California Groundbreakers

It’s a special “Back to School” edition of Groundbreakers Q&A as we sit down with Gary May, Chancellor of UC Davis, and talk with him about his vision and goals for UC Davis and the Sacramento region, and his take on the state of higher-education today — the college admission scandals, massive student loan debt, improving diversity levels and graduation rates, boosting students’ STEM skills and career opportunities while trying to find them affordable housing and food. We’ll also ask him about his inspirations, whether his love of "Star Trek" helped UC Davis score $15 million from NASA to research spacecraft and deep-space exploration, and why he sees comic books as a great educational tool. PODCAST PLAY BY PLAY * O to 5:45 min - Why we picked Gary May for this "Groundbreakers Q&A" * 5:45 min - May explains what a Chancellor does, shares his Top 3 "Star Trek" episodes, and reveals his favorite character from the original series * 12:25 min - How his mother's experience with higher education influenced h

** This podcast was recorded live on August 28, 2019** On the surface, the legal cannabis business looks like the greatest thing since sliced bread to hit California’s tax coffers. Sorry to harsh your buzz, but no. California's cannabis industry is an absolute mess. In May, the Governor’s office released state budget documents showing that it has cut cannabis tax revenue projections of $1 billion by a whopping $223 million through 2020, so it’s only expecting $288 million this year, and $359 million in fiscal 2020. How could the state miscalculate its cannabis business so badly? A few reasons given are: 1) a blanket of regulatory red tape; 2) taxes, taxes and more taxes; 3) anti-cannabis city councils and NIMBY objections; and 4) the black market’s not going anywhere. So where do we go from here? What can be done to bring a new high to the cannabis industry and get it back on the track it was projected to run? Listen to our conversation with some pros about how to make sure California’s legal cannabi

*This event was recorded on July 10, 2019 * Sacramento is still sometimes called “that place halfway between San Francisco and Lake Tahoe.” And travelers often drive to those two tourist attractions without stopping to see what’s in between them. But that’s changing. Sacramento is dedicated to turning the Old Sacramento waterfront into a new type of tourism draw. The town of Winters in Yolo County just got selected by USA Today as one of the country’s best small-town food scenes. And Lodi, originally(in)famous for the Creedence Clearwater song, is a place people now don’t mind getting stuck in, thanks to its upward-trending Wine Country status. We’re talking with a few people who are leading the efforts to boost tourism in Sacramento and the Central Valley. Join us for a great conversation about Northern California’s newest hot spots, and what both tourists and local residents should know about what's going on there. PANELISTS * Nancy Beckman, CEO of Visit Lodi * John Donlevy, City Manager of the town of

** This discussion was recorded on June 26, 2019** State Senator Scott Wiener, who represents San Francisco, has made waves since he came to Sacramento in 2016. His efforts to build more housing around public transportation and in wealthy suburbs have made his legislation the most talked-about so far this year at the Capitol, and in the media. He’s also famous for his proposal to “keep the bars open till 4 a.m.”, citing the cultural and economic benefits of nightlife. Wiener compares San Francisco politics to “a knife fight in a phone booth,” and says getting his start there had made him steely enough to handle politics at the State Capitol. Join us at Ruhstaller as we talk with Wiener about housing, homelessness, education and LGBTQ legislation, as well as his past, present and future as a politician and a groundbreaker in California. PODCAST PLAY BY PLAY * 0 to 1:35 min - Intro to California Groundbreakers * 1:35 min - Intro to Senator Scott Wiener * 6:30 min - How many Senate committees Wiener s

** This conversation was recorded on June 4, 2019 ** Wildfire Season is here! (Although in California, it’s now almost year-round, right?) To find out how the Golden State is planning for it, we talked with the man who is now responsible for a lot of those fire management and firefighting efforts — Wade Crowfoot, California’s new Secretary for Natural Resources. He’s in charge of CAL Fire and the Departments of Water Resources, Fish and Wildlife, and Parks and Recreation. Basically, Crowfoot is making a lot of the decisions about what happens on California lands — and what should happen to those lands in this age of climate change. Listen to Crowfoot explain what he’s planning for forest management, wildfire preparedness and firefighting efforts, and what will be different about Wildfire Season 2019. PODCAST PLAY-BY-PLAY * O to 4:40 minutes - Intro to California Groundbreakers * 4:40 min - Welcome to Wade Crowfoot's favorite places that show off California's natural resources at its finest * 7 min - How

** This event was recorded on May 23, 2019** California is known for its amazing wines and its innovative, offbeat ways of growing, producing and marketing them. So in our offbeat and innovative way, we’re going doing a new type of tasting, mixing plenty of great wine with good gab by California Groundbreakers who turn grapes into liquid bliss. Our wine pros this time around are: * Andrew Willsen, manager and sommelier at top Sacramento restaurants including Mulvaney’s B&L, the Waterboy, Hawks and Taylor’s Kitchen * Craig Haarmeyer, who runs his Haarmeyer Wine Cellers out of West Sacramento, is designated a “winemaker to watch” by the San Francisco Chronicle, and believes in the power of Sacramento "terroir" (https://haarmeyerwinecellars.com) * Chris Walsh, an Amador County native who earned his chops in New York City as a sommelier, then decided to come home a few years ago and now makes natural wines under his End of Nowhere label, which showcases grapes grown by other small farmers in the Sierra

**This event was recorded on April 30, 2019** This "Groundbreakers Q&A" is with two guys who know their way around a kitchen. Rick Mahan and Patrick Mulvaney are Sacramento's Top Chefs. Their restaurants, The Waterboy (opened in 1996) and Mulvaney B&L (in 2006), set the bar for fine dining in Sacramento, and they're still atop the list of places worth opening up your wallet for a memorable meal. When they're not cooking, they're still doing plenty to promote good food, boost Farm to Fork efforts, and improve Sacramento's dining scene. Mahan is a big supporter of the Food Literacy Center, and Mulvaney is getting national attention for his efforts to tackle the mental health crisis in the restaurant industry. Join us for a great conversation with these two seasoned veterans of the city's ever-changing, often-challenging restaurant scene as we talk with them about Michelin stars, minimum wage hikes, the mental health movement, farmers markets, and other things that are shaping their menus today. PODCAST

** This conversation was recorded on April 17, 2019** California’s legislature is looking at how to make blockchain and cryptocurrency easier to use here. One bill would set up a structure for regulating virtual-currency business activities in the state. Another would require California to start accepting “stablecoins,” digital currency tied to the U.S. dollar, from cannabis businesses starting in 2020, so they don't have to pay their taxes and fees via briefcases full of cash. And blockchain isn’t just about currency — California water-rights experts are placing IBM-made sensors in Central Valley rivers to monitor real-time volume and usage. And the Sacramento Kings, the first sports team in the world to accept bitcoin at its games, is using blockchain can improve the fan experience at Golden 1 Center. But what exactly is this blockchain thing? What’s the point of Bitcoin? Do you need to start learning how to buy cryptocurrency, or is this a fad that will be old news next year? Listen to our easy-to

**This discussion was recorded on April 8, 2019** Sacramento is getting attention nationwide for its alt-transportation methods, which focus on smarter, safer and more efficient ways of getting people from A to B, while reducing carbon emissions and traffic congestion in a big way. But it’s not always a smooth ride. There are multiple complaints about how Jump bikes are blocking sidewalks, and Jump scooters are not that safe for their drivers or the people they run into. The City is putting new fees, rules and restrictions in place that Jump says is expensive and prohibitive to expanding its services. The Downtown Riverfront Streetcar Project is in jeopardy, with project bids for construction way higher than expected, and far beyond the project budget. And can Sacramento Regional Transit ever get anyone to ride its light rail? The future of transportation in Sacramento is off to a great start, but how will these bumps in the road affect it? And how will we — as users, taxpayers and voters — affect and be

* This podcast was recorded on April 3, 2019 at Antiquite Midtown in Sacramento* We’re talking with some of Sacramento’s mightiest movers and shakers this year, people who are bringing changes, making waves and putting California’s capital on the map in bold font. This conversation is with two people who play big roles in shaping Sacramento’s arts scene, supporting and promoting local artists, and getting their efforts talked about in cultural circles around California and nationwide. Liv Moe, founding director of Verge Center for the Arts, and Estella Sanchez, founder and executive director of Sol Collective, do all this by providing vital resources to career and emerging artists, as well as offering arts education opportunities for youth and adults. They’re two major reasons why the Capitol City’s cultural scene is on fire, and why it has such a passionate community rooting it on. Join us as we talk with Moe and Sanchez about the state of the arts in Sacramento, what they’re working on now, and what th

** This event was held on February 27, 2019 at Antiquite Midtown in Sacramento ** One of the City of Sacramento’s big initiatives: Come up with the right jobs strategy that boosts all of its neighborhoods, especially those with less-than average employment rates and high poverty. So how is that going? How is Sacramento residents' feedback on the matter being used? What is funding being spent on, and who and where is it benefiting? And how can the City’s government, businesses, nonprofits and us individuals turn these efforts into tangible economic growth and good jobs that boost people’s incomes and improve the neighborhoods they live in? Join us for another “cocktail conversation” with some Californians who are giving their all to boost economic growth in neighborhoods that need it — and find out how you can help them with their efforts. PANELISTS * Melissa Anguiano, economic development manager for the City of Sacramento * Nicholas Haystings - president and executive director of Square Root Academy,

We’re talking with some of Sacramento’s mightiest movers and shakers this year, people who are bringing changes, making waves and putting California’s capital on the map in bold font. First up is a conversation with two of Sacramento’s most well-known groundbreakers — literally — who are responsible for what the city's growth will look like. Katherine Bardis and Bay Miry were born into real estate development families, and they’re carrying on the tradition. They like to go into under-the-radar parts of town and revitalize them (Miry's red-hot “R Street Corridor” and the 700 block of K Street; Bardis' housing community, the Mill). They’re taking innovative spins on how “mixed-use” housing and retail should go together, and how it should fit into a community. They’re addressing head-on the challenges of affordable housing and the fear of gentrification. And they just got married. We're in Ruhstaller’s basement taproom in downtown Sacramento with Bardis and Miry as they tell us about their current construct

** This podcast was recorded on November 9, 2018 ** Good job, you filled out your ballot and cast your votes — now what are you going to get in return? How are the results of Election 2018 going to affect you as a resident, taxpayer and user of services in California? For our last election-focused “Policy and a Pint, we’re with a savvy group of political experts to discuss the results of Congressional races, top state offices, ballot initiatives, voter turnout -- and what’s next for California in 2019 with a new governor, state legislature and the 116th Congress taking charge. PANELISTS * Kim Alexander, president of the California Voter Foundation * Brian Brokaw, principal of Brian Brokaw Consulting, and senior political advisor to Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom * Tim Rosales, vice president of the Wayne Johnson Agency, and campaign manager for gubernatorial candidate John Cox PODCAST PLAY-BY-PLAY * O to 5:15 min - Intro to California Groundbreakers and this event * 5:15 min - Panelists introduce t

Election 2018 is in full swing -- and now is the time to start figuring out how you're going to vote! Our Fall 2018 "Policy and a Pints" are focusing on California's General Election ballot. We're holding discussions with panelists who, whether they are "for, " against" or "neutral," will give us the straight talk on local/statewide propositions and races, and what it means if you vote yay or nay on each. * * * * * In this podcast, we're talking about Proposition 12, about banning the sale of meat and eggs from animals confined in spaces below specific sizes. NOTE: Our "No on Proposition 12" panelist had to drop out due to a family emergency, so we only have the "Yes on Proposition 12" panelist, but our moderator did her best to question him thoroughly. PANELIST * Chris Holbein, director of public policy of farm animal protection at the Humane Society of the United States PODCAST PLAY-BY-PLAY * O to 3:40 min - Intro to California Groundbreakers, and what this discussion is about * 3:40 min - Panelist i

Election 2018 is in full swing -- and now is the time to start figuring out how you're going to vote! Our Fall 2018 "Policy and a Pints" are focusing on California's General Election ballot. We're holding discussions with panelists who, whether they are "for, " against" or "neutral," will give us the straight talk on local/statewide propositions and races, and what it means if you vote yay or nay on each. * * * * * In this podcast, we're talking about Proposition 3, the "Water Bond," about authorizing $8.87 billion in general obligation bonds for water infrastructure, supplies and storage, and watershed and fisheries improvements. PANELISTS * Gerald Meral, director of the California water program at the Natural Heritage Institute, and author of Proposition 3 * Eric Parfrey, chairman of the executive committee of Sierra Club California PODCAST PLAY-BY-PLAY * O to 5:35 min - Intro to California Groundbreakers, and what this discussion is about * 5:35 min - Panelists introduce themselves -- and talk about

Election 2018 is in full swing -- and now is the time to start figuring out how you're going to vote! Our Fall 2018 "Policy and a Pints" are focusing on California's General Election ballot. We're holding discussions with panelists who, whether they are "for, " against" or "neutral," will give us the straight talk on local/statewide propositions and races, and what it means if you vote yay or nay on each. * * * * * In this podcast, we're talking about Measure U, establishing a one-cent sales tax increase -- and making it permanent -- in the City of Sacramento to maintain public services, and be used for investments in youth, affordable housing and inclusive economic development. PANELISTS * Craig Powell, chair of the “No on Measure U” campaign * Zachary Yeates, campaign manager of “Yes on Measure U” PODCAST PLAY-BY-PLAY * 0 to 5:20 min - Intro to California Groundbreakers * 5:20 min - Panelists introduce themselves, and share the place they enjoy most in Sacramento * 8:15 min - Yeates gives a backgrou

Election 2018 is in full swing -- and now is the time to start figuring out how you're going to vote! Our Fall 2018 "Policy and a Pints" are focusing on California's General Election ballot. We're holding discussions with panelists who, whether they are "for, " against" or "neutral," will give us the straight talk on local/statewide propositions and races, and what it means if you vote yay or nay on each. * * * * * In this podcast, we're talking about Proposition 6, about repealing 2017’s gas tax and vehicle fee increases, and requiring a public vote on future increases in transportation-specific spending. PANELISTS * Kiana Valentine, senior legislative representative for the California State Association of Counties * David Wolfe, legislative director for the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association PODCAST PLAY-BY-PLAY * O to 5:30 min - Intro to California Groundbreakers, and what this discussion is about * 5:30 min - Panelists introduce themselves -- and talk about their favorite road trip through California

Election 2018 is in full swing -- and now is the time to start figuring out how you're going to vote! Our Fall 2018 "Policy and a Pints" will focus on California's General Election ballot. We're holding discussions with panelists who, whether they are "for, " against" or "neutral," will give us the straight talk on local/statewide propositions and races, and what it means if you vote yay or nay on each. * * * * * Of the 11 propositions on the ballot this year, four of them are focused on housing. In this podcast, about letting the state use revenue from the "millionaire's tax" on $2 billion in revenue bonds to house homeless people in need of mental health services. PANELISTS * Mary Ann Bernard, retired attorney and plaintiff in the lawsuit that led to Prop. 2 being on the ballot * Maggie Merritt, executive director of the Steinberg Institute PODCAST PLAY-BY-PLAY * 0 to 4:25 min - Intro to California Groundbreakers * 4:25 min - Panelists introduce themselves, and tell us what their favorite house is in

Election 2018 is in full swing -- and now is the time to start figuring out how you're going to vote! Our Fall 2018 "Policy and a Pints" will focus on California's General Election ballot. We're holding discussions with panelists who, whether they are "for, " against" or "neutral," will give us the straight talk on local/statewide propositions and races, and what it means if you vote yay or nay on each. * * * * * Of the 11 propositions on the ballot this year, four of them are focused on housing. In this podcast, we're taking a look at Proposition 1, about issuing $4 billion in general bonds for affordable housing-related programs and housing loans for veterans. PANELISTS * Laine Himmelmann, director of development for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento * Rob Wassmer, acting chair of Sacramento State's Department of Public Policy and Administration, and head of its Master's Program in Urban Land Development PODCAST PLAY-BY-PLAY * 0 to 3:50 min - Intro to California Groundbreakers * 3:50 min - P

Election 2018 is in full swing -- and now is the time to start figuring out how you're going to vote! Our Fall 2018 "Policy and a Pints" will focus on California's General Election ballot. We're holding discussions with panelists who, whether they are "for, " against" or "neutral," will give us the straight talk on local/statewide propositions and races, and what it means if you vote yay or nay on each. * * * * * Of the 11 propositions on the ballot this year, four of them are focused on housing. In this podcast, we're taking a look at Proposition 5, about preserving lower property taxes for Californians age 55 and older who sell their home. It's the first proposition to propose changes to Proposition 13, "the third rail of politics," which California voters passed 40 years ago. PANELISTS * Dorothy Johnson, legislative representative for the California State Association of Counties * David Tanner, CEO of the Sacramento Association of Realtors PODCAST PLAY-BY-PLAY * O to 4:30 min - Intro to California