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Border Repression + Resisting Growing Nationalism in Poland

Border Repression + Resisting Growing Nationalism in Poland

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picture of many modes of transportation with the words "freedom of movement is everybody's right!"This week, we’re featuring two conversations relating to the so-called Green Border in Podlaskie region of eastern Poland, on the Belarus border concerning topics of migration, repression, militarization, nationalism and solidarity among residents and people on the move into Fortress Europe.

First up, you’ll hear Alex, a member of the feminist anti-repression group, Szpila Collective, about the H5Poland case of 5 activists facing charges for aiding people in need in what could be a landmark case in Poland and Europe. More at Szpila.BlackBlogs.Org or on Mastodon: @[email protected]

Then, you’ll find a chat with an anarchist who grew up in this border region and returned in adulthood and whose affinity group does solidarity with people on the move through the Białowieża forest.

If you’d like to hear the full episode, including 30 minutes more of the second chat, check out our website. To hear past interviews about this border, check out our chat with two folks from Grupa Granica, or other chats where we’ve covered / carried chat about the border at Calais, the Mediterranean, the Balkan Route, Australia or the US / Mexico border.

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Featured Track:


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“Jake Burns ” – Local Musician and Member of Rock/Reggae Band – Rockstead – on the Positive Vibes’ Early Morning Music Sessions – 103.3 AshevilleFM – Tuesday, Sept. 10th – streaming at www.ashevillefm.org

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Join DJSmittymon this week…  as he welcomes a special guest….  * Jake Burns *  (local musician, solo artist, and  lead guitar / singer with the bands  ( Rockstead -rock / reggae) and (River the Dog – indie folk/Americana style)

on the Positive Vibes’ Early Morning Music Sessions.. 

Jake will be performing live in the studio and talking about his musical world and much more…  Happens this Tuesday, September 10th, 2024 – starts around 9am..

**plus great world wide reggae and local vibes starting at 8am – with a chance to win a pair of tickets to see

“Melissa Ethridge at the Salvage Station this Saturday, September 14th…  tune in / turn it up..  enjoy…   smittymon

 

 

 

Jake Burns –

Raised in the Little Miami River Valley of southern Ohio, Jake Burns began his musical journey at a young age. With the encouragement of his parents, he quickly became connected with music through piano, saxophone, guitar and then finding his voice at the age of 13 began fronting his own band in high school. This group carried over into his college years dubbing themselves Rockstead, a high energy four-piece rock/reggae group that soon took flight throughout the Midwest. Jake is currently writing and performing with Rockstead as they continue to tour throughout the Eastern United States.

After his college years Jake created new roots in Asheville, North Carolina and began to formulate his own songwriting style inspired by love, travel and his personal life experiences of learning and growing. With this new found love for his acoustic driven indie folk/americana style, Jake’s solo project dubbed River The Dog, aims to connect people from all walks of life with his honest lyrics and thoughtful melodies. The release of his first few singles “Dogwood Doll” (Dec. 2023), “Funny How Things Change” (March 2024) and “I Need You To Know” (Aug. 2024) marks only the beginning of River The Dog and the new music he has to share with the world.

Jake Burns Instagram

🎤 🎸w/ @riverthedogmusic

Asheville Show!!! —  This Friday – September 13th at One World West Brewing in West Asheville

 

Rockstead is back for another high-energy rock/reggae party in the mountains of Asheville, NC!

Come hang out for a full night of music at One World Brewing West on Friday September 13th with special guest Pleasantly Wild.

The feeling of love. The power of unity. The essence of happiness. The strength of togetherness and positive vibrations. The highs of living life and the lows of dealing with its obstacles. All of these things encapsulate the music of Cincinnati, OH-born Rockstead, a four-piece, passion driven rock/reggae group.

With roots leading as far back as middle school, Rockstead combines a lifetime full of influences ranging from rock, punk, reggae, jam and metal. In their early days Rockstead ruled the college party scene in Ohio with a schedule full of impromptu house shows leading to packed basements of DIY venues and later, massive crowds attending college fests such as Ohio University’s infamous spring festivals. This early success catalyzed the band’s first recordings which included “Wake Up And Live” (album, 2013), “Rise” (EP, 2014) and “Homegrown” (album, 2016). These releases ignited their inner road warrior leading to a plethora of plays at music festivals and concert venues across the Midwest. Since then, Rockstead continues to widen their reach touring throughout the Eastern U.S. and down into Florida.

Though member changes have occurred over the years, front man singer/guitarist Jake Burns continues to drive the group forward as they have shared stages with international acts such as The Wailers (Jamaica), Sticky Fingers (Australia) and Big Mountain (USA) as well as many national acts like Andy Frasco & The U.N., Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Badfish, Tropidelic, Little Stranger, Bumpin’ Uglies and Ballyhoo!. The band has now grown to include Nate Anuci (drums) and Stephen Woodard (bass). Rockstead dropped their first studio album “You’re In Control” in September 2020 which scored them multiple features in blogs and podcasts across the scene making them “one of the most unique and special bands in [Cincinnati]” (CincyMusic, 2020). The group continues to expand their catalog with the release of their sophomore studio album “Fall Down. Get Up. Repeat.” in February 2023 with guest appearances from TreeHouse!, The Quasi Kings and Higher Education.

By using their relentless high-energy performances and genre-bending setlists, while aligning their unwavering dedication to the do-it-yourself work ethic, Rockstead shows no sign of slowing down their mission of bringing people together through music.

Rockstead Website

Instagram – Rockstead

Positive Vibes
Early Morning Music Sessions
103.3 AshevilleFM
8-10AM

 @djsmittymon


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2nd Annual Sow & Grow Fest

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The Organic Growers School’s 2nd Annual Sow & Grow Fest will take place Saturday, September 14, at Hickory Nut Gap farm from noon to 5 pm. Allison Stapleton, the development director for the school, spoke with Asheville FM about the event.

The Organic Growers School has been serving farmers, gardeners, and hobbyists of WNC for over 30 years. It began when farmers in the area gathered together to learn to grow in this mountainous region with so many microclimates.

Now in its second year, the Sow & Grow event offers the community a fun and healthy way to learn about organic practices. With activities including a mushroom inoculation demonstration and make-your-own seed bundles and postcards, there is something for everyone. They’ll even have a bouncy house! Farmers from the region will bring their tomatoes for the crowd to taste test and rank. There will even be plant and seed exchanges, so bring seeds you didn’t use this year and trade with a local!

Live music and local vendors will make the fest lively, and a potluck with plenty of farm fresh produce, roasted pork, and grilled steak, will satisfy any appetite. To eat at the potluck, simply bring your own dish to share or a suggested donation of $20.

Allison says the event is free, but the school is asking that people register ahead of time at organicgrowersschool.org. Listen to the entire interview in the AFM archives. See you there!

Trauma Intervention of WNC

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During this week’s AFM News Hour, we spoke with Christi Hayes of the Trauma Intervention Program (TIP). This national organization is a non-profit, fully volunteer-run program designed to help those who are experiencing emotionally traumatizing emergency situations. Volunteers go through extensive training before helping first responders on the scene. Serving all of Buncombe and Henderson counties, 24/7/365, TIP volunteers offer emotional and practical support to anyone who is experiencing sudden tragedy, including deaths, accidents, and any situation where first responders such as fire, police, or EMS feels emotional help is needed.

Christi says the program has been offered in the Asheville area since 2015. Their next training takes place in person on September 11 and requires no prior experience, “just a willingness to serve.” For more information on how to get involved, visit tipofwnc.org. You can listen to the full interview in the AFM News Hour archive.

Reducing drug overdoses in Buncombe County

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BUNCOMBE COUNTY – August 29, 2024 – On August 31st, Buncombe County held an Overdose Awareness Day ceremony at Carrier Park to create more public awareness for this public health problem and to promote local resources to prevent further overdoses and deaths. There were 151 drug overdose deaths in Buncombe County in 2022, almost all were unintentional, according to data from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

Someone is present at about 40% of overdose deaths. Therefore, overdose deaths can be prevented by the administration of naloxone, a medicine that can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose.

Buncombe County receives support from the $29 million opioid settlement fund for programs that are designed to reduce opioid misuse and overdose deaths. The funding will be distributed over the next 14 years. Some of the programs include harm reduction services, naloxone distribution, the post overdose response team, the community paramedic program, and the community reentry team.

Buncombe County Health and Human Services has a harm reduction program at their 40 Coxe Avenue office in Asheville. Here are some features of the program:

  • Provides Fentanyl and Xylazine tests strips
  • Provides harm reduction supplies
  • Provides referrals for medical care and community resources
  • Has monthly classes for overdose reversal training

Dr. Shuchin Shukla, Buncombe County’s Medical Substance Use Professional, says ““Opioid use disorder, addiction, and overdose are absolutely preventable and treatable medical conditions. It is up to all of us to work together to improve access to these critical resources for those who are most vulnerable.”

Here’s some local resources:

  • The suicide hotline is open anytime, call 9-8-8
  • For a medical emergency, call 9-1-1
  • For primary health care and Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), call Appalachian Mountain Health at 828-257-4745, Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) at 828-257-4730, or Western North Carolina Community Health Services (WNCCHS) at 828-285-0622
  • For a behavioral health crisis hot line, call VAYA Health at 800-849-6127
  • United Way sponsors a referral line for support services in Buncombe County and western North Carolina, call 2-1-1

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]


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Buncombe County seniors need assistance now and more in the future

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BUNCOMBE COUNTY – September 4, 2024 – Almost 80 thousand Buncombe County residents are over the age of 60, representing about 30% of the population. By 2041, 1 out of 4 adults in Buncombe County will be age 65 and older, according to a Community Engagement Needs Assessment by the Deerfield Charitable Foundation this year. Almost 3 million North Carolina residents will be age 65 or older in 2042, according to a NC Health and Human Services report. Last year, Governor Cooper created an executive order for North Carolina to be an age-friendly state. Therefore, the needs of seniors in North Carolina including Buncombe County will require more specialized structures, services, and policies.

It is important to raise awareness of issues that impact seniors. On May 23rd, Buncombe County held an Age-Friendly Summit. On June 13th, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day brought partner organizations and people together to discuss solutions locally. This summer a state-sponsored working group will present 100 recommendations to achieve an age-friendly state.

Here’s some important health and social issues that affect seniors:

  • Chronic disease management and prevention
  • Social isolation
  • Abuse and neglect
  • Financial exploitation

Here’s some specialized structures, services, and policies that will support seniors:

  • Aging in place
  • Safe and affordable housing
  • Navigation of services and access to care
  • Supporting caregivers
  • Transportation
  • Adult day care centers

Billie Breeden, age-friendly coordinator for Buncombe County DHHS’s Adult and Aging Services, told Mountain Xpress “People need to know all the wonderful things that aging services providers do on a daily basis to support older adults.”

Funding for programs that support seniors are flat despite the growing need for this growing population group. Many of these programs are funded through state, county, and federal allocations. Nongovernmental charitable organizations try to fill in the gaps. Buncombe County receives around $1.7 million each year for aging services from the state and federal government. The county government contributes another one-half million dollars.

In March, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders proposed more federal funding for seniors from $2 billion to $4.6 billion to address the upswing in transportation, nutrition services and other needs older adults will have in the coming decades.

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]


More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour