The Human Beat

The Human Beat, hosted by Roger Rocka, features community conversations about our people, issues, environment, history and the joys of living here. Produced by the studios of KMUN.

The Human Beat – December 9th, 2024

We’re talking today with Steve Forrester, former editor and publisher of The Astorian and the former president and CEO of the family company, EO Media Group with its two dozen newspapers and magazines across Oregon and Washington. As of November 1, EO Media Group was sold to the larger Carpenter Media Group, which operates more…

The Human Beat – May 08, 2023

We discuss the Columbia Inn, which is being converted to provide housing for people who are homeless, particularly those especially at risk. We talk about when it will open, what it will be like, how it will be operated and managed, etc. The guests are: Monica Steele, Assistant Clatsop County Manager Viviana Matthews, Executive Director,…

The Human Beat – April 10, 2023

To celebrate Women’s History month in March, the American Association of University Women in Clatsop County held a dinner at the Golden Star Restaurant to “Honor the Honorables.”   Judge Paula Brownhill was the first female judge in Clatsop County. She was later joined by Judge Cindy Matayas and Judge Dawn McIntosh to form the…

The Human Beat – March 13th, 2023

A discussion with Carrie Cantrell in Portland and Anna Kaufman in Astoria about clean water, community watersheds and how they are affected by forest practices in Oregon. Carrie and Anna are working with North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection.   They are collecting stories from people in Clatsop and Tillamook counties about personal experiences with…

The Human Beat July 2022

The Clatsop County Circuit Court includes two specialty courts – one for mental health treatment, one for drug addiction.  Both help people to work their way out of a life in the criminal justice system.  It’s a group effort involving probation officers, prosecutors, defense attorneys and treatment providers.  Listen in to portions of a drug…

The Human Beat September 12th 2022

It’s Pledge Drive on KMUN, that short period each summer when we ask for your support for this community driven radio station. We don’t interrupt KMUN programs with commercials and we depend on our listeners to help make ends meet. The Human Beat is one of several public affairs programs on KMUN, where you get a deeper understanding…

The Human Beat June 13th 2022

To honor Juneteenth I want to revisit a 2020 conversation with four friends about race and justice, and where things stand for people who look like them.  All are black. We’ll hear from Denise Reed, Bereniece Jones-Centeno, Amber Hope Duffy and Charles Withers. Oregon is still mostly white, and I started by asking what it…

The Human Beat March14 2022

Welcome to the Human Beat!  I’m Roger Rocka.   The City of Astoria is engaged in a process intended to provide some affordable housing downtown, in the area bounded by Duane, Exchange, 11th and 12th streets.  Some additional units would be used by Clatsop Behavioral Healthcare to provide housing and treatment for their clients.   The City is engaged in exclusive…