LINEA ABIERTA | THIS WEEK | PREVIOUS PROGRAMS

Linea Abierta Programs for May 2005

Monday, May 2nd

PROGRAM # 4497 - 12:00 PST
MICHOACÁN SIMULCAST: A PREMIERE. In this premiere edition, Línea Abierta and Radio Michoacán’s twelve-station network joined signals to provide a radio link for audiences on both sides of the border. With about 3.5 million michoacanos in the U.S., Michoacán is the Mexican state with the largest émigré population. The governor of Michoacan, Lazaro Cardenas Batel, is interviewed live by co-hosts Ligia Mazariegos and Samuel Orozco, and guest reporter Jose Rios from KDNA in Granger, WA. Claudio Mendez Fernandez, coordinator of Michoacan state's migrant agency is also a guest in the studios in Morelia. Juan Alberto Rojas, executive director of Radio Michoacán, Alma Espinoza Menendez, communications director for the government of the state of Michoacan, and Hugo Morales, executive director of Radio Bilingüe, meet in Radio Bilingüe’s studios in San Francisco to kick off this edition.

Tuesday, May 3rd

PROGRAM # 4498 - 12:00 PST
CLOUDS IN THE VINEYARD OF THE LORD. The new pope Benedict XVI calls himself “a simple, humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord” and he is described as a “man with a deep pastoral charity.” But many Roman Catholic faithful are troubled by the past of the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany. He is known as a hard-line conservative and during his youth he allegedly joined Hitler’s party. Journalist and writer Sanjuana Martínez, a former Vatican correspondent for Mexican weekly Proceso joins this simulcast between Nuestra Voz of KPFK in Los Angeles and Línea Abierta, of the Radio Bilingüe network to talk about her upcoming book on this story. Catholic church observers also talk about their expectations under the new papacy. Dr. Juan Martinez, director, Hispanic Studies, Theological Seminar, Pasadena, CA; Father Luis Angel Nieto, Los Angeles Catholic Diocese; Rev. Tomas Lopez, presbyterian and former collaborator of Msgr. Oscar Arnulfo Romero, Los Angeles, CA. This program is a repeat.

Wednesday, May 4th

PROGRAM # 4499 & 4500 - 12:00 PST
TEJANO CONJUNTO FESTIVAL IN SAN ANTONIO. Línea Abierta broadcasts from the studios of KSTX in San Antonio, TX. This two-hour-long program features interviews with accordion virtuoso Domingo Saldívar and the young accordion star Michael Salgado. Musician and scholar Juan Texeda, founder of the festival, and Dolores Zapata, a representative of Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, also join this edition. This is a special coverage of the internationally renowned Tejano Conjunto Festival, which takes place every year in San Antonio, the hub of Tejano conjunto music.

PROGRAM # 4501 - 12:00 PST
MEXICO EDITION. Journalist Martha Elena Ramírez, producer of the radio program "Voz Pública," begins a new chapter of this radio series. Ramírez hosts this edition live from Mexico City, providing as usual news and interviews from Mexico and voices from participant listeners.

PROGRAM # 4502 & 4503 - 13:00 PST
TEJANO CONJUNTO FESTIVAL: DAY TWO. On the second day of San Antonio’s Tejano Conjunto Festival, this two-hour program originates from KSTX and features interviews with accordion legends Eva Ybarra, Los Dos Gilbertos, and Linda Escobar, headliners of the 24-year-old festival. The program also showcases music and sounds from the concert the day before.

Friday, May 6th

PROGRAM # 4504 - 12:00 PST
PUERTO RICO EDITION. Meet Wanda Colón Cortés, the host in WRTU, Radio Universidad de Puerto Rico, who brings live interviews and commentary on news developments with an emphasis in issues on women and peace in the Caribbean basin. Listeners are encouraged to call in.

Monday, May 9th

PROGRAM # 4505 - 12:00 PST
MOTHERS AT WORK. Millions of single and working Latina mothers raise their kids facing the pressures of modern life, including stress from work, mounting bills, and cultural barriers. On their hand, their kids live at increased risk of obesity, drug addiction and gang violence. In this Mother’s Day edition, listeners call in to comment on their efforts to maintain an open communication with their children, teach their kids the family’s beliefs and values, get involved in school activities, and nurture their children with their native language and cultural heritage.

ALSO, COVERING THE UNINSURED. This is a brief conversation with Carlos Ugarte, vicepresident of the National Council of La Raza, about the activities of national Cover the Uninsured week. He comments on the poor ranking of Texas, Florida and New Mexico among the most uninsured states, and the policies of the White House to give tax credits for uninsured consumers.

Tuesday, May 10th

PROGRAM # 4506 - 12:00 PST
IMMIGRATION EDITION. Chicago Attorney Rosalba Piña comments on the Real ID Act, a bill that sets restrictions on driver’s licenses for immigrants, tighten asylum eligibility, and builds new walls at the U.S.-Mexico border. The bill is part of a money package for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and is heading to the Senate after passing the House. In this program, Congressmen Silvestre Reyes and Ruben Hinojosa (D-Texas) explain why they voted in favor of the package while disagreeing with the Real ID Act. Piña also answers listener calls on immigrant rights and citizenship procedures.

Wednesday, May 11th

PROGRAM # 4507 - 12:00 PST
CAFTA: JOB SECURITY AND LABOR RIGHTS. An exclusive interview with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutiérrez on efforts to win congressional support for the Central American Free Trade Agreement is followed by a rebuttal from Gabriela Lemus, national director of policy for the League of United Latin American Citizens. This debate focuses on labor rights in Central America, job displacement in the U.S., and the current debate to restrict immigration policies in the U.S. The program coincides with the arrival of Central American presidents for several days of lobbying in Washington, DC.

ALSO, SAN ANTONIO MAYORAL RACE. Journalist Joe Sandoval, an editor with La Prensa in San Antonio, provides news analysis on the mayoral race in San Antonio, the eighth largest city in the nation. Democrat Julian Castro, a 30-year-old attorney educated in Harvard, is the front-runner. He easily won the first round but now faces an uphill battle in a run-off race scheduled for June.

PROGRAM # 4508 - 12:00 PST
MEXICO EDITION. Journalist Martha Elena Ramírez, producer of the radio program "Voz Pública," begins a new chapter of this radio series. Ramírez hosts this edition live from Mexico City, providing as usual news and interviews from Mexico and voices from participant listeners.

Friday, May 13th

PROGRAM # 4509 - 12:00 PST
PUERTO RICO EDITION. Meet Wanda Colón Cortés, the host in WRTU, Radio Universidad de Puerto Rico, who brings live interviews and commentary on news developments with an emphasis in issues on women and peace in the Caribbean basin. Listeners are encouraged to call in.

Monday, May 16th

PROGRAM # 4510 - 12:00 PST
UNEQUAL PAIN. Most patients who visit primary care facilities complain of pain. But some suffer from pain more than others. There is evidence that patients of color receive less pain care than more profitable patients. Also, since pain assessment depends on an accurate report by the patient, pain treatment for the non-English-speaking gets often hindered due to communication barriers. This program is aired in collaboration with KQED, San Francisco’s public radio.

Guests: Dr. Marilyn Calzadilla, psychologist, especialist in pain management, Foothill Center for Wellness and Pain Management, Los Angeles, CA; Dr. Marilyn Douglas, cardiovascular nurse, doctor in transcultural and international nursing, nursing assistant professor at UCSF, editor of Transcultural Nursing magazine, Palo Alto, CA.

Tuesday, May 17th

PROGRAM # 4511 - 12:00 PST
VILLARRAIGOSA, FRONTRUNNER IN LOS ANGELES. Councilman Antonio Villarraigosa leads the runoff race for mayor in Los Angeles. If elected on this day, the former speaker of the California legislative assembly would become the first Latino mayor in more that a century. He would also lead one of the most vibrant, powerful and influential cities in the U.S. This special election day report includes exit interviews with voters and a news feature by correspondent Ruben Tapia.

Guests: Antonio Gonzalez, president and director, Willie Velazquez Institute, Southwest Voter Registration and Education Project, Los Angeles; Dr. Fernando Guerra, director, Center for the Study of Los Angeles, Loyola-Marymount University, Los Angeles.

Wednesday, May 18th

PROGRAM # 4512 - 12:00 PST
QUEENS OF TEXANO MUSIC. Eva Ybarra has been called the undisputed Queen of the Conjunto Accordion, helping to break barriers for women accordionists. Born in San Antonio, Ybarra began playing at restaurants and clubs at the age of six. Today, she is recognized as an international ambassador of Tejano conjunto music. In this conversation, the self-taught accordionist and bandleader shares her memories of Gloria García, her songwriter and vocalist who recently passed away.

Also, a conversation with Tejano conjunto star Linda Escobar. Linda began singing in public and recording in her childhood. In the 60s, she recorded the award-winning song Frijolitos Pintos and toured with recognized Mexican and Texano stars. In this interview, Linda talks about her father, the late accordionist Eligio Escobar, her hit record Frijolitos Pintos, and her performances in Japanese language.

These interviews were conducted in the studios of KSTX, the public radio station in San Antonio.

PROGRAM # 4513 - 12:00 PST
MEXICO EDITION. Journalist Martha Elena Ramírez, producer of the radio program "Voz Pública," begins a new chapter of this radio series. Ramírez hosts this edition live from Mexico City, providing as usual news and interviews from Mexico and voices from participant listeners.

Friday, May 20th

PROGRAM # 4514 - 12:00 PST
PUERTO RICO EDITION. Meet Wanda Colón Cortés, the host in WRTU, Radio Universidad de Puerto Rico, who brings live interviews and commentary on news developments with an emphasis in issues on women and peace in the Caribbean basin. Listeners are encouraged to call in.

Monday, May 23rd

PROGRAM # 4515 - 12:00 PDT
MEDICARE DISCOUNT CARDS. The federal program Medicare has contracted with pharmaceutical benefit management companies to endorse drug discount cards for the elderly. Are these cards lowering prescription drugs costs for Medicare beneficiaries? Are Latino seniors enrolling in this temporary card discount program? How do they manage to avoid confusion and choose a card?

Guest: Dr. Agustín Sicard, director of special programs for the clinic Barrio Comprehensive, National Alliance for Hispanic Health, San Antonio, TX.

Tuesday, May 24th

PROGRAM # 4516 - 12:00 PDT
IMMIGRATION EDITION. Chicago Attorney Rosalba Piña joins this edition to talk with Teodoro Aguiluz, executive director for CRECEN (Central American Resource Center) in Houston, Texas. Aguiluz comments about the comprehensive immigration reform bill introduced in Congress by McCain, Kennedy and Luis Gutiérrez, known as the 2005 Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act. Piña also answers listener calls on immigrant rights and citizenship procedures.

Wednesday, May 25th

PROGRAM # 4517 - 12:00 PDT
TEXAS-GUADALAJARA: PRESSING ÉMIGRÉ ISSUES. Mexican émigrés in Texas call on Mexico’s Congress to open a special session to take counter-clock action on a bill to allow Mexican émigrés to vote in presidential elections. Also, the Mexican Congress approved a fund to partially compensate former Mexican farmworkers who labored in the U.S. for payroll deductions that were never reimbursed. This program discusses the plan to settle the claims of more than 100,000 now-elderly workers. This edition of the series “Sin Fronteras” airs in collaboration with the state network of Sistema Jalisciense de Radio y Televisión in Guadalajara, in Western Mexico.

Guests: Emilio Espana de la Cuesta, coordinator of economic affairs, Consejo Consultivo del Instituto de los Mexicanos en el Exterior, Houston, TX; Dr. Roberto Rosas, coordinator of legal affairs, Consejo Consultivo del Instituto de los Mexicanos en el Exterior, Houston, TX; Violeta Dominguez, Coordinator in Texas, Alianza Braceroproa, Austin, TX; Armando Romero, Mexico's federal environmental agency, Guadalajara, Mexico.

PROGRAM # 4518 - 12:00 PDT
MEXICO EDITION. Journalist Martha Elena Ramírez, producer of the radio program "Voz Pública," begins a new chapter of this radio series. Ramírez hosts this edition live from Mexico City, providing as usual news and interviews from Mexico and voices from participant listeners.

PROGRAM # 4519 - 21:00 PDT
LOS ANGELES SIMULCAST: THE MOST POLLUTED CITIES. Los Angeles along with Visalia, Bakersfield and Fresno have been named the most polluted U.S. cities. Air pollution in these cities is contributing to develop a generation of children who are growing with permanent damage to their lungs and chronic breathing problems. What are the plans of the newly-elected mayor Antonio Villarraigosa to deal with traffic congestion and smog? What are public advocates doing in California’s Central Valley to help promote clean air and healthy days?

Guests: Antonio Villarraigosa, Mayor elect, Los Angeles; Enrique Chiok, president, American Lung Association, Los Angeles county; Rey Leon, political analyst, Latino Issues Forum, Fresno, CA; Luis Cabrales, community programs director, League of Conservation Voters, Los Angeles.

Friday, May 27th

PROGRAM # 4520 - 12:00 PDT
PUERTO RICO EDITION. Meet Wanda Colón Cortés, the host in WRTU, Radio Universidad de Puerto Rico, who brings live interviews and commentary on news developments with an emphasis in issues on women and peace in the Caribbean basin. Listeners are encouraged to call in.

Monday, May 30th

PROGRAM # 4521 - 12:00 PDT
THE NEW VETERANS: FROM IRAQ TO THE STREETS. In this Memorial Day edition, David Rodriguez, general commander, and Ram Chávez, commander in Corpus Christi, Texas, of the Denver-based American G.I. Forum talk about the challenges faced by veterans who return from Iraq. Guerrilla tactics in Iraq are significantly increasing the numbers of disabled and mentally-ill veterans. Many are returning to the U.S. to face benefits cutbacks and life in the streets. The G.I. Forum represents Latino veterans and their families.

Tuesday, May 31st

PROGRAM # 4522 - 12:00 PDT
REAL ID ACT AND SAFETY FOR ABUSED WOMEN. Women-rights advocates warn that the recently approved REAL ID Act jeopardizes the lives of thousands of battered immigrant women and children and will weaken protections provided by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Victims who flee domestic abuse would be forced to disclose their physical residence in order to get a driver's license or ID card. The program also provides information on basic help for abused women.

Guests: Leslie Orloff, director, program on immigrant women, Legal Momentum, Washington, DC; Mark Silverman, director of immigration policy, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, San Francisco, CA; Virginia Ortega, coordinator, Proyecto de Violencia Familiar, Lideres Campesinas, Salinas, CA.

To tune in to this news service, check our Affiliate Stations page to find your nearest station. Also, the audio of these news stories will soon be available live in this same website.

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