Across the country, there has been a huge increase in attempts to ban books from libraries and schools. The American Library Association is fighting back against attempts to censor books from libraries by raising awareness of protecting our right to read what we choose. We hear from Heather Norquist, youth programs coordinator for the Santa Cruz Public Libraries about how important it is to nurture a love of reading in young people, and not remove books by authors of color or ones that contain LGBTQ+ themes.

On Talk of the Bay, host Meilin Obinata welcomes Paul Kmiec the director of the Santa Cruz Film Festival. Join us in learning how this 25 year old film festival is rejuvenating itself with Paul, a filmmaker in his own right, at the helm. Most importantly, be sure to attend the free parties and meet the filmmakers who are coming to town for this celebration of creativity and independence from Wednesday October 8th through Sunday October 12th!

SCFF Schedule

https://www.santacruzfilmfestivals.org

Tim Eagan, beloved cartoonist, satirist, radio drama guy and all around cultural icon of Santa Cruz passed away in August of 2025. We hear from friend and radio host Bruce Larsen, and poet Stephen Kessler about his legacy and we hear an interview I did with Tim in April, 2022 upon the release of his graphic novel.’

On this episode of Talk of The Bay, host George Cadman is joined by Tony Nuñez, Marketing & Communications Director at Community Bridges, where he leads strategic messaging to highlight the impact of the nonprofit’s 10 programs serving more than 20,000 children, families, and seniors each year across Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito Counties. These programs deliver hot meals to homebound seniors, provide accessible transportation to medical appointments, connect families to food and housing resources, nurture children through early education, and offer critical recovery support during disasters. Tony and George will discuss the important work of Community Bridges in our tri-County area and the upcoming Pie for The People event on Oct. 26th which will benefit this critical community resource.

The Arts Council of Santa Cruz County kicks off their Open Studios Art Tour the first weekend in October. Celebrating their 40th year Open studios is bigger than ever featuring over 340 artists! Working in 22 mediums from seasoned professionals to new and emerging, Open Studios presents an opportunity for everyone to discover, experience, and connect with artists and their work.

KSQD Host Christine Barrington welcomes Open Studios Program Manager, Bree Karpavage along with two participating artists to share behind the scenes details into what makes Open Studios an event you do not want to miss.

Featured artists:

Anna Cummins (#239) is a full-time ceramicist who creates functional pieces that have whimsical sculptural and painted elements. 

Biagio Scarpello (#78) is a mixed media sculptor and blown glass master who also teaches art at San Jose State and Cabrillo College in Aptos.

Tour Weekends (10am–5pm)

✨ Preview Exhibits

📍 Plan Your Visit

✉️ For More Info: Email [email protected]

Guest Recommended Studios:

Mattie Leeds #343

Tessa Hope Hasty #342

Tina Fuller Somers #332

Elijah Pfotenhaur #126

Coeleen Kiebert  #26

Santa Cruz Clay #313-317

Dr. Janice Hadlock is a professor of acupuncture and a well-known researcher in the field of Chinese medicine. She has been published in the top journals in the field and has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine regarding treatments for Parkinson’s Disease. She is the first non-MD acupuncturist to be published in that medical journal.

Early in the COVID pandemic, she discovered that the symptoms of COVID, and of Long COVID, are caused by a trio of electrical blockages in the subdermal fascia. Through successive treatments of COVID patients in 2019 and 2020, she found that these blockages can easily be straightened and removed by stroking the affected area with the hand. Her findings, based on her own work and work of other practitioners using the treatment she developed, were published in the Fall 2022 edition of the Journal of Chinese Medicine. Her instructions for doing the treatment are available for free at covidtreatment.info.

Dr. Hadlock has been working with the NIH since 2022. Although the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health has approved the treatment, its parent organization, the National Institutes of Health, has been suppressing the information for three years.

In this episode of Talk of the Bay, host Janet Quinn sits down with Brian Sweeney and Omar Guzman of the Homeless Garden Project. They share how the project provides job training, community, and hope for people experiencing homelessness, while also growing fresh food, handmade goods, and deep connections in Santa Cruz.

From the upcoming Sustain Supper fundraiser featuring chef Jozseph Schultz and poet Jane Hirshfield, to the excitement of securing a permanent farm site, this conversation highlights the power of collaboration, resilience, and renewal rooted in the soil.

Listen now to hear an inspiring story of growth—on the farm and beyond.

Join HGP for their Sustain Supper, Saturday, October 18th at Natural Bridges Farm in Santa Cruz—an evening of farm-to-table dining, community, and poetry, all in support of the Homeless Garden Project.

Enjoy a locally sourced four-course meal by Chef Jozseph Schultz, dessert from The Penny Ice Creamery, and a keynote by renowned poet Jane Hirshfield.

Tickets and details at homelessgardenproject.org.

On Talk of the Bay host Christine Barrington interviews Sally Weiss, Director of The Cabrillo Stroke and Disability Learning Center. The center is celebrating its 50th Anniversary with an event at Cabrillo’s Samper Hall on October 17 at 10am-Noon.  Sally Weiss shares with the community the terrific offerings of this long-standing program.

Every two seconds, someone in the world suffers a stroke. Every six, someone’s quality of life will forever be changed. To meet this challenge locally, the Stroke and Disability Learning Center provides an interdisciplinary educational program for adults who have survived a stroke or are living with disabling conditions. The SDLC is a unique program operating since 1974 at Cabrillo College that starts where medical rehabilitation leaves off. Patients become students and enroll in specialized classes to develop strategies and gain skills in a supportive learning community.

The goal of the SDLC is to support independence and promote maximum function for adults adapting to functional losses. Students participate in small-group instruction in Mobility and Fitness, Speech and Communication and Counseling Support. Classes are designed to meet the learning needs of each individual student, taking into account a wide range of disabilities and offering personalized assessment to identify individual learning goals.

To learn more for someone in your life call 831-477-3300. Your call will be followed up with an interview and an orientation session.

More details here.   Costs are limited to community college enrollment fees and scholarships are available.

To learn more about the history of the center and how it began, featuring two previous directors of the center, please enjoy this previous show from 2020: 

Join host Suki Wessling on Talk of the Bay for her informative interview with Monterey Jazz Managing Director Bobbie Young. You’ll learn about all aspects of the festival and hear clips from some of this year’s great artists.

Do you have your go bag ready in case of a fire, flood, earthquake or tsunami? Do you have a plan for you pet? At the preparedness fair and tsunami fun run, ocal experts from the Red Cross, Scouts, and Animal Shelter help sort out what to do to be ready for any eventuality.