Our Town Reno
284 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 months ago - ★★★★★ - 11 ratingsWith audio postcards from the streets, and inspiring interviews with community activists and heroes of Reno, we address issues of homelessness, the disappearance of public space, gentrification and the value of helping each other out from our base in Reno, Nevada. We do live reporting, micro storytelling and spoken word. As we face an affordable housing crisis, what happens to our most vulnerable? We also feature #keeprenorad musicians and artists. #Helpeachother is our motto.
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Episodes
Recently Unhoused, Now Running for Student Body President
March 08, 2023 14:00 - 27 minutes - 25 MBCameron Rose was recently unhoused, and being arrested for sleeping outside. Just a few years later, he's now a student at UNR running for ASUN student body president. The reporter for this episode is Gaia Osborne.
Reno-Based Author of Behaving as US Pleads for Art of Cooperation
March 01, 2023 14:00 - 27 minutes - 25.1 MBKenneth Scherr, a UNR grad in psychology starting a business in Reno, is also an author whose new book Behaving as US has as its subtitle The Art of Cooperation. He discusses politics getting in the way of friendships, in real life and online, and how to find a better way.
On the Streets and Feeling Teslafied in Reno, Nevada
February 22, 2023 14:00 - 23 minutes - 21.8 MBWith Tesla enabler Mike Kazmierksi, president and CEO of the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada, now stepping down, we went into our archives to hear from different residents of Reno who have felt "Teslafied," in recent years, as in kicked to the curb, now living on the streets due to higher rent prices, gentrification, motels being torn down, inflation ... not directly due to Tesla arriving on the scene with massive tax breaks, but certainly feeling like it was a consequence, ...
Dustin, Trying to Help his Wife Get Her Kids Back
February 15, 2023 14:00 - 24 minutes - 22.1 MBDustin is trying to help his wife get her kids back from Child Protective Services, after they were victims of abuse from her incarcerated ex-husband and more family troubles. The reporter for this episode in Reno, Nevada, is Brad Vincent.
Seniors Surviving on Streets of Reno Avoid the Cares Campus Despite Cold
February 08, 2023 14:00 - 20 minutes - 19 MBSeniors in Reno, including Jeff a former chiropractor who now lives in his car share their plight living on the streets and explain why they avoid the Nevada Cares Campus despite the cold weather.
Spitting Image and Slovenly Recordings Team Up for Debut Reno Punk Album
February 01, 2023 13:00 - 30 minutes - 27.5 MBSlovenly Records and Sticker Guy are teaming up with Spitting Image and Austin Pratt to release their first Reno punk album. Our episode includes songs from Full Sun and discussions about the local punk scene, punk influences, gentrification, the lack of venues and the value of hard work.
Lynette Eddy, Author and Founder of the Eddy House for Street Young Adults
January 25, 2023 13:00 - 29 minutes - 27.4 MBLynette Eddy, the founder of the Eddy House, to help street young adults in Reno, Nevada, recently published a new book called The Fight Inside, Winning the Battle Between Your Ego and True Spirit. She shares how her own life, full of turbulence and tragedy, has guided her own path doing good for society, and how the Eddy House has grown since it was an idea she had as a graduate student.
Seeking Asylum: An Afghan Student Stranded in Reno, Nevada
January 18, 2023 14:00 - 22 minutes - 20.4 MBAnwar, 24, a 2021 transfer, is the only Afghan student pursuing his Bachelor’s degree in Metallurgical Engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno. When Anwar first came to the United States in 2019, he still had plans to go back to his country and help explore the mineral wealth there. However, when the Taliban took over in 2021, his dreams of going back and setting up a business there were shattered. “I wanted to pursue mining and metallurgical engineering because universities back home d...
Cold Stone Looks for Success at Reno Public Market
January 11, 2023 14:00 - 17 minutes - 15.8 MBChris Reynolds has owned and operated numerous Cold Stones in Reno since February 2003, but the one in the former Shoppers Square, now the Reno Public Market, has been his most successful. He hopes the new space will bring in new customers without losing the regulars. After a lengthy construction process and tough adjustments during the pandemic, he's finally moved into the shiny new location across from the Sprouts supermarket, a few hundred feet from his previous location. In this episod...
Biggest Little Mushrooms
January 04, 2023 14:00 - 29 minutes - 27.5 MB"I have grown it to where I’m now supplying seven different restaurants, the Great Basin Food Co-op, and Riverside Farmer’s Market which is a fantastic farmers market." Gaia Osborne interviews Walker Sauls, the co-owner of Biggest Little Mushrooms, a gourmet mushroom farm in Reno, Nevada.
The Daylovers, Promoting Polyamory
December 28, 2022 14:00 - 28 minutes - 25.9 MBJessica and Joseph Daylover, a polyamorous couple, are influencers in Reno who promote and practice polyamory while raising a family. With reporter Kingkini Sengupta, they discuss their path into polyamory, their challenges, their rewards and people’s reactions, including from their own families.
Green Up! Helping Local Businesses Become More Environmentally Friendly
December 21, 2022 15:23 - 26 minutes - 24.4 MB“We’re looking for businesses with heart,” Donna Walden says of her drive to make our area greener, by looking for partnerships with local businesses to lessen their environmental damage. “They care about sustainability, they want to know what more they can do to help keep Nevada beautiful for future generations.” On this episode, Gaia Osborne talks to Walden, the founder of GreenUp! who helps small to medium sized businesses make strides to being as environmentally friendly as they can be,
Rebuilding Together Northern Nevada, Helping Seniors Keep Their Homes
December 14, 2022 14:00 - 18 minutes - 16.5 MB“I had grandparents or grandmothers that were in their nineties and even 103 and it just seemed like, it's nice to be able to help folks that don't have the ability physically, maybe financially to live comfortably and safely. And so it seemed like a good, a good fit,” says Katie Pace of becoming executive director of an organization which has its mission to ensure safe and healthy housing for those with a crumbling infrastructure. The reporter for this episode produced by Chloe Cross is Chr...
Christopher Conway, a Survivor Helping Others With Childhood Trauma
December 07, 2022 14:00 - 24 minutes - 22.5 MBMany mental health issues that people face as adults result from traumas they faced as a child. Christopher Conway, 56, a therapist, decided to address this problem by creating a foundation based out of Reno that helps people facing such traumas to open up about their experiences and receive resources to be able to manage them. Conway started the National Foundation for Adult Victims of Childhood Trauma last year after moving to Reno in late 2020. “As a child, I faced sexual, physical and psy...
Local Entrepreneurs Buzzing in Reno with Buzzed Coffee
November 30, 2022 14:00 - 27 minutes - 25 MBAs part of a series on local entrepreneurs, Jacob Kostuchowski interviews Kyle Jennings and Bradley Linde, the owners and operators of local coffee shop, Buzzed Coffee. Jennings and Linde talk about the community and culture they want to foster, marketing strategies and more on this week's episode of the Our Town Reno Podcast.
Reno Pop Band Flamingos in the Tree Reaches New Heights
November 23, 2022 14:00 - 30 minutes - 27.5 MBSince we featured them in a web article earlier this year, the Reno band Flamingos in the Tree, an indie basement pop band, has reached new heights. Jaden Urban catches up with lead vocalist Daniel Escovar to find out about this sudden fame in this bonus podcast episode.
Vintage in Reno with the Bad Apple Entrepreneur
November 16, 2022 14:00 - 15 minutes - 14.7 MBJacob Kostuchowski talks with business owner Francesca Martinez, the owner of Bad Apple Vntg, a local boutique here in midtown Reno, to discuss her process of acquiring inventory and being a small business owner in a place like the Biggest Little City.
A Reno-Based Young Anime Clothes Entrepreneur
November 09, 2022 14:00 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MBJacob Kostuchowski interviews Francisco Moreno, the young creator of the clothing brand Anime Galore. He asks Moreno about what it's like being a young business owner, how to grow a social media presence, and why he goes for "subtle" anime wear.
Victoria Scott, Taking Pictures of Reno Before Its Uniqueness Disappears
November 02, 2022 13:00 - 23 minutes - 21.9 MBReno’s Victoria Scott, a scientist-turned-writer, is capturing some of Reno’s skyline and signage in her photography. After a career as a software engineer working at NASA, Scott came out as a transgender woman during the pandemic. Scott found going back in person to the Houston office and explaining this unappealing. With a few years moonlighting as an automotive writer in her free time under her belt, Scott decided to try that route full-time. The remote nature of the new job meant that S...
Reno’s Biggest Little Free Pantry Program Keeps Growing
October 26, 2022 13:00 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MBStarting with an extension card hooked up to a mini-fridge in their front yard, Claire Holden didn’t let the daunting size of Reno’s vulnerable population stop them from helping feed the community the best way they could. The Biggest Little Free Pantry program is a mutual aid network that acts as a tool for the community to take care of itself. Listen in as reporters Parker Samuelson and Vanessa Ribeiro find out more on how the initiative is making Reno healthier.
Sue Smith, a Former Reno Councilwoman Wants Process to Open Up
October 19, 2022 13:00 - 29 minutes - 27.4 MBSue Smith, a former Ward 4 City Council member in Reno from 1987 to 1991, enjoys the UNR campus where she used to be a student, the beautiful fall weather we’ve been having in October, the local arts and theatre community, and so many aspects of the Biggest Little City, but there is one current negative amid all these positives: she believes our local governance needs to open up again. Listen to her thoughts in interview with Our Town Reno coordinator Nico Colombant.
Kendra Bertschy, Running for Judge in Reno and Doing Good in Her Brother's Memory
October 12, 2022 13:00 - 26 minutes - 23.9 MBKendra Bertschy, a local criminal public defense attorney running for Reno Justice Court, Department 2, remembers the decisive moment that propelled her into compassionate commitments, including helping foster kids and troubled youths, both as a volunteer and in her work. She pauses though, before answering, during our outdoor interview, with the Truckee River flowing behind us, and pedestrians walking by. Listen to the episode with Our Town Reno coordinator Nico Colombant as Bertschy explain...
Meghan Ebert, the Reno Ward 4 Candidate for the People of North Valleys
October 05, 2022 13:00 - 24 minutes - 22.4 MBMeghan Ebert is the Ward 4 candidate trying to topple incumbent Bonnie Weber, amid a surge of development, she believes is not always in the best interests of actual residents.
Families of Those Killed by Police in Northern Nevada Unite
September 28, 2022 13:00 - 12 minutes - 11.6 MBFor our episode #200, Jacob Kostuchowski goes to a rally of families of northern Nevada residents killed by local police, which took place September 17th, outside the Bruce R. Thompson US Courthouse and Federal Building.
The NNLC, Breaking the Cycle of Poverty With Reading
September 21, 2022 14:01 - 26 minutes - 24.1 MBThe Northern Nevada Literacy Council is a non-profit organization aiming to help raise literacy rates in Nevada, which also offers free access to a program that helps adults get their high-school equivalency, regardless of how much education they already have. “I say it's never too late,” Adrienne Santiago, Executive Director of the NNLC, said. “I say come on in to come talk to us, let us get your assessments done. You may only be here for a month and have a high school equivalency. You co...
Accept, Accepting and Helping Marginalized Communities in Reno
September 14, 2022 12:00 - 22 minutes - 20.3 MBThe Access for Community and Cultural Education Programs & Trainings (ACCEPT) is a non-profit organization in Northern Nevada specializing in health education and services for clients with HIV, and now also helping other marginalized communities. Founded after the tragic death of two men due to AIDS, the group has been serving the Northern Nevada area for nearly thirty years. “In the early nineties, there were two young men that died from HIV and AIDS that were going to our church,” Execut...
The Candidate that Reno's Ward 5 Missed
September 08, 2022 02:47 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MBReno City Council selected Kathleen Taylor, but there was another candidate much more representative of current issues of concern, such as protecting abortion rights and speaking for the working class amid an affordable housing crisis. Kingkini Sengupta interviews Jakki Duron, who was unhoused herself as a teenager, and was willing to represent those struggling in our community, but was passed over.
Steve Boyer, a Wine Expert in Reno Bringing Curbside Oysters
September 01, 2022 13:00 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MBSteve Boyer a foodie entrepreneur in Reno describes his new curbside mobile oyster venture, as well as how he survived the pandemic and previous business failures.
Zoe Bray, Trying to Bring More of Nature into Art Education
August 25, 2022 13:00 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MBPainter Zoe Bray explains her pursuits in fostering eco-art and reaching back to her Basque heritage in Reno. “You don't need all this artificial stuff, but you have the most amazing nature around you and get yourself familiarized with that, and learn to care about your environment in the process. And so I think that's empowering to both children and adults and very freeing too,” Bray says of the eco-art experience. One of many projects she’s pursuing is trying to get eco-art incorporated i...
Remi Jourdan, Making Sure Musicians in Reno and Around World Get Heard
August 18, 2022 13:00 - 30 minutes - 27.5 MBRemi Jourdan has been busy all summer preparing the musical portion of the Sept 8-11 Reno Tahoe International Art Show, in its first edition, with stages at the Reno Sparks Convention Center, a special night at Cargo and a gala at the Nevada Museum of Art. He's also behind Tunetrax a global platform for musicians and their fans. In this episode, he discusses other ideas for more musical festivals in Reno.
Blind Fortune, Delivering Punk Music in Reno Garages
August 11, 2022 15:51 - 22 minutes - 20.5 MBJaden Urban goes to a garage concert which gets interrupted by police but is able to interview the band members behind Reno punk band Blind Fortune. Episode also includes snippets of some of their recent songs.
From High School Friends to Successful Local Reno Band: Charity Kiss is Only Getting Started
August 03, 2022 12:00 - 16 minutes - 15.4 MBBand members found a book called “Meditations” by Marcus Aurelius. In the book there was a sentence that said “the kiss of charity”. They changed the name to Charity Kiss. While the band has been able to form a good following here in Reno, the band’s ultimate goal is to relocate to Los Angeles. “We’ve established a lot here in Reno and we love it here,” Ziegler said. “But the scene is pretty small and we want to get to a place where we can reach more people. But home base will always be Re...
J Gip Turning Towards Rap to Save His Life in Reno
July 27, 2022 13:00 - 25 minutes - 23.2 MBJ Gip has had many brushes with depression and death, but he's lived to tell his tales with hip hop. He wanted to share his ordeals with our music reporter Jaden Urban to show hope is possible even in the bleakest of moments. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours in English, Spanish. Call 800-273-8255 for any urgent situation.
88 Strait, A Rising Music Star in Reno
July 20, 2022 13:00 - 19 minutes - 17.9 MBAs part of our summer music series showcasing local bands and musicians with recent interviews by Jaden Urban, we find out more about local teenager 88 Strait and include snippets of his music.
The Seven Ply Mag Skateboarders of Reno
July 13, 2022 13:00 - 19 minutes - 17.4 MBEvery time Seven Ply Mag "drops" a new edition, they accompany it with a big local concert. Tyler Hammers and Jaden Urban interviewed them at two of their most recent events in Reno.
A Trio in Their 20s Organizing Nightly Pro Abortion Protests
July 06, 2022 13:00 - 30 minutes - 27.5 MBAfter a ghost procession, Our Town Reno coordinator Nico Colombant catches up with three organizers of nightly protests in Reno, Nevada, following the overturning of Roe v Wade. They explain their motivation and how they welcome others wanting to join them.
Voices of Reno's Roe Resistance
June 28, 2022 20:46 - 18 minutes - 16.6 MBProtests have been taking place in Reno on consecutive nights since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade. Our Town Reno reporter Ariel Smith catches up with passionate protesters to find out what drives them and what their outlook is on the present and future.
A Young Beekeeper Gives Tips on Keeping Beehives Going
June 22, 2022 14:29 - 30 minutes - 27.5 MBConor Croskery explains to Kingkini Sengupta his passion for beekeeping. He talks about getting stung and gives tips to others who might want to start their own beehive.
Louis Bubala, Helping Protect Northern Nevada's Wilderness
June 15, 2022 14:00 - 29 minutes - 27.1 MBLouis Bubala, a local Reno lawyer specializing in bankruptcies, remembers how he started volunteering with Friends of Nevada Wilderness in 2004, a moment which would set his path for countless more hours of helping preserve the region’s ecosystem. Listen to podcast interview with Our Town Reno reporter Kingkini Sengupta to find out more about his eco journey and the group he supports.
Sherrie Scaffidi, A Veteran Transgender Woman, Helping Others in Northern Nevada
June 08, 2022 15:27 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MB“I've known since I was nine that I was a little bit different than everybody else,” Sherrie Scaffidi says. “But back then there was not a lot of information about people who were like I was. So I kept it hidden and I didn't do much about it. I told my late wife I think in the early 1990s. It didn't go over well at all, so I kept it hidden. She passed away in 2012, and that's when I decided that I was going to live my life the way I was supposed to be. So I started cross hormone therapy and ...
Wendy Wiglesworth, the Welcome Wagon for the Unhoused in northern Nevada
May 31, 2022 23:29 - 25 minutes - 35.2 MBThis week’s guest is one of her forever #sheroesofreno Wendy Wiglesworth. She recently held a vigil for our unhoused neighbors too soon she will never forget. She’s also been doing outreach for the Our Place shelter for women and families, and helping others in northern Nevada be better and more caring when doing their own outreach with people fending for themselves. Our reporter for this episode is Kingkini Sengupta.
Joaquin Roces, From Unhoused to Running for Reno Mayor
May 25, 2022 22:22 - 26 minutes - 36.6 MBAs part of our series on interesting candidates running for local office, Joaquin Roces was sleeping at the Nevada Cares Campus just a few months ago, but was able to find housing and is now running to be Reno's mayor. He has lived experience with issues facing many Reno residents, from dealing with the affordability crisis to surviving mental health struggles. He also has new ideas for the Biggest Little City.
Judi Rought, Running for Mayor, Compares Reno to "Flipped House"
May 18, 2022 03:14 - 24 minutes - 33.9 MBThis week’s guest on our podcast is Judi Rought as part of our series on local political candidates running for local office and getting to know them better. Rought is already known for her pink beetle with Flamingo on its license plate. She also compares Reno to a flipped house. Hear more about her thoughts for the Biggest Little City including installing better wi-fi everywhere with our reporter Kingkini Sengupta.
Tabitha Schneider, Running for Mayor to Move Forward Together as a Community
May 11, 2022 22:00 - 26 minutes - 37.1 MBTabitha Schneider, who was once a single mother on welfare, only to become the founder of the Reno Hive Coworking and Incubation Space, is now campaigning for Reno's top elected position. Hear her develop her ideas to make the Biggest Little City better in our interview with Kingkini Sengupta.
The Last Motel Residents of Reno: Skyler, on Parole and in Recovery
May 04, 2022 22:00 - 14 minutes - 19.7 MBAs part of a series on the Our Town Reno website called the Last Motel Residents of Reno, we interviewed Skyler, a veteran and resident at the Desert Rose Inn. After a nasty separation, he was on parole with a job at Tesla, but then a stroke set him back. He details his life before and ahead, and why for him the motel has so much value on his journey. Our reporter for this episode is Kingkini Sengupta.
Cotter Conway, on the Rehabilitative Side Running for Reno Justice of the Peace
April 27, 2022 23:00 - 23 minutes - 21.3 MBOn this episode, as part of our series of interesting local candidates, Cotter C. Conway makes the case for his candidacy for Reno Justice of the Peace, Dept. 2. Conway has served as a Judge Pro Tem in four courts, including right now on the bench as the Court Referee in Reno Justice Court. He gives a civics 101 lesson on what different local courts do, and what makes a judge election different than others.
From Ukraine, a Doctorate Student By Day and Gogo Dancer By Night in Reno
April 21, 2022 00:00 - 30 minutes - 27.5 MBTaissa Lytchenko is a grad student at the University of Nevada, Reno, from Ukraine, who survived a difficult childhood, and is now pursuing doctorate studies in brain sciences, while performing as a gogo dancer at night in the Biggest Little City to be able to pay her bills. Our reporter for this episode is Kingkini Sengupta.
A Ukrainian Student by Day, Gogo Dancer by Night in Reno
April 20, 2022 23:00 - 30 minutes - 27.5 MBTaissa Lytchenko worries constantly about Ukraine, but she has to survive in her own journey, here in Reno to pay for mounting bills. She has had to fend for herself since being a teenager in a group home. Now while she pursues a doctorate degree she's a gogo dancer at night. Our reporter for this episode is Kingkini Sengupta.
A Ukrainian in Reno Dealing with the Horrors of the War from Afar
April 14, 2022 00:00 - 19 minutes - 17.7 MBThe Ukrainian-Russian war rages on, and for people like Olena Nekrasova, a native Ukrainian living here in Reno, it’s a nerve wracking time for the present and what the future holds. She talks about ordeals faced by her family on the run, local support and difficulties in getting donations into Ukraine. Our reporter for this episode is Matthew Berrey.
Spencer Banda, Helping with Multiple Mutual Aid Groups in Reno
April 06, 2022 23:00 - 23 minutes - 21.9 MBWhile Washoe County has decided to have fewer open meetings about helping the unhoused in our community, Spencer Banda takes the opposite approach, spending as much time as he can to help people struggling. He's a part of several groups doing outreach while also working in after school care. Our reporter Kingkini Sengupta finds out what drives him and how he's able to balance his life while helping so many people.