Fresno's Best

Today we have Dr. David Jeffcoach. Dr Jeffcoach is a Trauma and Critical Care surgeon who grew up in the Central Valley. After completing medical school at UC Davis, surgical residency in Tennessee, and trauma fellowship at UCSF-Fresno, he moved with his family to Sodo, Ethiopia where he was the Chair of Surgery and general surgery residency program director for four years at Soddo Christian Hospital. His primary fields of interest are global surgery, surgical education, and trauma systems management. He returned to Fresno and is currently an Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery at UCSF-Fresno. This is a wide-ranging podcast where we cover a lot of topics, but all around medicine and global health. Books: Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery Eric Metaxas The Brothers Karamosov Fyodor Dostoevsky Resurrection Leo Tolstoy

Vincent Catalina is an actor, writer, and filmmaker and his film that he wrote and played a central role in is called Wild Boys, which was shot locally, and it is going to be available on streaming later this year. Additionally, Vincent is planning a number of screenings in the central valley near you. Books: The Name of the Wind: Kingkiller Chronicle, Book 1 by Patrick Rothfuss The Land by Aleron Kong The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne

In this episode, we have a wonderful bike conversation with Julie Congii, from Fresno Bike Station, a wonderful non for profit bike kitchen here in Fresno. Please enjoy our conversation! Books: Where the Crawdads Sing Delia Owens

Today, we have a crossover episode from History of California Podcast featuring Dr. Ben Madley. Benjamin Madley is a historian of Native America, the United States, and colonialism in world history. Born in Redding, California, he spent much of his childhood in Karuk Country near the Oregon border where he became interested in relations between colonizers and Indigenous people. Educated at Yale and Oxford, he writes about Native Americans as well as colonialism in Africa, Australia, and Europe, often applying a transnational and comparative approach. Yale University Press published his first book, An American Genocide: The United States and the California Indian Catastrophe, 1846-1873. Madley is currently co-editing The Cambridge World History of Genocide, Volume 2: Genocide in the Indigenous, Early Modern, and Imperial Worlds, 1535-1914(forthcoming, 2023), with historians Ned Blackhawk, Ben Kiernan, and Rebe Taylor. His current research explores Native American migration and labor in the making of the United States. Please enjoy our conversation.

Today, we have Dustin Maddox on the show. Dustin is the lead pastor at North Fresno Church. A gifted pastor and preacher, Dustin enjoys creating hospitable spaces for people of all ages and backgrounds to experience God’s love, to be transformed, and equipped to join God’s healing activity in our city and world. He enjoys reading broadly with a cup of coffee, meeting new people, spending time with family and friends, and, most importantly, exploring God’s creation with his incredible wife, Robin, and one-year old son, Beckett. Dustin graduated with a Master of Divinity from Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary, and served as Associate Pastor at University Presbyterian Church, Fresno, from 2012-2020. In June 2020, Dustin received the call to become Lead Pastor of North Fresno Church, and he is excited about NFC’s next chapter of being a Jesus people for the sake of others. Books East of Eden John Steinbeck Digital Minimalism Cal Newport

Today, we have Ethan Chatagnier on the show today. He is the author of SINGER DISTANCE, the novel that came out in the fall and is the focus of this conversation, and of WARNINGS FROM THE FUTURE, a story collection that came out in 2018. His short fiction has appeared in a variety of literary journals and have won a Pushcart Prize and been listed as notable in the Best American Short Stories and the Million Writers Award. He is a graduate of Fresno State, where he won the Larry Levis Prize in Poetry, and of Emerson College, where he earned an MA in Publishing and Writing. He lives in Fresno, California with his family. Books: Kazuo Ishiguro Equilateral Ken Kalfus Light from Other Stars Erika Swyler Appleseed Matt Bell Ted Chiang Saturnalia Stephanie Feldman What We Fed to the Manticore Talia Lakshmi Kolluri Sweet, Soft, Plenty, Rhythm Laura Warrell

Today we have Talia Lakshmi Kolluri on the show. Talia recently published an amazing collection called “What We Fed to the Manticore,” a series of nine stories all written from the perspective of animals. The book blew me away and, as you’ll hear in our conversation, we have a lot of thoughts about the inner lives of animals. Please enjoy this wonderful and thoughtful conversation. Books: The Great Derangement Amitov Ghosh An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us Ed Yong

Today, we have Eric Washington on the show. Eric is a life coach and a podcast host with an amazing story. I know you all will love this episode! I Am Enough Marisa Peer The Myth of Mental Illness: Foundations of a Theory of Personal Conduct Thomas Szasz Rich Dad Poor Dad: 20th Anniversary Edition: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! Robert T. Kiyosaki

Today, we have Julianne Burk on the show. Burk is the creator of a new Armenian cooking show called Jul’s Armenian Kitchen. Originally from Fresno, she moved to the east coast to work as consultant, but when family circumstances brought her home, she made it her mission to preserve the culinary traditions of her family and community. This episode was a lot of fun to produce because we were able to gush about food, cooking, Armenian culture, and more. Links: Website: https://www.julsarmeniankitchen.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrQ2DvYAb7PQktbzh7ORM_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julsarmeniankitchen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JulsArmenianKitchen Pinterest: https://pin.it/126XiK0 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julsarmeniankitchen Recipes: Link here Book Recommendations: All Things Philip Pullman

Today, we have Bill Cummings on the show. Bill is a Merced-based real estate developer and CEO of Legacy Construction which is focused primarily on healthcare and mixed-use development projects. At Legacy Construction, Bill serves as the visionary for the company and manages the day to day operations. Bill moved from Washington, D.C. to Fresno, California in 2006 and created Legacy Construction. In addition to Legacy Construction, Bill co-owns Legacy Realty and Development (LRD), Legacy Commercial (LCRE), First Resource Consulting (FRC) and Soccer City 1852 Visalia. He is a licensed California real estate broker and holds an active California General A & B Contractor’s License. We cover a wide variety of topics in this conversation, and you will walk away with a much better understanding of the state of construction and development in the central valley. Legacy Construction Website Books The Five Love Languages Gary Chapman

Today is a special episode focused around Measure E which is a proposal to raise a small tax to build to improve infrastructure at Fresno State. We have David Tangipa, an advocate for Measure E, a Former Fresno State Student-Athlete and 3-Time Fresno State Graduate, who has been campaigning for the measure and is here to share why he thinks you should vote yes. I raise some of the concerns that have been brought up, and I will let you decide which way to vote. Books The Prince Niccolo Machiavelli

Today, we have Lisa Smittcamp on the show. Lisa has been the Fresno County DA since 2015 and has worked in the DA’s office since 2001. This was a fun interview and Lisa definitely pushed back hard on some of the assumptions in my questions. My objective with this conversation was to work hard to understand Lisa’s worldview and I think by the end of this conversation, you will have a clear understanding of her philosophy. Please enjoy my conversation with Lisa Smittcamp. Book Recommendations: The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

Today, we have James Gearlds II on the show. James is an artist with studio space in downtown Fresno and the host of the Arts and BS podcast, an interview focused on artists and their work.

Today, we have a crossover episode for you. In my other podcast program, The History of California Podcast, I teach about the history of the state of California and interview leading scholars in the field. The podcast I am bringing you today is with Dr. John Mack Farager. An emeritus professor from Yale, Dr. Farager is the author of many books, but today we are focused on his most recent book California: An American History, which I think will become the popular history of California and I hope makes its way into classrooms across California. If you enjoy this episode, you can find my program, History of California Podcast, on all the usual podcast platforms.

Today, we have Lauren Pratt on the show. Referred to as the "Drought-Tolerant Queen of the San Joaquin, Pratt is a landscape designer with an eye for our particular environment. This is a wonderful, pratical episode which will hopefully cause you to rethink how you use your outdoor space! Books/Resources: The New Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide: Sunset Western Garden Book Garden Studio Design Amber Interiors

Today, we have Miguel Arias on the show! Fresno City Councilmember President Miguel Arias represents District 3, including the Tower, West Fresno, Central and Downtown neighborhoods. His biography and accomplishments are expansive and we dig into them over the course of the podcast. Books: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass

Today we have Karen Huckaby, Naomi Wiens, and Breanna Turner, the three LMFT’s behind the new therapy practice in Fresno called The Reclaim, that focuses on adverse religious experiences and spiritual trauma. Given that we all live in the Bible Belt of the west coast, a practice focused around these issues is sorely needed. I hope you enjoy my conversation with these three wonderful therapists.

Today we have Benjamin Boone on the program. Boone is an American jazz saxophonist, composer, professor, and U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Ghana (2017-18) and the Republic of Moldova (2006). His Origin Records album THE POETRY OF JAZZ was #3 "Best Album of 2018" in the 83rd Annual Downbeat Readers Poll and featured on NPR's All Things Considered, The Paris Review and many others. Books: Furnace Creek Joseph A. Boone Dreamt Land Mark Arax The Fallen Stones Diana Marcum The Historian Elizabeth Kostova Louis Penny’s Author Page Maisie Dobbs Series Jacqueline Winspear Effortless Mastery Kenny Werner The Music Lesson: A Spiritual Search for Growth Through Music Victor Wooten Predictably Irrational Dan Ariely Fredrick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom David W. Blight The Taki

Today we have Sonia Mehrmand on the show. Sonia is currently the Field Manager for StoryCorps’ One Small Step project in the Central Valley. She received her Master’s degree in Public History and Museum Studies at UC Riverside, and shortly thereafter moved to Sydney, Australia. During her 4 years there, she worked across the art sector and eventually became Assistant Executive Director at Diversity Arts Australia, a national arts advocacy organization. Sonia is also a freelance creative producer and is on the leadership team for Fresno’s Inhabit Arts Collaborative (@inhabitartscollaborative). She is passionate about increasing equity and access in the arts, and regularly serves as panelist for California Arts Council grants. Her projects are grounded in inclusive storytelling, reciprocity, collaboration, mentorship. Sonia lives on Yokuts land in Visalia. About One Small StepOne Small Step from StoryCorps is an effort to reconnect Americans, one conversation at a time. Participants will meet someone new — a community member with different views, who they might never talk to otherwise — for a simple, personal, 50-minute conversation. One Small Step helps us move beyond labels like "Democrat" and "Republican" and into the life experiences that shaped how each of us sees our world. Click here to learn more about it. Books: Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age Annalee Newitz Circe and The Song of Achilles Madeline Miller Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents Octavia Butler MaddAddam Trilogy Margaret Atwood

Today, we have Councilman Mike Karbassi on the show. Fresno born and raised, Councilman Karbassi received his business degree from Fresno State before working in his family’s small business. Karbassi now represents District 2 on the city council. We get into politics, legal issues, conservancy versus development, Persian rugs and food, books and more. Books: Worthy Fights: A Memoir of Leadership in War and Peace Leon Panetta Ian Fleming’s Amazon Page

Today, we have Des Washington on the show. Des is an amazing entrepreneur, downtown expert, the B2B coordinator for the Metro Black Chamber of Commerce, and burger master! We really get into the nitty gritty of burger stuff, operating restaurants, downtown issues, and more. Books: Rock This! by Chris Rock

Today we have Kenneth Froelich on the show. Kenneth is Professor of Music Composition at California State University, Fresno. Froelich’s music has been performed in over a dozen nations, including the United States, Canada, China, and throughout Europe and South America. He received Doctorate and Masters degrees from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Music summa cum laude from the University of Southern California. Links: Froelich's Website Books The Mistborn Trilogy Brandon Sanderson Oryx and Crake Margaret Atwood Composers/Musicians Andrew Norman

Today we have Nikiko Masumoto on the show. Masumoto is an organic farmer, memory keeper, and artist. She is Yonsei, a fourth generation Japanese American, and gets to touch the same soil her great-grandparents worked in California where Masumoto Family Farm grows organic nectarines, apricots, peaches and grapes for raisins. With her family, she’s co-authored 2 books: Changing Season and The Perfect Peach. She activates her facilitation, leadership, and creative skills as a performer and leader in the following organizations: co-founder of Yonsei Memory Project, team member of Center for Performance and Civic Practice, member of University Advisory Board (CSU Fresno) board of Trustees of Western States Arts Federation, board of directors of Art of the Rural, and perennial volunteer change-worker. In 2020, she was named one of the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts 100 and Creative 10. Her most cherished value is courage and most important practice is listening. I hope you enjoy this wonderful conversation with one of the valley’s treasured artists and next generation of farmers. Books: We discuss so many books this episode, so you'll just need to listen! Links: Masumoto Family Farm Website

Today we have Austin Smith on the show. As a California Real Estate Broker, Austin has worked in commercial and residential real estate since 2005. He holds a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from San Jose State University. Austin’s work has ranged from designing master planned communities to managing tenant improvement initiatives to developing transformative commercial developments such as 17th Place Townhomes and Cafe Smitten. Books: Missing Middle Housing: Thinking Big and Building Small to Respond to Today’s Housing Crisis by Daniel Parolek Links Sage Equities Website Eastchester Living Site

Today, we have Monisha Mann on the show. Mann is a case manager for Equus Workplace Solutions where she helps people leaving the prison or the jail system find stable employment. She also was once the DJ on B95 in Fresno, working a radio DJ for 17 years. We had lots to talk about in terms of vulnerability, having a public image, bias, how to help former incarcerated transition to a more fulfilling life and more. Books: How to Do the Work: Recognize Your Patterns, Heal from Your Past, and Create Your Self by Dr. Nicole LePera Wendy's Got the Heat by Wendy Williams My Voice: A Memoir by Angie Martinez I'll Show You by Derrick Rose

Today we have Dan Zack on the show. Dan is an urban planner in Fresno California. In 2022 he founded Zack Urban Solutions, a consulting firm which offers a wide variety of urban planning services to cities, non-profits, and developers who want proven, practical approaches to creating walkable, fun, and inclusive places. Prior to that, he spent 23 years in local government working on downtown revitalization, streetscape projects, parking management, zoning and form-based codes, long-range plans, housing plans, and development entitlements. He spent 7 1/2 years with the City of Fresno: For the last year of that he was the Assistant Director of Economic Development and was focused on bringing housing to Downtown Fresno; for the remainder of his time there he was Assistant Director of the Planning and Development Department. His previous work was in Northern California; as the Downtown Development Manager for the City of Redwood City in the San Francisco Bay Area he attracted the development of 2,500 homes in an area that had stagnated for decades, but which is now one of the most active downtowns in the Silicon Valley. Zack Urban Solutions Website Books Mentioned Walkable City Rules: 101 Steps to Making Places Better by Jeff Speck When Fresno Rode the Rails by Edward Hamm The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs Survival of the City: The Future of Urban Life in an Age of Isolation by Edward Glaeser and David Cutler

Today we have Ashlyn Cruise on the show, who Miss City of Fresno. Miss City of Fresno 2022 a local organization to the Miss America organization. This was a wonderful conversation where we learn about the organization, her advocacy with deaf community, her new children's book, and much more. Books My First Book of Baby Signs: 40 Essential Signs to Learn and Practice by Lane Rebelo The Office: A Day at Dunder Mifflin Elementary by Robb Pearlman and Melanie Demmer All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold and Suzanne Kaufman Our Class is a Family by Shannon Olsen and Sandie Sonke

Steven Church is the author of six books of nonfiction, most recently the collection of essays, I'm Just Getting to the Disturbing Part: On Work, Fear, and Fatherhood. His essays have been published and anthologized widely, including in the Best American Essays. He teaches in the MFA Program at Fresno State and is a founding editor of the literary magazine, The Normal School. Steven's Website Books A Little Devil in America: In Praise of Black Performance Hanif Abdurraqib They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us Hanif Abdurraqib In the Eye of the Wild Nastassja Martin Anything by Joan Didion

Alicia Perez is co-owner of Bee Happy Farms Inc a family beekeeping company serving the Central Valley. Bee Happy Farms is dedicated to raising honeybees, pollinating crops and harvesting honey varieties unique to our Central Valley. Their passion for honeybees extends to helping educate others on the importance of honeybees to our food supply chain. Bee Happy Farms Website Books First Lessons in Beekeeping by Keith S. Delaplane

Today, we have Lourin Hubbard on the show. Lourin is running for California's 22nd Congressional District, comprising portions of Fresno and Tulare counties. Having worked in various capacities for the government, Lourin has a unique perspective he wants to share and utilize as a congressional representative for this area. Lourin's Website The Deficit Myth Stephanie Skelton The Fire Next Time James Baldwin

Today we have Jaclyn Manzanedo on the show. Jacyln is the Director of Donation Development, for the Valley Region of Donor Network West. Donor Network West is a federally designated nonprofit, 501(c)3, organ procurement and tissue recovery organization (OPO) with headquarters in Northern California and Northern Nevada. Established in 1987, they serve more than 13 million people and connect a donor’s gift to those in need in 45 counties in Northern California and Northern Nevada. This is a conversation all about organ donation. It’s something that we don’t like to think about (ehem, our death), but we absolutely should. Books: The Spirit Catches You When You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach Donor Network West Site

Today, we have Adam Longatti. Adam is an artist and teaches at Fresno State. The focus of his art is landscape, specifically of the central valley. This was a wonderful and winding conversation, and I know you’ll love it! Books Recommended The Letters of Vincent van Gogh by Vincent van Gogh History of the Sierra Nevadas by Francis P. Farquhar Handbook of Yokut Indians by Frank K. Latta Garden of the Sun: A History of the San Joaquin Valley, 1772-1939 by Wallace Smith Adam's Website Our Patreon Page

In today's episode, we talk with Justin St. George, the president of Birds for Pride, the LGBTQ+ club that's been in the news these days. The club was originally started as a class project at FPU, but was rejected as a formal club by the university. This was a great conversation, and Fresno is lucky to have a leader like Justin. Books Recommended: The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation Thich Nhat Hanh Living Buddha and Living Christ Thich Nhat Hanh Links Links for the Birds Our Patreon Page

Today we are talking about the soon to be published children’s book The Elote Man Goes to College written by Maia Gonzalez, Illustrated by Chalome Gonzalez, and Roald Tenorio. I have the three authors on the show to talk about their writing and artistic process, why this story needs to be told, street vendors, elote, the importance of education, the challenges of self-publishing, and much more. Book Release Information: Book Release Party Thursday, January 20th, 6-8pm.Book Reading and Refreshments, books will be available to purchase.Masks are mandatory. Books will be available online at www.miicamisa.com at the end of January. Instagram: @Miicamisa Follow @arteamericas on facebook for more event details.

For the first time in the short history of this show, we have a repeat guest on the program: Phil Arballo. We cover a lot in this episode: our memories of the insurrection, the continuing belief in the election being stolen, the Select Committee, the legacy of Devin Nunes, beating COVID in the valley, the next election, UFO's and much more. Please enjoy our conversation and consider donating to our show here. Phil's Website

A quick update on the podcast and plans for season three of our show.

Today we have Corin Hoggard on the show. Corin Hoggard is an award-winning journalist who covers the courts for Action News and is the anchor of the weekend editions of Action News AM Live. This is a wide-ranging conversation that covers a lot, with emphasis of course on journalism and television. Book Recommendations Don Quixote Miguel de Cervantes The Odyssey Homer Christopher Moore Author Page Good Omens Neil Gaiman Our Patreon Page

Today we have Josh Tehee on the show. Josh is a journalist, podcaster, and music critic. Josh is one of those people that follow to keep a pulse on the culture of Fresno. As you might expect, this is a wide ranging conversation, and I hope you enjoy it. Links: Music Turnstile Deafheaven Sun Umbra Books Dune Messiah Frank Herbert Blogs/Sites The Fresnan Brooklyn Vegan The AV Club Aikido Discussed Video The Nine Club Two Minutes to Late Night Links Aikido of Fresno Josh’s Substack Our Patreon Page

Today we have Dr. Rong-Huey Liu on the show. Hailed as “a phenomenal, expressive oboist”, Taiwanese American, Dr. Rong-Huey Liu is one of Southern California’s most active oboists. She holds principal positions in the Long Beach Symphony, Los Angeles Ballet Orchestra, Reno Chamber Orchestra, Fresno Philharmonic, and Riverside Philharmonic. Dr. Liu has played all over the world and has worked as a studio musician in Hollywood. She holds Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Manhattan School of Music, and Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Thornton School of Music, University of Southern California. If you listen to this podcast, you know that I love classical music so this conversation was as fun for me to produce as it will be for you as a listener. Books Marcel Tabuteau by Laila StorchCasals And The Art of Interpretation by David Blum Our Patreon Page

Today we have Andreas Borgeas on the show. Borgeas is a State Senator who represents the Eighth District of California. He has worked in numerous international professional and academic capacities; including, as a Fulbright Scholar, Contributing Fellow for the Woodrow Wilson Center, Policy Specialist Fellow at the US Embassy in Kazakhstan and as Commissioner on the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission. Andreas began public service as a Fresno City Councilman and member of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors before being elected in 2018 to the California State Senate. Andreas is Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee and Vice-Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, with other committee assignments. This is a wide-ranging conversation that covers a lot of interesting and diverse topics. I hope you enjoy it. Books Peter Mansfield, The History of the Middle East Elliot Ackerman, James G. Stavridis, 2034: A Novel of the Next World War Our Patreon Page

Today we have Venita Blackburn on the show. Works by Venita have appeared in newyorker.com, Harper’s, Story, McSweeney’s, Apogee, Split Lip Magazine, the Iowa Review, DIAGRAM, Foglifter, Electric Literature, the Virginia Quarterly Review, the Paris Review, and others. She was awarded a Bread Loaf Fellowship in 2014 and several Pushcart prize nominations. She received the Prairie Schooner book prize for fiction, which resulted in the publication of her collected stories, Black Jesus and Other Superheroes, in 2017. In 2018 she earned a place as a finalist for the PEN/Bingham award for debut fiction, finalist for the NYPL Young Lions award and recipient of the PEN America Los Angeles literary prize in fiction. Her next collection of stories, HOW TO WRESTLE A GIRL, will be published in the fall of 2021 by MCD books. She is the founder and president of Live, Write (livewriteworkshop.com), an organization devoted to offering free creative writing workshops for communities of color. Her home town is Compton, California, and she is an Assistant Professor of creative writing at California State University, Fresno. Venita's Website Outline of Topics Where do you like to eat in Fresno? Questions about Black Jesus and Other Superheroes Discussion of genre and flash fiction Overrated vs Underrated Questions about How to Wrestle a Girl Book Recommendations Book Recommendations James Baldwin Everything Toni Morrison Sula Marjorie Liu Monstress Vol. 1 Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone This Is How You Lose the Time War Brian K Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, and Matt Wilson Paper Girls Venita's books Black Jesus and Other Superheroes and How to Wrestle a Girl Our Patreon Page

Today, we have Bridgette Boothe on the show. Bridgette is the director of the Fresno Bully Rescue. Bridgette and her team are doing great work to home some of the most misunderstood dogs. Topics Covered: Where do you like to eat in Fresno? What are some of the most common myths about “pit bulls”? How did foreclosures lead to the creation of your organization? What would we need to do to get to a be no-kill city or county? Training and education Fresno Bully Rescue's Website Our Patreon Page

Today we have Jes Therkelson on the show. Jes Therkelsen is a documentary storyteller, filmmaker, photographer, and educator who has been telling the stories of others for over fifteen years. His most recent project, a short documentary film entitled One Step At A Time, follows three men as they overcome drug addiction and homelessness in California’s Central Valley. The film was an official selection of The Big Tell, a national film contest and film festival, featuring undiscovered stories from California’s Central Valley sponsored by the Central Valley Community Foundation and Bank of America. Therkelsen’s CV is a fascinating collection of experiences and projects across the world. This is a great conversation where we dig deep into narrative, filmmaking, travel, and much more. His Website Documentaries Dick Johnson is Dead Nobody's Business Books The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Ways of Seeing John Berger Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

Today we have Kevin Meikle on the show. As Director of Aviation of the Fresno Yosemite Airport, Mr. Meikle is the Chief Executive Officer Central California’s aviation system, which includes Fresno Yosemite International and Fresno Chandler Executive airports. FAT is a small hub airport served by seven domestic and two international airlines. FAT has enjoyed 70% growth since the Great Recession in 2010, accommodates 2,000,000 passengers annually and continues to grow. Chandler is the largest general aviation airport in Central California and serves as a reliever to FAT. Mr. Meikle has served Fresno airports for 19 years. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in architecture from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, is a licensed architect, and has over 40 years of experience in the design and construction industry. Mr. Meikle is also an instrument rated pilot and has been flying for 35 years. Topics Covered: Where do you like to eat in Fresno? French anthropologist Marc Auge categorised the airport as a “non-place”. They are places with no identity. Do you agree with this statement? How might an architect think about running an airport differently than someone with a background as a pilot? When you visit a new airport, what are some attributes that you’d look for in trying to determine whether an airport is designed well? How do you see the future of general aviation and commercial aviation fitting together within a single airport or do you think airports need to focus on one or the other? What is the process of courting a carrier like Southwest like? Overrated and Underrated Airports How does strategy differ between large airports and smaller, regional airports? Pilot training programs and the market for pilots What are some resources or books you'd want to share with listeners? Our Patreon Page

Welcome to Fresno’s Best Podcast, I’m your host Jordan Mattox. Today we have Ryan Jacobsen on the Show. Ryan Jacobsen, of Easton, is the CEO for FCFB. Jacobsen is no stranger to Farm Bureau or agriculture. He is the fourth generation of two Fresno County farm families and previously served as FCFB's governmental affairs coordinator and as the organization's membership coordinator, beginning in 2004. Jacobsen is an honors graduate of California State University, Fresno with a master's degree in business administration and a bachelor's degree in animal science. He currently serves as president of the Fresno Irrigation District Board of Directors, secretary/treasurer of the Kings River Water Association, chair of Fresno County's Agricultural Lands Conservation Committee, and serves on the boards of California Farmland Trust and the Rotary Club of Fresno. This may be one of my favorite conversations because Ryan is such a charming, knowledgeable and down-to-earth guy. There are probably places where we could have disagreed, but Ryan has such a powerful diplomatic and level headed approach that I was immediately disarmed. And the reality is is that we found agreement on many of the things we talked about. An awesome conversation with a powerful leader in Fresno. Links: Fresno County Farm Bureau David Mas Masumoto Victor Davis Hanson Our Patreon Page

Today we have Dr. Kathleen Schock on the show. Dr. Schock is the host of Valley Edition. A Fresno native, Dr. Schock has a bachelor’s in international relations from the University of Southern California, a master’s degree in journalism from UC Berkeley, and a doctorate in educational leadership from Fresno State. Dr. Schock has more than 20 years of experience in journalism and communications. Her background includes working as a News Associate for NBC News in New York and as a general assignment reporter for KGPE in Fresno. In addition to her work at Valley Public Radio, Dr. Schock teaches journalism at Fresno City College and serves as the advisor of The Rampage, the college’s student-run newspaper. As many of you know, I love talking to journalists and this conversation found its way from International Relations to Tap Dancing, from Octavia Butler to what makes an NPR voice distinctive. Please enjoy my conversation with Dr. Kathleen Schock. Links: Valley Edition Podcast Books: Octavia Butler The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio Patreon Page

Today we have Bryan Harley on the show. Bryan is the executive director of CMACTV, a non-profit organization created to help citizens, schools, non-profits, public agencies and others better connect with our Fresno/Clovis community through the use of media. Bryan also has a lot of experience beyond the camera and an IMDB worth perusing. We talk about film, media literacy, pizza in Fresno, and more. CMAC's Website Our Patreon Page

Today, we have Mark Standriff on the show. A former radio host and a mover in conservative politics, Standriff now directs Beautify Fresno, a campaign to clean up Fresno that you’ve probably seen on Instagram or heard about in the media. Books: The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion Jonathan Haidt Our Patreon Page

Today we have Dr. Karen Crozier on the show. Dr Crozier is a proud native and resident of Fresno and is driving innovation, and change, on racial and environmental justice in agencies and individuals. Dr. Crozier received her B.A. in Psychology from UCLA in 1991, and her M.A. in Education (Early Childhood) from California State University, Fresno in 1996 along with her multiple-subjects teacher’s credential and cross-cultural language academic development credential in 1994 and 1999, respectively. In 2005, she received her M.A. in religious education and her Ph.D. in theology and personality, or practical theology, in 2006 from Claremont School of Theology. She is a former associate professor of practical theology and administrator of faculty development and diversity in Christian higher education. In addition, Dr. Crozier is a former early childhood educator and 7th grade Algebra teacher with over 20 years experience in both education and church ministry. Her current community leadership efforts include black reparations, African American infant mortality, and educational equity and justice. Dr. Crozier is an entrepreneur who brings scholarly activities such as critical thinking, careful analysis, and a radical imagination to engaging racial equity and justice. This was a great conversation and to be completely transparent we get into the weeds of various religious issues here. But we also cover things like Critical Race Theory, gender inclusivity, equitable redevelopment, urban ministry, and much more. Links Dr. Crozier's Website Books Fannie Lou Hamer's Revolutionary Practical Theology by Dr. Karen Crozier Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman and Vincent Harding Women-Church: Theology and Practice of Feminist Liturgical Communities by Rosemary Ruether When Women Were Priests: Women's Leadership in the Early Church and the Scandal of Their Subordination in the Rise of Christianity by Karen J. Torjesen Our Patreon Page

Today, we have on the show City Councilman Nelson Esparza. Councilman Esparza represents District 7 in Fresno. Born and raised in the central valley, Nelson did his education southern California at UC Riverside and UCLA before returning to the valley to make a difference on city council. We talk about a lot in this podcast and if you enjoyed my conversation with his colleague Tyler Maxwell, you will also enjoy this wide ranging and fascinating conversation. Books: A Promised Land by Barack Obama Team of Rivals:The Political Genuis of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin Our Patreon Page

Today we have John Gliatta on the show. Mr. Gliatta was appointed in August 2017 as Independent Police Reviewer for the Office of Independent Review, which provides a neutral, third-party review of police policies, procedures, strategies, and internal investigations. He comes to the City of Fresno from the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, where he worked as a Crime Analyst for their Patrol Division. Before working for the Sheriff’s Department, Mr. Gliatta spent more than 27 years with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, where he was consistently recognized as an outstanding agent and established a national reputation for his exceptional organizational and analytical skills. He was most recently promoted to the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Sacramento FBI office, where he managed all criminal investigative units, including Civil Rights, and many of the satellite offices within the division, including the Fresno FBI Office. Mr. Gliatta also served as an Assistant Inspector of the Inspection Division at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. A graduate of West Virginia University Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, Mr. Gliatta also completed training at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. This was a fascinating conversation and we cover a wide range of topics around policing, reform, and compliance. Small disclaimer at the front for my listeners who are skeptical about law enforcement reform. I would say this to you if you happen to fall into that camp: don’t sit in your silo, you need talk with people you disagree with. It’s important. You still might arrive at the same conclusions (I certainly hold the same views that I did before having this conversation), but I am better informed to make the case for the changes that I want to see after talking with someone like John. Links: Independent Review City Link Our Patreon Page