COVID-19 is currently surging across the United States, including the Central Coast. As cases explode, communities are grappling with another lockdown and the economic and psychological impacts of the pandemic. While hope is on the horizon, with vaccines looking to be out soon, what can the community and individuals do in the meantime to protect ourselves and others from this deadly disease? Join Fred Munroe as he speaks with San Luis Obispo County public health officer Dr. Penny Borenstein , as

The COVID-19 crisis has led to widespread economic impacts. Rising unemployment has left a record number of individuals in possible housing insecurity due to loss of income as a result of shelter-at-home orders, quarantines, illness, school closures, and other COVID-related factors. In August, nine prominent institutes and organizations released new research that concluded that 30-40 million people in America are at risk of losing their homes by the end of 2020. What type of housing assistance

Data shows that immigrants are among those hardest hit by the impacts of COVID-19. In California, undocumented immigrants represent 10% of the workforce, and paid approximately $2.5 billion in state and local taxes in 2019. Immigrants do the essential work that sustains us all, yet they have been excluded from many of the federal COVID-19 relief assistance programs. Join Kris Kington Barker as she speaks with guests working as part of the collaborative effort with SLO County UndocuSupport and

The mission of ACTION for Healthy Communities is to identify and address community needs to improve health and well-being in San Luis Obispo County. ACTION is a cooperative, collaborative effort of individual agencies and organizations, public and private, that are committed to improving the overall quality of life in SLO County. Join Fred Munroe as he speaks with members of the ACTION for Healthy Communities steering committee—Jason Wells, associate director of First 5 SLO County and new ACTION

The coronavirus crisis has made both businesses and individuals rethink the way they do things, and also what they do. While many businesses and employees are struggling to survive COVID-19 and may just be looking to adapt, for others t he crisis is an opportunity to reinvent themselves. Join host Fred Munroe as he speaks with Central Coast organizations that are working to meet these needs. In our first half-hour, Fred speaks with mentors from SCORE of San Luis Obispo — Horace Morana and Carol

While we know that COVID-19 and school closures have been a hardship for parents and children, what has been the impact on teachers? After quickly pivoting to distance learning this spring and fall, local teachers face continued Covid-19 fears as school districts decide whether to reopen in person in coming weeks and months, while many juggle their own family’s well-being. Join Fred Munroe as he speaks with the president of the Atascadero District Teachers Association and full time Atascadero

Coping with the COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for all families, but for families caring for children with disabilities, it can be especially challenging. According to the last US Census Report , one in every 26 American families reported raising children with a disability. How are they coping? What resources are there for them in the community? Join Kris Kington Barker as she speaks with Kaycie Roberts, executive director with the Central Coast Autism Spectrum Center , member of the San

Join host Fred Munroe as he speaks with Joel Peterson, executive director with the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance ; Jason Haas, partner and general manager of Tablas Creek Vineyard ; and Adrienne Ferarra, co-owner of Clesi Wines and professor in the Department of Wine & Viticulture at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo , as they discuss how the Central Coast wine industry is coping with the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

Voting is now underway for the 2020 General Election. This election will be like no other in U.S. history. So far, more than 5 million people across the U.S have already voted early in the presidential election. What do you need to know to vote safely and be sure your vote is counted? What options are there available for voting locally? How can you make sure that your absentee ballot is delivered and counted? Join Kris Kington Barker as she speaks with guests about the 2020 election: in the

Domestic violence is an alarming and pervasive problem in our country. On average, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States. Over the course of a year, that equals more than 12 million women and men. And while a the COVID-19 pandemic or a bad economy does not cause domestic violence, it can and has made it worse. Join host Fred Munroe as he speaks with RISE SLO education and communications director Christina Kaviani, PhD.