Renoites- The Podcast about Reno Nevada
Interviews on politics, culture, society, business, and much more with the most interesting and important people from in and around Reno, Nevada
Wed, March 26, 2025
Vanessa Vancour on Bilingual Storytelling and Language Access
For any business or nonprofit or government agency, it is very important to be able to tell the story about what you do and why it matters. It is important to relay information clearly and in a culturally appropriate way. In a state like Nevada, with one of the highest Spanish speaking populations in the United States, that can mean providing evacuation instructions for wildfires, or during covid it meant ensuring that information about prevention and vaccines had to be accurate. For local media, it has meant figuring out how to include Spanish language reporting on mostly-english channels, or including more diverse voices in the stories that are being told. Our guest on this episode is Vanessa Vancour, a bilingual strategic storyteller and marketer who worked with UNR to launch noticiero movil , a Spanish language media outlet that began at the Reynolds School of Journalism, and currently works as the Language Access Coordinator for the Nevada Secretary of State’s office. She also operates her own consulting firm, Vancourage . You might have seen Vanessa’s popular Ted Talk “I’m Mexican. Does that change your assumptions about me” in which she talked about the experience of straddling two different languages and cultures. On today’s episode, we talked about the difference between just translating words and actually telling stories, how language accessibility includes prioritizing simple and clear vocabulary, the importance of capturing the stories of our elders including in their own words and voices, and a lot more! It has been wonderful to see so much growing support for the work I am doing to create this show. Renoites is an independent, locally oriented and community funded project. It can’t exist without financial support from listeners just like you. Thank you so much to everyone who has supported this work on Patreon, including several new patrons this week! You can learn more about how you can support the show at patreon.com/renoites or just renoites.com If you have suggestions, comments, feedback or otherwise want to get in touch, you can reach me at conor@renoites.com
Wed, March 19, 2025
Sharon Chamberlain on Providing Health Care for the Underserved
Federally Qualified Health Centers were created during the civil rights era to bring health care to more people, particularly underserved communities. Here in Northern Nevada, HOPES was originally a clinic for patients with HIV but has since expanded into a FQHC providing primary care and other services to around 14,000 patients in the Reno/Sparks area. On this episode of Renoites, I spoke with HOPES CEO Sharon Chamberlain about the history of HOPES and the services they provide, especially the type of services needed by our most vulnerable citizens. We also discussed how health care options have changed during her career, and the priorities of HOPES including harm reduction syringe exchange, sexual health and STI testing, medically assisted treatment for addiction, and mental and behavioral health. HOPES recently opened a second clinic immediately adjacent to the Cares Campus and operates the Hope Springs tiny home transitional housing community right across the street. We talked about the importance of this new location and making health care accessible to the unhoused. Thank you so much for listening! Did you know that Renoites is entirely funded by listeners just like you? Please consider supporting the show financially! You can just send a one time contribution via Venmo to @renoites or sign up to support monthly on Patreon ! If you have guest suggestions, feedback, or otherwise want to get in touch, email me at conor@renoites.com Please tell people about the podcast and help spread the word by posting about it and telling your friends! Your word of mouth is worth much more than any online ad or boosted social media post. Thank you!
Wed, March 12, 2025
Lucia Starbuck on Reporting the Purple Politics of Nevada
Nevada has an unusual legislative calendar, in which our legislature doesn’t meet every year, but every other year. And they don’t meet the entire year either- the session is only 120 days. 120 days to do all the lawmaking for a state of millions of people. Obviously, these are busy times and there is a lot going on. Thankfully, our guest on this episode is political reporter Lucia Starbuck from KUNR. Lucia hosts her own podcast called Purple Politics Nevada and focuses on political issues particularly affecting us here in Northern Nevada. We talked about some of the current proposed legislation, what it’s like being one of only a few reporters following all the happenings, and much more. On this episode, we mentioned an upcoming live event being hosted by Lucia. That event took place on March 4 and can be seen here on YouTube I am hoping to do more audience Q&A and interact a bit more. If you have questions, suggestions, ideas, or things you'd like me to answer or talk about on the show, let me know! Thanks to Dan for submitting a question for this episode! My email address is conor@renoites.com You can find links to my social media and Patreon (if you are able to support the show financially) at http://www.renoites.com Thank you so much for listening!
Wed, February 26, 2025
Sara Going on Creating Safer Streets for Bikes (and Everyone Else)
The Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) is the agency that handles much of how we get around in Reno. They design and execute road projects, manage our local public transit, and very soon they will be installing bike infrastructure along several major streets downtown to create the Biggest Little Bike Network . Today on the show, we welcome Sara Going, Project Manager at RTC for the Biggest Little Bike Project, to talk about these upcoming street improvements, how they affect local businesses, connecting different neighborhoods, creating safety (and a feeling of safety) for bike riders and all users of the road, what was learned from 2022's micro-mobility pilot project, planned replacement of structurally deficient bridges, and so much more! If you enjoy this episode and would like to support Renoites financially, your generous contribution is incredibly appreciated. You can learn more and sign up to help this ad-free, locally-oriented project continue on into the future. Learn more at http://www.renoites.com Thank you so much for listening! If you have guest suggestions, comments, feedback, or questions for an upcoming mailbag/Q&A episode, send them over to conor@renoites.com or connect with me on social media. Links can be found at http://www.renoites.com
Tue, February 18, 2025
Eric Edelstein on the Reno Aces and Ballpark District
Reno is the smallest market in the United States to have a AAA Minor League Baseball team. Our Reno Aces, an affiliate team of the Arizona Diamondbacks, play 150 games every year- half of them at Greater Nevada Field in the heart of downtown Reno. On today's episode of Renoites, we're joined by the President of the Reno Aces, Eric Edelstein. Eric's career in minor league baseball management led him to the Biggest Little City over a decade ago, and on this episode he and Conor discuss his career path and what it looks like to be the president of a minor league baseball team, some of the benefits and challenges of the Reno market, the big dreams for the future of the Ballpark District as a destination neighborhood, and much more! Do you have thoughts, comments, questions, or just want to be "on the air" on a future episode of Renoites? This season, I'm hoping to do at least one "Listener Q&A" style episode. Send your comments or questions to conor@renoites.com or text 775-241-3597. Even better, record a voice note in the voice notes app on your phone and email it to conor@renoites.com so that I can play it on the show when I respond. Please consider supporting Renoites financially. This show is entirely listener supported and because it is a local show, I really rely on financial support from you, my neighbors. Learn more http://patreon.com/renoites (you can always just send me some money through Venmo also! My username is "renoites") Thank you so much for listening!
Tue, February 11, 2025
Ann Wolfe on Sea Dragons, Land Art, and more at the Nevada Museum of Art
Ann Wolfe is the Chief Curator at the Nevada Museum of Art , the only art museum in the state of Nevada accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. Collaborating with paleontologist Dr. Martin Sander, she has co-curated a new exhibition at the museum titled "Deep Time: Sea Dragons of Nevada." You might know these Sea Dragons by their actual name- Ichthyosaur. On this week's episode of Renoites, Ann join Conor to discuss the exhibition and how it was created, the process of combining arts and science in museum exhibitions, working with artifacts and fossils millions of years old, the important scientists who have spearheaded expeditions into the Nevada desert, as well as the more art-focused elements of the exhibition including an 85 foot digital "point cloud" projection, a collection of thousands of dinosaur toys from around the world (note: Ichthyosaurs aren't dinosaurs!), and even the art gracing the cans of a local favorite beer, Icky IPA by Great Basin Brewing. In addition to the current exhibition, Conor and Ann discussed the importance of Land Art to the state of Nevada, including Michael Heizer's "City," a land art piece spanning over a mile of the Nevada desert and taking decades to complete, and the "Seven Magic Mountains" installation- currently a major tourist destination in Las Vegas but which is now planned to be relocated here to Northern Nevada. Renoites is a fully listener-supported project, and we need your support! Please tell people about the show and help spread the word, and consider contributing financially to help the show become more sustainable. Learn more at http://patreon.com/renoites If you have feedback, guest suggestions, or want to get in touch, please email me at conor@renoites.com and follow on social media at http://renoites.bsky.social Thank you so much for listening and for your support!
Wed, October 16, 2024
Jamie Vaughn on Surviving Breast Cancer, and Talking About It
Jamie Vaughn talks a lot about cancer. As a survivor of breast cancer who wanted to share more about her experience and provide resources to others going through similar experiences, she launched the podcast "Test Those Breasts" and a website with links to resources for those dealing with cancer. On this episode of Renoites, Jamie sat down with Conor to share the story of her cancer journey, how it upended her retirement plans and put her on a different path, what she has learned from dozens and dozens of conversations with doctors, experts, and other cancer survivors, and much more. You can find Test Those Breasts wherever you get your podcasts or at http://www.testthosebreasts.org Thank you for listening! If you have guest suggestions, comments, or other feedback please let me know! Email me at conor@renoites.com Be sure to follow on Instagram and like and share all the posts so that more people can find the show! Visit http://instagram.com/renoites And if you want to support the show financially, please consider becoming a patron! Renoites is FREE to listen, and with no annoying ads! That means the only way for it to continue existing is with financial support from people just like you. Yes, you! Learn more at http://patreon.com/renoites Thanks for listening and for your support!
Wed, October 09, 2024
Greg Kidd on Running for Congress in Northern Nevada
Many Northern Nevadans have gotten used to seeing sitting Congressman Mark Amodei defeat whichever Democrat runs against him in Congressional District 2. Because this is a Republican-leaning district, the Democratic Party has never invested significant resources in those races. However, this year Amodei won't face a Democratic challenger at all. Instead, his primary competition will be Greg Kidd , a Non-Partisan candidate with a background in business, finance, and technology. Kidd is self-funding his campaign with a slogan of "Free, Fair, and Wild." He describes this slogan as a nod to the Freedom message of Republicans, the Fairness message of Democrats, and the Wild West character of Nevada. This week, Greg sat down with Renoites host Conor McQuivey to discuss his campaign and related issues, including: why he decided to run for Congress his goals for clearer regulation of things like crypto currency and payment systems why Nevada has a competitive advantage because of our experience with casinos what lithium mining could mean for our future in the state working from the middle with both Democrats and Republicans how the dynamics of a R vs NP race are different than R vs D and much more! Thank you for listening! If you have feedback or guest suggestions, please email me at conor@renoites.com Be sure to follow on Instagram at http://instagram.com/renoites Renoites is free to listen to but it costs money and time to make! Please considering joining my ranks of supporters on Patreon. For as little as $3/month, you can make a huge difference in whether this program becomes financially sustainable and continues to exist.... or if it doesn't, and has to end. I hope to continue this work for a long time but I can't do it without your help. Visit http://patreon.com/renoites to learn more ❤️
Mon, October 07, 2024
BONUS Episode with Andrew Yang on Nevada's Question 3
Very soon, Nevadans will vote for the second time on whether we would like to eliminate our closed party primaries in favor of open primaries, and institute a system of ranked choice voting for many elected offices in the general election starting in 2026. This is Question 3 on the Nevada ballot. It passed 2 years ago and if it passes again it will go into effect. One of the major advocates for this type of reform is Andrew Yang, the founder and co-chair of the Forward Party , and a former candidate for public office himself. On this bonus episode of the podcast, Andrew joins Conor to discuss what Question 3 would mean for Nevada, his experience in ranked choice elections, the difference between the Nevada initiative and similar efforts in places like Alaska (where ranked choice voting was instrumental in allowing one of their senators to vote to impeach Donald Trump without losing her seat), and much more! To learn more about question 3, please visit http://yeson3nv.org and if you'd like to get actively involved in the work to see that Question 3 passes, reach out to me directly at conor@renoites.com so that I can connect you with organizers for the initiative right here in Northern Nevada. If you appreciate the work that I do bringing this podcast to our community entirely free to listen and free of ads, please consider signing up on Patreon to contribute monthly. Thank you very much to the people who contribute to hopefully make this project financially sustainable (one day!)
Wed, September 25, 2024
Judi Rought on "Adulting" for Beginners
When did you learn to change a tire? Make a household budget? Do you know what you can write off on your taxes? Who taught you what do you if you're in a car accident? Some are lucky to have had parents or other family members, or maybe even some classes in school about these important skills, but many aren't as fortunate. Thankfully, owner of Rought & Accounting, Judi Rought, is teaching a series of "Rainbow Adulting" classes at Our Center, Reno's local LGBTQ+ center. The classes are open to all, but geared towards LGBTQ youth, a group more likely to have come from circumstances where they didn't learn these important skills. The program will include monthly classes on filling out tax forms, how medical insurance works, basic auto maintenance, tax advice for gig workers, and more. Learn more and see the schedule at http://ourcenterreno.org This episode was recorded at LCD Modern . Please visit and do some shopping, and thank you Linda for providing us a lovely space to have this conversation. Want to support the show financially? Please do! Visit http://patreon.com/renoites if you think this show provides value to our community and want to help it be financially sustainable Guest or topic suggestion? Email me at conor@renoites.com Are you following me on Instagram yet? Do that! Ok that's all the links. Thanks for listening!
Wed, September 18, 2024
William Mantle on Open Primaries and Ranked Choice (Question 3)
Two years ago, Nevadans voted on a ballot measure to change our primary system. Instead of party primaries which exclude participation for nonpartisan voters (the largest group- larger than either major party), the Nevada Constitution would be changed to have a single open primary for all registered voters, regardless of party. The initiative would also change the general election to introduce ranked choice voting, a system in which voters rank the candidates in order of preference instead of being limited to a single selection. In Nevada, constitutional changes must pass a vote of the public in two consecutive elections. That second vote is happening this November and will determine what form our elections may take in the future. Joining us on Renoites to discuss is William Mantle, a proponent of Question 3, legal assistant, and sometime local election candidate. We talked about the details of how these systems would work, what results have looked like in other parts of the county and world, and addressed many of the concerns being brought forth by opponents of the measure (both major parties are actively working against passage, and some people I've talked to have counted that as a point in it's favor). Thank you so much for listening! Visit http://yeson3nv.org to learn more and if you'd like to be involved more actively in this campaign, email Gamaliel Enriquez at gze.nevada@gmail.com Follow Renoites on Instagram at http://instagram.com/renoites Contribute on Patreon at http://patreon.com/renoites Email guest suggestions or comments to conor@renoites.com
Wed, September 11, 2024
Dr. Peter Reed on the Experience of Aging
Dr. Peter Reed is the director of the Sanford Center for Aging at UNR, who describe themselves as striving to enhance the quality of life and well-being among elders and educate current and aspiring healthcare professionals and caregivers. On this episode of Renoites, we talked about a range of issues related to aging, both for elders but also for the rest of us (who are also aging every day however old we may be). Some of the topics included: Why is agism a more common/accepted form of discrimination than others? Is the outdated stereotype of older people being inexperienced with technology finally going away? How can we prevent common diseases affecting the elderly while we are still young? How does the way we build cities and neighborhoods affect our ability to connect with others as we age? Does retiring have to mean a loss of our sense of purpose? and much more! We also talked extensively about the variety of services provided by the Sanford Center for Aging, from volunteer programs to provide companionship to the homebound, programs for preventative health care around common issues such as diabetes and risks of falling and injury, providing technology to seniors during the COVID pandemic, and more! Thank you for listening! This episode was recorded at LCD Modern, a great modern furniture store near Moana and Lakeside in Reno. Thanks to LCD Modern for providing that space, please go check them out! This episode was produced with editing assistance from Alex Couraud and social content creation by Frankie Reilly. Be sure to follow Renoites on Instagram and Facebook! Send guest or topic suggestions to conor@renoites.com Support the show financially on Patreon at http://patreon.com/renoites
Wed, September 04, 2024
Sky Jones on Ethical (and Delicious) Coffee
Welcome to Renoites! I'm thrilled to announce some exciting news: the Reno News and Review has just released their Best of Northern Nevada edition, and I’m incredibly honored that Renoites has been voted Best Local Podcast. Since I began producing and hosting the show in 2021, it’s been amazing to see the support grow and to know that people find value in what we’re creating here. A huge thank you goes out to every guest who has made this show special, and to everyone who voted for us in the poll—your support means the world. In today’s episode, I’m excited to welcome Sky Jones, founder and owner of Rising for People Coffee . When I have entrepreneurs on the show, I love exploring what makes their businesses unique and the passion that drives their work. Sky and I discussed the importance of educating customers about her products, the benefits of ethical sourcing by cutting out middlemen, innovative social media strategies like influencer engagement, and much more. Renoites is a community-oriented, listener-funded project, and most episodes are ad-free. Your financial support is greatly appreciated, as it helps cover production costs. If you’d like to contribute, you can visit patreon.com/renoites and sign up to support the show for as little as $3 a month—about a dollar an episode. It might not seem like much, but it makes a huge difference. Thank you to all my current patrons and everyone who helps keep this show going for our community. If you have suggestions for guests or topics, please email me at conor@renoites.com
Tue, August 13, 2024
Chaz Blackburn on Chaplaincy, Hospice and Dignity
Today on Renoites we welcome Chaplain Chaz Blackburn, VP of the board of the Circle of Life Hospice Foundation and President of the Board of the Good Shepherd's Clothes Closet. We talked about what a chaplain is and how Chaz came to work as a "spiritual first responders" for people of all religions (or none), the International Fellowship of Chaplains, and the brand new Circle of Life Guest House which provides those in need with a home-like environment and people who care at no cost to them. We also talked about his work with the Good Shepherd's Clothes Closet, providing free clothing to the community for almost 30 years. Good Shepherd's gives away $70,000 worth of clothes (based on thrift store prices) for free every month. Some topics discussed include the importance of providing a dignified shopping experience, their assistance running clothing distribution at area shelters, and the Good Shepherd's own podcast which features local events, guests and provides direction to resources. We talked about so much more, this was a very full conversation! Other topics included healthy ways of grieving, suicide prevention, organ donation, and more. Learn more here: https://www.colhospice.com/ https://www.gsccreno.org/ Thank you for listening! What did you think about this episode? Come leave a comment or send me a message on Instagram! It's always great to hear from listeners. That's @renoites You can also email me at conor@renoites.com
Wed, July 31, 2024
Deny Dotson on Classic Cars and Hot August Nights
Today on the show I’m excited to welcome Deny Dotson, the executive director of Hot August Nights . Even as someone who isn’t particularly interested in classic cars, I’ve always enjoyed that Hot August Nights is an event that doesn’t just take place in one location but feels like classic cars and a sense of nostalgia are all over town. We talked about the history of the event, the appeal of classic vehicles, what makes a car a classic, changes to Hot August Nights since Deny has been leading the organization, his previous work as the tourism director for Virginia City and some of his favorite events there, and a lot more! This episode, and most of the episodes this season, were recorded at LCD Modern at 907 Moana Lane, near the corner of Moana and Lakeside. I’m so grateful to Linda, the owner, for letting us use this wonderful space filled with cute modern furniture. Be sure to check it out if you get a chance! You can learn more about the store and see some of her great offerings at lcdmodern.com There are still several excellent episodes coming up before the end of this season though! Upcoming episodes include a conversation on aging with Dr. Peter Reed from the Sanford Center for Aging at UNR, owner of Rising for People Coffee Sky Jones, and chaplain Chaz blackburn, president of the good shepherd clothes closet and vice president of the board of the circle of life hospice foundation. Of course, please be sure to subscribe to the show wherever you get podcasts and follow @renoites on Instagram.
Wed, July 03, 2024
Washoe County School Board President Beth Smith
Education has been one of the most prominent political and social issues in recent years, including during the recent primary elections when voters had the chance to make their voices heard. Some of the issues that we hear a lot about are chronic absenteeism, underfunded schools, the battle between public schools and for-profit charters, and diversity and representation in the classroom. On this episode, I am happy to welcome the president of the Washoe County School Board of Trustees to talk about these issues and more. Beth Smith was recently re-elected with a huge margin, large enough that she has secured her seat and won’t have to compete in a general election in the fall. On this episode we talk about the important issues I mentioned, as well as the recent superintendent selection process and Beth’s own story of getting involved in local education politics. Please VOTE for Renoites as Best Local Podcast in the Reno News and Review's Best of Northern Nevada. You have until July 21 only. This episode was recorded at LCD Modern in Reno, Nevada. Go check out the store near the corner of Moana and Lakeside!
Wed, June 19, 2024
Cady Stanton on Autism, ADHD, and Neurodivergence
There have been a lot of changes in our understanding about how we talk about neurodivergence in recent years and it can be hard to keep up. With social media driving a lot of the conversation, it’s easy to get incorrect information about things like autism and ADHD. One of the leading experts in Reno, and our guest on this week's episode of Renoites, is Cady Stanton. Her organizations Facilitate Joy and the Autistic Resilience Network work to provide a variety of services from individual and group support to education, resources and more. In our conversation in this episode, we talked about the changes in how we define autism, the under-reported challenges autistic people face both culturally and medically, the upsides and downsides of social media in spreading information about neurodivergence, and much more! Thank you for listening! Renoites is a listener-funded program that can't exist without support from listeners just like you. You can learn how to help make this project financially sustainable by visiting http://patreon.com/renoites Please be sure to also follow us on social media and subscribe wherever you get podcasts. Thanks again!
Wed, April 03, 2024
Kris Vagner on Nevada Arts and Journalism
Kris Vagner has been writing about the arts in Nevada for a long time. She worked as the arts editor of the Reno News and Review beginning in 2004 and has either been on staff or doing freelance writing there and in countless arts publications for most of the years since. She earned her master's degree in Media Innovations from UNR in 2019 and launched her own statewide arts publication Double Scoop . And as of 2023, Kris has returned to the News and Review to now serve as the managing editor, as it has returned from a brief stint as online-only back to print (now in a monthly format available at hundreds of local businesses). On this episode of Renoites, Kris joins Conor to talk about her career in arts journalism, and her experiences of the art community in Reno. Some of the topics include the opportunities (and sometimes lack of opportunities) for working artists, the challenge of an iffy "career ladder" and limited exhibition spaces in our mid-size city, the impacts of Burning Man on our public art and access to international artists and culture in our own backyard, and much more. In the conversation about media itself, Kris talks about the difference between arts and news reporting, the history of the News and Review and it's changing formats, the reason Double Scoop is a statewide publication and she considers art from a "statewide community" perspective, and much more on those topics as well! You can find Double Scoop at http://doublescoop.art and the Reno News and Review at http://renonr.com . Be sure to also follow those publications on social media and sign up for the Double Scoop newsletter to stay in the loop on arts events throughout the state. Thank you for listening! If you enjoy the show, please help spread the word about it, and consider becoming a financial supporter at http://patreon.com/renoites to help the show become financially sustainable (it costs money and time to make this thing!) If you have feedback or guest suggestions, email me at conor@renoites.com or send me a message on Instagram at http://instagram.com/renoites p.s. I made a joke in this episode about not caring what listeners think about the conversation but that isn't true and I always think about how to make the show the best it can be! -Conor
Tue, March 26, 2024
Dr. Hilary Lopez on Public and Affordable Housing
We've done a lot of episodes of Renoites about how Reno is growing and the ways we can reduce the likelihood of people being priced out as the costs of housing increase. Public housing has an important role to play, and for 80 years the Reno Housing Authority has owned and operated public housing units, administered housing choice vouchers (formerly known as "Section 8"), and continue to work to build a portfolio of public housing units of diverse types in diverse neighborhoods. On this week's episode, we are joined by the Executive Director of the Reno Housing Authority, Dr. Hilary Lopez. We discussed the way that public housing funding works, battling dated stereotypes of what public housing looks like, the process of working with landlords to accept housing vouchers, how changes in the economy affect public and private developers differently, and much more! The organization has several projects in the works currently, and recently announced a deal with Jacobs Entertainment to build additional public housing in the downtown area. We didn't discuss that deal on this episode because it was recorded before the announcement, but I encourage your to read about it from other local journalists who have done a great job of covering that deal. See this article from Downtown Makeover Thank you so much for listening! You can learn more about the Reno Housing Authority at http://renoha.org and be sure to follow Renoites on Instagram at http://instagram.com/renoites Please consider supporting Renoites on Patreon! This is a LISTENER-FUNDED program, and can't survive without the financial support of listeners like you. Learn more and contribute as little as a dollar an episode at http://patreon.com/renoites Send feedback and guest suggestions to conor@renoites.com
Tue, March 19, 2024
Joy Heuer on Teaching Life Skills to Girls (While Running)
Some of the most important years of our development, when we're learning communication skills and how to navigate the world, are spent in the jungles of the elementary school or middle school playground and classroom. It can be very easy to learn the wrong lessons, struggle with friends, and end up carrying those challenges into the future. All of this is especially true for girls, who face a unique set of challenges on top of everything else. Girls on the Run Sierras is working to help fill that social and emotional learning gap by teaching girls from 3rd-8th grade important skills for self esteem, choosing friends, talking about emotions and relationships, and much more during an after-school program based around (but not actually focused on) running. Over the course of a 10-week season, girls might learn about how to choose the right friends for them and how to let the wrong friends go, how to properly name their emotions and the healthiest way to deal with them, what steps they might take to move towards their dreams, and they do it all while preparing for a 5k run with no clocks, and where every girl's race bib is number 1. On this episode, Executive Director for Girls on the Run Sierras Joy Heuer joins the show to talk about the GOTR programs and philosophy, the importance of inclusion for all girls, creating equitable access to after-school programs, how the lessons learned in GOTR are brought back to the classroom and into the home, and so much more. GOTR has Spring and Fall programs, as well as a summer camp, and more information can be found at https://www.girlsontherunsierras.org/ Thank you so much for listening! Renoites is an independent, listener-funded, and community-oriented project. Please consider contributing to this work at http://patreon.com/renoites to help it become financially sustainable. Patrons also receive benefits like bonus segments, Renoites merchandise, and more! If you have suggestions or feedback please email me at conor@renoites.com and be sure to follow me on Instagram !
Tue, March 12, 2024
Oscar Delgado on Community Health and City Council
Oscar Delgado served as a member of Reno's City Council for a decade before resigning last year to focus on his work as CEO of the Community Health Alliance, a Federally Qualified Health Center providing care to many of Reno's lower income families. On this week's episode of the show, Oscar sat down with Conor to discuss the role that FQHCs play in our health care system, both locally and nationally, the issue of stigma around lower income clinics, the importance of providing primary care and reducing the use of urgent care for all medical issues, the model of providing a variety of services under one roof (dentist, mental health, nutritious food, and more), the rollout of COVID vaccines in the early days of the pandemic, and a lot more! On an extensive bonus segment (available for all patrons of the show), we talked more about some local political issues, including the upcoming election year, the process of appointing a replacement for his seat rather than holding a special election, redistricting and elimination of the at-large seat, the toxicity and invasion of privacy that has plagued our politics in recent years, and more! Thank you so much for supporting the work I'm doing with Renoites! This month marks 3 years of bringing conversations like this one to the people of our community. I'm very proud of the work I've done and it wouldn't be possible without you listening and sharing. If you have suggestions or feedback, email me at conor@renoites.com and follow me on Instagram at http://instagram.com/renoites
Tue, March 05, 2024
Josh Hartzog on Career and Technical Education in Washoe County Schools
Career education in Washoe County Schools isn't just "shop class" like it was when I was in high school. Across the country and here in Northern Nevada, rebranding vocational education to "career and technical education" has brought about a lot of changes including programs focused on business, culinary arts, medical professions, and much more. Here in Washoe County, some of those programs are housed in "Signature Academy" schools with a special focus, but every high school has CTE opportunities of some kind. On this episode of Renoites, I welcomed Josh Hartzog, the Director of Career and Technical Education and Signature Acadamies for the Washoe County School District. We talked about what CTE is and how it has changed over the years, how the district determines what programs and focuses to offer, the importance of having programs for less exciting but more in-demand professions but also for uniquely interesting or engaging ones as well, how CTE programs are funded, the challenges of creating equitable access to these programs, and so much more! There is also a bonus segment EXCLUSIVELY for patrons from this episode and most others this season, so please be sure to check that out too! On that bonus segment, we delve into the politics a bit, discussing the search for a new superintendent (again), the results of last year's legislative session, and the politicization of school boards. You can find that segment and more information at http://patreon.com/renoites Thank you so much for listening! As always if you have suggestions or feedback please let me know! You can always email me at conor@renoites.com and be sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook, and subscribe wherever you get podcasts!
Sat, March 02, 2024
Renoites LIVE - Sarah Bear Rively from Curious in the City
This episode of Renoites was recorded in front of a live audience at Black Rabbit Mead in Reno, Nevada on January 28, 2024. People choose to abstain from alcohol for a host of different reasons. We often associate sobriety with alcoholism and "recovery" but in recent years there has been an increasing awareness of the "sober curious" movement. Maybe you're doing Dry January as part of a New Year's resolution. Maybe you're training for a physical event like the Reno Tahoe Odyssey. Or maybe you just want to go out with friends but don't feel like having a drink tonight. Whatever reasons you have to not drink, the food and drink industry is starting to adapt and create better options. Recently at a non-alcoholic drink tasting and live podcast taping at Black Rabbit Mead, I sat down with Sarah Bear Rively, founder of Curious in the City. Sarah has abstained from alcohol for several years, after deciding that the party culture of Reno from her younger years and the "wine mom" culture of motherhood weren't the right fit for her. She's launched Curious in the City, which is aimed at creating more options for people who are choosing not to drink (for whatever reason). On this episode, we talked about the different reasons that people choose to abstain from alcohol, the difference between sober and sober-curious, the increasing options for non-alcoholic beverages, whether there is a generational component to these decisions (Sarah and I are both about 40), how Reno compares to other cities that are embracing non-alcoholic as a trend, and so much more! Curious in the City is hosting a non-alcoholic dinner with Chef Jonathan Chapin on March 8. The event will include a 5-course meal with non-alcoholic wine pairings by Jøyus Wine. Tickets can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/savor-the-moment-a-five-course-dinner-with-chefs-chapin-butterfield-tickets-817381579307 You can find Curious in the City on Instagram and Facebook Thank you for supporting local media! Be sure to subscribe to Renoites wherever you get podcasts, follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and show your financial support at http://patreon.com/renoites
Tue, February 27, 2024
Batuhan Zadeh on Local Development
Reno is experiencing a massive housing shortage, resulting in much higher rents than we have seen in the past. We aren't alone! In much of the country, following the financial crisis of 2008, development just kind of stopped and hasn't kept up with the changing population in high-demand cities like Reno. On this week's episode of Renoites, I talked about housing development and much more with Batuhan Zadeh, owner of Marmot Properties, a local development firm that has worked on many residential projects around Midtown, historic buildings like the Santa Fe and Coca Cola bottling plant (more recently the home of Junkee), and many others. We talked about what goes into the development process and how it is determined which projects go forward and which ones don't, why downtown is doing so much worse than Midtown when it comes to revitalization efforts, the process of saving historic buildings not through tight restrictions on superficial changes but by activating them and making them financially viable, the difference between local and out of state developers, the lessons learned from starting small businesses himself, and much more! Please consider supporting Renoites on Patreon! Patrons get bonus content, early access to episodes, Renoites merch, and more! Most importantly, you get to know that you are helping make LOCAL MEDIA FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE. You can learn more at http://patreon.com/renoites Send guest suggestions or feedback to conor@renoites.com and be sure to follow me on Instagram and subscribe wherever you get podcasts. Thanks for listening!
Wed, February 21, 2024
Iñaki Arrieta Baro on the Basque in Northern Nevada
Please consider supporting Renoites financially at http://patreon.com/renoites I have long wanted to do an episode of Renoites focused on the Basque history and culture of Nothern Nevada, but for some reason it kept ending up on the back burner. This week on the show, I am so grateful to finally share an episode all about this history of the Basque people both in the Basque Country as well as the Basque diaspora and it's impact and relevance in the West. My guest on this episode is Iñaki Arrieta Baro, head of the Jon Bilbao Basque Library at UNR. It holds the largest collection of Basque materials outside of the Basque Country and is among the largest collections in the world. The library serves an important part of the Basque Studies program at UNR and continues to preserve texts, photographs, audio and video recordings, journals, and even records of Basque tree carvings (arbor glyphs), an art form unique to the Basque in the West. Thank you for listening and enjoying early access to this and other episodes. I hope that if you're enjoying the show you'll tell friends and family about it and help spread the word! Your support is invaluable and so very appreciated! If you have comments, suggestions or feedback send me a message on Instagram @renoites or email me at conor@renoites.com
Tue, February 13, 2024
Pan Pantoja on Potentialism and the Power of Art
Renoites is a listener-funded project. Please consider signing up to support the show at patreon.com/renoites The Potentialist Workshop on 2nd Street has long been a hub for artists in Reno, and recently opened their new interactive exhibition, Upside Down Land. Upside Down Land is based on bedtime stories Pan Pantoja (Executive Artist at the Potentialist) has told his son over the years. It begins in a child's bedroom and a journey through the closet takes visitors into a fascinating world with over 200 sculptures, hidden rooms, and endless fascinating details. A number of notable artists from Northern Nevada have come together to contribute works to the exhibit, which visitors can explore and interact with. Pan has been a very important member of Reno's artistic community for 20 years, with involvement in organizations like the Holland Project, Spoken Views Poetry Collective, Reno Art Works on Dickerson Road, The Generator, and much much more. On this episode, we talked about the importance of art in helping people see things differently, how all the rules are made up, Pan's journey in Reno's art community and stint as Poet Laureate, and a whole lot more. You can learn more about the Potentialist Workshop and buy tickets to Upside Down Land at their website, potentialistworkshop.com If you have suggestions or feedback, please send me a message on Instagram (@renoites) or email conor@renoites.com Thanks for listening!
Tue, February 06, 2024
Chef Jonathan Chapin on Food, Downfalls, and Comebacks
Renoites is the weekly podcast for Northern Nevada. Listen free wherever you get podcasts and please consider supporting the show at patreon.com/renoites to help it become financially sustainable! Restaurant work has long had a... certain reputation. The professionalism you see in the front of house isn't always matched by the drugs, sex and rock n' roll environment frequently found in the kitchen. Reno chef Jonathan Chapin knows it well, having began his food career in one of the few work environments tolerant of tattoos and partying, but then getting sober and growing his career and honing his skills. Torn between the kitchen and Reno's punk rock music scene, Chapin also owned and managed music venues and booked local and national acts. After 14 years of sobriety and shortly before the COVID pandemic, Chapin lost it all. Through drugs, alcohol, depression, and jail, he burned most of the bridges and was forced to rebuild his life and career in recent years. In that time, he got sober once again and began a series of fundraiser dinners for local non-profits, launched his brand Reno Recipes, become the host of a weekly cooking segment on KOLO's Morning Break, and established himself as a fixture on Reno's ever-growing food scene. On this episode of Renoites, Conor and chef Chapin talk about the path his life has taken to bring him to where he is now, the importance of fostering talent in young chefs, creating a kitchen environment with less shouting and egos than you see on TV, the deal he made with the universe after a suicide attempt, and much more. If you or somebody you know needs help, there are people you can call. Call 988 for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline or Crisis Support Services of Nevada at 775-784-8090 If you have guest suggestions or feedback, please email conor@renoites.com and be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook !
Tue, January 30, 2024
Marie Baxter on Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada
It takes a lot of work by a lot of people to provide over 1,000 hot meals a day to people in Reno at the St. Vincent's Dining Room and the Nevada CARES Campus. It also takes a lot to manage an endless stream of items donated by our community that work their way into new apartment kits or onto St Vincent thrift store shelves. And the pantries! It definitely isn't easy providing hundreds of boxes of food to families across Northern Nevada every single day. Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada does it all and more, and has been a primary provider of these type of services in the area for over 80 years. On this episode of Renoites, we're joined the CEO of that organization, Marie Baxter. Marie has been with CCNN for 8 years and has a long history in the Reno non-profit sector, including a decade with the Reno Rodeo Foundation. Conor and Marie talked about the variety of services that CCNN provides to the community, and how those services work to address both immediate and long term needs of people experiencing poverty. Some of the topics on this episode include: the stigma-reducing benefits of a "client choice" food pantry instead of receiving a prepared box of food the changes that came from moving homeless services from the Record Street shelter, to the Reno Event Center, to the newly constructed CARES campus during COVID why Catholic Charities is so experienced in managing STUFF, all the tangible items from food to furniture to personal care items sober housing and providing work opportunities to people exiting treatment facilities or the criminal justice system CCNN's brand new new Elevating Families program, intended to disrupt the cycle of generational poverty what the local media gets right and wrong when reporting on homelessness and poverty and so much more! Renoites is a weekly interview show hosted by Conor McQuivey and featuring guests from Northern Nevada. Topics include news and politics, social issues, arts and culture, businesses and nonprofits, and much more! Be sure to subscribe wherever you get podcasts. If you would like to support the work of independent, local media, please consider signing up on Patreon. For as little as 3 dollars a month, you can help make this show financially sustainable! Patrons receive benefits including early access to episodes and exclusive bonus segments! Learn more at http://patreon.com/renoites If you have feedback or suggestions, please don't hesitate to reach out. Find Renoites on Facebook or Instagram , or send an email to conor@renoites.com This episode was recorded at the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada. You can learn more ab
Tue, November 14, 2023
Renoites LIVE - UNR Women’s Ultimate Frisbee Team Black Ice
This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at Black Rabbit Mead in Reno, Nevada on October 26, 2023. Ultimate Frisbee is a sport that borrows from other team sports like soccer and football and is played on a 100-yard field. Players try to move the frisbee down the field to an endzone while avoiding interceptions and missed passes, and the sport has long been a popular one on college campuses. On this episode of Renoites, recorded live at Black Rabbit Mead, several members of the team Black Ice from the University of Nevada, including the founders and several coaches, joined the podcast to talk about how the game works, their experience in the sport, it's unique features like a "spirit of the game" instead of a referee, how the team has grown and changed, their most embarrassing and most rewarding experiences on the field, and so much more! If you enjoy this episode and want to support Renoites, please consider signing up at http://patreon.com/renoites as a financial supporter of the show! Patrons get benefits like early access to some episodes, exclusive patron-only video newsletters with updates about the show, free or discounted Renoites merch, and more! Send guest suggestions for future episodes or other feedback to conor@renoites.com Learn more about Black Ice on their Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/unrwomensultimate/ and donate to help fund team expenses at https://unr.imodules.com/s/1949/cf21/interior.aspx?sid=1949&gid=2&pgid=1943
Tue, November 07, 2023
Kim Schweickert on Women and Family Homelessness and OUR Place
One of the very first episodes of Renoites was with Ben Castro of RISE, the Reno Initiative for Shelter and Equality, in which we talked about homelessness in the Reno area. That episode was recorded shortly after the opening of OUR Place, the designated area shelter for women and families. Recently, a listener reached out asking for an update on OUR Place. On this week's episode of the podcast, we deliver exactly that! Kim Schweickert has worked with unhoused individuals in Northern Nevada for many years, and is currently the Human Service Coordinator at OUR Place, under the Washoe County Human Services agency. Conor and Kim talk in this episode about the services that OUR Place provides and how it fits in the to ecosystem of homeless services in Washoe County, the different models of addressing homeless and terminology like "shelter resistant" and "housing first," the challenge of making an exit plan from a shelter environment when there isn't much affordable and accessible housing in the area, untreated mental illness and it's connection with substance use, and a whole lot more! This is the last normal episode of this season of Renoites, though there are still a couple live episode recordings to come, so keep an eye out for those. We'll be back with new regular episodes in the beginning of 2024, so please reach out and let Conor know what you'd like to hear! Who would make a good guest? What topics are important to you that we should cover? Send your emails to conor@renoites.com Thank you so much for listening! Please consider supporting Renoites on Patreon at http://patreon.com/renoites
Wed, November 01, 2023
Paul Doege on 40 Years of Recycled Records
Recycled Records is Reno's longest-surviving record store and a staple of the small business and music communities here in the Biggest Little City. Many of us bought our first cassette tapes, CDs, or records at Recycled Records. We've seen them move locations a handful of times over those years, including moving into Midtown before it was cool, and recently leaving Midtown now that it's expensive. On this episode of Renoites, Conor sits down with longtime former owner of the store, Paul Doege. Paul purchased Recycled Records shortly after it opened and began running the business at the age of 23. He spent almost 40 years as the owner and manager before retiring in 2019 and selling the business to some of his long-time employees. Conor and Paul talked about the business model of used records and how it helped Recycled Records survive both the rise in digital piracy of the early 2000s and the advent of streaming in more recent years, the different locations of the store throughout the years as landlords regularly raised rents by impossible amounts, the early days of Midtown where Paul was an active member and one-time president of the merchant's association, the impact of TV, radio and print advertising in establishing their brand, Paul's plans to travel to Antarctica now that he is retired, and much more! Recycled Records is currently located at 4048 Kietzke Lane in Reno and can be found online at http://www.recrecreno.com Thanks for listening! If you have feedback or guest suggestions, please email conor@renoites.com and consider supporting the show financially at http://patreon.com/renoites
Wed, October 25, 2023
William ”BB” Flanders on Salsa, Bachata, and the Reno Latin Dance Fest
Dancing is one of those activities that is good for our mental and physical health, as well as a social activity that requires communication and cooperation. Some of the most popular dance events in Reno are for latin styles like salsa and bachata. On this week's episode of Renoites, we welcome William "BB" Flanders, one of the driving forces behind Reno's latin dance scene for the last 15+ years, including the Reno Latin Dance Fest, a 4-day festival celebrating it's 16th year from January 4-7 at the Silver Legacy. BB and Conor talked about the history of latin dance events in the Reno area, the nonverbal communication involved in leading or following in social dances, the rise and fall of various dance trends, the impact of dance contest TV shows, ways for absolute beginners to get started, and much more! You can learn more about latin dance events in Northern Nevada at http://www.salsareno.com and the Reno Latin Dance Fest at http://www.renolatindancefest.com Thank you for listening! Please consider supporting Renoites on Patreon at http://patreon.com/renoites and send any feedback or guest suggestions to Conor at conor@renoites.com
Fri, October 20, 2023
Renoites x Vibrant Voices - Artist Guillermo Bert
This episode is a collaboration between Renoites and Vibrant Voices, a diversity-focused and student-run newsroom at the University of Nevada, Reno. It was produced by Conor McQuivey and Kathleen Leslie. Guillermo Bert is a multimedia artist originally from Santiago, Chile and is now based in Los Angeles, California. His artwork provides an in-depth exploration of the resilience and struggle of immigrants. In this episode, Guillermo explains his process of creating art along with his incorporation of new experimental forms of media. He also describes how his work highlights and preserves Indigenous and Hispanic cultures that have often been erased. His artwork provides a commentary on how the United States addresses immigration and other various issues in a creative and bold way. He currently has two exhibitions in Reno, Nevada: Groundwork at the John and Geraldine Lilley Museum of Art and The Journey at Nevada Museum of Art. Groundwork will be shown until January 7, 2024 and The Journey will be shown until February 4, 2024. Thank you so much for listening and be sure to follow @renoites and @vv_unr on Instagram. You can also visit http://www.renoites.com and https://www.vibrantvoicesunr.com to listen and learn more!
Tue, October 17, 2023
Reno City Manager Doug Thornley
Do you know what a city manager does? Most people don't! While our elected officials may have more name recognition because they have to go out and campaign, Reno's form of government puts a lot of responsibility on a city manager, someone whose role is similar to a CEO for the city organization. Today on Renoites, Reno's city manager Doug Thornley sits down with Conor to discuss what a city manager actually does and how he came to be in that role, the competing visions of what Reno should be as a city, how various economic trends have affected the area over the recent decades, what different neighborhoods are doing to improve their livability and reputation, and more. We also talked about a few recent news topics, including the recently announced billion dollar expansion at the Grand Sierra Resort, the regional approach to homelessness including the CARES campus and the now-closed Record Street shelter, and the upcoming changes to Reno's streets to accommodate different modes of getting around downtown. If you have feedback or guest suggestions, please email me at conor@renoites.com Renoites is a listener-funded project and only remains viable through contributions from listeners like you. Learn more and help this show continue to exist by visiting http://patreon.com/renoites Thank you for listening and for your support!
Tue, October 10, 2023
Jill Vacchina Dobbs on Pet Adoptions and Animal Welfare
Do you know how animal control and pet adoptions work in Northern Nevada? If there is a stray animal, who picks it up and what happens next? On this episode of Renoites, Conor speaks with the executive director of the SPCA of Northern Nevada, Jill Vacchina Dobbs about how the system works and much more. Jill and Conor explore how the animal control process works in Northern Nevada, and what happens when parts of that process fail (spoiler alert: it means overflowing shelters and animals at risk of being euthanized for space), how COVID affected animal adoptions, bans of specific dog breeds here and around the world, the challenges of finding pet-friendly housing in a tight market, and much more! Adopt a pet! You can learn more about the SPCA of Northern Nevada at their website, https://spcanevada.org/ Thank you for listening! Learn more about how you can help Renoites become financially sustainable by visiting http://patreon.com/renoites and send guest suggestions or feedback to Conor at conor@renoites.com
Sat, October 07, 2023
Renoites Shorts - Walker Basin Conservancy
Many of us have driven between Reno and Las Vegas and passed by Walker Lake. It used to house a thriving population of Lahontan Cutthroat Trout as well as migratory birds and other wildlife, but upstream diversions of the Walker River have resulted in lower water levels, increased salinity, and an environment that no longer supports such life. The Walker Basin Conservancy is an organization dedicated to restoring Walker Lake by securing water rights and bringing more water back downstream, and eventually reintroducing fish to the lake. They have already spearheaded the creation of a new state park, and seen water levels rise by over 15 feet this year. Their executive director Peter Stanton joins us on Renoites to talk about their work so far and the work still left to do. You can learn more about the organization at http://walkerbasin.org This episode of Renoites is one in a series of shorter episodes, designed so that you can listen and learn without having to dedicate a full hour to the topic. Most "Renoites Shorts" episodes will only be 10-20 minutes long. What do you think of a shorter format? Let me know! If you have suggestions for episodes or topics, please let us know! Email conor@renoites.com and be sure to follow on Instagram at http://instagram.com/renoites as well! Renoites is a community focused and listener-funded project. Please consider supporting the show on Patreon. You can learn more at http://patreon.com/renoites Thanks for listening!
Tue, October 03, 2023
Maricela Gutierrez Rodriguez on Intellectual and Developmental Disability Inclusion
The mission of the JUSTin HOPE Foundation is to give hope to families and individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities by promoting inclusion and creating opportunities through education/training and family support to maximize the individual’s potential. On this episode of Renoites, we welcome the executive director of the foundation, Maricela Gutierrez Rodriguez. Some of the topics covered include the difference between competitive employment and sub-minimum wage, the under-recognized "superpowers" of some employees with disabilities, the benefits of socializing and networking events, and how various services and programs can benefit entire families and communities as well as disabled individuals. Learn more about the JUSTin Hope Foundation at their website http://www.justinhope.org Thanks for listening! Send guest suggestions and feedback to conor@renoites.com and learn more about how you can support the show at http://patreon.com/renoites
Tue, September 26, 2023
Reno Police Chief Kathryn Nance
This year, Reno has a new chief of police. After a selection process by city officials earlier this year, Kathryn Nance was chosen for the position, and was sworn into the role in February. Now, after her first 6 months on the job, she sits down with Renoites host Conor McQuivey for a wide ranging discussion about her career and about the work of policing, both here in Reno and nationally. Some of the topics covered in this episode include understanding implicit bias, policies and procedures for body camera usage, what community policing is and the goals it hopes to accomplish, the differences between policing in a city like Stockton (where Nance worked for most of her career) and a city like Reno, navigating a predominately male profession as a female officer, the difference between "law enforcement" and "crime prevention," and much much more! Renoites is free to listen to but it is NOT free to produce. It takes a significant amount of money and time to create such a frequently published and highly local show, and I strive to do it in a way that is INDEPENDENT and FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE. Please help me ensure I can continue doing this work and providing value to our community by contributing on Patreon at http://patreon.com/renoites If you have feedback or suggestions, send me a message on Instagram (@renoites) or an email to conor@renoites.com Thanks for listening!
Wed, September 20, 2023
Emily Barney on Death, Dying and Doulas
Most people are very uncomfortable with the idea of death and dying and avoid the serious conversations and preparations involved in the process (one which we'll all experience eventually). On this episode of Renoites, we welcome one of the founders of the Doula Co-op, Emily Barney, to talk about what the death industry looks like today, and some of the better ways we can approach and talk about the end of our lives and the lives of our loved ones. Some of the questions we explored were about what the common practices look like today, how the death industry can take advantage of tragedy to exploit bereaved people, what natural death and home funerals look like, what a doula's role is for people who are nearing death (and for those who expect to still have a long life ahead of them), the challenge of burnout for people in highly emotionally demanding jobs, why you need to create a living will TODAY, and much more! If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, please let me know! Email conor@renoites.com Renoites is a fully LISTENER FUNDED project. This show simply can not exist without contributions from listeners just like you! Learn more and contribute a few dollar to help this show become financially sustainable at http://patreon.com/renoites I recently appeared on the Worst Little Podcast! Listen to that episode wherever you get podcasts or at https://www.worstlittlepodcast.com/ Additional Resources and Information: Contact: Emily’s website: doulapurposes.com (currently under redesign) Email: doulabarney@gmail.com DOULA CO-OP Resources: Website: doulacoop.org Email: connect@doulacoop.org Death Doula Resources: Melissa Chanselle-Hary, Death Doula sacredtransits.com NEDA (National End of Life Doula Association) - Tips on Choosing an EOLD Going with Grace - death doula training & community, end of life planning support & services organization Funeral Consumer Alliance Paying Final Respects: Your Rights When Buying Funeral Goods & Services <li style="font-wei
Wed, September 13, 2023
Renoites Shorts - KTMB’s Truckee River Cleanup
Saturday, September 16, Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful will be holding their annual Truckee River Cleanup volunteer event, with hundreds of volunteers working together to clean and maintain sites along the Truckee River. Volunteers will be doing gardening and planting, weed and trash removal, and much more, with a volunteer picnic to follow. On this bonus mini episode of Renoites, KTMB's Marina McCreary returns to the show to talk about the upcoming river cleanup and well as other volunteer opportunities throughout the year. You can sign up to volunteer or learn more at http://ktmb.org/volunteer Please consider supporting Renoites on Patreon at http://patreon.com/renoites and send guest suggestions or episode ideas to conor@renoites.com Thanks for listening!
Tue, September 12, 2023
Ben Davis on Street Photography and Reno After Dark
A few years ago, in the middle of the pandemic, I started to see photos of downtown Reno coming across my Instagram feed with a bold and distinctive style. Bright neon blues, reds and pinks that really showed off the unique glow of our city at night. The photographer behind that account, Reno After Dark , which has grown to tens of thousands of followers across social media platforms, is Ben Davis. Ben joined the podcast this week to talk about his unique style and how he chooses subjects, the importance of photography in telling the story of Reno through it's constant changes over the years, his experience of spending countless hours in the heart of downtown after the sun has set, and much more! You can find Ben's work on Instagram at http://instagram.com/renoafterdark and on his website http://www.renoafterdark.com Please consider supporting our mission of creating free, local, substantive content! You can become a patron of Renoites and ensure that it is financially sustainable (otherwise I might end up having to quit and then it just won't exist anymore!) You can learn more at http://patreon.com/renoites If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, please let me know. Email conor@renoites.com
Tue, September 05, 2023
Brian Duggan on Local Newspapers and Changes in Media
Welcome Back to Renoites! This is the first episode of a new season of the podcast. My goal is for this show to be a consistent source of interesting, substantive conversation that is highly relevant to us here in Northern Nevada. This is a community funded independent project and your support is appreciated. I have a handful of new patrons since last season, so thank you to Elaine, Claudia, Stephanie, Mike, Remo, Mindy, Jillian, Marina and everyone else who contributes to this show’s existence. If you’d like to learn more about supporting the show, visit renoites.com I have a ton of great guests lined up for this season of the show, and so many of them came directly from listener suggestions, so if you have somebody you think would be a good guest for the show, let me know! My email address is conor@renoites.com My first guest on the show over 100 episodes ago was Bob Conrad, founder and editor at This is Reno. I’ve had a few other people from the world of local media on the show over the last couple years and have always found those conversations really valuable and interesting. I’m excited to start this season with Brian Duggan, former editor of the Reno Gazette Journal and current General Manager at KUNR radio. We talked about the decline of print newspapers and what it means for local reporting, zombie newsrooms with no staff and AI articles, events like COVID that make everyone tune in for local details, the elimination of barriers to get into journalism, and a lot more. I hope you enjoy this episode and the upcoming season! Thanks again for listening.
Sat, September 02, 2023
Renoites @ RFM - Ryan Stark from No City Coffee
Renoites at the Riverside Farmer's Market is a limited Renoites series with the vendors of the Riverside Farmer's Market in Reno, Nevada and hosted by Renoites host Conor McQuivey. The year-round farmer's market takes place Sunday mornings at Idlewild Park from 8-1. You can find Conor at the Renoites booth most weeks if you'd like to chat, share ideas, purchase merch or sign up to support the show financially, or just say hi! Today's episode features Ryan Stark, owner of No City Coffee. No City has a brick and mortar location upstairs at the Great Basin Community Co-op (with plans for that space to expand to include prepared food and a big outdoor space) and Ryan has recently started serving his coffee at the Riverside Farmer's Market from his new coffee cart. Ryan has worked in coffee for decades, here in Reno and elsewhere, including during the earliest days of Bibo Coffee, where he was the very first employee. We talked about what makes coffee the perfect beverage to have a conversation over, the advantages of partnering with the co-op to create unique and fresh ingredients, how coffee culture has grown in Reno, and much more! Follow No City on Instagram at http://instagram.com/nocityreno Thank you for listening! Please consider supporting Renoites financially on Patreon by visiting http://patreon.com/renoites Follow Renoites on Instagram at http://instagram.com/renoites
Mon, August 21, 2023
Renoites @ RFM - Kaylie Arnold’s Haggle Haus Reclaimed Fashion Truck
Renoites at the Riverside Farmer's Market is a limited Renoites series with the vendors of the Riverside Farmer's Market in Reno, Nevada and hosted by Renoites host Conor McQuivey. The year-round farmer's market takes place Sunday mornings at Idlewild Park from 8-1. You can find Conor at the Renoites booth most weeks if you'd like to chat, share ideas, purchase merch or sign up to support the show financially, or just say hi! Today's episode features Kaylie Arnold, owner of Haggle Haus , a retail truck offering reclaimed fashion from around the world. Kaylie is a flight attendant, and on her layovers around the world often found herself haggling at markets as well as shopping for unique used fashions in international destinations. Using her experience working in fashion as well, this May she created a micro version of that shopping experience here in Reno. Her Haggle Haus truck is a mini boutique you can find at the Riverside Farmer's Market as well as other markets around town. There are clothes for men, women, and children, a changing room to try things on, and just as the name suggests- you're free to negotiate on the prices. Follow Haggle Haus on Instagram http://instagram.com/hagglehaus Thank you for listening! Please consider supporting Renoites financially on Patreon by visiting http://patreon.com/renoites Follow Renoites on Instagram at http://instagram.com/renoites
Tue, August 15, 2023
Renoites @ RFM - Brian Monahan (aka Thundercat) Leather Goods
Renoites at the Riverside Farmer's Market is a limited Renoites series with the vendors of the Riverside Farmer's Market in Reno, Nevada. The year-round farmer's market takes place Sunday mornings at Idlewild Park from 8-1. You can find us at the Renoites booth most weeks if you'd like to chat, share ideas, purchase merch or sign up to support the show financially, or just say hi! This week's episode features Brian Monahan, also known as Thundercat, a leather craftsman whose booth at the market features an assortment of self-designed, hand stained and hand stitched leather goods. Some of Brian's most unique and popular items include 20-sided dice for role playing games like Dungeons and Dragons or choosing what to have for dinner, and an amazing showpiece leather dragon scale vest made of hundreds of individual "scales" (it has more parts than a V-8 engine!) You can find Thundercat at the Riverside Farmer's Market most Sundays and at various other local markets. Follow him on Instagram at http://instagram.com/thundercatmakes Thank you for listening! Please consider supporting Renoites financially on Patreon by visiting http://patreon.com/renoites Follow Renoites on Instagram at http://instagram.com/renoites
Sun, August 06, 2023
Renoites Shorts - Female Skate Community Bitchin Betties
Ella Haworth has been skateboarding in Reno the last 4 years, and recently created an annual female skate contest and skate group she calls Bitchin Betties. What began as a fundraiser for the Wild West Fund, a statewide abortion fund (listen to our episode with them here ) has continued as a project to bring more people out to skate in the area. On this episode, Ella explains why she started skating, how she reacts to haters and hecklers, the process of working with the city to run her event at Idlewild park, what Reno's skater community is like, and much more! This episode of Renoites is one in a series of shorter episodes, designed so that you can listen and learn without having to dedicate a full hour to the topic. Most "Renoites Shorts" episodes will only be 10-20 minutes long. What do you think of a shorter format? Let me know! If you have suggestions for episodes or topics, please let us know! Email conor@renoites.com and be sure to follow on Instagram at http://instagram.com/renoites as well! Renoites is a community focused and listener-funded project. Please consider supporting the show on Patreon. You can learn more at http://patreon.com/renoites Thanks for listening!
Wed, August 02, 2023
Renoites LIVE - Sierra Regional Roller Derby
This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at Black Rabbit Mead in Reno, Nevada on July 27, 2023. The sport of roller derby has a long history and reputation for big personalities, fierce competition, and a fair amount of beating up your friends. On this episode of Renoites, Conor is joined by two of Sierra Regional Roller Derby's players, Slamuel L Jackson and One Hit Wonder to talk about the sport and it's place in Northern Nevada. Topics include the logistics of the game, like how it's played and the differences between flat track and banked track derby, the shift from a more theatrical pro wrestling vibe into a more serious sport in more recent years, diversity and inclusion, why derby has room for all body types, what makes a good roller derby nickname, an audience Q&A segment, and much more! If you enjoy this episode and want to support Renoites, please consider signing up at http://patreon.com/renoites as a financial supporter of the show! Patrons get benefits like early access to some episodes, exclusive patron-only video newsletters with updates about the show, free or discounted Renoites merch, and more! Send guest suggestions for future episodes or other feedback to conor@renoites.com Learn more about Sierra Regional Roller Derby on Facebook and Instagram , or at their website http://www.sierraregionalrollerderby.org
Sun, July 30, 2023
Renoites @ RFM - Marisa Hess from OSO Design Lab
Renoites at the Riverside Farmer's Market is a limited Renoites series with the vendors of the Riverside Farmer's Market in Reno, Nevada. The year-round farmer's market takes place Sundays at Idlewild Park from 8-1. You can find us at the Renoites booth most weeks if you'd like to chat, share ideas, purchase merch or sign up to support the show financially, or just say hi! This week's episode features Marisa Hess from OSO Design Lab. Marisa and her husband Josh use various technologies to create their line of jewelry. They specialize in laser-cut wood pieces, like big intricate statement earrings that weigh almost nothing. Marisa comes from a local small business family, her mother and step-dad previously owned Josef's Vienna Bakery on Moana. Josh has a background in tech and has joined OSO full time in recent years, to further invest in growing their business. You can find OSO Design Lab at the Riverside Farmer's Market most Sundays, at various other local markets, in the Wyld Marketplace at Reno Public Market, and on their website at https://osodesignlab.com/ Follow them on Instagram at http://instagram.com/osodesignlab Thank you for listening! Please consider supporting Renoites financially on Patreon by visiting http://patreon.com/renoites Follow Renoites on Instagram at http://instagram.com/renoites
Wed, July 19, 2023
Renoites @ RFM - Brad Allured from Just Legit Soap
Renoites at the Riverside Farmer's Market is a limited Renoites series with the vendors of the Riverside Farmer's Market in Reno, Nevada. The year-round farmer's market takes place Sundays at Idlewild Park from 8-1. You can find us at the Renoites booth most weeks, if you'd like to chat, share ideas, purchase merch or sign up to support the show financially, or just say hi! This week's episode features Brad Allured from Just Legit Soap. Brad is a scientist by training and when he couldn't find a bar soap he liked, he decided to make one. Now he sells a variety of goods at his booth at the Riverside Farmers Market. On this episode, Conor and Brad talk about taking a scientific approach to creating new things, why pH matters in pet shampoo, ethical ingredients, the divisive nature of patchouli, and more! You can find Just Legit Soap at the Riverside Farmer's Market the first Sunday of each month! Follow on Instagram at http://instagram.com/justlegitsoap Thank you for listening! Please consider supporting Renoites financially on Patreon by visiting http://patreon.com/renoites Follow Renoites on Instagram at http://instagram.com/renoites
Sat, July 15, 2023
Renoites @ RFM - Samantha DeAndrea from Doula Co-op
Renoites at the Riverside Farmer's Market is a limited Renoites series with the vendors of the Riverside Farmer's Market in Reno, Nevada. The year-round farmer's market takes place Sundays at Idlewild Park from 8-1. You can us at the Renoites booth most weeks, if you'd like to chat, share ideas, purchase merch or sign up to support the show financially, or just say hi! This week's episode features Samantha DeAndrea from Doula Co-op discussing what a doula is and isn't (they aren't just for pregnancy!), how they fits into the world of medical care, the co-op model to connect doulas with the people who need their services, and more! Additional people Samantha wanted to thank for their legislative work this session include Emily Barney, Joyce Abeng, and Jollina Simpson and the bill sponsors listed below:
Tue, July 11, 2023
Renoites LIVE - Reno Little Theater and Seussical the Musical
This episode was recorded live at Reno Little Theater in Reno, Nevada on July 7, 2023. Reno Little Theater is one of the longest-running community theater companies in the United States and are just finishing their 88th season here in Northern Nevada. Their most recent show, running through the end of July, is Seussical the Musical, a fun family-friendly musical featuring characters and stories from the works of Dr. Seuss. On this episode, recorded live after the July 7 performance of Seussical, host Conor McQuivey spoke with the director of the show, Shea King, and technical director Chad Sweet. Topics included the process of casting for a musical, the process of turning flat cartoon images into sets for the stage, the importance of the live audience experience, and much more! Thank you to those who attended and thanks for listening! The next Renoites LIVE event will be Thursday, July 27 at Black Rabbit Mead. Learn more about Reno Little Theater at their website, http://www.renolittletheater.org Send guest suggestions and feedback about Renoites to Conor at conor@renoites.com Support the show financially on Patreon at http://www.patreon.com/renoites
Tue, July 04, 2023
Mike Van Houten with Downtown Development Updates
Mike Van Houten has been documenting the changes in downtown Reno for over a decade, with a focus on tracking what's happening and where on his blog, Downtown Makeover . He appeared on Renoites about 2 years ago, and a lot has certainly happened since then! This week's episode is a recap of various development projects in Downtown Reno and and surrounding neighborhoods. Topics included the current status of the (failed?) City Center Harrah's renovation, the impacts of Reno Public Market and RED, rising rents in Midtown driving out long time businesses like Recycled Records, the debate over whether road medians should stay or go, how far behind demand we are at building what is likely needed as we grow, and more! Follow Downtown Makeover on Instagram and Twitter @downtownmakeover and visit the blog at http://downtownmakeover.com If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, email me at conor@renoites.com If you're able to help support this project financially, please consider signing up to do so. This is a community-oriented local project that can't be financially sustainable without support from listeners like you. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/renoites
Tue, June 27, 2023
Melissa Taylor on Community Theater in Reno
Join Renoites and Reno Little Theater LIVE on July 7 for an exclusive "Seussical: the Musical" post-show event featuring additional performances, interviews and audience Q&A! Visit renoites.com for more information! Reno Little Theater is one of the longest-running community theater companies in the United States, currently in their 88th season! Reno has been focused on growing it's reputation as a city that cares about the arts, and theater is a big part of that identity, including as it intersects with music, design, writing, and much more. On this week's episode of Renoites, host Conor McQuivey is joined by the executive director of Reno Little Theater, Melissa Taylor, to discuss Reno Little Theater's past, present and future as a part of Reno's artistic community. Some of the topics include the importance of live theater in creating a sense of community, the inherent inclusion and belongingness that comes from the craft of acting, education programs for young people to create participation in the arts, the challenges of operating as a nonprofit theater through the covid pandemic, and much more! If you have suggestions for future guests on Renoites, please email us at conor@renoites.com Be sure to follow us on social media and please consider becoming a financial supporter on Patreon! This link has everything you need to know: http://linktr.ee/renoites
Tue, June 20, 2023
Washoe County Manager Eric Brown
*PLEASE VOTE FOR RENOITES AS "BEST LOCAL PODCAST" IN THE RENO NEWS & REVIEW BEST OF NORTHERN NEVADA* HERE'S THE LINK When we think of local government, often the people that come to mind are the mayor and city council, but we shouldn't forget that the city of Reno is but a part of the much larger Washoe County, whose jurisdiction overlaps and intersects with Reno, and extends as far north as the very top of the state. On this week's episode of Renoites, host Conor McQuivey speaks with Washoe County's Manager, Eric Brown. Manger Brown was appointed to the position by the Washoe County Commission in 2019. Conor and Manager Brown discuss the role of the county government broadly and the county manager specifically, the process of creating the CARES campus and working with Reno and Sparks to address the needs of homeless populations in the area, ideas for addressing housing affordability in the region, efforts to include the voices of rural communities, Manager Brown's background working in the telecommunications and consumer goods industries before coming to public service, how his experiences as a student athlete shape his way of working, and much much more! Learn more about the Washoe County Leadership Academy and apply here until July 14: https://www.washoecounty.gov/WCLA/ If you have suggestions for episodes or topics, please let us know! Email conor@renoites.com and be sure to follow on Instagram at http://instagram.com/renoites as well! Renoites is a community focused and listener-funded project. Please consider supporting the show on Patreon. You can learn more at http://patreon.com/renoites Thanks for listening!
Thu, June 15, 2023
Renoites Shorts - Nevada Museum of Art’s ”Ghost Army”
The Nevada Museum of Art is currently showing an exhibition created by the World War 2 Museum in New Orleans called "Ghost Army: The Combat Con Artists of World War 2." The exhibit tells of the special unit in the war that was tasked with deception. Using inflatable fake tanks, pre-recorded radio chatter, and other illusions, they misled the German army about where troops were stationed. Several members of the unit went on to careers in art, including the painter Ellsworth Kelly and the fashion designer Bill Blass. To tell us about the exhibit and other current works at the Nevada Museum of Art, we welcomed NMA's Marketing and Communication Director Rebecca Eckland to the show. This episode of Renoites is the first in a series of shorter episodes, designed so that you can listen and learn without having to dedicate a full hour to the topic. Most "Renoites Shorts" episodes will only be 10-20 minutes long. If you have suggestions for episodes or topics, please let us know! Email conor@renoites.com and be sure to follow on Instagram at http://instagram.com/renoites as well! Renoites is a community focused and listener-funded project. Please consider supporting the show on Patreon. You can learn more at http://patreon.com/renoites Thanks for listening!
Tue, June 13, 2023
Will Durham on the Nevada Neon Project
A few years ago, Nevada's state element was declared to be neon, to reflect the importance of neon lights in the identity of our cities both big and small. The effort to make this happen was spearheaded by local neon preservationist and director of the Nevada Neon Project, Will Durham. Will has been saving neon signs from destruction throughout the state for many years, and has amassed a collection he hopes to turn into a world-class museum here in Reno. On this episode of Renoites, Conor and Will discuss the importance of neon to Nevada's identity and history, the technical craft of creating neon art and advertising, the process of lobbying the Nevada legislature to designate neon as the state element (which passed unanimously in both houses), the opportunities he has had to display pieces from the collection, and his vision for a neon museum in Northern Nevada. You can learn more and see photos on the Nevada Neon Project Instagram account here: https://www.instagram.com/nevadaneonproject/ If you would like to support Renoites, there are many ways to do so: Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/renoites Contribute financially via Patreon at http://patreon.com/renoites Send feedback or guest suggestions to conor@renoites.com Come visit and buy some Renoites merch at the Riverside Farmers Market Attend a live taping of Renoites at Black Rabbit Mead! The next LIVE episode will feature Sierra Regional Roller Derby on Thursday, July 27. Thanks for listening!
Sat, June 10, 2023
Renoites LIVE - Pete Menchetti on The Sticker Guy and DEBAUCH-A-ReNO Festival
30 years ago, Reno teenager Pete Menchetti started a company called The Sticker Guy. Being actively involved in Reno's local music scene, Pete went from studying computer science to creating the first online sticker store in the very early days of Internet commerce. Since then, Sticker Guy has been based in Reno and providing stickers for 30 years, while Pete has moved on to also creating a record label, Slovenly Recordings, and operating multiple music festivals around the world under the name We're Loud Fest (with events in Greece, Italy, Vietnam, Mexico, and plans for Kenya) Next weekend, June 16-18, will be a celebration of Sticker Guy's 30th anniversary, with the Reno-based music festival DEBAUCH-A-ReNO at Wingfield Park and Cypress in midtown. Tickets and information can be found at http://sloven.ly/reno The next LIVE episode of Renoites will be recorded at Black Rabbit Mead on Thursday, July 29 with Sierra Regional Roller Derby, so mark your calendars and come out to learn about the sport and the culture that surrounds it. Support Renoites on Patreon! http://patreon.com/renoites Send guest suggestions or feedback to conor@renoites.com Follow Renoites on Instagram at http://instagram.com/renoites Thanks for listening!
Tue, June 06, 2023
Guest Host Mayor Hillary Schieve Interviews Conor about Renoites
One of the great joy of hosting an interview podcast is having the opportunity to learn about a wide variety of guests and share their stories with listeners, but sometimes there isn't as much opportunity as hosts would like to share more about themselves. On this week's episode of Renoites, we turn the microphone around for host Conor McQuivey to take the guest seat. And to lead the conversation as a special surprise guest host, Mayor Hillary Schieve returned to the show! Her previous episode of Renoites from May of last year was one of the most popular and can be heard at this link: https://pod.fo/e/125721 We talked about the creation of the Renoites podcast, the importance of local media, choosing to engage in political discourse in a less heated way, the instinctive but sometimes damaging need to be liked by others, the problems with the 2-party system, what Conor would do if he was mayor for the day and had a magic wand, how you can help local media be financially sustainable, and much more! If you have guest suggestions or feedback, email conor@renoites.com or stop by the Renoites booth at Riverside Farmer's Market at Idlewild Park on Sundays from 8-1. You can also learn more about patreon and how YOU can help the podcast grow by visiting http://patreon.com/renoites
Tue, May 30, 2023
Lynette Eddy on Eddy House, Youth Homelessness, and Spirit over Ego
Reno's primary youth shelter for people aged 18-24 experiencing homelessness or otherwise at risk is Eddy House, a facility designed to bring together a variety of services under one roof. There are low barrier drop-in beds available, therapists and case workers, a residential program, and more. The founder of Eddy House, Lynette Eddy, joins hosts Conor McQuivey and Ember Braun this week to discuss the origins of the organization, the life experiences that led to her involvement in helping at-risk youth, the value of a housing first model, providing services along with housing, and much more. We also discussed Lynette's recently released book, "The Fight Inside: Winning the Battle Between Your Ego and True Spirit." After her husband's death by suicide in 2010, Lynette has studied and shared her understanding of the ego voice inside us that criticizes and attacks, and the positive and affirming voice of our true spirit. Her book is part biography and part self help, modeled on her "open heart mindfulness" approach. Learn more about Eddy House at their website https://eddyhouse.org/ and learn more about Lynette's other work and her book at her website https://www.lynetteeddy.com/ If you have suggestions for future guest or topics, please email conor@renoites.com You can also visit the Renoites booth at the Riverside Farmer's Market most Sundays! The market is every Sunday from 8-1 at Idlewild Park in Reno. Conor will be there most Sundays for the coming months to be available for conversations with members of the community, record mini episodes with local vendors, and stickers and t-shirts are also available! Support Renoites on Patreon at http://patreon.com/renoites
Tue, May 23, 2023
Ashley and Colby Frey on Making Whiskey, from the Soil to the Glass
Bourbon Whiskey is one of the most popular spirits in the United States and consistently growing in popularity. It's an exclusively American spirit- to be called bourbon it has to be made here in the United States. Most distilleries use grains of mixed quality from farms across the county or even the world, but in Fallon, Frey Ranch has a rare business model: They grow all the grains used in their Bourbon, Rye, and several other unique varieties of whiskey right there in Fallon on their own farm. This "Estate Distillery" model is rare, but lets them control the entire process from tilling the soil and growing the grains, to the malting process, to the distilling, bottling, and into your glass. On this week's episode of Renoites, Conor traveled to Fallon to meet with Ashley and Colby Frey, the owners of Frey Ranch Farm and Distillery. The family has been farming in Northern Nevada since before Nevada was even a state, and as they built their whiskey business in recent years, were instrumental in creating the laws allowing such a distillery to exist here. Topics in this episode include the technical processes of how whiskey is made and why the farming is an important part of it, the beneficial soil and climate conditions that allow quality control of the grains used, the differences in types of stills and production methods used at Frey Ranch, the challenges of creating a business before regulations and taxes existed for the category, the "between years" of creating various spirits while waiting for the bourbon to age, the importance of having a story and message behind a brand, the increasing presence of women in the distilling and spirits world, sustainability as a common-sense practice on a farm, and much more! The Frey Ranch tasting room is open every Saturday from 12-4 with tours throughout the afternoon, and the first Saturday of the month there is also a food truck on site. You can find Frey Ranch products at most local stores and bars in Northern Nevada, and they are rapidly expanding across the country. You can learn more about Frey Ranch at their website, http://www.freyranch.com Renoites is a community-oriented and listener-funded project. If you find value in the podcast, please consider becoming a financial supporter on Patreon. For as little as $3/month you can help Renoites become financially sustainable while remaining independent. Learn more at http://patreon.com/renoites If you have guest suggestions, topic ideas, or feedback in general please feel free to email conor@renoites.com and be sure to follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/renoites
Tue, May 16, 2023
Ignacio Barrón Viela on the Reno Philharmonic and Innovation in Orchestras
Classical music can sometimes be seen as a bit stuffy or unapproachable to some audiences, but people have been listening to symphonies for hundreds of years and despite the obvious and valuable connection the past, orchestras are also looking to the future and exploring how to reach more people. This week on Renoites, Conor sat down with the new President and CEO of the Reno Philharmonic, Ignacio Barrón Viela. Viela most recently worked for the Billings Symphony in Montana, and took over the role here in Reno in 2022. On this episode, we talked about how to reach new and younger audiences, appealing to younger musicians and music fans, how a business background and love of music led to an orchestra management career, the power of learning an instrument for improving attention span and listening ability, early music education in schools, integrating popular culture with the Reno Phil through events like live-music Ghostbusters and the consistently popular Pops on the River, and much more! You can learn more about the Reno Philharmonic, including all their events, at their website http://www.renophil.com Make sure to subscribe to Renoites wherever you get podcasts and follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/renoites and if you'd like to support the show financially (it really is the only way for the show to continue existing) you can do so at http://patreon.com/renoites If you have suggestions for future guests or episode topics, or feedback in general, email conor@renoites.com
Sun, May 14, 2023
Renoites LIVE - Brad Bynum of Elephant Rifle and Reno News & Review
This episode was recorded live at Black Rabbit Mead in Reno, Nevada on May 11, 2023. On this episode of Renoites, recorded live at Black Rabbit Mead, we welcomed Brad Bynum, lead singer of the local band Elephant Rifle and former Editor of the Reno News & Review. Elephant Rifle has a new album out now and an album release show at The Holland Project on Saturday May 20. We talked about the history of the band and Brad's connection to music, why Reno as a mid-size city allows for collaboration between artists of different genres, representing the biggest little city while on the road touring, ways to fund arts and culture, the importance of alt weekly newspapers for local journalism and events, Brad's wild days of pants-off dance-offs during the early days of trivia at Sierra Tap House, and many of us used the Q&A portion to shout out our moms for all they do. Happy mothers day, moms! You can find Elephant Rifle downloads, merch, and tour information on their website at http://elephantrifle.bandcamp.com and be sure to check out their album release show if you're able, on Saturday 5/11 at The Holland Project! You can support Renoites financially on Patreon at http://patreon.com/renoites and be sure you're following us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/renoites
Tue, May 09, 2023
Michael Thomas and Sarah Rosenfeld on Cannabis and Banking
One of the greatest challenges for cannabis businesses in this region is navigating the gray area between operating as a legal business in a state like Nevada and dealing with restrictions on basic business services because their products are not legal federally. On this week's episode of Renoites, we welcome two guests: Sarah Rosenfeld is the owner of MMG Agriculture, a cannabis producer, and Michael Thomas is the Senior VP of Communications at Greater Nevada Credit Union, a local credit union that provides banking services to cannabis companies as part of a new pilot program. We talked about the unique challenges of operating a cannabis business right now, and how things have changed since the earliest days of legalization, when stores dealt in large quantities of cash (think duffel bags). Other topics included how working in cannabis can affect personal bank accounts and the ability to get loans, how cannabis companies get taxed heavily but can't take write-offs, new categories of cannabis business including consumption lounges, competition from neighboring states with looser regulations, and much more! If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, please email conor@renoites.com and be sure to follow us on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/renoites
Fri, May 05, 2023
Renoites LIVE - Tim Mahoney and Annie Saunders on Reno Improv
This episode of Renoites was recorded in front of a live audience at Black Rabbit Mead Company in Reno, Nevada on April 26, 2023 Being able to improvise is a fundamental skill for working in comedy or entertainment, but is also incredibly valuable just for going about our day to day lives. Being able to think on our feet and be creative serves us in our jobs and social lives whether we call it "improv" or not. On this week's episode of Renoites, we welcome Tim Mahoney and Annie Saunders, both from Reno Improv. Reno Improv is a non-profit improv theater located in the Wells Avenue neighborhood, featuring shows, workshops, classes, and drop-in opportunities for Northern Nevadans to explore and enjoy the art of improvisation. In front of a live audience at Black Rabbit Mead in the brewery district of Reno, we talked about the different forms of improv, what makes a good audience suggestion for improv games (and what doesn't), how improv abilities can help us in our day to day lives, the difference between "fear of public speaking" and "fear of public pretending," and much more! Plus, we took audience questions and finished the episode with some improv games on stage! The live audience got to enjoy several more improv games after the taping, so make sure you attend the next Renoites LIVE event to get the full experience! The next live episode is with Brad Bynum of the band Elephant Rifle, on Thursday May 11! You can learn more about Reno Improv including upcoming shows and classes at their website, renoimprov.org If you have guest suggestions or feedback, please email conor@renoites.com and be sure to follow us on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/renoites
Tue, May 02, 2023
Alicia Barber on History, Preservation, and Sense of Place in Reno
Welcome to the new season of Renoites! This is the first episode of a brand new season, with a bunch of great guests in store. If you enjoy the show, please be sure to follow @renoites on Instagram, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so it will always be easy to find! A common theme in the conversations I have about Reno are that it seems to be constantly changing. Growth can be exciting, I’m definitely happy to know that Reno is a place people want to come, but it’s often framed that there is a conflict between growth and historic preservation. A lot of conversations also tend to be about Reno’s shared story, a common understanding of what this place is about. I am very excited to welcome as the first guest this season, historian and author Alicia Barber. You may know her from her very popular substack newsletter, The Barber Brief. Alicia writes regularly about historic preservation and development issues in the area, city council happenings, and other topics of local importance. On this episode, Alicia and I discuss the earliest history of Reno as a railroad town, how Reno changed and redefined itself over the generations to adapt to different economic conditions, what makes for a vibrant and active neighborhood and what inhibits that, how to tell a shared story of our history where it has actually taken place, the history of the Lear theater and hopes for it’s future, and much more! I’ve long been looking forward to this episode and I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. If you have comments or suggestions for future guests, my email is conor@renoites.com You might also consider supporting Renoites financially on patreon at http://patreon.com/renoites . Listener support makes this project possible.
Thu, April 13, 2023
Renoites LIVE - The Scalley Cat Champions
This episode of Renoites was recorded in front of a live audience at Black Rabbit Mead Company in Reno, Nevada on March 30, 2023. Every year, hundreds of bicyclists race around Reno and the surrounding area, in a 24-hour scavenger hunt and party called Scalley Cat. Challenges range from the intensely physical (ride from Reno to Virginia City to Tahoe and back) to the wild and ridiculous (mayonnaise wrestling is mentioned in this episode), with hundreds of challenges for various points. Bribes and rule-breaking are encouraged. This episode is was recorded with a live audience at Black Rabbit Mead Company, and features members of the very large winning team from last year's Scalley Cat (I think about 15 on stage). They're now in charge of organizing the 2023 event, which will take place on May 5, from noon until noon. We talked about the history of the event, Reno as a great city for bikes and bike culture, wild stories from years past, other bike events like Reno Bike Night, plans for this year (the theme is Scalleycamp), and much more! Thanks to all who attended in the audience and thank you for listening! Renoites will be returning in a few weeks with more new episodes and really great guests! And please come to the next Renoites LIVE episode tapings at Black Rabbit Mead: Wednesday, April 26 - with Reno Improv Thursday, May 11 - with Brad Bynum of the band Elephant Rifle and former editor of the Reno News and Review If you have guest suggestions or just want to get in touch, be sure to follow (and feel free to message) me on Instagram @Renoites or send an email to conor@renoites.com If you'd like to support Renoites financially, please consider signing up as a patron of the show! For even a few dollars a month, you're helping support a valuable community-oriented project. There are perks at various levels like stickers and t-shirts, and I try to post occasional Patron exclusive updates about the show, future guests, and so on! Check it out at http://www.patreon.com/renoites This episode was produced by Conor McQuivey and Ember Braun
Sat, March 18, 2023
Renoites LIVE - Vickie Musni on DJ Trivia and the #ChallengeForCharity
This episode of Renoites was recorded in front of a live audience at Black Rabbit Mead Company in Reno, Nevada on March 9, 2023 Vickie and Craig Musni started DJ Trivia Sierra Nevada 10 years ago with the goal of providing a family friendly trivia game that could help support local bars and restaurants by drawing crowds on their less busy nights during the week. Since then, the company has grown to over 35 venues in Northern Nevada and the Sierras. On this week's episode of Renoites, Vickie returns to the podcast to talk about the history of her business, the one-two punch of dealing with COVID restrictions followed by issues with the city of Reno's archaic "cabaret license," the difference between themed trivia nights and a format with more variety, the newer DJ Bingo offering for folks that want to have fun and win prizes but aren't into trivia, and much more. We also talked about DJ Trivia's upcoming 10-Year Anniversary fundraiser at the Little Waldorf, with the goal of raising $10,000 for local non-profits. That event will take place on April 15. Up to 30 teams of 6 will compete to win prize money for their favorite charity, and local businesses can participate by sponsoring a team's entry fee! Learn more and sign up here: https://djtriviasierranevada.com/dj-trivia-challenge-for-charity
Tue, March 07, 2023
Brian Sandoval on the University of Nevada, Reno
In 2020, the University of Nevada, Reno selected as the new president of the university the former Governor of Nevada, Brian Sandoval. Sandoval grew up in Sparks, attended UNR, and has spent most of his career in various political roles, including in the state legislature, as attorney general, as a federal judge, and for 2 terms as governor (from 2011-2019). As Reno continues to grow, UNR and the surrounding area will have significant impacts on job opportunities for graduates, student and staff housing and affordability, business development and attracting industry to Northern Nevada, the urban landscape and walkability in and around downtown, and much more. On this week's episode of Renoites, President Sandoval joined us for a conversation about his experience in politics and what has driven him to pursue the positions he's held in government, a recent visit to the university from our current governor, Joe Lombardo, the Wolf Pack Digital Initiative launched during COVID to bring new technology to students and faculty, transitioning from his previous roles in electoral politics to his current role at the university, working to develop a more cohesive "university district," the role Nevada can play in greener energy production, and much much more! Thank you for listening and supporting Renoites! This is a local, community-oriented project that exists only through support from listeners like you. Please consider contributing to Renoites on Patreon at http://www.patreon.com/renoites and if you have any suggestions for guests or topics, please email conor@renoites.com or send a message on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/renoites This season of Renoites is produced by Conor McQuivey, Lynn Lazaro, and Ember Braun.
Wed, March 01, 2023
Michael Moberly on Beverage Innovation and the Bartending Trade
Last time Michael Moberly was a guest on Renoites, it was the middle of the COVID pandemic and we talked about Reno's bar environment and history, especially in the midtown area. Michael has been a bartender and spirits educator for well over a decade in the Reno area. On this week's episode, Michael returns to the podcast to talk about his new role with Monin Gourmet Flavorings, the largest family-owned company in that industry, with a huge production and distribution facility right here in Northern Nevada. We talked about being an ambassador for Reno, developing skills in whatever industry you work to build expertise, how bartending has become more inclusive, the ability to make a career as a bartender, the differences between Reno and Las Vegas cocktail bars (and why Reno is better), the recent decision not to allow a cannabis lounge in Northern Nevada, non-alcoholic beverages and sobriety, what is going on in Spanish Springs as many people are moving to the area but not spending much time inside the McCarran loop, and a whole lot more! This episode was recorded on-site at Monin's facility in Sparks, Nevada. Thank you for listening! If you have feedback or guest suggestions, please feel free to send me an email at conor@renoites.com and if you'd like to support the show financially (think of it like tipping your barista or a musician at a small bar?) you can do that on Patreon! Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/renoites This season of Renoites is produced by Conor McQuivey, Lynn Lazaro, and Ember Braun
Tue, February 21, 2023
Gary McKinney on Thacker Pass/Peehee Mu’Huh
Gary McKinney is a resident of Owyhee, Nevada, a small town on the Duck Valley Indian Reservation near the border of Idaho, about an hour north of Elko. Owyhee is located about 84 miles from a proposed lithium mine at Thacker Pass, an area known to the local indigenous community as Peehee Mu'Huh. Gary is the founder of People of Red Mountain, a group opposed to the Thacker Pass mine. On this episode, we traveled to Owyhee to met with Gary, where we talked about the history of the area, from it's earliest days as a pony express mail route, the 1865 massacre at Peehee Mu'Huh, the various (and sometimes hidden) financial incentives driving the green energy transition, the environmental impacts of mining in the area and around the world, and much more. The Thacker Pass mine is currently under litigation, with various lawsuits from tribes in the area including the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony challenging the processes that were used to approve the project. Since the recording of this episode, federal judge Miranda Du has mostly ruled against the tribes, but a new lawsuit was filed just last week. You can find People of Red Mountain at http://www.peopleofredmountain.com Thank you for listening and supporting this independent and community-focused project. Be sure to follow Renoites on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/renoites and consider supporting the show financially at http://www.patreon.com/renoites This season of Renoites is produced by Conor McQuivey, Lynn Lazaro, and Ember Braun. Send guest suggestions and feedback any time to conor@renoites.com
Tue, February 14, 2023
Steven Ing on Sex, Dating and Relationships
Happy Valentines Day! For today's episode of Renoites, we're talking sex, dating and relationships with our guest Steven Ing. Steven is a Reno-based marriage and family therapist with decades of experience in the field of sexuality and relationships and a contributor to Psychology Today where he writes a column called Sexual Futurist. On this episode, Conor and Steven talked about how to approach new relationships with intentional interviewing to learn as much about potential partners as early as possible, about the differences between getting to know people online vs. in person, the "magic number" of how much sex each partner wants to enjoy, breakups and learning from relationships that have ended, and much more! Thanks for listening and if you have suggestions for future episodes or any feedback, please email me at conor@renoites.com and if you'd like to support the show financially, you can visit http://www.patreon.com/renoites for more information This season of Renoites is produced by Conor McQuivey, Lynn Lazaro, and Ember Braun.
Tue, February 07, 2023
Angie Taylor on the Nevada Legislature and Washoe County School Board
The Nevada Legislature only meets every other year, for 120 days. That's not a very long time to do all the legislative business of the state, including passing the state's budget. Recently elected governor Joe Lombardo recently presented his State of the State address outlining his priorities, and on this week's episode of Renoites, we are welcoming Nevada Assembly Member from District 27, Angie Taylor. Angie previously served at the president of the Washoe County School Board, and this will be her first term in the Nevada Assembly. On this episode, Conor and Angie discuss her history on the school board and dealing with challenging situations like lawsuits and increasing politicization, how the Nevada Legislature operates from legislation being proposed in Bill Draft Requests (BDRs) all the way to being signed (or not signed) by the governor, working in a divided government with a Democratic-majority legislature but a Republican governor, and much more! You can follow the happenings of the legislature at https://www.leg.state.nv.us/ including tracking BDRs that you may be interested in, and many excellent local journalists will be covering the happenings as the session progresses. Thank you so much for listening, and if you have guest or topic suggestions, please email me at conor@renoites.com If you'd like to help Renoites eventually become financially sustainable and remain independent, please consider signing up to donate as little as a few dollars a month at http://www.patreon.com/renoites This season of Renoites is produced by Conor McQuivey, Lynn Lazaro, and Ember Braun.
Tue, January 31, 2023
Nancy Maldonado on PBS Reno and Classroom Education Programs
PBS has long been a resource for educational television programming, from classics like Sesame Street, Reading Rainbow and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, to newer series for the current generation of young people, like Wild Kratts and Martha Speaks. Here at the local level, PBS Reno also creates workshops and educational programs for use in classrooms which are often facilitated by retired teachers, including an upcoming writing contest for young people expected to receive thousands of submissions. PBS Reno's workshops and classroom programs are present throughout the state- here in Washoe County and extending well into the rural communities. On this week's episode of Renoites, Lynn Lazaro speaks with Nancy Maldonado, VP of Education at PBS Reno about their educational work and outreach. Topics include the importance of both STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and SEL (Social Emotional Learning) and how they interact, adapting a primarily in-person system to the challenges of remote learning during the height of the COVID pandemic, utilizing PBS's trusted programming alongside locally created workshops, the value of having students of different ages work together in their Reading Buddies program, PBS Reno's locally produced programs like Wild Nevada and ARTEFFECTS (which also air on PBS stations nationwide), and much more! If you'd like to learn more about PBS's education resources (which are FREE to teachers and students) please visit https://www.pbsreno.org/education/ Thank you for listening! If you have suggestions for future guests or episode topics please email conor@renoites.com and if you'd like to support the show financially you can do so at http://www.patreon.com/renoites for as little as a few dollars a month.
Sun, January 29, 2023
Renoites LIVE - Reno Drag Performers Vertigo and Armani the Star
This episode was recorded live at Black Rabbit Mead in Reno, Nevada on 1/26/23 Vertigo and Armani the Star are two of Reno's consistently hard working drag performers, with regular drag shows at 5 Star Saloon (the oldest gay bar in Nevada), drag brunches at other venues around town, and plans on the horizon for even more events, including a sober event to include drag fans who want a different setting than a bar. On this week's bonus live episode of Renoites, recorded at Black Rabbit Mead, Conor talks with Vertigo and Armani about their entry into the world of drag, the difference between performing lip sync numbers and serving as emcee for events, the closure of multiple Reno gay bars in recent months, drag terminology like "reading" and "houses," the fear-mongering about drag as a tool of transphobia, and much more, including several questions from our live audience. You can find Vertigo and Armani performing regularly at 5 Star and various other venues in the Reno area. You can also find them on Instagram, at http://www.instagram.com/hausofvertigo and http://www.instagram.com/armanithestar This episode was produced by Conor McQuivey, Lynn Lazaro, and Ember Braun. Thank you so much to the live audience for attending and to you for listening! If you have guest suggestions or feedback please email conor@renoites.com and if you'd like to support the show financially visit http://www.patreon.com/renoites
Tue, January 24, 2023
Jeff Scott on Washoe County’s Libraries
Libraries are one of the most important and consistent elements of any community. There are more libraries than Starbucks or McDonalds, and they are increasingly one of the few indoor public spaces that all people can access for free. They also continually adapt to the needs of the community, to include computer access and digital downloads, story time and children's reading programs, craft and maker space, a community court program, and much more. Jeff Scott is the Library Director for the Washoe County Library System and joins Conor on the podcast this week to talk all about various library services, how to get back into reading if you haven't in a while, the value of easy and fun books over the challenging books we are "supposed to" read, how library budgets have affected services and facility improvements, the politicization of libraries over events like drag queen story hours, the inherently inclusive nature of public libraries, and much more! 77% of Washoe County residents have a library card, but if you don't, you can get one easily online or at any branch! Learn more about that and everything else at their website http://washoecountylibrary.us If you enjoy Renoites and would like to see it continue to exist, please spread the word and tell your friends, and if you'd like the show to be financially sustainable and independent, consider becoming a patron of the show with a small one-time or monthly donation. You can do that at http://www.patreon.com/renoites This episode was produced by Conor McQuivey, Lynn Lazaro, and Ember Braun and recorded at the Downtown Reno Library in Reno, Nevada. Thank you so much for listening!
Wed, January 18, 2023
Bryan McArdle on Revitalizing Reno
Bryan McArdle is the Revitalization Manager for the City of Reno. His position involves attracting business and economic activity to Reno, ensuring that we have the available workforce to sustain growth in the area with an increasing quality of life, and building a shared story and vision of what kind of city Reno is and can be. On this week's episode of Renoites, Conor and Bryan talk about what makes Reno a "Goldilocks" city of just the right size, what we can learn from other cities who have taken similar redevelopment and revitalization efforts, how the various districts or neighborhoods in Reno have developed over the years, historical preservation and possible uses of the Lear Theater, the potential impacts of major developments like the Jacob's Entertainment "Neon Line District," and so much more. Bryan has been a business owner in both the Midtown and Riverwalk districts as well as previously serving as Vice President of Entrepreneurial Development at the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN). This episode was produced by Conor McQuivey and Lynn Lazaro and recorded at City Hall in Reno, Nevada. If you have feedback or guest suggestions, please don't hesitate to reach out! My email address is conor@renoites.com Thank you for listening and telling your friends to listen! Help spread the word about the show, my hope really is that it will be heard and valued by many people in Northern Nevada. I hope you'll also consider supporting financially at http://patreon.com/renoites
Tue, January 10, 2023
Shaughn Richardson and Cesar Lopez on Podcasting and Up in the Mix
This week on Renoites we are talking podcasting! Reno has a variety of local podcasts of different formats and covering different issues. About a year ago I was grateful to be invited to appear on Up in the Mix, a podcast and radio show hosted by Shaughn Richardson and Cesar Lopez. Up in the Mix is a hip hop inspired music, news and interview show that beginning it's 5th season and has released hundreds of episodes. It was great to have Shaughn and Cesar join me on Renoites to discuss the history of their podcast, what they think about when looking for guests, what's missing from the local podcast community, creating both a podcast and radio show for KWNK at the same time, as well as their lives outside the podcast. Shaughn is a high school teacher with the Washoe County School District and on the Reno Arts and Culture Commission and Cesar is a local photographer. Renoites is a listener-funded project. I'm a believer in audience supported over advertiser-driven media, and you can help Renoites continue to grow and provide stories and information by becoming an official patron of the show. Just go to patreon.com/renoites to learn more and sign up for as little as a few dollars a month (that's about a dollar an episode). There are also great perks available to patrons like early or exclusive content, Renoites swag, shout-outs on the show, and more. If you have any guest or topic suggestions, please shoot me an email at conor@renoites.com . This season of Renoites is produced by Conor McQuivey and Lynn Lazaro. Thank you for listening!
Tue, January 03, 2023
Marina McCreary on Keeping Truckee Meadows Beautiful
Welcome to the the newest season of Renoites! This is the first episode of season 5, kicking off 2023 with a great collection of guests in the coming weeks and months! This week on Renoites, we welcome Marina McCreary, Beautification and Clean-Ups Program Manager for Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful . It is currently Christmas Tree Recycling season until January 10, so please click the link for more info if you have a Christmas tree! On this episode we talked about the various projects of KTMB, including annual and regular community clean-ups, the adopt a spot program to maintain areas throughout the Reno/Sparks area, why Recycle-Reduce-Reuse is actually only 3 of the 5 R's, how to recycle weird stuff, easy ways to volunteer, and much more! If you have suggestions for guests or episode topics, please shoot me an email at conor@renoites.com Thanks for listening and if you enjoy the show please consider supporting Renoites on Patreon. You can find more information, social media links and more all in one place. Just click here! Oh yeah and tell all your friends to listen! I hope eventually almost everyone in town will be tuning in now and then but it all starts with word of mouth. Thanks!
Tue, December 13, 2022
Renoites LIVE- Rachel Macintyre and Jessie Phillips of Wandering Wyld
This episode was recorded live at Black Rabbit Mead on 11/30/22 Rachel Macintyre and Jessie Phillips are serial entrepreneurs in the local maker/pop-up retail/networking/co-working business as founders of their company Wandering Wyld (and it's associated Wyld Marketplace, Wyld Women Networking, and more..) On this week's bonus live episode of Renoites, recorded at Black Rabbit Mead, Conor talks with Rachel and Jessie about the original intent of creating pop-up markets for local makers, investing in a historic building as a co-working space and event venue, adapting ideas and strategies from traditional retail to the pop-up model, listening thoughtfully to feedback and criticism, and much more! Their current holiday pop-up market featuring goods by local makers can be found in the new Reno Public Market on Plumb and Virginia in Reno, in the building that used to be Shopper's Square mall. They'll also be opening a permanent marketplace there in January. Thank you so much for listening! If you have guest suggestions or feedback please email conor@renoites.com and if you'd like to support the show financially visit http://www.patreon.com/renoites
Tue, November 01, 2022
Mark Robison on Local Government Reporting
It's the last episode of Season 4 of Renoites! Thank you so much for listening, I've been thrilled with the guests we've been able to feature and really appreciate all the support from listeners and the community. Renoites will be back with new episodes in January, but in the mean time we'll still be doing bonus live tapings at Black Rabbit Mead so stay tuned (follow on Instagram @Renoites!) This week on the show Conor is joined by Mark Robison, the local government reporter for the Reno Gazette-Journal. Mark has a long history with the local newspaper, spending most of his career reporting here in Reno, and has recently returned to the work after a few years away. In his new role as local government reporter, he has been tasked with covering the government and politics issues that matter most to our area. On this episode, Conor and Mark talk about the differences between this new position and a normal staff reporter role, the impact of national news on local attitudes, the effect of Twitter on political discourse, the strategy of intentionaly treating all sides fairly and with respect in reporting, local races to watch in the upcoming election, and much more! Thank you for listening! If you have suggestions for guests on the next season of Renoites, please reach out! Email conor@renoites.com to get in touch and help us make sure we continue to feature the best possible guests on the show. Please also consider joining Renoites on Patreon ( http://www.patreon.com/renoites ) to support the show financially! Your recurring donation of as little as $3/month can make all the difference as to whether this show can continue to exist in the long run. Financial viability matters and I would love for this to be a sustainable and community-funded project. Also, you get stickers! This season of Renoites was produced by Conor McQuivey and Lynn Lazaro. Special thanks to Lynn and the Reynolds School of Journalism at UNR for this partnership, which has been profoundly helpful and I hope to continue for future seasons of the show!
Mon, October 31, 2022
Spoken Views Poetry Collective’s Spooky Slam (Full Event)
This episode was recorded live at Black Rabbit Mead on Wednesday October 26. There were so many great performances during Spoken Views Poetry Collective's spooky themed poetry slam that we decided to post a recording of the entire slam here for you. If you enjoyed the highlights from our October 28 episode (which also featured a great interview with Iain Watson and Elisa Garcia), please have a listen to this recording of all the participating poets from the event that night! This was a free event to attend, but if you'd like to support the work that Renoites and Spoken Views did to bring this event to you here on the podcast, please feel free to donate via Venmo to @Renoites. All Venmo donations mentioning Spoken Views will be split evenly between Renoites and Spoken Views. Thank you to those who attended and thank you for listening!
Sat, October 29, 2022
Renoites LIVE - Spoken Views Poetry Collective and Spooky Slam
This bonus LIVE episode of Renoites was recorded at Black Rabbit Meads as part of the 4th Street Art Project. Each month, we are doing a live taping of the show, and this time we were grateful to partner with Spoken Views Poetry Collective to be a part of their Halloween themed poetry slam. On this episode, Conor spoke with Spoken Views founder Iain Watson and the host of this event, Elisa Garcia, about Reno's poetry scene, how Spoken Views got started, the importance of open mic nights, spoken vs written poetry, the competitive nature of poetry slams, poetry as a way to help process feelings, and much more! This episode also contains highlights from the poetry slam itself including poems from the winner of the event, Pan Pantoja, and some of our other favorites of the evening. Thank you so much for listening! Please send guest suggestions and feedback to conor@renoites.com Renoites is a LISTENER-FUNDED program. Please consider supporting the podcast on Patreon for as little as $3/month. http://www.patreon.com/renoites This season of Renoites is produced by Conor McQuivey and Lynn Lazaro
Tue, October 25, 2022
Jakki Durón on Abortion Rights and the Wild West Access Fund
Abortion rights and abortion access have been issues at the forefront of the political world for decades, and especially so this year with the overturning of Roe v. Wade. One of the ways that abortion rights advocates work to maintain access is to help fund abortion services for people in need of assistance. These abortion funds have appeared and grown all over the country. This week on Renoites we're joined by Jakki Durón, the current Vice President of the Wild West Access Fund, a Nevada abortion fund that has grown from a small mutual aid group into a non-profit that has distributed over $100,000. Conor and Jakki discuss the Wild West Action Fund and abortion funds in general, the history of abortion stigmatization, financial restrictions like the Hyde Amendment, the intersection of abortion rights advocacy and liberation movements, modern and inclusive language around gender identity, and much more! It was a very informative conversation and one that is very important for this moment. Thanks for listening. This season of Renoites is produced by Conor McQuivey and Lynn Lazaro Send guest suggestions to conor@renoites.com Follow me on Instagram @Renoites and join the Patreon at http://www.patreon.com/renoites
Sat, October 22, 2022
BONUS - Nevada SOS Candidate Cisco Aguilar
October 22 is the first day of early voting here in Nevada, and today we have a special BONUS episode of Renoites with one of the candidates for Secretary of State, Cisco Aguilar. On this episode, Conor and Cisco talk about the major responsibilities of the office of Secretary of State, the role the office plays in regulating our elections (which are run by each county), the differing campaign strategies of turnout and persuasion, the politicization of non-partisan offices, the open primary and ranked choice ballot initiative, and more! Thanks for listening and please make a plan to vote! If you have feedback or guest suggestions, email conor@renoites.com Please consider supporting this project financially: http://www.patreon.com/renoites
Tue, October 18, 2022
Kristoffer Polaha on Working in Film and Television
This week on Renoites, we are joined by Kristoffer Polaha, an actor originally from Reno who has appeared in recurring roles on many TV shows including Mad Men, Castle, Get Shorty, Backstrom, as well as starring in a number of movies for the Hallmark channel and appearing in major films like Wonder Woman 1984. We talked about growing up in Reno and moving away and into a career in film, the differences between working in film and television, how religious faith informs the way we approach our work, the writing process for his new series of books, and the upcoming event this weekend in Reno for the Down Syndrome Network of Northern Nevada. Follow Kris on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/polahaha Check out his new book "Where the Sun Rises" on Amazon Learn more about the event for Down syndrome Network of Northern Nevada at this link: https://www.dsnnn.org/general-8-1 Next week, Renoites will be doing a LIVE EPISODE RECORDING in partnership with Black Rabbit Mead and Spoken Views Poetry Collective. That's Wednesday, October 26. The Renoites interview portion will start at 7:00 followed by the spooky themed poetry slam competition at 7:30. It is a free event, please join us! Details can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/450182300541261 Have suggestions for guests or topics? Email Conor at conor@renoites.com This season of Renoites is produced by Conor McQuivey and Lynn Lazaro. Thanks for listening!
Tue, October 11, 2022
Nettie Oliverio on the Reno Public Market
Renoites host Conor grew up here in Reno, and has a lot of memories of the Shoppers Square Mall (and it’s gradual decline), as well as of the vacant lot where Park Lane Mall once stood. But things have changed in recent years and the southern end of Midtown is seeing a lot of new development, first with the Reno Experience District on the Park Lane site, and coming soon, the Reno Public Market in the former Shopper’s Square building. The Market will be a food hall, artist creation and performance space, and local retail market for independent makers, among other things. Today’s guest on the show is Nettie Oliverio, one of the people behind that project, with a focus on the arts and culture elements. Nettie previously served on Reno’s arts and culture commission, and is the outgoing president of the board of the Pioneer Theater. On this episode, Conor and Nettie talk about the development of the Reno Public Market, the importance of arts and culture in retail spaces, the goal of creating spontaneous or surprising connections, the growth of local theater in Northern Nevada, and much more! Learn more about Reno Public Market and keep up to date about their opening on their Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/renopublicmarket/ Renoites is a listener-funded project! Please feel free to Venmo a tip to @Renoites or sign up as a recurring donor at http://www.patreon.com/renoites Send you guest suggestions and feedback to Conor at conor@renoites.com This episode was produced by Conor McQuivey and Lynn Lazaro (I'm sorry I forgot to say so on the actual episode recording! Lynn did a lot of work on this one!)
Tue, October 04, 2022
Calen Evans on the Washoe Education Association and WCSD Schools
It’s no secret that schools in Northern Nevada are facing a lot of challenges. Washoe County is one of the most underfunded school districts in the country in terms of per-pupil spending, teachers are leaving the profession for more lucrative jobs, resulting in major staff shortages, and funding strategies like cannabis taxes have not been the cure-all some have hoped. Joining Conor on the podcast today to talk about the issues facing our Northern Nevada schools is Calen Evans, founder of the grassroots teacher advocacy group Empower Nevada Teachers, and elected this year as President of the Washoe Education Association, the union representing Washoe County educators. We had a great conversation about what has caused these issues over the years and decades, how to affect political change when politicians don’t follow through on their promises to support schools, the reason cannabis taxes often don’t actually go to schools, and much more. Thank you for listening and doing your part to advocate for quality education in Nevada. Also be sure to check out Vibrant Voices on Instagram, it's our co-producer Lynn Lazaro's student-run newsroom at UNR and also features local podcasts and stories. Click here and give them a follow! If you have any feedback or guest suggestions, email Conor at conor@renoites.com And be sure to check out http://www.patreon.com/renoites to help us make Renoites a financially sustainable project (and maybe get yourself some perks like merch or shout-outs on the show!)
Tue, September 27, 2022
Rosie Zuckerman on The Radical Cat and Activism in Reno
What does it mean to be radical? Is it being an activist? Is it being a space for banned books, feminism, anti-racism and LGBT empowerment? This week, Co-Producer Lynn Lazaro met with Rosie Zuckerman, one of the owners of The Radical Cat . They talk about the store’s book selection, cat lounge, and how it functions as a community space. Rosie also tells us what the word “radical” means to her, and how they are involved with the activist community in Reno. If you enjoy this episode, please consider sending a tip to @Renoites on Venmo or check out http://www.patreon.com/renoites If you have guest or episode topic suggestions, or just want to get in touch, email me at conor@renoites.com
Tue, September 20, 2022
Ed Adkins on Crawl Reno and Themed Bar Crawls
When you think of busy nights out at local bars, there are a few obvious events. New Years Eve? Saint Patrick's Day? But here in Reno we have some additional nights throughout the year where everyone gets dressed up and all the bars are busy and full of energy. Themed bar crawls organized by Crawl Reno create the "epic night out" throughout the year. This week on Renoites, we welcome Ed Adkins, the creator of Crawl Reno. Ed and Conor talk about the appeal of themed bar crawl events, the first iterations of the crawls, building relationships with local bars, what makes Reno such an ideal city for bar crawls, watching out for scam crawls that just sell tickets online but have no connection to the community, and much more! The next major crawls are the Zombie Crawl in October and the Santa Crawl in December. See the full schedule and get information at http://www.crawlreno.com Thanks Ed for coming on the show and it was great to get to chat with you! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider sending a tip to @Renoites on Venmo or check out http://www.patreon.com/renoites If you have guest or episode topic suggestions, or just want to get in touch, email me at conor@renoites.com
Tue, September 13, 2022
Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell on Racial Issues in Medicine
Shortly after starting this podcast, in the middle of the COVID pandemic, I met my friend Elizabeth for coffee because she had some great suggestions for Renoites guests. The first person she told me about was Dr Bayo Curry-Winchell, Medical Director for St. Mary's Urgent Care and Carbon Health. She told me that Dr. BCW (as she is often called) would be the perfect guest to discuss not only the pandemic but other hugely important issues of public health. I am so glad to finally have Dr. BCW join me on the podcast. In this episode, we spoke about some of the challenges people of color face in receiving proper treatment from our medical systems, and the ways we can make things better. Some of the topics include disparate diagnoses and treatment protocols based on race, distrust of the medical system and government, communication styles and credibility, developing trusted sources for medical information, and much much more. This was an excellent conversation and I'm grateful to have had Dr. BCW on the show. If you enjoy this episode, please consider sending a tip to @Renoites on Venmo or check out http://www.patreon.com/renoites If you have guest or episode topic suggestions, or just want to get in touch, email me at conor@renoites.com
Tue, September 06, 2022
Briana Dolan on the Reno Tahoe International Art Show
This weekend (September 8-11) marks the first year of a brand new annual art event in Reno, and the first of its kind on the west coast. The Reno Tahoe International Art Show will take place from September 8-11 at the Reno Sparks Convention Center, plus feature additional events at the Nevada Museum of Art and Cargo Concert Hall at Whitney Peak. This art fair will feature works from virtually every arts organization in Reno, 80+ live music acts, a short film program in collaboration with the Cordillera International Film Festival, major sculptures direct from Burning Man and around the world, an awards ceremony to honor some of the most accomplished artists in the region, and much more. This week on the podcast, RTIA co-founder Briana Dolan joins Conor to discuss what went into creating the event, Reno as an under the radar arts city (Reno.... who knew?), the experience of collaborating with the various arts organizations, why music is an important element of the show, the importance of creating memorable spaces and experiences for visitors, and much more! You can learn more and buy tickets at http://www.rtiashow.com Thank you so much for listening! Renoites is a self-funded and LISTENER-funded podcast. If you enjoy the show, please consider signing up to become a supporting patron for as little as $3/month. I call that the "tip jar" level because it's basically like putting a couple dollars in the tip jar for me each month. I hope you'll do that as a way to say thanks for the work we do bringing this program to you each week! You can learn more at http://www.patreon.com/renoites If you have guest suggestions, feedback, or episode ideas, feel free to send me an email at conor@renoites.com and/or follow me on Instagram @Renoites.
Tue, August 30, 2022
Mike Pilcher on Organized Labor and Reno LaborFest
Welcome to season 4 of Renoites! This week on the first episode of the new season, we welcome Mike Pilcher, President of the Northern Nevada Central Labor Council. Labor Day is coming up soon and Reno is holding a LaborFest event at Idlewild Park on September 5 (which of course is Labor Day) from 11-4. In this episode, Mike and Conor discuss the goals and purpose of organized labor, what the central labor council does, the challenge of educating both workers and employers, the changing trends in unionization efforts over the years, the impact of the covid pandemic on worker power, and much much more! For more information about LaborFest, visit https://www.renolaborfest.com Thank you for listening! Renoites is an entirely self-funded and listener-funded project. Please considering helping to support the show financially for as little as a dollar an episode on Patreon! There are also levels with perks like Renoites merch, shout-outs on the show, and more. Visit http://www.patreon.com/renoites to learn more please!
Sun, August 28, 2022
Reno City Council Ward 5 Finalist: Kathleen Taylor
The Reno City Council has a vacancy in ward 5 following the resignation of Council Member Neoma Jardon. Ward 5 encompasses much of Downtown Reno, UNR, and stretches far into the west and northwest of the city. The current city council will be appointing a new city council person from ward 5, and has narrowed the field of applicants to a final three. I strongly encourage you to listen to all three episodes as soon as possible, share them with your friends, and let the city council know which of these candidates you would like you represent you for (at least) the next 2 years. There is a public comment form you can complete here You can email your thoughts to publiccomment@reno.gov You can leave a voicemail at (775) 393-4499 The timeline for this process is FAST. It will work as follows: Tuesday 8/30 - Q&A Meet and Greet (Virtual and In-Person) at City Hall Wednesday 8/31 - In Person Meet and Greet at Fire Station 11 on Mae Anne Wednesday 9/7 - The City Council will hold a special meeting and make a selection of which finalist will serve on the city council representing ward 5 Please use the link below for additional details, zoom links, etc https://www.reno.gov/Home/Components/News/News/20160/576 Thank you for listening to these episodes. Did this help you? Is it valuable to the community? Do you want to help support the show? Please consider sending a one-time "tip" or joining to become a monthly donor at http://www.patreon.com/renoites
Sun, August 28, 2022
Reno City Council Ward 5 Finalist: Alex Goff
The Reno City Council has a vacancy in ward 5 following the resignation of Council Member Neoma Jardon. Ward 5 encompasses much of Downtown Reno, UNR, and stretches far into the west and northwest of the city. The current city council will be appointing a new city council person from ward 5, and has narrowed the field of applicants to a final three. I strongly encourage you to listen to all three episodes as soon as possible, share them with your friends, and let the city council know which of these candidates you would like you represent you for (at least) the next 2 years. There is a public comment form you can complete here You can email your thoughts to publiccomment@reno.gov You can leave a voicemail at (775) 393-4499 The timeline for this process is FAST. It will work as follows: Tuesday 8/30 - Q&A Meet and Greet (Virtual and In-Person) at City Hall Wednesday 8/31 - In Person Meet and Greet at Fire Station 11 on Mae Anne Wednesday 9/7 - The City Council will hold a special meeting and make a selection of which finalist will serve on the city council representing ward 5 Please use the link below for additional details, zoom links, etc https://www.reno.gov/Home/Components/News/News/20160/576 Thank you for listening to these episodes. Did this help you? Is it valuable to the community? Do you want to help support the show? Please consider sending a one-time "tip" or joining to become a monthly donor at http://www.patreon.com/renoites
Sun, August 28, 2022
Reno City Council Ward 5 Finalist: Elliot Malin
The Reno City Council has a vacancy in ward 5 following the resignation of Council Member Neoma Jardon. Ward 5 encompasses much of Downtown Reno, UNR, and stretches far into the west and northwest of the city. The current city council will be appointing a new city council person from ward 5, and has narrowed the field of applicants to a final three. I strongly encourage you to listen to all three episodes as soon as possible, share them with your friends, and let the city council know which of these candidates you would like you represent you for (at least) the next 2 years. There is a public comment form you can complete here You can email your thoughts to publiccomment@reno.gov You can leave a voicemail at (775) 393-4499 The timeline for this process is FAST. It will work as follows: Tuesday 8/30 - Q&A Meet and Greet (Virtual and In-Person) at City Hall Wednesday 8/31 - In Person Meet and Greet at Fire Station 11 on Mae Anne Wednesday 9/7 - The City Council will hold a special meeting and make a selection of which finalist will serve on the city council representing ward 5 Please use the link below for additional details, zoom links, etc https://www.reno.gov/Home/Components/News/News/20160/576 Thank you for listening to these episodes. Did this help you? Is it valuable to the community? Do you want to help support the show? Please consider sending a one-time "tip" or joining to become a monthly donor at http://www.patreon.com/renoites
Fri, August 26, 2022
Renoites LIVE - Monique Baron and Sven and Tammi Waldhoer on Burning Man Fashion
Recorded live at Black Rabbit Mead Company in Downtown Reno, this bonus episode is the third of a series in collaboration with the 4th Street Art Project. The fourth Wednesday of each month, several venues on East 4th Street will feature art related events, including live tapings of Renoites at Black Rabbit Mead. Please come join us for the next one on September 28th! On this week's episode, recorded live August 24, Conor welcomes several leaders from the Burning Man fashion community to discuss the fashion and style of Burning Man. What makes it different than other festival styles, how do designers consider the materials they'll use, has Reno's style changed based on what looks are popular on the playa, or does Reno itself have an influence on what we consider Burning Man fashion? We discussed all this and much more with out guests Monique Baron, co-owner of the Melting Pot World Emporium, a central player in providing looks for Burning Man attendees (for many years it was the only place in Reno to buy a Burning Man ticket), as well as Sven and Tammi Waldhoer. Sven and Tammi's brands, Anahata/Infinity Now feature looks intended to work in the desert as well as the rest of the year and constructed to counter the idea of fast fashion. You can visit the Melting Pot's website at https://meltingpotworldemporium.com and Anahata/Infinity Now at https://www.anahatadesigns.ca Thank you for listening and for your support. Renoites is an entirely self-funded and LISTENER-funded project. If you enjoy this episode, please consider joining as an ongoing financial supporter at https://www.patreon.com/renoites You can also leave an easy one-time tip directly from this link if you feel so inclined: https://linktr.ee/renoites
Wed, August 24, 2022
BONUS - Live from Northern Nevada Pride Mini Episode 5/5
I hope you've enjoyed these shorter episodes with mini interviews! This is the final of the 5 bonus episodes recorded at Northern Nevada Pride on 7/23/22 in Reno, Nevada. At the festival, I set up a mobile recording studio with big comfy chairs and invited friends, former guests, folks from various nonprofits, and even a couple passersby to sit down and record quick interviews to share what they do and the things that matter to them. Each of these five bonus episodes contained a handful of mini interviews. I'm very grateful to everyone who took some time to sit down and chat at the festival and am excited to share these conversations with you. Bonus Episode 5 features: Aaron Sims is a candidate for State Senate District 16, a uniquely shaped district which covers Carson City and much of the areas surrounding Reno and Sparks. Aaron explained why he's running for office and how listeners can get involved or learn more about the campaign. Wesley McQuillen is from Alter Strategies, a marketing firm focused on clients in age restricted industries. His clients include dispensaries, alcohol and tobacco brands, and other businesses that have special challenges to their ability to advertise. We talked about the power of organic marketing on social media, including creating Instagram filters as a marketing tool. Neat stuff! Shauna Gains is a member of the Rotary Club of Midtown and explained just what Rotary does as a service organization, the "4-way test" as a guide to our relationships and communication (see below) and much more! Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned? Claudia Cruz is in charge of the internship program for the Reynolds School of Journalism at UNR. We talked about the unique challenges of journalism as a field that is often based on real-life experience in addition to classroom study, as well as the new skills that journalists will need in the post-covid world of remote work. Alysia Dynamik runs educational programming at The Generator, the community art space which recently re-opened their doors in a new location in the Oddie District in Sparks. Alysia talked about the summer maker camps for kids this year and the hopes for additional educational programming in the future. Thank you so much for listening! This is the last of the 5 bonus episodes from Northern Nevada Pride. I hope you've enjoyed this change of pace and different format during the between-season period this summer. Regular episodes return on August 30! Let me know what you think at conor@renoites.com
Mon, August 22, 2022
BONUS - Live from Northern Nevada Pride Mini Episode 4/5
As regular listeners know, the format of the Renoites podcast is generally long form interviews lasting about an hour. I really like this format because it lets me get into more substantive discussions and learn a lot. This episode is a little different, and is the fourth of 5 bonus episodes recorded at Northern Nevada Pride on 7/23/22 in Reno, Nevada. At the festival, I set up a mobile recording studio with big comfy chairs and invited friends, former guests, folks from various nonprofits, and even a couple passersby to sit down and record quick interviews to share what they do and the things that matter to them. Each of these five bonus episodes will contain a handful of mini interviews. I'm very grateful to everyone who took some time to sit down and chat at the festival and am excited to share these conversations with you. Bonus Episode 4 features: Kyril Plaskon is the President of the Truckee Meadows Bicycle Alliance and a former guest on Renoites (check out his full episode from last year here ). Ky stopped by to talk about the massive changes to our multi-modal infrastructure downtown as Reno has embarked on a pilot project to explore new bike lanes and more. TMBA is also excited about upcoming events including bringing national and international multi-modal infrastructure experts to the Reno area in the coming months. Eric Hare from the Life Change Center talked about the recovery services provided by that organization, and specifically about the importance of narcan in saving lives. Narcan can be administered to people suffering an overdose to block the opioid receptors in the brain long enough to obtain additional medical attention. Rosie Gully is an organizer for NARAL, a national pro-choice organization dedicated to women's rights and abortion access. Rosie talked about what NARAL does to help endorse candidates who will defend those rights and hold them accountable during the legislative session. Damien Maze is from Reno Satanic, a local satanic group, and stopped by to explain what satanism is all about (it's not demons and spooky things). Satanists believe in freedom from arbitrary authority, and being ourselves openly. Chris Davin was visiting from Henderson Nevada and talked about the efforts of Henderson Equality to create the Henderson Pride Fest in the second-biggest city in Nevada. It was great to make some connections with people from other part of the state! Thank you so much for listening! This is the fourth of 5 bonus episodes. I hope you enjoy this change of pace and different format. Regular episodes return on August 30! Let me know what you think at conor@renoites.com
Tue, August 09, 2022
BONUS - Live from Northern Nevada Pride Mini Episode 3/5
As regular listeners know, the format of the Renoites podcast is generally long form interviews lasting about an hour. I really like this format because it lets me get into more substantive discussions and learn a lot. This episode is a little different, and is the third of 5 bonus episodes recorded at Northern Nevada Pride on 7/23/22 in Reno, Nevada. At the festival, I set up a mobile recording studio with big comfy chairs and invited friends, former guests, folks from various nonprofits, and even a couple passersby to sit down and record quick interviews to share what they do and the things that matter to them. Each of these five bonus episodes will contain a handful of mini interviews. I'm very grateful to everyone who took some time to sit down and chat at the festival and am excited to share these conversations with you. Bonus Episode 3 features: Jaci Goodman is the publisher of Edible Reno-Tahoe , a bi-monthly magazine all about food and drink in Northern Nevada and the surrounding area. Jaci talked about the story of how she came to live in Reno and run the magazine with her partner, the similarities she found between Reno and her original home state of Texas, and the excitement of having a Pride Festival this year that wasn't plagued by wildfire smoke! Niki Rubarth and Denise Hund from the Alzheimer's Association were previously on the podcast ( you can hear their full episode here ) and stopped by the booth to catch up and remind us about the Walk to End Alzheimers, happening this year on October 8. Find out more and sign up at this link: https://act.alz.org/site/TR/Walk2022/CA-NorthernCaliforniaandNorthernNevada?pg=entry&fr_id=15428 Holly Welborn is another former guest of the show (and a great family friend) who stopped by to catch up. Holly was previously Policy Director of the ACLU of Nevada, and you can hear her episode of Renoites about her work in that role and incarceration issues in Nevada by clicking here . Now, she's working with the special public defender's office in an important new role that lets her see the policy efforts of the ACLU in action. Jessica Adams is the creator of the Instagram account @blcbitesandbevs and a passionate advocate for Reno's food and drink scene and local small businesses. This year, she partnered with Yelp Reno for a Pride fundraiser that included businesses all over town donating a portion of proceeds from special items to OUR Center LGBTQ+ community center. Henry Sotelo is a candidate in the upcoming election for a seat on Reno's Municipal Court. In this mini interview, Henry explains the responsibilities of seat 4 on the municipal court (it's the court for m
Wed, August 03, 2022
BONUS - Live from Northern Nevada Pride Mini Episode 2/5
As regular listeners know, the format of the Renoites podcast is generally long form interviews lasting about an hour. I really like this format because it lets me get into more substantive discussions and learn a lot. This episode is a little different, and is the second of 5 bonus episodes recorded at Northern Nevada Pride on 7/23/22 in Reno, Nevada. At the festival, I set up a mobile recording studio with big comfy chairs and invited friends, former guests, folks from various nonprofits, and even a couple passersby to sit down and record quick interviews to share what they do and the things that matter to them. Each of these five bonus episodes will contain a handful of mini interviews. I'm very grateful to everyone who took some time to sit down and chat at the festival and am excited to share these conversations with you. Bonus Episode 2 features: Rabbi Benjamin Zober from Temple Sinai, the largest Jewish congregation in Northern Nevada, to talk about religious inclusion and building a better world, and his hopes for more affirming religious groups to have a presence at Pride in the future. Daniel Rothberg from The Nevada Independent about his reporting on environmental issues like water availability and how it interacts with Reno's rapid growth. Daniel is also starting work on writing a book about this topic, so look for it in a bookstore near you (eventually). Jackie Shelton stopped by to talk about the Cordillera Film Festival which just took place this last weekend in Reno and featured a huge selection of films from around the world including many that hope to qualify for Oscar contention, as well as her work with Northern Nevada Marches Forward, an expansion of the annual Women's March to provide learning and activism opportunities throughout year. Christina Phillips, a brand new employee with Planned Parenthood talked about the challenges women face in finding reproductive health care, the work Planned Parenthood does to provide not just abortions but routine examinations and screenings, and the gratitude we have to live in a state like Nevada that protects abortion rights. Mercedes Krause is running for the US House of Representative in Congressional District 2 which covers almost the entire northern half of the state. She talked about the reasons she is running for office, the intersecting needs of the indigenous communities and rural communities in Nevada, and much more! Willie Puchert is the President of the Sons and Daughters of Erin, Northern Nevada's local Irish heritage club. The organization attends community events, recently restored 18th century graves of Irish settlers in Virginia City, hosts an annual St. Patrick's Day dinner and more. Thank you so much for listening! This is the second of 5 bonus episodes. I hope you enjoy this change of pace and different format. Let me know what you think at conor@renoites.com</a
Sat, July 30, 2022
Renoites LIVE - Cosmic Hearts on Sound Healing and Sound Baths
Recorded live at Black Rabbit Mead Company in Downtown Reno, this bonus episode is the second of a series in collaboration with the 4th Street Art Project. The last Wednesday of each month, several venues on East 4th Street will feature art related events, including live tapings of Renoites at Black Rabbit Mead. Please come join us for the next one! On this week's episode, recorded live July 27, Conor welcomes the sound healing collective Cosmic Hearts. The collective hosts group sound healing events called sound baths, as well as working individually in the world of holistic wellness. Cheryl Bowers does body work, massage, and Acutonics sound healing. Jonny Cosmic is creator the Chakra Village art installation featured at festivals around the country and a 20-year didgeridoo player. And Chaz Allen performs energy healing and operates Healing One, a facility which provides various wellness services including sensory deprivation float tanks. Conor and the members of Cosmic Hearts talk about their various wellness practices and experiences, what a sound bath is and how it works, the difference between music of entertainment and music for healing, the Wim Hoff method of extreme exposure to cold, how breath work overlaps with playing instruments like the didgeridoo, sensory deprivation and meditation, energy healing, and more! This episode also features a live musical performance of what to expect at a Cosmic Hearts sound bath and an audience Q&A. Cosmic Hearts' next event is Sunday, July 31. Cosmic Brunch will be held at Cypress in Midtown Reno and tickets are available for a sliding scale fee on Eventbrite at this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cosmic-brunch-yoga-sound-bath-tickets-367162692497 Thank you so much for listening, and please come to the next Renoites live recording at the end of August! Renoites will also be returning with another full season of regular episodes beginning August 30. If you'd like to help support the mission to make Renoites a financially sustainable project, please consider joining the ranks of Renoites patrons. There are tiers from as low as $3 and perks like stickers, t-shirts, and shout-outs on the show too! Check it out at http://www.patreon.com/renoites
Wed, July 27, 2022
BONUS - Live from Northern Nevada Pride Mini Episode 1/5
As regular listeners know, the format of the Renoites podcast is generally long form interviews lasting about an hour. I really like this format because it lets me get into more substantive discussions and learn a lot. This episode is a little different, and is the first of 5 bonus episodes recorded at Northern Nevada Pride on 7/23/22 in Reno, Nevada. At the festival, I set up a mobile recording studio with big comfy chairs and invited friends, former guests, folks from various nonprofits, and even a couple passersby to sit down and record quick interviews to share what they do and the things that matter to them. Each of these five bonus episodes will contain a handful of mini interviews. I'm very grateful to everyone who took some time to sit down and chat at the festival and am excited to share these conversations with you. Bonus Episode 1 features: Wendy Colborne from the Northern Nevada Central Labor Council. The first episode of next season will be all about labor organization and the upcoming Labor Fest at Idlewild Park on Labor Day. Rebecca Goff from the Nevada Humane Society discussing causes of the increase in surrendered pets at the Humane Society's no-kill shelter, and how you can adopt a pet. Richard Boersig from the Crisis Support Services of Nevada about the brand new 988 number for mental health crises and how new resources will allow the organization to help more people and prevent more suicide and self-harm. Sam Olson from The Olson Group at RE/MAX Gold in Midtown. The Olson Group was the only real estate sponsor of Northern Nevada Pride and Sam talks about his office's commitment to diversity and inclusion. Thank you so much for listening! This is the first of 5 bonus episodes. I hope you enjoy this change of pace and different format. Let me know what you think at conor@renoites.com
Wed, July 13, 2022
Renoites LIVE - Nick Rogers on Bass Camp Fest and Electronic Music
Live from Black Rabbit Mead Company in Downtown Reno, this bonus episode is the first of a series in collaboration with the 4th Street Art Project. On this week's episode, recorded live June 29, Conor welcomes Nick Rogers, the co-founder of the Bass Camp Music Festival, an electronic music festival held at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Lake Tahoe. Along with Bass Camp, the weekend also features a bluegrass festival and a reggae festival. Conor and Nick discuss the music festival business, the challenges that come with working in a fun industry like music and nightlife, the musical influence of Burning Man on the Reno area, how Reno's growth has been reflected in our electronic music scene. We also take some audience questions! Thank you so much for listening! You can find out more about Bass Camp and buy tickets at https://basscampfest.com and come to the next Renoites live recording on Wednesday July 27! If you'd like to help support the mission to make Renoites a financially sustainable project, please consider joining the ranks of Renoites patrons. There are tiers from as low as $3 and perks like stickers, t-shirts, and shout-outs on the show too! Check it out at http://www.patreon.com/renoites
Wed, July 06, 2022
Fire Chief Ryan Sommers on Wildfire Season
It is July and the West Coast Fire Season is nigh. Everyone in the Reno area is well aware of the worsening fires in the Sierras and the effects they have on the region. Destroyed and endangered homes, loss of precious forests, and smoke that severely impacts our daily lives and health across the region. Fire Chief Ryan Sommers of the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District joined the podcast this week to talk about fire season and the work he and other firefighters do to prepare and respond, the challenges they face, how the various departments work together, communicating with the public in emergencies, how people can help when a fire breaks out, and much more. Thank you so much for listening! I'll be back with new episodes in September and would love to know who you'd like to hear as a guest on the show. Send me an email at conor@renoites.com to get in touch. If you enjoy this podcast, I'd love for you to sign up at the "Tip Jar" level on my Patreon. It's a great way to automatically send about a buck an episode to personally encourage me onwards. It's very easy to sign up . I'm grateful for every cent. Next week, I have a BONUS episode, recorded live at Black Rabbit Meads recently with my guest Nick Rogers, co-founder of Bass Camp Music Festival . This is the first in a series of live episode tapings in collaboration with the 4th Street Art Project. Follow me on Instagram to see when we record next! https://www.instagram.com/renoites/
Tue, June 28, 2022
Emily Skyle-Golden on Film Festivals and Film in Nevada
In recent years, Reno has been making efforts to brand itself as an arts city. We are close to Burning Man, we've seen an explosion of public art and murals, a growing music and theater scene, but what about film? Emily Skyle-Golden is the co-founder and executive director of the Cordillera International Film Festival and is working to bring both film events like Cordillera to the Biggest Little City, as well as actual film studios and production to do their work in the region. On this episode of Renoites, Conor and Emily discuss film festivals and how they work. What's a grand jury and special jury? How are films selected to be screened during the festival? How does the Cordillera Film Festival also work as a marketing tool to bring film production to the area. What economic impact does film bring to areas that provide tax incentives? What's so special about film as an art form? Conor and Emily discuss all this and much more! Thank you so much for listening! You can learn more about Cordillera and buy tickets at http://www.ciff.org and be sure to send Conor any feedback or guest suggestions at conor@renoites.com If you enjoyed this episode, please consider signing up on Patreon to support the podcast financially. The "tip jar" tier is only $3 a month and a great way to say "keep up the good work" on an automatic monthly basis. Thanks as always for your support!
Tue, June 21, 2022
Tabitha Mueller on Reno’s Affordable Housing Crisis
One of the most important challenges cities face right now is the growing cost of housing. The cost of a home is at record highs in the Reno area, apartment rents continue to increase well beyond the point of affordability for many working people, and barriers to building new residential units lead to a constrained supply that continues to put upward pressure on prices. This week on Renoites, Conor welcomes Tabitha Mueller, housing reporter for The Nevada Independent . Tabitha and Conor discuss the affordable housing crisis in the Reno area, including the root causes of increasing home prices and rents, proposals like rent control to control costs and ADUs to increase residential inventory, the "hot potato" back-and-forth between the city and state government about who is responsible for addressing the issues, and so much more! Thank you so much for listening! If you've been affected by the housing crisis and want to share your story with Tabitha, she can be reached by email at tabitha@thenvindy.com Thank you for listening! If you have feedback or guest suggestions please email me at conor@renoites.com If you'd like to support the show financially, please sign up to be a patron! By signing up at http://www.patreon.com/renoites you can contribute as various levels to support the show. I hope you'll consider signing up even at the $3/month level. I call that one The Tip Jar- at about a dollar an episode it's a great way to say "thanks for taking the time and doing the work to make this podcast" Support from listeners means the world to me. Thank you!
Wed, June 15, 2022
Iris Jehle-Peppard on the Truckee River
The Truckee River is the lifeblood of the Reno/Sparks Area. It provides 85% of our drinking water, is a vital recreational feature throughout the city and our parks, and it takes a lot of work and energy to keep clean and usable for today and for future generations. Thankfully, there is an organization that is working to bring all the important parties together and make sure we are doing what's needed for the Truckee. One Truckee River (OTR) is a collaboration of public and private partners focused on the implementation of the OTR Management Plan, Phase I. Most of the Truckee River and corridor is managed and regulated by federal, state, and local agencies. OTR seeks to coordinate existing agency’s efforts and documents and operates under the 501 (c) 3 nonprofit, Truckee River Foundation. This week's guest on Renoites is Iris Jehle-Peppard, the executive director of One Truckee River. Iris and Conor discuss the importance of the Truckee River to the Reno/Sparks area, and some of the initiatives that have been put in place to protect it. Topics include installation of new restrooms, vegetation management efforts, balancing the needs of various users of the river, coordinating between various public agencies with different priorities, clean-up and litter management, preventing accidental pollution by area residents from their yards, and much much more! You can learn more about One Truckee River at their website, https://www.onetruckeeriver.org Thank you so much for listening to this episode. If you have guest suggestions or feedback, please send Conor an email at conor@renoites.com
Tue, June 07, 2022
Kate Cotter on Psychedelics and the Sierra Psychedelic Society
Psychedelic compounds have had a fascinating history in the United States (and worldwide). From the 1960's and the hippie era with common recreational use, while also being studied in legitimate clinical trials, through the decades of the drug war and propaganda efforts, all the way to a recent resurgence in medical studies and usage for conditions like anxiety, depression and addiction. Kate Cotter is co-director of the Sierra Psychedelic Society, an organization working on legislative and other educational efforts around psychedelics. On this episode of Renoites, Conor and Kate talk about various psychedelics and how they work, the history of psychedelics and how public perception has changed over the years, the modern medical uses of various psychedelic compounds, legislative efforts like legalization and decriminalization, how some psychedelics actually function in the brain, the growth of "microdosing" in tech culture, and so much more! The Sierra Psychedelic Society meets monthly at The Studio ( https://thestudioreno.com ) in Midtown and offers book clubs, integration circles, speakers and other educational programming. Learn more about the Sierra Psychedelic Society on their website at https://www.sierrapsychedelic.org Thank you for listening! Do you have suggestions for guests or topics? Email me any time at conor@renoites.com
Tue, May 31, 2022
Emily Lee on Growing Up Reno-Tahoe
As Reno continues to grow, is it getting better for families? Emily Lee thinks so. She is the creator and Editor-in-Chief of Growing Up Reno-Tahoe, a new free quarterly magazine geared towards parents and kids in the Reno area. On this week's episode of Renoites, Emily joins Conor to discuss the ways Reno has changed over the years in terms of opportunities for family activities, the importance of print media in the age of constant internet and screens, rediscovering and falling in love with Reno after living elsewhere, breaking out of the suburban bubble to visit downtown and midtown, the benefits of Reno's proximity to amazing nature, and so much more! The summer issue is out now so be sure to check out the website at https://www.growinguprenotahoe.com to find pickup locations (they're all around town). You can also follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/growingup.renotahoe/ Thanks so much for listening! Send topic and guest suggestions any time to conor@renoites.com
Tue, May 24, 2022
Mayor Hillary Schieve
Who better to talk to about the city of Reno than the mayor of Reno? This week's guest on Renoites is Mayor Hillary Schieve. Mayor Schieve joined the city council in 2012, has served as mayor since 2014, and is currently running for re-election to a third term. The top two candidates from the nonpartisan primary in June will go on to the general election in November. On this episode, Conor and Mayor Schieve discuss a wide range of topics related to the operations and priorities of the city and Mayor Schieve's experience as mayor so far. Topics include managing communication with constituents through social media and other formats, affordable housing challenges and strategies, the Nevada CARES campus, mental health initiatives and facilities, executing large projects like the new public safety center and Moana pool, election season and electoral reforms, and so much more! If you enjoyed this episode, please help spread the word about this podcast! It's a completely independent grassroots project intended to provide information from a wide variety of guests to the people of Reno, but those people won't benefit from the podcast if they've never heard of it. Tell your friends! If you have guest or topic suggestions, or any feedback, please email me any time at conor@renoites.com Thanks for listening!
Wed, May 18, 2022
Zach Cage on Craft Beer and the Brewer’s Cabinet
This week's guest on Renoites is Zach Cage, one of the owners of The Brewer's Cabinet, a local craft brewery with a whole family of bars and restaurants here in Reno. Their properties include the Brewer's Cabinet Brewpub and Taproom on California and Arlington, their production facility just off West 4th Street, and the local bars Sierra Tap House, Old Bridge Pub, and Shim's. Zach and Conor talk about the history and growth of the Brewer's Cabinet, the various influences on beer culture both generally as well as specifically in Reno, BC's nonprofit Reno Rebuild Project which provides loans to other small businesses in Reno, the culture of home brewing, ideas for walkable districts centered around breweries, the upcoming Strange Brew Festival, and so much more! Thank you so much for listening! If you have feedback or guest suggestions, please shoot me a message on social media (I'm on Instagram and Facebook) or email me at conor@renoites.com
Tue, May 10, 2022
Ron Kaminkow on Trains and Railroads
One of the most essential elements of our infrastructure in the United States, for moving freight across the country, for getting travelers and commuters to their destinations, and for addressing the challenges of a changes climate is railroads. There are about 140,000 miles of railroad track in the United States, much of it being severely under-utilized for various reasons. On this episode of Renoites, we welcome Ron Kaminkow. Ron is an Amtrak Engineer based in Reno, Nevada who serves as co-chair of the Nevada Rail Coalition , a "citizen-based initiative that brings together organizations, groups and individuals, including unions, environmental organizations, passenger and freight rail advocacy associations, social justice organizations, and neighborhood and community associations for the purpose of building an expanded and more robust rail system" Ron and Conor discuss the history of the rail network in the United States, the reasons for declining freight and passenger rail (and solutions to reverse the trend), the project of building an industrial union in an industry dominated by smaller craft unions under the banner of the Railroad Workers United , the impact of the recently passed Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill on passenger rail, plus local issues like passenger connectivity between Reno and the Bay Area and the legacy of the downtown trench project. Thank you so much for listening! Be sure to follow Renoites on Instagram and Facebook and if you'd like to support the show financially visit patreon.com/renoites to become an official patron. Send any comments, feedback or guest suggestions! My email is conor@renoites.com
Tue, May 03, 2022
Kasey Crispin on Local Farming and Farmer’s Markets
Kasey Crispin is an owner and operator of both Prema Farms , a local hand-scale farm located just outside of Reno, and the Riverside Farmer's Market , a year-round farmers market at the McKinley Arts Center on the Truckee River just outside of Downtown Reno. On this episode of Renoites, the first in Season 3, Conor and Kasey talk about what it was like starting a farm and learning about the challenges of growing in the high desert, starting a family and living in a tiny home on the farm, the health and environmental benefits of local farms compared to Big Agriculture, how to develop healthy soil to become less reliant on artificial fertilizers and pesticides, and much more. We also talk about the Riverside Farmers Market and its central role in creating a consistent "gathering place" for Reno residents and visitors to run into each other and meet their local farmers, artisans and craftspeople. The Riverside Farmers Market has experimented with larger events with more vendors and expanding their footprint to include Riverside Drive, including a local food faire last year and a supersized Mother's Day event this year on Saturday May 7. Visit the Riverside Farmers Market every Saturday Morning (October through May) or Thursday Evening (June through September) at the McKinley Arts Center. Thank you so much for listening to the show! Please take a moment to share this episode with some friends who may enjoy it! Word of mouth is essential for the show to continue growing and finding new listeners, and I can't do it without your help! Reach out any time with feedback or guest suggestions to conor@renoites.com
Tue, March 22, 2022
Connie Wray on Local Radio and TV
Connie Wray has been a fixture of the local media community in Reno for over 20 years. The long time cohost of Bill and Connie in the Morning on Alice 96.5, Connie was always along for our drive time commute in the Reno area, as well as a regular figure at community events of all types, and is now hosting her own projects The Next Stage with Connie Wray, and the new local TV show Love, Reno. On this week's episode of Renoites, Connie joins Conor to talk about her long career in local media. This wide ranging conversation covers Connie's move to Reno in the 1990s to work in radio, the natural connection that grows out of regularly communicating with an audience, the advantages and disadvantages of working live as an event MC, her views on how Reno is growing and changing, her advocacy work with Brain Health Restoration and focus on mental health following a family tragedy, and so much more. You can watch the latest episodes of The Next Stage and Love, Reno on Connie's YouTube channel and follow her on Facebook . Thank you so much for listening!
Tue, March 15, 2022
Jessi Sprocket Janusee on The Generator Art Space
What do many of the most iconic Burning Man sculptures have in common? There's a pretty decent chance that they were constructed right here in the Reno area at The Generator, an arts space in Sparks that has been a hub for local and international artists leading up to Burning Man, as well as arts events and education throughout the year. This week on Renoites, Conor speaks with Jessi Janusee, the communications director of The Generator about their new location in the new "Oddie District," and the various uses of the Generator's space, from youth education to zine making workshops to huge collaborative construction of enormous sculptures destined for the Black Rock Desert. Other topics include Reno's viability as a city for working artists, the value of arts education and hands on learning for young people, the magic of collaboration and skill-sharing, the Generator's own podcast Signal Boost, dressing up like a clown for fun, the upcoming Punk Rock Flea Market, and a whole lot more! The release party for the Generator's latest community-created zine is Thursday, April 17 at The Hub Coffee Roasters on Pine. The Punk Rock Flea Market is April 30 and May 1 at The Generator. Find information about the Generator and all their events at their website https://www.therenogenerator.com Find Jessi's clown troupe on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/royalroustaboutrodeo/ This episode is labeled explicit but there's really just like one or two minor profanities. Thank you so much for listening!
Wed, March 09, 2022
John Trent on Running
The sport of running has experienced several booms in popularity over the decades, from charity 5k fun runs to extremely challenging long distances races through incredibly inhospitable environments. For the most dedicated runners, one of the pinnacles of achievement is the ultra-marathon. Anything over 26.2 miles counts as an ultra, but many of the most popular events are 100 miles long. This week on Renoites, Conor talks with John Trent, race director for Silver State Endurance Runs and longtime member of the local running and walking group Silver State Striders. John has run over 17 of those 100-mile races and countless others in the course of his decades-long running career. In this episode, Conor and John talk all about the sport of running: What draws people to the sport, what it's like to run for 100 miles, whether running is safe, the mental health benefits of running, what happened with that barefoot running trend from a while back, the seeming contradiction of running being a solo sport with a strong community element, how beginners should approach running to avoid injury or burnout, why walking is also a great idea, and so much more! Check out the Silver State Striders website here . They run on Tuesday and Thursday nights and do a long run every Saturday. Thank you so much for listening! If you have suggestions for guests or topics, please let me know! Email me anytime at conor@renoites.com
Tue, March 01, 2022
Niki Rubarth and Denise Hund on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Alzheimer’s Association
Alzheimer's disease affects more than 6 million Americans, with an estimated 44,000 diagnosed cases here in Nevada (and likely many more undiagnosed cases as well). This week on Renoites, Conor welcomes Niki Rubarth and Denise Hund from the Alzheimer's Association of Northern California and Nevada. We talk about the symptoms of Alzheimer's, the difference between Dementia and Alzheimers, risk factors and warning signs, early onset Alzheimer's that can affect younger people, resources and programs for family caregivers of Alzheimer's patients, the importance of support groups, a new breakthrough monoclonal antibody treatment in clinical trials, and so much more. Thank you so much for listening! Please be sure to tell everyone you know about this podcast so that I can continue to bring these conversations to the people of the Reno area. If you have suggestions for guests or topics, please email me at conor@renoites.com I appreciate your support! You can learn more about Alzheimer's symptoms and resources at the following links: http://www.alz.org/nevada http://www.alz.org/Nevada-espanol The Walk to End Alzheimer's takes place in October. You can learn more and register here: https://act.alz.org/site/TR/Walk2022/CA-NorthernCaliforniaandNorthernNevada?pg=entry&fr_id=15428 You can also find the Alzheimer's Association on Facebook and Instagram
Wed, February 23, 2022
Lily Baran on Activism, Advocacy, Anarchism and Mutual Aid
If you have been paying attention to any of the big news stories in Reno for the last few years, you’ve probably heard a lot from the local activist community. From the protests following the police killing of George Floyd in 2020, to the Stop the Sweeps protests and rallies which picked up steam last year, all the way up to the recent community meetings about development and the Jacobs’ Neon Line project, the voices of our local activist community have been a common presence. This week on Renoites, Conor speaks with Lily Baran about the meaning of activism in a city like Reno. Last year, Lily and several other activists were cited for protesting at a park outside city hall (the charges were dropped- it was apparent the protesters were unfairly targeted by police). She also appeared at a recent Propublica forum to discuss affordable housing in Reno, has provided public comment at countless City Council meetings, and is generally a prominent figure in the local activist community. On this episode, Conor and Lily discuss what activism really means, the difference between performative and action-based activism, the role of social media in spreading ideas, accountability and difficult conversations, creating alternative systems of mutual aid and power, what defunding the police should actually look like, building relationships slowly and sustainably, her Hampton House mutual aid garden project, and so much more! Thank you so much for listening! Come to the Renoites Anniversary Party on March 10 at the Brewer's Cabinet Production Facility! Details and RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/renoites-1-year-anniversary-party-tickets-268336059377 Lily’s Recommendations for learning more about the topics we discussed: Instagrams: Dr. Ayesha Khan: https://www.instagram.com/wokescientist/ The Nap Ministry: https://www.instagram.com/thenapministry/ Books: The Body is Not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor https://thebodyisnotanapology.com Abolition. Feminism. Now. by Angela Y. Davis , Gina Dent , Erica R. Meiners , and Beth E. Richie https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/1546-abolition-feminism-now Six by Ten- Stories from Solitary Edited by <a href='https://www.haymarketbooks.org/authors/7
Wed, February 16, 2022
Rachel Story on Feline Rescue and Trap/Neuter/Return
This week on Renoites, it's time to talk all about cats and cat rescue! Our guest this week is Rachel Story, a feline rescue advocate who runs the local cat rescue Feral at Heart and works with the Enchanted Cat Cafe . Rachel's focus is on Trap/Neuter/Return, a strategy that allows anyone to help reduce the feral cat population in their neighborhood by trapping feral cats and having them neutered at a local low-cost clinic, then returning them back to where they were trapped. Conor and Rachel talk about the TNR approach and why it is fundamental to helping reduce the feline population in overcrowded shelters, the difference between how animal control services respond to calls about cats vs dogs, a recent major animal hoarding case in Fallon, the Enchanted Cat Cafe and the recent trend of cat cafes to increase adoption rates, and so much more! You can donate directly to Options Veterinary Care (Please be sure to note Rachel's name in the comment box and the funds will go directly to support her work) at this link: Donate Here (each spay/neuter costs $25) On March 10, Renoites will be celebrating our 1 year anniversary with a party at the Brewer's Cabinet Production Facility from 5:00-7:00pm followed by a special game of DJ Trivia from 7:00-9:00. Please come join listeners and former guests for a great evening of beer, bar games, music, trivia, and fun! RSVP at the link below and your first beer is on us! RSVP for the Renoites Anniversary Party on March 10 Thank you as always for listening and telling your friends about the show!
Tue, February 08, 2022
Judge Christopher Hazlett-Stevens on Reno Community Court
One of the frequent criticisms of the criminal justice system in the United States is that people who violate the law often cycle in and out of the system, and a focus on punishment often doesn't serve to solve the actual problem at hand. Today's guest on the podcast is Judge Christopher Hazlett-Stevens, who presides over the Reno Municipal Court system's Community Court. Community Court is held at the Downtown Reno library instead of the court house, and is geared towards Reno's unhoused population. Certain misdemeanors like open container violations or trespassing are referred to the community court where instead of fines or jail time, offenders typically are referred to services like health care or helped to acquire ID and be put on housing wait lists. Conor and Judge Hazlett-Stevens talk about the origins and purposes of the community court, how the experience is different than typical court proceedings, why the library is a more comfortable space for participants, the difference between serving as a lawyer in the past and now as a judge, being prepared to run a campaign in this election year, the arguments that alternative courts are too soft on crime or that they're still part of an overly punitive justice system, and a whole lot more. You can follow the community court at their Instagram page ( https://www.instagram.com/rmc.communitycourt/ ) to stay up to date with happenings, or go visit and see how it works for yourself. Court is held at the Downtown Reno library every Wednesday morning and you don't need to have been cited with a violation to take advantage of the services offered. This episode was produced by Conor McQuivey and Ciara Cihak. Thank you as always for listening!
Tue, February 01, 2022
Michael Tragash on Yelp Reno and the Importance of Feedback
This week's guest on Renoites is the Community Director for Yelp Reno, Michael Tragash. Through his position with Yelp, Michael helps local businesses connect with their customers through events and sharing their stories and make the most of the customer feedback they receive. Conor and Michael discuss Yelp and how it works, how trust and reliability are essential for business owners and their online reviewers, what the "feedback economy" is and why it matters to business owners more than ever, restaurants as a gateway to the many diverse cultures represented in the Reno area, what the Yelp Elite Squad is and the role they play in the local business community, and much much more! You can download the Yelp app wherever you get apps or visit yelp.com and follow Michael on Instagram at https://instagram.com/yelpreno Renoites isn't listed on Yelp because that would be a pretty weird place to review a podcast, but you can always send feedback directly to me via email! My address is conor@renoites.com Thank you so much for listening!
Tue, January 25, 2022
Jenny Brekhus on City Council, Development, and her run for Mayor of Reno
This week on the podcast, Conor welcomes Reno’s city council member from Ward 1, Jenny Brekhus. Jenny has served on the Reno city council since 2012 and is running for Mayor of Reno this year. Conor and Jenny discuss current issues facing Reno, including the controversial Jacobs Entertainment Neon Line District and accompanying development agreement with the city, the CARES Campus and homelessness, the recent judicial decision forcing the city council to approve a housing development in Verdi, how to best spend federal funds that the city will be receiving in the coming years, and much more! You can learn more about Jenny at her website https://jennybrekhus.com or subscribe to her substack newsletter at https://jennybrekhus.substack.com This episode was produced by Conor McQuivey and Ciara Cihak. Thank you for listening! If you have guest suggestions, ideas for episode topics, feedback, or just want to get in touch, you can email Conor at conor@renoites.com
Tue, January 18, 2022
David Gamble Jr. on Stand-up Comedy
Renoites is back for the new year with more great guests and episodes every Tuesday! This week on the podcast, Conor welcomes local stand up comedian David Gamble Jr. to talk about the world of stand up comedy both nationally and here in the Biggest Little City. David has been performing stand-up in the Reno area for 7 years, including creating and hosting a regular showcase of local and regional comedians at Ferino Distillery in Downtown Reno. On this episode, Conor and David discuss the world of stand-up comedy, the process of translating jokes from conversation with friends into material for the stage, the power of comedy to help us talk about serious issues like race and racism, the changing dynamics of who is allowed to joke about what, what makes stand-up such an enduring form of comedy generation after generation, and so much more. We also talk about David's viral essay from 2020, " Growing up Black in Reno " You can follow David on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dgjcomedy/ To find more comedy shows in Reno, join the Facebook group Reno Stand Up Comedy Thank you for listening!
Tue, October 12, 2021
Emily Treischel on Fat Acceptance and Curve NV Plus-Size Clothing Swap
One of the greatest frustrations for people who are large, chunky, plus-size, fluffy, husky, or (to skip all the euphemisms) just fat is that we live in a society that has labeled fat as a "bad word" and assigned various judgments and criticisms to people who have big bodies. From having diets recommended that they didn't ask for, being assumed to be unhealthy based on nothing more than their appearance, being discriminated against by medical providers, or struggling to find major retailers who carry fashionable clothes that fit, there are many unique struggles for plus-size people. On this week's episode of Renoites, Conor welcomes Emily Treischel, founder of the plus-size clothing swap Curve NV and an advocate for fat acceptance and body positivity. Conor and Emily have an informative and wide ranging conversation about the many aspects of what plus-size people experience in our society, and what we could all be doing to foster a more size-inclusive world. Some of the topics discussed on this episode include the appropriate language to use when discussing our and other's bodies, the gender and racial elements of the body positivity movement, the role of social media in destigmatizing fat bodies, body positive events and communities, navigating the dating world as a fat person, the pluses and minuses of increased representation in mass media, weight loss surgery, and so much more. Thank you to Emily for providing such a great overview and explanation of these important issues. Check out her plus-size clothing exchange community Curve NV on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/curve_nv/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/bigbeautifulbroke/ Thank you for listening!
Tue, October 05, 2021
Donald Griffin and RoMar Tolliver on Black Wall Street Reno
Black Wall Street was the name of a thriving black-owned business district and surrounding residential area in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In 1921, just over 100 years ago, it was destroyed in a racial massacre that left many residents and business owners dead or injured, and their businesses burned to the ground. It is among the worst cases of racial violence ever recorded in the United States. This week on the podcast, we welcome Donald Griffin and RoMar Tolliver. Together, they have founded Black Wall Street Reno, a nonprofit named after the original Tulsa district and guided by a mission to build up the black community in the Reno/Sparks area. Conor, Don, and RoMar talk in this episode about the origins of Black Wall Street Reno, services they provide to the community, developing their organization based on local needs, the different approaches and effectiveness of political and direct aid organizations, sobriety and recovery from addiction, the challenges of raising funds and recruiting volunteers as a new nonprofit, Reno's racial history, spoken word poetry, creating generational wealth for black communities, teaching accurate history in schools, and a whole lot more. Please be sure to check out Black Wall Street Reno at http://www.blackwallstreetreno.org and follow them on social media! Thank you for listening!
Tue, September 28, 2021
Manuel Mederos on the Northern Nevada International Center and Podcasting
This week's guest on Renoites is Manuel Mederos, Language Access Specialist at the Northern Nevada International Center. NNIC provides multiple services with the goal of improved global diplomacy, including exchange programs, refugee resettlement, and Manuel's specialty: translation and interpretation services. Learn more about the Northern Nevada International Center at nnic.org NNIC has also recently launched a monthly podcast called DiploChatz which Manuel co-hosts and can be found on most major podcast platforms or at diplochatz.org Conor and Manuel talk about the importance of interpretation services especially in the medical and legal realms, the difference between translation and interpretation, what makes a good interpreter, multi-lingual information for emergency preparedness, the role of interpreters in refugee resettlement, the goals of the DiploChatz podcast, Manuel's background in radio, the benefits and drawbacks of different podcast formats, and a whole lot more! Thanks for listening!
Tue, September 21, 2021
Mayor Ed Lawson on Sparks
But what about Sparks? The "Reno Area" is of course inclusive of more than just the city of Reno. We also have the city of Sparks immediately adjacent to us as a major part of our shared economy and community, and Sparks shares many of the same concerns Reno does around growth, development, homelessness, and more. This week on the show we welcome the best person to talk about the city of Sparks- Mayor Ed Lawson! Ed and Conor talk about what type of city Sparks is and wants to be, how the city plans to grow vertically in key areas, a lands bill 6 years in the making which may create new capacity for tens of thousands of homes, building a new road to connect Spanish Springs and the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center, addressing homelessness through the use of Sparks Police Department's HOPE team and regional projects like the NV Cares Campus, Ed's role on the Community Homelessness Advisory board (CHAB), the influence (or lack thereof) of partisanship and national issues on local elections, the smells of nature while riding Harley Davidson motorcycles in the Sierras, and a whole lot more. Thank you for listening!
Tue, September 14, 2021
Alex and Broden McClelland on Golden Owl Bookshop and Reading
After reading in school about a double decker bus in London being converted into a mobile book shop, 11-year-old Broden McClelland loved the idea and suggested to his parents that they do something similar here in Reno. The Golden Owl Bookshop was born, and has become a staple at the Riverside and Sparks United Methodist farmers markets, Sprouts Farmers Market in Sparks, and various other locations around town. On this episode of Renoites, Broden and his mom Alex join Conor to talk about the creation of their mobile bookstore, but as often happens on this show, the conversation didn't stop there. Topics on this episode include the mental health and attention span benefits of readings, why we are drawn to particular genres, what goes into curating the selection for a small book store, home schooling during covid, the effects of social media on young people, alternatives to Amazon/Audible/Goodreads for buying and listening to books or tracking our reading lists, and so much more. Huge thanks to Alex and Broden for coming on the show and for bringing a super cool mobile bookshop to Reno! You can find their schedule posted weekly on their website at http://www.goldenowlbookshop.com Thank you for listening!
Wed, September 08, 2021
Pete Copeland on the Great Reno Balloon Race
2021 marks the 40th Anniversary of one of Reno's biggest community events, the Great Reno Balloon Race. It's held at Rancho San Rafael park (September 10-12 this year) and is the largest free ballooning event in the world. This week on the Renoites, Conor is joined by the executive director of the Great Reno Balloon Race, Pete Copeland. Pete and Conor talk about the balloon event industry, how the Reno Balloon Race got started as an opening at for the Air Races, the different challenges of piloting in different parts of the country, advancements in balloon-manufacturing, the history of all the fun weird-shaped balloons, the GRBR pilot incubator program to train new pilots, partnerships with local organizations like The Children's Cabinet, and so much more! You can learn more and prepare for the event at http://www.renoballoon.com Thank you for listening!
Tue, August 31, 2021
Eric Henry Andersen on Local Music
Eric Henry Andersen is one of the most active, hardworking musicians in Reno. You may know him from the popular local band The Novelists, last year's Artown music video "Heartbeat to Heartbeat, Eye to Eye (From Reno with Love)" or from his work as a solo artist playing shows both on tour and here in town. He's also a recent appointee to the Reno Arts and Culture Commission. On this week's episode, Eric and Conor talk about what led Eric to a career as a musician, finding the balance between improving instrument skills and writing new music, working collaboratively with a band vs. working more independently, creating the Heartbeat to Heartbeat music video during a pandemic, monetizing creative work through Patreon or other patron-supported models, Burning Man's influence on Reno's arts culture, Reno music venues and what's missing from that landscape, and so much more! You can find Eric's music and upcoming appearances on his website at http://erichenryandersen.com and check him out on music streaming services. Thanks for listening!
Tue, August 24, 2021
Alex Stettinski on the Downtown Reno Partnership
You've probably seen the Reno Ambassadors rolling around on their Segways downtown, giving directions and checking on businesses and generally tasked with keeping the streets of Downtown Reno clean and safe. They're a part of the Downtown Reno Partnership, a Business Improvement District (BID) tasked with improving Downtown Reno. But what is a BID and how does it work? On this week's episode of Renoites, we welcome Alex Stettinski, the executive director of the Downtown Reno Partnership. Alex moved to Reno to lead the organization when it began 3 years ago. He relocated from the Los Angeles area, where he's long worked on BIDs and neighborhood organizations which have had a large impact in improving various LA-area communities. Conor and Alex talk about the purpose of Business Improvement Districts and how they work, who is paying for the services they provide, the tangible benefits of property assessments vs taxes, the impact of the Downtown Partnership on the number of police calls, why the Ambassadors are well suited to build relationships with and provide resources to unhoused people, changing the public perception of downtown, the important of place-making projects like the recently completed Locomotion Plaza, and much more! You can learn more about the Downtown Reno Partnership and subscribe to their newsletter at downtownreno.org Thank you for listening! Go spend some time and money downtown!
Tue, August 17, 2021
Yvette Cantu Schneider on "Pray Away" and the Ex-Gay Movement
Netflix recently released the documentary "Pray Away," the story of the religious belief that it's possible or desirable to "convert" LGBTQ people to heterosexuality. The story is told by the former leaders of that movement, who have since spoken out against ex-gay ministry and churches that still fail to affirm the gender and sexual orientation of their members. One of those former leaders featured in the film is Yvette Cantu Schneider, who rose to lead women's ministry at Exodus International, the large umbrella organization of the ex-gay movement in the United States. Since leaving Exodus over a decade ago, before it was shuttered in 2013, Yvette has worked with GLAAD and other organizations to push for more affirming churches. Conor and Yvette discuss her path from being out and proud and not religious into being a leader of the Christian ex-gay movement, tactics her organization and others used to control people, the physical toll of anxiety and PTSD from leading an inauthentic life, the media that gave endless airtime to ex-gay groups, why it's actually the churches that need to change, and so much more. Please watch Pray Away, now streaming on Netflix. Thank you for listening! Additional Resources - Please have a look, especially if you or anybody you know attends a church that tells you it's wrong to be yourself: https://www.prayawayfilm.com/resources
Tue, August 10, 2021
Jolene Cook on Reno Local Food Week and GrowingNV.com
On this week's episode, Conor welcomes Jolene Cook! Formerly a manager of the Great Basin Community Co-op, current board member of Reno Food Systems, and creator of Reno Local Food Week and GrowingNV.com . Jolene is passionate about local food and building community here in Reno. Conor and Jolene begin the episode with Jolene's story of how she realized the importance of healthy food in her own life and information about local food and the 3rd annual Reno Local Food Week (which begins August 15), but soon expand into a wide-ranging conversation to discuss so much more. Topics include creating community through the use of social media technology but without the algorithms and ads, the power of farmers markets to demystify and normalize shopping local, the trap of being a perfectionist and the benefits of embracing failures as lessons, the numbers behind creating sustainable local food systems, the role restaurants can play in promoting local food, the importance of having pride in the place you live, and much more! Thank you so much for listening!
Tue, August 03, 2021
Jaime Chapman on Pineapple Pedicabs, Dog Parks, and Burning Man
One of the most fun and eco friendly ways to be transported from one place to another is via pedicab, essentially an oversized tricycle with room for passengers. This week's guest, Jaime Chapman, has been driving pedicabs since 2012 and opened Pineapple Pedicabs in 2019, bringing this fun form of bike-driven transportation here to Reno. Jaime is also involved in dog rescue and rehoming, trying to create a dog park in her neighborhood, and a frequent Burning Man attendee with plans to attend the unofficial "free burn" this year. On this episode, Conor and Jaime talk about the origins of Pineapple Pedicabs and the services they provide, growing a business during the pandemic, dealing with weather and smoke conditions, rescuing animals from kill shelters in California, her campaign to install an off-leash dog area at Wilkinson Park, how she fell in love with Burning Man, what she expects from this year's unofficial, unregulated event in the desert, and so much more! Be sure to follow Pineapple Pedicabs on your preferred social media platforms, and book a ride at https://www.pineapplepedicabs.com or by calling (775) 234-8188 If you're looking to adopt or foster a pet, please reach out to Jaime for more information! Thank you for listening!
Tue, July 20, 2021
YeVonne Allen on Northern Nevada Pride and Our Center
Saturday, July 24 will be Reno's annual Northern Nevada Community Pride Parade and Festival. In this week's episode, Conor is joined by YeVonne Allen from Northern Nevada Pride and Our Center, Reno's LGBTQIA+ community gathering place. Conor and YeVonne talk all things Pride, from Reno's LGBTQ history, the origins of Northern Nevada Pride, what to expect at the events this year, how the pride parade and festival raise funds for Our Center, other events and promotions happening this week, the importance of in-person spaces for the LGBTQ community, and so much more! Learn more about this Saturday's event at http://www.northernnevadapride.org Go visit Our Center in person, and on social media ( Facebook and Instagram ) I will have a Renoites booth at the festival on Saturday, 7/24 selling Renoites pride merch! Please come say hi and pick up some Renoites gear! Thank you so much for listening!
Tue, July 13, 2021
Tia Flores on the Sierra Arts Foundation
The Sierra Arts Foundation has been one of the major drivers of Reno as an arts-friendly city for over 50 years. Tia Flores is the Program Director and works to create programming, artist services, gallery spaces and much more. Conor and Tia discuss arts in Reno generally, and Sierra Arts Foundation's work in the region. Topics include arts education in the Washoe County School District, creating spaces for local artists to show and sell their work, saving the historic Riverside building that now houses their offices and artist lofts, launching docent-led art walks in Sparks, and so much more! Thanks for listening, and check out Sierra Arts Foundation at http://www.sierraarts.org
Tue, July 06, 2021
Tucker Rash on KWNK 97.7 and Community Radio
Tucker Rash is the program director for Reno's community radio station, KWNK 97.7. With an army of volunteer DJs, the station runs 24/7 powered by regular people with the desire to put something of themselves out onto the airwaves. Tucker began volunteering as a teenager before the station even began broadcasting, and will now be guiding and developing KWNK's programming. On this week's episode, Tucker and Conor discuss the mission of community radio, what type of programming you might expect when you tune the dial to 97.7, his experience in music and radio from a young age, adapting to the pandemic and back again, determining what content listeners want to hear, the anti-community effects of music streaming service algorithms, and so much more! Thank you for listening, and please also listen to and actively support KWNK! It's on the radio at 97.7 and also streaming at http://www.kwnkradio.org You can donate or become a sustaining member here: https://kwnkradio.org/donate/ Follow KWNK on all your favorite social media, too!
Tue, June 29, 2021
Melissa Williams on Food Trucks and Feed the Camel
Summer in Reno means events, and some of the most consistent and well-attended events in town are food truck nights at local parks. This week, Conor is joined by Melissa Williams, the owner of Feed the Camel, a Wednesday night food truck event at the McKinley Arts Center currently operating in their 8th year. Melissa and Conor talk about the early days of Reno's food truck scene and the origins of our food truck events, what makes a food truck succeed or fail, the teamwork and cooperation required for food truck events, the differences in running food trucks vs. brick and mortar restaurants, the challenges of adapting from a pandemic year to a busy year, and so much more! Feed the Camel is held every Wednesday at the McKinley Arts Center starting at 5:00. Follow them on social media for the weekly lineup of food trucks! https://www.instagram.com/feedthecamel/ https://www.facebook.com/feedthecamel/ https://twitter.com/feedthecamel Thank you for listening!
Tue, June 22, 2021
Devon Reese on City Council, Pride, and More
This week's guest is Reno's City Councilman At-Large Devon Reese! Devon was appointed to the city council when a vacancy opened in 2019 and went on to run for the seat and be elected to the position for a full term in 2020. Conor and Devon enjoy a wide-ranging discussion about what the city council is responsible for in Reno (and what it isn't), how Devon communicates with constituents, the challenges of campaigning during covid, campaign finance reform to allow more candidates access to the ballot, his lifelong connection with the art of debate and why it's important for how we communicate, Pride in Reno and the importance of LGBTQ+ representation, rainbow capitalism and pink-washing, the importance and validity of protests, the goals and next steps for the Nevada Cares Campus, and so much more! Thank you for listening!
Tue, June 15, 2021
Renoites Q&A! Conor answers Listener Questions
This week's special episode of Renoites is our first audience Q&A! Renoites has been on the air for about 4 months, and this time Conor takes a week off from interviewing guests to instead answer questions from listeners about himself, the podcast, Reno, and much more. Topics include the behind the scenes of how to make a podcast, the best way to spend time outdoors, meeting people in the post-pandemic world, using the Couchsurfing app to travel and meet cool people, living in a Prius for a year, local arts and artists, what goes into selecting and researching guests, weighing in on the "does kink belong at Pride" debate, and so much more! A huge thank you to everyone who submitted questions! Sorry I wasn't able to answer all of them in this short episode but forever grateful for everyone who listens and especially those who interact! I love to hear from listeners. Email me anytime at conor@renoites.com Thanks for listening! Relevant links from this episode: http://www.couchsurfing.org https://www.yarngurl.life https://wanderingwyld.com https://www.facebook.com/feedthecamel/ https://www.facebook.com/RenoStreetFood https://artspotreno.org https://northernnevadapride.org
Tue, June 08, 2021
Mike Van Houten on Housing and Developments
Downtown Makeover is one of the longest running blogs in Reno, reporting largely on development projects in and around Downtown Reno. Mike Van Houten has been closely tracking developers and their projects for 15 years, publishing everything from permits to concept drawings to photos of new housing developments as they grow. Conor and Mike discuss the benefits of an urban lifestyle and downtown Reno's growth towards urban living, how he uses his site to break the reputation of Downtown Reno as full of shuttered casinos, ideas for controlling the ever-increasing rents in town, the false narrative of evil developers vs. inflexible NIMBYs, how construction costs shape what is built, and much more! Mike also gives some background and his views on several of the most significant (and sometimes controversial) developments currently in the works in Reno, including the Reno Experience District in Midtown, a brand new residential project in the ballpark area, the Jacob's Entertainment "Neon Line" in the NW Quadrant, and the hotly debated 34-unit building currently under construction on Riverside Drive in the heart of the Powning Historic District. Thank you for listening! Check out Downtown Makeover at http://www.downtownmakeover.com
Tue, June 01, 2021
Grant Denton on Addiction, Karma Box, and Safe Camps
Rising homelessness has become a major topic in Reno in recent years, with a massive increase during the pandemic. A large new shelter, the NV Cares campus, is opening in phases and will include a safe camping area, there's conflict around the disbandment of existing encampments, and the conversation continues over the best ways to help bring people from homelessness to stability and growth. In this episode, Conor is joined by Grant Denton, founder of the Karma Box project, a "little free library" mutual aid model that helps the community directly provide food and essential items for those in need in their neighborhood. Grant shares his own personal story of overcoming addiction and homelessness, and what drives him to give back to the community now. Conor and Grant also discuss the importance of providing harm reduction resources alongside support and programs to help people stabilize and thrive, the role of safe camps in solving some of the problems of existing encampments, the psychology of drive and purpose and their place in helping people have a sense of control over their own lives, and so much more. Thank you so much for listening, and I encourage you to support local organizations that are providing services of any kind to feed, clothe, and house the people who live in our city. I would like to use my social media to highlight organizations that are doing good work so please share with me at conor@renoites.com or leave a comment on the Renoites Facebook page ! https://www.karmaboxproject.org/about https://ccsnn.org http://www.renoinitiative.org Reno Burrito Project
Tue, May 25, 2021
Ky Plaskon on Bikes and Scooters in Reno
This week on the show, Conor is joined by Ky Plaskon, President of the Truckee Meadows Bicycle Alliance. Ky has been riding bikes his entire life and is now leading TMBA in advocating for better bike and multi-modal infrastructure in Reno. Conor and Ky talk about the near future of e-bike and scooter sharing in Reno, a major bike infrastructure project along Center Street that needs your help, why most people's bikes never leave the garage and how to fix that, what to do with the flood of broken bikes from burning man every year, dealing with bike theft, and so much more! Thanks as always for listening and sharing! Be sure to follow TMBA to stay up to date! https://bikewashoe.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BikeWashoe Also mentioned in this episode: https://renobikeproject.org https://www.kiwanisbikes.org
Tue, May 18, 2021
Michael Moberly on Bars in Reno
This week on the podcast, Conor welcomes Michael Moberly, a spirits educator, bar consultant, writer, event planner and all-around bar industry expert who has been working in Reno's bar and spirits world since he was 19. Conor and Michael talk about the history of Reno's bar scene and why bars have continued to be an important part of our city's culture, the economic challenges facing both bars and their employees, what makes a good bar, locals vs. tourists, summer events, and so much more! Thank you so much for listening! If you enjoy the episode, please share! Follow Michael on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/mcmoberly/
Tue, May 11, 2021
Michele McQuivey on Motherhood
Happy Mother's Day! This week's guest on the podcast is Michele McQuivey, Conor's mom! We had a really good conversation about her life and what brought her to be a mom and raise a family in Reno, the differences in parenting over the years and generations, the value of family vacations, why having adult children is the best of both worlds, what role grandparents should play in parenting, and much much more! Super extra special thank you to my mom for coming on the show even though podcasts are definitely not her thing normally, and also thanks to her for, you know... giving birth to me and raising me and always being supportive and making sure I've had a good life. My gratitude is immeasurable.
Tue, May 04, 2021
Kurt Thigpen on Washoe County Schools
Trustee Kurt Thigpen joins Conor on the podcast this week to discuss his path to being elected to the Washoe County School District Board of Trustees last year, the issues that schools are facing right now in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, diversity and inclusion in schools, clearing up misconceptions about new curriculum (spoiler alert, it's not critical race theory!), school funding, and much more! Thanks for listening! Education is a very important topic so if you have feedback, guest suggestions, or ideas for future episodes of Renoites, please let me know! My email address is conor@renoites.com Keep up with what's happening in the school district and find your trustee's contact info at http://www.washoeschools.net
Tue, April 27, 2021
Mark Kalin on Weird Reno and Magic
Kalin and Jinger have been a duo of professional magicians based in Reno for decades, with projects ranging from their Vegas-style show Carnival of Wonders to the intimate Magic Underground Theater, and to huge success on Broadway and around the world with The Illusionists. This week on the podcast, Mark Kalin joins Conor to discuss their newest project, Weird Reno- a walking tour featuring magic, comedy, and Reno's weird history. Conor and Mark also talk about the art of magic and how it's changed since Mark started performing at 9 years old, the effect of television and the Internet on the magic industry, the reason the next major figure in magic will probably be a woman, and so much more! Thanks for listening! Learn more about Weird Reno at http://www.weirdreno.com
Tue, April 20, 2021
Haleigh Hoff on Weed, Blackbird, and Hoff Goods
Happy 4/20! This week's episode is all about cannabis, with guest Haleigh Hoff. Conor and Haleigh talk about weed culture and how it has changed (and is still changing) since legalization, destigmatizing cannabis use, the weed delivery and technology company Blackbird, and Haleigh's own brand Hoff Goods! Plus some conversation on podcasting, healthy and unhealthy uses of social media, the challenges of marketing weed online, and so much more! Check out Hal's podcast for Blackbird called "Weed Like to Talk" wherever you find podcasts! It's on all the major platforms including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. And be sure to check out her store at http://www.hoffgoods.co
Tue, April 13, 2021
Oliver X on Artown and Arts in Reno
Artown is gearing up to prepare for this year in a new location at Rancho San Rafael, and this week on the podcast Oliver X from Artown joins Conor to talk about the plans for 2021, the development of Reno's art scene, Burning Man's influence on Reno as an arts city, murals and public art, and so much more! For more information about Artown, be sure to visit www.artown.org For walking tours of Reno's murals, visit ArtSpot Reno And visit the Nevada Museum of Art! https://www.nevadaart.org
Tue, April 06, 2021
Vickie Musni on DJ Trivia, Toastmasters, and Personalities
In this week's episode of Renoites, Conor welcomes his boss and friend, Vickie Musni to the show! Vickie, along with her husband Craig, have been operating DJ Trivia Nevada since 2013 and providing live hosted trivia in up to 21 bar and restaurant venues every week. Conor has been a trivia host with them since 2019. Vickie and Conor discuss the win/win business model of DJ Trivia, the importance of supporting local businesses, Toastmasters and improving our communication skills, Vickie's experience as a certified personality trainer, and so so much more! Thanks for listening!
Tue, March 30, 2021
Holly Welborn on the ACLU and Incarceration in Nevada
This week, Conor speaks with Holly Welborn, Policy Director for the ACLU of Nevada. The ACLU has been involved with important civil liberties legislation and litigation for over 100 years in this country, with impacts on our freedom of speech, our right to vote, our privacy, and so much more. On this episode, Conor and Holly focus on incarceration and issues of criminal justice, including incarcerated peoples' right to vote, abolition of the death penalty, the racial disparities of policing cannabis, and much more. Thank you so much for listening and if you'd like to learn more, visit the ACLU of Nevada at https://www.aclunv.org
Tue, March 23, 2021
Kathryn Goetzke on Activating Hope
This week, Conor speaks with Kathryn Goetzke of hopefulcities.org Reno is currently the first Hopeful City, part of a program designed to operationalize and teach the skill of hopefulness. Our ability to practice hopefulness is predictive of grades, mental health outcomes, and so much more. Kathryn is a leader in understanding how we can actually learn hopefulness as a practical skill, and has promoted her work with a Global Hope Challenge, a book, a podcast, and the Hopeful Cities program which launched in Reno this month.
Tue, March 16, 2021
Ben Castro on RISE and Homelessness in Reno
This week on the podcast, Conor talks to Benjamin Castro. Ben is the executive director and founder of RISE, the Reno Initiative for Shelter and Equality. RISE has been an important organization in providing for our unsheltered community for over a decade. In our interview, Ben doesn't just tell the story of RISE as an organization, but also the stories of some of the people RISE has helped along the way. This is an essential listen if you want to have a better understanding of the issues people living on the street in Reno face, and the efforts being made to help them. Huge thanks to Ben and RISE for the great work they do, and for coming on the show to talk about it! To learn more about RISE, please visit http://www.renoinitiative.org
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