Guest :  Fred Nathan. Founder and Executive Director of Think New Mexico. New Mexico 's very own think tank tackling issues like the food tax, full day kindergarten, lottery allocations, and more.

The focus of this “The Heart of the Matter” with co-hosts Hollis Walker and Cyndy Tanner is “preparing for the unexpected.” It features Rhys Brightwater, social worker with Ambercare Hospice of Santa Fe, talking about medical powers of attorney and other significant legal forms we should all have in case we are incapacitated; and Karen Kinnett Hyatt, owner of Action Estate Pros of Santa Fe, on how to deal with the material possessions left behind by a loved one—and how to prepare your own possessions prior to your own departure!

Hollis and Cyndy interview Karen Sloan about buying medical insurance on the health exchange and how recent changes have impacted consumers; and Hollis and Cyndy talk with Dr. Carl Friedrichs of Presbyterian Medical Group about Presbyterian’s expansion in Santa Fe and the new hospital they will open here in 2018.

Guest One: Joshua Habermann

The Best Show In Town welcomes one of the best musical director’s in the Southwest, Joshua Habermann, musical director for the Santa Fe Desert Chorale. Undergoing its 34th season, Habermann shares how the ensemble has raised its artistic profile and broadened its programming to include choral-orchestral masterworks as well as cutting-edge a cappella programs. He also discusses the exciting community outreach projects and the power that music carries with it to bring people together and provide a place for individuals to belong to something that can allow them to achieve something greater than the individual. The Santa Fe Desert Chorale is one of the longest continually performing professional music organizations in New Mexico, as well as one of the most distinguished. It successfully achieves its mission of exciting, engaging and inspiring diverse audiences with the beauty and power of great choral music.

Guest Two: Roberta Parry

Roberta Parry – Artist and Award-winning playwright and author, Roberta Parry talks about what inspires her creative process from the art of painting water colors to writing a 500-page novel. Always an inspired individual, Roberta talks about her new innovative book, “Killing Time”, a novel she refers to as having something for everyone: Drama, humor, nostalgia, sex, mystery, murder. We discuss the variety of creative and innovative literary techniques she employs, from removing the “he saids, and she saids”, to putting it in the form of a “novel in two acts”. She also tells the story of the inspiration behind her book, her creative process as well as her desire to pay tribute to a nostalgic piece of Americana she fears may be quickly disappearing.  

Guest One: Billy Turney

The Best Show In Town is joined by one of our best musical inspirations, founder of Santa Fe’s own internationally acclaimed Scola Cantorum, Billy Turney. He joins host, MK in- studio for a lively discussion about the choral group he founded 25 years ago. He shares what originally inspired him along with a background story which includes a personal connection to the Vatican! We also discuss the group’s latest tour through Ireland as well as the many different styles of music the choral group performs locally and internationally. You can also find out where to go for its upcoming performances.

Guest Two: Roger Morris

Former National Security Staff member for both Nixon and Johnson as well as award winning journalist and author, Roger Morris gives us his take on the political landscape of the Republican National Convention. He reflects upon the larger historical context of this election and its strategies. And he explains why it is one of the most important elections in history.

The Best Show in Town invites one of the nation’s leading life coaches and award-winning authors, Diane Altomare to help us find the best approach for dealing with those sometimes scary things called emotions. She lays out her revolutionary strategy in her latest book “Clarity”. She advocates the notion of taking the “shame” out of our emotions and instead using them as a tool to better know ourselves. In doing so, she explains how, when recognized and directed properly, emotions can actually become extremely useful vehicles through which we can find our truest selves. She helps us find the language of our emotions by providing a virtual index she calls the “voice of our emotions”. She explains why emotions are not something we can afford to ignore and illuminates the vital resource they can be toward living authentic and productive lives, individually and collectively.

Guest One: Carolyn Berry

The Best Show In Town is honored by Author and “Happiness Expert”, Carolyn Berry teaching us how to find and discover our best selves. She shares the philosophy behind her book, “From Misery To Happiness: How to Become Authentically Happy And Make The World A Happier Place”. She talks about redefining “happy” so that it reflects a more authentic sense of self and encourages moving away from the “shoulds” in life. She refers to what she calls “the four virtues” of Gratitude, Love, Acceptance and Constructive Attention as the backbone toward a greater sense of fulfillment in life. She explains how she herself had to literally “practice” these four virtues until they became second nature and in so doing unexpectedly discovered that they had become literal states of being. Her hope is that in empathetically sharing her own journey from misery to happiness, others may find inspiration to do the same. Her goal is to help make the world a happier place, one genuine smile at a time.

Guest Two: Patrick Finn –

Professor, musician, designer, Ted Talk presenter, and author, Patrick Finn is taking on the educational establishment head on in his book, “Critical Condition”. He argues that the educational system needs to re-examine how it teaches critical thinking skills and instead focus more on teaching what he calls “Loving Communication”. He examines how critical thinking can actually encourage close-mindedness and even violence, especially when taught with the wrong focus or end goal. In teaching students to articulate their thoughts and arguments, he proposes using more “Yes, and” in our language versus, “Yes, but”. His suggests that loving communication is actually a more vigorous exercise than critical thinking in that it challenges us at our very core. It can often even expose our own prejudices and limited thinking. He encourages us to open our minds to the creative process of open and inclusive dialogue.

Part 1:

Helena Ribe of Women's International Study Center, and Sarah Ghiorse of New Mexico Women dot org, discuss the  upcoming Women and Money symposium that WISC is hosting in Santa Fe on August 13th.

Hollis talks with Katharine Kagel, owner of Pasqual’s restaurant and gallery, and artists Michelle Goodman and Suzanne Vilmain, about reinventing one’s self as a woman and an artist late in life.

Hollis talks with Rev. Holly Beaumont and Colin Baillio about proposed legislation to create and license dental therapists in New Mexico; and in the second segment, college counselor Jennifer Dryfoos talks about what students and their parents need to do to make sound decisions about college

Hollis talks with three transgender youth—two female and one male—and a mature transgender man about coming out as transgender and how that has changed their lives.

Hollis talks with author Jytte Lokvig about her latest book on Alzheimer’s disease and how to improve communication with those who have dementia

Hollis talks with Emily and Kim about a free Santa Fe Community College program that helps mature women re-enter the job market. 

Hollis talks with City of Santa Fe Traffic Engineer John J. Romero about the thing that drives us all crazy: Santa Fe traffic! In between queries, we’ll raise funds for KSFR.

Hollis talks with six women—including a 90-year-old—about the joys of riding motorcycles and being members of the Motor Maids. 

Hollis talks with director Jerry Feraccio and Liam O’Brien (“Romeo”) about the upcoming production of “Romeo and Juliet.” Jacquelyn West chimes in about what the star-crossed lovers’ myth is all about and why it remains relevant today.

Part 1:

Daniel Werwath, development lead on the Arts and Creativity Center, joined Ellen Berkovitch with Trey Jordan, a member of the four-firm architecture team, to discuss the fledgling A+CC which will be applying for federal tax credits in early 2017 with an anticipated build date of 2018. The project was inaugurated four years ago by Creative Santa Fe, and will provide 70 units of low-cost, affordable rental housing to creative workers in Santa Fe when completed.

Part 2:

Rulan Tangen, founding artistic director and choreographer of Dancing Earth, recently traveled with her dance company to the Riddu Riddu festival in northern Norway. She discusses indigenous dance and collaborations, as well as the economics that challenge many contemporary dance companies.

Robin Dunlap of the Keshi Foundation joined Ellen Berkovitch to discuss The Zuni Show, an exhibition that will be held at The Scottish Rite Temple during Indian Market, spotlighting all Zuni artisans and artists.

Part 1:

AdobeAirstream Radio on KSFR gathered a group to discuss SITElines, the second edition of SITE Santa Fe's biennial dedicated to showcasing contemporary art of the Americas. Guests were managing curator Candice Hopkins, SITECenter director Joanne Lefrak, and artist Raven Chacon. The exhibition, wider than a line, opens on July 16th in Santa Fe.

Part 2:

Writer Ana Castillo spoke with Ellen Berkovitch about her new book of essays, Black Dove, and shared observations on politics and culture from her life as a Xicana poet, essayist and novelist. In 1996 UNM Press published the first edition of Castillo's essay collection, Massacre of the Dreamers: Essays on Xicanisma. A 20th-anniversary updated edition was released this year.

Hollis interviews members of Motor Maids, one of the oldest women’s motorcycle clubs in the United States, with some 1,300 members. Among the six women are a 90-year-old who rode 700-plus miles to the recent Motor Maids convention in Santa Fe, and her granddaughter. 

In the first segment Show Host MK talks with Elizabeth Inman owner of the Purple Adobe Lavender Farm about all Things Lavender.

In Segment two MK interviews Dr. Gary Chapman on the language of love

Jack Loeffler talks about his writing experiences.  Abigail plays Jack's conversation with Edward Abbey, part of Loeffler's series "Encounter with Consciousness"

Shannan Cupka is with the state ombudsman office.  She explains the services of that organization.

Egis provides information and services for elders.

Hillary Smith, a native of Hobbs New Mexico and a resident of ABQ, kicks off the 2016 Music on the Hill with her band, Soul Kitchen.

Smith and one of her other bands, Honeyhouse, won Best of the Yer at the 2008 New Mexico Music Awards for No Easy Way.  Soul Kitchen’s sound is described as  “somewhere between Saturday night revelry and Sunday morning redemption.”

She is also the author of the new book, The Fire Line: The story of The Granite Mountain Hotshots and One of the Deadliest Days in American Firefighting. The gripping story describes the lives of the elite firefighting crew, the Granite Mountain Hotshots, and the Yarnell Hill Fire that killed 19 of them on June 30, 2013. Ellen Berkovitch interviews Fernanda Santo for Radiocafé.

As part of the Shakespeare 400 in Santa Fe here is a conversation I had with John Andrews and Oliver Prezant about the inspiration that William Shakespeare’s writing (especially the plays) has provided for composers most of them non-English speakers.