Sacramento Bee's Transportation writer Tony Bizjak talks about the Fix 50 project and the issue of shipping crude oil by train across Calfiornia. 

LINKS:

• California to impose fee on crude oil rail shipments; funds to be used for spill prevention, cleanup
• Report minimizes risk from oil trains through Roseville, Sacramento
• Details about crude oil rail shipments shrouded in secrecy
• Sacramento officials kept in dark about crude oil transfers at rail facility
• Budget trailer bill to expand Oil Spill Prevention and Response

California’s tricolored blackbirds have suffered a dramatic population decline in recent years -- down 64 percent in the last six years. We’ll talk with UC Davis environmental researcher Robert Meese about what may have caused the decline and the next steps we should take to protect this iconic bird.

Pictures of the Red-winged blackbird (left) and the Tricolored blackbird (right). Photos courtesy of UC Davis.

A Rocklin man who spent 28 years in the U.S. Army as an Airborne Ranger and public affairs officer, has written his first book. The main character in “Airborne Bunny” is based on the stuffed animals that many troops take with them to war as good luck charms or to remind them of home and family.

Command Sergeant Major (retired) Ray Cordell was inspired to write “Airborne Bunny” for his son after a friend’s child -- who struggled with being scared of the dark -- was comforted by an old Army doll Cordell had given him as a gift. We’ll talk with Cordell about his book.

In this week's Sound Advice, Sean Bianco, host of Capital Public Radio's "At the Opera," describes the upcoming "Symphony of 1000."  It's an open invitation to musicians of all ages and skill level to join in a community concert appearance on October (12th I believe) at Sacramento's Memorial Auditorium.  Sean will preview some of the selections the musician will perform.