County Talk

Jaire Winesberry sits down with Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank to discuss the role of an elected sheriff, public safety, community relations with law enforcement, and how the Sheriff's Department collaborates with the Pierce County Council and its Public Safety Committee.  On County Talk we explore all the reasons local government is exciting, important, and requires your engagement! We fo...

County Talk is back! Jaire speaks with Ryan Mello, the Pierce County Executive, about his role, his responsibilities, and the Executive's relationship to the Council as a co-equal branch of government and role in the legislative process.  On County Talk we explore all the reasons local government is exciting, important, and requires your engagement! We focus on Pierce County Government specif...

On our first episode of 2025, Jaire sits down with Council Chair Jani Hitchen (District 6) to discuss how proposals become laws and policies become official in Pierce County Government.  On County Talk we explore all the reasons local government is exciting, important, and requires your engagement! We focus on Pierce County Government specifically, which is the second largest county in Washington...

Today, Jaire Winesberry speaks with two community champions who work on the frontline of youth justice and community reintegration. Clarissa Fletcher, Juvenile Court Community and Volunteer Services Coordinator with Pierce County, and Travis Stull, the Program Director for Alchemy Skateboarding Tacoma, share information about the juvenile justice system in Pierce County and the programs that help...

On this episode of County Talk, Jaire sits down with Goodroots Northwest CEO Stacey Crnich to explore how a local food bank in Bonney Lake, Washington, leverages innovation and collaboration to tackle the ever-growing problem of families impacted by food insecurities in Pierce County.  ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Goodroots Northwest:...

Shellie Willis, the Senior Director of Collective Impact with WorkForce Central in Pierce County, talks with Jaire about Women's History, Black History, and how those stories have intersected throughout time. Shelli is a U.S. Army Veteran and leader in work force development.  On County Talk we explore all the reasons local government is exciting, important, and requires your engagement! We f...

Today, Jaire is talking with Lucas Hatton, with Lucas Hatton, who hails from Eatonville and was recently named America's Strongest Man! Hatton’s journey to claim the title of America's Strongest Man is characterized by an unwavering passion for strength sports that began at Eatonville High School, where he excelled in football and track. Explore the world of strength sports here in Pierc...

Today, I’m talking with Pierce County Councilmember Jani Hitchen about this past year, 2023. Jani represents District 6 on the Pierce County Council, which includes the communities of Anderson, Ketron, and McNeil islands, Parkland, Steilacoom, the cities of DuPont and Lakewood, and the Army-Air Force installation of Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Jani also chairs the County’s Health & Human Service...

Pierce County is beginning the process to develop the 2024-2025 Biennial Budget, but what is in a County budget, and more importantly, how do you prioritize the allocation of $3 Billion? Jaire sits down with Council Chair Ryan Mello to discuss this and more on this episode of County Talk. Show Notes: Executive Proposed Budget: Budget Documents | Pierce County, WA - Official Website (piercecountywa...

On this episode, Bryan speaks with Pierce County Councilmember Jani Hitchen, who is the Chair of the Pierce County Council Health and Human Services Committee and vice chair of the Tacoma-Pierce County Board of Health, mental health. The conversation focuses on youth mental health, a topic of great importance to Jani based in part on her work and experiences as a former educator of Pierce County’s...

On the inaugural episode of Council Talk With... we kick this journey off with Ryan Mello, who is the Chair of the 2023 Pierce County Council, about a significant piece of legislation the Council recently passed called the Maureen Howard Affordable Housing Act. There are a lot of components to the legislation, but at its core, it establishes a revenue stream to address affordable housing needs and...