Renoites- The Podcast about Reno Nevada

Some of the most important years of our development, when we're learning communication skills and how to navigate the world, are spent in the jungles of the elementary school or middle school playground and classroom. It can be very easy to learn the wrong lessons, struggle with friends, and end up carrying those challenges into the future. All of this is especially true for girls, who face a unique set of challenges on top of everything else.
Girls on the Run Sierras is working to help fill that social and emotional learning gap by teaching girls from 3rd-8th grade important skills for self esteem, choosing friends, talking about emotions and relationships, and much more during an after-school program based around (but not actually focused on) running.
Over the course of a 10-week season, girls might learn about how to choose the right friends for them and how to let the wrong friends go, how to properly name their emotions and the healthiest way to deal with them, what steps they might take to move towards their dreams, and they do it all while preparing for a 5k run with no clocks, and where every girl's race bib is number 1.
On this episode, Executive Director for Girls on the Run Sierras Joy Heuer joins the show to talk about the GOTR programs and philosophy, the importance of inclusion for all girls, creating equitable access to after-school programs, how the lessons learned in GOTR are brought back to the classroom and into the home, and so much more.
GOTR has Spring and Fall programs, as well as a summer camp, and more information can be found at https://www.girlsontherunsierras.org/
Thank you so much for listening! Renoites is an independent, listener-funded, and community-oriented project. Please consider contributing to this work at http://patreon.com/renoites to help it become financially sustainable. Patrons also receive benefits like bonus segments, Renoites merchandise, and more!
If you have suggestions or feedback please email me at conor@renoites.com and be sure to follow me on Instagram!

Oscar Delgado served as a member of Reno's City Council for a decade before resigning last year to focus on his work as CEO of the Community Health Alliance, a Federally Qualified Health Center providing care to many of Reno's lower income families.
On this week's episode of the show, Oscar sat down with Conor to discuss the role that FQHCs play in our health care system, both locally and nationally, the issue of stigma around lower income clinics, the importance of providing primary care and reducing the use of urgent care for all medical issues, the model of providing a variety of services under one roof (dentist, mental health, nutritious food, and more), the rollout of COVID vaccines in the early days of the pandemic, and a lot more!
On an extensive bonus segment (available for all patrons of the show), we talked more about some local political issues, including the upcoming election year, the process of appointing a replacement for his seat rather than holding a special election, redistricting and elimination of the at-large seat, the toxicity and invasion of privacy that has plagued our politics in recent years, and more!
Thank you so much for supporting the work I'm doing with Renoites! This month marks 3 years of bringing conversations like this one to the people of our community. I'm very proud of the work I've done and it wouldn't be possible without you listening and sharing.
If you have suggestions or feedback, email me at conor@renoites.com and follow me on Instagram at http://instagram.com/renoites
 

Career education in Washoe County Schools isn't just "shop class" like it was when I was in high school. Across the country and here in Northern Nevada, rebranding vocational education to "career and technical education" has brought about a lot of changes including programs focused on business, culinary arts, medical professions, and much more. Here in Washoe County, some of those programs are housed in "Signature Academy" schools with a special focus, but every high school has CTE opportunities of some kind.
On this episode of Renoites, I welcomed Josh Hartzog, the Director of Career and Technical Education and Signature Acadamies for the Washoe County School District. We talked about what CTE is and how it has changed over the years, how the district determines what programs and focuses to offer, the importance of having programs for less exciting but more in-demand professions but also for uniquely interesting or engaging ones as well, how CTE programs are funded, the challenges of creating equitable access to these programs, and so much more!
There is also a bonus segment EXCLUSIVELY for patrons from this episode and most others this season, so please be sure to check that out too! On that bonus segment, we delve into the politics a bit, discussing the search for a new superintendent (again), the results of last year's legislative session, and the politicization of school boards. You can find that segment and more information at http://patreon.com/renoites
Thank you so much for listening! As always if you have suggestions or feedback please let me know! You can always email me at conor@renoites.com and be sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook, and subscribe wherever you get podcasts!

This episode of Renoites was recorded in front of a live audience at Black Rabbit Mead in Reno, Nevada on January 28, 2024.
People choose to abstain from alcohol for a host of different reasons. We often associate sobriety with alcoholism and "recovery" but in recent years there has been an increasing awareness of the "sober curious" movement. Maybe you're doing Dry January as part of a New Year's resolution. Maybe you're training for a physical event like the Reno Tahoe Odyssey. Or maybe you just want to go out with friends but don't feel like having a drink tonight.
Whatever reasons you have to not drink, the food and drink industry is starting to adapt and create better options. Recently at a non-alcoholic drink tasting and live podcast taping at Black Rabbit Mead, I sat down with Sarah Bear Rively, founder of Curious in the City.
Sarah has abstained from alcohol for several years, after deciding that the party culture of Reno from her younger years and the "wine mom" culture of motherhood weren't the right fit for her. She's launched Curious in the City, which is aimed at creating more options for people who are choosing not to drink (for whatever reason).
On this episode, we talked about the different reasons that people choose to abstain from alcohol, the difference between sober and sober-curious, the increasing options for non-alcoholic beverages, whether there is a generational component to these decisions (Sarah and I are both about 40), how Reno compares to other cities that are embracing non-alcoholic as a trend, and so much more!
Curious in the City is hosting a non-alcoholic dinner with Chef Jonathan Chapin on March 8. The event will include a 5-course meal with non-alcoholic wine pairings by Jøyus Wine. Tickets can be found here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/savor-the-moment-a-five-course-dinner-with-chefs-chapin-butterfield-tickets-817381579307
You can find Curious in the City on Instagram and Facebook
Thank you for supporting local media! Be sure to subscribe to Renoites wherever you get podcasts, follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and show your financial support at http://patreon.com/renoites
 

Reno is experiencing a massive housing shortage, resulting in much higher rents than we have seen in the past. We aren't alone! In much of the country, following the financial crisis of 2008, development just kind of stopped and hasn't kept up with the changing population in high-demand cities like Reno.
On this week's episode of Renoites, I talked about housing development and much more with Batuhan Zadeh, owner of Marmot Properties, a local development firm that has worked on many residential projects around Midtown, historic buildings like the Santa Fe and Coca Cola bottling plant (more recently the home of Junkee), and many others.
We talked about what goes into the development process and how it is determined which projects go forward and which ones don't, why downtown is doing so much worse than Midtown when it comes to revitalization efforts, the process of saving historic buildings not through tight restrictions on superficial changes but by activating them and making them financially viable, the difference between local and out of state developers, the lessons learned from starting small businesses himself, and much more!
Please consider supporting Renoites on Patreon! Patrons get bonus content, early access to episodes, Renoites merch, and more! Most importantly, you get to know that you are helping make LOCAL MEDIA FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE. You can learn more at http://patreon.com/renoites  
Send guest suggestions or feedback to conor@renoites.com and be sure to follow me on Instagram and subscribe wherever you get podcasts. Thanks for listening!

Please consider supporting Renoites financially at http://patreon.com/renoites
I have long wanted to do an episode of Renoites focused on the Basque history and culture of Nothern Nevada, but for some reason it kept ending up on the back burner. This week on the show, I am so grateful to finally share an episode all about this history of the Basque people both in the Basque Country as well as the Basque diaspora and it's impact and relevance in the West.
My guest on this episode is Iñaki Arrieta Baro, head of the Jon Bilbao Basque Library at UNR. It holds the largest collection of Basque materials outside of the Basque Country and is among the largest collections in the world. The library serves an important part of the Basque Studies program at UNR and continues to preserve texts, photographs, audio and video recordings, journals, and even records of Basque tree carvings (arbor glyphs), an art form unique to the Basque in the West.
Thank you for listening and enjoying early access to this and other episodes. I hope that if you're enjoying the show you'll tell friends and family about it and help spread the word! Your support is invaluable and so very appreciated! 
If you have comments, suggestions or feedback send me a message on Instagram @renoites or email me at conor@renoites.com

Renoites is a listener-funded project. Please consider signing up to support the show at patreon.com/renoites
The Potentialist Workshop on 2nd Street has long been a hub for artists in Reno, and recently opened their new interactive exhibition, Upside Down Land. Upside Down Land is based on bedtime stories Pan Pantoja (Executive Artist at the Potentialist) has told his son over the years. It begins in a child's bedroom and a journey through the closet takes visitors into a fascinating world with over 200 sculptures, hidden rooms, and endless fascinating details. A number of notable artists from Northern Nevada have come together to contribute works to the exhibit, which visitors can explore and interact with.
Pan has been a very important member of Reno's artistic community for 20 years, with involvement in organizations like the Holland Project, Spoken Views Poetry Collective, Reno Art Works on Dickerson Road, The Generator, and much much more.
On this episode, we talked about the importance of art in helping people see things differently, how all the rules are made up, Pan's journey in Reno's art community and stint as Poet Laureate, and a whole lot more. You can learn more about the Potentialist Workshop and buy tickets to Upside Down Land at their website, potentialistworkshop.com
If you have suggestions or feedback, please send me a message on Instagram (@renoites) or email conor@renoites.com
Thanks for listening!

Renoites is the weekly podcast for Northern Nevada. Listen free wherever you get podcasts and please consider supporting the show at patreon.com/renoites to help it become financially sustainable!
Restaurant work has long had a... certain reputation. The professionalism you see in the front of house isn't always matched by the drugs, sex and rock n' roll environment frequently found in the kitchen.
Reno chef Jonathan Chapin knows it well, having began his food career in one of the few work environments tolerant of tattoos and partying, but then getting sober and growing his career and honing his skills. Torn between the kitchen and Reno's punk rock music scene, Chapin also owned and managed music venues and booked local and national acts.
After 14 years of sobriety and shortly before the COVID pandemic, Chapin lost it all. Through drugs, alcohol, depression, and jail, he burned most of the bridges and was forced to rebuild his life and career in recent years.
In that time, he got sober once again and began a series of fundraiser dinners for local non-profits, launched his brand Reno Recipes, become the host of a weekly cooking segment on KOLO's Morning Break, and established himself as a fixture on Reno's ever-growing food scene.
On this episode of Renoites, Conor and chef Chapin talk about the path his life has taken to bring him to where he is now, the importance of fostering talent in young chefs, creating a kitchen environment with less shouting and egos than you see on TV,  the deal he made with the universe after a suicide attempt, and much more.
If you or somebody you know needs help, there are people you can call. Call 988 for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline or Crisis Support Services of Nevada at 775-784-8090
If you have guest suggestions or feedback, please email conor@renoites.com and be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook!