Although the term "fake news” didn’t garner Word of the Year status until 2016, this dubious journalistic practice has been with us a long time.  But our digital ecosystem seems to have evolved into a near-perfect environment for the flourishing of fake news, even as the digital news trend has decimated the force of the traditional, objectively minded, independent press. What to do now? 

In this month's Library U series, four different lecturers will be exploring topics around fake news. This podcast captures the first of those presentations, which was delivered Saturday, September 23rd, by T. Andrew Wahl, journalism professor at Everett Community College.

After an introductory video -- a Ted Talk by internet activist Eli Pariser on the Filter Bubble  -- Wahl goes on to discuss such subjects as the history of fake news, the origins of the filter bubble, the growing political divide, some classic examples of fake news, the challenges of responsible journalism, and how smartphones are changing our awareness of the world around us.

We apologize for the sound quality of this talk; it was held in the library's brand new public meeting space, and we had some difficulties connecting with the new sound system. But we feel certain you'll find Wahl's talk intriguing.

Credits: BCB audio tech: Chris Walker; audio editor and social media publisher, Diane Walker.

For many of us who care about the environment, the current political climate and federal-level actions can be particularly discouraging. As Junot Diaz, a Pulitzer-Prize winning writer, recently said, “There’s nothing about our impoverished political systems...that is going to be able to hold us together in the face of the coming storm of climate change. We need a lot more than we have.”

Fortunately Diaz went on to say that the solutions will lie in our collective genius: “from the bottom will the genius come --” and indeed, that’s exactly what’s happening here on Bainbridge Island.

In this podcast, Michael Cox, a recently retired climate change advisor of the Environmental Protection Agency, and Dr. Lara Hansen, Executive Director of EcoAdapt and board member of Sustainable Bainbridge, tell us about five local environmental organizations that are coming together to work on climate change: Climate Action Bainbridge, EcoAdapt, Sustainable Bainbridge, Friends of Island Power and Citizens Climate Lobby.

Together they are launching the Climate and Energy Forum, a new monthly series that will feature various speakers and discussion topics to increase our community’s awareness and consider adaptation strategies for dealing with climate change.

The first Climate and Energy Forum will focus on Bainbridge Island’s climate assessment study and how it ties to our city’s comprehensive plan. The event will be held on Saturday, October 21 from 10:00-11:30am at Eagle Harbor Congregational Church. Speakers will include State Senator Christine Rolfes, Mayor Val Tollefson and EcoAdapt's Lara Hansen. 

In this podcast, Michael and Lara also share their personal reflections on environmental stewardship, including what has evolved in the field over the course of their careers. Together they emphasize one central message: how incredibly important and effective local and individual action is, and the difference that Bainbridge Island can make more broadly.

For more information on the Climate and Energy Forum, please visit: www.bainbridgeislandforum.org.

Credits: BCB host: Christina Hulet; audio tech and editor: Chris Walker; social media publisher: Diane Walker.

Bring your love of barbecue, beer, and the Delta Blues to the Arts &Humanities Bainbridge Fall Camerata fundraiser, to be held at Rolling Bay Hall on October 15th.

The event is sure to be a rhythmic and lively experience as the island's own Rolling Bay Stones take the stage, with Brent Grossman on drums and guitar; Mark Hoffman on guitar, mandolin, and drums; and Jeremy Rothbaum providing vocals and piano. Doors will open at 4 pm for barbecue and beer; the music starts at 5 and should keep rolling on for a couple of hours.

In this podcast AHB communications coordinator Tim Spenser  joins the Stones' Mark Hoffman to give us a sneak preview of the fun-filled evening that lies ahead. Listen here to hear the back story on the Rolling Bay Stones -- and you won't want to miss our recording of Mark’s rousing, on-air rendition of “Two Trains Running.” We also close out the podcast with a sampling of blues from Jeremy Rothbaum.

Rolling Bay Hall will only hold a little over 100 blues and barbecue lovers, so get your tickets soon by visiting the Arts and Humanities website at: ahbainbridge.org.

Credits: BCB host: Charlotte Cook; audio tech: Chris Walker; audio editor and social media publisher: Diane Walker.

Originally a 1994 Australian musical comedy film, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is  a fabulous disco musical about two drag performers and a transgender woman who travel across the Australian outback in their pink bus, Priscilla, performing their unique style of cabaret.

In this interview, lead actors Troy Wageman, Matty McCaslin and Bo Mellinger join BPA Production Manager Deirdre Hadlock to talk about the challenges of staging a bus crossing the desert while singing and dancing in high platform heels, rocking it out with some of your favorite disco tunes from the 80’s. 

But the show isn’t just a spectacular good time; it is also about finding a sense of connection and friendship, and celebrating the inherent basic goodness and worth of everyone.

To honor the original movie’s Academy Award for best costume design, Broadway costume designer Barbara Klingberg will dazzle us with stunning and over-the-top costumes for the leading Queens and performers.

The Community Partner for this production is Bainbridge Pride.

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert opens October 13th and runs through October 29th, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 3:00 pm.  Pay-what-you-can preview is Thursday, October 12th. Tickets are on sale now at bainbridgeperformingarts.org: get yours today, and get ready to dress up and start dancing!

Credits: BCB host, Channie Peters; audio editor and social media publisher, Diane Walker.

Meet Channie Peters, longtime Bainbridge Island volunteer and host of over 150 BCB podcast interviews.

Channie and her husband, BCB founder Barry Peters, will be moving away shortly; in this podcast BCB host Christina Hulet talks with Channie about her experiences and observations living on the island for 16 years – what’s changed, what our strengths are, and what we could do differently as a community.

A very active member of our community, Channie is perhaps best known for helping her husband Barry launch Bainbridge Community Broadcasting (BCB) in 2014. But in addition to hosting interviews for BCB and teaching and mentoring new hosts, Channie has also been involved with many local organizations over the years. Not only has she volunteered at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art; she's also served on numerous local boards, including the Bainbridge Community Foundation, the Bainbridge Public Library, and Cedars Unitarian Universalist Church.

Listen here as Channie reflects on her many years of community involvement and the challenges inherent in an evolving life. How does, for instance, a retired banker become a podcaster? What do we have to let go of in order to do something new? And, how can we handle change as individuals and as a Bainbridge community?

Channie also discusses her and her husband’s recent decision to move to a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC). CCRCs offer people over 60 a continuum of independent living, residential assisted living services, memory care and skilled nursing care all in one place. (More information can be found at www.seniorliving.org/lifestyles/ccrc).

While her choice to move is being made primarily to be closer to her grandchildren, Channie also helps us to understand the value of making significant changes like this one while you’re still energetic and healthy enough to become an active member of a new community.

However difficult it may be -- choosing to leave a place in which you’ve invested so much -- Channie shares her insights with grace and a deep respect for Bainbridge. We know she will be missed. 

Credits: BCB host, Christina Hulet; audio editor and social media publisher, Diane Walker.

During a Fall week when the City of Bainbridge Island is hosting "Three Days of Preparedness" events, Bainbridge resident and first-time author Scott James is speaking at Eagle Harbor Books about his new book: "Prepared Neighborhoods: Creating Resilience One Street at a Time".

Scott's event takes place Thursday evening from 7pm to 8pm at the bookstore. Refreshments will be served. It will be an open discussion and Q&A about how we as individuals, families and neighborhoods can be better prepared -- whether for "The Big One" or for various lesser emergencies.

Scott explains in this podcast why neighborhood action and collaboration is so valuable.

The same week, the City of Bainbridge Island is hosting its third annual set of three events about preparedness:

• On Wednesday, Sept 27th, from 6-8:30pm, or alternatively from 7-9:30pm, attend PSE's Film Night featuring the world premiere of the third of a 3 part series by videographer Cameron Snow and geologist Greg Geehan: "The Geological Formation of Bainbridge Island." At the Pavilion.
• On Saturday, Sept 30th, come to City Hall at any time between 10am and 2pm for a Preparedness Expo, featuring many tables of useful handouts and preparedness items, plus workshops on how to earthquake retrofit your home, or how to reunite with school children amidst a crisis.
• On Sunday, Oct 1st, features a "HUBs Demonstration" at the Pavilion from noon to 2pm. Drop in for any part of that timespan to learn about the City's proposed set of neighborhood gathering points for emergencies.

For further information about the City events, see the City's "Bainbridge Prepares" website.

Further details about Scott James' new book can be found at his "Prepared Neighborhoods" website.

Credits: BCB host, audio editor and social media publisher: Barry Peters

Community has always been a passion for BCB founder Barry Peters, who with his wife, Channie, will be leaving Bainbridge Island this fall to join their daughter and grandchildren in Denver, Colorado.

It was that passion for Community that drove Peters, who moved to Bainbridge Island in 2001, to help found Sustainable Bainbridge in 2005, and to serve on the Bainbridge City Council from 2008 to 2011.

But this podcast is about his years with Bainbridge Community Broadcasting, which he founded in May of 2014 specifically to help build community. BCB is the first community-focused podcasting organization in the country, and since its inception Barry has been responsible for establishing and equipping the necessary recording studios; setting up the web presence, hosting over 100 podcast interviews, and recruiting and managing additional volunteers who have collectively hosted over 575 community podcasts.  All of those podcasts have been focused on the people, organizations, issues and events of our local Bainbridge Island community.

But who is Barry Peters? In this podcast BCB Tastes of Bainbridge producer Bob Ross interviews Barry to learn more about what led him to BCB -- and Bainbridge -- in the first place. Listen here and learn about Barry's early years in radio, the surprising decision he made on his first date with Channie -- who is BCB's most prolific podcast host -- and his hopes for the future, both for BCB and its new BARN family, and for his own adventures as an active grandparent of two irresistible granddaughters. 

As Barry says in his interview, "It's a terribly poignant and difficult time for us to leave so many friends and so much that has been meaningful for us in our life here on Bainbridge, but the magnet of grandchildren is very powerful!"

Though we here at BCB can understand the choice that Barry and Channie have made, we will definitely miss them, and wish them all the best in their new adventures.

Credits: BCB host, Bob Ross; audio editor and social media publisher, Diane Walker.

What better way to celebrate Fall than to attend The Island School's 34th annual Carnival, Saturday, October 7, from noon until 4pm. Open to the public and fun for all ages, the Carnival offers a memorable afternoon of family-friendly fun, rain or shine.

Spend your afternoon listening to local musicians, playing games, eating, and visiting the open school. Bring your gently used books, clothing, or sports equipment for the “free-cycle” exchange. Proceeds from the carnival go to school's Financial Aid scholarships and the Annual Fund.

The Island School is located at 8553 NE Day Rd. Worried about parking? Sage Manufacturing, directly across the street, has graciously allowed use of its upper and lower parking lots for the occasion.         

For more information about the school and the carnival, visit theislandschool.org. See you there!

Credits: BCB host, Carolyn Goad; audio editor, Chris Walker; and social media publisher, Diane Walker.

Bainbridge Island is a a rich and beautiful place, but that beauty can mask the underlying pain of mental health issues.

The fact is, in Washington State, 1 in 5 high school sophomores contemplate suicide. Even more disturbing, the suicide rate is steadily increasing among middle school students. Overall, an average of two youth die by suicide each week, and another 17 attempt it.

And here on Bainbridge Island as well, we have lost members of our community--youth and adults alike--to suicide over the past few years. And numerous other islanders grapple with depression, anxiety, bipolar and other mental health conditions.

Unfortunately, suicide and mental health tend to be unmentionables in our culture -- until now, that is. In this podcast, BCB's Christina Hulet talks with two long time island residents, Pegeen Mulhern and Lee Moniz, about what we can do, and what they're doing, to help with suicide prevention. 

Pegeen is one of the organizers of the Out of the Darkness Community Walk, an event being held on Saturday, September 23, to raise awareness about mental health. Lee is the founder of the Tyler Moniz Foundation, which she and her husband Jeff created after their son, Tyler, died by suicide last year while a junior at Washington State University.

Lee and Pegeen’s central message is: You are not alone. If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out and ask for help. There are many resources to draw from including:

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text 741741
• Bainbridge Youth Services, https://askbys.org/how-to-get-help/which provides free counseling for youth ages 12-19

A resource fair will also be offered from 10 am to noon at the Out of the Darkness Community Walk. To learn more about suicide prevention or to register to participate in the walk, which starts at the Bainbridge High School, please visit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website at www.afsp.org/kitsap.

Thank you for caring, thank you for listening, and we hope to see you walking this coming Saturday.

Credits: BCB host, Christina Hulet; audio editor, Chris Walker; and social media publisher, Diane Walker.

Why would a UC Berkeley grad choose to intern on a Bainbridge Island farm? Meet Rachel Bubb and learn why growing healthy food became a priority for her.

Rachel Bubb is a 2017 farm intern for Bainbridge Island's Butler Green Farms. In this episode of Tastes of Bainbridge, she joins us at the Farmers Market to talk about how that came to pass.

Speaking with BCB host Bob Ross, Rachel shares how her education at UC Berkeley opened her eyes and mind to the importance of making well grown, healthy food available to all. She talks about growing up in Southern California, about her gradual and significant transition to understanding more about the issues of global food security, and about her decision to learn first hand the basics of growing hardy and robust food. 

Whether you've considered going into farming or are just curious about why someone would make that choice, you'll want to listen here: Rachel provides a thoughtful, well informed perspective on the subject, including where she is thinking about going with her education, and what the next steps might be in a life connected to agriculture.

Credits: BCB host, Bob Ross; audio tech and editor: Chris Walker; social media publisher, Diane Walker.

Come bring a carful of family and friends for History on the Move: a unique opportunity to explore our wonderful island!

In this podcast, BI History Museum event organizer Sean Megy tells us about a unique fundraiser for the museum, the first of its kind on Bainbridge Island: a Scavenger Hunt on Wheels. The scavenger hunt will take participants to eight locations around the island to hunt for clues and learn some of the fascinating facts about Bainbridge Island.  

History on the Move will unroll on October 7th from 1-5 pm, and the museum is hoping for at least 100 vehicles to register, each with as many team members as will fit inside. The advantage of a full carload? More family, friends, and fun -- and more brainpower, to solve the riddles given at each stop along the route!

At 5pm, you'll join the other participants back at the museum for a grand celebration of the day, with food, live music, and prizes.

Sounds like a total hoot, right? Come join the party! For more information and to register your vehicle for this amazing adventure, visit the Bainbridge History Museum website by clicking here.

Credits: BCB host: Channie Peters; audio editor: Tim Bird; social media publisher: Diane Walker.

In this episode of Tastes of Bainbridge, Joe Pulicicchio, Director of Produce and Floral of Town and Country Markets, brings his associate Melaine Cherry, manager of the T&C Floral department, to the BCB Studio.

Melanie, who manages the day to day operations of all things floral for each store, shares her thoughts about flowers and how they are recognized as necessary items of beauty important to all of us as well as symbols of the changing seasons.

Together the two discuss seasonal variations and expectations with regard to fruits and flowers, with some special emphasis on the popularity of chrysanthemums and melons as we move into fall.

Credits: BCB host: Bob Ross; audio tech and editor: Chris Walker; social media publisher: Diane Walker.

From 11 to 5 on September 24th, at the historic Johnson Farm on Bainbridge Island, enjoy the 16th Annual Friends of the Farm Harvest Fair. Come join the family fun, with carriage rides, a giant slide, cider pressing, sheep shearing, live music, and fresh food -- a great time is sure to be had by all!

Designed to celebrate local farming and community, the fair draws several thousand guests of all ages. In this episode of What’s Up Bainbridge, Friends of the Farms Executive Director Heather Burger talks with BCB host Bob Ross about the history and importance of this much-anticipated yearly gathering.

Come one, come all and enjoy all-day, high-energy activities alongside educational opportunities to gather hands-on experience of local farms and food -- or, you can help out by becoming one of the over 100 volunteers who help make this exciting event come to life!

To sign up to help for a few hours or for the day, visit volunteer@friendsofthefarms.org. And to learn more about the fair, visit www.friendsofthefarms.org.

Credits: BCB host: Bob Ross; audio tech: Chris Walker; audio editor and social media publisher: Diane Walker.

Wishing you could do something to help victims of Hurricane Harvey? In this 5-minute podcast, Diana Brink, office manager of Bainbridge Island's Current Dental, offers a way to help victims of Houston’s devastating hurricane.

After a devastating event such as Hurricane Harvey, there is a desperate need for toiletry items (see list, below). Because Current Dental has connections to Houston they're asking people to bring these items to one of Current Dental's two offices: Diana and her staff will pack them up into individual kits and ship them to Houston Recovers, the City of Houston Disaster Recovery Center. Since these are generally low-cost items, anyone, including children, can purchase a few and feel they are genuinely helping desperately needy hurricane victims.  

On Bainbridge Island, toiletry items may be taken to the Current Dental office at 213 Madison Ave. N, Suite 100. In Bremerton, their office is at 2625 Wheaton Way, Suite D. For more information, visit  currentdental.com.

Requested items include:

• Adult and Kids tooth brushes
  Toothpaste, dental floss and mouthwash
  Bar and body soaps
  Shampoo and Conditioner
  Hand sanitizer
  Kleenex (small)
  Combs
  Bandaids
  Nail clippers
  Wash cloths
  Deodorant
  Men's razors and shave cream
  Women's razors and shave gel
  Feminine hygiene products
  Small toys and stickers
  Cards and notes for victims

Credits: BCB host: Channie Peters; audio editor and social media publisher: Diane Walker.

In this 46-minute podcast conversation, we meet Dwight Sutton, who came to Bainbridge Island in 1971 and has since served our community in uncountable ways. He shares his insights about what makes for a great community, and why community values matter.

He explains what initially drew him to Bainbridge Island, and how he initially commuted daily to his work as director of the Virginia Mason research center and as a faculty member of the University of Washington Medical School. And he offers many stories and anecdotes about the history of our island from the 1970s to the present.

Dwight reflects on the gratification of supporting local organizations. And, he tells stories about life as a City Council member in the 1990s and as our City's mayor from 1997 through 2001.

Dwight is an engaging story teller, and he shares with us some of his fondest memories about what makes Bainbridge such an engaging community. But he also has a couple of anecdotes about local events when we weren't at our best.

Among Dwight's stories in this podcast -- mostly about Bainbridge at its best (but a couple of instances otherwise) -- are:

• the odd case of the 1970s ferry commuter with a portable typewriter;
• early campaigns since the 1980s to preserve open space;
• the history that led to the founding of IslandWood;
• efforts to preserve our farming traditions;
• positive and negative attitudes of local residents toward City government;
• what happened on the City Hall commons after the 9/11 attack;
• big anxieties and the subsequent success of the City's proposed traffic circle; and
• examples of islanders avoiding the cynicism affliction and achieving community successes.

Credits: BCB host, audio editor and social media publisher: Barry Peters

Worried about con artists? On Wednesday, September 5, at 4pm, IT professional and BI resident Jon Olmsted will offer guidance at the Senior Center on how to avoid phone and internet scams.

In this interview with BCB host and BI Senior Center Director Reed Price, Olmstead says he'll give examples in images and audio of what to look for as clues that someone is planning to pull a fast one. Attendees will not only walk away with information about what to be wary of, but will also know whom to contact if they suspect something fishy.

Don't miss this informative presentation, Wednesday, Sept. 6, at 4:00 p.m. at the Senior Center next to Waterfront Park – 370 Brien Drive SE.

Reed also gives us a rundown of other Senior Center highlights for the month of October, including 1:1 technology tutoring with high school students. Get details at http://biseniorcenter.org, call the Center at 206-842-1616, or drop by the Center for a free catalog.

Credits: BCB host: Reed Price; audio editor: Chris Walker; social media publisher: Diane Walker.