This Is Reno Radio

A federal judge has rejected the city of Reno's effort to keep police body camera footage confidential in an excessive force lawsuit. Meanwhile, Washoe County is considering new agritourism rules that could help small farms welcome visitors, and Reno residents criticize the city's $22 million Axon police technology contract. We are Bob Conrad and Kristen Hackbarth, editors of This Is Ren...

This Is Reno editors Bob Conrad and Kristen Hackbarth are back with the latest in Reno news covering local government, lawsuits and elections. We break down Reno’s proposed $22 million police technology contract, questions in the Ward 4 council race and the latest local court disputes. We examine what Reno’s planned departure from Flock Safety could mean for surveillance, review claims about Counc...

We are back. After a late-summer break, Kristen and Bob return with a packed roundup of Reno-area news. This episode covers our public records litigation against the city of Reno, an election integrity complaint involving  mayoral candidate and Reno City Council member Kathleen Taylor, the ongoing NV Energy lawsuit involving proposed data centers and new developments in the GPS tracking lawsuit in...

Kristen Hackbarth and Bob Conrad, editors of This Is Reno, discuss the massive wildfire evacuations in Reno’s North Valleys and why we believe emergency communication remains a serious problem for residents and local news media. We also dig into Doral Academy’s proposed South Reno campus, a state audit raising concerns about charter school oversight, an ethics complaint involving former Washoe Cou...

This week on the This Is Reno podcast, we — editors Kristen Hackbarth and Bob Conrad — dig into several investigations and controversies unfolding across Reno and Washoe County.  We discuss the federal indictment of former Washoe County Department of Alternative Sentencing chief Justin Roper, developments in the Anna Scott murder case, wildfire prediction markets, the increasingly contentious deba...

Welcome back to the This Is Reno Podcast, hosted by us — Bob Conrad and Kristen Hackbarth — This Is Reno’s editors.  Broadcasting on KWNK Community Radio at 97.7 FM in Reno and available wherever you get your podcasts, we have another dive into the biggest stories shaping Reno and Northern Nevada. This  episode explores the growing backlash over Flock automated license plate readers, Reno's e...

Hosts Kristen Hackbarth and Bob Conrad return to discuss several of the week's biggest stories affecting northern Nevada.  We discuss the debate surrounding proposed federal changes to public grazing regulations, Washoe County's long-awaited updates for equine businesses, state of Nevada classified employee staffing proposals, NV Energy's transmission line project and Jacobs Enterta...

This Is Reno’s Kristen Hackbarth and Bob Conrad are back with a slate of big news items from the past couple weeks. We start with corrections from our last show before diving into election updates, expanding surveillance technology in the Reno area, local government accountability, nonprofit failures and high-profile cases in local court.  Listen to this show on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , YouTube...

Reno voters delivered a strong message in the 2026 primary election, and the results could reshape local government for years to come. This Is Reno editors Kristen Hackbarth and Bob Conrad analyze the mayoral race, county commission contests, school board elections and the surprising defeat of some incumbents.  We also discuss the backlash over a proposal involving Reno's City Plaza, summer h...

Hosts Kristen Hackbarth and Bob Conrad catch up on several weeks of major Northern Nevada stories in the latest This Is Reno podcast — from proposed RTC transit fare hikes and Washoe County budget concerns to heated debates over data centers, housing growth and police department leadership changes.  We also dive into the complaints surrounding the Sierra Reflections development, Reno’s temporary d...

Reno teacher Shaughn Richardson and retired California educator Sue Granzella discuss in this special episode her book “Pushed to the Edge: Teacher Stories from the Culture Wars.”  The educators discuss how the pandemic accelerated teacher burnout, how school board politics have transformed classrooms and why many educators feel increasingly unsupported and targeted. Granzella also shares firsthan...

In this May 7, 2026 episode of the This Is Reno podcast, hosts Kristen Hackbarth and Bob Conrad dive into a packed week of local news, ranging from controversial Reno Police Department training records to growing frustration over city spending priorities, homelessness statistics and the future of the historic Lear Theater. Episode description We unpack new details surrounding questionable training...

Kristen Hackbarth and Bob Conrad break down several major local stories shaping Reno and Washoe County. Topics include Reno’s reversal on regulating data centers, allegations of mismanagement within Washoe County housing and homeless services, the Washoe County School District superintendent search, ethics questions involving the District Attorney’s Office and renewed controversy over the Lear The...

This week's This Is Reno podcast covers a range of Reno and Washoe County news, from a whip craft art exhibit at the Holland Project to local political and legal developments.  Hosts Bob Conrad and Kristen Hackbarth discuss the Washoe Republicans' decision to endorse primary candidates despite criticism, a months-long investigation into alleged nepotism in the Washoe County District Atto...

Bob Conrad and Kristen Hackbarth discuss the latest Reno news headlines, including a large-scale voter roll cleanup ahead of the June primary, approval of a major south Reno housing project and an ongoing investigation into Reno Police Department leadership. We also examine rising Waste Management fees, the latest in code-enforcement complaints and proposed nonprofit regulations. Election update:...

In this episode of This Is Reno Radio, editors Kristen Hackbarth and Bob Conrad discuss the latest developments in a federal lawsuit stemming from a wrongful arrest at the Peppermill Casino . The case focuses on using facial recognition technology for arrests by the Reno Police Department. We cover how the Reno City Attorney’s Office filed false statements in federal court documents , statements a...

This Is Reno publisher Bob Conrad speaks with civil rights attorney and author Alec Karakatsanis about his book “Copaganda.” The talk was one of The Radical Cat bookstore’s author talks and was streamed by Radical Cat online Thursday, Feb. 18.  The conversation explores how police public relations efforts shape mainstream news media narratives, influence public perception of crime and impact polic...

This episode of This Is Reno Radio dives deep into the local ripple effects of national immigration enforcement, as Reno-area students stage unprecedented walkouts in protest of federal ICE actions. Recorded Feb. 1, hosts Kristen Hackbarth and Bob Conrad discuss the community’s response, challenges in property management and the city of Reno’s ongoing financial crisis. We close with a look at the...

This Is Reno’s Kristen Hackbarth and Bob Conrad unpack a year-long investigation into FPI Management, a national property management firm overseeing multiple affordable and senior housing complexes in Reno. Drawing from public records, resident interviews, court records and city council discussions, this podcast examines recurring maintenance problems, code violations and allegations of tenant int...

In the final episode recorded in 2025, This Is Reno’s Bob Conrad and Kristen Hackbarth look back at the stories, controversies and figures that defined the year in northern Nevada. From local leaders making waves to overlooked investigations and courthouse drama, this year-end wrap-up highlights Reno’s big moments — the good, the bad and the quietly consequential. 🗞️ The newsmakers of the year We...

Kristen and Bob this week break down Reno’s major local stories. These include the second straight year of budget shortfalls at City Hall, the ongoing downtown noise dispute after the J Resort Halloween EDM concert, TMCC’s $300,000 settlement with professor Lars Jensen, shifting city conversations on homelessness enforcement, concerns over souped-up e-bikes and scooters and takeaways from Nevada’s...

Kristen and Bob cover this week’s major Reno news — from a deputy district attorney’s firing over social media posts to lawsuits involving UNR and the Reno Police Department. We also discuss the return of the homelessness advisory board, our documentary on homelessness and Reno’s new “death café.” 📰 Deputy district attorney fired A Washoe County Deputy District attorney, Aziz Merchant, was fired...

Kristen and Bob recap the latest Reno news headlines, such as the not-so-shocking news that “John Doe” in the GPS tracker case is Robert Beadles. We also award ourselves two “dookies,” clarifying a Verdi TV district budget gap and misleading school spending reporting. A $1.4 billion road repair backlog could lead to increased fees on electric and hybrid vehicles, plus the dramatic rise in the cost...

In the latest Reno news podcast, Kristen and Bob walk through a packed week: Washoe County got a new manager among four finalists for county manager, while the county commissioners put the little-known Verdi Television District on the hot seat. Jacobs Entertainment dangles a downtown youth sports complex that was met with some environmental concerns. The Truckee Meadows Water Authority says our lo...

Kristen and Bob give a rundown of the latest big news in Reno. We discuss the nationwide “No Kings” demonstrations, a regional child-exploitation sting that led to the arrest of a former deputy police chief, Washoe County’s move to dissolve its Department of Alternative Sentencing, an ethics case resolution involving a Sparks council member and questions over the library system’s funding.  Recorde...