Rene Ragan was literally singing karaoke duets the night before we talked to her. So yeah — she's our kind of people.

Rene is the Membership Coordinator at KRVM 91.9 FM, Springfield and Eugene's publicly funded community radio station. She stopped by the 2025 Springfield Block Party to hang out, support live music, and remind us all why community radio is still one of the most important things a town can have.

In our conversation, Rene talked about what makes The Block Party's live music scene different from anything else in the area, why KRVM has shown up for this event four years running, and what it genuinely means for a small public station to be part of something this big.

She also got real about something important: KRVM is currently facing a $186,000 budget deficit after the loss of federal funding. That's not a small number for a community station. Rene was gracious and honest about it — not panicked, but clear. Stations like KRVM don't survive on vibes. They survive because neighbors show up for them.

If you've ever driven through Lane County with KRVM on in the background, now's a good time to show up back.

This conversation was recorded live at Springfield's The Block Party 2025, powered by SELCO Community Credit Union.