This week on Valley Edition we take the listener to one of the many strawberry stands that dot the San Joaquin Valley’s rural roads. But how often do these vine-ripened strawberries reach school menus? FM 89’s Rebecca Plevin explores the first partnership ever to exist between Fresno Unified School District and a Reedley farmer to bring local berries to cafeterias.
Just a few days before opening day at Chuckchansi Park in Fresno, high school students from a local charter school are rushing to build and plant what they call a community garden. In an effort to maintain their mantra “Farm Grown” the Fresno Grizzlies have partnered with ACEL Charter School to build a garden behind the scoreboard at the stadium. The group hopes to raise awareness of farm to fork in the region.
Also on this week’s program we turn to Fresno State communication professor Diane Blair for a discussion surrounding the proper role of the first lady in contemporary society. The conversation stems from the criticism that erupted from Hollywood and the beltway after First Lady Michelle Obama took the stage at this year’s Academy Awards. Blair says that when it comes to public praise or criticism, it often tells us more about society as a whole than about the first lady herself.
Ending the first half of the show we turn a one on one between Valley Public Radio Reporter Rebecca Plevin and Yosemite National Park’s Kathleen Morris to learn more about changes that might be in store for park visitors. Features like Half Dome and Yosemite Falls are some of the most iconic images of the Golden State. But with those crowds come problems, and the age old debate of how best to balance nature with public access. A new project from the National Parks Service aims to chart a course for the management of the park, and the river which runs through it.
The second half of Valley Edition explores the age old rivalry between two Valley cities — Bakersfield and Fresno. Residents from either city at one point in time have turned their nose up to the other. In fact most Fresnans and Bakersfielders are familiar with the term, “At least we’re not Bakersfield” or “At least we’re not Fresno.”
Valley Edition Host Juanita Stevenson explores the rivalry with local experts from both communities. Together they try to get down to the route of the rivalry and come up with ideas about how the two communities can come together.
In this episode of Valley Edition we speak to:
Fresno/Bakersfield Rivalry
- Gail Marshall – Marshall Arts Communications Consultants
- Nick Belardes – Journalist and Founder at Random Writers Workshop in Bakersfield, nickbelardes@yahoo.com
- Steven Mayer – Bakersfield Californian
