Our volunteers have confirmed that the American Tower Company’s tower on Monument Peak at 6,200 ft. elevation collapsed in the February winter storm due to severe ice accumulation and wind. The tower where KNSJ rented space since beginning broadcasting on July 4th, 2013, is now a crumpled pile of steel and cabling. The tower also hosted two cell phone transfer stations, for AT&T and T-Mobile, as well as several other smaller clients. KNSJ was the only broadcast station on the tower. KNSJ is still streaming online, but restoring our broadcast signal will require urgent funding for engineering, equipment, and a possible new site.
Don’s guest is Iranian-born USAF VETERAN PHEDREA BOND. Their coversation includes her military experience as a police officer. Now a member of Veterans For Peace in Maine, she is a police chaplain for the Portland PD and also a professional dog trainer.
Kidnapped at Sea: Thiago Ávila Reveals Brutality Inside Israel’s Detention System
“The destiny of Palestinians is the destiny of all humanity”: Kidnapped and tortured by the Zionists, Thiago Avila says Flotilla activists are undeterred in their support for Palestinian liberation.
Since the Zionist siege of Gaza began 19 years ago, people from around the world have been organizing to break through it and establish a humanitarian corridor to guarantee that Palestinians receive the supplies they need to survive. International flotillas are one way people challenge the Israeli blockade of Gaza. As is occurring with all forms of resistance to the Zionist State, retaliation against activists is escalating. Participants on the most recent flotillas have been subjected to abuse, torture and rape perpetrated by the Israelis with near impunity.
On this episode of The Chris Hedges Report, Chris Hedges speaks with longtime flotilla organizer and pro-Palestine activist Thiago Ávila to describe his harrowing experience in an Israeli torture dungeon. Ávila recounts in detail the illegal kidnapping of flotilla activists this spring, the abusive treatment, and the activist’s courage in resisting the efforts of the Zionists to intimidate them and attempt to prevent future flotillas. He places the work of the flotilla organizers in the context of a global struggle, which employs a variety of tactics, in support of Palestinian liberation.
While flotilla participants are almost guaranteed to be detained and subject to abuse by Israelis on their humanitarian missions, this last effort was met with a uniquely brutal response by the Israelis. Activists were locked in cold cells with minimal water, kept from getting their medications, and when they demanded better treatment in protest, Israeli flashbangs were thrown into their cells and disoriented them as Israeli soldiers launched further physical violence against them. Ávila in particular was brutally tortured, beaten unconscious by Israelis, locked in solitary confinement while blindfolded and zip tied, and constantly threatened with hanging by the Zionist officers jailing him.
Despite the horrors inflicted upon the flotilla participants, Ávila emphasizes that their treatment pales in comparison to the severe abuse of Palestinian prisoners, which include children, and the genocide. Hedges states that the actions of the Zionist state are a mirror into “the inversion of the international and moral order” and the West’s complicity, which impacts everyone. Ávila agrees, and adds, “The Palestinian people… show us the lenses to see society as it really is, but also show us the map, that there’s no way out of this except for resisting, except for mobilizing.”
Call in with your questions and comments at 619-790-KNSJ (5675)
KNSJ’S TALK OF THE TOWN PRESENTS A CONVERSATION ON:
PART 1–AN UNDER THE RADAR MOVE TO OPEN UP PUBLIC LANDS TO MORE HUNTING, ROLLING BACK LEAD RESTRICTIONS IN AMMUNITION, ENDANGERED WILDLIFE AND MORE
AND
PART 2–A RISE IN LYME DISEASE, WHAT IS HAPPENING IN SAN DIEGO, OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM AND MORE
JOIN MIKE AND ARTHUR AND THEIR GUEST RENÉE OWENS
UNDER THE RADAR—ATTACK ON PUBLIC LANDS, ENDANGERED SPECIES AND WILD LIFE, HOW SAN DIEGO IS AFFECTED – AND PART 2 LYME DISEASE IS ON THE RISE AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR YOU AND SAN DIEGO, DIAGNOSIS, OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM’S RESPONSE
Part 1: A conversation about the dismantling of our National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS). It is not often that an experienced field researcher and biologist writes to warn us about losing protections for animals.
Our NWRS is a very basic protection for all animals, in particular birds. San Diego has over 530 bird species, many using the Pacific Flyway. There are NWRs along the flyway that depend on each other – San Diego being the last stop in the western continental United States.
The new orders from the current administration include an increase in the disgusting practice of trapping. Trapping kills many of our pets – even at Mission Bay.
Part 2: Lyme disease is on the rise. San Diegans are not exempt from the rising cases. A complex disease, a healthcare system not meeting the needs of all of us in diagnoses, treatments and more, you will want to call in with questions and comments.
Renée Owens is a wildlife conservationist and longtime resident of east San Diego County. She is a recipient of the National Geographic’s Research and Exploration Award and received a Special Commendation from the City of San Diego for her volunteer activism. She spends her free time photographing wildlife and hiking with her canine kids.
On America’s 250th, CA wildlife refuges honor natural wondersThe United States will turn a quarter of a millennium old next week, a time to celebrate and recognize what makes America truly great. California environmental groups say wildlife refuges are a key piece of the national fabric and should be remembered during America’s anniversary. Comments from Jeff Aardahl, wildlife biologist and a senior representative in California, Defenders of Wildlife.
As the U.S. prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary next week, conservation groups said national wildlife refuges remain essential to preserving the country’s natural beauty.
California’s 43 refuges span 1.6 million acres. Congress established the National Wildlife Refuge System 60 years ago, and it has grown to more than 570 sites nationwide.
Jeff Aardahl, a wildlife biologist and California senior representative for Defenders of Wildlife, said cuts from the Trump administration’s Department of Governmental Efficiency are hampering the system’s mission.
“Operational budgets have been reduced,” Aardahl pointed out. “The number of wildlife biologists, interpreters and refuge managers have also been reduced. So the National Wildlife Refuge System now is under great stress.”
California’s refuges span every corner of the state from south to north, with protected lands from San Diego Bay to Humboldt Bay, from the Salton Sea to Clear Lake. Several refuges, particularly in the San Joaquin Valley, are struggling because they depend on water allocations from the federal Bureau of Reclamation, which has prioritized water deliveries to farmers and urban areas in Southern California.
Aardahl noted the wildlife refuges, along with 262 protected areas designated by the state, shelter thousands of fragile species.
“These refuges support many imperiled native species like the southern sea otter, checkerspot and monarch butterflies, red-legged frog, San Joaquin kit fox, gray wolf, and California condor, which is endangered,” Aardahl outlined.
Much of the funding for the refuges comes directly through congressional appropriations to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Additional funding comes from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the future of which is tied to the America the Beautiful Act, a bipartisan bill currently before the U.S. Senate.
Suzanne Potter, Producer
Suzanne Potter is a journalist with 30 years of experience as a reporter for TV, radio and print news. She spent 15 years as a local TV news reporter in Palm Springs, CA and Providence, RI. She earned a B.A. in Mass Communications from UC Berkeley and spent a year at the Sorbonne in Paris. She lives in Palm Desert, CA, is married with four children and is a longtime leader with the Boy Scouts of America
Thoughtful conversations and a good way to start the day! STOP & TALK dives deep into the themes of purpose and opportunity, guided by the insights of leaders in the arts and culture, health, philanthropy, finance and innovation fields. Together, we celebrated local achievements and envisioned what’s possible in San Diego County. https://www.prebysfdn.org/
New docuseries tells the real story of Native history in California
For many Native people, the version of California history taught in school does not tell the whole story. For Brad Munoa, a citizen of the Pechanga Band of Indians, the inspiration for “People of the West”, a new ten-part docuseries came after learning about a California history presentation at his son’s school.
TODAY on NATIVE AMERICA CALLING
“Rainwater and Whiskey” and “Empty Hands” are the latest singles off Mohawk singer-songwriter Logan Staats’ forthcoming third album. These songs further explore Staats’ vintage country, soul and blues sound that were showcased on his 2023 Juno-nominated album, A Light in The Attic. His songwriting often centers on Indigenous rights and reclaiming identity. He continues to build on his mainstream success from winning a national Canadian music competition television series in 2018.
Cherokee and Muscogee singer-songwriter Kalyn Fay’s new album, “Garden”, channels quiet, rural life in Oklahoma. Fay waited two years before releasing the album because they “wanted to give the songs time to breathe.” The songwriting on the album is both personal and confessional, drawing inspiration from their family, their Native community, and the landscapes of Oklahoma.
Grant Oliphant talks with Ramel Wallace, a multifaceted artist, activist, and community builder deeply embedded in the San Diego creative scene. Ramel’s journey, rooted in hip-hop storytelling and community engagement, provides a unique lens into the city’s history, culture, and social dynamics.
Ramel discusses his viral “We’re San Diegans” video series, which humorously and poignantly captures the essence of San Diego life, touching on local pride, cultural diversity, the city’s social issues, and of course, tacos. He also shares his perspective on the significant yet often overlooked impact of redlining and gentrification, which he is exploring through his Far South/Border North campaign.
The conversation delves into Ramel’s role as the host of CreativeMornings San Diego, his dedication to fostering creativity and care, and his commitment to cultural preservation through initiatives like “The Last Black Man in Barrio Logan.” Through his work, Ramel emphasizes the importance of intimate community connections and the powerful role of creativity in addressing societal issues.
Tune in to hear how Ramel’s artistry and activism are shaping San Diego’s future, how creativity and care are intertwined, and discover the profound ways in which art can be a catalyst for social change.
Tune into Friendly Fire a Voice For Veterans today at 2:00 PM PDT on KSNJ.org to hear activists demonstrating outside the Core Civic detention facility in San Diego County. Overcrowding and a lack of clean water and food plague this facility holding up to 2,000 inmates swept up by ICE down by the border with Mexico.
