Elk Grove News Podcasts

One of the pressing political questions facing Democratic members of the U.S. Congress, as well as Democratic voters and the American public is whether or not President Donald Trump should be impeached. In this edition of Elk Grove News Podcast , we have that discussion with Jeff Burdick. A Democratic primary challenger to Rep. Ami Bera in California's  7th district, Burdick offers an assessm...

 In what could be characterized as either a moment of honesty or more likely not understanding the implications of their words, Elk Grove's economic development director Darrell Doan unwittingly stepped into it this week. 

 In this edition of Ya Gotta be Schmittin' Me, contributor Dan Schmitt discusses what will likely be one of the main topics in 2020 presidential and congressional campaigns, healthcare. As Schmitt points out, the "S" word has been pillared by generations of Republican politicians. But is America free of any socialist-type institutions or services? 

 As a partisan candidate, having your party hold the presidency is usually viewed as an advantage, especially during a presidential election. But as we have seen since Donald Trump entered politics and the presidency, conventional wisdom has been tossed out like a stinky fish. 

If nothing else can be said about former Elk Grove Mayor Gary Davis, it is he has taken the advice of former Chicago mayor, congressman, and Chief of Staff to President Obama, Rahn Emmanuel to heart. That advise, which Emanuel famously said in a Wall Street Journal interview was "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste." Although it is not quite a crisis, this week Davis seems to have explo...

 Politicians trying to pass the buck is a universal occurrence. For the Elk Grove City Council, an example of this time-honored way of shirking leadership will be on display in the coming days under the guise of something that might not be immediately obvious.  

By Dan Schmitt |   Yesterday morning, I stood on the corner of School Street and Elk Grove Boulevard, across from the Herberger Family Funeral Chapel in Elk Grove where the motorcade procession began to transport police Officer Tara O’Sullivan’s body to her memorial service at Bayside Adventure Church in Roseville.

In politics, the actions of elected officials measure the political environment. Over the last six months, the Cosumnes Community Services District Board of Directors has become a vital forecasting gauge of Elk Grove's political landscape.  Will this forecast be accurate? 

In this edition, Jill Gonzales of @ Wallethub discusses the decrease in aggregate credit card debt during the first quarter of 2019.  Although the first quarter debt decreased, Gonzales discusses what's ahead for the rest of the year. Additionally, Gonzales discusses the implications of the ongoing tariff wars and offers an analysis of how Elk Grove household credit card debt compares to othe...

Beautiful or atrocious? Art or annoyance? If the social media comments to date are any indication, the winner, as of now, is an annoying atrocity.  Time will be the ultimate judge.  

In this edition, Cosumnes Community Services District Director Jaclyn Moreno discusses a proposal for the district to fund an extensive climate action plan study. Moreno outlines the environmental and economic benefits of funding a study that could lead to the adoption of a plan for the district.  The CCSD hearing on the matter will be heard at their Wednesday, June 19, 2019, regular meeting

Set in Texas, Angel's Truth is the story of a young man accused and acquitted of a grisly double murder. After being acquitted, our protagonist, along with his public defender pursue the truth of who killed two teenage victims, one of which was Angel's former sweetheart.  Bob Irelan provides an overview of his first published novel. He also discusses future prospects for the story which inclu...

As required by law, the city of Elk Grove must produce a balanced budget ready for implementation by July 1, 2019. After examining the budget report, Elk Grove resident Lynn Wheat discusses some information she found. Wheat has made additional inquiries seeking explanation of her findings to the city of Elk Grove. Depending on when she receives a response, an additional segment on the city’s 2020...

For the last several election cycles California's 7th Congressional district has been a battlefield between Democratic and Republican candidates. While Rep. Ami Bera enjoyed a relatively easy reelection campaign in 2018 in part because of the so-called Blue Wave , 2020 could be a different landscape.  

 By Dan Schmitt |   During my teaching career, I must have told my humanities and geography students a thousand times, “Travel is the best education in the world. By experiencing first-hand other cultures, you’ll come to better understand your own. And, during your travels, you will be exposed to cultural experiences that will simultaneously perplex and enlighten you.” In 1995, the oppor...

 In May there were events - some self-inflicted and some out of their control - that turned the month for the quasi-government agency tasked with transforming the community into a tourist destination,   Explore Elk Grove, into one they would rather forget. 1

 In this edition of Elk Grove News Podcast, we meet with Elk Grove Planning Commissioner George Murphey. The discussion centers on an event scheduled for Saturday, June 8 at Elk Grove City Hall that he and fellow planning commissioner Mackenzie Weiser helped organize. The event, called Tacos and Test Drives will allow participants to examine, test drive and learn about the vast array of...

 A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling could have serious implications for the business plan of the proposed Wilton Rancheria casino in Elk Grove, city coffers, and motorist.  

Elk Grove's Swimmin' Hole , known formally as the Elk Grove Aquatics Center will hold a grand opening ceremony on Memorial Day Weekend. While city leaders will be strutting around like Baywatch lifeguards next Saturday at the over-budget facility, what happens in a few years?  

 Every now and then political opponents can find common ground or at least common ground on governance practices. Such is the case for Elk Grove Mayor Steve Ly, and City Council Member Pat Hume when he served his one term as mayor 10 years ago.  See companion video and story to this podcast here . 

 This week the Sacramento LAFCO approved Elk Grove’s sphere of influence application for about 600-acres along Grant Line Road. The approval paves the way for Elk Grove to annex this parcel. Alone this is not remarkable. What is noteworthy, however, is the ruse the Elk Grove City Council seemingly pulled on taxpayers.  

 After a 34-year law enforcement career, Elk Grove Police Chief Bryan Noblett recently announced his retirement. A 10-year veteran of the Elk Grove Police Department, Noblett was the EGPD's third chief serving three years in that role. In this edition, Noblett reflects on aspects of his career and what the future holds for Elk Grove Police.  Photo credit: Officer Jason Jimenez, EGPD

 In this edition, we are breaking our typical format on politics and current events and will discuss the 2019 NFL draft, specifically the Detroit Lions draft.  We will be discussing this with Logan Lamorandier, editor of Lionlowdown.com . Lamorandier gives grades on the Lions' draft, their 2019 prospects and more.  Lamorandier and also be followed on Twitter @LLamorandier and&n...

 This week, the Elk Grove City Council decided to create a new place to squirrel money away, and called it the "Opportunity Fund." What might be one implication of this new fund? 

By Dan Schmitt  |   During my teaching career, I must have told my humanities and geography students a thousand times, “Travel is the best education in the world.  By experiencing first-hand other cultures, you’ll come to better understand your own. And, during your travels, you will be exposed to cultural experiences that will simultaneously perplex and enlighten you.”   &nbsp...