This week's showcase of news briefs from around our region, hosted by JPR's Charlie Zimmermann.

JPR's Roman Battaglia: In Arcata, anyone can fly planes and fight wildfires without leaving the library

Mountain West News Bureau's Chas Sisk: State crime labs struggle to end backlog

KLCC's Rachael McDonald: New Oregon law allows family councils for memory care

Siri Chilazi joins the Exchange. She’s a senior researcher at the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, a masters from Harvard Kennedy School and a BA in chemistry and physics from Harvard College. Siri collaborates with a wide range of organizations around the world and her work frequently appears in major media outlets. Her life’s work is to advance gender equality in the workplace.

Siri Chilazi is also a co-author with Iris Bohnet of the new book, “Make Work Fair: Data-Driven Design for Real Results.”

The co-authors write, “...our book will offer you an evidence-based blueprint for how to serve as an agent for meaningful structural change without making it your fulltime job.”

Rogue Community College has partnered with Linn-Benton Community College and Providence Medford Medical Center to bring a Surgical Technology degree program to the Rogue Valley.

The collaborative seeks to address the critical need for trained surgical technologists in Southern Oregon. This collaborative effort will enable students in the Rogue Valley to earn a two-year Associate of Applied Science in Surgical Technology without leaving the region. The partnership blends online coursework with in-person labs at RCC’s Table Rock Campus and hands-on clinical experience at Providence Medford Medical Center.

David M. Koehler, Dean of Instruction, Student Learning and Success at RCC, joins the Exchange to discuss the details.

Larry Alexander and Danielle Kelly join the Exchange.

Larry Alexander is Executive Director of "GlowFest," a new event on June 19-22 celebrating the fusion of food, film, live music, awards and magic. Danielle Kelly is the festival's program director.

The premier venue, "The Glow," is located in Scott Valley in Siskiyou County, CA. The new event and venue builds on the organizers' previous experience in producing the State of Jefferson FLIXX FEST.

GlowFest aims to be a resource for creatives, from filmmakers and musicians to multimedia producers. Organizers say the facility will ideally attract creatives to the area. Projects will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The idea is to make it affordable or free through grants for budding creatives, through special projects, classes and workshops. Facilities are available to rent for various uses.

About GlowFest
Inside the festival
June 19-22 festival lineup and schedule

About Larry Alexander
Executive Director and biologist/hydrologist for the Northern California Resource Center (NCRC) since 1995. NCRC provides natural resource services and is dedicated to sustainable rural communities, providing vision, leadership, and local economic development. NCRC produces an annual film festival and other activities providing the community with arts and humanities experiences. Larry is a professional musician, and founding member of the band Afterglow. Afterglow was a psychedelic band in the 1960s that had some moderate success at the time. Later the band was surprised to learn that over the years it had acquired a cult following. In the mid-1990s their 1968 album was r issued and they got back together to perform. Larry is a native of Scott Valley, Siskiyou County, California.

About Danielle Kelly
Danielle Kelly is the GlowFest Program Director. She is also manager and lead singer of two performance groups: DK Soul Project and DK Jazz Project. Danielle hosts the radio program, Open Air, on JPR's Rhythm & News Service. She moved to Ashland in 2003 from Sitka, Alaska to study theater at Southern Oregon University. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2007 and has remained in the Rogue Valley enjoying a performance career as a model, actor, and live performance vocalist.

Christina Donati joins the Exchange. She's a strong advocate for small animals, specifically rats. She's worked in animal rescue for 35, starting with birds. She's focused on small animals for the past four years and is a founding member of Oregon Small Animal Resources.

Oregon Small Animal Resources seeks to educate and keep as many animals in their homes as possible. The organization also provides resources ranging from basic information to lending materials and equipment to providing food and shelter. The organization's primary focus is on rabbits, rats, hamsters, mice, gerbils, guinea pigs & chinchillas.

Larry Alexander and Danielle Kelly join the Exchange.

Larry Alexander is Executive Director of "GlowFest," a new event on June 19-22 celebrating the fusion of food, film, live music, awards and magic. Danielle Kelly is the festival's program director.

The premier venue, "The Glow," is located in Scott Valley in Siskiyou County, CA. The new event and venue builds on the organizers' previous experience in producing the State of Jefferson FLIXX FEST.

GlowFest aims to be a resource for creatives, from filmmakers and musicians to multimedia producers. Organizers say the facility will ideally attract creatives to the area. Projects will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The idea is to make it affordable or free through grants for budding creatives, through special projects, classes and workshops. Facilities are available to rent for various uses.

About GlowFest
Inside the festival
June 19-22 festival lineup and schedule

About Larry Alexander
Executive Director and biologist/hydrologist for the Northern California Resource Center (NCRC) since 1995. NCRC provides natural resource services and is dedicated to sustainable rural communities, providing vision, leadership, and local economic development. NCRC produces an annual film festival and other activities providing the community with arts and humanities experiences. Larry is a professional musician, and founding member of the band Afterglow. Afterglow was a psychedelic band in the 1960s that had some moderate success at the time. Later the band was surprised to learn that over the years it had acquired a cult following. In the mid-1990s their 1968 album was r issued and they got back together to perform. Larry is a native of Scott Valley, Siskiyou County, California.

About Danielle Kelly
Danielle Kelly is the GlowFest Program Director. She is also manager and lead singer of two performance groups: DK Soul Project and DK Jazz Project. Danielle hosts the radio program, Open Air, on JPR's Rhythm & News Service. She moved to Ashland in 2003 from Sitka, Alaska to study theater at Southern Oregon University. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2007 and has remained in the Rogue Valley enjoying a performance career as a model, actor, and live performance vocalist.

David Kollen from the Xerces Society joins the Exchange. Also joining the conversation is Sharon Schmidt, President of Cascade Girl.

About Cascade Girl
Educating People about Food System Pollinators of the Cascades and Their Impact on Planetary Survival through Science, Culture and the Arts

About Xerces Society
The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is an international nonprofit organization that protects the natural world through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats. As a science-based organization, we both conduct our own research and rely upon the most up-to-date information to guide our conservation work. Our key program areas are: pollinator conservation, endangered species conservation, and reducing pesticide use and impacts.

ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum features a special edition of its monthly STEAM Social series on Friday, June 13 from 6 to 8 PM.

This month’s theme, “Fire Works,” highlights the work of Lomakatsi Restoration Project and explores wildfire resilience through the lens of Indigenous knowledge — including cultural fire, Indigenous fire stewardship, ecocultural restoration, ecological science, and community action.

Joining the Exchange to discuss the project and the presentation at ScienceWorks is Belinda Brown, Director of Tribal Partnerships and Chair of the Inter-Tribal Ecosystem Restoration Partnership.

Belinda is a citizen of the Kosealekte Band of the Ajumawi-Atsuge Nation (Pit River Tribe). She has decades of experience in tribal governance, natural resource policy, and Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (ITEK). Belinda will give a talk at ScienceWorks on the cultural uses of fire by local Indigenous nations and the importance of collaborative restoration.

Cultural Practitioner Virginia Amoroso, a citizen of the Ajumawi Band of the Ajumawi-Atsuge Nation (Pit River Tribe) and Shasta descendant will guide a basket weaving activity, offer native plant identification, and share a short film, "Tribal Hands on the Land."

This STEAM Social also marks the launch of a community fundraiser to support ongoing fire education for K-12 students in response to recent federal funding cuts.

In lieu of the usual materials fee, ScienceWorks is inviting attendees to donate to the Fire Education for All campaign supporting Southern Oregon Forest Restoration Collaborative (SOFRC), Lomakatsi, and ScienceWorks in providing fire ecology and ITEK education for local K-12 students.

David Kollen from the Xerces Society joins the Exchange. Also joining the conversation is Sharon Schmidt, President of Cascade Girl.

About Cascade Girl
Educating People about Food System Pollinators of the Cascades and Their Impact on Planetary Survival through Science, Culture and the Arts

About Xerces Society
The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is an international nonprofit organization that protects the natural world through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats. As a science-based organization, we both conduct our own research and rely upon the most up-to-date information to guide our conservation work. Our key program areas are: pollinator conservation, endangered species conservation, and reducing pesticide use and impacts.

Comedic actor, Broadway producer and playwright Del Shores joins the Exchange along with Gwen Overland, artistic director of the Camelot Theatre in Talent, who is also starring in the play, "Daddy's Dying, Who's Got the Will?"

The play, written by Del Shores, is running at the Camelot Theatre from June 11 to July 6. Del and Gwen discuss the their careers in entertainment and the current play featured at the Camelot Theatre.