Inside FM89

Shortly before Valley Public Radio's official groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, construction crews began breaking some ground of their own on the $4.5 million project. Demolition contractors started by removing the old asphalt parking lot that previously occupied the site, and then loaded the debris into waiting trucks. This marks the first time the footprint of Valley Public Radio's new broadcast center is visible.  

Workers began the first actual construction activities at the site today, with saw cuts to take up the existing asphalt in what today is a parking lot. Soon it will become the new home of Valley Public Radio. The site preparation work is in advance of tomorrow's groundbreaking ceremony which will mark the start of construction. 

The design-build crew met at the construction site today to go over plans for the groundbreaking ceremony next Tuesday and to discuss construction schedules. With a trailer on-site and crews reviewing construction documents, FM89's parcel is starting to look like a construction site. 

Site preparation is already underway at our parcel on Alluvial and Temperance in Clovis. Today the project's general contractor Zumwalt Construction delivered the construction management trailer and fencing to the site. In the coming days the site pad, which is currently a parking lot will be prepared for construction, in time for the Tuesday May 19th groundbreaking. 

Valley Public Radio listeners will bid a fond broadcast farewell this May to longtime FM89 host Kristina Herrick, who is moving out of state to be closer to family in the Pacific Northwest. Herrick has served as a classical announcer at the station for several decades, and also host of the award-winning early music program In The Mode.

Valley Public Radio/FM89 is breaking ground for a new permanent facility at a ceremony on May 19th 3-5PM at the Technology Park in Clovis.  The Assemi Family, together with the James Irvine Foundation and lead donors, have made it possible for Valley Public Radio to raise $1.6 million dollars in preparation for ground breaking and the start of construction.   These funds are dedicated to building a new facility, which can further community reporting and support civic engagement. 

Valley Public Radio was recently honored at the 65th annual Golden Mike Awards in Los Angeles. The station won three honors in the prestigious competition, hosted by the Southern California Radio Television News Association, which honors the best broadcast journalism in the region.

On Saturday November 15, 2014 Valley Public Radio lost an dear member of the FM89 family, with the death of the station's board chair Ed Palacios. The following obituary was published in the Fresno Bee on Sunday, November 23.  

Edward "Ed" Palacios, a beloved husband, brother, uncle, colleague, and friend, passed suddenly on November 15, 2014. He was 49 years old.

NPR Music, Member Station WBGO, and Jazz at Lincoln Center has joined forced to create the next generation of jazz programming from public radio with Jazz Night in America. The new program can be heard Saturday nights at 7:00 p.m. on Valley Public Radio beginning October 11th.

 Hosted by multiple Grammy Award-winning musician Christian McBride, Jazz Night in America presents content on multiple platforms and from across the nation to share this uniquely American art form and reinvigorate public media jazz programming for audiences today. 

  Valley Public Radio has received a lead gift in their campaign to raise money to build a new facility. Bakersfield residents Bernard and Bee Barmann have committed a six figure lead gift towards the project. The Barmanns are longtime supporters of local cultural arts in the valley. Bee Barmann volunteers to help bring in talented musicians from around the valley to perform on “Young Artists Spotlight” every year.

When Valley Public Radio and other Central California media started reporting on valley fever last fall, the disease was commonly overlooked by medical professionals and government agencies. But as the Reporting on Health Collaborative – which includes KVPR and six other print and radio outlets in English and Spanish – began publishing more than 50 stories and blog posts, health and political leaders began taking notice.

Writing vows for your wedding is by no means a simple task; to be able to put together the right words to express your love. But if you were a clever groom who was also a fan of public radio, you might start off with:

I love you more than I'd like to have a bagel with Peter Sagal

And to reinforce your admiration, you might continue with:

I love you more than I'd like to have sushi with Yuki Noguchi

This weekend, one of our listeners spent their "cognitive surplus" producing a video (the one you're probably already watching). It remixes audio of Carl Kasell reading LOLcats captions on TED Radio Hour with the corresponding feline images.

In this edition of Audiophile we learn about FM89's newest program Here & Now, see photos from Valley Public Radio's Paleta Party, and much more. 

Download the July/August 2013 Audiophile...

Beginning on July 1, 2013 Valley Public Radio will broadcast Here & Now, Monday thru Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to meet growing audience demand for midday news and analysis.

A live production from NPR and WBUR, Boston, in collaboration with public radio stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it’s happening, with timely, smart and in-depth news and conversation.  NPR's Science Friday will continue to air on Fridays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

  In this edition of Audiophile, learn about Valley Public Radio's newest program, as we welcome Pulse of the Planet to FM89. We also say goodbye to Talk of the Nation this issue, and learn more about the talented correspondents from NPR who bring us the news everyday. KVPR reporter Rebecca Plevin brings us the a magazine version of her radio story about a long forgotten plane crash from over 60 years ago that inspired one local author to go on a search for the names of those who died. And we preview a new Valley Edition segment, our "Homegrown" radio book club. 

SUNDAYS AT 4:00 PM on VALLEY PUBLIC RADIO

The TED Radio Hour returns to FM89 this March with a new season of programs, and it will knock your socks off! The program also has a new host, NPR's Guy Raz, who many listeners will know from his time as host of Weekends on All Things Considered. The program airs Sundays at 4:00 p.m. on Valley Public Radio. 

For many of us, NPR isn't just about a daily drive to work. It's part of our lives, our work and a big part of our conversations. The great thing about modern radio is that it can fit into your life, where ever your day takes you.

Tell Us: Where are the unique places you listen to NPR programming?

Do you tune-in to your Member Station from a work bench in the garage? Maybe you carry a portable radio while hiking through the Redwoods in Northern California? Or how about stream a favorite podcast from an NPR mobile app during your morning subway commute?