SoCo Chat

Anyone who has ever watched a courtroom drama on TV will know that the right to an attorney is fundamental to our legal system. But not everyone can afford to retain legal representation. In those cases, the court will appoint a lawyer to represent a defendant and ensure a fair trial. That's when the Public Defender's office becomes involved.The office provides free legal services to defendants who are not financially able to employ their own counsel. It also provides support for immigrants facing deportation proceedings. Here to talk about this is the Sonoma County Public Defender, Brian Morris.

We're honored to have back with us Supervisor James Gore, who represents Sonoma County's Fourth District. We're looking forward to speaking with Supervisor Gore about a number of things including the outlook for the upcoming wildfire season as well as the latest on plans by the Koi Nation to build a resort-casino on a 68-acre plot of lain the Shiloh neighborhood, just outside Windsor.

Tenemos el honor de contar nuevamente con la presencia del Supervisor James Gore, quien representa al Cuarto Distrito del Condado de Sonoma. Vamos a conversar con el Supervisor Gore sobre las acciones y actividades que se están llevando a cabo en su distrito, incluyendo los últimos avances sobre los planes de la Nación Koi para construir un complejo turístico con un casino en una parcela de 68 acres en el vecindario de Shiloh, justo a las afueras de Windsor.

Supervisor Coursey represents District 3, which includes central Santa Rosa, the Roseland and Moorland areas, and east Rohnert Park. This year, he is also serving as board chair for SMART, the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit district. We talk about this growing part of our regional transportation system, as well as some long-envisioned changes in south Santa Rosa that are finally coming to fruition. 

As we approach Memorial Day weekend, it marks the beginning of the summer season on the Russian River, and with it, a range of vital river safety programs aimed at keeping the public safe while enjoying river beaches. In honor of National Water Safety Awareness Month, this episode will dive into the timeline and details of these programs, running from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Our guest is Aquatics Supervisor from Sonoma County Regional Parks, Greg Desmond

En este capitulo, hablaremos sobre el agua. Muchos de nosotros damos por hecho que el agua comenzará a fluir cada vez que abrimos el grifo. Pero ¿realmente sabemos de dónde viene el agua y cómo llega a nuestros hogares?Nuestra invitada de hoy es la Gerente de Participación Comunitaria de los Parques Regionales del Condado de Sonoma, Lupe Navarro

We're very pleased to have with us Supervisor Rebecca Hermosillo — the County's newest supervisor and the first Latina to serve as County Supervisor for Sonoma County's First District. We speak about her first several months in office as well as her priorities for her term.

In today's episode, we are happy to share an interesting and unique project from the Sonoma County Department of Health Services Public Health Division. It's a rollout of new vending machines. But you can't get a Kit Kat or a bag of Doritos from these vending machines. Instead, they contain important health supplies. Joining us to talk about this initiative are Ryan DeHart, public health preparedness section manager, and Alyssa Hamilton, public health analyst.

En nuestro capitulo del dia, estamos felices de compartir un proyecto interesante y único del Departamento de Servicios de Salud del Condado de Sonoma, División de Salud Pública. Se trata del lanzamiento de nuevas máquinas expendedoras. Pero no puedes obtener un Kit Kat o una bolsa de Doritos de estas máquinas. En su lugar, contienen suministros de salud.Nos acompaña para hablar sobre esta iniciativa Viviana Martinez, Especialista en salud comunitaria, Preparación de salud pública del departamento de Servicios de Salud del Condado de Sonoma.

Nos honra contar con la presencia de Johannes Hoevertsz, Director del Departamento de Infraestructura Pública. Conversamos con él sobre los planes y la visión del Centro de Gobierno del Condado de Sonoma.

We are honored to have back with us Johannes Hoevertsz, Director of the Sonoma County Department of Public Infrastructure. We speak with Director Hoevertsz about the plans and vision for the Sonoma County Government Center. 

We are honored to have back with us Supervisor James Gore, who represents Sonoma County's Fourth District. We speak with Supervisor Gore about the actions and activities occurring within his district, including the latest developments about the future of the Potter Valley Project.

Vamos a conversar con el Supervisor Gore sobre las acciones y actividades que están ocurriendo dentro de su distrito, incluyendo lo último sobre el futuro del Proyecto Potter Valley.

On this weeks episode we're shining a light on the Secure Families Collaborative in Sonoma County - a community network dedicated to providing free, high-quality immigration legal services. Joining us is Margaret Flores McCabe, Executive Director for Secure Families Collaborative.

En este capitulo vamos a destacar al Secure Families Collaborative en el Condado de Sonoma y sus iniciativas que fomentan la equidad, el sentido de pertenencia y la justicia en nuestras comunidades.Nos acompaña Chandler Jordan, Director Interino de Recaudación de Fondos y Operaciones del Secure Families Collaborative.

Esperamos conversar con el Sargento Juan Valencia de la oficina del alguacil del Condado de Sonoma, sobre todos los cambios que han estado ocurriendo en su oficina durante el último año. 

In this episode, we speak with Sonoma County Sheriff, Eddie Engram, about all the changes that have been occurring within his office over the past year.

Hoy hablaremos sobre el agua. Muchos de nosotros damos por hecho que el agua comenzará a fluir cada vez que abrimos el grifo. Pero ¿realmente sabemos de dónde viene el agua y cómo llega a nuestros hogares? Nuestra invitada es: Cynthia De La Fuente, Especialista en Programas y Asuntos Comunitarios de la Agencia del Agua llamada Sonoma Water Cynthia nos explicará todo eso y mucho más.

Sonoma County's Animal Shelter is getting crowded and there are a lot of adorable animals looking for a loving home. As a special treat today, Emma Diemert, Sonoma County Animal Shelter Supervisor, has brought some of her furry friends with her. We'll meet these animals and find out more about adopting a pet.

El refugio de animales del Condado de Sonoma se está llenando y hay muchos animales adorables en busca de un hogar amoroso. Como un regalo especial hoy, Guadalupe Garcia-Torres del Refugio de Animales del Condado de Sonoma, ha traído algunos de sus amigos peludos con ella. Conoceremos a estos animales y descubriremos más sobre la adopción de mascotas.

Nuestro tema de hoy es la basura. Y no lo digo en tono burlón. En realidad, estamos hablando de los residuos que producimos y tiramos, adónde deben y no deben ir y cómo llegan allí.   Para ayudar a responder nuestras preguntas hoy nos acompaña Hugo Mata, Especialista Bilingüe en Divulgación y Asistencia técnicade para Zero Waste Sonoma

Today we're once again featuring a roundtable discussion where members of the county Communications Team and I will talk about some of the latest news out of the county, including recent press releases, stories out of SoCo Correspondent, the county's newsletter, as well as stories that have been in the news media of late. Joining me today are two of our county Communications Specialists, Matt Brown, Ted Appel and Karina Garcia, the host of SoCo Chat Espanol, the Spanish version of our podcast.

Esta semana comienza la primavera y estamos listos para días largos, soleados, y cálidos. Hoy llevaremos acabo una platica de mesa redonda con dos invitados sobre varios temas de interés. Estaremos platicando sobre un desafortunado incidente involucrando agentes federales en nuestro condado, la importancia de las vacunas contra la gripe y la gran noticia sobre el regreso de Charla Comunitaria. Le damos la bienvenida a Lupe Catalan, representante de Campo de la Supervisora Lynda Hopkins y a Gilbert Martinez, especialista en comunicaciones del departamento de comunicaciones centrales del condado de Sonoma.

Today, we are focusing on one of our favorite topics, the Sonoma County Fair. Yes, I know we're not even out of winter yet, but the urge to talk about the summer fair is calling us. We are very pleased to have as our guest, the new Chief Executive Officer of the Sonoma County Fair, Matthew Daly.

En este capitulo nos enfocamos en uno de nuestros temas favoritos: la Feria del Condado de Sonoma. Apenas estamos por entrar a la primavera y ya estamos pensando en diversión, pero la necesidad de hablar sobre la feria de verano nos llama. Representando por segunda ocasión a la Feria del Condado de Sonoma, le damos la bienvenida a Hugo Mata, que es Vicepresidente de la Mesa Directiva de la Feria del Condado de Sonoma.

Estamos en medio de la temporada de una “cuadremia” de virus invernales, todos los cuales están aumentando al mismo tiempo. En este episodio, el Dr. Enrique Gonzalez-Méndez, quien practicó como médico en el condado de Sonoma por más de 40 años, responde nuestras preguntas sobre la influenza, el COVID-19, el VSR, el norovirus e incluso la gripe aviar. 

We are in the midst of airborne virus season, which ranks right up there with tax season as most people's least favorite time of the year. In this episode, Sonoma County's Interim Health Officer, Dr. Karen Smith, answers our questions about influenza, COVID-19, RSV, norovirus and even bird flu.   

Today, we are diving into one of the most pressing issues facing our communities—homelessness. There's certainly a lot to be said about this issue, but the focus of our discussion today is one of the key groups that plays a central role in Sonoma County's effort to end homelessness in our community. That is the Sonoma County Homelessness Coalition.Joining us today is Andrew Akufo, Program Planning & Evaluation Analyst, for the Department of Health Services – Homelessness Services Division.

Hoy en SoCo Chat Español, nos sumergimos en el papel vital que desempeña este sistema conocido como "ayuda mutua" para ayudar a las comunidades a responder a estos eventos naturales catastróficos como los incendios forestales.También nos informa sobre los efectos de las recientes tormentas y la respuesta del Condado.

On today's episode of SoCo Chat, we dive into the vital role that this system known as “mutual aid" plays in helping communities respond to these catastrophic natural events like wildfires.We also give a quick update from him about impacts of the storms and the County's response.

De las cenizas del devastador incendio Glass está floreciendo algo extraordinario en el condado de Sonoma. Únase a nosotros para sumergirse en una inspiradora historia de resiliencia, renovación y comunidad, para hablar de un espacio en tiempos pasados devastado que se ha transformado en un vibrante paraíso comestible para los niños, un símbolo de esperanza, sanación y sostenibilidad. Rodolfo Milito, voluntario del programa de jardineros maestros nos hablará de ello.

Out of the ashes of the devastating Glass Fire, something extraordinary is blooming in Sonoma County. Join us as we dive into an inspiring story of resilience, renewal and community, to discuss a once-devastated space that has been transformed it into a vibrant and edible paradise for children — a symbol of hope, healing and sustainability. Here to talk about it is Pat Decker, Master Gardener Volunteer and Mimi Enright, Department Program Manager at the Sonoma County UC Cooperative Extension.

Our topic today is garbage. And I don't mean that derisively. We're actually talking about the waste that we produce and throw out, where it should and shouldn't go, and how it gets there. Here to help answer our questions is Leslie Lukacs, Executive Director of Zero Waste Sonoma.

Today, we are bringing you a special segment of SoCo Chat, one focused on the fires that have been sweeping through parts of Los Angeles these past 10 days. To many of us here in Sonoma County, images of these fires have brought back many heart-breaking reminders of what we went through. These are hard memories. But they come with valuable and hard-earned lessons, which many of our local leaders, including the two we have with us today, have been asked to share with our counterparts in Southern California. We thought it would be timely to reflect on these lessons and remind our listeners – including those who are perhaps new to Sonoma County – what we can and should be doing to prepare for the next wildfire. Joining us is Jeff DuVall, director of the Sonoma County Department of Emergency Management and Pamela Van Halsema, Communications Program Specialist for Sonoma Water but, is joining us in her capacity as a survivor of the 2017 fire and a leader involved in the rebuilding of Santa Rosa's Coffey Park Neighborhood.

We have as our special guest today Sonoma County Supervisor Lynda Hopkins who just last week was elected to serve as chair of the Board of Supervisors for 2025.

Matt Brown nuestro director diputado de comunicaciones tuvo la oportunidad de conversar con la supervisora Lynda Hopkins quien este año es la presidenta de la Junta de Supervisores del Condado de Sonoma. La Supervisora Hopkins cuenta con personal bilingüe en su oficina que hoy nos acompaña para recopilar lo que compartió en su entrevista. Lupe Catalan, representante de campo de la oficina del quinto distrito nos dará resumen de la entrevista, además los comentarios sobre la resolución de apoyo para la comunidad inmigrante, y algunas de las metas que quiere lograr la Supervisora Hopkins este 2025

Our topic today is public infrastructure. By that, I mean the roads, bridges, airport and county-owned properties that we all use every day but may not know how they are built and maintained. Here to help address our questions is Johannes Hoevertsz, Director of Sonoma County Public Infrastructure.

Nuestro tema de hoy es la infraestructura pública. Con esto me refiero a las carreteras, puentes, el aeropuerto y las propiedades del condado que todos usamos diariamente, pero que quizás no sabemos cómo se construyen y como se mantienen. Para ayudarnos a responder a nuestras preguntas, nos acompaña Johannes Hoevertsz, director de Infraestructura Pública del Condado de Sonoma.

We want you to know we're taking a little two-week break for the holidays. But we didn't want to let 2024 come to an end without telling you how much we have appreciated all the love and support we have received since launching this podcast earlier this year. We'll be back in the new year with more episodes, but we want to wish you all a very Happy Holidays!

Queremos dejarles saber que vamos a tomar un pequeño descanso de dos semanas durante la temporada decembrina. Pero no queríamos dejar que el 2024 termine sin expresar nuestro agradecimiento por todo el cariño y apoyo que hemos recibido desde el lanzamiento de este podcast a principios de año. Regresaremos en el nuevo año con más episodios, mientras tanto queremos desearles unas muy felices fiestas.

Hoy vamos a hablar sobre un programa del Condado que puede ayudarle a financiar una serie de mejoras para su hogar o negocio, como un nuevo techo, ventanas, un sistema de energía solar y mucho más.

Today we will learn about a County program that can help you pay for many improvements to your home or business – things like a new roof and windows, a solar energy system, and much more. A lot of people don't know that this program exists. If you're thinking about tackling some home improvement projects, you will want to stick around and listen.

We have the privilege of having with us today, Supervisor Susan Gorin, who has represented the First District on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors for the past 12 years. Supervisor Gorin decided early on that she would not be running for re-election to a fifth term in office but would instead be retiring at the end of this month. So, we are so honored to have her here today to look back on the many highs and a few lows of her time in office.

La Supervisora cuenta con personal bilingüe en su oficina que hoy nos acompaña para recopilar la carrera de la Supervisora Gorin y lo que compartió en su entrevista. Demos la bienvenida a Zaira Enriquez representante de campo y Lupe Alvarez asistente administrativa ambas del equipo del primer distrito.

Mobile Support Teams are teams of mental health professionals who respond to emergency calls that do not involve law enforcement. Our guest today is Wendy Tappon, a program manager in the County's Department of Health Services, who oversees the Mobile Support Team program.

Los equipos de apoyo móvil son equipos de profesionales de la salud mental que responden a llamadas de emergencia que no involucran a las fuerzas del orden. Nuestra invitada de hoy es Dalia Villagómez con el Departamento de Servicios de Salud.

Nuestra invitada de hoy es Martin Rivarola, Gerente de Programas, de la División Salud Publica, Departamento de Servicios de Salud del Condado de Sonoma, para hablar de lo que está haciendo la División de Salud Pública del condado de Sonoma para concienciar sobre esta enfermedad contagiosa.

Our guest today is Miranda Patrick, a public health nurse who specializes in sexually transmitted infections, and who is particularly focused on HIV, to discuss what the Sonoma County Public Health Division is doing to raise awareness about this communicable disease.

Today we're having one of our occasional SoCo Chat Roundtables. It's sort of a lightning-round update if you will on a number of items and stories happening here at the county. And to help us with that discussion we have three members of our Central Communications team today. Joining us are Matt Brown, our Supervising Communications Specialist, Karina Garcia, our bilingual communications specialist, and Ted Appel, another of our communications specialists.