Community Matters

Hour One: Interview with Andy Caldwell, COLAB in Santa Barbara County re: Caballero Battery Energy Storage Site (BESS) approved by fire chief and planning commission because there was no ordinance in place. https://santamariatimes.com/opinion/guest/what-blows-up-in-nipomo-doesn-t-stay-in-nipomo-andy-caldwell/article_53f44592-e3fb-11ef-8f10-d39447ade7d9.html learn more about Andy Caldwell here: htt...

Hour One: Summary of Santa Cruz County Supervisor Actions re: grid-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) projects and draft ordinance, and Commission on the Environment Final BESS Workshop. Second District Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church discusses the current progress to clean up the Moss Landing 300 Vistra Battery Fire site, regulation updates and action to provide information to th...

Hour One: Dr. Michael Hogan describes the October 8 CASI event to provide an impartial expert panel discussion to educate the public on the impacts of lithium BESS on health,  soils and the integration within the electrical grid. https://casicalifornia.org/ Mr. John Hasar, representing Invinity discusses non-lithium flow battery technology and how it is being implemented in California. https://inv...

HOur One: Ed Mitchel outlines lessons learned from the Moss Landing Vistra Battery Fire Disaster and offers suggestions for actions that County residents need to take as permitting of the 90 Minto Road Lithium Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) moves forward with permitting...to insist our public safety is protected!   Hour Two: Discussion of today's Felton Fire District Board meeting deliberati...

Hour One: Guests Roxanne and David discuss the update on the Santa Cruz Regional Transportation Commission's (RTC) demand of Castle Estates and Blue & Gold Star Mobile Home owners whose homes, according to the RTC, encroach into the rail corridor and must be moved...or else. Hour Two: Brief discussion of LAFCO's Report on Felton Fire Protection District's problems, and October 6, 2025 deadline...

This is the complete interview for both hours, with Hour One devoted to RTC Sarah Christensen. Hour Two: Discussion of Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) issues.

Hour One: What were the takeaways of the July 24, 2025 State Fire Marshal Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Fire Safety Symposium?  Fire Officials can be driving the local BESS Ordinance for public and firefighter safety.  Questionable claims by EPA of inability to calibrate equipment at Moss Landing Vistra Battery Fire. Fire Safety Symposium: https://www.youtube.com/live/Q1yZFtaykiA   Hour Two...

Hour One: Discussion of recent public meetings by Never Again Moss Landing https://neveragainmosslanding.org/ and Stop Lithium BESS in Santa Cruz County https://www.stoplithiumbessinsantacruz.org/ and why it is important to boycott 3CE by Opting OUT: https://3cenergy.org/billing/energy-choices/opt-out/   Hour Two: Interview with Ms. Sarah Christensen, CEO of Santa Cruz County Regional Transportati...

Hour One: Ms. Skylar Sacoolas describes GreenAction and what she is doing to support the residents injured by the 2025 Moss Landing Vistra Battery Fire.  https://greenaction.org/ https://neveragainmosslanding.org/   Hour Two: Continued discussion of lithium battery energy storage systems (BESS) projects proposed in Santa Cruz County with caller Ms Nina Audino of Stop Lithium BESS in Santa Cruz Cou...

Hour One: Brian Peoples of Trail Now discusses recent RTC passenger rail feasibility study of $4.28 Billion Project and why rail banking and trail only should be prioritized. Caller Cami Corvin discusses related encroachment problems for Capitola mobile home park residents and updates. Hour Two: Brian Roeder of Never Again Moss Landing updates about recent meetings with EPA and Dept. of Toxic Subs...

Hour One:  Lead Investigator Mr. Ed Mitchell discusses lack of planning and response from EPA on January 16, 2025 Moss Landing BESS Fire, how he was affected and what people need to do now. https://neveragainmosslanding.org/   Hour Two: Host Becky Steinbruner discusses history of Santa Cruz County's three proposed Battery Energy Storage Site (BESS) project sites, with latest news on the 90 Minto R...

  Hour One: Guest Tim Richards discusses his rural Community's hard work to push back on having a 151' tall cell phone tower built in their backyard.   Scheduled as Item #10 on the June 10 Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisor agenda, the Community of Bonny Doon will push back on the appeal before the Board that was launched by CTI.  The Planning Commission sided with the Community and denied the...

Hour One: Sally Arnold describes Friends of Rail & Trail, recent opening of new trail serving the Westside, actions yet to come. https://www.railandtrail.org/ Hour Two: Brian Roeder describes Never Again Moss Landing results of Scientist Panel discussion held in Moss Landing, and the June 2 "Bigger Than Moss Landing" event with national science experts Dr. Beatrice Golamb and Scott Smith, as w...

Hour One: Never Again Moss Landing Event with Scientists on May 24 and discussion about three proposed BESS sites for Santa Cruz County..keeping pressure on elected officials to listen to the people! Hour Two: Barry Branin, Protect El Estero Bay and the Morro Bay City Council's two-year moratorium on new BESS ...not all San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors are listening.  Can Santa Cruz Cou...

Hour One: Gillian Greensite, Frank Barron & Keresha Durham discuss what the Santa Cruz City Council approved May 13 relating to the City's Downtown Expansion Plan for South of Laurel.  How tall could the future buildings be around the new Arena? Three city blocks slated for demolition, but how much affordable housing will there actually be? Hour Two: Diane Dutton-Jones discusses the well-atten...

Both hours devoted to discussing this massive and monumental project to convert 29 acres in Downtown Santa Cruz, South of Laurel.  The Santa Cruz City Council will consider this project May 13, making decisions that could forever change the character of Santa Cruz with buildings as high as 16-24 feet tall in an area prone to liquefaction and flooding.  Frank Barron and Keresha Durham point out tha...

1st Hour: Ross Gibson discusses County Historic Resources Commission's unnecessary quick action to de-list Redman-Hirahara Farmstead from the National Historic Registry and why preservation is critical of this iconic 1897 Victorian designed by William Weeks and highlighting the action Watsonville residents took to help the Hirahara Family keep their property upon returning from WWII imprisonment....

1st Hour: Karell Reader describes the rich history of the Redman/Hirahara Farmstead, how residents rallied to help the Hirahara family and other Japanese-American citizens keep their land after imprisoned in WWII, The Foundation's attempt to preserve it, and now the County's drive to delist it from the National Historic Registry to enable demolition...unless a wealthy group can pool money to again...

First Hour: Santa Cruz County Law Librarian Ms. Renee Flemming describes what help and information are available to navigate various legal issues with or without an attorney, and how the Library was established in 1896 by a County Ordinance, and is funded and managed today. Second Hour: Mr. Coty Sifuentes-Winters, Vegetation Ecologist and Project Manager for MidPeninsula Regional Open Space Distri...

First Hour: Ryan McCauley, MidPeninsula Regional Open Space District, discusses formation of the District in 1972, to acquire and protect 62,000 acres as 26 Preserves, most open to the public for hiking, funding second safe wildlife crossing under Hwy 17, and a pedestrian/equestrian overpass,  and improvement projects supporting further trail systems.  He shared the best wildflower hikes currently...

First Hour: Neil Pearlberg talks about what happened following his podcast with Senator John Laird about Moss Landing Battery Fire; importance of civil and  neutral "Off the Lip" public forums, convening a panel of experts to talk about lithium BESS alternatives, and wondering about why Downtown Santa Cruz is becoming full of high-rise buildings. Second Hour: Sean Dougherty, Green Party Committee...

First Hour: Bryan Shields describes value and importance of Nor Cal Carpenters Union, Women in Construction Career Day (4/25), problems with W.E. O'Niel Construction Co. and ADCO Drywall & Metal Framing subcontractors at UCSC Hagar Construction Project. Urged letters to UC Regents to require working closely with local construction unions to include language in project pre-applications to ensur...

First Hour: Local topics re: Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects proposed in Santa Cruz County, County Board of Supervisor issues, Watsonville Gateway Project causing Redman-Hirahara House de-listing from National Historic Registry with the support of County Historic Resources Commissioner. Second Hour: Assemblymember Dawn Addis describes Moss Landing Vistra Fire disaster response and pr...

Watsonville City officials kept many City Councilmembers in the dark regarding Monterey County's $8million grant-funded plan to bus homeless to a low-barrier shelter in parking lot of a Watsonville neighborhood, allowing the Community Action Board to run it with no experience in doing so.  The neighbors united, and appealed.  Only two Council members, Ari Parker and Casey Clarke, felt staff's lack...

Hour One: Gillian Greensite discusses why Santa Cruz City's Workforce Housing Solutions Act initiative makes claims that local workers would have preference for affordable housing but the City of Santa Cruz cannot verify such a claim could be upheld because the Grand Jury "Housing for Whom?" investigative report showed the City fails to track who gets affordable housing now, and keeps no data as t...