a children's concert. Listen as Marisa Waddell talks with Festival Mozaic Music Director Scott Yoo about...

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 w...

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 t...