A financial backer of CapRadio wants the public media station to merge with KVIE. Also, the delta city of Isleton creates a community flood insurance pilot program. Finally, take a listen to public service announcements about climate change.

CapRadio Update

Should Sacramento’s two largest public media organizations join as one? In an open letter last week, the Capital Public Radio Endowment urged CapRadio’s license holder - Sacramento State - to merge with the PBS television affiliate KVIE. The endowment is an independent nonprofit, separate from CapRadio, but has been a longtime financial backer of the public media station. In response, both CapRadio and Sac State officials say they have no plans for such a merger. This latest development follows months of public financial instability - including a CSU audit, layoffs and continued staff attrition. CapRadio Reporter Chris Nichols shares his conversations with the endowment, CapRadio and Sac State.

Following NPR’s protocol for reporting on itself, no CapRadio corporate official or news executive reviewed this story before it was posted publicly or broadcasted. You can follow the latest on CapRadio’s finances here.

Isleton Community Flood Insurance Program

UC Davis and the Sacramento Delta city of Isleton are working together to launch the state’s first community-based flood insurance program - a fast, low-cost option to help residents after a flood, while also building resilience. Project founder Kathleen Schaefer is a UC Davis Ph.D. candidate of civil and environmental engineering, and discusses how this insurance program would work. Isleton Mayor Pam Bulahan describes the importance of having affordable flood insurance, based on her own experiences.

Climate Change Public Service Announcements

Climate change and how it can impact our daily lives is the theme behind new public service announcements by the California Council of the Arts. The state agency provided a grant to come up with a creative way to get the word out about the environment, public health and disaster preparedness by teaming up with Davis songwriter and performer Rita Hosking. She joins us to talk about the vision behind the so-called “public service songs” called Climate Country Radio and how she hopes to make a difference.