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Friday, March 25, 2022: Benny Benson, Alaska flag designer: Setting the record straight. Rescuing entangled whales.

Not everything in the history books is true. Michael Livingston says research into Benny Benson, the boy who designed Alaska’s flag, is a case in point. Livingston worked with a team of family tree researchers and historians to investigate discrepancies in the record. Now almost a century later, Benson’s date of birth, his parentage and…

Part 1: Benny Benson: Tracking down the truth about Alaska flag designer.

Guests: Michael Livingston, Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association.
For most of his life, Michael Livingston has worked in law enforcement. But after he went to work for the Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association on cultural and historical projects, his investigative skills came in handy. Livingston spearheaded a decade-long effort to unearth the truth about Benny Benson, the student who designed Alaska’s flag. The detective…

Part 2: Benny Benson: Alaska flag designer had a life of ups and downs and many surprises.

Guests: Michael Livingston, Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association.
Michael Livingston peels away layers of history to get to the heart of a story about a boy, who spent almost of all his childhood in a series of orphanages — but at the age of fourteen went on to design what is considered one of the most beautiful state flags in America.  

Humpback whale entangled in commercial lobster gear, sighted off San Diego in 2015 (photographed under NOAA permit #: 18786) (Photo courtesy NOAA Fisheries)

Part 3: Whales in distress from entanglements.

Guests: Sadie Wright, Protected Species Biologist, NOAA.
Rescuing whales that get entangled in fishing gear is a growing problem in Southeast Alaska and likely underreported. Based on research which counts their scars, scientists say more than half are marked by scars from entanglement. Sadie Wright, who coordinates whale rescues for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, says more help is needed from…

Thursday, March 24, 2022: The basics of Black hair: What you didn’t know…

This week’s “Culture Rich Conversations” from the Black Awareness Association of Juneau will probably make you feel perplexed and amazed at the same time. Sherry, Christina Michelle and Kelli Patterson openly share their “hair journeys” and dish on why Black hair is one of the most challenging and expensive types of hair to style. The…

This week’s Culture Rich Conversation: The trials and tribulations of Black hair

From the impact of Juneau’s damp climate on their hair —  to having to schedule a flight out of Juneau to see a stylist who knows how to work with Black hair — Christina Michelle, Sherry and Kelli Patterson explain the challenges they face on a regular basis dealing with their hair and why it’s…

Tuesday, March 22, 2022: JAMM offers community-wide ukulele class. 49 Writers panel to reflect on Joy Harjo’s American Sunrise. Skagway magician raises money for SEAGLA..

The ukulele is small, fun and child-friendly, an instrument the Juneau Alaska Music Matters group hopes to use to get the whole town strumming. On Tuesday’s Juneau Afternoon, grab a uke and strum along for a little taste of what will be taught in a new class for JAMM students and families, which is also…

Part 1: JAMM’in on the ukulele: Family lessons, family fun.

Guests: Meghan Johnson, JAMM Executive Director. Stephanie McDermott, JAMM strings teacher. Jemima Verabasaga, JAMM teaching assistant.
In the Juneau Alaska Music Matters program, you’re never too young or never too old to play the ukulele. That’s why JAMM is offering free virtual family classes via Zoom, starting on March 29th on Tuesdays from 5:00-5:45 p.m. To register, email juneaujamm@gmail.com. Listen to the discussion about the upcoming class and hear Jemina Verebasaga…

Part 2: 49 Writers group reflects on the poetry of Joy Harjo.

Guests: Katie Bausler, 49 Writers Vice President. Shaelene Moler and Olive Brend, UAS students.
It’s no coincidence that Joy Harjo’s collection of poems, An American Sunrise, is one of the most talked about books in Juneau. The public library system featured it in this year’s Big Read program, in part because Harjo is America’s poet laureate, as well as the first Native American to hold that distinction. Her poetry…

Part 3: The mind meddling magic of Skagway’s Andrew Nadon.

Guests: Andrew Nadon, Skagway music teacher, magician and entertainer.to
Andrew Nadon combines magic and mind reading in his act, which he will perform at a fundraiser this Friday, March 25th for SEAGLA, an organization which represents the LGBTQ+ community in Southeast Alaska. Tickets are available through the  Juneau Arts and Humanities Council.   

Friday, March 18, 2022: Southeast Hummingbirds: Tiny, tough and talkative. High school track and field fundraiser. Lichen, a new arts publication. Jensen-Olson Arboretum’s “Art in the Garden” project.

For almost a decade, Gwen Baluss has banded hummingbirds that migrate to Alaska. And while she’s made a number of discoveries, there are still some unsolved mysteries. On this Friday’s Juneau Afternoon, she’ll share some of her research. Also on this show: A high school track and field team fundraiser. Lichen, a new publication featuring…

Part 1: Local hummingbird research

Guests: Gwen Baluss, Wildlife technician and hummingbird researcher.
Hummingbirds are commonplace during Juneau summers, but have unusual capabilities that science is only beginning to appreciate.

Part 2: JDHS: Yadaa at. Kalé Track & Field team

Guests: Zack Bursell, assistant coach. Celia Wheeler and McKenna McNutt, team captains.
The Yadaa at. Kalé track and field team at the Juneau Douglas High School is gearing up for a new season, free from a lot of the restrictions imposed during the pandemic. The team is also planning a fundraiser, with a showing of the documentary. Alaskan Nets. on Friday, March 25th @ 7:00 p.m. Visit…

Part 3: Lichen publication launches on March 20th, Spring Equinox.

Guests: Gabe Donohoe, founder of Lichen
Juneau arts and culture fans can look forward to  Lichen, a quarterly publication. March 20th, the Spring Equinox, is when the first edition of Lichen comes out.

Part 4: Art in the Garden show to mark 15th anniversary at Jensen-Olson Arboretum,

Guests: Patricia White, Friends of the Jensen-Olson Arboretum.
Friends of the Jensen-Olson Arboretum are asking local artists to help them celebrate the arboretum’s 15th year.  

Friday, March 11, 2022: Juneau Girl Scout cookie sales. Southeast Master Gardeners Weedy Wednesday. Fly fishing along the Juneau road system.

What is Juneau’s favorite Girl Scout Cookie? Thin Mints? Samoas? Or, Tagalongs?  And what does the newest cookie, the Adventureful, taste like? Have you ever wondered what Girl Scouts do with all the money they raise and how much stays here locally? Some of the questions that will be answered on this Friday’s Juneau Afternoon.…

Part 1: Foodie Friday: Juneau Girl Scout cookie sales.

Guests: Kimberly Vaughan, Juneau Girl Scout Service Unit Cookie Manager and Hanna Rising, Brownie.
Whether you’re the Juneau Girl Scout cookie sales manager, a volunteer job by the way, or a 9-year-old Brownie, there’s a lot more to Girl Scout cookie sales than you might think.

Part 2: Get ready for spring planting with Weedy Wednesday.

Guests: Corinne Conlon, President of the Southeast Master Gardeners Association
Weedy Wednesday, a series of brown bag luncheons, Zoom-style, will get underway on Wednesday, March 16th.  Each program includes a short presentation and a  question and answer session with Master Gardeners like Corinne Conlon, who love to share their knowledge.  On Friday’s Juneau Afternoon, Conlon got into the spirit of  Foodie Friday and offered up…

Part 3: Fireside Lecture on Fly Fishing

Guests: Brad Elfers, Fireside Lecture presenter.
You never have to go far to use a rod and reel in Juneau. Brad Elfers, in a March 11th Fireside Lecture, will explain how easy it is to access some great fishing spots. Fireside Lectures are held at Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center on Fridays  at 7:00 p.m. You can also watch online. Go to…

Part 4: The Big Dipper constellation

Guests: Steve Kocsis, Marie Drake Planetarium
Steve Kocsis, a volunteer at Juneau’s Marie Drake Planetarium, has a passion for talking about the heavens above. He doesn’t let Juneau’s cloudy skies get in the way either. In this week’s segment, he talks about the Big Dipper, the constellation that’s on the Alaska Flag. You’ll hear the Alaska Flag Song in the backdrop,…

Thursday, March 10, 2022: A crypto conversation: Why Black Americans find empowerment in the digital economy.

Studies show that LBGTQ and Black Americans are leading the cryptocurrency revolution. In a survey last year, the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, found that the majority of crypto investors are under forty, do not have college degrees, and two-fifths are people of color. On this Thursday’s Culture Rich Conversations, Christina…

Cryptocurrency: A brave new world for Black investors.

Guests: Joseph Juana Robinson, a self-taught cryptocurrency investor.
Joseph Juana Robinson says the crypto world is full of scams and get-rich-schemes —  but if you do your homework, keep humble, stay patient and don’t get greedy — there are opportunities to earn big returns. Robinson believes  cryptocurrency is a form of investment that offers economic empowerment to Black Americans and other historically disadvantaged…

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