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Happy New Year!
by Kara Randolph, Station Manager
We are excited for all the changes and growth at Redwood Community Radio, thanks to your generosity, input and our amazing volunteers and staff. The consistent passion, resilience and dedication the community shows to KMUD is inspiring.
This year, we’re aiming to build even more bridges with local organizations and people by being involved in more events, new shows, and a whole bunch of volunteer opportunities.
 To know more, please join us for the 2025 Annual Membership meeting on Saturday 18th on Zoom from 3 to 5pm. More info here.
Last month, during our winter fund drive, KMUD cranked up the volume with FIVE live bands! We had The Saddle Tramps, Royal Propolis, The Diva Miss G, Hernan Rostan and Bud Rogers bringing the house down. We’re not stopping there—KMUD’s “Live Sessions” are here to stay, bringing more live music straight to your ears.
Our winter fund drive was wildly successful! We exceeded our goal of $33,000 and 30 new members by raising $43,000 and gaining 41 new members!
Keep your eyes peeled for exciting events coming your way, and get ready for some serious KMUD love in Northern Humboldt as we kick off our Northern Humboldt satellite studio later this year. |
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A glimpse into the future of broadcast technology
by Rob Seifert Gage, Studio Technical Director
The newly renovated Studio C has seen a lot of programmers stepping into the seat, navigating the learning curve. Many initially wished for things to be the way they used to be, but week by week, they’ve persevered. Now, they’re feeling at home in the space, giving their all, and engaging listeners in fresh and exciting ways.
Simon and I recently had the pleasure of meeting Daniel Hyatt from DNAV, the company that supplied our new equipment. During his visit, he helped us address a small list of final adjustments. Remarkably, his engineer handled all the technical changes remotely from Rochester, NY, via the internet—a glimpse into the future of broadcast technology. Later this year, we’ll have a studio set up in Arcata, and will be able to switch control of the broadcast to programmers there through a Virtual Console setup, which is currently in progress.
Upcoming trainings will further empower our engineers to manage talk shows and handle live calls on air. Once these sessions are completed, we’ll see the new system fully realized! The overnight programming is also being transitioned to run through Studio C, marking another exciting milestone.
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2024 Year in Review:
Facing Challenges and Celebrating Resilience
by Lisa Music, News Assistant
As 2024 came to a close, Humboldt County and the surrounding region saw a mix of triumphs and tribulations.
The year brought much-needed upgrades to local fire departments, with new trucks funded by state partnerships, though some initiatives sparked discussions around environmental impacts.
The community faced heartbreak as several residents, including Zoe Penrod, Michael Bounds, and Roy Tsatoke, went missing, leaving loved ones searching for answers. In Fort Bragg, the search for Ray Mora ended with tragic news.
 In Mendocino County, hundreds of cannabis cultivators moved closer to full state licensure, transitioning from provisional to annual licenses.
June marked a cultural milestone as the Wailaki people celebrated the return of a traditional Redwood canoe to the Eel River after 170 years, a powerful symbol of resilience.
Safety concerns arose at the Humboldt County Fair after two tragic horse fatalities, prompting the California horse racing board to implement new rules emphasizing animal welfare.
The Redwood Coast Energy Authority announced it would not meet its 2025 renewable energy goal, leading to considerations of nuclear power as part of its strategy. The local election cycle saw notable outcomes, including incumbents holding their seats in Arcata and Eureka, while Blue Lake City Council experienced an unprecedented turnover.
 In public safety, CAL FIRE investigated fires in a homeless camp near Redway, and California’s Attorney General pursued legal action against a Eureka hospital over a denied emergency abortion. A Yurok tribal police sergeant also faced charges related to domestic violence.
The year was not without its bright spots, as Humboldt County became the first in the nation to officially celebrate Two Spirit Day, highlighting inclusivity and cultural awareness. Local schools expanded alcohol abuse education initiatives, and efforts to reduce drug-related fatalities saw progress.
 According to California Local News Fellow Sydney Fishman, who has collaborated with the KMUD News Team this year, reflected on the year, and observed that the region also faced challenges in the agricultural sector, with farmers struggling to adapt to changing climate conditions and supply chain disruptions. Despite these obstacles, the community demonstrated its resilience, with local organizations and residents coming together to support one another.
In the world of sports, the KMUD sports report highlighted the triumphs and setbacks of local teams and athletes. The Humboldt Crabs baseball team had a successful season, while the Cal Poly Humboldt’s football team faced a rebuilding year. The report also celebrated the achievements of individual athletes, such as the Arcata High School cross-country runner who qualified for the state championships.
As 2025 approaches, the KMUD News Team looks forward to continuing to bring the stories that matter to the region, fostering connection, growth, and understanding.
Note: This newsletter has been edited to correct an erroneous attribution to the Wiyot Tribe instead of the Wailaki.
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Movers And Shakers
by Program Director, Dennis Maher
Dave Reagan and B’anna Federico have traded poetry shows. Dave has moved to a monthly slot, the first Wednesday of each month, on the Voices show rotation and B’anna will be on whenever there is a fifth Wednesday in the month. Kmud’s Voices features local poets and lovers of poetry sharing their favorite works, and airs each Wednesday from 8 till 8:30 pm. Tune in for the live shows or find them on the archives.
DJ Poison Oak’s The Cochlea, one of Kmud’s newest shows, featuring beautiful and dark music from all over the globe, has moved to every other Thursday night from 10pm till midnight, alternating weeks with DJ Witch Hits’s silly, spooky, sexy, Bewitching Hours.
Sue Moloney, a longtime volunteer at KMUD, has joined the Thursday night talk rotation. Her new show, Off The Cuff, airs every 1st Thursday of the month from 7 till 8pm. On her latest show she was joined by guest, Kim Elia, a local homeopath/nutritionist where they discussed the current political landscape and media. This is a call-in talk show where differing opinions and conversation are encouraged. Tune in and call in to Off the Cuff on February 6th and remember you can catch the last show here and in the KMUD archives.
As far as shakers are concerned, big thanks and accolades are in order for DJ Little Rock! This guy has been an invaluable volunteer at Kmud, logging well over a hundred shows this past year, always stepping up at a moment’s notice to fill in for Djs, and committing to being in the studio on holidays producing quality programming. You can hear him on his regular programs, The Morning Show on Wednesdays 6 till 8am, Musical Possibilities new releases on Friday afternoons from 3 till 5:30, and on the Rankin Reggae Rotation the first Saturday night of each month from 7:30 till 10pm.
Listen here to his January 1st edition of the Morning Show
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Become an underwriter
by Kara Randolph, Station Manager
To find out more about underwritting our music shows or public affairs programming, call the KMUD Business Office at 707-923-2513 or email udw@wordpress-1438018-5376424.cloudwaysapps.com
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Thank you to Kelley Lincoln
by Kara Randoph, Station Manager
While our beloved News Director Lauren Schmitt is off on vacation (we hope she’s sipping something tropical and not answering emails), KMUD veteran Kelley Lincoln has graciously stepped up to take over daily news duties. Kelley began her KMUD journey in 2009, as part of Terri Klemetson’s Community Journalism, reporting on Citizens United vs the Federal Election Commission. She said that she sees KMUD as a “team endeavor and amazing community resource. In the newsroom, every effort is made to pay attention to facts, not rumors.”
It takes a great team to produce quality news 5 days a week and KMUD is incredibly fortunate to have a dedicated news crew.
You can catch Kelley every 4th Tuesday at 7pm for “Witnessing the Environmental Apocalypse” (Listen to the last episode here) in addition to her frequent contributions to KMUD News.
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KMUD’s podcasts
by Gage, Intern
Have you heard a show you were interested in and want to hear it again or maybe missed out on a show you wanted to hear? KMUD has podcasts for 8 of our shows and more coming!
If you’re interested in hearing a podcast version of these KMUD shows you can listen on Spotify, Amazon music, Apple music, and Pandora! A great thing about listening with podcasts is that they are easy to share with others and that they are easily accessible and downloadable from your phone!
The podcasts that are available so far are:
Global Stuff with Jimmy Durchslag
Mindful Mud with Flurina Niggli
The Cannabis Show with Steve Dodge and Sunshine Cereceda
Heart of the Earth with Agnes Patak
Politically Correct Week In Review with Joshua Golden and Charley Custer
Fire Radio with Gray Shaw from Southern Humboldt Fire Safe Council
E.P.I.C. Environment Talk with Tom Wheeler
Tech Mud with Garth Epling and Rick Silva
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Royal Propolis live on KMUD
by Kara Randolph, Station ManagerRoyal Propolis, from Arcata honored KMUD of a live session last month! They gave us a taste of their sexy jazz and blues improvisations. Follow them on Instagram here.
Please subscribe to KMUD channel to see more local live sessions.
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Between the Lines
by Dorothee, Membership Coordinator
Between the lines is a weekly radio news magazine timely, in-depth and progressive analysis since 1991. It airs on KMUD every Monday mornings at 5:30am.
This award-winning program provides a platform for individuals and organizations generally ignored or marginalized in corporate media.
Each week, Between The Lines features:
- A five-minute summary of some of the week’s under-reported news stories gathered from the alternative press and other sources.
- Three in-depth interview segments focusing on significant international, national and regional issues.
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The Devil’s Diccionario
by Dorothee, Membership Coordinator
The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce is a satirical work that uses humor, sarcasm, and sharp wit to critique human behavior, politics, religion, professions, and societal norms. Don’t worry if you haven’t read this book yet… KMUD is bringing it to you in a bilingual format!
This exciting initiative comes from KMUD volunteer Luciano, who brings his passion for radio, literature, and languages to the airwaves. After years of working in radio in Argentina, Luciano is thrilled to share The Devil’s Dictionary with KMUD listeners in a unique bilingual presentation. With his own voice in Spanish and DJ Wolfmandu’s one for the English parts.
From next week, on KMUD, you’ll discover two definitions a week, in a quick two-minute format, after the News around 6:30pm and during Latino America Sonando. Tune in to enjoy this clever and thought-provoking series, and even practicar un poco su español!
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Underwriter spotlight:
Beaucoup Books
by Patricia Tinkler, Traffic and Underwriting Coordinator
Last April, Darlene Jamack opened Beaucoup Books in Garberville. With over 50 years as a flea marketeer, she’s developed an eye for curation and a deep knowledge of the resale market. Despite a challenging local economy, she felt her mix of affordable yet quality vintage goods met the needs of the community. More than books, Beaucoup Books has clothing, purses and jewelry, furniture, art, linens, kitchen and household, baskets and curio items, all artfully arranged, creating a welcoming space that invites one to linger.
Currently, the store is open with a limited schedule, Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10am to 5pm. Beaucoup Books is located at 909 Redwood Drive, in front of Rays, in Garberville. Cash only, no cards accepted.
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