Elk Grove News Podcasts

With the restart of professional sports following the COVID19 shutdown, we’ve taken the opportunity to check in with sportswriter John Hull. As the former sports editor of the Elk Grove citizen, Hull has a deep knowledge of local sports and he will bring us up to date many of the professional athletes from Elk Grove. In the first installment of a two-part podcast, Hull will update listeners about...

Among the interesting aspects of the race between Steve Ly and Bobbie Singh-Allen for Elk Grove mayor are their respective strengths. One factor in determining who will be next mayor is how those strengths are utilized and communicated with voters.

This week Elk Grove Mayor Steve Ly won the first of many skirmishes that will come in the next 75 or so days and the city council was able to pass along a political hot potato.

On the evening of Friday, August 7, Elk Grove Mayor Steve Ly issued an apology statement following weeks of claims of harassment and threats. The apology comes days before the Elk Grove City Council may censure the mayor.

The looming Elk Grove mayoral showdown between Elk Grove Unified School District Trustee Bobbie Singh-Allen and Mayor Steve Ly could be defined by advantages each candidate brings to the battle

Those of a certain age will recall the 1960s song Harper Valley PTA by Jeannie C. Riley which highlights small-town hypocrisy - something that is alive and well in Elk Grove. 

To say elected officeholders, especially low-level ones, are looking ahead for their next office is no surprise. Among many Elk Grove elected officials, there is no shortage of that trait.

Recent events between Elk Grove Mayor Steve Ly and his former campaign consultant Linda Vwj (Vu) have landed one of the more politically consequential movements in recent years - #MeToo - in Elk Grove.

Every four years, we hear how this presidential election is the most significant election of the era. The November 2020 elections may well be the year this prediction is true and three issues could influence every election from the top to the bottom of the ballot for American voters.

During the June 24, 2020, Elk Grove City Council meeting, District 3 city council candidate Lynn Wheat thanks the city for adopting her budget review suggestion. 

Like many sports fans, some politicians can be fair weather when it comes to their loyalties, especially to other elected officials. In Elk Grove, there has been one politician on the scene for several years who personifies this.

Since the start of Elk Grove City Council’s COVID 19 teleconference meetings, a disturbing practice has emerged that has certain MAGA-like characteristics.

In the aftermath of the death of Mr. George Floyd at the hands of police and the national conversation on police reform, Elk Grove Police Chief Timothy Albright addressed that topic and community relations during the Wednesday, June 10 Elk Grove City Council meeting.

In California’s non-partisan local races, voters frequently ask candidates their party affiliation. In 2020 there is a far more urgent question for candidates running for office in Elk Grove and nationally.

As a follow up to our recent podcast titled Did the City Council reaffirm Elk Grove’s redneck heritage , we will read comments from two Latina-Americans - one an immigrant and the other born and raised in Elk Grove who commented on the matter.

The following is from Lynn Wheat, Elk Grove District 3 city council candidate. Ms. Wheat asked us for the opportunity to discuss an issue. If other candidates would like to opportunity to speak on an issue, please contact us for guidelines.

Over the last several years, the City of Elk Grove has touted the racial, ethnic and religious diversity of it 175 thousand plus residents. This diversity has been used not only to promote civic pride, but it has also been used as a marketing tool to promote its fledgling tourism and economic development efforts. In the year 2020 Elk Grove is a far different city than it was 40 years ago. Or is it...

During the COVID 19 shelter in place order, we have seen the very best and, unfortunately, in recent days, the worst of humanity and I am not talking about Trump

By Dan Schmitt | The Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on people and will continue to do so for who knows how long. Understandable, many people are anxious and angry, especially the more than 35 million Americans who have lost jobs and have had to shutter businesses.

In the legal business, a rainmaker is a person, usually a retired politician who is an attorney hired by a law firm, primarily to use their contacts and influence to generate new clients and the all-important billings. The Sacramento white-shoe law firm of Kronick Moskovitz Tiedemann and Girard seems to have planted a gratis rainmaker in Elk Gove City Hall.

This November Sacramento County voters will be asked to approve Sacramento Transportation’s Authority’s Measure A – an $8 billion tax increase during the COVID19 economic depression. The success of the measure falls in large part on the STA chair, Elk Grove city council member Darren Suen.

On Thursday, May 14 the Sacramento Transportation Authority moved one step closer to placing Measure A on the November 2020 ballot. If approved Measure A would impose $8 billion dollars in an additional sales taxes in Sacramento County. Although the measure will advance to the November ballot, during the proceedings, Sacramento County Supervisor Sue Frost voiced strenuously opposition to the plan....

One of the interesting stories I’ve heard about mothers day comes from a sibling who spent many years of her Pacific Bell career working as a 411 operator. Remember calling 411 and Ma Bell?

I’ve been thinking about the $1,200 stimulus money that people are now receiving from the federal government. Over 30 million Americans have lost their jobs, and millions of small businesses have shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. Tens of millions of folks desperately need that financial assistance.

Front-line medical public servants are to be commended during the COVID19 crisis. Some administrative public employees, however, according to Elk Grove’s official spokesperson are upset with extra duties during the crisis.