Donna Green-Townsend
Multimedia Productions
Aired on WUFT on May 25th, 2012
The 60th Annual State Folk Festival got underway today in White Springs just north of Lake City and runs thru Sunday night. Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Donna Green-Townsend talked with longtime festival performer Tom Shed about the history of the longest running folk festival in the country.
Singer songwriter Grant Peeples often performs in North Central Florida. In May of 2012 he had a CD release party at the Shake Rag Art and Culture Center in Melrose for his CD titled “Prior Convictions.” Peeples sat down with WUFT-FM’s Donna Green-Townsend on May 18th, 2012
The Frank Stronach Plant Science Center is the home of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Science’s agronomic, fruit and vegetable research efforts. Today marked the dedication of the conference center to Stronach himself. The celebration wasn’t without controversy. Protesters turned out from a variety of locations and organizations over Stronach’s plans for a 30,000 acre organic beef ranch and Stronach’s permit request to pump 13 and a half million gallons of water per day for the ranch. As Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Donna Green-Townsend reports, the Canadian businessman took note of the outside protests and promised to be a good corporate citizen in Marion County.
The Gatorbone Band is an award winning, world class band whose repertoire includes Bluegrass, Americana, Swing, Old-Time, and Jazz. The band features Jason Thomas on fiddle, Lis Williamson on guitar, banjo and vocals, Lon Williamson on standup bass and vocals and Gabe Valla on guitar and vocals.
Lis Williamson is an award-winning songwriter. She’s won first place in the Will McLean Best New Florida Song competition twice in recent years. Lis and her husband Lon make their living performing music with a variety of bands. From her audio archives from April of 2012, Donna Green-Townsend talked with singer songwriter Lis Williamson from Keystone Heights about some of her latest song inspirations, including a song about the effects of one of Florida’s recent droughts on North Central Florida lakes.
In addition to the Gatorbone Band, they also perform as a duo and with the Driftwoods. Lon is also a local luthier. During the 2015 Florida Folk Festival in White Springs over the Memorial Holiday weekend the Driftwoods performed on the Main Stage on Saturday, May 23rd and the Heritage Stage on Sunday, May 24th.
Here are a couple of video clips from the band’s Sunday performance. The first video is the band’s rendition of, “Hard Times Come Again No More.”
Here’s the finale performed by the Driftwoods on the Heritage Stage on Sunday.
Donna Green-Townsend brings us up close and personal with Lis Williamson from the Keystone Heights area who performs alongside her husband Lon in a variety of bands all over North Central FL. (Aired on WUFT-FM on Sept. 23rd, 2011)
Lis Williamson on her first-time win of the Will McLean Best New Florida Song Contest
Aired on WUFT on April 26th, 2012
In the weeks following the January I-75 tragedy that left 11 people dead, Republican State Representative Keith Perry from District 22 pushed lawmakers for improved signage along the interstate. Perry says the accidents that occurred during the smoky and foggy conditions on the section of the interstate crossing Payne’s Prairie could have been avoided if motorists could have been warned about the conditions. Representative Perry talked with Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Donna Green-Townsend after briefly reviewing the FDLE’s just released report on the accidents.
Aired on WUFT on April 10th, 2012
Nature-based tourism can benefit an area’s environment and economy. That’s according to a newly released University of Florida study. UF Associate Professor of Ecotourism and Natural Resource Management, Taylor Stein conducted his research in the popular tourist destination of Costa Rica, an area with similar ecotourism opportunities as Florida. Stein found that tourists are more likely to go to places that are environmentally friendly and where the money they spend goes back to help preserve natural resources. Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Donna Green-Townsend talked with Stein about how his findings in Costa Rica can also apply to the Sunshine State.
Stein’s study appears in the current issue of the Journal of Environmental Conservation.
Aired on WUFT on April 2nd, 2012
After the national attention garnered by a racially charged YouTube video by two Gainesville High School students, bullying has become a quest of many who look to put an end to it. Ameena Matthews, a member of Chicago Cease Fire, which aims to stop violence before it begins, took a trip to the Gainesville area to meet with community members to discuss efforts to stop bullying and violence in the county. She’s traveled to various facilities around Gainesville including the juvenile detention center and the Northwest Gainesville Boys and Girls Club today.
Just prior to arriving in Gainesville, Chicago Cease Fire Violence Interrupter Ameena Matthews talked with Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Donna Green-Townsend.
Aired on WUFT on March 16th, 2012
Music lovers had the opportunity to fill their desire for Irish music at a recent house concert in Keystone Heights featuring the Tallahassee-based Aaron O’Rourke Trio. Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Donna Green-Townsend takes us up close and personal with the leader of this acoustic group.
Aired on WUFT on February 29th, 2012
A Cleveland, Ohio hospital reports another student wounded in an Ohio high school shooting has died, bringing the death toll to three. The Gainesville community continues to discuss the racially-charged You Tube postings by two high school students. In Ocala, parents are calling for better supervision of students on school buses after one girl was beaten unconscious on her first day riding the bus.
These are just some of the recent stories of teens making headlines. Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Donna Green-Townsend talked with the Director of Programs and Outreach at the new River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding, Jeffrey Weisberg about how the center is trying to engage the community for peaceful solutions to conflict:
Part 1
The Marion County school board voted last night to expel students involved in beating another student unconscious on a school bus a few weeks ago. Meanwhile, in Alachua County, school officials are still dealing with the aftermath of the racially charged “You Tube” videos posted by two Gainesville High School Students which have brought threats against the families of the students. At the University of Florida, school administrators put together a taskforce to deal with recent hazing allegations at a UF fraternity. In Ohio, 3 students have died as a result of a school shooting in Cleveland. All of these events have prompted the new “River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding” to get public discussion going on the issue of violence and potential solutions. In part 2 of her interview, Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Donna Green-Townsend continues her discussion with the center’s director of programs and outreach, Jeff Weisberg.
Part 2:
Later this month the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding will be offering the opportunity to view the documentary called, “The Interrupters.” To see the trailer go to: http://youtu.be/wS5Hjhy1RhM
Aired on WUFT on February 22nd, 2012
Three well-known environmental groups have announced plans to sue the U.S. Forest Service if the agency doesn’t move forward with removing the 44 year old Kirkpatrick Dam. Earth Justice, Florida Wildlife Federation and the Florida Defenders of the Environment representatives filed the intention to sue documents in Tallahassee yesterday. The Kirkpatrick Dam (formerly the Rodman Dam) was constructed as part of the now de-authorized Cross Florida Barge Canal Project. The dam impounds nine-thousand acres of floodplain forest and now holds a popular fishing spot called the Rodman Reservoir. Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Donna Green-Townsend talked with representatives of all sides of this issue including the President of the Board of Florida Defenders of the Environment, Steve Robitaille and the Executive Director of the organization, Erin Condon:
Florida Defenders of the Environment Board President, Steve Robitaille and Executive Director Erin Condon. Meanwhile the U.S. Forest Service says it supports at least partial removal of the Kirkpatrick Dam. Spokesperson Denise Rains told Donna Green-Townsend the agency won’t comment on the possible lawsuit, but does want to move forward with restoration efforts of the Ocklawaha River:
The people who say they would be most affected by partial removal of the Kirkpatrick Dam are the owners of various fishing businesses. Stacy Weeks runs the Buck-N-Bass Sports Center & Outfitters in Salt Springs. He wants the dam to stay just the way it is:
Another outspoken bait and tackle shop owner is Bumpy Needham of Fish Tales in Ocala. He too says removal of the Kirkpatrick Dam is not the right direction to go:
No matter when restoration could begin, no one knows exactly where the funds for the effort will come from.