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It’s Wednesday, June 13 – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation…

The Pied Piper of Platelets looks for some true blood.

Al Whitney is often called the “Pied Piper of Platelets,” for his unflagging mission to take his campaign for blood on the road. He's a retired factory worker from Ohio and founded “Platelets Across America,” an initiative to raise awareness about blood donation. The importance of donating blood and blood platelets. Al is 74, and at a time in his life when many of his contemporaries are reminscing about adventures, he's having another one by donating platelets in every state.  Hawaii is the 48th stop. 

The hands of chance plays classical piano.

Sara Davis Buechner will perform solo piano works Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. in HPR’s Atherton Performing Arts Studio. The performance will include the world premiere of Yukiko Nishimura's Ten Etudes.

Researchers make a beeline to new varroa findings.

Dr. Ethel Villalobos is a researcher in the Insect Ecology and Integrated Pest Management Lab at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She and researchers from the UK published findings about the changes in honeybees colonies.

Myths her mama told her make it to the bookshelf.

Christine Thomas is the editor of Don’t Look Back: Hawaiian Myths Made New, published by Watermark Press. It’s a collection of the work of 17 local authors.

Plus a quick journey to the top floor in the historical backyard, today’s reality check and the BBC world report… next the news… from NPR.