Who's On Bainbridge

From BCB... http://bestofbcb.org/who-019-locals-producing-new-rockaway-series/ Local filmmaker Garrett Bennett, the creative force behind three award-winning features for the big screen, is turning his talents to the small screen with the announcement of his newest project: ROCKAWAY, a half-hour dramatic series to be set and shot on and around Bainbridge Island. ROCKAWAY will star island native Meredyth Yund, whose acting credits include Bennett’s A Relative Thing and George Clooney’s Unscripted on HBO, and local actor Ted Dowling, best known for his recent performances in HAIR and THE KENTUCKY CYCLE. In this podcast, Bennett, Yund and Dowling talk with BCB host Diane Walker about their connections to Bainbridge Island, their plans for the Rockaway project, and the IndieGogo fundraising campaign they've launched to generate the $80,000 they’ll need to film a pilot episode. The series, which will be shot on Bainbridge Island, tells the story of Jack Bonebright Winter (Dowling), a burned-out theater director wh

BCB, in collaboration with the Bainbridge Island Historical Museum and the Bainbridge Island Senior and Community Center, is a partner in the StoryShare Project. Each of the participating organizations is reaching out to the community in its own way to find, and to tell, the stories of Bainbridge Island.        In recent decades, the island has grown and evolved from a population of a few thousand people living in small and rather isolated villages around the island to a current population estimated at 26,000 and has developed in a way its early settlers probably never would have imagined.   BCB’s role in StoryShare is to interview longtime residents of the island to hear their stories and to ask about their memories and their personal perspectives on the changes they’ve experienced.   In this first program of what will be an ongoing series of conversations about the history of Bainbridge Island, host Jack Armstrong visits with Reid Hansen, who was born here in 1929 in a house his grandfather had built after

In this podcast, Barbara Tolliver and Susan Taylor, owners of one of Bainbridge Island’s oldest retail establishments, The Traveler, talk about the store’s 20-year history, and its evolution from a travel bookstore to a large multi-product travel store in the heart of Winslow Way. Now tripled in size, the store has offerings far beyond the original staple of travel books and maps. In addition to luggage, clothing, travel accessories, and entertainment for traveling children, The Traveler will also use its newly expanded space to host small classes on travel tips, such as packing, travel with children, language coaching for popular countries. And The Traveler will periodically host events about travel and traveling. Susan and Barbara, avid travelers, themselves, talk about some of their favorite travel destinations and experiences (you may be surprised!), and how these trips have informed their business. The Traveler is now located on the north side of Winslow Way, in the center of the block between Madison an

In this podcast, we meet Tommy Dillon -- the new Rector of Grace Episcopal Church on Bainbridge Island. This is the second interview in the new BCB series called "Clergy on Bainbridge", which is part of the podcast radio show known as "Who's on Bainbridge." Tommy Dillon his process of learning about Grace and Bainbridge during the lengthy and extensive search process conducted by Grace Church. The congregation was seeking to replace their long-time minister, Bill Harper, who had given generous advance notice of his decision to retire from his leadership role at Grace. The voting members of the congregation (the Vestry) unanimously voted to call Tommy after receiving the endorsement of the ten trusted and diverse members of the Grace Call Committee. Tommy has been in service as rector at Grace since mid-summer 2015, and his official installation ceremony is scheduled for September 29th of this year. Tommy describes his prior service as rector of the St. Aidan's Episcopal Church in the urban core of San Francis

In the first podcast of a new BCB series called "Clergy on Bainbridge", we welcome the co-minister of Cedars Unitarian Universalist Church, Jaco ten Hove. Jaco and his wife Barbara have jointly served for 7 years as the settled ministers of Cedars, responding to a year-long national search in 2008. In this interview, we explore with Jaco how he, as a clergy member, likes to practice in the wider community what he preaches with his congregation, such as: collaboration, for example, with other clergy in the Bainbridge Island and North Kitsap Interfaith Council; appreciation of nature, such as serving as a docent and advocate for the environmental learning center in the woods at IslandWood; addressing climate change, through projects, such as those of Sustainable Bainbridge and Island Power, that help achieve energy conservation and greener electrical power; and seeking peace, such as when he marched with his Zen Buddhist spiritual leader and friend Senji, from Olympia to the submarine nuclear weapons depot in

Shelita Burke is a talented singer/songwriter who will be performing her own eclectic blend of indie/jazz/folk music at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art on August 28th. When not touring and living in Paris, Shelita calls Bainbridge home. She has performed at the Sundance Film Festival, in Iceland, Germany, Morocco, and Japan just to name a few. Shelita will be accompanied by the talented musicians and Bainbridge Islanders Jonny Cole on bass and percussionist Abraham Neuwelt. In this podcast Shelita talks about what gives her inspiration and how living in the Pacific Northwest has influenced her.  Listen in as she performs two original songs in the BCB studio! Purchase tickets for the show at Brown Paper Tickets.  The show is for all ages and will begin at 8:00 p.m. Friday, August 28th.  Students with valid identification get in for $10, advanced tickets $25, $30 at the door. Visit Shelita's website. Credits: BCB host: Sandy Schubach; BCB studio tech: Charlie Hanacek; BCB audio editor: Tim Bird; BCB social

From BCB... http://bestofbcb.org/who-014-morgan-terry-and-spacecraft/  Spacecraft is an island music venue on a mission to bring unique and interesting live music to the culturally curious of Kitsap County.   Set in Rolling Bay Hall, they strive to bring the freshest and most progressive musicians from the Pacific Northwest to Bainbridge Island. Spacecraft’s vision is to serve as a launch vehicle for new names, new ideas and experiences, and to inspire others to join in the process. Listen as cofounder Morgan Terry and volunteer Vanessa Brewis-Condon talk about how they got started, where they’re headed, and the exciting and fresh musical acts they’re bringing to Bainbridge. For more about Spacecraft, visit www.spacecraftpresents.org Credits: BCB host, audio tech and audio editor: Sandy Schubach; BCB Publishers Chris and Diane Walker.

In this interview, Steve Davis describes the history of the emergence of two major organizations that embody charitable giving and philanthropy on Bainbridge Island -- the organization we now call One Call for All, and the entity that grew from its early charitable trust, the Bainbridge Community Foundation. Steve was the person who was the first to recognize the value in creating a foundation that could help with longer-term and larger scale philanthropic giving in our community. In the 1980s, he saw the possibilities of a small trust that was an adjunct to the annual giving campaign that we now call the annual "Red Envelope" campaign of One Call for All. Steve shares the story of presenting his idea to Ellen Spencer decades ago, her support, and then joining with Ellen and others on the board of the trust that later grew to become a separate community foundation. Steve offers anecdotes about early projects for the trust funds -- such as funding the purchase of the used row-on-row seating for local community

What’s in a doggie hairdo? There are dog groomers and there are “national certified master groomers” who compete, some internationally, for excellence in dog grooming.  Who knew??   In this interview that captures some surprises from inside the world of dog grooming, Julie Rust, explains the three types of dog grooming competitions -  traditional, creative and rescue - where dog groomers are tested on their skills, creativity and knowledge. It takes knowledge and skill to make your bishon look like the perfect bishon; but it takes a lot of creativity to make your bishon look like a little red-mohawked dragon! Julie explains that “rescue groomers” have perhaps the greatest challenge, one that is most akin to real life in the grooming business. They have a prescribed amount of time to take a rescue dog, clean it up and make it look like someone you’d like to adopt as your new best friend.  Often these dogs are matted, very dirty and have been uncared for for too long.  Making them look presentable also helps th

In this 15-20 minute episode of Who's On Bainbridge, Chris Snow shares anecdotes about what brought him to Bainbridge from his lifelong career in the US Foreign Service, what has kept him here for so long, and his leading role in community life since he and his wife Cameron settled here in the late 1990s. Chris speaks with BCB host Jack Armstrong about: what attracted him and Cameron to the island; how he became engaged in community organizations; his leading role on the board of the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA) during the years of building and starting up the museum; his service with the Bainbridge Community Foundation (BCF) and the importance of philanthropy to our community's many nonprofits; his 2006 to 2009 term on the Bainbridge Island City Council memories of speaking engagements at the "Oatmeal Breakfast Club"; and his thoughts about what makes Bainbridge special. Chris was interviewed in the BCB studio in late March 2015. Credits: BCB host: Jack Armstrong; BCB editor and social media publ

Diane Bonciolini and Gregg Mesmer have been making beautiful glass together as Mesolini since 1977.  Earlier this year, they were named Island Treasures for 2015 by the Bainbridge Island Arts and Humanities Council. Their familiar installations -- the Beach Glass Quilt on Winslow Way; the artwork at Rotary Centennial Park; and the installations at the Bainbridge Library and at The Waypoint across from the Art Museum -- are easily recognizable for their signature fused glass style. For Diane and Gregg, their community spirit is evident in all they do -- from teaching and coaching at the public schools to leading the glass workers at the Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network (BARN). Each of them has contributed many hours and materials to our schools, designing murals and teaching kids the joy of working together creatively.  They have introduced scores of people to the art of glass through classes and joint community projects. Always eager to support other artists and nurture new talent, Gregg and Diane were als

From BCB... http://bestofbcb.org/who-008-singer-zach-fleury/ In this musical podcast, BCB Host Kayla Black brings us live music with Bainbridge Island musician Zach Fleury.  Zach is a Northwest singer, songwriter, producer and session player who has collaborated with Noah Gunderson, Hot Bodies in Motion, Allen Stone, and Mackelmore.  He's also done some film scoring for Lionsgate Film. In the last two years Zach's put out two solo albums backed by Seattle String Mafia- Be Still, Neverland, Egypt (2012) and The Tarzan Suite (2013). He's currently planning a Spring/Summer tour and working on his 3rd album, to be called Tapes & Reels from the Attic." (Ziibra) Listen here as Zach tells Kayla about his influences, teachers, training and how he came to Bainbridge to write and gain inspiration from living here. In addition, Zach brings his musical talent to our studio, sharing  2 songs -- A Murden Lullaby and Fire Drills -- with talented cellist Taylor Jensen and Seattle songbird Lizzie Rodrigue accompanying him

All Aboard! In this episode of “Who’s On Bainbridge”, podcast host Jason Goyette sits down with Captain Ty Anderson. Captain Anderson retired in December of 2014 after working for the Washington State Ferry for 30 years.  In our podcast, Ty will share with you how he became a ferry boat captain, following in the footsteps of  4 generations of sailors in his family. Ty’s career at sea has included serving as a deckhand at the age of 16, to running a yacht for an oil company.  He has worked in the engine room of a research vessel for the University of Washington, and in his final years he served with Washington State Ferries on the Bainbridge Island / Seattle run.  He has some great tales to tell. Captain Anderson will also discuss his role in addressing changes needed for the increase in bicycle traffic by making sure that the ferry system is adapting docks, access areas, and the boats themselves. In his time behind the wheel he has seen it all, from a baby being born on the way to Seattle, to being at the ini

Bainbridge Island Museum of Art executive director and curator Greg Robinson, and museum founder Cynthia Sears, talk about artist Rachel Feferman, who died in 2010. Feferman’s life’s work lives on at the art museum in an expansive retrospective in the gallery bearing her name. The exhibition will continue through February 15, 2015. Greg Robinson and Cynthia Sears tell BCB host Channie Peters about Feferman’s life, her art, and how they intersect.  A sensitive person, deeply affected by events in the world, particularly the Holocaust, Feferman’s drawings progress from starkly portrayed images to ones that balance dark elements with beauty and comfort.  The artist needed to hold onto beauty to remain sane amidst the horrors in the world around us, and this is reflected in Feferman’s “Golden Hands” series of drawings.  Listening to this conversation with Greg and Cynthia gives us a personal and aesthetic sense of who the artist, Rachel Feferman, is. Both the retrospective exhibit and this episode of Who’s on Bai

After reading an article about filmmaker Courtney Jones in the Bainbridge Review, BCB host Barbara Golden interviewed him to learn more about this young man’s film career. Originally from southern California, Courtney and his family recently moved to Bainbridge Island from New Mexico -- where he had shot his latest short film, The Courier. Although filmed in New Mexico, The Courier takes place in 2027 and has little resemblance, in place or time, to the present — except the plot.  Watch the video to find out what that connection is. In this interview, Courtney tells us about his beginnings in the film industry as a “key grip” (a job only vaguely related to the job title), his change in direction after the death of Aliya (a young singer whose music video he was working on), and the events of September 11th. What sounds like a glamorous job was not what he wanted to do for the rest of his career.  So, with best friend, Reno Wilson — who is also a co-star of  the television series Mike and Molly — Courtney jumpe

This episode of the “Who’s On Bainbridge” podcast show features two islanders -- Frank Buxton and John Ellis -- who are known and loved by many in our community. John and Frank are the two founding members of the Edge Improv comedy troupe that entertains local audiences at the BPA’s Playhouse theater on the first Saturday of each month. This 20-minute interview tells the story of the founding of the Edge Improv, and it also reveals Frank Buxton’s fascinating career history in the classic days of radio and television. Frank describes his early fascination with the production of radio shows -- when he realized at age 8 that he wanted to grow up to be the sound effects guy.  Needless to say, his actual professional career in radio and TV went far beyond that. He recounts his early experiences watching the making of radio shows in the top broadcast studios in New York City.  And we also follow Frank through his career in television. Both John and Frank reveal how they were each inspired by the legendary Jonathan

Lilly Kodama remembers her brother, Dr. Frank Kitamoto -- a 2002 recipient of the distinguished "Island Treasure" award. Dr. Frank Kitamoto was a dentist, social activist and leader in the Japanese American community on Bainbridge Island until his death in March 2014. As Lilly Kodama’s younger brother, the two of them walked with their mother and other siblings onto the ferry as the family was evacuated from the island in 1942. Bainbridge Island was the home of the first Americans of Japanese descent who were incarcerated by the US government during WWll. In this episode Lilly Kodama talks about the family’s evacuation , their stay in the camps and their return home 4 years later. Lilly is committed to keeping those wartime human stories alive for new generations of adults and school children who make the journey “across the pond,” as Lilly says. As a member of the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community group, she, like her brother, Frank, continues to work with others to insure that what happened to t

In this episode of Who’s On Bainbridge, Donna Harui, third generation owner of Bainbridge Gardens, talks about her family and the history of the Gardens. Donna’s grandfather, Zenhichi Harui came to Bainbridge Island over 100 years ago, and like many others who immigrated from Japan, worked in the lumber industry. The elder Mr. Harui left mill work to become a farmer, grocer and florist, operating a general store in the area where the current nursery stands. Donna talks about customers coming in to the nursery with tales of visiting the general store as children. We are reminded that transportation on the island was not as it is today. Out of necessity, residents tended to shop within walking distance of their homes. Donna’s father, Junkoh Harui was a child during WWll and spent his adult life educating islanders and others about the internment of Japanese Americans during the war. Although other residents of Japanese ancestry were sent to camps, the Haruis, along with two other families, spent the duration of

George and David Lewis are internationally celebrated artists, sculptors, garden masters and Renaissance men who thrive among the flora and fountains planted and carved by their own hands on Bainbridge Island. They have been honored in 2007 with the Island Treasure Award by the Bainbridge Island Arts & Humanities Council in acknowledgement for their excellence in garden art and sculpture. In this episode of “Who’s On Bainbridge,” BCB host Annie Osburn interviews George and David Lewis (formerly known as Little and Lewis) about their multi-faceted and fascinating lives on Bainbridge.  Perhaps best-known for their unique concrete sculptures of giant gunnera leaves, rustic columns and fountains, the Lewis’s began their magical garden gallery in 1992. Quickly, the garden became renowned for its art, water features, naturally evolving “rooms” and compelling mix of plants—from English garden to Tropicalismo. The garden gallery was open to thousands of visitors for nearly two decades. In their early days, George