US Congress Debates School Lunches; Pianist Thomas Rosenkranz; Business of Organic Farming; Okinawan Heritage Festival

Debate in US Congress over cutting funding for school lunch programs; Dexter Kishida

The US Congress is engaged in a debate over school lunches, with proposals in the air that critics say could limit the number of free and reduced-price meals provided to low-income children. Meanwhile, schools are operating under federal guidelines that limit the amount of sodium, fats and sugar that goes into their meals. Dexter Kishida is a supervisor with the Hawaii Department of Education School Food Services Branch who has been involved with school nutrition for almost two decades as a cafeteria manager, and school food coordinator; we asked him for the local perspective.

Intro Music: Lunch Munch Song by Daniel Thomason

Outro Music: Kings of Summer by ayokay and Quinn XCII

Atherton Studio: Pianist Thomas Rosenkranz

Born in 1685, Johann Sebastian Bach is considered one of the greatest composers of all time. His composition, Goldberg Variations is just one of the pieces that pianist Thomas Rosenkranz has played as he tours around the world, to four different continents thus far. He is a former faculty member of the University of Hawaii at Manoa and currently serves as an associate professor of piano and musical arts at Bowling Green State University. He’ll be sharing his talent playing the Goldberg Variations in concert this weekend.

Intro Music: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variations No. 1 by Bach

Outro Music: Textures: VI. Points of Light by Paul Lansky, Svet Stoyanov, Gwendolyn Burgett, Thomas Rosenkranz, Michael Sheppard

Business of Organic Farming: Una Greenaway

Organic farmers are working to return the land to where it used to be, when rich soils gave us abundant crops that yielded a sustainable harvest year after year. The business of organic farming in today’s world depends on access to rich, chemical-free soil, but that’s only one of the challenges farmers face. They’ll be comparing notes and sharing secrets this Saturday at the annual conference of the Hawaii Organic Farming Association, and UnaGreenaway, HOFA’s president, is on the line with us now.

Intro Music: Clear by Pusher, Mothica

Outro Music: Always Alright by Alabama Shakes

Okinawan Heritage/Festival: Shari Tamashiro

Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost prefecture of Japan, comprised of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands, with a tropical climate and the largest number of people living over 100 years of age, and getting there in great physical condition as well. In addition to celebrating this, the annual Okinawan festival also celebrates their unique culture as well, tracing centuries old patterns of migration all over the world. Shari Tamashiro is a 3rd generation Okinawan American, and is the first foreign female Worldwide Eisa Ambassador. She’s with us today.

Intro Music: Ghost Ship by Blur

Outro Music: Okinawan Tradition by Asadoya Yunta