The Marinade with Lee Thomas

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Former San Leandro Councilman Lee Thomas discusses the state of the city with public figures while dining on backyard barbecue from GrilleeQ.

Lee Thomas


    • Aug 22, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 37m AVG DURATION
    • 26 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Marinade with Lee Thomas

    San Leandro City Council candidates Dylan Boldt and Ed Hernandez

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 22, 2024 56:15


    San Leandro City Council candidates Dylan Boldt (District 6) and Ed Hernández (District 2) chat about their campaigns with Grillmaster Lee Thomas over GrilleeQ applewood smoked bone-in chicken thighs, grilled tomatoes and asparagus, and longanisa. The candidates share their thoughts on reducing crime, road repairs, district elections, development at Bay Fair Mall and San Leandro Marina, and spurring the local economy. This episode is sponsored by Realtor Louis Heystek. 

    San Leandro Police Chief Angela Averiett

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2024 33:13


    San Leandro Police Chief Angela Averiett is on the beat. She shares a meal with Lee Thomas over GrilleeQ tri-tip, hot links, grilled squash and zucchini, and blueberry corn muffins. Averiett, an East Bay native, chats about crime, poor public safety legislation, the need for more police in San Leandro, and morale at the department. This episode is sponosred by Dylan Boldt for San Leandro City Council.

    San Leandro school boardmember Leo Sheridan

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2024 40:35


    San Leandro school boardmember Leo Sheridan, a 'Dro native and possibly GrilleeQ's #1 customer, visits his old friend Lee Thomas for BBQ short ribs, bacon-wrapped shrimp, and corn on the cob. Leo chats about the successul passage of $400 million in school bonds over the years, the effects of the pandemic on San Leandro students, what students eat at the cafeteria, the dearth of residents interested in running for the school board, and his version of a Santa Maria tri-tip.

    San Leandro Councilmember Sbeydeh Viveros Walton

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 25, 2024 34:11


    San Leandro Councilmember Sbeydeh Viveros Walton tries to snag some of Lee Thomas's culinary secrets over GrilleeQ Cali thighs, bacon-wrapped shrimp, asparagus, and multigrain rice. Sbeydeh discusess her background, tensions betwen residents and city hall, housing, and her governance style. This episode is sponsored by Borja Plus digital marketing.

    San Leandro Boys & Girls Club CEO Kim Pace

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2024 34:41


    Kim Pace, CEO of the San Leandro Boys & Girls Club, dines with Lee Thomas over GrilleeQ smoked salmon on a cedar plank, longanisa, corn on the cob, and bacon-wrapped shrimp. Pace chats about the state of the Boys & Girls Club, helping the city's youth, and how the organization is funded. And if you're wondering, she's not running for political office. This episode is sponsored by Alameda County Board of Education Trustee Aisha Knowles.

    San Leandro Councilmember Xouhoa Bowen

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 11, 2024 36:58


    Season 4 Premiere! San Leandro Councilmember Xouhoa Bowen, a BBQ extraordinaire in her own right, chats about her first term on the council and the challenges facing the city with Lee Thomas and some GrilleeQ pulled pork, longanisa, and smoked mushrooms. This episode is sponsored by East Bay Realtor Louis Heystek.

    Alameda County Firefighters Local 55 Union President Sean Burrows is eating good in the firehouse

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2023 48:58


    The Alameda County Fire Department covers San Leandro. Local 55 union president Sean Burrows sits down with Lee Thomas for the biggest GrilleeQ spread ever! Dino ribs, longanisa, Korean short ribs, plus two muffins - blueberry and honey cornmeal - along with an experimental bacon-wrapped pickle. Sean chats about the benefits of The 'Dro partnering with county fire, why the switch was made, Local 55 participating in the political process, recruitment struggles, and much more. This episode of The Marinade is brought to you by Lane Mortgage. For more info, visit lanemtg.com.

    Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez wants seconds

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2023 49:43


    Nobody loves GrilleeQ barbecue more than Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez. She cleaned her plate before we started recording! The new sheriff dishes on reforming the sheriff's department, civilian oversight, military equipment, and answering to her mom when any police officer acts badly. This episode of The Marinade is brought to you by San Leandro Realtor Louis Heystek. For more info, visit https://www.compass.com/agents/louis-heystek/

    Fran Robustelli and her city manager homies

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2023 31:12


    San Leandro City Manager Fran Robustelli sits down for a GrilleeQ brisket sandwich, smoked tri-tip, bacon-wrapped shrimp, and blueberry cornbread muffins. "This is over-the-top," Robustelli said. Robustelli talks about having seven bosses (councilmembers), running the day-to-day business of the city, getting hired in the middle of a pandemic and a high-profile police shooting, her "city manager homies," and an update on the San Leandro Marina. This episode of The Marinade is brought to you by San Leandro Realtor Louis Heystek. For more info, visit https://www.compass.com/agents/louis-heystek/  

    Bob Bailey's appetite for bringing police accountability to San Leandro

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2023 44:09


    Bob Bailey, the chair of San Leandro's new Community Police Review Board (CPRB), joins Lee Thomas for a GrilleeQ lunch of grilled chicken Cali thighs, bacon-wrapped shrimp, grilled corn on the cob, smoked peaches, and blueberry cornbread muffins. Bob details what the CPRB does, how it was created, ts future in San Leandro, and his unique background in police accountability. This episode of The Marinade is brought to you by Lane Mortgage. lanemtg.com

    Public Works Director Debbie Pollart is fixing for some tri-tip

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2023 31:10


    What does public works do? San Leandro Public Works Director Debbie Pollart, yet another BBQ aficionado at City Hall, answers this question and others with Lee Thomas over a spread of GrilleeQ hickory-smoked tri-tip, mushrooms, blueberry cornbread muffins, and grilled peaches. In short, Pollart's department maintains the city's important infrastructure. About all those potholes: they're not all under the city's jurisdiction, so stop complaining! And all you ever wanted to know about city trees.

    Housing provider and repeat GrilleeQ customer Tom Silva

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2023 45:34


    Southern Alameda County housing provider Tom Silva is a polarizing figure in San Leandro, but hear him out. Lee Thomas chats with Tom over GrilleeQ smoked salmon on a cedar plank, citrus-marinated Cali chicken thighs, and Burmese garlic noodles. Tom lays out the housing landscape in San Leandro, the city's limited housing stock, the stark financial difficulties for residents to buy property, and his belief state leaders will not push housing regulations outside of transit centers, and more.

    A meaty conversation about community development with Tom Liao

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2023 41:51


    San Leandro Community Development Director Tom Liao, a BBQ connoisseur, discusses the city's need for market-rate housing, business development, the status of its vaunted fiber-optics loop, and San Leandro's infamous snub from Trader Joe's over GrilleeQ's smoked brisket, chicken thighs, asparagus, and a blueberry muffin.  

    Mike Katz-Lacabe and the greatest brisket ever

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2022 33:15


    San Leandro historian, community activist, and former school board trustee Mike Katz-Lacabe chats with Lee Thomas over a delicious GrilleeQ brisket. Katz-Lacabe covers the city's surveillance cameras, police, schools, politics, and San Leandro's "All-Star" city council team.

    Police Chief Abdul Pridgen's first year in San Leandro

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2022 34:24


    San Leandro Police Chief Abdul Pridgen recaps his first year heading the department, moving to San Leandro, surveillance cameras, and his plan for retaining officers and recruiting the next generation, in a wide-ranging conversation with Lee Thomas over GrilleeQ short ribs, BBQ shrimp, corn-on-the-cob, and smoked peaches.

    Cornfed Iowa native Deborah Cox digs the salmon

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2022 30:43


    San Leandro Councilmember Deborah Cox, born and raised in Iowa, sits down with Lee Thomas. "I'm meat and potatoes all the way," Cox said. Nevertheless, she loved GrilleeQ's cedar plank roasted salmon. Over lunch, Cox talks about governing during the pandemic, losing touch with her colleagues during Zoom meetings, and the city's quick economic turnaround.

    Louis Heystek on ribs: 'Are you going to finish that?'

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2022 37:05


    Former San Leandro school boardmember and current city commissioner Louis Heystek tore through GrilleeQ's smoked ribs in this week's episode. "Are you going to finish that?" he asked host Lee Thomas, "My meat inventory is very low." Heystek is also a local Realtor and former politcal consultant. He chats about concerns for the housing market in San Leandro, and candidate outreach in the city's fall election.

    Labor Day with Liz Ortega and beef back ribs

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2022 30:22


    Alameda Labor Council leader Liz Ortega joins Lee Thomas for a special Labor Day lunch with BBQ beef back ribs, "screaming" shrimp, and r mushrooms. The 20th Assembly District candidate talks about her role in the local labor movement, Howard Terminal, and leading unions during a pandemic. 

    Lisa Jackson says the kids are doing alright; Lee's big announcement

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2021 39:32


    Youth advocate and educator Lisa Jackson headlines the season finale of The Marinade with Lee Thomas (there will be a Season 2 in early 2022!). Lisa dines on GrilleeQ salmon smoked on a cedar plank, longanisa sausage and blueberry cornbread muffins. She says students need to feel connected to their community, and there needs to be more city investment in youth programs. Plus, Lee makes his big announcement!

    Rob Rich on the state of affordable housing in San Leandro

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2021 42:40


    San Leandro housing advocate Rob Rich discusses the affordable housing scene in the city with Lee Thomas over a GrilleeQ lunch of short ribs, grilled tomatoes and asparagus, and (very) hot links.

    David Stark takes a trip to Pork-ville

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2021 36:19


    East Bay real estate expert David Stark joins Lee Thomas for a smorgasbord of GrilleeQ pulled pork, chicken thighs, asparagus, smoked mushrooms, and blueberry muffins. Stark says government has a big role in increasing housing supply, and not much will happen until a jobs and housing imbalance is alleviated. Ultimately, the change needed won't come until residents agree to live differently, he said.

    Morgan Mack-Rose talks 'Dro biz and short ribs

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2021 35:07


    Morgan Mack-Rose, the executive director of the San Leandro Improvement Association, chats with Lee Thomas over GrilleeQ short ribs, grilled squash and tomatoes, and hot links, about her ideas for a more vibrant downtown, and the need for city officials to be more ambitious in their vision for San Leandro.

    San Leandro police union chief advocates for more cops, more tri-tip

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2021 31:25


    San Leandro Police Officers Association President Mike Olivera tells Lee Thomas that the city needs more cops, and the rise in crime is "worse than I've ever seen in 22-plus years on the force." Amid rumors of a GrilleeQ burger, generous portions of juicy tri-tip, Portobello mushrooms and corn on the cob is on the menu.

    San Leandro school trustee and foodie Peter Oshinski gives Lee an A+

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2021 34:33


    A good tri-tip should be medium rare, says Lee Thomas's guest this week, San Leandro school trustee Peter Oshinski, who is also a former culinary instructor. While dining on GrilleeQ tri-tip, smoked mushrooms, and corn on the cob, Peter talks about the school district's early response to the pandemic, and how he thinks students will adjust to the lost classroom time.

    Surlene Grant says the shrimp is 'screaming'

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2021 32:02


    Surlene Grant is the first African-American to sit on the San Leandro City Council. She discusses with Lee Thomas the resistance she felt following her appointment and election to the city council, the future of Black representation in San Leandro, and reparations. On the menu: BBQ chicken, "screaming" shrimp, and corn from GrilleeQ.

    State of BBQ with San Leandro Mayor Pauline Russo Cutter

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2021 28:59


    San Leandro Mayor Pauline Russo Cutter sits down with Lee Thomas to discuss the state of the city, her legacy and today's special, BBQ chicken thighs, shrimp, and corn on the cob.  

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