Podcasts about public safety

There's something in your life that isn't going the way you want it to right now. What is it?    In today's episode, Detective Walton and I discuss how just like a 9-5 job...there are ways to implement a system into everything that you feel like your failing at...   The best part? It's actionable, can be done no matter the size of the problem you're faced with and you can start on it today.    Like what you hear? We are honored. Hit that subscribe button and share your thoughts in a review. If you or someone you know may be a fit to be a guest on our show, please reach out to us! Balance. Optimize. Tactics.  Hit that subscribe button so that you don't miss a day of the added value that I am dedicated to sharing with you weekly.  Let's Connect!  Facebook  Instagram  Email: ashliewalton555@gmail.com  LinkedIn  Website: www.leowarriors.com

As of the typing of these words, there are 22 days until the solstice when our portion of the world will slowly begin illuminating a little more each day. This is the 333rd day of this year. What significance might there be in the number 4,444? Stick around for enough editions of Charlottesville Community Engagement, and that figure may one day show up. I’m your host Sean Tubbs, tracking the trivial and monitoring the memorable. On today’s show:Charlottesville’s Planning Commission gets a look at the preliminary capital budget for fiscal year 23University Transit Service buses return to full capacity More news about the transition team of Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin Let’s begin today with two Patreon-fueled shout-outs. The first comes a long-time supporter who wants you to know:"Today is a great day to spread good cheer: reach out to an old friend, compliment a stranger, or pause for a moment of gratitude to savor a delight."The second comes from a more recent supporter who wants you to go out and read a local news story written by a local journalist. Whether it be the Daily Progress, Charlottesville Tomorrow, C-Ville Weekly, NBC29, CBS19, WINA, or some other place I’ve not mentioned - the community depends on a network of people writing about the community. Go learn about this place today!As the week begins, the Virginia Department of Health reports a seven-day average of 1,377 new cases and the seven-day percent positivity is at 6.1 percent. On Friday, the VDH reported the first fatality of a child from Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome. In the Blue Ridge Health District, there are another 55 new cases today and a seven-day percent positivity of 5.8 percent. There have been two more fatalities reported since Wednesday. Last week, the Jefferson Madison Regional Library entered into a partnership with the Virginia Department of Health to distribute at-home COVID-19 testing kits. The pilot program offers rapid antigen tests that are guided by a virtual assistant. “The test kits must be used away from the library, via an internet-connected device with a camera (including smart phones) with digital test results available within 15 minutes,” reads a press release. “Library staff cannot assist with administering tests, and tests cannot be taken inside any JMRL location.”Today marks the first day in a year and a half that passengers on University Transit Service buses will board from the front door. UTS has ended rules that required riders to board from the middle door. Capacity restrictions have also been dropped, meaning buses will be able to fill to standing. However, masks and facial coverings are still mandatory. The University Transit Service will also restore service to stops at Garrett Hall and Monroe Hall whenever UTS is serving McCormick Road. Those stops had been dropped to help UTS manage the capacity restrictions. Visit the UTS website to learn more about specific details.To learn more about transit, consider attending the Regional Transit Partnership’s meeting on Thursday at 4 p.m. On the agenda is a look at the Regional Transit Vision plan that is in development by the Thomas Jefferson Planning District. (agenda)Jaunt buses returned to 100 percent capacity earlier this year. There are a few local names on what Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin is calling his transition landing teams. The “landing teams that will coordinate with the cabinet secretaries from the current administration and conduct due diligence across all agencies so that the Youngkin administration will hit the ground running and begin delivering on its promises on Day One,” reads a press release from Wednesday.Senator Emmet Hanger (R-24) will serve on the Agriculture and Forestry team and Delegate Rob Bell (R-58) is on the Education team. Bell will also serve on the Public Safety and Homeland Security team. Senator Bryce Reeves (R-17) will be on the Veterans and Defense Affairs team. For the full list, take a look at the full press release. In today’s second subscriber-supported public service announcement: The Charlottesville Jazz Society at cvillejazz.org is dedicated to the promotion, preservation, and perpetuation of all that  jazz, and there’s no time like now to find a time to get out and watch people love to play. The Charlottesville Jazz Society keeps a running list of what’s coming up at cvillejazz.org. Sign up for their newsletter today. The Charlottesville Planning Commission got a look last week at a preliminary budget for the capital improvement program for the fiscal years 2023 through 2027. Council will vote next spring to approve the first year of spending, but decisions for future years would be for future versions of Council. (November 23 presentation) (watch the meeting)But first, what is a capital improvement program? Krissy Hammill is a Senior Budget and Management Analyst for the City of Charlottesville. “It’s basically a five-year financing plan that contains infrastructure type projects that usually cost more than $50,000,” Hammill said. “They’re generally non-recurring and non-operational and they generally have a useful life of five years or more.” Major items are usually funded by debt the city takes on in the form of bond sales. Investors front the money in exchange for a steady and guaranteed return. Like Albemarle County, Charlottesville has a AAA bond rating that is both attractive to investors and has a low interest rate. The latter results in a lower debt-service payment for the city. “We are actually part of a very small group of localities that have that rating,” Hammill said. “It is the premiere marker of a locality’s financial stability in strength.” In recent years, Council has increased the amount of spending on affordable housing initiatives, directly funding redevelopment of public housing and Friendship Court. In the past budget cycle, Council expressed a willingness to fund the configuration of City Schools. “We had a placeholder for that project at $50 million and based on Council’s direction from a meeting in October, that has now been increased from $50 million to $75 million,” Hammill said. “The funding has been moved up from FY25 to FY24. We also know that in doing this there will need to be additional revenue enhancements to pay for the additional debt service that will be required.”Revenue enhancements can be translated as “tax increase” and Hammill has previously told Council and the public that the equivalent of a 15 cent increase on the property tax rate may be required to cover the cost. There’s the possibility of the next General Assembly allowing Charlottesville voters to decide on a sales-tax increase with proceeds going toward schools. Even with that possibility, the city may not be able to make any new investments for some time. “We know that our debt capacity will be exhausted for some period of time,” Hammill said. In the current fiscal year, debt service is just under five percent of the $192.2 million General Fund Budget. That amount does not include the amount of general fund cash used for capital projects. That number will increase. “The plan put before you has debt service basically doubling from just over ten million to just over $20 million within a very short period of time, about four years,” Hammill said. A draft of the next Capital Improvement Program won’t be officially presented to Council until late February or early March. Hammill documented several other revisions to the preliminary budget. At Council’s direction, $18.25 million in city funds for the West Main Streetscape were transferred to the school reconfiguration project as well as $5 million from a parking garage on 7th and Market Street. In December 2018, a previous City Council  signed an agreement with Albemarle County to provide parking as part of a multimillion project to locate a joint General District Court downtown. Subsequent Councils have opted to not build a new parking garage to honor the terms of that agreement. (read the agreement)“We don’t have any specifics right now,” said Chris Engel, the city’s economic development director. “We’re in the midst of conversation with the county about the fact that we’re not going to build a structure and what the agreement leaves them with regard to their options and trying to figure out what’s best for both parties.” Pre-construction of the courts facility is underway. Another adjustment in the city’s preliminary capital improvement program is additional funding for a comprehensive plan for the Parks and Recreation Department. “This would be to look at Parks and Rec programs,” Hammill said. “This is not the normal master plan for the parks per se master planning process, but more of a programmatic master plan.” There are also programs for drainage issues at Oakwood Cemetery and McIntire Park as well as funding to assist the removal of dead Ash trees in the city. Council has also approved a housing plan that asks for $10 million a year on affordable housing initiatives. Hammill said not all of the funding for that initiative would come from the capital improvement program budget. City Council will review the Charlottesville Affordable Housing Fund at its meeting on December 6. Another item not in the capital budget is private funding for a sidewalk on Stribling Avenue. Southern Development has offered to loan the city $2.9 million to cover the cost of the project as part of a rezoning in Fry’s Spring area. The Charlottesville Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the preliminary CIP on December 14. Finally today, the second shout-out for today specifically asked you to check out a local news story. Here’s one to begin with. Last week, Carly Haynes of CBS19 reported on the intersection of Preston Avenue and Grady Avenue in Charlottesville. Charlottesville was awarded $7.743 million in a Smart Scale project to alter the intersection. Learn more in this report from November 23rd.Special announcement of a continuing promo with Ting! Are you interested in fast internet? Visit this site and enter your address to see if you can get service through Ting. If you decide to proceed to make the switch, you’ll get:Free installationSecond month of Ting service for freeA $75 gift card to the Downtown MallAdditionally, Ting will match your Substack subscription to support Town Crier Productions, the company that produces this newsletter and other community offerings. So, your $5 a month subscription yields $5 for TCP. Your $50 a year subscription yields $50 for TCP! The same goes for a $200 a year subscription! All goes to cover the costs of getting this newsletter out as often as possible. Learn more here!. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

This is hour one of "Connections with Evan Dawson" on November 29, 2021.

At some point in your wildland firefighting career, you may come face to face with your own mortality... And unfortunately, these brushes with life and death could have long term mental health consequences.Today on the show, we talk about these very subjects with someone who has had one of these close calls...Emily Parnaby is a 9 year veteran of the Australian wildland firefighting game who moved to America to find a new beginning, heal from her experience, and seek a re-entry into the wildfire game.Today, she tells her story...You can find her socials here:FaceBook:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011781793181Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/emparnaby/You know the drill...Stay safe, stay savage...Enjoy!..........................Updates!We launched a Patreon!!! If you guys would like to support us, head over to our Patreon Page!https://www.patreon.com/theanchorpointpodcast..........................Sponsors:The Anchor Point Podcast is supported by the following wonderful folks...Mystery RanchNeed badass packs? Then look no further than Mystery Ranch!https://www.mysteryranch.comHotshot BreweryWanna pick up our Anchor Point Podcast merch or need killer coffee? Hit up Hotshot Brewery!!!https://www.hotshotbrewing.comThe Smokey GenerationWanna get some history and knowledge on Wildland Fire? Hit up The Smokey Generation!http://wildfire-experience.orgNot a sponsor of The Anchor Point Podcast, but a great organization:The Wildland Firefighter FoundationAnd, as always, please consider supporting this great nonprofit organization - The Wildland Firefighter Foundation!https://wffoundation.org

Have you ever wondered why some officers seem happy at their department while others lateral and have nothing but bad things to say about the agency that they used to work for?    In today's episode, Detective Walton and I reference my friend Kirk's article that was written in The Blue Magazine.    Tune in as we discuss some of the things that every officer or potential officer should dig into when it comes to assessing the department that they work for.    Like what you hear? We are honored. Hit that subscribe button and share your thoughts in a review. If you or someone you know may be a fit to be a guest on our show, please reach out to us! Balance. Optimize. Tactics.  Hit that subscribe button so that you don't miss a day of the added value that I am dedicated to sharing with you weekly.  Let's Connect!  Facebook  Instagram  Email: ashliewalton555@gmail.com  LinkedIn  Website: www.leowarriors.com

Joe Navarro is a retired FBI special agent who specializes in nonverbal communication. You can check out his website here and even gain access to some amazing training that he has available.    In today's episode, I am going to share some amazing advice that I took from his book, Be Exceptional.    You might not realize it, but you can master almost anything that you are passionate about. Even better? You can monetize these passions and completely change your life through one tool: Self Apprenticeship. Tune in and I'll explain how.    Like what you hear? We are honored. Hit that subscribe button and share your thoughts in a review. If you or someone you know may be a fit to be a guest on our show, please reach out to us! Balance. Optimize. Tactics.  Hit that subscribe button so that you don't miss a day of the added value that I am dedicated to sharing with you weekly.  Let's Connect!  Facebook  Instagram  Email: ashliewalton555@gmail.com  LinkedIn  Website: www.leowarriors.com

Hour 3: We had quite an action packed hour, as Boomer predicts that because of the brand new UBS Arena going up on Long Island that both the Knicks and the Bills will soon be looking for new homes to be erected for them, nothing but good times when Wally Szczerbiak is around, Guy Adami calls to register a complaint, some concerns regarding public transportation and public safety are discussed, Jason Garrett and his brother are both out of jobs, the Knicks handled their business against the Lakers, Gio isn't a fan of talking sports with beat reporters and imaginary escorts for select staff members was a fun topic we heard about.  Now get into it already… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I got Covid and I lost my taste and smell COMPLETELY but...I discovered one way to get it back that actually works.    No, it wasn't the 'burning an orange and eating it with brown sugar' method.    This is actually a very old method that has been used for many years and it's called olfactory training.    Tune in to learn how this method may help you or your loved one, should you find yourself in a similar situation.    Like what you hear? We are honored. Hit that subscribe button and share your thoughts in a review. If you or someone you know may be a fit to be a guest on our show, please reach out to us! Balance. Optimize. Tactics.  Hit that subscribe button so that you don't miss a day of the added value that I am dedicated to sharing with you weekly.  Let's Connect!  Facebook  Instagram  Email: ashliewalton555@gmail.com  LinkedIn  Website: www.leowarriors.com

As we take the week off to celebrate Thanksgiving, please enjoy this episode from June 2020. Larry Schooler speaks with Lynn Rubinett on arbitrating the disciplinary actions of first responders. Our profession and work in mediation and arbitration spans virtually all professions and walks of life, including personnel decisions involving first responders. In this episode, we hear from veteran arbitrator, mediator, and litigator, Lynn Rubinett, whose practice includes the arbitration of disciplinary actions, suspensions, and firings of police, fire, and other public employees.

If you haven't seen the new "fire" movie, "Two Yellow Lines" - You need to stop what you're doing, and watch it...This isn't necessarily a "fire" movie in the context of actual "firefighting", but more along the lines of the inconvenient truths about the mental health components that can be associated with a fire career... The most incredible part of this film? It tells a vivid story of what wildland firefighters experience, without showing a SINGLE scene of "Hollywood-ized hero complex" firefighting...The story revolves around a Smokejumper who was involved with a tragedy fire, the PTSI as a result of the incident, his estranged daughter, and the long journey to recovery and healing.This is why we have the producer, writer, and lead actor, Zac Titus, on the show today to give us the breakdown of the film that is making waves across the fire community!Take a listen to this episode, then watch the film - Or watch the film and then listen to this episode... Either way - This film is the real highlight of the talking points in the episode...You can find this incredible film here:https://www.twoyellowlinesfilm.comhttps://www.amazon.com/Two-Yellow-Lines-Zac-Titus/dp/B09L6MGTBMYou can find Zac's socials here:https://www.instagram.com/zactitus1/?hl=enYou know the drill...Stay safe, stay savage...Enjoy!..........................Updates!We launched a Patreon!!! If you guys would like to support us, head over to our Patreon Page!https://www.patreon.com/theanchorpointpodcast..........................Sponsors:The Anchor Point Podcast is supported by the following wonderful folks...Mystery RanchNeed badass packs? Then look no further than Mystery Ranch!https://www.mysteryranch.comHotshot BreweryWanna pick up our Anchor Point Podcast merch or need killer coffee? Hit up Hotshot Brewery!!!https://www.hotshotbrewing.comThe Smokey GenerationWanna get some history and knowledge on Wildland Fire? Hit up The Smokey Generation!http://wildfire-experience.orgNot a sponsor of The Anchor Point Podcast, but a great organization:The Wildland Firefighter FoundationAnd, as always, please consider supporting this great nonprofit organization - The Wildland Firefighter Foundation!https://wffoundation.org

Do you remember the person who broke your heart? I'm talking shattered it into pieces. The one who you loved so much and who in retrospect, made you understand that love really is blind.    In today's episode, we discuss the importance of focusing on YOU instead of who you are in the unit of your relationship.    There is no doubt that by operating this way, you'll be able to show up as a better version of yourself for everyone in your life.    Like what you hear? We are honored. Hit that subscribe button and share your thoughts in a review. If you or someone you know may be a fit to be a guest on our show, please reach out to us! Balance. Optimize. Tactics.  Hit that subscribe button so that you don't miss a day of the added value that I am dedicated to sharing with you weekly.  Let's Connect!  Facebook  Instagram  Email: ashliewalton555@gmail.com  LinkedIn  Website: www.leowarriors.com

Today Crystal is joined by Amy Sundberg, author of Notes from the Emerald City & Co-Chair of the Seattle Committee of People Power Washington - Police Accountability and Shannon Cheng, Chair of People Power WA - Police Accountability. Crystal, Amy and Shannon break down the latest on the Seattle City budget process, the mess that is Washington State redistricting, and talk about a wonderful opportunity to get involved with the Institute for a Democratic Future. As always, a full text transcript of the show is available below and at officialhacksandwonks.com. Find the host, Crystal Fincher on Twitter at @finchfrii and find today's co-hosts, Amy Sundberg at @amysundberg and Shannon Cheng at @drbestturtle. More info is available at officialhacksandwonks.com.   References: “Seattle's Divide on Public Safety is Fueling a Fight Over Next Year's Police Budget” by Ben Adlin from The South Seattle Emerald: https://southseattleemerald.com/2021/11/15/seattles-divide-on-public-safety-is-fueling-a-fight-over-next-years-police-budget/ “In Reversal, Council Keeps Durkan's Expanded Police Budget Mostly Intact” by Paul Faruq Kiefer from The South Seattle Emerald: https://southseattleemerald.com/2021/11/19/in-reversal-council-keeps-durkans-expanded-police-budget-mostly-intact/ “Seattle's LEAD program wins accolades, but not everyone is a believer” by Amy Radil from KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/stories/seattle-s-lead-program-wins-accolades-but-some-officials-want-more-options “The Community Responder Model: How Cities Can Sent the Right Responder to Every 911 Call” by Amos Irwin and Betsy Pearl from the Center for American Progress: https://www.americanprogress.org/article/community-responder-model/ “Council Declines to Fund Two Big-Ticket Asks from Homeless Authority” by Erica C. Barnett from Publicola: https://publicola.com/2021/11/17/council-declines-to-fund-two-big-ticket-asks-from-homelessness-authority/ “In a first, court will decide new WA redistricting plan as commission falters” by Melissa Santos from Crosscut: https://crosscut.com/politics/2021/11/first-court-will-decide-new-wa-redistricting-plan-commission-falters Learn more about how you can get involved with Institute for a Democratic Future here: https://democraticfuture.org/ Find the contact for your Seattle City Councilor here: https://www.seattle.gov/council/meet-the-council   Transcript: [00:00:00] Crystal Fincher: Welcome to Hacks & Wonks. I'm Crystal Fincher, and I'm a political consultant and your host. On this show, we talk with policy wonks and political hacks to gather insight into local politics and policy in Washington state through the lens of those doing the work with behind-the-scenes perspectives on what's happening, why it's happening, and what you can do about it. Full transcripts and resources referenced in the show are always available at officialhacksandwonks.com and in our episode notes. Today we're continuing our Friday almost-live shows where we review the news of the week with a co-host. Welcome to the program today's two co-hosts - Chair of People Power Washington-Police Accountability and indispensable member of the Hacks & Wonks and Fincher Consulting teams, Dr. Shannon Cheng. And, Amy Sundberg, author of Notes from the Emerald City and Co-Chair of the Seattle Committee of People Power Washington-Police Accountability - an excellent live-tweeter of municipal meetings in Seattle, indispensable informer of all of us, and the person who's happy to take your baked goods for compensation. Welcome to both of you, Amy and Shannon. [00:01:21] Shannon Cheng: Thanks Crystal. [00:01:23] Amy Sundberg: Good to be here. [00:01:24] Crystal Fincher: So I am happy to have you both on here to start talking about the Seattle budget process, the actions that the Council just took - particularly because you both have been instrumental in keeping people up-to-date on where we're at in this process. And this was an eventful week. So what has been happening? [00:01:48] Amy Sundberg: Well, a lot of very long meetings have been happening, especially yesterday's marathon all-day meeting. I signed off at 6:30p and it was still going. So the Councilmembers have been talking about proposed amendments to the Budget Chair's Balancing Package this week. [00:02:12] Crystal Fincher: Okay. In that process, what was under consideration and what ended up getting passed? [00:02:19] Amy Sundberg: I mean, there was a fair amount under consideration. In terms of public safety, there were several proposed amendments that would - basically the Chair's Balancing Package decided to invest a bit less in the police department than what they had asked for in the mayor's proposed budget. And- [00:02:51] Crystal Fincher: So pausing for a second. What is a Balancing Package? [00:02:54] Amy Sundberg: The Balancing Package is basically Budget Chair Mosqueda - she gets feedback from community, she gets feedback from Central Staff about various issues having to do with the mayor's proposed budget, she speaks with her colleagues. They already went through a round of amendment proposing, and then she looks at where she thinks the strong consensus is going to be for the Council in terms of what they all agree on - what should be funded and what should not be funded in the year's budget. And then she puts together a package that funds these priorities and balances to where they think revenues will be for the year. [00:03:46] Crystal Fincher: Okay. So where are the points of likely agreement? What did they end up saying, "Yeah, we're all on the same page."? [00:03:55] Amy Sundberg: I mean, the Balancing Package - and one of the great things I think that was in that package was a huge investment in affordable housing, much more than we've ever seen. So that was very exciting. I would say that's probably the most notable thing that was happening in the budget. But in general they were funding a lot of services for people - so a lot of food assistance. And there were also a lot of district-specific investments - fairly small investments for various projects within a particular district. And obviously that varied a lot, but there were a bunch of those - different parks, different sidewalk projects, different community centers, all of that sort of thing. There was some consensus around public safety, but a lot of the requests for funding for alternatives, like alternative emergency response, for example, or for LEAD to be scaled up, or for mental - [00:05:16] Crystal Fincher: And LEAD is Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion, which is an alternative to incarceration or further involvement in the criminal legal system and trying to give people pathways and alternatives out of the system. [00:05:31] Amy Sundberg: Exactly. Just Care, which helps house people in hotels if they don't have a home or a place to stay. Behavioral health response - all of these things were proposed in amendments and most of them were not fully funded in the Balancing Package. So there was - [00:05:57] Crystal Fincher: And these proposals were making good on commitments that Councilmembers had made to fund alternatives to basically police patrolling the streets, and alternate responses that may be more appropriate to the challenges that people calling 911 are actually calling about. So if someone is having a behavioral health crisis, if someone is unhoused, many Councilmembers have said, "Yeah, actually probably an armed patrol response is not the appropriate response for that." Or certainly isn't able to address some of the root causes to address the issue that's being called about. So having someone with a different set of expertise that may not be armed, that doesn't introduce or escalate a situation in an unhelpful way may be more appropriate in addressing the root cause of the issue and actually solving the problem that's being called about. And the Council collectively had previously signaled and made commitments to move in that direction. Is that a fair synopsis? [00:07:11] Amy Sundberg: Yeah. I would say that's correct and I would even go further and say it's not even particularly controversial. In general, people would like there to be alternate responses. In general, people would like people who are qualified to answer some of these needs and some of these calls - they don't all need to be armed policemen. [00:07:35] Crystal Fincher: And so, these community responses were a number of the ones that you just talked about, but the Council seemed like it changed direction and didn't follow through on there. How did that come about? What were the votes that changed what happened? [00:07:53] Amy Sundberg: I mean, it wasn't voted upon. I mean, that's what happened. The first round of amendments are not voted upon - and basically Chair Mosqueda has to go back and she has to look at all the different proposals, all which cost money. And then, she has to look at how much money is available and she has to make some hard choices about where to spend that money. And she did not find the money to fully fund some of these programs. One of the ones I was personally most disappointed to see not funded was - Andrew Lewis had proposed money for standing up a CAHOOTS-style community-based alternate emergency response for 911 calls. And you know - a couple million dollars. It wasn't, in the scheme of the budget for Seattle which is very large, it was not much money. And $400,000 of that did get allocated to start working on dispatch protocols so that 911 dispatchers can start to figure out how to route calls in alternate ways, which is great. I mean, that is an important step, but the rest of the money was not given to that project to start to actually stand it up. [00:09:14] Shannon Cheng: Yeah. I think it's just been really frustrating that it is kind of generally agreed upon that we want a faster ramp up of alternative responses to armed police, but obviously the money does have to come from somewhere. And this whole budget process has been about SPD digging their heels in - whenever any even tiny amount of money or arguing about semantics about funded versus unfunded positions. And all the energy is being spent on that instead of actually building actual solutions that are going to help all of us. [00:09:52] Crystal Fincher: Yeah. And I mean, there were certainly articles this week and some clarifications that were trying to be made about the funding of 110 police positions and that being - that right now they are positions that are not filled. And so, it's not like they are removing any police from the streets. That was never the proposal and nothing there, even though that had been strongly implied by several of the usual suspects who report on it. But even things like that seem to be caught up in political spin and moving that away from the roots and the crux of what's being discussed. And what the community voted for. And to say that you support moving in a different direction, making a commitment to do that, and then failing to provide any funding to do that is just plain old not meeting the commitment and going back on your words. So I certainly hope that gets addressed throughout the budget process. What are the options to address this further on in the budget process and how can people advocate for seeing a budget that reflects their values? [00:11:10] Amy Sundberg: Well, the budget process is almost over now. It will be done on Monday. So if you want to speak up, now is the time. You can definitely call and email your Councilmembers now. And there will be a chance for public comments on Monday at 2:00 PM. So I guess signups would be at around noon then - right before all the Councilmembers take their final vote on the budget, which will be at the 2:00 PM meeting on Monday. I will say, also, regarding those positions that you talked about in the police department that aren't filled but are funded - not only are they not filled, they cannot be filled. It is literally impossible for SPD to fill those positions because they have a hiring pipeline. They've figured out how many officers they can hire next year - that amount of officers, there's money for that. And then, these are in addition to any officers that they could possibly hire. They probably can't even hire them in 2023, to be frank. So these are not positions that are going to be filled any time in the near term. The fact that this amendment was not able to be passed, even though it's completely about transparency of budget and fiscal responsibility and has very little to do with staffing, is deeply disappointing. [00:12:47] Shannon Cheng: Yeah. I was really frustrated about that one as well, Amy. I guess I was trying to think about how to relate that to a household budget situation. So I was thinking it'd be like you have two people in a household but you only have one car. And so, you're trying to budget money to buy a second car for the second person to get to work, but conditions are currently difficult - used cars are super expensive, maybe you aren't able to get the car. But then it would be like the first person who has the car telling the other person, "No, you can't use any of this money that's been allocated for a car to take the bus to work and you have to walk." And I guess that's just how I feel about these unfunded positions - that SPD gets to hold the money and we don't get to use it for any of the other things that we desperately want and need. And it's just going to sit there. And then, if Council does ever try to take the money back that SPD isn't even able to spend, it just becomes this big messaging spinning from - we've seen already Chief Diaz and others come out and make it sound like we're trying to take money from them. [00:13:52] Amy Sundberg: But even in the dialogue going on right now, we've been talking about these amendments that are going to restore a $10 million cut in the police department. But I mean, it's only a $10 million cut because they had all of this money to begin with for these unfilled, unfillable positions. So then, it gets to be called a cut but it's not actually - the framing of it becomes very convoluted and it becomes harder to talk about it in a really honest and straightforward way. [00:14:23] Crystal Fincher: I mean, there is a City Councilmember who was just elected, a future member who was elected, who talked about finding waste in Seattle and finding money that isn't being used optimally that we can use for other things in the City, and there has to be somewhere. We found the somewhere. We found where money cannot be spent, where money is allocated that is not serving any purpose. These are residents' funds, this is public money. And so, where there is money that cannot be spent, it's not even possible to spend it, and is only there to serve as a budget line because they just solely want a bigger number for vanity purposes and for messaging purposes - that could be used to help the people of Seattle in different ways more directly and be spent on something, instead of just sitting dormant in an account. We found it. It's SPD budget. It is for positions that not only are not filled, cannot be filled. And for some reason there are not the votes at this moment to use that funding for something more productive. It really is mind-boggling. It's disappointing, and I certainly would hope that people listening and those that you know, that you encourage people to call their Councilmembers to talk about this, to ground this conversation in reality and facts. And that we need dollars that are there to be spent on people, on the residents of Seattle, and not sitting in an account because of some political messaging war. It just doesn't make any kind of sense. We are facing too many challenges that are so big and so pressing that we can't let funding get caught up in this pettiness. And it is pettiness. And I'm just very challenged by that. And hope it changes, but yeah, that's been a frustrating conversation to look at. And another frustrating thing was that the Council declined to fund two requests from the Regional Homelessness Authority and Erica Barnett wrote piece about this in PubliCola. But we have had so many conversations about the priority of addressing homelessness - certainly the mayor-elect, who is coming in, made commitments about doing this. The Council has made commitments about this. Residents of Seattle have talked about this being the most important thing. And what we've heard for years really, and heard continuing conversation about is, well, this really needs to be a regional solution. We really have to take action in conjunction with our regional partners. And we all have a role to play in this. And Seattle certainly is the largest city in the region and would be carrying the lion's share of that responsibility with contributions from others. But there is a responsibility from the City of Seattle in this. And the City declined the requests from the Homelessness Authority. As Erica Barnett mentioned in her article, there was a request for a high acuity shelter to help stabilize unsheltered people experiencing health crises. The King County Regional Homelessness Authority asked for $19.4 million. They will receive $5 million of that, with potentially another $5 million from the county to begin work on a shelter. That's supposed to help that, but certainly looking at a quarter of the funding there. And then a $7.6 million request to fund 69 peer navigators, people who have lived experience being homeless to help unsheltered people navigate through the homeless system, won't receive any funding. This one came with a justification that there are several existing providers that provide similar services that may be able to do that without incurring additional expenses and be able to build on their current expenditures and current processes. So that will be interesting to see how that shakes out. And they're looking at certainly coming up with proposals to see how they might be able to address that, but this is something to keep our eye on and just feels a bit counter to all of the rhetoric and a number of the promises that have been made. And certainly the direction of the solution that a number of electeds in the City and people who were just elected have made. It's a bit confusing to hear rhetoric for years - we need to participate in a regional solution. It's like, "All right, regional solution, got everybody on board. Here we go." And it's like, "Yeah, never mind, maybe not so much." But we will see if the City comes up with a better plan on their own or not. But I think that's something to keep our eye on. And also looking at how legitimate is this Regional Homelessness Authority going to be if the charter it's been given and the solutions that they are looking to implement may be dead or disabled on arrival because of a lack of funding. I mean, really a lot of what we talk about in policy - it's great to talk about these policies, it's great to talk about these alternative public safety programs. And it's great to talk about needing to address all of our unhoused neighbors and getting them into housing. It takes money and that money has to be allocated. And when it's not, we're not going to make progress on solving these problems. So I am curious to see what results from this - and what targets they have, how they plan to meet the commitments that they've made. And if not funding this as part of a regional solution is in their plans, what is the regional solution they've been talking about for years and what are they going to do about it? And I'm interested in hearing that from the mayor's perspective and from the Council perspective. Certainly it's an issue that people want addressed. It's an issue that people who are unhoused need addressed and so we will see how that happens. [00:21:24] Amy Sundberg: It's going to be really interesting to watch the transition and see how much power the City of Seattle is willing to cede to the regional authority, because they're used to kind of doing their own thing, right? And so, I think there might be a little bit of resistance there. I also know, for example, that the Council has been very excited about tiny home villages for some time now. And the new CEO of the Regional Homelessness Authority is not so excited about tiny house villages. So you get these interesting kind of policy discussions and power dynamics that I don't think we know how they're going to play out yet. [00:22:12] Crystal Fincher: Yeah. And speaking of things we don't know how they're going to play out yet, we might as well talk about redistricting. Redistricting. So this has been a bit of an eventful, not eventful week in the arena of redistricting. So if you haven't seen, and do not fault anyone for not having seen - this is not a fun thing to be following. But our state has a bipartisan Redistricting Commission that we put in charge of redrawing maps every 10 years in response to the changes in population and demographic compositions that we learn from the Census that is taken every 10 years. In Washington state, we have Democrats appoint two members and Republicans appoint two members. And then there is a different Chair of the organization - that is the Redistricting Commission. They are responsible for collecting public comment and basically balancing the population and composition within districts, which involves adjusting boundaries of different districts to even out population - some districts grow a lot in size, some shrink. And so, from Congressional Districts on down, the boundaries have to be adjusted to balance out - to rebalance - population and representation to make sure everyone is being represented fairly and accurately throughout the state. This process has successfully produced maps every year that it has been in existence, which this current process has been in existence since 1983. Every 10 years they have successfully performed their jobs and produced maps, until the deadline this past Monday, which they missed. And they didn't just miss it, they missed it in such interesting, ridiculous, and we can plug in whatever adjective we want to use their way. [00:24:19] Amy Sundberg: Shady. I would say it was kind of shady. [00:24:23] Crystal Fincher: There was a lot shady about it, and likely straight up potentially illegal about how it happened. Because the deadline was Monday night. Now it is not at all uncommon for a commission to take to nearly the deadline, or any entity to take until nearly the deadline to complete their job. A lot of times a deadline is a helpful pressure point to help people who may be disagreeing negotiate and come to an agreement. And that clock ticking down is helpful in getting that done. However, as the deadline approached, there didn't seem to be any progress. And oddly and troublingly, as the deadline approached, in what was supposed to be a public meeting - because by law, these commissioners and these commission meetings have to be held in public. This is not like the Legislature - this is like most other bodies where their deliberations have to be held in public. And they actually are forbidden by law to meet in groups of more than two to prevent there being any meeting basically that is not in view of the public. However, leading up to this deadline, instead of meeting in view of the public, the commissioners retreated - they said - to meet in groups of two, and they were going to meet and come back and discuss publicly. And then they didn't come back. And then they didn't come back again. And then, the updates were non-updates and the meeting that was supposed to take place in public view did not. And then, there was an update that coming up to the midnight deadline on Monday, maybe there is a vote to be taken. There wasn't. And then, the word came that - they came back just in time to take the vote, to approve - it's still confusing what they did or did not approve and what timeline and this is part of the confusing part. What was presented in public at the time - they said that they voted to approve a framework, just after the midnight deadline, I believe. But that framework did not have any maps attached to it. And so, this was a very confusing time, and it's not quite sure what was approved and they have not clarified much about their deliberations or what was approved. And then, the next day, late in the day, and this was well after the deadline, they published some maps that they said were what was approved in the framework. Both Congressional District and Legislative District maps, which a lot of people - I mean, the first reaction was just, for most people, well these maps are invalid. One, you missed the deadline to vote - that's kind of very cut and dry, that's actually a pretty black and white thing. They admitted they missed the deadline, there doesn't seem to be any disagreement that they missed the deadline. What they do seem to be saying is, "But we voted just after the deadline. And so we put so much work into it that maybe you should consider what we did." However, the maps that they eventually - that the commission eventually published a day later after the deadline passed - it has issues. It has a number of issues, but I think a lot of people are really not even getting into those issues yet at this point in time, just because they missed the deadline and therefore - in a situation where it would've gone to the Legislature to be approved, now it is up to the Supreme Court. If you missed a deadline, it gets kicked over, Redistricting Commission is done. What they have done is basically all null and void because they did not produce what they were supposed to approve and produce in the timeline that they were supposed to do this. And this is prescribed by law, so it's not like someone can just decide to take a little bit more time. And in this process with the Supreme Court, they have until now - April 30th - to approve maps. So what seems pretty clear is that the Supreme Court has no obligation to consider anything that the Redistricting Commission has done. The challenge becomes that the Supreme Court is not a mapping body. This is not anything that is in their - it's not in their job description. [00:29:09] Shannon Cheng: Yeah. And Crystal, isn't that April 30th deadline really problematic? Isn't filing week for a lot of these positions, that people need to know their districts for, the second week of May, usually? [00:29:22] Crystal Fincher: It's so problematic. And that's such a good point. I mean, the reason why the deadline is in mid-November is because we actually moved it up from the end of December. We moved the deadline up because it was such a stretch to implement all of this and have people learn their new districts. And so we said, "Hey, we actually need more time to - once we decide what these maps are, everything that follows the new maps - need more time to implement it." So not having maps now and moving this deadline to April 30th does mean that some representatives do not know which district they are going to ultimately represent. Depending on which version of which map you look at, some representatives are in one district on some maps, they're in another district on another map. They maintain their incumbency according to some maps, they don't according to others. Different candidates who have run four different positions or are considering - are in one district according to some maps, another district according to others. So this uncertainty now goes until April 30th. The candidate filing deadline is May 20th. So there are less than three weeks, fewer than three weeks between the time districts become final and the time that people learn, not just whether if you're an incumbent, whether you're still in your district, but what the composition of your district is. And we know that there are going to be several districts whose compositions meaningfully change. So you don't know what neighborhoods, what areas you're going to be representing or not. As someone who may potentially be a candidate, you don't know where you might end up running, who you might challenge. There may be one person who you're very interested in running against, there may be another person who you're not. This is all up in the air until April 30th. I hear a lot of people say, "Well, maybe the Supreme Court will get done early." And to that I say, what entity has ever gotten done early? There is nothing that has happened in the past that suggests that this would happen early. It could happen. The thing is this is actually a completely unprecedented process and we don't know what's going to happen, but trying to assume upfront that they're going to get done early does not seem like it's the most likely thing, given that, I mean, you have a commission whose job it was just to figure out these maps - who came in and it was on their job description, part of their job description, to get these maps done. They had process, they had staff, they had this whole thing. They were unable to get this process done by the deadline. I don't know why kicking it over to a body that doesn't have any of the preparation that this one had would make us think that they would get done faster. Certainly is possible but - [00:32:16] Amy Sundberg: And weren't there also problems with a lot of the proposed maps in terms of the legality?So I mean, that becomes an issue as well. [00:32:24] Crystal Fincher: Oh there are so many problems. Yeah. There have been several independent analyses, from Harvard to UCLA, I think the League of Women Voters - looked into several of these maps and several of them have pretty blatant Voting Rights Act violations. They appear to be unconstitutional, they appear to be illegal maps. That's certainly a major issue that had been talked about throughout this process. The alleged maps - it's hard to even say - this last map that was published after the deadline, which seems to have several issues even on top of the Voting Rights Act violations. Yeah, that's a problem. And so, the one thing I would say is I would assume, I would hope and I actually would assume from our Supreme Court, our Washington State Supreme Court, that they are interested in adhering to the Voting Rights Act, which would automatically mean, because of that would mean that some of the maps that have been published, that their maps would not look like those. And so, there's going to be a question of where do they start? Because the process is not defined. There are some states who have gone through similar processes. Some would be useful to follow, others may not be good to follow - but that's all going to be determined. But really what we have now is we're in an unprecedented situation for our state. The Redistricting Commission did not complete their job by the time that was required, so the normal process that we are used to following is no longer the process that we're in. We're in a brand new process, we are going to see what happened. Because there is so much - I'm sitting here probably - I still don't get what happened on that Monday, and what they approved, and what they didn't approve, and what happened when. And I probably did a horrible job of explaining that - the reason why, is because we don't know. It is very confusing as to what happened. In fact, the Supreme Court has ordered the Chair of the Redistricting Commission to basically submit a sworn statement about what did happen because no one knows. We are supposed to know. It's supposed to be in public for deliberation. What was the timeline of the events? What happened? When did it happen? And that is due by this coming Monday, the 22nd? I think Monday is the 22nd. So we will hear the Redistricting Commission's sworn version of events and from there we'll see where it goes. But it seems pretty black and white from what they said before that they did not make the deadline for the map. So that basically - question one, the most important question is, did you approve those maps in time by the deadline? They did not. I'm sure they will be like, "But it was only by a little bit." And the thing about when a deadline is prescribed by law - is when you miss it, it doesn't matter whether it's by two seconds or two days. It is missed. And so that's question one, which is why it is now in the hands of the Supreme Court. And we'll see where it goes from here. We will probably have other shows talking about this in more detail, but certainly as we get more information. But this is something to continue to pay attention to and certainly to make sure that you are engaging, especially as we have, these conversations about whether districts adhere - proposed districts - and that's adhere to the Voting Rights Act primarily. And that's important for issues like in Central Washington, looking at places like Yakima - are there attempts, bad faith attempts really, made to dissect that community in a way that eliminates voting power, organizing power that would normally be there because of the population? Or are they looking at that and trying to dilute the power of specifically non-white populations in order to maintain electoral power? And this is the conversation that we see with gerrymandering in so many other states, right? And so we were trying to avoid that here. So we'll talk about this a lot more, but it's a mess. [00:37:10] Amy Sundberg: I think too, that it bears repeating how shocking it is that we don't know what happened. And that it's now Friday and we still don't know what happened. And that these are meetings that are legally required to be within public view. And that all the commissioners felt emboldened - they felt just fine not having to be transparent. [00:37:35] Crystal Fincher: Well, I will be careful in characterizing what all of the commissioners done - I mean, did. I don't know where all of the commissioners were, I don't know if a couple of them felt strongly about this and a couple others didn't. I don't know that, but I do know that the process overall was certainly not ideal. And even that meeting in pairs - it is also illegal if you meet in pairs and then have an intermediary relay information from one of those meetings in pairs to a member of the other pair. You can't pass information back and forth that derives from those smaller meetings, because that in effect is a meeting. That is also specifically illegal. So I think most people are going now - it is not believable to think that this process happened completely behind doors, behind closed doors, there was no agreement beforehand. You come back in time to take a vote, but no one talked to each other, even though we didn't see what you were doing and somehow came to an agreement. No one believes that. [00:38:47] Amy Sundberg: No. [00:38:48] Crystal Fincher: I think we're there. I don't believe that. [00:38:54] Amy Sundberg: And I would say if you're appointed to be a commissioner, one of your tasks is to work towards transparency. So making sure the public does know what you're doing. And I mean, yes, maybe there are circumstances we don't know about, maybe you can just be swept along - but, I mean, transparency is part of what you should strive for. [00:39:18] Crystal Fincher: Part of what we should strive for. And really that issue in itself, whether or not they violated Open Meetings Acts and whether or not they adhere to the law there, even if they would have voted in time, could invalidate that entire process. So there are just so many issues with how this process came to its non-conclusion conclusion, but we will get more information about what the commission says happened by Monday. And certainly we'll be talking about this next week too on Hacks & Wonks. One last thing I wanted to talk about before we left was - we are approaching the deadline for applications to the Institute for a Democratic Future. What's the Institute for a Democratic Future, you ask - I'm glad you asked. It is a fantastic six-month fellowship where you spend about a week in a month immersing yourself in politics and policy on the ground throughout the state of Washington and there's even a trip to DC. But it is an excellent way to get an education on not only a range of policy and politics, but to see how the policy that is passed connects to real-world conditions on the ground for people in different circumstances and in different walks of life. So being in Eastern Washington, being in Central Washington and talking to farmers and talking to farm workers and talking to union leadership and talking to people who are doing environmental work and talking to business organizations and just the full range of people in communities. And how different legislation impacts them, how different challenges are presenting themselves, and what their feedback and perspective is on different things. And it's varied. And especially, I think most of the people who are listening to this podcast are in the King County area, how things look in rural communities is different. How life is experienced in rural and communities elsewhere is different. And it's important to understand how that manifests in order to create policy in a way that actually does help people. This program is for people who are 39 or under. The deadline is approaching, coming up in about a week. So if this sounds like it's something interesting to you, I would highly encourage you - reach out to me on Twitter, I'm @finchfrii, send me a text message, email, send me a message to the website. I'll be happy to talk about it more with you, but this is actually how I got my start in politics. I had a career before I worked in politics - I was in corporate sales, but I knew that I wanted to make a change and do something different. I was pretty naive - I didn't know what jobs and stuff there were in politics, what options were. I had watched the West Wing and knew of those positions there, but really didn't understand the wide variety of positions in politics. But also how that also works together with policy positions, advocacy positions, and there is a rich world that you can work in and contribute to. And it can be in a full-time paid capacity or not, but it's just really useful and helpful to be able to see how policy translates. What type of policies in the conversation, what different people from different areas are saying about their lives and what they're facing. And what is helping and what is not helping. And a lot of it will surprise you. A lot of it may not fit neatly into rhetoric that we're used to hearing. And that's really important to engage with and understand. So I highly encourage you to do that. If you're listening to this and you know me, there's a letter of recommendation required - talk to me. If you know me and we can do that, I'm happy to do that. I've done it before for people, but highly recommend this for anyone interested in being more engaged in the world of politics or policy or advocacy, it really is invaluable. You would not be hearing my voice on this podcast right now if it weren't for the Institute for a Democratic Future. I wouldn't be working in politics. It is just really important and helpful. So if this sounds interesting to you or you think it would sound interesting to any others, you can go to democraticfuture.org. I'll also put that in the show notes so that you can read more about it. But it really is valuable. And for young leaders, young progressive leaders, age 21 to 39, and the program itself runs January through June. And there are 11 weekends between January and June plus a Washington, D.C. week. So give me a chat if this is interesting, but Institute for a Democratic Future is great. And it's also just a great network of people and really helpful and useful network of people to belong to, and you would be surprised how many people have been through this program and who are working there. It has been useful for a ton of us. So that's where I'm at on those. And I thank you all for listening to Hacks & Wonks on today, November 19th, 2021. And thank you to the producer of Hacks & Wonks, Lisl Stadler, who is assisted regularly by Shannon Cheng and our wonderful co-host today - who, hey, Shannon Cheng, the Chair of People Power Washington-Police Accountability, as well as Amy Sundberg, author of Notes from the Emerald City and Co-Chair of the Seattle Committee of People Power Washington-Police Accountability. You can find Shannon on Twitter @drbestturtle, Amy Sundberg @amysundberg and you can find me @finchfrii. Now you can follow Hacks & Wonks on iTunes, Spotify or wherever else you get your podcasts - just type "Hacks & Wonks" in the search bar. Be sure to subscribe to get our Friday almost-live shows and our midweek show delivered to your podcast feed. If you like us, leave us a review wherever you listening to Hacks & Wonks. You can also get a full transcript of this episode and links to the resources referenced in the show at officialhacksandwonks.com and in our episode notes. Thanks for tuning in. We'll talk to you next time.

"Baby, do you think that we are just roommates?"    What a difficult question to ask your spouse. In today's episode, I am going to go through what so many couples experience when it comes to finding themselves in what feels more like a friendship than a romantic relationship...   As well as what we should all be focusing on instead whenever we find ourselves in this situation.    Like what you hear? We are honored. Hit that subscribe button and share your thoughts in a review. If you or someone you know may be a fit to be a guest on our show, please reach out to us! Balance. Optimize. Tactics.  Hit that subscribe button so that you don't miss a day of the added value that I am dedicated to sharing with you weekly.  Let's Connect!  Facebook  Instagram  Email: ashliewalton555@gmail.com  LinkedIn  Website: www.leowarriors.com

Riall Johnson, Principal Partner at Prism West consulting, joins Crystal to talk about Nicole Thomas-Kennedy's campaign for Seattle City Attorney, the funding mechanisms behind the scenes in Seattle politics, and the future of progressive candidates in Washington. As always, a full text transcript of the show is available below and at officialhacksandwonks.com. Find the host, Crystal Fincher on Twitter at @finchfrii, and Riall Johnson at @RiallJohnson. More info is available at officialhacksandwonks.com.   Resources "Where Urbanists and Progressives Go from Poor 2021 Showing" by Doug Trumm from The Urbanist https://www.theurbanist.org/2021/11/05/where-urbanists-and-progressives-go-from-poor-2021-showing/ "Abolitionist Nicole Thomas-Kennedy Announces Last-Minute Run for City Attorney" by Mark Van Streefkerk from The South Seattle Emerald: https://southseattleemerald.com/2021/06/10/abolitionist-nicole-thomas-kennedy-announces-last-minute-run-for-city-attorney/  "Two Seattle candidates reflect rise of abolitionism in U.S. politics" by Lilly Ana Fowler from KNKX Public Radio: https://www.knkx.org/politics/2021-10-21/two-seattle-candidates-reflect-rise-of-abolitionism-in-u-s-politics  "Seattle's Choice: A Police Abolitionist or a Law-and-Order Republican?" by Mike Baker from The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/30/us/seattle-city-attorney-election.html  Ann Davison's 2019 Homelessness Plan: https://twitter.com/ericacbarnett/status/1450516851503501314  "Abolitionist Candidates Are Running for Office Across the Country" by Gennette Cordova from Teen Vogue: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/abolitionist-candidates-running-for-office  "Seattles Divide on Public Safety is Fueling a Fight Over Next Year's Police Budget" by Ben Adlin from The South Seattle Emerald: https://southseattleemerald.com/2021/11/15/seattles-divide-on-public-safety-is-fueling-a-fight-over-next-years-police-budget/    Transcript The transcript will be uploaded as soon as possible.

Jack Kufahl, Chief Information Security Officer at Michigan Medicine, joins Innovators to talk about the world of information security as it relates to healthcare. Jack Kufahl is responsible for planning, developing, implementing, and maintaining the Michigan Medicine information assurance program. He directs all information assurance activity across the academic medical center to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of electronic information and IT/Information Service (IS) resources critical to the tripartite mission of patient care, research, and education at Michigan Medicine. Innovators is a podcast production of Harris Search Associates.  *The views and opinions shared by the guests on Innovators do not necessarily reflect the views of the interviewee's institution or organization.*

Have you had covid? I hope that the answer is no but if it is, today's episode might help you if you find yourself sick too.    I did a few key things that I think really helped me to make sure that I didn't develop any of the nasty chest stuff.    In today's episode, I share step-by-step all of the things that I did to help me feel as good as I could...despite not being able to taste or smell a thing.    Like what you hear? We are honored. Hit that subscribe button and share your thoughts in a review. If you or someone you know may be a fit to be a guest on our show, please reach out to us! Balance. Optimize. Tactics.  Hit that subscribe button so that you don't miss a day of the added value that I am dedicated to sharing with you weekly.  Let's Connect!  Facebook  Instagram  Email: ashliewalton555@gmail.com  LinkedIn  Website: www.leowarriors.com

www.commsolutionsmn.com- Usually our odd-year elections are met with a collective yawn... but not so this year. We know that next to no one votes, so it becomes easy for the activists to motivate their base to get out there and vote. Even in Minneapolis (which has been running to the left at a full clip), has decisively voted down the measure to replace the Police Department with a department of Public Safety. It turns out that people like to be safe... who knew? Even their city council saw a bunch of turnover, but the results are confusing. The Ward 2 Green Party candidate (who supported dismantling the police department) lost to the Democratic Socialist (who also supported the effort to dismantle). I really don't understand. There were other weird results too. Anti-CRT school board candidates did very well across the state of Minnesota. We run down the list. We try to take a stab at deciphering Ranked Choice Voting. No dice, but it's funny to hear us try. No wonder we can't keep any of it straight. We really should take more care to protect our electoral system. Also, Robbinsdale Public Schools are putting a vaccine mandate into place for all staff. Sure, they are voting on it at the November 15th school board meeting, but keep in mind that they have been talking with the teacher's unions to come to a consensus. It's also not applied equally, as each union has a different consequences for non-compliance. Have you checked out our Spotify playlist? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We've launched the Spotify playlist: “Community Solutions Music From the Podcast!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don't forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify!

For Municipal Monday, Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps joins to talk about the proposed upcoming 2022 budget. From housing to climate action to public safety.   Get more stories like this in your inbox every morning by subscribing to our daily newsletter at CapitalDaily.ca Check our membership opportunity at CapitalDaily.ca/MemberAnd subscribe to us on our socials! Twitter @CapitalDailyVic  Instagram @CapitalDaily  Facebook @CapitalDailyVic

Have you ever had to make the difficult decision to put down one of your pets?    In today's episode, I am going to share why this is one of the greatest privileges that we are afforded in life.    By realizing the memories that are shared with our pets, it may help to lesson the pain of no longer having them to share our lives with.    Like what you hear? We are honored. Hit that subscribe button and share your thoughts in a review. If you or someone you know may be a fit to be a guest on our show, please reach out to us! Balance. Optimize. Tactics.  Hit that subscribe button so that you don't miss a day of the added value that I am dedicated to sharing with you weekly.  Let's Connect!  Facebook  Instagram  Email: ashliewalton555@gmail.com  LinkedIn  Website: www.leowarriors.com

The White House and members of the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris administration will host the 2021 Tribal Nations Summit. The summit brings together officials and leaders from federally recognized tribes together to discuss how the federal government can invest in and continue to strengthen the nation-to-nation relationship and ensure that progress in Indian Country endures for years to come. This is the first day of the two-day event. AGENDA - NOVEMBER 15, 2021 Welcome Remarks - Shanon Holsey, Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians Secretary Deb Haaland – US Department of the Interior President Joe Biden First Lady Jill Biden Attorney General Merrick Garland - US Department of Justice Policy Panel: Combatting Covid-19 in Indian Country Featuring Tribal leaders in conversation with: Secretary Xavier Becerra – US Department of Health and Human Services Dr. Anthony Fauci – Chief Medical Officer to the President Policy Panel: Native American Educator and Native Languages Featuring Tribal leaders in conversation with: Secretary Miguel Cardona – US Department of Education Secretary Deb Haaland – US Department of the Interior Policy Panel: Public Safety and Justice Featuring Tribal leaders in conversation with: Secretary Deb Haaland – US Department of the Interior Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco – US Department of Justice Secretary Tom Vilsack – US Department of Agriculture

Can you remember the last time that something happened to you that made you feel like you were in such a dark place that you didn't think you would ever find your way out of it?    In today's episode, I am going to share with you why there is so much more meaning behind the words 'keep the faith,' and how we can use these words as fuel for every single ambition that we have in life.    Like what you hear? We are honored. Hit that subscribe button and share your thoughts in a review. If you or someone you know may be a fit to be a guest on our show, please reach out to us! Balance. Optimize. Tactics.  Hit that subscribe button so that you don't miss a day of the added value that I am dedicated to sharing with you weekly.  Let's Connect!  Facebook  Instagram  Email: ashliewalton555@gmail.com  LinkedIn  Website: www.leowarriors.com

You want the best for your kids...but what if you were doing something every single day that was detrimental to their health?    In today's episode, I am going to talk about how an adult's relationship to social media plays a direct role on the way that children understand and learn self-validation.    I believe that this is vital for not only parents but for children and adults to pay attention to.    To read more on the article that I made mention of in today's episode, click here.    Like what you hear? We are honored. Hit that subscribe button and share your thoughts in a review. If you or someone you know may be a fit to be a guest on our show, please reach out to us! Balance. Optimize. Tactics.  Hit that subscribe button so that you don't miss a day of the added value that I am dedicated to sharing with you weekly.  Let's Connect!  Facebook  Instagram  Email: ashliewalton555@gmail.com  LinkedIn  Website: www.leowarriors.com

Crystal sits down with Amy Sundberg to walk through how the Seattle City budget process works as well as how and when to get involved in making your vision of the future a reality.  Note: This episode was recorded in late September and references parts of the process that have already happened. A key opportunity to provide public comment happens this week on Wednesday, November 10th at 5:30p so listen up and then make your voice heard! As always, a full text transcript of the show is available below and at officialhacksandwonks.com. Find the host, Crystal Fincher on Twitter at @finchfrii. Subscribe to Notes from the Emerald City  and follow Amy on Twitter at @amysundberg. More info is available at officialhacksandwonks.com.   Resources Notes from the Emerald City - newsletter on Seattle government and policy: https://www.getrevue.co/profile/amysundberg Converge Media - Budget School: https://www.whereweconverge.com/post/understanding-the-city-of-seattle-budget-converge-media-launches-budget-school Seattle City Council - Budget Process: http://www.seattle.gov/council/issues/past-issues/budget-process Seattle City Council - Sign up for Public Comment (opens 2 hours before start of public comment period): https://www.seattle.gov/council/committees/public-comment “Seattle mayor proposes increasing police staffing in 2022 budget” by David Kroman from Crosscut: https://crosscut.com/news/2021/09/seattle-mayor-proposes-increasing-police-staffing-2022-budget Mayor Durkan's Proposed 2022 Budget: https://www.seattle.gov/city-budget-office/budget-archives/2022-proposed-budget Solidarity Budget: https://www.seattlesolidaritybudget.com/   Transcript [00:00:00] Crystal Fincher: Welcome to Hacks & Wonks. I'm Crystal Fincher, and I'm a political consultant and your host. On this show, we talk with policy wonks and political hacks to gather insight into local politics and policy in Washington state through the lens of those doing the work with behind-the-scenes perspectives on what's happening, why it's happening and what you can do about it. Full transcripts and resources referenced in the show are always available at officialhacksandwonks.com and in our episode notes. Today, we're thrilled to be joined once again by Amy Sundberg, author of Notes From the Emerald City and co-chair of the Seattle Committee of People Power Washington - Police Accountability. Thanks for joining us again, Amy. [00:00:51] Amy Sundberg: It's great to be here. [00:00:53] Crystal Fincher: Well, I am excited to have you here once again. We have spoken about the excellent newsletter that you have - your coverage consistently of City Council meetings, City meetings and hearings, and your live tweets, and recaps in your newsletter - which is an excellent resource for people who are looking to follow civic processes in the City of Seattle. Today, I'm excited to talk about the budget, which most people generally are not excited to talk about - the budget. But it's actually a really big deal. And that process is just kicking off here in the City of Seattle. And this is super consequential because it affects everything. This is how we determine what gets spent on what, who gets what and where and how, and who doesn't. And there's a lot involved with it - there's a lot of confusion. Because of that, a lot of people typically don't engage. And so I thought it'd be helpful to do this show today, just to give people an overview of what the budget is, how it's composed, just what's going on with it right now, and how they can get involved if they're looking to make a difference in the issues that they care about. And with that, I guess I would just start off by asking, what is the budget? What does it fund? How is it composed? [00:02:12] Amy Sundberg: Yeah. So I also am excited to talk about the budget today. Because you're right, it is very consequential. It makes a huge difference in individual's lives, which is something I think can get kind of lost in the weeds. But it does really impact every one of us who live in Seattle. So the budget, I mean, it is in many ways similar to a household budget that you might have for your own finances - in that it tracks what revenues the City is bringing in and then it tracks the expenditures - how that money is going to be spent over the course of a year. This budget that we're talking about will be for next year - 2022 - and it's a total of $6.6 billion. But only about $1.5 billion of that is in the General Fund, which is most of what the budget process is regarding - still a lot of money though. [00:03:17] Crystal Fincher: Mm-hmm [affirmative]. [00:03:19] Amy Sundberg: And it funds a lot of the services that we enjoy here in Seattle. And I'm just going to give you a - [00:03:27] Crystal Fincher: And some we don't. [00:03:28] Amy Sundberg: And some we don't. Yeah. Some we might not agree with - exactly. So it covers everything from transportation - so that's public transit, building and maintenance of roads, bridges, sidewalks, bicycle lanes, safety features. Funds libraries, one of my personal favorites. It funds parks and recreation. Homelessness services, including both shelter options and wraparound services - childcare assistance, food assistance, rental assistance, developing more affordable housing in our city. A small budget for arts and culture. A lot of offices - so the Office of Construction and Inspections, the Office of Planning and Community Development, the Office of Civil Rights. A lot of administration - so all of the City employees who work to run all of these offices. Public safety, and that isn't just the police department - that's also the fire department, that's 911 dispatch, that's the Office of Emergency Management, Seattle Municipal Court, the City Attorney's Office, and any alternate responses. So all of that is covered by the budget and more. [00:04:55] Crystal Fincher: Okay. And so that's a lot. And a lot of times, one of the questions that I've heard frequently is, "Okay, well, if you've got $6 billion and it's a huge number. If the Office of Arts and Culture is asking for this tiny amount, why can't you just move some money over here, over there?" Can you just take money from one department and give it to another? How does the budget work? How does the General Fund work? [00:05:26] Amy Sundberg: So the reason I specify that only a $1.5 billion was in the General Fund is because that's basically what the Councilmembers are deciding what to spend during this budget process. A lot of that other money is already allocated, and it's not allowed to be spent for anything else. Some of that is because it's - I mean, it comes from various taxes. And as part of those taxes, there was an agreement that it would be spent only on certain things. And part of it is because certain fees that you might pay will go back to fund whatever department they came from. So if you pay a parking ticket, that's going to go back into the Department of Transportation, and that's the only place that money can go. Or if you pay a park fee to rent out a picnic area, that's going to go right back into Parks. So a lot of the money is tied up in various ways. And one of the biggest examples of that is utilities - Seattle Light and also the Public Utilities. They generate a lot of revenue - from your electricity bill - and that's put right back into their budget, so that's not available for other uses. [00:06:44] Crystal Fincher: So some money comes with - by law - with strings attached. You can't decide to spend it in a different way. Some money comes with no strings attached. That no strings attached money is the General Fund. And that is where the conversation centers at times like now, when we just heard that the mayor announced what her budget was. Really, when they're talking about more money for this, less money for this, it is really in that $1.5 billion allocated to the general fund. [00:07:14] Amy Sundberg: Exactly. And the budget that just came out this week - that's the mayor's proposed budget. So she's put together kind of a proposal - she's talked to all of these City departments that I was talking about and heard kind of what they need, what they've been spending. And there's a Budget Office of the City that looks through all these things, thinks about what the priorities are, and puts together this proposed budget - that then is transmitted to the City Council to review and consider. [00:07:46] Crystal Fincher: So let's talk more about the process that is just kicking off now. The mayor proposes a budget - what happens between, "Okay, now this budget is proposed" and when a budget is approved and money starts getting spent? [00:08:05] Amy Sundberg: So it is a about eight week process to approve next year's budget. And it's supposed to be done - I think by law it has to be done by early December. But we're expecting it to be done the Monday before Thanksgiving. So exactly eight weeks. And basically, the Council will go through an eight week deliberative process about the budget. Built into that process are lots of opportunities for the public to weigh in on what their priorities might be. And we can talk about that a little bit more later. But also they - so right now this week, we're going through and having presentations from different City departments - to kind of hear about this proposed budget and why it is the way it is, and what these departments were thinking about in terms of these dollars being spent. After that, we go into Issue Identification. So that's when kind of Councilmembers flag different areas that they want to dig deeper into to see what the impacts might be, different investments they might want to make, things they might not want to spend as much money on, and get a lot of analysis from their Central staff. Then they propose some amendments to the proposed budget and they discuss those amendments. And eventually the Committee Chair, who is Councilmember Mosqueda, creates a Balancing Package. So what that is - is basically, she's kind of looking at these conversations they've been having, and looking at Issue Identification, looking at the amendments that they've been discussing, and she tries to find all the areas in which they have a general consensus as a Council in terms of how they want the money to be spent - what they can all agree on pretty easily. And that will all go into this Balancing Package. And it has to be balanced - so it has to - it can't be - you can't spend more than you have. Then there's another round of amendments and they have to have at least three Councilmembers who will sign on to each of these amendments so that you don't get any - basically to save time so that there's not tons of amendments that only one Councilmember is going to support and have no chance of actually making it into the budget. They vote on those amendments, they vote on the whole package in Committee, and then it moves to the Full Council where they do the final vote. And it's important to remember that that final vote on the budget has to be passed by a three-quarters vote, which is not true of most legislation that goes through City Council. So seven out of nine Councilmembers have to vote to approve the budget in order for it to move forward. [00:11:14] Crystal Fincher: Okay. That's good to know. And that is different than most other stuff, like you just said. And FYI, I mean, this is a lot of detail - it's a complicated process. You are doing an excellent job breaking it down for us in a way that the average person can digest. And I should mention, we're talking about the budget - Converge Media has a very detailed multi-hour series that really gets into the granular detail of the entire budget process. But wanted to just give people, here right now, the opportunity to get an idea of what the overall process is to make it easier to understand and engage with if you want to. Okay. So we're at the point where we understand the timeline. It actually sounds like it's important to get involved earlier in the process so that if you see an area in the budget that looks concerning to you, you can communicate with your Councilmembers, flag that as something that you feel is a major concern. Hopefully, get at least three Councilmembers who are willing to say, "Yeah, what is currently down on paper does not look good to me. Let's actually hold this as something that we're not saying we're good with and that we'd really like to hopefully change and reserve for further discussion and amendment." So what does that timeline look like in there before they have to - when should people be getting involved with this process and when is it best? [00:12:51] Amy Sundberg: To be honest, I think that people should be involved throughout the process for the optimal results. I realize people only have limited bandwidth, but I think there are important things going on throughout the eight weeks. I do agree with you that if you get in earlier, it kind of flags for Councilmembers what their constituents want, right? What is important, what are the actual community values? But, I mean, also sometimes towards the end of the process, the Councilmembers benefit from having a little public pressure to kind of push them maybe a little outside of their comfort zone or to try to just make sure they stick with what they were kind of thinking of. Sometimes they get a little cold feet and need that extra support at the end. So I think, more than a specific time, is if you can get involved at any time, that's definitely better than if you don't get involved at all. [00:13:59] Crystal Fincher: That makes sense. And you just raised another good point - that Councilmembers need to hear from you. They need to know where the community is - and pressure, accountability, communication, whatever you want to call it - is necessary and makes a difference. We saw in the - was it the last budget go around? [00:14:18] Amy Sundberg: It was, yeah. [00:14:18] Crystal Fincher: Here where - [00:14:19] Amy Sundberg: It was a big deal. [00:14:21] Crystal Fincher: Public pressure made the difference between a vote to reduce funding for the SPD - in one of the only cities in the country to actually take that vote - and have the Council united on that with a budget vote that requires seven out of nine members, which is a really big deal. It took every single bit of public pressure to the very last moment to get that accomplished. So it's not something that's futile. It has made a difference. We talk about voting and candidates a lot and I certainly believe in that, but that is not enough. People have to stay engaged throughout these processes and hold Councilmembers accountable to their promises and to their constituents. And so the more involvement - the more consistently people can be involved - the better. Now we just talked about dates for things and when that's going to come about - let's talk about how the budget relates to public safety, which there's actually a lot of news about right now and where a lot of people are concerned. [00:15:29] Amy Sundberg: Yeah. So, I mean, there's been a big discussion in Seattle about public safety overall. And there have been demands from some community members - and specifically the Solidarity Budget - as a group who have been pushing for a divest and reinvest strategy for the Seattle Police Department. And so what that means is basically taking some of the money out of the Seattle Police Department and investing it in other community-led public safety alternatives. The idea is that true public safety is not always supported at its best by SPD. And that there are other solutions that might give us better and more equitable outcomes for everyone that's living in the City. So a big point of contention then ends up always being the Seattle Police Department's budget. I will say that last year, 22% of Seattle's General Fund was given to SPD, which is - 22% is a significant percentage of the overall. [00:16:57] Crystal Fincher: It's a significant percentage. [00:16:58] Amy Sundberg: Of money. And that being said, it was - 2021 was the first year that we saw the SPD budget go down in actual dollars, as opposed to increasing. Now that's not true if you factor in inflation, but it's still very significant. In 20 years, that was the first time that that happened. And that was because of community, because - frankly, because of all of the protests for racial justice that were happening all last summer and fall - put enough pressure to get that change brought into reality. [00:17:40] Crystal Fincher: Mm-hmm [affirmative]. [00:17:40] Amy Sundberg: But that being said, no police officers were laid off. There was talk of doing that - there was talk of out-of-order layoffs. It turned out that wasn't a thing that is legally possible and no officers got laid off. There were increased number of attrition - so a lot of officers were choosing voluntarily to leave for various reasons. So we did get some shrinkage of the force, but that was the primary driver of it. [00:18:17] Crystal Fincher: Okay, so - oh, go ahead - [00:18:22] Amy Sundberg: So I was just going to say - and so this year we have to then revisit that entire conversation when we're deciding how to allocate public safety money. And the mayor's proposed budget kind of gives us a starting point so to speak, of where that conversation is going to start. And the total SPD budget is only - she's only a proposed an increase of $2.5 million. So it would be going up again - but that's a fairly small amount in the grand scheme of how much it often goes up from year to year. [00:19:07] Crystal Fincher: So less than what people say, but still not reducing the funding of the police, which is what- [00:19:12] Amy Sundberg: Yes. It's definitely. [00:19:13] Crystal Fincher: - a number of Seattle voters have voted for - and voted for Councilmembers to enact. And certainly is part of a big conversation that we're having right now. But an area where - Durkan has seemed pretty determined not to reduce funding. So given that it is that amount, it seems like the focus is more on being able to say that she's not reducing funding of SPD instead of having that really fund anything substantial and with that amount of money. [00:19:50] Amy Sundberg: Yes. I mean, and it's definitely not divestment - it is holding fairly steady. And you'll see one of the interesting things in terms of media coverage - you'll see that a lot of media saying she's proposing addition of 35 net officers. What that actually means is hiring 125 officers next year, because they're anticipating 90 separations - 90 officers are going to leave. They're going to hire 125, so that's 35 additional officers - that's what she's proposed. And there's a couple - on the one hand, you can say, "Well, they're hiring a bunch more officers instead of either just letting it stay the same or reducing." And then another narrative that I'm sure people will be hearing in upcoming weeks is, "Well, but there's actually less funded positions for police officers in this budget than there was in the last budget." In 2021, there were 1,357 FTEs - so sworn officer positions funded, not actual officers that we had - but the money was there for them. And this year there's only 1,230 funded. So that's going to be one place that I think we're going to see pushback in terms of - actually we're shrinking the SPD - because we don't have these positions that are open and not filled that we're still pretending might be able to be filled. But I would like to say the counter-argument to that view is that there's a long pipeline for getting new officers into the force because of just all the training and all of the vetting that has to be done, et cetera. So if we're already lower in terms of how many officers we have - we can spend that time building to a higher number of officers again, or we can spend that time and that money instead building alternate community led responses. There is a choice there. [00:22:08] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely - and certainly an area where people can make their opinions heard. And this year is - "exciting" is always interesting to use in terms of a budget for wonky people like us - but this time there actually is a reason to be excited, I think, because there is a budget that's being introduced by organizations in the community called the Solidarity Budget. What is that? [00:22:36] Amy Sundberg: So the Solidarity Budget is really exciting - and it's a coalition of groups who have put together basically a plan of how community would like to see the money be spent in Seattle in 2022. And it's a coalition of many groups. I know they had a goal to get a hundred endorsing organizations - I don't know if they quite reached that yet. But it's organizations like 350 Seattle, Decriminalize Seattle, the Black Action Coalition, the Transit Riders Union, et cetera, et cetera - it's a large number of local organizations. And they have various - basically policy and budgetary goals that they present in this document, called the Solidarity Budget, that asks for various investments into community. And part of it is based on the idea of divesting from the police department, as well as the Municipal Court and the City's Attorney's office - and then reinvesting that money back into community priorities, whether that be housing, Green New Deal - or other priorities - alternate responses for public safety, et cetera. And there's a 65 page document kind of laying out all of their ideas. [00:24:11] Crystal Fincher: So that's really interesting, and we're probably going to be seeing an increased level of advocacy and activism because of that - in addition to just more people being interested, particularly after the activism with recent budgets and what's been going on there. So as people look to get more familiar with the Solidarity Budget, the City budget, and what's going on, what do things look like in the next couple weeks in terms of activity with the budget and how should people go about making their concerns known? [00:24:48] Amy Sundberg: Yeah. There's several options. So this week, we're just having overviews from the departments. So basically, we're all getting up to speed on what this proposed budget is and what the City departments think they need. And then next week we kind of get a breather to process through it all. And the week after that, which is the week of October 11th - then we start diving into Issue Identification, so getting deeper into the weeds of these various issues. There are several opportunities to get involved as a private citizen. There are three public hearings during this budget season, and the first one is October 12th - so a great time to get in early - at 5:30 PM. And then there's another public hearing - November 10th at 5:30 PM. And the last one is November 18th during the day at 9:30 AM. So if daytime is better for you, they wanted to give both options. Also, all of the budget meetings have a 20-30 minute public comment first thing in the morning at 9:30. But even if you don't want to give public comment, you can also - you can call your Councilmember's office, you can email them - I email mine all the time. You can set up meetings with them - some of them have regular office hours. I know some of them go to Farmer's Markets occasionally - I know the weather is shifting, so I don't know how much longer that will be going on. Sometimes they have Budget Town Halls in a district that you can attend and ask questions or make comment at that point. So there are a lot of ways to kind of let your Councilmember know what you're thinking and what your concerns and priorities are. [00:26:41] Crystal Fincher: Yeah. And I think it is really important to understand that your Councilmember is your Councilmember. They're your representative and they need to know what you think in order to represent you. And if something isn't clear, you can ask them questions and ask them to explain some things - they really are there to serve you. And this budget is there to serve everyone in the City - that should be the goal. And so I hope that people engage with this and just start to get more familiar with what's being talked about and what's not. Because they're so used to this process almost being opaque with hardly anyone paying attention. And it's exciting when more people get involved, because generally that produces a budget that addresses the needs of more of the community. [00:27:31] Amy Sundberg: Yeah. And it's exciting when people realize that this actually really affects them personally. This isn't just some abstract cloud that you don't have to think about. It's something that is going to impact your daily life in the future. [00:27:45] Crystal Fincher: Yep. Thank you. So thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us today - appreciate it and we will certainly be providing all of the links to everything we talked about here in the show in the episode notes. And if you have any questions or any specific questions - issues you want addressed - feel free to shoot us a message. Message me on Twitter and we will continue to stay engaged here also. Thanks so much, Amy. [00:28:11] Amy Sundberg: Thanks for having me. [00:28:12] Crystal Fincher: I thank you all for listening to Hacks & Wonks on KVRU 105.7 FM. The producer of Hacks & Wonks is Lisl Stadler with assistance from Shannon Cheng. You can find me on Twitter @finchfrii, spelled F-I-N-C-H F-R-I-I. Now you can follow Hacks & Wonks on iTunes, Spotify, wherever else you get your podcast - just type "Hacks and Wonks" into the search bar. Be sure to subscribe to get our Friday almost-live shows and our midweek show delivered to your podcast feed. If you like us, leave a review wherever you listen to Hacks & Wonks. You can also get a full transcript of this episode and links to the resources referenced in the show at officialhacksandwonks.com and in the episode notes. Thanks for tuning in. We'll talk to you next time.

The Casper Police Department in Wyoming was one of the first agencies to use the FirstNet network in August 2017 when the city's population was expected to nearly double during a solar eclipse. Four years later, FirstNet is providing Casper police officers with coverage across the city, dedicated applications to enhance operations, and connectivity to other city agencies during everyday incidents and major emergencies.

Do you remember what it was like when you were sick as a child? Who did you have that was there to comfort you?    I'm going to guess that you remember how vulnerable those moments felt and how easy it was to just let go and cry when you needed to at such a young age.    In today's episode, I'm going to talk about the healthy way that our bodies give us the feel good chemicals that we need when we are feeling the blues...and why it's so important for you to allow yourself to have this when you need it.    Like what you hear? We are honored. Hit that subscribe button and share your thoughts in a review. If you or someone you know may be a fit to be a guest on our show, please reach out to us! Balance. Optimize. Tactics.  Hit that subscribe button so that you don't miss a day of the added value that I am dedicated to sharing with you weekly.  Let's Connect!  Facebook  Instagram  Email: ashliewalton555@gmail.com  LinkedIn  Website: www.leowarriors.com

Below is a sample of stories Jim presented to listeners from the news desk-----Republican Glenn Youngkin defeated Democrat Terry McAuliffe for the governorship in Virginia.----Winsome Sears, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, gave glory to God in her victory speech after winning election as Virginia's Lieutenant Governor. ----The Human Rights Campaign is vowing to fight against what they perceive as Glenn Youngkin's regressive agenda.----This week saw the election of Detroit's first -out- city council member. ----New Yorkers elected a record six city council members that are openly LGBTQ-.----Pro-life Republicans captured not only the Virginia governor's mansion from pro-abortion Democrats but the House as well. ----Republicans have won 4 contested city council races in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island.----New Jersey State Senate District 3 for Republican truck driver Edward Durr stunned the political world by defeating the State Senate President Steve Sweeney by nearly 4- of the vote.----Republican Mike Carey, a former Army officer and energy executive endorsed by President Trump, won the special election for Ohio's 15th Congressional District. ----Minneapolis voters rejected a progressive plan to do away with the police department and replace it with a vaguely defined Department of Public Safety.----Former Seattle City Council President Bruce Harrell, who ran on a pro-police message, led the returns in the race for Seattle mayor by nearly 30 points against a progressive.----An election worker in New Jersey caught on video allowing a non-citizen to enter and fill out a ballot.

On November 5, 2021, WisconsinEye Host and CBS 58 Capitol Reporter Emilee Fannon and WisPolitics.com Editor JR Ross reviewed this week in state politics. (Brought to you by the Wisconsin Realtors Association).On this week's episode:Racine County Sheriff Recommends Felony Charges against WECGableman Investigation UpdatePeople's Maps CommissionMU Law School PollCrime Initiatives

Below is a sample of stories Jim presented to listeners from the news desk-----Republican Glenn Youngkin defeated Democrat Terry McAuliffe for the governorship in Virginia.----Winsome Sears, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, gave glory to God in her victory speech after winning election as Virginia's Lieutenant Governor. ----The Human Rights Campaign is vowing to fight against what they perceive as Glenn Youngkin's regressive agenda.----This week saw the election of Detroit's first -out- city council member. ----New Yorkers elected a record six city council members that are openly LGBTQ-.----Pro-life Republicans captured not only the Virginia governor's mansion from pro-abortion Democrats but the House as well. ----Republicans have won 4 contested city council races in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island.----New Jersey State Senate District 3 for Republican truck driver Edward Durr stunned the political world by defeating the State Senate President Steve Sweeney by nearly 4- of the vote.----Republican Mike Carey, a former Army officer and energy executive endorsed by President Trump, won the special election for Ohio's 15th Congressional District. ----Minneapolis voters rejected a progressive plan to do away with the police department and replace it with a vaguely defined Department of Public Safety.----Former Seattle City Council President Bruce Harrell, who ran on a pro-police message, led the returns in the race for Seattle mayor by nearly 30 points against a progressive.----An election worker in New Jersey caught on video allowing a non-citizen to enter and fill out a ballot.

Pedophilia is a virus...it's really that simple. In today's episode, Detective Clint Walton and I discuss how shining a light on these roaches is the second step to exposure.    Tune in as we share THE MOST important thing that every parent should be doing in order to protect their own children from the horrors of these monsters who could be living right next door to you.    Learn More About Operation Underground Railroad (OWN) by clicking here.    Like what you hear? We are honored. Hit that subscribe button and share your thoughts in a review. If you or someone you know may be a fit to be a guest on our show, please reach out to us! Balance. Optimize. Tactics.  Hit that subscribe button so that you don't miss a day of the added value that I am dedicated to sharing with you weekly.  Let's Connect!  Facebook  Instagram  Email: ashliewalton555@gmail.com  LinkedIn  Website: www.leowarriors.com  

The Pfizer vaccine has been approved for kids ages 5-11 and while there are a lot of concerns with giving the vaccine to children, the dosage has been adjusted. Children in this age range will only be getting 10 micrograms of RNA in each shot, versus 30 micrograms for those 12 and up. Katherine Wu, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins us for why the dosage is less about weight and size and more about how the body can marshal a defense. Next, election night 2021 did not look too good for Democrats. In a very closely watched race for governor in Virginia, Republican Glen Youngkin pulled out the win over Terry McAuliffe. Messaging was off for Democrats and Youngkin proved he could win without fully embracing Trump. David Siders, national political correspondent at Politico, joins us for election night takeaways. Finally, residents in Minneapolis voted down the ballot measure that would have gotten rid of the police department in favor of a Department of Public Safety. People on both sides agree that police reform must be done there, but a majority did not want to dismantle the current structure. Janelle Griffith, national reporter at NBC News, joins us for all the fallout from “Question 2.” Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

We discuss more election results and analyze where Democrats and progressives stand now. Some highlights include Michelle Wu becoming the first woman and first person of color as Boston's mayor. Some lowlights include Republican businessman Glenn Youngkin defeating Democrat Terry McAuliffe for Virginia's next governor.  Voters in Minneapolis also rejected a proposal that would have replaced the city's police department with a Department of Public Safety. Minister JaNaé Bates from the Yes 4 Minneapolis campaign, which put the proposal on the ballot, joins us to discuss the amendment and where activists go from here. And in headlines: Ethiopia's ruling government declared a state of emergency, the Supreme Court heard arguments in what could be its first decision on the Second Amendment in more than a decade, and scientists say California condors can reproduce without mating. Show Notes: MPR: “Minneapolis voters reject plan to overhaul city policing” – https://bit.ly/2ZSGnCv Austin American-Statesman: “Austin voters overwhelmingly reject Prop A police staffing plan” – https://bit.ly/3mHswbi Cleveland 19: “Police oversight ballot measure approved; union promises to fight it” – https://bit.ly/3mHVNTj For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At the U.S. Supreme Court, the conservative majority seemed ready Wednesday to broaden gun rights by striking down a New York law that limits the right to carry concealed handguns. At issue was New York's law restricting licenses to carry a concealed gun to people going hunting or shooting, or to those who can demonstrate a special need for self protection, like a bank messenger carrying cash. Do we want to modify police departments? Minneapolis residents on Tuesday voted against a proposed amendment that would have removed the city's police department from the city charter and replaced it with a Department of Public Safety. Supporters of the proposal said a complete overhaul of policing was necessary to stop police violence. Opponents said the proposal had no concrete plan for how to move forward and could make communities already affected by violence more vulnerable as crime is on the rise. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Voters across the country head to the polls today on the first election day since Donald Trump's defeat last November. Governorships are up for grabs in New Jersey and Virginia. Boston, Buffalo, Atlanta, Seattle and Minneapolis are choosing their next mayors. The future of policing has been a flashpoint in each of those races. In Minneapolis, where George Floyd was murdered, voters will also vote on whether to abolish their current police department and replace it with a new Department of Public Safety. Our special guests include WBAI's Tom Robbins and Ben Max, Alex Vitale, author of 'The End of Policing,' Linda Martín Alcoff, author of 'The Future of Whiteness,' a newly elected Socialist City Councilwoman from Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and more.

A Look at Tuesday's Elections  We were joined by political commentator and host of Breaking Points, Krystal Ball and political scientist and Associate Professor of Political Science and American Studies at Fordham University Dr. Christina Greer to break down the biggest election results and what it all means.  Former Gov. Christine Todd Whitman discusses Election 2021 Former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman joins us to discuss election wins and losses, her thoughts on the winner of the New Jersey Governor's race and how she and others are working to better the country across party lines through the Renew America Movement PAC. Mayors Campaign on Public Safety and Policing Last year New York officials shifted roughly $1 billion from the police department, but then added $200 million this year. Eric Adams, the former police officer who will be the city's next mayor, campaigned on fighting crime. The Takeaway took a look at mayoral races across the country from Buffalo to Seattle with Tim Craig, National Correspondent for the Washington Post. Investigation Finds More Than 400 Unarmed Drivers Or Passengers Killed At Traffic Stops In The Last Five Years Meanwhile, only five officers have been convicted of crimes in those killings, according to a review of publicly reported cases. The investigation went on to find that at least $125 million dollars have been spent by local governments across the country to resolve legal claims in about 40 cases, with dozens more ongoing. We discussed the findings of this investigation with David Kirkpatrick, an investigative reporter with the New York Times.  For transcripts, see individual segment pages.

A Look at Tuesday's Elections  We were joined by political commentator and host of Breaking Points, Krystal Ball and political scientist and Associate Professor of Political Science and American Studies at Fordham University Dr. Christina Greer to break down the biggest election results and what it all means.  Former Gov. Christine Todd Whitman discusses Election 2021 Former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman joins us to discuss election wins and losses, her thoughts on the winner of the New Jersey Governor's race and how she and others are working to better the country across party lines through the Renew America Movement PAC. Mayors Campaign on Public Safety and Policing Last year New York officials shifted roughly $1 billion from the police department, but then added $200 million this year. Eric Adams, the former police officer who will be the city's next mayor, campaigned on fighting crime. The Takeaway took a look at mayoral races across the country from Buffalo to Seattle with Tim Craig, National Correspondent for the Washington Post. Investigation Finds More Than 400 Unarmed Drivers Or Passengers Killed At Traffic Stops In The Last Five Years Meanwhile, only five officers have been convicted of crimes in those killings, according to a review of publicly reported cases. The investigation went on to find that at least $125 million dollars have been spent by local governments across the country to resolve legal claims in about 40 cases, with dozens more ongoing. We discussed the findings of this investigation with David Kirkpatrick, an investigative reporter with the New York Times.  For transcripts, see individual segment pages.

Marriage takes work...we hear that all of the time...But why don't people ever get specific and talk about the details in a marriage that take work?    In today's episode, Detective Clint Walton and I discuss the intimate details relating to a MAJOR business and personal decision that we are faced with.    Join us as we talk through our thought process and learn how this might help you to make one of the biggest life decisions of your life.    Like what you hear? We are honored. Hit that subscribe button and share your thoughts in a review. If you or someone you know may be a fit to be a guest on our show, please reach out to us! Balance. Optimize. Tactics.  Hit that subscribe button so that you don't miss a day of the added value that I am dedicated to sharing with you weekly.  Let's Connect!  Facebook  Instagram  Email: ashliewalton555@gmail.com  LinkedIn  Website: www.leowarriors.com

The 2020 election was unprecedented, what with the COVID-19 pandemic and controversy over expanded early and mail-in voting. “There were more lawsuits filed last year before the election trying to change the laws and the rules governing the election process than in any year in our entire history,” Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow and election expert at The Heritage Foundation. The political left used the pandemic to try to undo requirements for voter ID and for witness signatures on absentee ballots, von Spakovsky, who oversees Heritage's Election Law Reform Initiative. (The Daily Signal is Heritage's multimedia news organization.)The question now is: How do we ensure clean and honest elections across America? In his new book with former Wall Street Journal columnist John Fund, “Our Broken Elections: How the Left Changed the Way You Vote,” von Spakovsky addresses the election issues of 2020 and provides solutions with which lawmakers can prevent voter fraud. Von Spakovsky joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss his new book and why Americans should support safeguarding our elections through measure such as voter ID. We also cover these stories: Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin is poised to be the next governor of Virginia.Democrat and former New York City Police Captain Eric Adams wins the city's mayoral election, beating out Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.A proposal to replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a new Department of Public Safety fails.Enjoy the show! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Fred H. Cate – vice president for research, Distinguished Professor, C. Ben Dutton Professor of Law and adjunct professor of informatics and computing at Indiana University – joins Innovators to talk about the state of cybersecurity and how policies in the cybersecurity world impact people around the globe. Professor Cate specializes in information security and privacy law, and he appears regularly before Congress and government agencies on these subjects. Professor Cate has served on numerous government, industry, and National Academies committees relating to privacy and information security. His most recent book, "Bulk Collection: Systematic Government Access to Private-Sector Data," was published in 2017. He attended Oxford University and received his J.D. and his A.B. with honors and distinction from Stanford University. Innovators is a podcast production of Harris Search Associates.  *The views and opinions shared by the guests on Innovators do not necessarily reflect the views of the interviewee's institution or organization.*

P.M. Edition for Nov. 1 Minneapolis voters will decide Tuesday whether to defund the Police Department and create a Department of Public Safety instead. WSJ reporter Joe Barrett joins host Lorie Hirose with details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever been to Vegas? In today's episode, Detective Clint Walton and I discuss how despite going to Vegas over 1000 times, changing the dynamics has created a COMPLETELY different experience for us.    We hope this has inspired you to understand how changing one small thing in a mundane experience can allow you to enjoy life in a totally different way.    Like what you hear? We are honored. Hit that subscribe button and share your thoughts in a review. If you or someone you know may be a fit to be a guest on our show, please reach out to us! Balance. Optimize. Tactics.  Hit that subscribe button so that you don't miss a day of the added value that I am dedicated to sharing with you weekly.  Let's Connect!  Facebook  Instagram  Email: ashliewalton555@gmail.com  LinkedIn  Website: www.leowarriors.com

Today Crystal is joined by Michael Charles, political consultant and managing partner at Upper Left Strategies. Elections are coming up next Tuesday, November 2nd, and Crystal and Michael break down spending in the Seattle City Attorney's race, how campaigns are spending their money and what the strategies may be behind it, races to watch all around the state, and the importance of paying attention to political races outside of Seattle. As always, a full text transcript of the show is available below and at officialhacksandwonks.com. Find the host, Crystal Fincher on Twitter at @finchfrii and find today's co-host, Michael Charles, at @mikeychuck. More info is available at officialhacksandwonks.com.   References: “The 2021 Seattle Mayor's Race By The Numbers” by Erica C. Barnett from The South Seattle Emerald: https://southseattleemerald.com/2021/09/29/the-2021-seattle-mayors-race-by-the-numbers/  “PAC spending in Seattle elections tops $3 million with late surge in real estate, business money” by Daniel Beekman from The Seattle Times: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/pac-spending-in-seattle-elections-tops-3-million-with-late-surge-in-real-estate-business-money/  “Seattle mayoral race filled with ads, PAC money, and cash” by David Hyde and Gracie Todd from KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/stories/as-candidates-court-voters-with-campaign-ads-pac-cash-flows-into-seattle-s-mayoral-race  “Poll finds overwhelming support among Seattle voters for JumpStart tax” by Marc Stiles from the Puget Sound Business Journal: https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2021/09/10/seattle-voters-overwhelmingly-support-jumpstart.html  “Gap in strategy, fundraising opens up between Seattle City Attorney candidate” by Nick Bowman from MyNorthwest: https://mynorthwest.com/3096045/seattle-city-attorney-fundraising-gap/  “Fact Check: Ann Davison's Mailer Is Misleading, Full of Inaccuracies, Dumb, and Disqualifying” by Rich Smith from The Stranger: https://www.thestranger.com/slog/2021/07/27/59571999/fact-check-ann-davisons-mailer-is-misleading-full-of-inaccuracies-dumb-and-disqualifying  “Q&A with Kent City Council candidates Cawthorn, Troutner” by Steve Hunter from The Kent Reporter: https://www.kentreporter.com/news/qa-with-kent-city-council-candidates-cawthon-troutner/  “Q&A with Kent School Board candidates Clark, Franklin” by Steve Hunter from The Kent Reporter: https://www.kentreporter.com/news/qa-with-kent-school-board-candidates-clark-franklin/  “Will Local Governments Reflect the Changing Demographics of South King County?” by Phil Manzano from The South Seattle Emerald: https://southseattleemerald.com/2021/06/30/will-local-governments-reflect-the-changing-demographics-of-south-king-county/  “King County Conservatives Discredit Progressive POC Candidates as ‘Defund' Extremists” by Nathalie Graham from The South Seattle Emerald: https://southseattleemerald.com/2021/10/28/king-county-conservatives-discredit-progressive-poc-candidates-as-defund-extremists/  “Outside campaign spending on Spokane City Council races grows to unprecedented level” by Adam Shanks from The Spokesman-Review: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/oct/28/outside-campaign-spending-on-spokane-city-council-/  “Northeast Spokane candidates Sherazi, Bingle debate homelessness, public safety” by Adam Shanks at The Spokesman-Review: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/oct/21/sherazi-bingle-debate-homelessness-public-safety/    Transcript: The transcript will be uploaded as soon as possible.

3PM - Hanna Scott: González, Harrell tangle over public safety, policing and that campaign ad in Thursday debate // Amid Pandemic Turmoil and Curriculum Fights, a Boom for Christian Schools // John explains what the act of doing a "Baby Bird" is See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the most terrifying thing that you have ever experienced? In light of Halloween this year, Detective Clint Walton and I decided to share some VERY different and VERY spooky first hand encounters.    Like what you hear? We are honored. Hit that subscribe button and share your thoughts in a review. If you or someone you know may be a fit to be a guest on our show, please reach out to us! Balance. Optimize. Tactics.  Hit that subscribe button so that you don't miss a day of the added value that I am dedicated to sharing with you weekly.  Let's Connect!  Facebook  Instagram  Email: ashliewalton555@gmail.com  LinkedIn  Website: www.leowarriors.com

Have you ever seen a ghost?? If you're like me, you haven't had a personal encounter with one...but chances are that you've heard a story or two of people who claim that they have.    In today's episode, Detective Clint Walton and I discuss the evolution of how we perceive death and dead bodies. We hope that this inspires you to think on how your own perception on these topics has changed over time.    Like what you hear? We are honored. Hit that subscribe button and share your thoughts in a review. If you or someone you know may be a fit to be a guest on our show, please reach out to us! Balance. Optimize. Tactics.  Hit that subscribe button so that you don't miss a day of the added value that I am dedicated to sharing with you weekly.  Let's Connect!  Facebook  Instagram  Email: ashliewalton555@gmail.com  LinkedIn  Website: www.leowarriors.com

Minneapolis residents are voting on a ballot measure, Question 2. If it passes, the city's police department would be replaced with a Department of Public Safety. But despite what some fear-mongers say, this would not actually replace the police and the police are not being defunded. An FDA advisory committee is expected to meet today to discuss Pfizer/BioNTech's authorization request for a lower dose of its vaccine designed for children 5-11. Children in a trial got two doses of the vaccine, each dose one-third the strength of what adults get. And in headlines: the military staged a coup in Sudan, students at Howard University are protesting the school's housing conditions, and a federal civil rights trial began against the white supremacists who helped plan a 2017 rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Show Notes: Ballotpedia: “Minneapolis, Minnesota, Question 2, Replace Police Department with Department of Public Safety Initiative” – https://bit.ly/3pCbXiJ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Well folks, its about that time to start calling it dunzo for the season...With that comes a whole new set of challenges - The boredom, the part where you have to explain to the "normies" what you do for work, the awkward reintegration into your own family, figuring out what you're going to do during the winter, the holidays, where you're going to live - The list goes on...All of this stacks up, and it can be an overwhelming experience for the folks that are young in the game... It can even be more difficult for the folks that are seasoned in the fire game.Thats why we have Shannon Mead on the show today to talk about the importance of having a plan for the off season, and also not having a "Glide-path" to actually wind down from the adrenaline high and stress of the fire season.Heres a little more about Shannon:Shannon Mead is a local clinician in Reno, Nevada who specializes in military, law enforcement, wildland firefighters, and first responders..."As a therapist, adoptive mom, and friend/family member to a whole bunch of first responders - I know that helping takes a heavy toll on those who are willing to shoulder the burden. And unfortunately, the existing supports aren't always helpful (to put it kindly). Whether I am working with individuals, couples, or an entire organization, my purpose is to strengthen those who sacrifice for our community.  I have a Masters degree in Couple and Family Therapy from Antioch University and a corporate coaching certificate from Fielding University. I am intrigued by systems and patterns, and as a therapist I tend to be practical and straightforward. Perhaps that is because I spent many years as a tech and data consultant before pivoting into counseling. Over the years I have become increasingly interested in compassion fatigue and secondary trauma, and focused most of my research on these topics. As a foster/adoptive parent I have felt the burden myself, but have also seen it in the lives of my guardian friends and family. I absolutely hate that those who step in to help are often chewed up by the roles and I'm working hard to do something about it."She is just one of the many "culturally competent clinicians" out there that are available... Please feel free to use her practice as a resource this season.You can find her practice here:https://www.stackofstones.com Shannon also just produced a training video with some great tips on winding down for the off season!You can find that video, and a bunch of other good stuff at the following links here:https://www.stackofstones.com/wildland-resourceshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuxxAjOcs6P5MfZC8NCoPHgCall her, email her, do whatever you need to do to take care of yourselves before, during, and after the fire season!You know the drill...Stay safe, stay savage...Enjoy!..........................Updates!We launched a Patreon!!! If you guys would like to support us, head over to our Patreon Page!https://www.patreon.com/theanchorpointpodcast..........................Sponsors:The Anchor Point Podcast is supported by the following wonderful folks...Mystery RanchNeed badass packs? Then look no further than Mystery Ranch!https://www.mysteryranch.comHotshot BreweryWanna pick up our Anchor Point Podcast merch or need killer coffee? Hit up Hotshot Brewery!!!https://www.hotshotbrewing.comThe Smokey GenerationWanna get some history and knowledge on Wildland Fire? Hit up The Smokey Generation!http://wildfire-experience.orgNot a sponsor of The Anchor Point Podcast, but a great organization:The Wildland Firefighter FoundationAnd, as always, please consider supporting this great nonprofit organization - The Wildland Firefighter Foundation!https://wffoundation.org

"You're selfish."    When we think about doing something for ourselves or even buying ourselves something nice, these are words that our inner ego will often speak to us.    In today's episode, retired Ohio Police Officer Brian K. Bishop and I discuss why this couldn't be further from the truth.    Like what you hear? We are honored. Hit that subscribe button and share your thoughts in a review. If you or someone you know may be a fit to be a guest on our show, please reach out to us! Balance. Optimize. Tactics.  Hit that subscribe button so that you don't miss a day of the added value that I am dedicated to sharing with you weekly.  Let's Connect!  Facebook  Instagram  Email: ashliewalton555@gmail.com  LinkedIn  Website: www.leowarriors.com

In January 2018, 19-year-old Caitlin Denison boarded a plane from Reno, Nevada to Midland, Texas. The following day, she briefly spoke with her sister but hasn't been heard from since. Though the man she traveled to Midland with was found and questioned after Caitlin was reported missing, Midland authorities had no cause to arrest the man – no evidence that he'd harmed the missing young woman. Months after Caitlin vanished, a video that went viral raised the family's hopes that she'd been found, but those hopes were dashed as that mystery unfolded. The following year, a potentially grim discovery further sullied those hopes. Caitlin Marie Denison is still missing.If you have any information about the disappearance of Caitlin Marie Denison please contact the Texas Department of Public Safety's Missing Person's Clearing House at 800-346-3243 or Midland Crime Stoppers at 432-694-8477.Please consider donating to the fund to find Caitlin at gofundme.com/f/help-find-caitlin-denisonFor factual information about human trafficking and to find out how you can help, please visit the Polaris Project at polarisproject.org/You can donate to law enforcement investigations that need funding or upload your DNA into a database used only for law enforcement investigations at DNAsolves.comIf you don't have DNA data from a consumer testing site, you can get a kit at connect.DNAsolves.comYou can support gone cold and listen ad-free at patreon.com/gonecoldpodcastFind us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram by using @gonecoldpodcast and on YouTube at: youtube.com/c/gonecoldpodcast#WhereIsCaitlinDenison #Midland #MidlandTX #PermianBasin #Texas #TX #GoneCold #GoneColdPodcast #TexasTrueCrime #TrueCrime #TrueCrimePodcast #Podcast #ColdCase #UnsolvedMysteries #MissingPerson #Missing #Vanished #Disappeared

There's only one thing that people without kids hear all of the time...    "You don't understand because you don't have kids."    In today's episode, retired Ohio Police Officer Brian K. Bishop and I discuss how our perspectives on not having kids have changed over the years.    Tune in for this insightful and raw episode.    Like what you hear? We are honored. Hit that subscribe button and share your thoughts in a review. If you or someone you know may be a fit to be a guest on our show, please reach out to us! Balance. Optimize. Tactics.  Hit that subscribe button so that you don't miss a day of the added value that I am dedicated to sharing with you weekly.  Let's Connect!  Facebook  Instagram  Email: ashliewalton555@gmail.com  LinkedIn  Website: www.leowarriors.com

It doesn't matter if you're a GS3 or a GS "Fantastic" - This job is stressful! And if you're high up on the chain of command, it doesn't mean you're insulated from these stressors...Today on the show: Josh Simmons stops by for his second time to talk about the stressors everyone experiences with a gnarly fire season, winding down for the off season, the importance of taking a break, and some things he does to blow off some steam.Josh Simmons serves as the Director of Wildland Fire Operations for the BIA, Branch of Wildland Fire Management in Boise, Idaho at the National Interagency Fire Center. Josh currently serves as the Chair of the National Multi Agency Coordinating Group, which provides direction and mobilization of resources nationally for Fire and Non-Fire Incidents. In 2020 Josh began a detail assignment as the Fire Director for the BIA, where he provided overall national direction, policy, and leadership for the BIA's Wildland Fire Management Program.Josh is always down to answer questions, he can be found at the following Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/mocha_latte_8/You know the drill...Stay safe, stay savage...Enjoy!..........................Updates!EXCLUSIVE MERCH AVAILABLE!https://anchorpointpodcast.com/store..........................Sponsors:The Anchor Point Podcast is supported by the following wonderful folks...Mystery RanchNeed badass packs? Then look no further than Mystery Ranch!https://www.mysteryranch.comHotshot BreweryWanna pick up our Anchor Point Podcast merch or need killer coffee? Hit up Hotshot Brewery!!!https://www.hotshotbrewing.comThe Smokey GenerationWanna get some history and knowledge on Wildland Fire? Hit up The Smokey Generation!http://wildfire-experience.orgNot a sponsor of The Anchor Point Podcast, but a great organization:The Wildland Firefighter FoundationAnd, as always, please consider supporting this great nonprofit organization - The Wildland Firefighter Foundation!https://wffoundation.org