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Sean Kurth serves as the director of membership at KPBS. Sean’s role is central to the station’s ability to serve members by leading a division that includes audience services, engagement, administration, acquisition and on-air fundraising for TV, radio and digital. Since he joined KPBS in March 2024, the station has experienced a significant increase in membership and local financial support – which Sean attributes to the spirit of generosity from San Diegans as well as the excellence of his team and partners.

You’re invited to the ANS San Diego Section Elections Dinner Meeting – June 25, 2025 Join us for an evening of reflection, planning, and insight at the Remington Club in San Diego. The meeting will include a business update, election results, and a featured talk by Ms. Puja Gupta on “The Nuclear Past, Present, and Future.” Date: Wednesday, June 25, 2025 Time: 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. Location: The Remington Club, Remington II Building, Multipurpose Room (2nd Floor) 16925 Hierba Dr, San Diego, CA 92128 A light dinner will be provided. RSVP by June 22: https://sandiego.ans.org/contact/ Agenda Highlights: 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.: Annual Business Meeting & Election Results 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.: Talk "The Nuclear Past, Present, and Future" by Ms. Puja Gupta, General Atomics During her 20-years tenure at General Atomics in technical management, strategy and business development, Ms. Gupta has served as a key participant in many private and U.S. Government funded programs ranging from basic research to commercialization of advanced nuclear fission and fusion energy systems. She holds a Masters in Nuclear Engineering from U.C. Berkeley and a Bachelor's in Chemical Engineering from Nirma University, India. We look forward to your participation. RSVP by June 22: https://sandiego.ans.org/contact/ American Nuclear Society on Facebook / Instagram

Kumeyaay historian Ethan Banegas Luiseño-Kumeyaay (SDSU-American Indian Studies) discusses the process to develop a community-engaged comic that speaks from the perspective of the Kumeyaay people. This comic is a way to tell stories of Kumeyaay people from past to present and engage with their own communities, schools, and beyond. Hear more about how tribal historians are driving the work of this visual storytelling project as a creative team brings it to life. About Ethan Ethan grew up on the Barona Reservation in San Diego County. He received his Bachelor of Arts in History, Religious Studies, and Political Science in 2009 and his Master of Arts degree in History in 2017 from the University of San Diego (USD). Banegas is owner of Kumeyaay.com and Historian for the San Diego History Center, which operates the Junípero Serra Museum. He was first published in 2017 (Indian Gaming in the Kumeyaay Nation). In 2020, he published the Kumeyaay Oral History Project, a community-based research project, after collecting thirty-three personal interviews, video-taped oral histories, and photographs from San Diego’s First People. In 2024, he published two comics—“Beyond Gaming” and “Our Past, Present, and Future”—and served as project director and author of the Kumeyaay Visual Storytelling Project. Through these community-based projects, Professor Banegas collected the voice of the Kumeyaay people, giving a voice to the voiceless. Mingei International Museum on Facebook / Instagram

Join the Coronado Public Library for a high-octane evening with Vincent “Jell-O” Aiello, former TOPGUN instructor, combat pilot, and host of the popular Fighter Pilot Podcast, as he shares stories from his gripping memoir, "Through the Yellow Visor." More than just dogfights and flybys, Aiello’s book offers an unfiltered look into the real world of naval aviation—where grit, resilience, and teamwork matter more than ego. From flight school challenges to combat missions over Iraq, his journey reveals the human side of life at Mach speed. Don’t miss this chance to meet the man behind the mic, hear what it’s really like to land on a moving aircraft carrier, and get a signed copy of the book that podcast fans have been waiting for. About the Book: Ride Along with a Real Top Gun and Get His View from the Cockpit. You’ve heard him as host of the Fighter Pilot Podcast. More than 100k listeners have been waiting for this book. Now ride along. From the cockpit of a Navy jet circling overhead, an aircraft carrier—1,000 feet long and displacing 98,000 tons—looks no bigger than a child’s toy. No wonder the fighter pilots call it a boat. Try landing on one of these bucking broncos without boltering. TOPGUN instructor and seasoned naval aviator, E. Vincent “Jell-O” Aiello takes readers on an exhilarating flight from being a wide-eyed eight-year-old peering into a jet’s cockpit at the Point Mugu Airshow to flying one. Not the Hollywood version by any means, Vincent explains his tough, terrifying, and trusted path to flying America’s war planes. From flying F/A-18 Hornets on missions worldwide, to serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, to teaching the art of air combat at TOPGUN, Jell-O brings you into the adrenaline-fueled world of naval aviation while proving that persistence is a pilot’s most valuable skill. After retiring from the Navy with more than 3,800 flight hours and 700 carrier landings, Vincent, now an airline pilot, hosts the popular Fighter Pilot Podcast, where he explores the fascinating world of air combat with stimulating revelations about— The complex, multi-million-dollar aircraft, The lethal weapons systems they employ, and The fearless people who protect our country every single day. This is the personal story of a boy with big dreams who became the man behind the yellow visor. About the Author: Commander Aiello is native of California. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from the University of California, Los Angeles and was commissioned through the Navy ROTC Program in August 1992. Commander Aiello attended Navy pilot training and was awarded the coveted wings of gold in August 1995. Following initial training in the F/A-18 Hornet with VMFAT-101 at MCAS El Toro, Santa Ana, California, Commander Aiello’s first operational assignment was with VFA86 at NAS Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Florida. During this tour he deployed to the Arabian Gulf in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH aboard the aircraft carriers USS GEORGE WASHINGTON and USS JOHN F. KENNEDY. In 2000, Commander Aiello reported to the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center at NAS Fallon, Nevada where he attended the Navy Fighter Weapons School, or TOPGUN, and remained on the staff as an instructor. In 2003 he was assigned to VFA97 in NAS Lemoore, California where he deployed to the Arabian Gulf aboard the carrier USS NIMITZ in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. In 2004 Commander Aiello attended the School of Naval Aviation Safety at the Naval Postgraduate School before reporting to VFA-94 in Lemoore for his department head tour. In 2005 he again deployed aboard NIMITZ to the Western Pacific and Arabian Gulf in support of OIF. Commander Aiello reported to the Strike Fighter Weapons School, Pacific at Lemoore in 2006 and remained until 2009 when he was assigned to the staff of Carrier Air Wing FIVE in NAF Atsugi, Japan where he deployed to the Western Pacific aboard GEORGE WASHINGTON. Commander Aiello’s next assignment came in 2010 to the staff of Commander, U.S. THIRD Fleet, San Diego, California where he deployed to Afghanistan as an ‘individual augmentee’ with a Joint Special Operations Command task force in support of Operation ALLIED FORCE. During this assignment Commander Aiello completed a Masters of Business Administration degree from the Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. In 2013 Commander Aiello returned to NSAWC in Fallon where he served as Program Manager for the Navy’s F-16 adversary fleet. In 2015 Commander Aiello reported to the Fleet Readiness Center Southwest at NAS North Island, California where he served as the F/A-18 Integrated Project Team Military Program Manager and F/A18A-F Hornet and Super Hornet functional check pilot. Commander Aiello retired from the US Navy in March, 2017 following nearly 25 years of faithful and honorable service. He accrued 3,800 total flight hours including 3,200 in all models of the F/A-18 and nearly 200 in the F-16A/B. He has flown more than 70 combat missions over Iraq and performed over 700 carrier-arrested landings. His decorations include two Meritorious Service Medals, three Air Medals, four Navy Commendation Medals, and numerous personal and unit decorations. Commander Aiello is married to the former Beth Grimm of Rogers, Arkansas; they reside in Coronado, California with their three sons: Slater, Anthony, and Dawson. Visit: https://coronado.librarycalendar.com/event/summer-festival-hold-34692 Coronado Public Library on Facebook / Instagram

Paola Hernández-Jiao is the Public Matters community engagement manager at KPBS. Public Matters is an initiative that provides content, conversation and events ensuring all San Diegans understand their opportunity to participate in the democratic process including news stories on politics and governance, facilitated, in-person discussions around important issues that often divide us, helpful resources and explainers about participation in community groups and institutions that make decisions that impact our lives on a daily basis.

Local octogenarian, Navy veteran, and dyslexic playwright, Daisy I. Dumas-Featherstone has proven it is never too late to fulfill a dream. While battling cancer and dealing with losses of family members and friends, she has completed her MFA degree in Creative Writing in May of this year, at the age of 85! Unable to have a public reading of her thesis play, "MAST/MASK" before graduation, she is having one now.

We look forward to seeing you at USD's annual Wine Classic presented by U.S. Bank! This special event raises needed funds for the Alumni Endowed Scholarship Fund supporting scholarships for USD students. Each ticket includes sample tastings from over 20 wineries, as well as unlimited gourmet food options, access to the silent auction, and a custom engraved wine tasting glass! Visit: https://usdwineclassic.com/

Alice Barnett’s most mature and substantial work is her song cycle "In a Gondola," published by G. Schirmer. This lecture explores the artistic and historical contexts that shaped the composition, examining both its poetic inspiration and its musical innovations. Drawing on contemporary sources, including letters, newspaper reviews, and journal accounts, the lecture also traces the early reception of and critical response to her song cycle. The program concludes with a complete performance of In a Gondola, offering audiences the opportunity to experience Barnett’s distinctive compositional voice in its fullest expression. About Dr. Katina Mitchell Dr. Katina Mitchell is a native of San Diego. She has sung with the San Diego Symphony; lautten compagney BERLIN; MicroFest, Los Angeles; Monday Evening Concerts, Sing-Akademie zu Berlin, Volti, San Francisco; Bach Collegium San Diego, The Da Camera Society, Los Angeles; and more. A favorite engagement was performing with Ensemble Vocatrix in fully staged productions of Hildegard von Bingen’s Ordo Virtutum in Los Angeles and Berkeley. Recently Mitchell has sung as both soloist and chorister with San Diego Master Chorale, Sacra/Profana, and the Schola Cantorum of St. James-by-the-Sea. Her work has been featured at the Velaslavasay Panorama, Los Angeles and the Medieval History Center in Azincourt, France, and in media outlets including the BBC, NPR’s Life in Berlin, and the Los Angeles Times. In 2023, Mitchell began presenting her extensive original research on composer Alice Barnett, giving lectures with the San Diego History Center; the Western History Association, Los Angeles; National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), San Diego chapter, at San Diego State University; Palomar College; and Society for American Music, Tacoma, Washington. Katina holds degrees in music from Rice University and the University of Southern California (USC). She is a member of the music faculty at Palomar College, teaches voice at Grossmont College, and maintains a private studio. About Dr. Yewon Lee Dr. Yewon Lee is a frequently sought-after conductor and collaborative pianist on the operatic and concert stage. Prior to relocating to San Diego, Lee was Assistant Music Director of Opera at Baldwin Wallace University and Adjunct Professor at Kent State University. In the operatic world, she coached at Baldwin Wallace Opera Theater, National Opera Center, Aspen Opera Theater Center, and International Vocal Arts Institute in Israel, France, Italy, and Japan. Born in Seoul, South Korea, Lee received a Bachelor of Music in piano performance from Seoul National University, completed her Master of Music in vocal accompanying at Manhattan School of Music, and earned an artist diploma in collaborative piano from The Juilliard School. She earned her Doctor of Musical Arts in choral music at USC. Currently, she is a music director of the San Diego Festival Chorus and the San Dieguito United Methodist Church. She also serves as the Far South Representative for the California Choral Directors Association. Visit: https://www.ljathenaeum.org/events/mitchell-25-0630 Athenaeum Music & Arts Library on Instagram and Facebook

This year, 21 Project Rebound students graduated from SDSU. Half of them are continuing on to graduate school.

A nationwide study shows how access to Medicaid saved lives. Then, business leaders are voicing their opposition to a proposal to raise the minimum wage to $25 an hour in the city of San Diego. , Plus, federal funding cuts threaten a local school district’s program that provides resources to families of children with behavioral challenges.