Jamie Vaughn talks a lot about cancer. As a survivor of breast cancer who wanted to share more about her experience and provide resources to others going through similar experiences, she launched the podcast "Test Those Breasts" and a website with links to resources for those dealing with cancer. On this episode of Renoites, Jamie sat down with Con…

Many Northern Nevadans have gotten used to seeing sitting Congressman Mark Amodei defeat whichever Democrat runs against him in Congressional District 2. Because this is a Republican-leaning district, the Democratic Party has never invested significant resources in those races. However, this year Amodei won't face a Democratic challenger at all. In…

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…

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 Roug…

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…

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 …

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 v…

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 Chaplai…

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 ab…

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 divers…

There have been a lot of changes in our understanding about how we talk about neurodivergence in recent years and it can be hard to keep up. With social media driving a lot of the conversation, it’s easy to get incorrect information about things like autism and ADHD. One of the leading experts in Reno, and our guest on this week's episode of Renoit…

Kris Vagner has been writing about the arts in Nevada for a long time. She worked as the arts editor of the Reno News and Review beginning in 2004 and has either been on staff or doing freelance writing there and in countless arts publications for most of the years since. She earned her master's degree in Media Innovations from UNR in 2019 and laun…

We've done a lot of episodes of Renoites about how Reno is growing and the ways we can reduce the likelihood of people being priced out as the costs of housing increase. Public housing has an important role to play, and for 80 years the Reno Housing Authority has owned and operated public housing units, administered housing choice vouchers (formerl…

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 …

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…

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. Her…

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. Mayb…

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…

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…

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 Poten…

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…

It takes a lot of work by a lot of people to provide over 1,000 hot meals a day to people in Reno at the St. Vincent's Dining Room and the Nevada CARES Campus. It also takes a lot to manage an endless stream of items donated by our community that work their way into new apartment kits or onto St Vincent thrift store shelves. And the pantries! It de…

This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at Black Rabbit Mead in Reno, Nevada on October 26, 2023. Ultimate Frisbee is a sport that borrows from other team sports like soccer and football and is played on a 100-yard field. Players try to move the frisbee down the field to an endzone while avoiding interceptions and missed passes, and t…

One of the very first episodes of Renoites was with Ben Castro of RISE, the Reno Initiative for Shelter and Equality, in which we talked about homelessness in the Reno area. That episode was recorded shortly after the opening of OUR Place, the designated area shelter for women and families. Recently, a listener reached out asking for an update on O…

Recycled Records is Reno's longest-surviving record store and a staple of the small business and music communities here in the Biggest Little City. Many of us bought our first cassette tapes, CDs, or records at Recycled Records. We've seen them move locations a handful of times over those years, including moving into Midtown before it was cool, and…

Dancing is one of those activities that is good for our mental and physical health, as well as a social activity that requires communication and cooperation. Some of the most popular dance events in Reno are for latin styles like salsa and bachata. On this week's episode of Renoites, we welcome William "BB" Flanders, one of the driving forces behin…

This episode is a collaboration between Renoites and Vibrant Voices, a diversity-focused and student-run newsroom at the University of Nevada, Reno. It was produced by Conor McQuivey and Kathleen Leslie. Guillermo Bert is a multimedia artist originally from Santiago, Chile and is now based in Los Angeles, California. His artwork provides an in-dept…

Do you know what a city manager does? Most people don't! While our elected officials may have more name recognition because they have to go out and campaign, Reno's form of government puts a lot of responsibility on a city manager, someone whose role is similar to a CEO for the city organization. Today on Renoites, Reno's city manager Doug Thornley…

Do you know how animal control and pet adoptions work in Northern Nevada? If there is a stray animal, who picks it up and what happens next? On this episode of Renoites, Conor speaks with the executive director of the SPCA of Northern Nevada, Jill Vacchina Dobbs about how the system works and much more. Jill and Conor explore how the animal control…

Many of us have driven between Reno and Las Vegas and passed by Walker Lake. It used to house a thriving population of Lahontan Cutthroat Trout as well as migratory birds and other wildlife, but upstream diversions of the Walker River have resulted in lower water levels, increased salinity, and an environment that no longer supports such life. The …

The mission of the JUSTin HOPE Foundation is to give hope to families and individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities by promoting inclusion and creating opportunities through education/training and family support to maximize the individual’s potential.​ On this episode of Renoites, we welcome the executive director of the foundati…

This year, Reno has a new chief of police. After a selection process by city officials earlier this year, Kathryn Nance was chosen for the position, and was sworn into the role in February. Now, after her first 6 months on the job, she sits down with Renoites host Conor McQuivey for a wide ranging discussion about her career and about the work of p…

Most people are very uncomfortable with the idea of death and dying and avoid the serious conversations and preparations involved in the process (one which we'll all experience eventually). On this episode of Renoites, we welcome one of the founders of the Doula Co-op, Emily Barney, to talk about what the death industry looks like today, and some o…

Saturday, September 16, Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful will be holding their annual Truckee River Cleanup volunteer event, with hundreds of volunteers working together to clean and maintain sites along the Truckee River. Volunteers will be doing gardening and planting, weed and trash removal, and much more, with a volunteer picnic to follow. On thi…

A few years ago, in the middle of the pandemic, I started to see photos of downtown Reno coming across my Instagram feed with a bold and distinctive style. Bright neon blues, reds and pinks that really showed off the unique glow of our city at night. The photographer behind that account, Reno After Dark, which has grown to tens of thousands of foll…

Welcome Back to Renoites! This is the first episode of a new season of the podcast. My goal is for this show to be a consistent source of interesting, substantive conversation that is highly relevant to us here in Northern Nevada. This is a community funded independent project and your support is appreciated. I have a handful of new patrons since l…

Renoites at the Riverside Farmer's Market is a limited Renoites series with the vendors of the Riverside Farmer's Market in Reno, Nevada and hosted by Renoites host Conor McQuivey. The year-round farmer's market takes place Sunday mornings at Idlewild Park from 8-1. You can find Conor at the Renoites booth most weeks if you'd like to chat, share id…

Renoites at the Riverside Farmer's Market is a limited Renoites series with the vendors of the Riverside Farmer's Market in Reno, Nevada and hosted by Renoites host Conor McQuivey. The year-round farmer's market takes place Sunday mornings at Idlewild Park from 8-1. You can find Conor at the Renoites booth most weeks if you'd like to chat, share id…

Renoites at the Riverside Farmer's Market is a limited Renoites series with the vendors of the Riverside Farmer's Market in Reno, Nevada. The year-round farmer's market takes place Sunday mornings at Idlewild Park from 8-1. You can find us at the Renoites booth most weeks if you'd like to chat, share ideas, purchase merch or sign up to support the …

Ella Haworth has been skateboarding in Reno the last 4 years, and recently created an annual female skate contest and skate group she calls Bitchin Betties. What began as a fundraiser for the Wild West Fund, a statewide abortion fund (listen to our episode with them here) has continued as a project to bring more people out to skate in the area. On …

This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at Black Rabbit Mead in Reno, Nevada on July 27, 2023. The sport of roller derby has a long history and reputation for big personalities, fierce competition, and a fair amount of beating up your friends. On this episode of Renoites, Conor is joined by two of Sierra Regional Roller Derby's player…

Renoites at the Riverside Farmer's Market is a limited Renoites series with the vendors of the Riverside Farmer's Market in Reno, Nevada. The year-round farmer's market takes place Sundays at Idlewild Park from 8-1. You can find us at the Renoites booth most weeks if you'd like to chat, share ideas, purchase merch or sign up to support the show fin…

Renoites at the Riverside Farmer's Market is a limited Renoites series with the vendors of the Riverside Farmer's Market in Reno, Nevada. The year-round farmer's market takes place Sundays at Idlewild Park from 8-1. You can find us at the Renoites booth most weeks, if you'd like to chat, share ideas, purchase merch or sign up to support the show fi…

Renoites at the Riverside Farmer's Market is a limited Renoites series with the vendors of the Riverside Farmer's Market in Reno, Nevada. The year-round farmer's market takes place Sundays at Idlewild Park from 8-1. You can us at the Renoites booth most weeks, if you'd like to chat, share ideas, purchase merch or sign up to support the show financi…

This episode was recorded live at Reno Little Theater in Reno, Nevada on July 7, 2023. Reno Little Theater is one of the longest-running community theater companies in the United States and are just finishing their 88th season here in Northern Nevada. Their most recent show, running through the end of July, is Seussical the Musical, a fun family-fr…

Mike Van Houten has been documenting the changes in downtown Reno for over a decade, with a focus on tracking what's happening and where on his blog, Downtown Makeover. He appeared on Renoites about 2 years ago, and a lot has certainly happened since then! This week's episode is a recap of various development projects in Downtown Reno and and surro…

Join Renoites and Reno Little Theater LIVE on July 7 for an exclusive "Seussical: the Musical" post-show event featuring additional performances, interviews and audience Q&A! Visit renoites.com for more information! Reno Little Theater is one of the longest-running community theater companies in the United States, currently in their 88th season! Re…

*PLEASE VOTE FOR RENOITES AS "BEST LOCAL PODCAST" IN THE RENO NEWS & REVIEW BEST OF NORTHERN NEVADA* HERE'S THE LINK When we think of local government, often the people that come to mind are the mayor and city council, but we shouldn't forget that the city of Reno is but a part of the much larger Washoe County, whose jurisdiction overlaps and inter…

The Nevada Museum of Art is currently showing an exhibition created by the World War 2 Museum in New Orleans called "Ghost Army: The Combat Con Artists of World War 2." The exhibit tells of the special unit in the war that was tasked with deception. Using inflatable fake tanks, pre-recorded radio chatter, and other illusions, they misled the German…

A few years ago, Nevada's state element was declared to be neon, to reflect the importance of neon lights in the identity of our cities both big and small. The effort to make this happen was spearheaded by local neon preservationist and director of the Nevada Neon Project, Will Durham. Will has been saving neon signs from destruction throughout the…