Rhonda McBride

  Jasmin Smith’s new business began with what all new moms dread. She ran out of diapers while shopping at a mall with her baby twins and had to make do with a blanket and some baby clothes. Although her improvised solution was far from ideal, it did spark the idea for BabyVend – a…

    Meals on Wheels is about more than just meals. The program also delivers a daily dose of kindness to seniors, as well as a sense of connection. But in Juneau, the ranks of volunteers, who make the program possible, have thinned-out during the pandemic — and the need is as great as ever.…

Part 1: Volunteers key to Juneau’s Meals on Wheels program for seniors.

Guests: Matt Walker, oversees Juneau Meals on Wheels program. Julie Nielsen, volunteer.
The need for the Meals on Wheels program continues to grow, while the number of volunteers to serve Juneau seniors continues to shrink. Catholic Community Service, which operates the program through Southeast Senior Services, says they’ve seen greater need since the pandemic.

Part 2: UAS receives Gold Award status for its military friendly programs.

Guests: Deborah Rydman, UAS Career Services Coordinator. Emily Klosterman, UAS Graduate.
To achieve “Military Friendly” status, schools have to meet thresholds in a number of areas such as student retention, graduation, job placement,  and loan repayment for students, especially veterans. Based on its performance in the survey, UAS was awarded “Gold” status.  

Part 3: AWARE’s 2020 Women of Distinction share their stories.

Guests: Mandy Cole, AWARE Executive Director. Kitty Eddy and Mariya Lovischuk, AWARE 2022 Women of Distinction honorees.
After 25 years of recognizing local women for their community service, AWARE’s Women of Distinction have become quite a sisterhood. This is a second in a series of interviews with this year’s honorees, who will be honored at a gala on Saturday, March 19th at Centennial Hall.  

It’s an event with a twofold purpose — to celebrate women who have given generously of themselves to better the community, while also raising money to help women and children break free from domestic violence and sexual assault. On this Tuesday’s Juneau Afternoon, a chance to hear some stories of inspiration from some of the…

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,…

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…

On this Wednesday’s Juneau Afternoon, meet the winners of the statewide Poetry Out Loud competition, designed to give students a lifelong appreciation for the power of words. Also, on this show: The Juneau Public Library’s plans to celebrate America’s Poet Laureate, Joy Harjo Winter birding adventures in the tropics. Rhonda McBride hosts this Wednesday’s program.…

Part 1: 2022 Poetry Out Loud: Meet Alaska’s champs

Guests: Amanda Filori, Statewide Poetry Out Loud Coordinator. Nikolai Chavez, Statewide Champ. Madelynne Brehmer, First Runner Up.
The winners of this year’s Alaska’s Poetry Out Loud competition talk about how the program has helped them in school and boosted their confidence.    

Part 2: Juneau Public Library: Upcoming programs

Guests: John Thill, Director, Juneau Public Library System.
Story Time returns to the Juneau Public Library and plans are underway for a Big Read Juneau panel discussion with Indigenous perspectives on Native American poet Joy Harjo and her opus, An American Sunrise. Harjo is the U.S. Poet Laureate.  Here’s a link with more information.      

Part 3: Birds watching in Panama and Costa Rica

Guests: Brenda Wright, Juneau Audubon Society Programs Manager. Kimberly Ramos, March 10th presenter.
Brighten up your Alaskan winter by watching a Juneau Audubon Society presentation from Kimberly Ramos, featuring photos from her recent trip to Panama and Costa Rica.