WFHB FireHouse Broadcasting

WFHB Assistant News Director January Jones presents an hour-long journey with people on the front lines fighting for everyone’s right to shelter and compassion. In this year's edition of our annual documentary, we follow local social worker Bill Ferry, a case manager for Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH). The PATH program works directly with people experiencing homelessness to help them get back on their feet. We visit the people and places in a side of Bloomington few people ever see as we take you on-location to the Shalom Center, the Interfaith Winter Shelter and hear interviews with advocates Joel Rekas, Hal Taylor, and David White, along with winter shelter volunteers and PATH clients.

Several times a year WFHB partners with the Bloomington Storytelling Project to host a live storytelling event, featuring local stories read by the people who experienced them. There are only two rules for story submissions: they must be less than fifteen minutes long, and they must be true. In the third installment, the BSP records in Brown County, Indiana, where storytelling is an integral part of the local culture. Recorded live on-location for WFHB at the Muddy Boots Cafe in Nashville, Indiana on March 6, 2010.

Hear the story of a homeless musician who got back on his feet with the help of a social service agency, then gave back by recording an album to raise money for that same agency. This is the "director's cut" version of a five-minute piece that aired on stations all across the country as part of the 2010 National Homelessness Marathon. Click here to hear an entire hour with Kent Johnson.

Governor Mitch Daniels delivers his 2010 State of the State Address. How much of the speech was productive versus fluff depends on who you ask. Predictably, Indiana Democratic party chair Dan Parker slammed the speech, saying it was more remarkable for what we didn't hear than what was actually said. Parker says Daniels failed to outline a jobs plan that amounts to more than the status quo. State Republican party chair Murray Clark fired back, saying he’s not sure what speech the Dems were listening to, because he thinks jobs were the center piece of the address, adding that the Republican ideals of lower taxes, lower government spending and fiscal responsibility have protected us from the worst effects of the recession. You decide in this unedited full-length copy of the 2010 State of the State Address.

Cub reporters Kai Grise and Lindsey Randle anchor this year's MLK Day documentary featuring kids talking to other kids at six different service projects on the King holiday. Local youth talk about what they've learned from Dr. King and ask other kids what King might say to President Obama. Kai and Lindsey are joined this year by fellow youth reporter Jael Lampkins. Thanks to grown-ups who helped us make this show: Audra Lampkins, Domini Martin, Alexander Pareja, Austin Peach, April Woodson, Anna-Christina Acosta, Alea Ford, and January Jones. Produced by Andrew Anderson, John Elliott and Chad Carrothers for community radio WFHB. This program is supported by a grant from the city of Bloomington's Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Commission.

We will need volunteers to help set up for the march, direct people in the march, set up for activities at the Neal Marshall Black Culture Center (NMBCC), host activities at the NMBCC, and clean up duties.
Date: 1/18/2010
Time: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Minimum Age: 18
Number of Volunteers Needed: 30
Location: We would like for the march to start at 3rd and Jordan Ave and then progress up Jordan to the Neal Marshall Black Culture Center (It's a fairly short march because it will be cold). We will then have the activities at the Neal Marshall Black Culture Center.
Contact Person: Alexandria Williams, aw61@umail.iu.edu or (317) 250-0810

Volunteers will be asked to attend one evening meeting to work in small and large groups to envision Bloomington as a "City of Peace". They will be asked to reflect on the attributes of the city which already promote peace for all citizens and then brainstorm possible ways to improve quality of life and peaceful coexistence among Bloomington residents.
Date: Wed, Jan 27 @ Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall
Thurs Feb 25 @ MCPL Rm 2B (by Vital)
March & beyond dates TBA
Time: 7-9pm
Minimum Age: Elementary students
Number of Volunteers Needed: Thousands, we hope!
Contact Person: Gail Merrill, pgtmerrill@aol.com or (812) 361-0995