Renoites- The Podcast about Reno Nevada

What do many of the most iconic Burning Man sculptures have in common? There's a pretty decent chance that they were constructed right here in the Reno area at The Generator, an arts space in Sparks that has been a hub for local and international artists leading up to Burning Man, as well as arts events and education throughout the year.
This week on Renoites, Conor speaks with Jessi Janusee, the communications director of The Generator about their new location in the new "Oddie District," and the various uses of the Generator's space, from youth education to zine making workshops to huge collaborative construction of enormous sculptures destined for the Black Rock Desert.
Other topics include Reno's viability as a city for working artists, the value of arts education and hands on learning for young people, the magic of collaboration and skill-sharing, the Generator's own podcast Signal Boost, dressing up like a clown for fun, the upcoming Punk Rock Flea Market, and a whole lot more!
The release party for the Generator's latest community-created zine is Thursday, April 17 at The Hub Coffee Roasters on Pine. The Punk Rock Flea Market is April 30 and May 1 at The Generator. Find information about the Generator and all their events at their website https://www.therenogenerator.com
Find Jessi's clown troupe on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/royalroustaboutrodeo/
This episode is labeled explicit but there's really just like one or two minor profanities. Thank you so much for listening!

The sport of running has experienced several booms in popularity over the decades, from charity 5k fun runs to extremely challenging long distances races through incredibly inhospitable environments. For the most dedicated runners, one of the pinnacles of achievement is the ultra-marathon. Anything over 26.2 miles counts as an ultra, but many of the most popular events are 100 miles long.
This week on Renoites, Conor talks with John Trent, race director for Silver State Endurance Runs and longtime member of the local running and walking group Silver State Striders. John has run over 17 of those 100-mile races and countless others in the course of his decades-long running career.
In this episode, Conor and John talk all about the sport of running: What draws people to the sport, what it's like to run for 100 miles, whether running is safe, the mental health benefits of running, what happened with that barefoot running trend from a while back, the seeming contradiction of running being a solo sport with a strong community element, how beginners should approach running to avoid injury or burnout, why walking is also a great idea, and so much more!
Check out the Silver State Striders website here. They run on Tuesday and Thursday nights and do a long run every Saturday.
Thank you so much for listening! If you have suggestions for guests or topics, please let me know! Email me anytime at conor@renoites.com 

Alzheimer's disease affects more than 6 million Americans, with an estimated 44,000 diagnosed cases here in Nevada (and likely many more undiagnosed cases as well). This week on Renoites, Conor welcomes Niki Rubarth and Denise Hund from the Alzheimer's Association of Northern California and Nevada.
We talk about the symptoms of Alzheimer's, the difference between Dementia and Alzheimers, risk factors and warning signs, early onset Alzheimer's that can affect younger people, resources and programs for family caregivers of Alzheimer's patients, the importance of support groups, a new breakthrough monoclonal antibody treatment in clinical trials, and so much more.
Thank you so much for listening! Please be sure to tell everyone you know about this podcast so that I can continue to bring these conversations to the people of the Reno area. If you have suggestions for guests or topics, please email me at conor@renoites.com
I appreciate your support!
You can learn more about Alzheimer's symptoms and resources at the following links:
http://www.alz.org/nevada
http://www.alz.org/Nevada-espanol
The Walk to End Alzheimer's takes place in October. You can learn more and register here:
https://act.alz.org/site/TR/Walk2022/CA-NorthernCaliforniaandNorthernNevada?pg=entry&fr_id=15428
You can also find the Alzheimer's Association on Facebook and Instagram
 

If you have been paying attention to any of the big news stories in Reno for the last few years, you’ve probably heard a lot from the local activist community. 
From the protests following the police killing of George Floyd in 2020, to the Stop the Sweeps protests and rallies which picked up steam last year, all the way up to the recent community meetings about development and the Jacobs’ Neon Line project, the voices of our local activist community have been a common presence.
This week on Renoites, Conor speaks with Lily Baran about the meaning of activism in a city like Reno. Last year, Lily and several other activists were cited for protesting at a park outside city hall (the charges were dropped- it was apparent the protesters were unfairly targeted by police). She also appeared at a recent Propublica forum to discuss affordable housing in Reno, has provided public comment at countless City Council meetings, and is generally a prominent figure in the local activist community.
On this episode, Conor and Lily discuss what activism really means, the difference between performative and action-based activism, the role of social media in spreading ideas, accountability and difficult conversations, creating alternative systems of mutual aid and power, what defunding the police should actually look like, building relationships slowly and sustainably, her Hampton House mutual aid garden project, and so much more!
Thank you so much for listening! Come to the Renoites Anniversary Party on March 10 at the Brewer's Cabinet Production Facility! Details and RSVP here: 
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/renoites-1-year-anniversary-party-tickets-268336059377
 
Lily’s Recommendations for learning more about the topics we discussed:
Instagrams:
Dr. Ayesha Khan: https://www.instagram.com/wokescientist/
The Nap Ministry: https://www.instagram.com/thenapministry/
 
Books:
The Body is Not an Apology 
by Sonya Renee Taylor
https://thebodyisnotanapology.com
 
Abolition. Feminism. Now.
by Angela Y. Davis, Gina Dent, Erica R. Meiners, and Beth E. Richie
https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/1546-abolition-feminism-now
 
Six by Ten- Stories from Solitary
Edited by Mateo Hoke and Taylor Pendergrass
https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/1186-six-by-ten
 
Begin Again- James Baldwin’s America and its Urgent Lessons for Our Own
by Eddie S. Glaude Jr.
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/575725/begin-again-by-eddie-s-glaude-jr/
 
What about the Rapists?
An Abolitionist FAQ
https://www.interruptingcriminalization.com/what-about-the-rapists

This week on Renoites, it's time to talk all about cats and cat rescue! Our guest this week is Rachel Story, a feline rescue advocate who runs the local cat rescue Feral at Heart and works with the Enchanted Cat Cafe. Rachel's focus is on Trap/Neuter/Return, a strategy that allows anyone to help reduce the feral cat population in their neighborhood by trapping feral cats and having them neutered at a local low-cost clinic, then returning them back to where they were trapped.
Conor and Rachel talk about the TNR approach and why it is fundamental to helping reduce the feline population in overcrowded shelters, the difference between how animal control services respond to calls about cats vs dogs, a recent major animal hoarding case in Fallon, the Enchanted Cat Cafe and the recent trend of cat cafes to increase adoption rates, and so much more!
You can donate directly to Options Veterinary Care (Please be sure to note Rachel's name in the comment box and the funds will go directly to support her work) at this link:
Donate Here (each spay/neuter costs $25)
On March 10, Renoites will be celebrating our 1 year anniversary with a party at the Brewer's Cabinet Production Facility from 5:00-7:00pm followed by a special game of DJ Trivia from 7:00-9:00. Please come join listeners and former guests for a great evening of beer, bar games, music, trivia, and fun! RSVP at the link below and your first beer is on us!
RSVP for the Renoites Anniversary Party on March 10
Thank you as always for listening and telling your friends about the show!

One of the frequent criticisms of the criminal justice system in the United States is that people who violate the law often cycle in and out of the system, and a focus on punishment often doesn't serve to solve the actual problem at hand.
Today's guest on the podcast is Judge Christopher Hazlett-Stevens, who presides over the Reno Municipal Court system's Community Court. Community Court is held at the Downtown Reno library instead of the court house, and is geared towards Reno's unhoused population. Certain misdemeanors like open container violations or trespassing are referred to the community court where instead of fines or jail time, offenders typically are referred to services like health care or helped to acquire ID and be put on housing wait lists.
Conor and Judge Hazlett-Stevens talk about the origins and purposes of the community court, how the experience is different than typical court proceedings, why the library is a more comfortable space for participants, the difference between serving as a lawyer in the past and now as a judge, being prepared to run a campaign in this election year, the arguments that alternative courts are too soft on crime or that they're still part of an overly punitive justice system, and a whole lot more.
You can follow the community court at their Instagram page (https://www.instagram.com/rmc.communitycourt/) to stay up to date with happenings, or go visit and see how it works for yourself. Court is held at the Downtown Reno library every Wednesday morning and you don't need to have been cited with a violation to take advantage of the services offered.
This episode was produced by Conor McQuivey and Ciara Cihak. Thank you as always for listening!

This week's guest on Renoites is the Community Director for Yelp Reno, Michael Tragash. Through his position with Yelp, Michael helps local businesses connect with their customers through events and sharing their stories and make the most of the customer feedback they receive.
Conor and Michael discuss Yelp and how it works, how trust and reliability are essential for business owners and their online reviewers, what the "feedback economy" is and why it matters to business owners more than ever, restaurants as a gateway to the many diverse cultures represented in the Reno area, what the Yelp Elite Squad is and the role they play in the local business community, and much much more!
You can download the Yelp app wherever you get apps or visit yelp.com and follow Michael on Instagram at https://instagram.com/yelpreno
Renoites isn't listed on Yelp because that would be a pretty weird place to review a podcast, but you can always send feedback directly to me via email! My address is conor@renoites.com
Thank you so much for listening!

This week on the podcast, Conor welcomes Reno’s city council member from Ward 1, Jenny Brekhus. Jenny has served on the Reno city council since 2012 and is running for Mayor of Reno this year.
Conor and Jenny discuss current issues facing Reno, including the controversial Jacobs Entertainment Neon Line District and accompanying development agreement with the city, the CARES Campus and homelessness, the recent judicial decision forcing the city council to approve a housing development in Verdi, how to best spend federal funds that the city will be receiving in the coming years, and much more!
You can learn more about Jenny at her website https://jennybrekhus.com or subscribe to her substack newsletter at https://jennybrekhus.substack.com
This episode was produced by Conor McQuivey and Ciara Cihak. Thank you for listening! If you have guest suggestions, ideas for episode topics, feedback, or just want to get in touch, you can email Conor at conor@renoites.com