Podcasts about our town reno

In this Our Town Reno episode, reporter Lauren Juillerat interviews a local Reno band, Faded Shawties, on their experience and perspectives on the local music scene. Nico, Eduardo and Daniel share their opinions on lighthearted topics such as their favorite foods to eat before a show, to more serious topics concerning the recent cancel culture in the Reno scene, as well as their mission as a band to be welcoming and more inclusive to communities around the Biggest Little City.

In this Our Town Reno episode, our music reporter Lauren Juillerat hosts Reno photographer and videographer Jake Erwin on his experience in the local music scene. Jake only started pursuing photography and videography in 2021 and rapidly learned new skills that helped him gain new opportunities in northern Nevada. Success this early on in a photographer's career is rare. Jake shares his advice on how to be successful in this creative field as well as his back story. Listen in for an inspiring tale, essential tips and tricks, and guidance when it comes to thriving in photography and making music videos.

Before his mother passed away at the end of 2022, Michaelangelo Aranda remembers she used to call him “Mayor Michael.” His father, who is currently struggling with health challenges, set the bar even higher. “When I had shared with him that I'm running for city council,” Aranda says, he told him he hopes to stay alive to see him as president. “I don't know if I will career that far,” Aranda told Our Town Reno during a recent podcast interview. For now he's one of many candidates for our city's new Ward 6, with a campaign website extolling “Reno Born Reno Ready.” Listen to Aranda make his case for his campaign by listening to this episode which is part of our political series on 2024 northern Nevada candidates.

With two fourth place finishes in previous citywide mayoral elections, William Mantle, a raw data person who likes to ask questions, is now running for Ward 6, the new ward in South Reno with about 40,000 residents, high home prices, wild horses and plenty of new multi-unit apartment complexes. Listen to his interview as part of an Our Town Reno podcast 2024 local election series.

It's the end of an era here, the end of our weeklies, we've consistently produced over the past two years for podcast platforms and for KWNK. We've interviewed people struggling on the streets and volunteers who do good to help them out, as well as movers and shakers, artists and illuminaries of our community, radical thinkers, doers and promoters. As we've gone independent, we no longer have the reporter bandwidth to be able to produce one episode every week. Going forward we will have occasional episodes. We are thinking of new types of interviews such as reporter's notebooks with prominent journalists in the community, looking into cold cases or having audio mini documentaries as we once did at our beginnings. Thank you for being faithful listeners and keep us in your subscription as pretty soon a new episode here and there will pop up, not as a regular feature anymore but as an occasional bonus, to inform, to enlighten, to give sounds of our Reno, Our Town Reno, the biggest little streets, still rad, still getting better, growing, but in need of tlc, of vintage, of keeping public spaces public and of helping each other out. We will continue our regular postings on the BiggestLittleStreets Instagram which we are proud to say for a hyperlocal initiative has over 17k followers, on the Our Town Reno Facebook which has over 11k followers, on our Twitter/X, TikTok where one video got over 600 thousand views, on the Our Town Reno threads and Reddit where we need more followers to continue. We also have a weekly Our Town Reno Substack which you can get by email every week. If you'd like to contribute to this hyperlocal reporting endeavor you can subscribe via our Facebook for three dollars a month, via our Substack for whatever amount you choose with your credit card, and if you have Venmo via the ourtownreno account.

While the yearly point in time count in late January establishes data for the locally unhoused, many avoid the process, preferring to live in the shadows, along the river or in their car and just try to survive, rather than going to a shelter or being counted as an unhoused person. That's why at Our Town Reno we find official numbers released by officials and repeated by media as unreliable. We will first hear from Paul from an archive interview with Michelle Baker and then from Kyle, who tries to protect himself and others living on the streets.

Gaia Osborne looks back on her tenure with Our Town Reno, which included lots of reporting on non profits, and other documentary projects, such as delving into northern Nevada's ghost towns, as she finishes up a master's degree at the Reynolds School of Journalism, at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Our ace bilingual multicultural reporter Nancy Vazquez looks back on favorite stories for Our Town Reno while analyzing change in the Biggest Little City through a journalistic and social media lens.

The Reno Housing Authority is about to celebrate 80 years of existence, trying as best it can to provide affordable, safe and accessible housing to members of our community. Our Town Reno recently went to RHA offices to interview new executive director Hilary Lopez about this new historical anniversary amid contemporary challenges.

Neil Cavanagh is the co owner with his wife of Reno Roots Kava and Tea Bar ,a cozy place across from UNR with surf on the big screen and games on the tables. Only problem is the Washoe County Health district so far is not letting them sell what they were set up for, and that's kava as a tea. As a compromise they have kava supplements and lots more to offer but not kava as a tea. Health district officials say they can't make the call yet on whether kava tea is safe enough for local residents. In terms of food safety regulations, a line is crossed when a supplement is directly added to food and beverages and so far kava isn't on the Food and Drug Administration's Generally Recommended as Safe list.  Since it's in this grey area, local and state governments can make the call, but so far in Washoe County it's been a red light on kava tea. So where does the Reno Roots Kava and Tea bar go from here? Find out in this episode of the Our Town Reno podcast.

Elaine Sargent – also known by her penname, E.M. Starr – is the author of Rhinestone Confidential, a memoir she wrote of her memories and experiences working behind the scenes in the showroom at Harrah's, Reno. Within the pages, Elaine recounts the golden days when Reno was a casino town full of late-night shows. She shares the juiciest moments and mishaps from backstage at Sammy's Showroom, Harrah's then-hot venue for cabarets and headliners where Elaine worked a wardrobe job. Our Town Reno reporter Gaia Osborne sat down with Elaine to talk about her time at Harrah's and experience authoring a book.

Kingkini Sengupta, a graduate student at the University of Nevada, Reno, has completed her reporting work for Our Town Reno. Before her departure, she took the time to speak with Reynolds School of Journalism colleague and fellow Our Town Reno reporter Gaia Osborne to share what her experience has been like reporting for our street collective.

We recently had an episode on old men on the streets of Reno, Nevada avoiding the Nevada Cares campus and trying to survive despite the cold winter we've gone through. We wanted to do an episode about unhoused women, why are they living on the streets, do they stay safe , what are their hopes , what is their message to the community. All of the women you'll hear on this episode were along the Truckee River. First from our archive audio we will hear Jaime a mother of six from Winnemucca who was separated from her children and faced daily sexual assault, self medicating with drugs, and mistrustful of the world around her. In Part Two of our episode we hear from Baby Bleu who at the time of our interview was going for resources during the day at the Eddy House but sleeping outside. She started as a sex worker as teenager while going to Hug High at its former location near Sutro. She had recently got kicked out of an apartment. In Part Three of our episode, we go to Barbara Bennett Park with former Our Town Reno reporter Lucia Starbuck who met Annette there. At the time of the interview she was spending her days there with her ailing dog and staying wit a group to feel safer. In our final part to this podcast with archive audio of women living on the streets we'll lend an ear to Joan, in her 70s, and a former Reno Gazette Journal employee. At the time of the interview she was on a waiting list for assisted senior housing, and felt harassed by police and other unhoused who tried to give her drugs.

Wildfire is a vital ecological process, but it can be dangerous. It's also a tangible reminder of how our climate is changing around us. Therefore, living in areas impacted by wildfire can be stressful on many levels, and individuals may experience eco-anxiety –  or even eco-grief –  in response.  On the latest episode of the Living With Fire Podcast, guest Caitlyn Wallace, LCSW, unpacks these terms and talks about ways to address feelings about wildfire and climate change. According to Wallace, “Eco-anxiety is the anxiousness and the worry about the changing climate and what might happen. And eco-grief is the sadness and grief at the loss of life – human, animal and plant life – that you anticipate to come.”Wallace, a licensed clinical social worker and therapist in Northern Nevada, specializes in perinatal mental health and the emerging field of climate-informed therapy. She treats patients experiencing pregnancy, postpartum depression and anxiety, infertility, grief and loss. Wallace explained that some of her clients were also experiencing eco-anxiety and eco-grief. “I started noticing in some of my clients this grief and guilt around – I work so hard for this baby, I tried so hard for this baby. The baby is here. And now I am guilty and ashamed because there's a pandemic, there's smoke, there's this warming climate and we're in a huge drought. What did I do? Why did I bring a baby into this world?” said Wallace. On the podcast, Wallace explained that anxiety and grief show up differently for everyone. Therefore, there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution for dealing with eco-anxiety and grief. However, she emphasized the importance of acknowledging feelings and experiences. “I think that a big thing is being able to name it and being able to talk about it. Yeah, we know enough to know that for a lot of these things. Specifically, depression, anxiety, that being able to talk about your feelings around them gets you out of a fight-or-flight reactive place and into a place where you can be more responsive.”Wallace speaks about the benefits of finding a space to talk about the feelings of eco-anxiety, such as a Climate Café modeled after Death Cafés. According to the Climate Psychology Alliance of North America, a Climate Café is “an informal, open, respectful, confidential space to safely share emotional responses and reactions related to the climate and environmental emergency.”Wallace is one of the only climate-informed therapists in Northern Nevada and has started hosting free Climate Cafés in Reno, which you can read about in Our Town Reno. And, to learn more about eco-anxiety, check out Wallace's suggested reading list below:A Guide to Eco-Anxiety: How to Protect the Planet and Your Mental Health, by Anouchka Grose Generation Dread, by Britt WrayTurn the Tide on Climate Anxiety: Sustainable Action for Your Mental Health and the Planet, by Megan Kennedy-Woodard and Dr. Patrick Kennedy-WilliamsEarth Emotions: New Words for a New World, by Glenn A. Albrecht

Many mental health issues that people face as adults result from traumas they faced as a child. Christopher Conway, 56, a therapist, decided to address this problem by creating a foundation based out of Reno that helps people facing such traumas to open up about their experiences and receive resources to be able to manage them. Conway started the National Foundation for Adult Victims of Childhood Trauma last year after moving to Reno in late 2020. “As a child, I faced sexual, physical and psychological abuse … and have been shamed for it,” Conway told Our Town Reno. With his non-profit organization which is at a very nascent stage currently, Conway is trying to create a network of people who have a special relationship and understanding with each other. The reporter for this episode is Kingkini Sengupta.

Sue Smith, a former Ward 4 City Council member in Reno from 1987 to 1991, enjoys the UNR campus where she used to be a student, the beautiful fall weather we've been having in October, the local arts and theatre community, and so many aspects of the Biggest Little City, but there is one current negative amid all these positives: she believes our local governance needs to open up again. Listen to her thoughts in interview with Our Town Reno coordinator Nico Colombant.

Kendra Bertschy, a local criminal public defense attorney running for Reno Justice Court, Department 2, remembers the decisive moment that propelled her into compassionate commitments, including helping foster kids and troubled youths, both as a volunteer and in her work. She pauses though, before answering, during our outdoor interview, with the Truckee River flowing behind us, and pedestrians walking by. Listen to the episode with Our Town Reno coordinator Nico Colombant as Bertschy explains why she's the best choice for voters in November.

After a ghost procession, Our Town Reno coordinator Nico Colombant catches up with three organizers of nightly protests in Reno, Nevada, following the overturning of Roe v Wade. They explain their motivation and how they welcome others wanting to join them.

Protests have been taking place in Reno on consecutive nights since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade. Our Town Reno reporter Ariel Smith catches up with passionate protesters to find out what drives them and what their outlook is on the present and future.

Louis Bubala, a local Reno lawyer specializing in bankruptcies, remembers how he started volunteering with Friends of Nevada Wilderness in 2004, a moment which would set his path for countless more hours of helping preserve the region's ecosystem. Listen to podcast interview with Our Town Reno reporter Kingkini Sengupta to find out more about his eco journey and the group he supports.

As part of a series on the Our Town Reno website called the Last Motel Residents of Reno, we interviewed Skyler, a veteran and resident at the Desert Rose Inn. After a nasty separation, he was on parole with a job at Tesla, but then a stroke set him back. He details his life before and ahead, and why for him the motel has so much value on his journey. Our reporter for this episode is Kingkini Sengupta.

Reno is not often considered a home to a vibrant film community. However, one production company Horror Nerd Productions, with almost a dozen films to their credit, is singlehandedly building an indie film community. “I've always been a giant horror nerd,” said Dillon Brown, during a recent interview with Our Town Reno. Having studied English he is a published author but had always wanted to make a film. “I just went for it,” he told us. Listen as he and assistant Jessica Grimaldo explain how they are trying to turn the Biggest Little City into a hotspot for the horror movie genre.

Black Wall Street Reno is a nonprofit organization spearheaded by its two founders Donald Griffin and Romar Tolliver, going stronger and stronger in its second year of existence. Both men hope that their organization can be one that steers local teens away from the adversity that they faced as youths and young men. “This organization is to provide preventative measures for teens,” Tolliver said during a recent interview with Our Town Reno. For him, Black Wall Street Reno is a way for youths to channel their energy into productive learning and enrichment activities instead of being out on the streets. “I got in trouble as a kid,” Tolliver said, referring to the time he spent in the Nevada Youth Training Center (NYTC) when he was younger. His experience at NYTC was an eye opening one, and it's marked in his memory as eight months of his youth that could have been spent doing something better. Listen to more of his experiences, insights and current endeavors in this episode with reporter Lynn Lazaro.

Kathleen Lang got caught up in recent sweeps while living at a tent city in Reno. She's now in housing in a dorm style room inside containers at the Village on Sage Street but her long time partner Doug is dead. In this episode, she recounts his final weeks and the weeks leading up to his death. She can't forgive herself for not being there with him at the end of his journey, but she was dealing with repeated sweeps herself. Many who die while unhoused are forgotten and not mentioned in media. We here at Our Town Reno try to correct this when we can as best we can. Our reporter for this episode is Richard Bednarski.

What happens when you've lost almost all hope while living on the streets? Why is it that in certain situations it's so difficult to climb that hill again and get back into the job market? Our Town Reno reporters speak to Robert and Ace, the first saying he's waiting for death, and the second from our archives suicidal while unhoused. Our neighbors without stable shelter deserve our close attention and empathy, because who are we if we can't help those among us struggling in our communities?

Too many of our neighbors have had their relatives killed by local law enforcement in situations which could have easily avoided death. At a recent rally, Our Town Reno reporters Gracie Gordon and Rachel Jackson met with the daughter and sister of Johnny Bonta who was killed at the age of 43 by Sparks police four years ago.

Our guest on this episode is Anthony Shafton, a Chicago native, independent scholar and current Reno resident. He's an author who has written several books including The Nevada They Knew, Robert Caples, Walter Van Tilburg Clark, a double biography about Nevada's prominent modern painter and novelist of the 20th century. Recently Shafton wrote an oped for Our Town Reno about public art in Reno and how current pursuits might be misguided. He discusses this past, present and future of the Biggest Little City and warns about corporate driven gentrification and homogenization.

How can public art become better for Reno and other communities across the United States? Mark Salinas, the senior project manager at Forecast Public Art, recently helped develop a land recognition statement as part of many projects he is working on in the Biggest Little City where he works from. He has also recently worked with a social worker artist empowering the unhoused after they get into housing in Atlanta, as well as with a major community bridge park in development Washington, D.C. On this episode with Our Town Reno coordinator Nico Colombant, Salinas discusses Reno's Space Whale, electrical boxes, Jacobs Entertainment art, the Locomotion plaza and how to get grants and community engagement among several public art related topics.

This week we're reissuing part of a previous episode but on its own to never forget. This month in July marked eight years since Iraq war veteran Kenneth Stafford, a 27 year old father of three girls, was cornered, gunned down and killed by local police while he was going through a difficult time. At a recent protest reporter Gracie Gordon met with his mother Terry Colgrove and his sister Courtney Henderson. They explained how he was on military leave on that fateful tragic day. He had just traveled down to the area from Washington. He was dealing with PTSD and stress related to a pending court case. He had gotten a shotgun from someone to protect himself. When his family called for help, instead of a mental health worker, it was police who came out firing. On this Our Town Reno podcast episode, his mother describing the days and then seconds leading up to his killing.

Catrina Peters, a Washoe County official gave us a tour last week of the new safe camp, which is part of the new multimillion dollar Nevada Cares Campus. At the time of our visit, only 14 people and one cat were reported to be staying at this pilot safe camp so far. In the interview we are told only 50 tents in all will be planned when it moves to the yet to be ready former Governor's Bowl baseball field. Our Town Reno tried to get more details of what's being offered and responses to community concerns about what might be missing to make it a more successful and welcoming initiative. Many unhoused we spoke to previously had high hopes for the camp, but feel frustrated at the lack of space, shade, location, clarity of waiting lists and criteria to get in, the food being served there and dogs not being allowed yet, among mounting concerns. We ask these questions and others during the tour, which also included insights from Austin Solheim, the Washoe County Homeless Services Program Specialist, and Grant Denton, the head of the Karma Box Project which has been awarded an emergency contract to operate the camp.

Shaved head, painted fingernails, multiple earring that's Gallo Chingon, the podcaster behind Sucias are my Favorite, a welcome addition to our local landscape. Gallo moved to Reno for a job at Tesla but has since left to begin a life of content creation and exploration of hobbies. He values his time and says he's out of the rat race for now. In this Our Town Reno podcast episode with Richard Bednarski, he explains how he was able to reconnect with many different parts of his personality here in northern Nevada.

This is a podcast rundown of a stop the sweeps protest today June 7th, 2021 in Reno when protestors faced off against police. I'm Nico Colombant the coordinator for the Our Town Reno multimedia initiative. As people chanted, outreach workers started arriving first, speaking to people unhoused laying on the grass at Believe Plaza. I interrupted Erika Minaberry doing a Facebook Live to ask about her insights with tensions rising. Then the police arrived. They had issued a notice for the advocates to vacate by noon. Lily Baran and others explained it was a free speech vigil protest and not a camping situation. At first police and a city official said they wanted to offer resources to those camping in the Believe Plaza area. Tensions rose at the protest site as advocates for the unhoused weren't sure what police would do next. After talking separately with Lily Baran, one officer said he would be back the next day during his early shift. The crowd taunted police as they left while Baran and then Ilya Arbatman, another advocate, gave us their observations on the quickly unfolding situation.

At the beginning of summer last year, protests were erupting across the country over a range of issues, including police violence and conditions at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers. Helen Miranda and Ashley Solano decided they needed to do something about it. Being friends since their sophomore year of high school, the two decided to start Project UNITY, a group aimed at organizing protests and activism in the Reno area. Solano was born and raised in Reno, while Miranda moved here from Los Angeles when she was eight years old. Disappointed in the lack of local action, Miranda and Solano took it upon themselves to create the change they wanted to see, even if it was just the two of them. Since then, they have organized protests against inadequate immigration facilities, sex trafficking, and police brutality. They have also hosted donation drives for Reno’s houseless community. Listen to their accomplishments and aspirations in this Our Town Reno episode with reporter Rachel Jackson.

Since early February, the Reno Gastro Project, whose stated mission “is to support the local economy while feeding community members facing hunger”, has been purchasing restaurant meals at full price for those most in need. In nearly three months, they have already raised about $16,000 dollars. Susan Abele, the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Nevada State Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, along with three of her co-workers, had this vision in helping our neighbors in need. On a recent morning, she sat down with Our Town Reno reporter Richard Bednarski at the local restaurant, Lili’s Restaurant and Bar, over a cup of coffee. “We’ve been raising money to buy meals from local restaurants at full price and provide the people in need,” said Abele as the chatter from early morning diners and wait staff filled the air. She moved here in 2004 from Idaho and was recently inspired by a friend’s Facebook post about a similar project happening in Spokane, WA. Abele wanted to not only bring food to people who need it but also support the local restaurant scene as well. The initial campaign is focused on providing meals for the Eddy House, which helps youth without stable shelter. “Our goal is to provide two weeks of meals to the at-risk youth that they serve,” said Abele, as the waitress brought us each a cup of coffee. Officially launched on February third, the Reno Gastro Project is a licensed non-profit with the State of Nevada. They have also applied for 501(c) 3 status with the U.S. government and their application is pending. Once this happens, all donations will be tax-deductible. “We’ve supported over 20 local restaurants already,” explained Abele “and our goal is to support each one at a $1,000 a restaurant.” To date, the Reno Gastro Project has supported over 20 local restaurants. This includes Cherry Bomb Catering, who squeezed them in during a busy sold-out Easter Sunday in order to provide an Easter Brunch for the women at Casa de Vida. Other big players have been Two Chicks and Ijji Noodle House. More on this ingenious program in this episode, as part of a series here about Heroes of Reno.

WELCOME BACK!We've got "Elgar"!! Christian Seaborn is the 4'11" comic actor who brought the memorable attorney "Elgar Neece" to life on the WKRP Episode "Mike Fright". The WKRP-Cast found Elgar...er, Christian...who is living in Reno, NV.  You know how how high-energy Elgar is? There's a lot of Christian in Elgar...we got him to hold still for a few minutes and talk to us!! Christian was kind enough to Zoom about WKRP and his MTM Studio experiences. Get ready, gang...Elgar is gonna blow you away! Did you know that extremely tall Funeral Director Randall Ferryman (played by Fred Stuthman) almost had a 4'11" executive assistant?!? Neither did we!! NOBODY did!! Christian tells the tale.  Christian had a ton of involvement with the show AND he was actually consulted on the creation of the "Elgar" character!If you thought you knew all the backstage details about the Mighty 'KRP...get ready. Christian is adding chapters to the tale!! Hang up your briefcase phone, put your Italian pistol away and hit "play"...it's time to listen to your lawyer!!********In the episode, we mention the article done on Christian by "Our Town Reno."  It's a very well done piece that covers his early performing life and gets into the very trying period following his work on WKRP.  It's a period Christian would rather not discuss, but he did give us permission to share the article. Here's a link if you'd like to check it out:Chris Seaborn, From Portland to Hollywood to Reno, Hoping to Finish His Novel — Our Town Reno  WATCH ALONG DETAILS...[Want to watch along with us? It's a blast!! We highly recommend the 'Shout Factory' boxed DVD set of the entire WKRP series. For reasons you'll have to listen to in the "Prolog"  episode, all streaming versions of the original "WKRP in Cincinnati" have had the original music cues removed. Generic music beds and stings were used in place of the original music for the syndicated version of the series. 'Shout Factory' has been able to restore an estimated 85% of all WKRP music cues to the original "as-aired" content for their DVD release. They've also restored scenes that had been cut to shorten episodes for syndication. The original eps ran 25 minutes. The syndication eps were shortened to 22 minutes. Over 88 episodes that's more than four hours of lost content, including the performance by "Detective" at the end of "Hoodlum Rock." Get the COMPLETE series...get the Shout Factory DVDs. The Shout Factory complete series box has a release date of 2014. All individual seasons of Shout Factory disks were released starting in 2015.]The WKRP-Cast is a weekly re-watch podcast spending time with the original "WKRP in Cincinnati" which aired from 1978-82. New episodes every Tuesday. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. 

Laundry to the People is composed of Ilya Arbatman, Rosie Zuckerman, and Alex Muñoz. The three were connected by Blaize Abuntori of the Reno Burrito Project. While there have been a handful of groups stepping up and providing nutritious food and hygiene kits to the houseless community locally, less attention has been given to other necessities. Seeing this, Laundry to the People stepped in and began helping people living along the Truckee River get their laundry to the laundromat, cleaned, and dried. “We basically go down to tent city in a big van,” said Ilya Arbatman, one of the founding members “get people who need their laundry done. They load up their laundry in the van, we meet them at the laundromat and we help them do their laundry.” A simple action can go a long way if it’s done consistently and with compassion. Run by three community members, Rosie Zuckerman, Alex Muñoz, and Arbatman, the group came together after Blaize Abuntori of the Reno Burrito Project put them in touch. For nine weeks now they have been helping the houseless community wash their clothes. Recently, Our Town Reno reporter Richard Bednarski met them at the Mr. Bubbles Launderland on Second Street and Wells Avenue, not too far from the encampment where people are being helped. The sun was shining and people were busy shuffling in and out of the laundromat as the large white van pulled in. Moments later, members of the houseless community walked up and began helping Arbatman and Muñoz unload the van, each person carrying a bag full of dirty laundry.

As a graduate student at the Reynolds School of Journalism, Scott King spent his entire 18 months as an Our Town Reno reporter. From podcast episodes to share your story at the downtown library sessions, from night time street photography to documenting early morning police sweeps, Scott has been from tents to motels to the river and alleys of Reno interviewing and listening to those who live on the streets of the Biggest Little City. In this episode with current grad student Richard Bednarski, Scott, a former Peace Corps volunteer from Cleveland, shares his on the street reporting insights.

Kyle Chandler-Isacksen could be considered a visionary jack-of-all trades. We’ve featured him on Our Town Reno previously, helping with community murals, composting and garlic festivals. He also runs the non-profit Be The Change Reno, an urban learning space dedicated to service, sustainability, and community uplift. Now, he’s built a house which has been placed in a community land trust, an economic model designed to lower the cost of owning a home. He used locally sourced and milled lumber as the siding of the home, giving it a unique log cabin feel. His wife, Katie, established an organic garden, just steps from the spacious front porch. The two-bedroom home is an experiment to create affordable housing and home ownership a reality for low-income families. The cost of the land is taken out of the home price and put into a trust to keep the cost of home ownership down. Isacksen believes “it's part of a broader solution” as the community struggles with an affordable and accessible housing crisis. The reporter for this episode is Richard Bednarski.

The parish of Our Lady of The Snows in downtown Reno, including volunteers and Reverend Bob Shorey, are now hosting a food insecurity outreach program in their church parking lot for those in need. This new outreach program which is being paired with other help was recently launched as an expansion effort due to COVID-19 difficulties. This episode with Our Town Reno reporter Scott King goes into strategies for helping those in need during these uncertain times.

"Our Town Reno is a little experimental, so sometimes we just have one voice for a story. But I'm still going into it as a journalist and these folks do not have an incentive to lie or make things up. They are so honest all the time, so people kind of get mad at that. For example, I did a story on a sign in a McDonald's that said you can't be here for more than 30 minutes. I was like, ‘Hmm, I wonder if this targets houseless individuals?’ I went down there to interview folks about the sign and I interviewed someone who was staying in the shelter and she totally approved of the sign and she’s like, ‘I’m trying to eat here. I don't want people hanging out for more than 30 minutes.’ Like, totally honest. " Former Our Town Reno reporter Lucia Starbuck recently graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno, and began working for other media outlets, including This is Reno and KUNR. Before her departure, she took the time to speak with colleague and fellow Our Town Reno reporter Scott King for a Q&A to share what her experience has been like reporting for our street collective.

My name is Luke Keck, and for the last few months I’ve worked as a reporter for Our Town Reno. I moved to Reno when I was 17 and fresh out of high school. I’m 24 now, and I’m getting ready to finish grad school in the next few weeks. I’ve spent seven years in the city, most of them around the University where I went to school, nestled in the suburban neighborhoods around Kings Row. In the summer of 2019, I moved downtown, and the experience shocked me a little bit because I started to see how many people we’ve left behind as Reno grows and moves forward. Everybody who lives in Reno knows the city is evolving, we’ve heard the speeches from politicians and developers about the new Reno we’re looking to build, and we’ve heard the talking points about housing inequality and homelessness and how it’s a problem that needs to be fixed. And that’s the story we hear, but it’s not the real story. The real stories aren’t told by numbers and statistics, they’re told by the people left without shelter in the shadows of luxury apartment buildings and giant offices, the people who can’t afford rent, the people who were put out on the street after the motel they lived in was torn down. This is an audio diary of me reporting for Our Town Reno, from sleeping by railroad tracks to dealing with coronavirus while on the streets to failed bailout plans for small businesses.

Clint Koble first ran in 2018 for Northern Nevada’s US Congressional District Two, a seat currently held by Republican Representative Mark Amodei. From his 2018 campaign experience, where he got past a crowded Democratic field, and time serving as the State Executive Director of the USDA’s Nevada Farm Services Agency, Koble believes he is poised and ready to represent Northern Nevada’s constituents. Koble recently took the time to share with Our Town Reno reporter Scott King some of the issues and platforms he is running on in this year’s election. Mail-in primaries will be held June ninth.

Patricia Ackerman, a Democrat, is running for Nevada’s Congressional District 2. The seat is currently held by incumbent Mark Amodei, who has been in Congress nearly 10 years now. First there’s the Democratic Party primary still scheduled for June ninth, in a crowded field. Other notable candidates include Clint Koble and Rick Shepherd. On this episode of The Biggest Little Streets podcast, Ackerman shares with Our Town Reno reporter Scott King how her life experiences have prepared her to be the best qualified for the seat. She also speaks to the issues we care about, including helping the homeless and alleviating the affordable housing crisis,

Britton Griffith, a former city of Reno Commissioner, is one of the candidates running to represent Reno City Council Ward 1, perhaps the most competitive local seat being contested this year in the Biggest Little City.This is part of our series of interviews of candidates running for local office to hear their ideas on the issues we care about, including helping those without stable shelter and easing the affordable housing crisis.  Primaries are scheduled for June ninth.  We’ve previously interviewed the incumbent for the Ward 1 seat Jenny Brekhus as well as another main contender JD Drakulich.Griffith says she intends to use her experiences in housing and development to ensure that current and  future development initiatives in Reno have everyone’s best interests in mind. Griffith recently spoke with Our Town Reno reporter Scott King over the phone, due to social distancing in this very stressful time of coronavirus. 

As part of our special series on local candidates, Our Town Reno reporter Scott King interviewed Elvira Diaz who is putting her hat in the political ring, for the Ward 3 council seat in Sparks, Nevada. She is long time advocate on a range of issues we care about, such as reaching out to those in need. In this episode, she outlines some of her priorities in these increasingly coronavirus affected uncertain times.

The City of Reno last week ordered more than 150 houseless residents to move from where they were living along train tracks near the Reno Aces baseball stadium. Officials said that services were offered to the houseless residents, but shelters are notoriously full and much of what was removed from the sites were personal possessions that could not be moved. We hear from the first reporter on the scene, Lucia Starbuck from Our Town Reno.Also in this episode: Huffaker Elementary School was closed for a day while school district officials, working with the Health District, closed the school for a deep cleaning. We hear from health officials about the Coronavirus in the Reno area, as well as Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam's approach to hand-washing.Special thanks to Scott King and Lucia Starbuck from Our Town Reno for reporting used in this show. Photo: Trevor Bexon.Support the show (https://thisisreno.com/subscribe/)

Rudy Leon, a scholarly book editor, two time burner and Midtown resident, who currently lives on about $30,000 per year, recently launched her campaign website RudyForReno. She says she is the one candidate who understands what it’s like to have most of her income go to her housing. This is a podcast version of an interview q and a which ran on the Our Town Reno website and Facebook earlier this month.

When his apartment in Santa Rosa, California, went up in flames during the 2018 October fires, Miles Vinson was forced to move. It was an unexpected turn of events, but Vinson is taking advantage of his fresh start in Reno. “Thankfully I didn't lose a lot [in Santa Rosa],” he told Our Town Reno during a recent Share Your Story session at the downtown Reno library . “But I was already breaking my own bank trying to live there anyway." In the Biggest Little City though he has found the affordable housing crisis has arrived here as well. The reporter for this episode is Scott King.

Lee says he sees himself as a leader protecting those around him without shelter, and that the sense of community is vital to surviving life on the streets in the winter. “We all do something to pitch in. Some bring food, some bring blankets, some bring medicine, whether it be a bottle to help keep us all warm at night or a little bit of pot. You know what I'm saying? It's real out here. 90% of the people in this town can't handle it,” he said. For outsiders, he says a little bit of empathy goes a long way. “Talk to us like we're human,” he said. This episode with Jordan Blevins and Prince Nesta is from our archive Our Town Reno interviews, now in podcast form.

Issues surrounding people without shelter seem to be reaching a boiling point across the western United States, including here in Reno. Is society criminalizing poverty or are we showing empathy, or a bit of both? For the Biggest Little Streets podcast, several weeks ago, Our Town Reno reporter Scott King went to City Council to meet with at-large councilman Devon Reese. In Fall 2020, Reese is running for his seat he was appointed to, so we wanted to know where he stands on a range of issues dealing with our affordable housing crisis. He gave updates on a new campus for homeless women and children, on a dormitory project which hasn't filled up and on other developments, while sharing his overall views on preserving the dignity of all the people he is trying to serve, including those without stable shelter. This is part of a longer interview which was featured in an Our Town Reno web story.

We are at the downtown Reno library where people living without shelter line up to use computers, get away from the elements and try to find new direction. We now also have Share Your Story time with Our Town Reno. A man who wanted to stay anonymous walked up to the table recently with a major dilemma. What happens when Child Protective Services gives you a deadline to get into a treatment program to regain custody of your child but all the waiting lists are full? He shared his story with Our Town Reno reporter Scott King.

Our resident street poet Donald Griffin returns with more poetry, as he rebounds from past devastation and addiction, into a sober, productive life, which includes writing and contributing to Our Town Reno.

What’’s the local movement like for climate change here in Reno? Jaren Hutchings is a climate activist who was one of the organizers of the recent National Youth Climate Strike. He’s a senior at the Davidson Academy in Reno, and is passionate about finding ways to slow the effects of climate change, and also get the attention of politicians to put forth policies to do so. He talked with Our Town Reno reporter, Lucia Starbuck, about what Nevada and individuals can do to help the Earth.

What’s it like to lose a child to addiction? A local chapter of a group called The Addict’s Mom recently held a Lights of Hope candlelight event at the Rail City garden in Sparks, Nevada. Speakers shared stories of how drug addiction affects their lives as well as the lives of their loved ones. Our Town Reno podcast reporter Scott King met with the organizer of the event, Darcy Patterson, herself an Addict's Mom, as well as with others who attended.

In this Our Town Reno episode we visit with Meghan Simons a substance use disorder counselor at the Life Change Center in Sparks. A sign on her door says she meets people where they are. People come to the LCC as it’s known for a variety of reasons. Some are encouraged by family members, a friend, an employer. Some find the courage to go themselves. Our reporter for this Our Town Reno podcast episode is Scott King.

This week’s episode of the Our Town Reno podcast is about painting a large community mural under an overpass. What’s the value of that? How do you find a theme? How do you get a community’s buy in? Our reporter for this episode is Scott King, interviewing Asa Kennedy and Kyle Isacksen.

Steve says he avoid shelters because he says he gets sick there. The California native says he lost his mom and then lost his way. He does temp work and sells his blood, from time to time, but he says he’s bad at saving money. He’s sober now after being an alcoholic, but he still doesn’t have a place to call home, so he sleeps in different hiding spots in downtown Reno. Our reporters for this Our Town Reno episode are Jordan Blevins and Prince Nesta.

As a second part looking into the opioid epidemic on the Our Town Reno podcast, reporters Prince Nesta and Jordan Blevins interview Dr. Karla Wagner, an Associate Professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, and Robert Harding, another local Reno expert in harm reduction and community outreach to discuss best practices to help the addicted and those in recovery.

Daniel Fred himself in long term recovery teaches students at the University of Nevada, Reno about substance abuse. Here with Our Town Reno reporters Prince Nesta and Jordan Blevins, he discusses the ongoing opioid epidemic, as well as the resurgence of cocaine and MMDA, as well as other challenges faced by current students.

“I've been on the streets for about six months, but (soon) when I get my check, I am going to have a room. I'm on the streets because there were a lot of bills I had to pay so I couldn't pay rent and everything, so I just did the only thing that I could do.” It's terrible that in our society elders among us who worked hard their whole lives face moments without shelter here in Reno during this cold, raw winter. Joanne tells her story to Our Town Reno reporters Jordan Blevins and Prince Nesta.

In our first episode, Donald Griffin records part of a spoken word poem he wrote for an Our Town Reno #localorelive live journalism event at the Desert Rose Inn in downtown Reno, where more and more motels are being demolished, worsening an affordable housing crisis and increasing homelessness.

Student journalist and Our Town Reno reporter Robyn Feinberg joins Prince Nesta to discuss reporting about homelessness, poverty, and gentrification. Robyn has spent the past three years pursuing investigations and street reporting in Reno, Nevada, and also provides her own experiences from recent travels. Prince Nesta has also been reporting for the Our Town Reno street reporting collective. He also provides insights and comparisons from his native country, Kenya.