Renoites- The Podcast about Reno Nevada

Very soon, Nevadans will vote for the second time on whether we would like to eliminate our closed party primaries in favor of open primaries, and institute a system of ranked choice voting for many elected offices in the general election starting in 2026. This is Question 3 on the Nevada ballot. It passed 2 years ago and if it passes again it will go into effect.
One of the major advocates for this type of reform is Andrew Yang, the founder and co-chair of the Forward Party, and a former candidate for public office himself. On this bonus episode of the podcast, Andrew joins Conor to discuss what Question 3 would mean for Nevada, his experience in ranked choice elections, the difference between the Nevada initiative and similar efforts in places like Alaska (where ranked choice voting was instrumental in allowing one of their senators to vote to impeach Donald Trump without losing her seat), and much more!
To learn more about question 3, please visit http://yeson3nv.org and if you'd like to get actively involved in the work to see that Question 3 passes, reach out to me directly at conor@renoites.com so that I can connect you with organizers for the initiative right here in Northern Nevada.
If you appreciate the work that I do bringing this podcast to our community entirely free to listen and free of ads, please consider signing up on Patreon to contribute monthly. Thank you very much to the people who contribute to hopefully make this project financially sustainable (one day!)

When did you learn to change a tire? Make a household budget? Do you know what you can write off on your taxes? Who taught you what do you if you're in a car accident?
Some are lucky to have had parents or other family members, or maybe even some classes in school about these important skills, but many aren't as fortunate. Thankfully, owner of Rought & Accounting, Judi Rought, is teaching a series of "Rainbow Adulting" classes at Our Center, Reno's local LGBTQ+ center.
The classes are open to all, but geared towards LGBTQ youth, a group more likely to have come from circumstances where they didn't learn these important skills.
The program will include monthly classes on filling out tax forms, how medical insurance works, basic auto maintenance, tax advice for gig workers, and more. Learn more and see the schedule at http://ourcenterreno.org
This episode was recorded at LCD Modern. Please visit and do some shopping, and thank you Linda for providing us a lovely space to have this conversation.
Want to support the show financially? Please do! Visit http://patreon.com/renoites if you think this show provides value to our community and want to help it be financially sustainable
Guest or topic suggestion? Email me at conor@renoites.com
Are you following me on Instagram yet? Do that!
Ok that's all the links. Thanks for listening!
 

Two years ago, Nevadans voted on a ballot measure to change our primary system. Instead of party primaries which exclude participation for nonpartisan voters (the largest group- larger than either major party), the Nevada Constitution would be changed to have a single open primary for all registered voters, regardless of party.
The initiative would also change the general election to introduce ranked choice voting, a system in which voters rank the candidates in order of preference instead of being limited to a single selection.
In Nevada, constitutional changes must pass a vote of the public in two consecutive elections. That second vote is happening this November and will determine what form our elections may take in the future.
Joining us on Renoites to discuss is William Mantle, a proponent of Question 3, legal assistant, and sometime local election candidate. We talked about the details of how these systems would work, what results have looked like in other parts of the county and world, and addressed many of the concerns being brought forth by opponents of the measure (both major parties are actively working against passage, and some people I've talked to have counted that as a point in it's favor).
Thank you so much for listening!
Visit http://yeson3nv.org to learn more and if you'd like to be involved more actively in this campaign, email Gamaliel Enriquez at gze.nevada@gmail.com 
Follow Renoites on Instagram at http://instagram.com/renoites
Contribute on Patreon at http://patreon.com/renoites
Email guest suggestions or comments to conor@renoites.com
 

Dr. Peter Reed is the director of the Sanford Center for Aging at UNR, who describe themselves as striving to enhance the quality of life and well-being among elders and educate current and aspiring healthcare professionals and caregivers. On this episode of Renoites, we talked about a range of issues related to aging, both for elders but also for the rest of us (who are also aging every day however old we may be).
Some of the topics included:
Why is agism a more common/accepted form of discrimination than others?
Is the outdated stereotype of older people being inexperienced with technology finally going away?
How can we prevent common diseases affecting the elderly while we are still young?
How does the way we build cities and neighborhoods affect our ability to connect with others as we age?
Does retiring have to mean a loss of our sense of purpose?
and much more!
We also talked extensively about the variety of services provided by the Sanford Center for Aging, from volunteer programs to provide companionship to the homebound, programs for preventative health care around common issues such as diabetes and risks of falling and injury, providing technology to seniors during the COVID pandemic, and more!
Thank you for listening!
This episode was recorded at LCD Modern, a great modern furniture store near Moana and Lakeside in Reno. Thanks to LCD Modern for providing that space, please go check them out!
This episode was produced with editing assistance from Alex Couraud and social content creation by Frankie Reilly.
Be sure to follow Renoites on Instagram and Facebook!
Send guest or topic suggestions to conor@renoites.com
Support the show financially on Patreon at http://patreon.com/renoites
 

Welcome to Renoites! I'm thrilled to announce some exciting news: the Reno News and Review has just released their Best of Northern Nevada edition, and I’m incredibly honored that Renoites has been voted Best Local Podcast. Since I began producing and hosting the show in 2021, it’s been amazing to see the support grow and to know that people find value in what we’re creating here. A huge thank you goes out to every guest who has made this show special, and to everyone who voted for us in the poll—your support means the world.
In today’s episode, I’m excited to welcome Sky Jones, founder and owner of Rising for People Coffee. When I have entrepreneurs on the show, I love exploring what makes their businesses unique and the passion that drives their work. Sky and I discussed the importance of educating customers about her products, the benefits of ethical sourcing by cutting out middlemen, innovative social media strategies like influencer engagement, and much more.
Renoites is a community-oriented, listener-funded project, and most episodes are ad-free. Your financial support is greatly appreciated, as it helps cover production costs. If you’d like to contribute, you can visit patreon.com/renoites and sign up to support the show for as little as $3 a month—about a dollar an episode. It might not seem like much, but it makes a huge difference. Thank you to all my current patrons and everyone who helps keep this show going for our community.
If you have suggestions for guests or topics, please email me at conor@renoites.com
 

Today on Renoites we welcome Chaplain Chaz Blackburn, VP of the board of the Circle of Life Hospice Foundation and President of the Board of the Good Shepherd's Clothes Closet.
We talked about what a chaplain is and how Chaz came to work as a "spiritual first responders" for people of all religions (or none), the International Fellowship of Chaplains, and the brand new Circle of Life Guest House which provides those in need with a home-like environment and people who care at no cost to them.
We also talked about his work with the Good Shepherd's Clothes Closet, providing free clothing to the community for almost 30 years. Good Shepherd's gives away $70,000 worth of clothes (based on thrift store prices) for free every month. Some topics discussed include the importance of providing a dignified shopping experience, their assistance running clothing distribution at area shelters, and the Good Shepherd's own podcast which features local events, guests and provides direction to resources.
We talked about so much more, this was a very full conversation! Other topics included healthy ways of grieving, suicide prevention, organ donation, and more.
Learn more here:
https://www.colhospice.com/
https://www.gsccreno.org/
 
Thank you for listening! What did you think about this episode? Come leave a comment or send me a message on Instagram! It's always great to hear from listeners. That's @renoites
You can also email me at conor@renoites.com
 

Today on the show I’m excited to welcome Deny Dotson, the executive director of Hot August Nights. Even as someone who isn’t particularly interested in classic cars, I’ve always enjoyed that Hot August Nights is an event that doesn’t just take place in one location but feels like classic cars and a sense of nostalgia are all over town.
We talked about the history of the event, the appeal of classic vehicles, what makes a car a classic, changes to Hot August Nights since Deny has been leading the organization, his previous work as the tourism director for Virginia City and some of his favorite events there, and a lot more!
This episode, and most of the episodes this season, were recorded at LCD Modern at 907 Moana Lane, near the corner of Moana and Lakeside. I’m so grateful to Linda, the owner, for letting us use this wonderful space filled with cute modern furniture. Be sure to check it out if you get a chance! You can learn more about the store and see some of her great offerings at lcdmodern.com
There are still several excellent episodes coming up before the end of this season though! Upcoming episodes include a conversation on aging with Dr. Peter Reed from the Sanford Center for Aging at UNR, owner of Rising for People Coffee Sky Jones, and chaplain Chaz blackburn, president of the good shepherd clothes closet and vice president of the board of the circle of life hospice foundation.
Of course, please be sure to subscribe to the show wherever you get podcasts and follow @renoites on Instagram.

Education has been one of the most prominent political and social issues in recent years, including during the recent primary elections when voters had the chance to make their voices heard. Some of the issues that we hear a lot about are chronic absenteeism, underfunded schools, the battle between public schools and for-profit charters, and diversity and representation in the classroom.
On this episode, I am happy to welcome the president of the Washoe County School Board of Trustees to talk about these issues and more. Beth Smith was recently re-elected with a huge margin, large enough that she has secured her seat and won’t have to compete in a general election in the fall. On this episode we talk about the important issues I mentioned, as well as the recent superintendent selection process and Beth’s own story of getting involved in local education politics.
Please VOTE for Renoites as Best Local Podcast in the Reno News and Review's Best of Northern Nevada. You have until July 21 only.
This episode was recorded at LCD Modern in Reno, Nevada. Go check out the store near the corner of Moana and Lakeside!