The literacy rate is considered high in America, but plenty of people struggle to read at an appropriate level. Cognitive scientist Mark Seidenberg says that's because we don't do enough to connect what science has learned to the way language is taught in the classroom. Seidenberg lays out his case in the book Language at the Speed of Sight: How We Read, Why So Many Can't, And What Can Be Done About It .

It is only appropriate that Southern Oregon's largest observance of Chinese New Year takes place in Jacksonville. The historic city was home to a significant Chinese population, back in the days when Jacksonville was a mining center and the county seat. Our in-house archaeologists from the Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology have explored that period in history through digs in Jacksonville. And Mark Tveskov and Chelsea Rose return with another installment of "Underground

Much like Zika virus, rubella--German measles--makes people feel lousy for a while, then generally goes away on its own. But rubella in a pregnant woman can be as damaging to the fetus as Zika. Scientists worked for decades to find a vaccine for rubella, finally succeeding in the late 60s. This is the story told in Meredith Wadman's book The Vaccine Race .

It's not just that people have a fear of needles; some of them also have concerns about what comes OUT of the needles. Vaccines have become increasingly controversial in recent years. A group called Oregonians for Medical Freedom supports legislation in Oregon's state capital to provide greater freedom for parents to make medical decisions for their children. One of the bills currently circulating is SB579 , which is titled "Relating to informed consent for vaccinations."

Travelers heading north on Interstate Five from Redding often notice a sharp intake of breath when Mount Shasta first comes into full view near Dunsmuir. The big mountain and the surrounding country are simply breathtaking. Think of how much more you could see from a higher elevation. Cheryl Petty is already on it, touting the idea of an aerial tramway connecting Dunsmuir to the top of Mount Bradley to the west. The proposed Horsetail Falls Aerial Tram has a long way to go to become a reality.

In a less candid age, the end of the phrase "Eleanor and..." was "Franklin." Roosevelt, that is. The first lady and the president broke many barriers in their 12 years in the White House. But Eleanor Roosevelt's biggest barrier was broken out of the public eye, in her loving relationship with reporter Lorena Hickok. "Hick" was Eleanor's constant companion for decades, a story told by Susan Quinn in her book Eleanor and Hick .

Valentine's Day seems like a great time to talk about love and sex, and to do so frankly. Julie Gillis and Mario Fregoso are ready. Gillis is one of the creators of BedPost Confessions , a storytelling project about sex and sexuality. She's started an Ashland version of the event. And Mario Fregoso works to support LGBTQ+ young people through the Lotus Rising Project .

It might be a challenging question to ask Naomi Shihab Nye where she's from. Nye is a poet-novelist-essayist, born in St. Louis, but raised in both San Antonio and Jerusalem. Yes, THE Jerusalem. Nye is Palestinian-American, and her large body of work reflects the many influences in her life, from West Texas to the Middle East. She visits Ashland for a speaking engagement tonight (February 13th), and drops by the studio for an advance on the evening.

It's been nearly three decades since the Medford Jazz Jubilee started bringing multiple bands to Medford for multiple days of musical performance. But there will not be a fourth decade, unless what's now called the Southern Oregon Music Festival is able to find a few wealthy friends. SOMF lost a few key sponsors last year, leaving it in need of $50,000 by March 1st. Festival leaders are hustling to bring in the cash to preserve SOMF and its award-winning programs .

Even volcanoes in remote places can cause problems for people. Example: the eruption of a volcano in Iceland in 2010; the ash plume shut down airports across Europe. Volcanology is one of the study areas addressed by a "Cluster of Excellence" at the University of Oregon. Volcanoes in and near Oregon made this a natural program emphasis. In this month's installment of "cUriOus: Research Meets Radio," Professor Paul Wallace lays out the cluster of excellence model and how it will help study