WSLR

Henry Lawrence LIVE on Vibrational Journeys on 96.5

2008-10-14T11:28:00.001-04:00

Tune in to WSLR 96.5

On Wednesday, October 15th Henry Lawrence will join Vibrational Journey’s host Perette live in the studio. Henry is a local Home Town Hero. Playing in three super bowls and Pro ball games. He is also the founder of the Henry Lawrence Youth Foundation, an organization that is dedicated to enhancing the cultural, academic and life opportunities of youth who might not otherwise have reasonable access to such advancement. Henry is also an accomplished musician.

Recently the City Commission of the City of Sarasota recognized September 26th as Henry Lawrence Day.

Henry will sing a few songs for our listeners as an expression of his commitment to WSLR Grassroots Community Radio. Wednesday is the start of WSLR’s Fall Membership Drive. If you appreciate the station’s commitment to airing local musicians, call in your support to (941) 894.6469.

Women's Reproductive Health & Election 2008

2008-10-09T16:19:00.002-04:00

The Surreal News welcomes
Joycelyn Jones Elders( former Surgeon General) as our guest.
When: Friday, Oct 10 from 9 am to 10 am EST
Where: The Surreal News on WSLR 96.5 LP FM Sarasota, Florida. If you cannot get it then hear the show live via INTERNET STREAMING (on WSLR.org "Live Broadcasting"), or hear us podcast on demand on iTunes, on Pacifica Broadcast Network, or at the web site thesurrealnews.com.

If you have any questions for the guests e-mail them to dj@wslr.org.

Background: Joycelyn Jones Elders served as the surgeon general of the United States under President Bill Clinton. She was confirmed in September 1993 and angered conservatives from the get-go, as she was vocal in her support of sex education, the distribution of condoms in schools, abortion rights, and the medical use of marijuana. She returned to teaching after she resigned as surgeon general. She can discuss what is at stake in the 2008 election in terms of women's reproductive health that have implications for important life decisions including affordable birth control, access to emergency contraception, and comprehensive sex education for teenagers.

Breast Cancer Alternatives on WSLR 96.5 Tuesday

2008-10-06T14:06:00.001-04:00

Join Jane Blanchard for Women Matters this Tuesday from 5-6pm on WSLR-LP 96.5.

Topic: Breast Cancer and Alternatives for Women. Guest:

Carolyn Waygood and Dr. Guy daSilva

Featured Musician: Madeleine Humbert Poole

Candidates Kathy Dent & Barry Sullivan to be live on 96.5 this Friday

2008-10-01T12:19:00.002-04:00

WSLR 96.5 LP FM Sarasota's Community Radio Station welcomes
Kathy Dent AND Barry Sullivan (both candidates for Sarasota Supervisor of Elections) in the studio as our guests.
When: Friday, Oct 3 from 9 am to 10 am EST
Where: The Surreal News on WSLR 96.5 LP FM Sarasota, Florida. If you cannot get it then hear the show live via INTERNET STREAMING (on WSLR.org "Live Broadcasting"), or hear us podcast on demand on iTunes, or at the web site thesurrealnews.com.

If you have any questions for the guests e-mail them to dj@wslr.org.

Country Joe MdDonald on WSLR 96.5 Wednesday at 9:30pm

2008-10-01T11:45:00.001-04:00

Hi folks...We're shrugging off the technical difficulties that prevented the interview last week, but fear not: Tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 1 at 9:30 p.m. EDT I'll be interviewing Joe McDonald, leader of Country Joe and the Fish, the mythical 60s rock n' protest band.

It should be fun. We hope you can tune in either on the air in Sarasota at 96.5 FM or anywhere on the Internets at http://www.wslr.org and click on the live broadcasting link to hear it all.

Curt

Curt Werner

Host, Good Evening Cabal

WSLR 96.5 LPFM

Sarasota, Fla.

Empowering Women w/ Disabilities on WSLR 96.5

2008-09-29T11:38:00.002-04:00

This week on Women Matters: Empowering Women with Disabilities with Tina Steele and Lois Barton from the Citizens with Disabilities Advisory Board.

Tune in from 5-6pm every Tuesday evening on WSLR-LP 96.5 for Women Matters with host Jane Blanchard, giving you news and views from a feminist perspective. You can also stream the station live at www.wslr.org.

Featured Musician: Donna Marie Marcantonio

Barbara Ford-Coates & Brian Moore on WSLR 96.5 this Friday

2008-09-23T20:48:00.000-04:00

WSLR 96.5 LP FM Sarasota's Community Radio Station welcomes

Barbara Ford-Coates (Sarasota Tax Collector) and Brian Moore (Socialist candidate for President) as our guests.

When: Friday, Sept. 26 from 9 am to 10 am EST

Where: The Surreal News on WSLR 96.5 LP FM Sarasota, Florida. If you cannot get it then hear the show live via INTERNET STREAMING (on WSLR.org "Live Broadcasting"), or hear us podcast on demand on iTunes, on Pacifica Broadcast Network, or at the web site thesurrealnews.com.

If you have any questions for the guests e-mail them to steve52n@aol.com.

Coming up:

In October: Vern Buchanan (US Congressman)

Oct 3: Barry Sullivan (for Sarasota Supervisor of Elections)

Oct 17: Morgan Bentley and Nancy Detert (both for Florida Senate) in studio together!

Also coming up: WSLR Fund Drive. Please support independent media- WSLR is your community radio station.

Here's some information about Brian Moore and the Socialist Party-

Brian Moore for President. Stewart Alexander for Vice President. Vote Socialist in 2008!

Brian Moore (Bio) and Stewart Alexander (Bio) are the Socialist Party USA candidates for President and Vice President of the United States in the 2008 election.

Platform Summary

Brian's Positions on Critical Issues

• Advocates ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and bringing the American troops and reconstruction companies home immediately

• Advocates the Abolishment of the Patriot Act

•Opposes all warrentless searches as authorized by the new FISA Act

• Advocates holding all telecommunications Companies liable for allowing U.S. Government to eavesdrop on Americans

• Opposes domestic spying of antiwar groups and American citizens

• Opposes waterboarding and any form of prisoner abuse and torture

• Opposes the deprivation of legal and constitutional rights and freedoms American citizens and foreign prisoners

• Opposes the threat to any and all free speech and lawful dissent in our country

Tracy Grammer LIVE in the WSLR studios - Tuesday 12pm

2008-09-15T17:07:00.003-04:00

TRACY GRAMMER will be performing LIVE on WSLR 96.5 on Wednesday, September 17th between 12-1pm. Be sure to tune in!

Grammer is in Sarasota for her performance at Sanier Auditorium on the campus of New College at 8pm on Wednesday, September 17th. This is a FREE show!

“Music for me is a language like no other; it is my channel of authenticity. I know I'd only be telling half the truth without it..”
- Tracy Grammer

Folk music authority Andrew Calhoun of Waterbug Records comments: “No one sings Dave Carter’s songs better than Tracy. He chose her to be the voice of his songs. His vision, their vision, was that they shared something they both saw. She is half the reason why they were great.”

Grammer is currently touring in support of FLOWER OF AVALON (Signature Sounds 2005), her much anticipated solo debut. In January 2006, that album showed up on "Best of" lists and listener polls around the country, and was the #1 most-played album on folk radio across the United States for 2005. We call this a triumph -- a testament to the enduring appeal of Carter's songwriting, and a sign of good things to come for Grammer as she continues on her solo career.

Christine Jennings and FREE PRESS on WSLR 96.5 this Friday 9am

2008-09-15T17:05:00.001-04:00

WSLR 96.5 LP FM Sarasota's Community Radio Station welcomes

Christine Jennings (for Congress) and Tim Karr (Free Press campaign Director) as our guests.

Whens Friday, Sept 19 from 9 am to 10 am EST

If you have any questions for the guests e-mail them to steve52n@aol.com.

Tim Karr will report on Net Neutrality law suit between FCC and Comcast.

Christine will tell us about her campaign and being hugged by Joe Biden!

Coming up:

Sept 26: Barbara Ford-Coates (Sarasota Tax Collector)

Oct 3: Barry Sullivan (for Sarasota Supervisor of Elections) and Dr. Cole (FCAN) on foreign policy Iraq, Iran.

Oct 17: Morgan Bentley and Nancy Detert (both for Florida Senate) in studio together!

Also coming up: WSLR Fund Drive - October 15th-21st. Please support independent media- WSLR is your community radio station.

Adam Tebrugge featured on Surreal News, Friday 9am on 96.5 FM

2008-09-09T10:02:00.000-04:00

WSLR 96.5 LP FM Sarasota's Community Radio Station welcomes

Adam Tebrugge (for Public Defender) as our guest.

When: Friday, Sept 12 from 9 am to 10 am EST

If you have any questions for the guests e-mail them to steve52n@aol.com.

Plus lots of Surreal News items.

Next week: Christine Jennings (for Congress)

Women Matters program to discuss Aging in Sarasota, Tues, 5-6pm

2008-09-08T10:05:00.002-04:00

Women Matters Upcoming Program: Sept 9: Aging in Sarasota
Tune into Women Matters at 5pm Tuesday nights with host Jane Blanchard. The program deals with issues of concern to women and features a different local female musician each week. This week, Paula Falk, the Director of the Caregiver Resource Center and Adult Day Service in Sarasota, will be Jane's guest.

Featured Musician: Callie Chappell

Jane Blanchard, Host
941-726-6623

Because equality does matter.

Tramm Hudson on Two: Early in the Morning, Wed. 7-9am

2008-09-02T17:59:00.000-04:00

Join Francis Scheuer and Billy Wetherington on Wednesday September 3, 2008 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. EDT. We’ll have a special guest this week, Tramm Hudson, long time Florida banker, former Republican Primary candidate for Congress, and a local leader of the business community and Republican politics.

Tramm will talk about his 30 plus years of banking experience which he describes as ranging from hog wild to humbled and we’ll also talk about some of the current issues related to the housing and mortgage meltdown and what we could have done differently and what we can do now to address the security, safety and reliability of our banking system. Some of the topics we will address as time permits are:

I hope you tune in and call up. The studio line is 941-355-4540.
Billy Wetherington

Florida Senate Candidate Morgan Bentley on 96.5FM this Friday

2008-08-27T12:25:00.001-04:00

WSLR 96.5 LP FM Sarasota's Community Radio Station welcomes

Morgan Bentley (for Florida Senate) and DNC report with Ira Chernus as our guests.

When: Friday, August 29 from 9 am to 10 am EST

If you have any questions for the guests e-mail them to steve52n@aol.com.

Background: Ira Chernus is a Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He is the author of Monsters To Destroy: The Neoconservative War on Terror and Sin (2006). Recent articles include, "War Meets Values on Campaign Trail" (July 29, 2008) and "Obama, McCain and Munich" (May 23, 2008). His columns have appeared around the county in papers like Atlanta Constitution, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Miami Herald, Houston Chronicle, and the Denver Post. In recent years his popular commentaries have appeared most often online. He writes regularly for www.commondreams.org and www.tomdispatch.com. His radio commentaries can be heard on KGNU, 88.5 FM in Denver and Boulder and webcast at www.kgnu.org every other Thursday between 8:15 and 8:30 AM MT.

Next week RNC report with Jim DiPeso.

Two: Early in the Morning - discussing local issues & agriculture

2008-08-19T09:27:00.002-04:00

Join Gary Olson and me, Billy Wetherington, (I’m substituting for Francis Scheuer who’s on leave) on Wednesday August 20, 2008 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. EDT. We’ll be doing our usual reports and commentary on issues and activities in the Sarasota area. Gary won’t be in the studio, but he will be calling in from about 7 to 7:30 to co-host by phone. (He’s got jury duty on Wednesday. Wish him luck.)

This week during the second hour we’ll be broadcasting the interview of Doctor John Ikerd from a previous show. Dr. Ikerd is Professor Emeritus in Agricultural Economics from the University of Missouri and a leading advocate for restoration of small and/or family farms in America. He offers many insights into how to create a sustainable local agricultural economy.

We’ll also discuss local agricultural options in Sarasota, the latest on the Boston Red Sox and the proposed conversion of the newly renovated Payne Park for the Sox. We’ve also found some interesting statistics about voters and political parties in Sarasota and also how recall petitions work if you’re disappointed in your local elected officials. We’ll also report on the hurricane that didn’t hit.

I hope you tune in and call up. The studio line is 941-355-4540.
Billy Wetherington

Quote of the Day:
“When you come to a fork in the road. Pick it up.“
Yogi Berra

2008-08-15T14:31:00.001-04:00

WSLR Holds T-Shirt Design Contest

WSLR-LP 96.5, Sarasota’s community radio station, will hold a T-shirt design contest to select a new design for their Fall Fund Drive T-shirt. WSLR creates a new t-shirt every year to offer as a ‘Thank You Gift’ to listeners that pledge their support to the station. The deadline for entries is midnight, September 14^th. Entries should include the words ‘WSLR’ and ’96.5’. Winners will receive recognition on the air, on the WSLR website and in WSLR’s quarterly newsletter. They will also receive two t-shirts featuring the winning design and a gift certificate to a local restaurant. For complete details go to www.wslr.org or call the station at 941-894-6469.

China & Energy Policy on The Surreal News this Friday, 9am

2008-08-14T19:30:00.000-04:00

WSLR 96.5 LP FM Sarasota's Community Radio Station welcomes

David Sandalow (Senior Energy Advisor to Barack Obama) and Mathew Duss (Center for American Progress) as our guests.

When: Friday, Aug 15 from 9 am to 10 am EST

If you have any questions for the guests e-mail them to steve52n@aol.com.

David B. Sandalow

Senior Energy Advisor to Barack Obama

Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution

David Sandalow is an expert on energy policy and global warming. He is a former assistant secretary of state and senior director on the National Security Council staff and the author of Freedom from Oil. His areas of expertise include: Energy policy, climate change policy, and oceans' governance.

Mathew Duss

Background: Matthew Duss is a Research Associate at the Center for American Progress Action Fund, http://www.americanprogressaction.org/ and a blogger for CAPAF's Wonk Room, where he writes on U.S. foreign policy and national security issues. Prior to joining the Center, he was a research intern for the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a blogger for The American Prospect. Mr. Duss's articles on Iraq and U.S. policy in the Middle East have been published in the UK Guardian, The American Prospect, The Baltimore Sun, and Foreign Policy in Focus. He co-wrote “The Political Hurdles” for the Progress Report. Mr. Duss received an MA in Middle East Studies from the Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington, Seattle. He lives in Alexandria, VA. He can discuss China as a rising economic and cultural force in the world, China’s human rights record, Olympics and impact on hosting country.

Surreal News welcomes FCAN and NOAA Representatives this Friday

2008-07-23T11:12:00.000-04:00

WSLR 96.5 LP FM Sarasota's Community Radio Station welcomes

Chrystal Hutchison (FCAN) and Paul Flaherty (NOAA) as our guests.

When: Friday, July 25 from 9 am to 10 am EST

If you have any questions for the guests e-mail them to steve52n@aol.com.

Chrystal Hutchison is the Program Director for Florida Consumer Action Network. She works on the federal issues campaign: Invest in Americas Future. Health Care for America Now is one critical investment Congress must make in this country, especially in difficult economic times. Chrystal has worked with FCAN for two years on a variety of local and federal issues including the war in Iraq and the State Childrens Health Insurance Program. She graduated from Eckerd College with a BA in Political Science and International Relations. She is currently enrolled in the Masters of Public Administration Program at Norwich University.

Disaster Preparedness on WSLR Wednesday 7-9am

2008-07-22T19:01:00.002-04:00

Join Gary Olson and Billy Wetherington on Wednesday July 23, 2008 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. EDT.
We’ll be doing our usual reports and commentary on issues and activities in the Sarasota area.

This week we’ll be focusing on Disaster Preparedness in Sarasota. Find out what’s
planned in Sarasota for the day a Katrina or a Charlie make a wrong turn and head our way.
What happens when there’s a terrorist attack, a chemical spill or some other disaster.
What should you do, what will the local authorities do? We’ll have:

Edward J. McCrane Jr., FPEM, Emergency Management Chief, Sarasota County Government,
Major Larry Dunklee from Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office and Chief Paul Dezzi from the
Sarasota County Fire Department live in our studio. It should be an informative show.

If you live outside the Sarasota area, you’ll still find the three Chiefs information useful to your safety, so tune
In even if you’re in some exotic place like Lakeland, Punta Gorda, Buffalo or Clifton Park. You won’t regret it.

You can hear the show by tuning in to 96.5 on your FM dial in the Sarasotaarea. If outside of Sarasota you can hear the show on the world wide web by going to www.wslr.org <http://www.wslr. org/> and clicking on “Live Broadcasting” on the pull down menu and following the instructions.

I hope you tune in and call up. The studio line is 941-355-4540.
Billy Wetherington

Quote of the Day:
“Heck of a job, Brownie.“
George W. Bush (Though he may have preferred to remain anonymous.)

Learn more about US-Latin American Relations on Florida-Caribe

2008-07-22T18:58:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends/Queridos amigos:

Tune in this Wednesday, July 23rd, from 9 to 10 am, to WSLR 96.5 FM (www.wslr.org and click on "Live Broadcasting") for a new edition of the Florida-Caribe show. This Wednesday we will have our usual news briefs from Latin American and the Caribbean, our infamous "news of the weird", and plenty of music. Our main focus will be past and future US-Latin America relations.

WSLR 96.5 FM is a low-power, non-profit, grassroots community radio station in Sarasota. The station and Florida-Caribe began in 2005. Our aim is to educate people in Sarasota and other parts of the world about our neighborhood, the Caribbean, and Latin America. We cover a wide range of issues, ranging from elections in Haiti, to a Sarasota composer who reports from Puerto Rico, to how the price of tomatoes affects your local Burger King.

Tune in and support non-profit, community radio!!!!!

Pablo Brescia and Johannes Werner, hosts.

Florida-Caribe
WSLR 96.5 LP FM

Sarasota, FL

Common Cause Representative on WSLR this Friday 9am

2008-07-17T10:32:00.003-04:00

WSLR 96.5 LP FM Sarasota's Community Radio Station welcomes

Sarah Dufendach (Common Cause) as our guest.

When: Friday, July 18 from 9 am to 10 am EST

If you have any questions for the guests e-mail them to steve52n@aol.com.

Recapture the Flag!

Reclaiming democracy and our belief in the rule of law, freedom and justice

Common Cause begins a new campaign this week called “Recapture the Flag,” a campaign to restore public faith in the core values of American democracy after repeated abuses of power by the Executive Branch and Congress’ failure to fulfill its Constitutional obligations of oversight.

The Executive Branch abuses of power over the past 7 years have been many and will not just go away when the Administration changes:

* illegally used warrantless wiretapping to spy on Americans

* attempted to severely restrict Habeas Corpus

* engaged in illegal torture

* declared publicly the Executive will not comply with aspects of laws it objects to through the use of signing statements

* abused Executive Privilege by refusing to allow staff and former staff to comply with Congressional subpoenas

* used the Justice Department to carry out a partisan political agenda

* brought the country to war with Iraq based on intelligence the Administration knew or should have known was inaccurate

Common Cause is launching this campaign with a full page ad in the New York Times, likely on Wednesday, urging people to sign a petition in support of the principles our Constitution stands for, and then asking them to get their congressional and presidential candidates to sign also.

By visiting www.RecapturetheFlag.com citizens can demand that our elected officials work to restore America’s standing in the world as a leader in freedom, democracy and human rights.

Morgan Bentley on The Surreal News this Friday

2008-07-09T10:51:00.001-04:00

WSLR 96.5 LP FM Sarasota's Community Radio Station welcomes

Morgan Bentley (for Florida Senate) as our guest.

When: Friday, July 11 from 9 am to 10 am EST

If you have any questions for the guests e-mail them to steve52n@aol.com.

About Morgan Bentley

Morgan Bentley, a 17-year resident of Sarasota, is running for the Florida Senate to bring a fresh perspective and independent leadership to the challenges facing our state.

Although this is Morgan's first run for political office, he is no stranger to public service. The importance of serving the community was instilled in Morgan at an early age, through his family's example. Morgan's grandfather served as the President of the Florida Bar Association; his late father, the Honorable E. Randolph Bentley, served as a judge in the 10th Judicial Circuit, and his mother Didi taught math at Lakeland Senior High, where Morgan attended.

Morgan has a long and distinguished record of public service. Morgan has spent his legal career prosecuting those who have committed fraud, and is the President of the Sarasota Bar Association. He has been recognized by the Florida Supreme Court for his outstanding pro bono legal work, and in 2008 was selected for the Florida Bar President's Pro Bono Service Award. He has also served his community as past chair of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce School Issues Committee, as well as president of Legal Aid of Manasota, an organization devoted to providing legal assistance to the indigent in Manatee and Sarasota counties. Small wonder, then, that in July of 2007 Florida Trend magazine named Morgan one of their "Legal Up-and-Comers."

Born and raised in Lakeland, Morgan is a third generation Floridian who has watched his state grow and undergo tremendous changes over the years, and feels passionate about playing his part in helping to guide its future. He attended the University of Florida as an undergraduate, receiving his B.A. in economics with a minor in history. He also earned his J.D. at UF before moving to Sarasota in 1992, where he took his first job as a young lawyer. He is now a partner at Williams, Parker, Harrison, Dietz & Getzen.

Morgan Bentley is a Democrat running for the District 23 state senate seat vacated by Lisa Carlton (R-Osprey). He and his wife Liz have two children Dabney, 5 and Blaine, 2.

WSLR Promotions Committee meets on Thursday

2008-07-09T09:57:00.002-04:00

The WSLR Promotions Committee will meet on Thursday, July 10th at 6:30pm at the WSLR studios. We are discussing new promotional material for the station, a t-shirt contest for the Fall, and creative ways of giving the word out about WSLR. Please call Arlene at 894-6469 if you plan to attend.

Master Storyteller Stephen Simmons to Perform for WSLR - Friday 7/11

2008-07-08T10:11:00.002-04:00

Alt Country Artist Stephen Simmons to perform for WSLR

Born and raised in the small town of Woodbury Tennessee, Simmons was exposed, at an early age, to a strict, Church of Christ upbringing. “When you’re raised in the Church of Christ, if you’re sensitive at all, it leaves you with a lot to struggle with”, explains Simmons. This sense of struggle is revealed in his songs, which collectively portray the tension between a life of rural simplicity and the opportunities and temptations represented by the city. His latest release, Something in Between, is appropriately titled, as Simmons music could accurately be dubbed introspective pop, rock-tinged folk, or country with touches of the blues, depending on the selection. Simmons will play a benefit concert for WSLR-LP 96.5, Sarasota’s community radio station on Friday, July 11^th at Mother’s Musical Bakery, 6525 Superior Avenue.

Simmons writes moving, sharply detailed lyrics about small-town people who spend their lives sitting in church pews or on barstools – and often both. He uses these settings to evocatively portray individuals seeking transcendence or relief while caught in internal conflict, and to talk about the influence families, religion, temptation, and just plain boredom can have on a soul. And, like the best songwriters, he can illustrate how one bad choice, or a series of them, can reverberate long after the person realizes his or her mistake. Working around an acoustic base, but with a rocker’s swagger, Simmons has drawn comparisons to Steve Earle, Robert Earl Keen and other master storytellers.

Simmons will appear on WMNF 88.5’s Live Music Showcase at 9am on Friday, July 11^th. Later that evening, you can see him perform live at 8pm at Mother’s Musical Bakery in Sarasota. Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door. Reserve a seat by calling the WSLR office at 894-6469 or purchase your tickets online at www.wslr.org.

For more information: www.stephensimmonsmusic.com

Focus on Farming - Wed. 7-9am on WSLR 96.5

2008-07-08T08:54:00.001-04:00

Join Gary Olson and me (I’m substituting for Francis Scheuer who’s on leave)
on Wednesday July 9, 2008 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. EDT. We’ll be doing our
usual reports and commentary on issues and activities in the Sarasota area.
This week we’ll be focusing on Food and Farming Issues and are pleased to
announce that we will be interviewing Dr. John Ikerd live on the air from
about 7:30 to 8:30am.

Dr. Ikerd is Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Economics at the University
of Missouri – Columbia and the author of both scholarly and popular books
and articles about Food and Farming issues in America. His popular works
include “Sustaining Capitalism,” Crisis & Opportunity,” “A Return to Common
Sense,” and “Small Farms are Real Farms.” Dr. Ikerd was raised on a small
dairy farm in southwest Missouri; educated at the University of Missouri
with BS, MS, and PhD degrees in Agricultural Economics; worked three years
with Wilson Foods between BS and MS degree work; worked in Extension
Agricultural Economics positions at several universities. He returned to the
University of Missouri in1989, under a cooperative agreement with U.S.D.A,
to provide state and national leadership for research and education programs
related to sustainable agriculture. He retired and received appointment as
Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Economics on February 1, 2000. Since
retiring from the University in early 2000, Ikerd spends most of his time
writing and speaking out on issues related to sustainable agriculture with
an emphasis on the economics of sustainability.

During the course of the program we will be discussing food safety, food
prices, the impact of national energy, land use and agricultural policies on
food and farming and what sustainable agriculture means both nationally and
here in Sarasota and how we can create a local agriculture economy in our
community.

You can hear the show by tuning in to 96.5 on your FM dial in the Sarasota
area. If outside of Sarasota you can hear the show on the world wide web by
going to www.wslr.org and clicking on “Live Broadcasting” on the pull down menu and following the instructions. (Do it well in advance in case you have problems and need a little technical
support.)

I hope you tune in and call up.
Billy Wetherington
Studio Line: 941-355-4540

Florida-Caribe focuses on Columbia this Wednesday 9am on 96.5

2008-07-07T13:50:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends/Queridos amigos:

Tune in this Wednesday, July 9th, from 9 to 10 am, to WSLR 96.5 FM (www.wslr.org and click on "Live Broadcasting") for a new edition of the Florida-Caribe show. This Wednesday we will have our usual news briefs from Latin American and the Caribbean, our infamous "news of the weird", and plenty of music. Our main focus will be recent events in Colombia.

Tune in and support non-profit, community radio!!!!!

Pablo Brescia and Johannes Werner, hosts.

Florida-Caribe
WSLR 96.5 LP FM

Sarasota, FL

floridacaribe@hotmail.com

www.wslr.org

Jono Miller and John McCain Representative on WSLR 96.5 this Friday

2008-06-17T12:33:00.001-04:00

WSLR 96.5 FM welcomes Jono Miller (for Sarasota County Commission) AND John McCain (for president, Florida campaign) as our guests.

When: Friday, June 20 from 9 am to 10 am EST

If you have any questions for the guests e-mail them to steve52n@aol.com.

Jono MIller says:

In the late 70’s we started collaborating with New College Biology Professor John Morrill to offer classes like Our Changing Local Environments and Botany. In 1981 we were hired to coordinate the Environmental Studies Program, a staff position that enabled us to work with faculty to offer classes explicitly linked to the environment. That has continued to this day (now I’m the director of the Environmental Studies Program.)

I’ve been recruited to participate in several efforts to bring different community factions together to search for common ground. These include an informal effort by Bob Richardson, the “April 22nd Group” convened by the Sarasota Herald Tribune, the County’s Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG) that explored many of the issues that were later addressed in 2050, and SCOPE (Sarasota County Openly Plans for Excellence) where I have served as both Board Chair and co-Chair of “Aging: the Possibilities”.

These efforts have contributed to my image as a bridge-builder – someone who can listen to all sides and generate possible solutions without getting lost in posturing . It sounds glamorous, but it comes at a cost because there is a certain amount of suspicion from both sides. Despite having one of the longest and strongest environmental records in the county and having worked diligently to protect over 30 square miles of environmentally sensitive lands in the county, I have been called the “developer’s favorite environmentalist”. And some developers no doubt think I have green skin and bark impressions on my nose from prolonged tree-hugging. That’s okay. People who know me and have worked with me know I will always be an environmentalist and will always be open to making Sarasota a better place, even if the environment has to take a hit now and then.

Let me be specific about these matters and not abstract and general. Part of my job at New College involves providing advice about how we manage the landscape. When plans emerge that do not consider the possible impact on trees, I argue forcefully to go back and do it right, protecting the trees. I even argue on behalf of dead trees on occasion. But when trees are considered from the outset and some needed improvement involves removing some, I’m okay with that. As one Sierra Club saying puts is “ Not blind opposition to progress, but opposition to blind progress.”

Mexico & the War on Drugs, Wednesday on Florida-Caribe, 96.5 FM

2008-06-09T11:47:00.000-04:00

Friends,

Just south of the border, a war involving a federal army and irregulars
is being waged.

Vast areas of northern Mexico have seen a continuous erosion of the
state over the past two decades, and well-organized narco cartels have
filled the vacuum. Now the federal government of Mexico is trying to
reassert itself, using the federal army. The crackdown is a sign of things
to come, as the United States, under Plan Mérida, wants to provide
Mexican law enforcement billions of dollars and military assistance in its
war on drugs.

The most important theater in Mexico's war on drug cartels is the city
of Ciudad Juárez. While the army claims successes in its crackdown,
human rights activists say they themselves have become targets.

The degree of lawlessness in Ciudad Juárez can be measured by the
unresolved cases of dozens of girls found over the past 15 years in mass
graves around the city. Florida-Caribe will talk to Alfredo Limas, a
human rights activist in Ciudad Juárez, and Olga Aiken, a Mexican
political science researcher, to shed some light on life in this city under
siege.

So tune in to Florida-Caribe this Wednesday, from 9 to 10 a.m., on WSLR
96.5 LP FM, your one and only grassroots radio station in Sarasota.

Johannes Werner
Pablo Brescia
Florida-Caribe
WSLR 96.5 LP FM
Sarasota, FL
941 355-4540
www.wslr.org

Adam Tebrugge & Christine Jennings on Surreal News Friday

2008-06-05T12:58:00.001-04:00

WSLR 96.5 FM welcomes Adam Tebrugge (for Public Defender) and Christine Jennings (for US Congress) as our guests.
When: Friday, June 6 from 9 am to 10 am EST
Where: The Surreal News on WSLR 96.5 LP FM Sarasota, Florida. If you cannot get it then hear the show live via INTERNET STREAMING (on WSLR.org "Live Broadcasting"), or hear us podcast on demand on iTunes, on Pacifica Broadcast Network, or at the web site thesurrealnews.com.

If you have any questions for the guests e-mail them to steve52n@aol.com.

Thanks to all who attended the Melvin Goodman event last Friday at New College.

About Adam:

Experienced From 1985 until he resigned to run for office in 2008, Adam Tebrugge has spent his entire career serving this community in the Public Defender's Office of the 12th Judicial Circuit. After laboring in both the misdemeanors and felonies divisions for 5 years, Adam advanced to the capital division in 1991 where he tried the most complex and serious cases that come before the courts. His cases included more than 100 homicides.

Knowledgeable In 1982, Adam graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from New College in Sarasota. He majored in religion and political science and interned in Governor Bob Graham's press and speechwriting offices before continuing his education at the Florida State University College of Law. Before graduating with honors in 1984, Adam served on the editorial staff of the FSU Law Review and interned with Florida Supreme Court Justice Raymond Ehrlich. He is a member of the Order of the Coif.

Bo Diddley 1928-2008

2008-06-03T14:51:00.002-04:00

In remembrance of the famous American musician Bo Diddley (June 2, 2008), "Mr. Rhythm" will present a Bo Diddley retrospective on June 4, 2008 12Noon - 2:30PM

We hope you are able to tune in.

FACT!
A Diddley Bow is a two-stringed instrument of African origin, brought to America from West Africa. See cigar-box diddley bow above!

A quote fitting Bo Diddley's genre might be this...

"The Blues had a baby and they named it rock n' roll"
-Muddy Waters

Author/Former CIA Analyst Melvin Goodman on the Surreal News this Friday

2008-05-28T10:15:00.000-04:00

WSLR 96.5 FM welcomes Melvin Goodman (Author, former CIA analyst) as our guest.

When: Friday, May 30 from 9 am to 10 am EST

If you have any questions for the guests e-mail them to steve52n@aol.com.

Mel will also be at Sanier Auditorium, New College for a Free talk starting at 7 pm Friday May 30.

Melvin Goodman is a Senior Fellow at the Center for International Policy, a nonprofit educational and research organization promoting a US foreign policy based on international cooperation, demilitarization and respect for basic human rights http://www.ciponline.org/. He is also adjunct professor of government at Johns Hopkins University. Mel served as a senior Soviet analyst at the CIA from 1966-1986, and intelligence adviser to the SALT delegation in 1971-72. His book, co-written with Craig Eisendrath, Bush League Diplomacy: How the Neo-Conservatives Are Putting the Nation at Risk (2004), examines how the Bush administration has rolled back over half a century of foreign policy accomplishments and what must be done to restore America?s reputation. His newest book is The Failure of Intelligence: The Decline and Fall of the CIA (released January 2008). His articles have appeared in Harper's Magazine, Foreign Policy, Washington Monthly, Foreign Service Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, the Christian Science Monitor, to name a few. He can discuss what can be done to make intelligence agencies more efficient and effective, how the Bush Administration uses military force as a main tool of foreign policy, torture as a means of extracting information, practice of spying on Americans without court orders, myths about the ´Intelligence Community,¡ Intelligence and the role of the CIA in Iraq, the likelihood of an exit from Iraq in the near or distant future, why the war on terror has made us even less safe than before.

WSLR sponsors Book Talk on the CIA this Friday, May 30th

2008-05-26T08:58:00.001-04:00

Failure of Intelligence: The Decline and Fall of the CIA: A Book Talk with Melvin Goodman

Friday, May 30^th at 7pm

Sanier Auditorium, New College of Florida

FREE EVENT!

This is the first book on the CIA by a CIA insider who was with the directorate of intelligence analysis. It examines and explains three key intelligence failures: the failure to predict the decline of the Soviet Union, the absence of strategic intelligence on the 9/11 attacks, and finally the falsification of intelligence to permit the Bush administration to go to war against Iraq . The book explores the need for reform and accountability, and suggests specific steps to be taken. This is must reading for anyone interested in national security and American foreign policy.

Jon Thaxton guest on Surreal News This Friday

2008-05-21T08:53:00.000-04:00

WSLR 96.5 FM welcomes Jon Thaxton (Sarasota County Commissioner) & Homeland Insecurity: Bush Admin Misuse of Intellegence Since 911 (Mel Goodman)

as our guests.

When: Friday, May 23 from 9 am to 10 am EST

If you have any questions for the guests e-mail them to steve52n@aol.com.

Jon Thaxton:

Jon defies conventional labels by crossing traditional political, business and ideological boundaries. He is an acknowledged leader in growth management, environmental preservation, water conservation and transportation planning. Jon is known as a commissioner who is prepared, fair and articulate, and as one who listens to all side of an issue before making a decision.

Jon's commission appointments include the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council, Regional Water Planning Alliance and the National Association of Counties Growth and Land Use Committee. Jon has been awarded the 1,000 Friends of Florida State Growth Management Award and was twice awarded the Nature Conservancy?s Grassroots Activist of the Year. In 1996, Jon was featured in National Geographic for his work in preserving endangered species.

Under provisions of the county charter, each commissioner represents a district and must live in that district. Although commissioners represent districts, they are elected county-wide to four-year terms.

LIVE studio appearance by Gandalf Murphy Friday

2008-05-15T11:30:00.002-04:00

Special Live Studio Appearance by Gandalf Murphy

Members of Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams will be appearing live on WSLR 96.5 LPFM’s “Complex Waveforms” tomorrow at 1:30pm (Friday, May 16^th). Josiah Longo, Sharkey McEwen, and Tink Lloyd will perform unplugged in the WSLR studios. This special hour of programming will be brought to you by the Ringling Museum of Art’s “Museum of the American Circus”, the first museum of its kind to document the rich history of the circus.

Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams will performing at the 2008 Heatwave Warm-Up Party on Friday, May 16^th at Skipper’s Smokehouse (Tickets: $15) and at Tropical Heatwave on Saturday, May 17^th (Tickets: $30). Tickets are available for purchase at the WSLR studios. Call 894-6469 for more information.

Formed in Sleepy Hollow, New York in the late 90's, Gandalf Murphy & the Slambovian Circus of Dreams is one of the best known and loved bands in their home state, singled out as Hudson Valley Magazine's "Band of the Year" for the past 3 years. On stage they create an enchanting atmosphere, using traditional folk instruments, tasty electric guitar and the distinctive singing and songwriting of Joziah Longo. Citing influences as diverse as Hank Williams, Dylan, Bowie, Incredible String Band and early Pink Floyd, Longo describes the band's music as "punk-classical-hillbilly-Floyd", a mental rollercoaster of whimsical, thought-provoking songs. The Circus' live shows are where the real magic comes down, earning them critical acclaim as well as a fiercely loyal following. Their last studio release, "Flapjacks From The Sky" has been hailed as a masterpiece by many and continues to make a buzz internationally as a great americana work of art. Their new cd, "The Great Unravel" is coming summer '08!

###

Free Show featuring Local Bands at The Flying Dog Cafe this Friday

2008-05-14T20:38:00.000-04:00

FREE SHOW!

WSLR Sponsors Local Bands at The Flying Dog Café

WSLR and ART will be sponsoring a Free Jam Night at The Flying Dog Café on Friday, May 16^th starting at 8pm. Three local bands will be featured: Furniture, The Done For and The Tuff Sons. The Flying Dog is located on 500 Tallevast Road, just north of the airport. Wear your dancing shoes and come out for an end-of-the-school year party!

Furniture is a group of six current, former, and future New College students with a unique collection of talents. With songs drawing inspiration from rock-and-roll, folk, drum circles, musical theatre, as well as some non-genres, the resulting sound is alternately melodic, discordant or atonal, complex and simple. Instrumentation includes various acoustic and electric stringed instruments, sporadic brass, drums, and keyboards, and many voices. Simultaneously triumphant and devastating (in the tiniest of ways) Furniture is one of a kind and not to be missed.

With members hailing from all parts of the country (Arkansas, Maryland,
Florida, Kentucky, & Missouri), THE DONE FOR combines the virtuosity of classical composition with the intensity of punk rock and post-rock. THE DONE FOR have been called “Like Arcade Fire meets the B-52s” and “Van Halenin the Desert”. But to them, it's all just Panic City Rock & Roll. Band members include Adele Fournet (Keyboard), Benjy Praff (Bass Guitar), Sam Greenspan (Guitar), Sara Stovall (Violin) and Taylor Kennedy (drums).

tuff sons (formerly Fiasco),a local roots reggae/R & B band featuring Marion Butler, Jeff Kerber, and Paul Jessen, will close out the night.
The Sarasota band, tuff sons, intentionally spell their name in all lower case letters in much the same way that the music they choose to play and write is an exercise in control and dynamics. Each of the players in tuff sons have been playing music for many years and in many different incarnations always with the unifying theme that there has to be a consciousness to what they are playing as well as personally inspired innovation. As music fanatics, tuff sons quite often pay homage to past and present music that excites them as well as fusing all of their influences together to contribute to the ever expanding pool of ideas in the musical community.

Bike to the show with ART members, Alliance for Responsible Transportation, from the WSLR studio. Meet up at 6:30pm at the corner of Royal Palm and Myrtle and learn the Airport Bypass route.

Learn More About The Food Crisis and Hurricane Preparedness on WSLR 96.5 Friday morning

2008-05-14T08:32:00.001-04:00

WSLR 96.5 FM welcomes Ronnie Cummings (Organic Consumers Association) & Paul Flaherty (NOAA) as our guests.

When: Friday, May 16 from 9 am to 10 am EST

If you have any questions for the guests e-mail them to steve52n@aol.com.

Background: Ronnie Cummins is National Director of the Organic Consumers Association (OCA), a nationwide non-profit, public interest organization dedicated to building a healthy, safe, and sustainable system of food production and consumption in the U.S. and the world. The OCA's primary strategy is to work on national and global campaigns that integrate public education, litigation, marketplace pressure, direct action, media work, and grassroots lobbying. Please see http://www.organicconsumers.org/. He lives in Minnesota, spending a fair amount of time in Mexico. He is the former director of Jeremy Rifkin's Beyond Beef Campaign & Pure Food Campaign, and co-authored Genetically Engineered Food: A Self-Defense Guide for Consumers (2000). He can discuss Sustainable Agriculture, Organic Standards, Organic Farming, and the hazards of Corporate Farming and eating GMOs, the Fast Food Industry, how fast food chains could include healthier, organic food products, the growing “Slow Food” movement, why we must embrace organic and sustainable agriculture over corporate agriculture which destroys the land through mono-cropping and sucks nutrients out of the food. He can speak to the causes of soaring food prices, the international impact, and viable solutions.

Food Price Crisis – What's going on with the global price of food?:

According to the World Bank, food prices have climbed 83% in the last 3 years
Real price of rice rose to a 19-year high in March of 2008– an increase of 50% in 2 weeks alone
Real price of wheat hit a 28-year high in March 2008
Staples that many of the world's poor rely on are the food items that are rising in cost: cereal grains, cooking oil, dairy
In Bangladesh, rice prices have gone up 70%, hitting a population where the majority live on less than $1 a day
In Haiti, where ¾ of the population earns less than $2 a day and 1 in 5 children is chronically malnourished, the most destitute are consuming mud patties mixed with oil and sugar

Candidate Richard Jackson & Union of Concerned Scientists on Surreal News this Friday

2008-05-07T10:32:00.002-04:00

WSLR 96.5 FM welcomes Richard Jackson (for Florida House Rep District 67) and Michael Halpern (Government interference with EPA) as our guests.
When: Friday, May 9 from 9 am to 10 am EST
Where: The Surreal News on WSLR 96.5 LP FM Sarasota, Florida. If you cannot get it then hear the show live via INTERNET STREAMING (on WSLR.org "Live Broadcasting"), or hear us podcast on demand on iTunes, on Pacifica Broadcast Network, or at the web site thesurrealnews.com.

If you have any questions for the guests e-mail them to steve52n@aol.com.

Richard Jackson Says:
I am a retired educator with forty years as a teacher, principal, professor, dean, grant writer, and lobbyist. I wrote grants for Hillsborough CC for three years and was the school district lobbyist for Manatee County for five years, before retiring. My legislative skills were sharpened by being an active participant in the committee process that kicked off each of the 2000-04 sessions.

I wrote bills, amendments, and position papers, while residing in Tallahassee during these sessions and have a good working knowledge of legislative procedures. I worked with Senator Mike Bennett and Duval County (Jacksonville) legislators and lobbyists to change a funding formula which saved Manatee County and other small counties millions of dollars which had been going to Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and Palm Beach

In 2006, I worked for the US Census Bureau in southern Hillsborough and eastern Manatee Counties. My fifteen years in east Manatee have given me a grasp of how people in House District #67 think.

Our second guest is on Political Interference at the EPA...

Michael Halpern:
As Scientific Integrity Program Manager for the Union of Concerned Scientists, Michael Halpern oversees and provides strategic guidance for projects that raise awareness about political interference in science, develop capacity among scientific and non-scientific populations to advocate for solutions, and create reforms to restore scientific integrity to federal policy making.
Michael has been an active organizer, fundraiser, and communications professional in the public interest community for several years. Before joining UCS in early 2004, Michael directed and coordinated development communications for World Wildlife Fund in Washington, DC. He has worked in various capacities with the Minnesota state legislature, Minnesota Public Radio, and a variety of Minneapolis/St. Paul neighborhood non-profits. Before moving to Washington, Michael directed outreach and communications efforts for the Brain Injury Association of Minnesota, a small health-related non-profit advocacy organization. Michael earned his BA in Communication Studies & Sociology from Macalester College in St. Paul and has studied practical economic, cultural, and infrastructure development in Kenya through Minnesota Studies in International Development. He can discuss the unprecedented level of political interference threatening the integrity of government science at the EPA as detailed in the 4/08 UCS report "Interference at the EPA: Science and Politics at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency"; policy makers dependency on impartial research to make informed decisions; what's at stake when politicians and industry with short term economic gains as their agenda are permitted to withhold scientists' findings from the public; whistleblower protection; pushing for reforms that will protect our health, safety, and environment.

Co-Founder of the American Indian Movement on WSLR-LP 96.5 this Saturday

2008-05-06T11:16:00.001-04:00

Indigenous Sounds airs every Saturday from 3-5 PM. EST on WSLR 96.5
LPFM in Sarasota Florida. WSLR streams live on the Web visit:
www.wslr.org   to listen live. Dennis Banks will be this weeks guest
5/10/2008  here is some background information about Dennis Banks.


Dennis Banks co-founder of The American Indian Movement (AIM) Dennis
Banks participated in the 1969 – 1971 occupation of Alcatraz
Island,1972 he assisted in the organization of AIM's "Trail of Broken
Treaties", a caravan across the U.S. to Washington, D.C., the seizure
and occupation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs office. He also
spearheaded the movement on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South
Dakota in 1973 to oust the corrupt government-appointed chairman.
These activities led to the occupation of Wounded Knee and a siege of
71 days, which received national attention. Banks was the principal
negotiator and leader of the Wounded Knee forces. Under his
leadership, AIM led a protest in Custer, South Dakota in 1973 against
judicial proceeding that found a White man innocent of murdering a
Native American. As a result of his involvement in Wounded Knee and
Custer, Banks and 300 others were arrested and faced trial. He was
acquitted of the Wounded Knee charges, but was convicted of incitement
to riot and assault stemming from a confrontation at Custer. Refusing
the prison term, Banks went underground, organized a small armed AIM
group including Anna Mae Pictou Aquash, who was suspected of being an
FBI informant. She was later found murdered. He received amnesty in
California by then Governor Jerry Brown, who refused to extradite him
to South Dakota. He also received financial support from actor and AIM
sympathizer Marlon Brando.

During his time in California from 1976 to 1983, Banks earned an
associate's degree from the University of California, Davis and taught
at Deganawida Quetzecoatl University (DQU), a Native
American-controlled institute of alternative higher learning, where he
became the first American Indian chancellor. He also established the
first spiritual run from Davis to Los Angeles in 1978, which is now an
annual event. In the spring of 1979 he taught at Stanford University.
After Governor Brown left office, Banks received sanctuary from the
Onondaga Nation in upstate New York in 1984. While in New York, Banks
organized the Great Jim Thorpe Longest Run from New York to Los
Angeles, where the goal was to restore the gold medals Thorpe had won
at the 1912 Olympics to the Thorpe family.

In 1985 Banks left Onondaga to surrender to law enforcement officials
in South Dakota and served 18 months in prison. When he was released,
he worked as a drug and alcohol counselor on the Pine Ridge Indian
Reservation. During 1987, grave robbers in Uniontown, Kentucky were
halted in their digging for artifacts in American Indian grave sites.
Banks was called in to organize the reburial ceremonies. His
activities resulted in Kentucky and Indiana passing strict legislation
against grave desecration.

He has had roles in the movies War Party, The Last of the Mohicans,
and Thunderheart. The musical release Still Strong, featuring Banks'
original work as well as traditional Native American songs, was
completed in 1993. He can also be heard on other albums: Peter
Gabriel's Les Musiques du Monde, Peter Matthiessen's No Boundaries.

In 2006, Banks led Sacred Run 2006 a spiritual run from San
Francisco's Alcatraz Island to Washington, D.C. The runners followed
the ancient Native American tradition of bringing a message of "Land,
Life and Peace" from village to village. They travelled about 100
miles every day, and entered Washington, D.C. on Earth Day, April 22,
2006. Along the way, they took a southern route, in solidarity with
those who are rebuilding after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Major
events were held in Albuquerque, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Knoxville,
and Washington, D.C. Over the past 28 years since "The Longest Walk"
in 1978, Sacred Runs have become an international movement. Sacred Run
2006 had runners from Japan, Australia, Ireland, and Canada as well as
many from the United States. Currently Dennis Banks is involved with
The Longest Walk 2, walking from San Francisco to Washington DC.

Drew Hudson on WSLR's "It's Okay to be Honest"

2008-05-04T23:57:00.003-04:00

This Tuesday (5/6/08) WSLR's "It's Okay to be Honest" will be hosted by Joe Jacco from 9-11pm. Special guest Drew Hudson will be performing songs live in the studio.

Tune in to 96.5 as Joe and Drew show you why "It's Okay to be Honest".

Steve Young Concert this Friday benefits WSLR

2008-04-30T18:16:00.001-04:00

Renegade Picker Comes to Town

Steve Young has never fit comfortably into categories. He follows his own musical and spiritual quest, weaving together Southern roots with a wide experience of life, and creating new traditions in American music. Steve Young will perform in benefit for WSLR on Friday, May 2^nd at Holley Hall in the Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center. Local musician James Hawkins and his band Cold Harbor will open the show at 8pm. The concert is a benefit for WSLR-LP 96.5, Sarasota's Community radio station. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Tickets can be purchased by calling (941) 894-6469 or through the website at www.wslr.org.

TUNE IN TO 96.5 FROM 4-5PM FRIDAY TO HEAR STEVE LIVE ON THE RADIO!

Young was born in Georgia and grew up in Alabama, Georgia and Texas in a family which moved frequently in search of work. By the time he had completed high school in Beaumont, Texas, he was playing guitar and writing songs which incorporated influences of folk, country, gospel, and blues musicians and people like Hank Williams, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and others.

Part Cherokee by birth, steeped in Baptist fundamentalism as a child, yet attracted to a Zen spirituality, the young man from the South with a nomadic spirit went on to create a unique form of American roots music with a truly global perspective.

Young's live performances express the depth and power of his vision. He draws on his own songs, on Southern folk songs from varied traditions, on collaborations and on the best of contemporary songwriters such as J.D. Loudermilk, David Olney and others.

Through 12 albums and countless live performances, Steve Young's music has remained fresh and aggressive, with a sense of deepening spirituality, and a consistent intellectual and artistic challenge, to himself and to his audience.

Many of the stars of the music industry have recorded Steve Young songs, and in some cases forged a career image around them. "Lonesome, Orn'ry & Mean," for example, became the signature tune for 'Outlaw' Waylon Jennings. Hank Williams Jr.'s cover of "Montgomery In The Rain" remains a classic.

Certainly the most-covered Steve Young song of all is "Seven Bridges Road," which has been recorded at various times by artists like Joan Baez, Rita Coolidge, Iain Matthews, the Eagles, Ricochet, and, most recently, Dolly Parton.

While Steve Young songs have brought commercial success to others, Young has never been close enough to the mainstream to sustain his occasional brushes with stardom. He has been unwilling to accept the loss of artistic control that the industry expects of its stars. And while Steve has lived in country music towns like Nashville and Austin, and his songs have had a strong impact on the direction of country music, he rejects the country label for himself. Young is in many ways a cultural dynamic in himself.

Steve continues to tour extensively in the U.S., Canada and Europe, as well as more distant portions of the globe. As a writer, recording artist and a live performer, he is an artist at the very peak of his powers -- quite simply, not to be missed.

Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day to Benefit WSLR - This Tuesday

2008-04-25T10:33:00.002-04:00

Tuesday, April 29th from 12pm-8pm, the Ben & Jerry's on St. Armands Circle will be giving away FREE ICE CREAM! All tips/donations collected that day will go to benefit WSLR-LP 96.5 Sarasota's Community Radio Station. Come out and show your support for community radio.

As Ben & Jerry’s celebrates its 30th anniversary across the globe, the socially-minded ice cream maker, with the fun and funky flavors, asks what better way to share the love? They’re giving it away.

You can try one of your old favorites such as the legend-dairy classic Cherry Garcia, Phish Food or Chocolate Fudge Brownie. However, if you’re looking for a little something new to tickle your ice cream funny bone the company is introducing a few brand new flavors to bring joy to your belly and soul.

Coconut Seven Layer Bar -- What can we say, except we know you’ll go coconuts for our latest and greatest flavor, based on the popular dessert: coconut ice cream with coconut & fudge flakes, walnuts & swirls of graham cracker & butterscotch. This is a treat solely for our Scoop Shop fans, as it is the only place in the world that you can get this flavor!
Imagine Whirled Peace™ -- Continuing in a long lineage of rock and roll flavors, we’re honored to introduce Imagine Whirled Peace. John Lennon imagined a world without war, and asked us all to "Give Peace a Chance." We’re proud to partner with Peace One Day to act globally and take one step closer to making our planet one of peace and love.
ONE Cheesecake Brownie™ -- This top-testing new flavor is a decadent cheesecake ice cream with cheesecake brownie chunks. The amazing thing is the taste is only the half of it! We’re partnering with ONE.org to "make poverty history." To find out all the campaign info, visit ONE.org/benjerry.
Cake Batter -- This flavor combination takes the cake! Yellow cake batter ice cream with a chocolate frosting swirl. The perfect flavor to help blow out Ben & Jerry’s 30 candles!

Not only is Free Cone Day a chance to get a free scoop of ice cream, it is also considered to be quite a party. There’s always great fun and surprises at your neighborhood Scoop Shop with local celebrities as guest scoopers, worthwhile social mission partners like 96.5 WSLR Low Power FM Community Radio and ONE.ORG, music and other entertainment happening throughout the day so make sure you make it down to enjoy all of the Free Cone Day fun.

Catholic Justice Ministry featured on The Surreal News, Friday 9-10am on 96.5FM

2008-04-24T12:13:00.001-04:00

WSLR 96.5 FM welcomes Frank DeBernardo (New Ways Ministry) as our guest.
When: Friday, from 9 am to 10 am EST
Where: The Surreal News on WSLR 96.5 LP FM Sarasota, Florida. If you cannot get it then hear the show live via INTERNET STREAMING (on WSLR.org "Live Broadcasting"), or hear us podcast on demand on iTunes, on Pacifica Broadcast Network, or at the web site thesurrealnews.com.

If you have any questions for the guests e-mail them to steve52n@aol.com.

Background: Francis "Frank" DeBernardo has served since 1996 as Executive Director of New Ways Ministry - a 31-year old national Catholic ministry of justice and reconciliation for lesbian/gay Catholics and the wider Church community http://www.newwaysministry.org/. He has conducted programs on lesbian/gay issues and Catholicism in religious and secular settings throughout the US. He was the keynote speaker at the conference on religion and homosexuality at the first World Pride celebration in Rome, Italy, in 2000. He completed doctoral coursework in Rhetoric at Maryland and the Catholic University of America. His research focused on Catholic language and arguments about homosexuality. He has been a reporter and section editor for a diocesan newspaper and has served as a consultant for several Catholic social justice organizations. He has published articles in Commonwealth, National Catholic Reporter, and American Catholic. He speaks frequently to church groups, university audiences, and the media on the following topics: the Vatican's approach to homosexuality; the history of Catholic ideas about sexuality; the influence of Cardinal Ratzinger (currently Benedict XVI) on Catholic thinking on homosexuality; gay/lesbian development and spirituality; US Catholic pastoral outreach to lesbian/gay people; the spiritual gifts of lesbian/gay Catholics; new theological approaches to lesbian/gay people and sexuality. He can discuss the impact of Pope Benedict XVI's anti-gay policies and rhetoric, and efforts to get him to listen to and accept the gay Catholic Community.

WSLR-LP Wins 2008 Murrow Award for Feature Reporting

2008-04-23T17:25:00.001-04:00

Alex Newberry’s feature report for WSLR entitled “Baby Boomer Appreciation” was just recently awarded a regional Edward R. Murrow Award by the Radio-Television News Directors Association. Newberry has served as WSLR’s News Director since August 2006. Previous to that, Newberry’s experience in journalism includes eight years in radio journalism, two years in print reporting, and two years in web reporting.

The Radio-Television News Directors Association has been honoring outstanding achievements in electronic journalism with the Edward R. Murrow Awards since 1971. Murrow's pursuit of excellence in journalism embodies the spirit of the awards that carry his name. Murrow Award recipients demonstrate the spirit of excellence that Edward R. Murrow made a standard for the broadcast news profession. Arlene Sweeting, WSLR Station Manager, says, “Alex does outstanding work for our local news report – all the more noteworthy because he does it on a volunteer basis. It is wonderful to see his work get this kind of recognition by industry professionals.” You can listen to Newberry’s reports at 5:30pm Monday and Friday on WSLR-LP 96.5 or go to www.wslrnews.org to listen to the podcast.

Ursula Reutin, News Director at KIRO-AM says, "The Edward R. Murrow Award recognizes the “best of the best” and is truly the most prestigious award in electronic journalism. Your newsroom’s work is judged by your peers in the industry and the bar is set high. To win a Murrow is the ultimate compliment for any news organization.”

Local Musician C.C. Carter LIVE on WSLR 96.5

2008-04-22T12:45:00.002-04:00

The Revolution Starts Now – Thursday, April 24^th – 7-9pm on WSLR-LP 96.5, Sarasota's Community Radio Station

Thursday, April 24, 2008, will be a "first" for The Revolution Starts Now! as we will entertain our first live, in-studio guest. My good friend C. C. Carter will do the honors as he will be playing some songs from his newly remastered first CD, "Kill Your Television" and his latest, "Here's to Tonight". C. C. will be performing the next night, Friday, April 25, at It's a Grind in Sarasota.

So, please tune in on Thursday, April 24, at 7:00 for this special event!!

Your host for The Revolution Starts Now!,

Joe Jacco

Learn more about the Gulf Coast Latin Chamber of Commerce

2008-04-21T16:36:00.000-04:00

Friends,

One of the most visible institutions representing Hispanic residents in
Sarasota and Manatee is the Gulf Coast Latin Chamber of Commerce.

In our next show this Wednesday on WSLR 96.5, Florida-Caribe welcomes César Gómez,
executive director of the Gulf Coast Latin chamber, to talk about our
Latin neighbors, migration, the particular interests of Hispanic
businesspeople in Southwest Florida, trade agreements, and how politics and
elections matter to the Latin chamber.

César is a Colombian native and lawyer who came to Sarasota as
recently as three years ago.

Of course, we will also update you on the ongoing "Three Amigos"
meeting in New Orleans, elections and strikes in the Dominican Republic, the
fallout of food riots in Haiti, the latest on Venezuela, the
Ecuadorean-Colombian conflict, and yet another political project emanating from
South America aimed at sidelining the United States.

So tune in to Florida-Caribe this Wednesday, from 9 to 10 a.m. As
usual, we will also provide you a roundup of news from the region you
can’t find anywhere else, plus the news of the weird and Caribbean rhythms.

Last but not least, a big Thank You to all of you Florida-Caribe
listeners who contributed to WSLR's Spring fund drive. Qué padre son!

Pablo Brescia
Lucia Stavig
Johannes Werner

Hosts
Florida-Caribe
WSLR 96.5 LP FM
Sarasota, FL
941 330 0303

Special Guest Bob Fass on WSLR 96.5 this Wednesday

2008-04-21T14:05:00.000-04:00

The Good Evening Cabal show, which airs Wednesday nights from 9-11pm, is intended as a tribute to Bob Fass, a long-time broadcaster on WBAI in New York. I listened many nights to Bob, who was on from midnight to 5:00 a.m. five nights a week in those days (late 760s to early 70s), when I was a teenager. He's truly a pioneer in radio, particularly in community sponsored, commercial-free FM radio. Fass, who will be 75 in June, is still on the air Thursday nights from midnight to 3:30 a.m.

Bob and I spoke for some time yesterday and he has agreed to appear on my show this coming Wed. night at approximately 9:30pm. I know that not everyone is a New Yorker or knows about Bob Fass, but I think that our discussion about 60s culture, some of the many characters who appeared on his show, today's politics, today's media and anything else we might squeeze in during what I believe will be a 15-20-minute interview. He has links to Dylan, Abbie Hoffman, Timothy Leary and many many others.

Hope you tune in to listen on WSLR-LP 96.5 FM,
Good Evening Cabal Host Curt Werner

From wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Fass

To call Bob Fass a radio DJ doesn’t begin to describe his life and work on the air, beginning in 1963 and continuing to the present day.

For Neil Fabricant, Legislative Director of New York’s ACLU during the 1960’s, Bob Fass was “a midwife at the birth of the counter culture.”

He “had a more intimate and lasting relationship with his audience than any performer in any medium I had ever encountered” says his former colleague, Steve Post.

In his book, Public Radio & TV in America: A Political History, Ralph Engleman (who as chairman of WBAI’s Board would fire Fass from the station for insurrection in 1977) cites Fass as “the father of freeform radio.”

WSLR Celebrates with The Mayhaws & Radio Free Carmela

2008-04-12T08:17:00.000-04:00

With their roots in folk and country music and their hearts in the honky-tonk, The Mayhaws do rockabilly Stooges, samba Patsy Cline, and a wealth of originals that saunter and swing. They will be performing on Saturday, April 19^th at The Bungalow, 301 S. Pineapple Avenue in Sarasota. The show will be a WSLR 96.5 Post-Fund Drive Celebration and everyone is invited to attend. Popular local band Radio Free Carmela and the Transmitters will open the show at 7pm. There is no cover.

Like their namesakes, The Mayhaws are sweet and thorny, playing music rooted in American and American-immigrant traditions. Each member brings to the enterprise a wealth of musical experience, their combined talents resulting in a piquant mix of folk, honky-tonk, soul, bluegrass and old-school country. A Mayhaws set can run the gamut from traditional hill music to delta blues to pop songs re-imagined as jug tunes.

WSLR-LP 96.5, Sarasota's Community Radio station, fell just short of reaching their Spring fundraising goal of $25,000. If you would still like to contribute, you can do so be visiting the website www.wslr.org and clicking on the Pledge Now button.

Thanks. Hope to see you at the show.

###

WSLR DJ's Perform Live Tonight at Whole Foods Brew Fest

2008-03-14T11:36:00.000-04:00

Friday, March 14th, 6-9pm

WSLR-LP 96.5 and Whole Foods Market will partner again on
the Spring Brews Fest to benefit the radio station on Friday, March 14th
from 6-9pm. For $10, everyone is invited to come down and sample
various beers while enjoying music and community. WSLR will be
broadcasting their first live remote from the event. Highlighting the
diversity of the station, the following programmers will be featured on
the outside stage:

6-6:40pm - Mr. Rhythm, host of "This and That" a Rhythm & Blues
show that airs every Wednesday 12pm-2:30pm, will spin R&B.

6:40-7:15pm – Russ Yodice, host of "Ripper's Rarities"
every Friday 7-9pm, will spin Rock and Roll Rarities

7:15-7:55pm – DJ SinnaG, host of "DJ SinnaG's House
Party" every Friday 9-11pm, will spin House Music.

7:55-8:30pm – John Osgood, host of "The Louisiana Gumbo
Show" every Sunday 7-9pm, will spin Cajun and Zydeco tunes.

8:30-9pm – Singer-Songwriter Anne Feeney will close out the evening.

Anne Feeney will also be performing inside the store from 6-8:30pm as
Whole Foods Market offers special tastings throughout the store. Feeney
has been dubbed the "minister of culture" to the movements for economic
and social justice and human rights. Anne is "the best labor singer in
North America" according to Utah Phillips. Get ready for folk, reggae,
blues and lilting Irish music from this intelligent, witty, wild woman
for peace and justice.

Tickets are available at Whole Foods Market, 1451 1st St, Downtown
Sarasota. Call (941) 955-8500 for more information.

WSLR and ACE’s Lounge Team Up to Present Four Great Shows in March

2008-03-07T10:15:00.001-05:00

WSLR-LP 96.5 and Ace’s Lounge continue to work together to present some of the best independent music south of the Bay. In March, we’ll present three blues shows and one zydeco show. All WSLR shows at Ace’s are non-smoking. Ace’s Lounge is located at 4343 Palma Sola Blvd. in Bradenton. (Take Cortez Road west toward the beaches and it will be on your left hand side before you get to the bridge).

DELTA MOON
Friday, March 7, 8 :30 PM
Tickets: $5 Advance - $8 At the Door

Delta Moon are Tom Gray and Mark Johnson, two musicians who got to know each other after meeting in a local Atlanta music store. Since 2006 Delta Moon has been a quartet with Tom Gray taking over the vocals. On their new album the band delivers wonderful, groovy Southern rock and blues. It sounds full through and through, is superbly composed and gives pure joy. The trademark of the band is the double slide guitar formation. Gray and Johnson play slide guitar at the same time, an idea Johnson had after seeing Ry Cooder and David Lindley together at a music festival.

Paul Geremia
Thursday, March 20, 8PM
Tickets: $8 Advance, $10 Door

Paul Geremia is possibly the greatest living performer of the East Coast and Texas fingerpicking and slide styles. He has been called a national treasure. John Hammond says that he'd drive a thousand miles to see Paul play. "When Paul plays Leadbelly, you can close your eyes and swear that it is Leadbelly himself." Paul has created a style which is very much his own combining his interpretations of the music of Blind Lemon Jefferson, Robert Johnson, Blind Willie McTell, Scrapper Blackwell and Blind Blake. Paul's superb recordings have made him a critical favorite and place him firmly among the legends who inspired and influenced him over the past four decades.

Dikki Du & The Zydeco Krewe
Friday, March 21, 8PM
Tickets: $10 Advance, $15 Door
Dikki Du and the Zydeco Krewe have been on the scene for eight years. Dikki Du has incorporated his musical heritage with unique experience to create one of the most innovative zydeco groups around. He takes songs from classic zydeco and turns the inside out with fresh and funky renditions driving it to the next level. The krewe’s innovations revitalize zydeco charging it for years to come. Intense and fascinating accordion action coupled to melodic vocals means Dikki Du is guaranteed to entertain.

Seth Walker
Saturday, March 22, 8:30PM
Tickets: $8 Advance, $10 Door

Seth Walker has honed his skills for the last ten years in Austin, TX, playing among the best blues musicians in the world. Having opened shows for icons such as Ray Charles, BB King, Robert Cray and Aaron Neville, Walker has established himself in the music world as a unique and compelling performer. Walker describes his music as “a different point of blue” – an apt description for an artist whose songs, driving delivery and infectious, down-home style resonates with the emotions, beauty, power and simplicity that plays such an integral role in the appeal of traditional Blues and Roots music.

For advance tickets to any show, call 941-894-6469.

Images as well

2008-03-06T21:04:00.000-05:00

Let us test our new blog

2008-03-06T21:01:00.000-05:00

We must begin somewhere