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Hometown California tells the Rural California story through the eyes of those who live, work, and play in the rural communities of the Golden State. Hometown California is a production of the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC), a thirty-seven member county strong organization, advocating on behalf of California’s rural counties for nearly fifty years.
33 Episodes
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On this episode of Hometown California our host, Paul A. Smith, sits down for a conversation with Jim Ogsbury, Executive Director of the Western Governors Association (WGA). Together, Paul and Jim discuss the work of the WGA, who they are, and the intersection with rural California and the Rural County Representatives of California. With membership that includes the Governors of the 22 western-most states and territories of the United States, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, WGA is...
In the latest episode of Hometown California, our host, Paul A. Smith, sits down for a conversation with California State Assembly Member, Jim Wood. Learn about his path to politics-- from dentistry to the State Assembly— and how his experiences in rural California have influenced his priorities in the Legislature. Listen as Assembly Member Wood discusses healthcare, cannabis, vegetation management, wildfire, and so much more.
In this episode of Hometown California, our host, Paul A. Smith, speaks with Rich Gordon, President and CEO of the California Forestry Association (soon-to-be retired). Aside from being at the CA Forestry Association, Mr. Gordon has a long history service in California. Back to the early days of his political career when he was elected to the San Mateo County Board of Education, what sparked his interest in getting involved with public education and public policy making?After 13 years on the ...
In this episode, our host, Paul A. Smith, sits down for a conversation with Patrick "Pat" Blacklock, the new President and CEO of RCRC. Learn how Pat's journey in the county family began, what led him to RCRC, and his vision for RCRC's advocacy and support of rural counties. At what Californians hope may be the tail end of pandemic shutdowns, in a redistricting year with new challenges brought about by the pandemic, and with a gubernatorial recall election on the horizon, hear how Pat ...
On this episode of Hometown California, our host, Paul A. Smith, speaks with Staci Heaton, the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) Acting Vice President of Governmental Affairs, about California’s perennial wildfires. As an RCRC advocate for more than 15 years, Staci’s focus has primarily been fire and forestry issues, things involving climate change, and managing the wildfire issues of California. Together, Paul and Staci discuss factors contributing to the ferocity of th...
In this episode of Hometown California, recorded in Washington D.C., our host, Paul A. Smith, sits down with Sheryl Cohen and Chris Israel of American Continental Group (ACG), to give listeners a deeper look at the early days of the 117th Congress. Together they discuss a myriad of issues, includingthe politics of the recovery package;the twin priorities of infrastructure and climate;politics under the dome: leadership, bipartisanship, and looking ahead to 2022; andthe differences and s...
From Washington D.C., our host, Paul A. Smith, checks in on the political pulse in a conversation with Leah Askarinam of the National Journal, Editor-in-Chief of the Hotline at the National Journal. With a new administration in the White House, a change of control in the U.S. Senate, and a razor-thin margin of control in the U.S. House of Representatives as a result of the last election, Paul and Leah discuss what’s going on in the White House and Congress. Find out more about the...
Jeremy White, co-writer of Politico's California Playbook, returns to Hometown California to share his insights about the effort to recall California Governor Gavin Newsom. Our host, Paul A. Smith, RCRC Vice President for Government Affairs, dives in to find out how a gubernatorial recall—an idea that was once seen as outlying political chatter — has become a real and present threat to Governor Newsom’s political future.Is this recall going to happen?What are the origins of the recall effort ...
In this episode of Hometown California, RCRC Senior Vice President for Governmental Affairs, Paul Smith, speaks with Lassen County Sheriff Dean Growdon about the realities of being a peace officer in rural California. In the small and remote County of Lassen, Sheriff Growdon serves as both Sheriff and Coroner, as do many of his counterparts in other rural areas of the State. Home to two state prisons, one federal prison, and a military base, Lassen County has some unique law enfor...
On this episode, RCRC Senior Vice President for Governmental Affairs, Paul Smith, speaks to State Controller, Betty Yee. Paul and Controller Yee discuss the importance of the relationship between the State and Counties of California and how the two intersect in managing and deploying state resources. With over 35 years in the public sector, learn about how Ms. Yee’s foray into public service began at a very young age. Hear about the role of the Controller’s Office, the audits, and role o...
In the latest episode of Hometown California, RCRC’s Senior Vice President for Governmental Affairs, Paul A. Smith, holds a conversation about political reform, the state of California politics, and influential ballot measures in an interview with Bob Stern, J.D., a man with a long history of influence in California politics.Bob Stern made his mark on California politics In the 1970's, as the co-author of California's Political Reform Act (1974). And, his influence doesn't stop there. When fo...
Our host, Paul A. Smith, sits down for a conversation with the 2021 Chair of RCRC, Mono County Supervisor Stacy Corless. After facing a year of devastating wildfires, a global pandemic, and the resulting changes to everyday life, we enter 2021 with new resolve and hope. Although uncertain what the immediate future holds, Supervisor Corless is focused on the comprehensive wildfire response and long-term recovery necessary for rural California and its communities to survive and thriv...
In this episode, our host, Paul A. Smith speaks with the Dr. Michael V. Drake, the 21st President of the University of California about the intersection of the UC and rural communities of the Golden State. For many rural communities, the significance of the UC goes beyond the education, licensing, and credentialing it provides. Partnerships between the UC and rural communities have a considerable impact as well. One of the most important UC programs involved in rural communities is the ...
California voters decided the fate of twelve ballot measures during the 2020 General Election this year. In August, our host, Paul A. Smith, spoke with Jeremy B. White of Politico in a two-part series during which we looked at each ballot measure, what each proclaimed to do, and where the money was coming from. There was special emphasis on what each measure would mean for rural counties, and a look at the position taken on each measure by the Board of Directors of the Rural County Representa...
In this episode, our host, Paul A. Smith, sits down with Assembly Member Frank Bigelow for a conversation about his experience being a representative for rural California in the State Legislature. Assembly Member Bigelow shares about his transition from local government to state politics, the challenges of being in the political minority in the California State Legislature, and how he builds relationships and stays focused on common ground to be an effective voice for rural California.&n...
On Thursday, as election votes were being counted, our host, Paul A. Smith, spoke with National Journal Hotline Editor-in-Chief, Leah Askarinam about what we reliably know, what is expected based on trends and counts so far, and what still hangs in the balance. Listen as Paul and Leah breakdown the early return dynamics in this latest episode of the Hometown California 2020 Election series. Why is the Presidential Race so much closer than most pundits expected?But for the per...
Just days before the 2020 Election, our host Paul A. Smith, speaks with Leah Askarinam of the National Journal to take one last look at polling and trends leading up to Election Day. With early voting well underway in many states, Leah and Paul discuss the hottest races in California and across the nation. Leah is the Editor-in-Chief of the Hotline at the National Journal and has been a guest on previous episodes of Hometown California, providing her insight about the Presid...
Our host, Paul A. Smith, speaks with Randy Moore, head of the Pacific Southwest Region (Region 5) of the U.S. Forest Service, about the work of managing California's forests and wildlands in these trying times of record-setting wildfires amid a global pandemic. In this episode:How is the U.S. Forest Service structured for managing forests nationally and forest-by-forest?How does the Shared Stewardship Agreement between the U.S. Forest Service and CAL FIRE impact rural communities a...
During a visit to Washington D.C. in early October, our host, Paul A. Smith, sat down with Matt Chase, CEO and Executive Director of the National Association of Counties (NACo), RCRC's national advocacy partner, for a conversation about the important work NACo does on behalf of and in partnership with counties across the nation.NACo represents counties as intergovernmental partner, driving federal policy on behalf of America's counties. Beyond federal advocacy, NACo addresses national policy ...
In a typical election year, Congress would break by October 1st, as members hit the campaign trail. But 2020 has proved again and again to be anything but typical. Our host, RCRC's Paul A. Smith, sits down with two of the most respected advocates on the Hill, Sheryl Cohen of the American Continental Group (ACG) and Kevin Eastman of PACE LLP., for a discussion about the closing weeks of the 116th Congress.Recorded in Washington D.C. on the day President Trump's coronavirus diagnosis was announ...
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