Straight from the Source with Hayley Watts

This county supervisor is also a Navy veteran, cryptologist, walnut farmer and educator. We talk about groundwater, risk assessment & why a data center could benefit Tehama County.

Caput is a cybersecurity expert and "ethical hacker" who says AI could soon take his job, and likely yours and mine as well! But it's not all gloom & doom. We discuss ways to protect your identity, and how advances in technology could open up new careers paths for human creativity.

This city manager ran things in Biggs, then Orland, before tackling the latest challenge: retired life with his wife, kids and grandchildren. We talk about his accomplishments, working with a revolving door of bosses on city council, and what he wants all up and coming professionals to keep in mind.

This Butte College head coach returned to his local roots after playing college ball. He says the role offers the perfect balance of fierce competition, and a little time to be a family man as well. We talk about Robby Snelling's own football career as a player, and the secret sauce that makes Butte Football so successful.

This Oroville City Councilmember is a return podcast guest, back to talk about a book he just published: The Watchman's Call. While the book is written from Thomson's perspective as a Christian pastor, he says it applies to anyone who feels helpless about the future of their community. We talk about the best ways for the average person to truly affect change at the local level.

This Orland Volunteer firefighter is on a mission to step things up when it comes to public safety. He talks about his efforts to improve wellness for volunteers, and improve communication with the public. Plus, Dave Kelly shares his back story in law enforcement and safety work for PG&E.

Willows City Manager Marti Brown talks about small-town charm, how the city could pay to bring back its own police department, plus what's planned for the massive homeless camp in "the bamboo".

Billy Aldridge went from military service to the Butte County Sheriff's Office and eventually was appointed as Chief of the Chico Police Department. We talk about the impact of technology and culture changes throughout his career. Plus, how his team has navigated the local homeless crisis and soft on crime legislation.

This retired county worker says she knows how local government works from a career working behind the scenes, and that's why she's running for Supervisor District 3. We talk about her goals for better transparency and community involvement with issues before the board of supervisors. Public safety is a big focus for, which is no surprise since she's married to current Sheriff Dave Kain...

Gallagher says he'll fight for lower gas prices and affordability, and will tackle waste and fraud. The Northern California lawmaker talks about what motivated him to run for a seat as a federal representative after the death of Rep. Doug Lamalfa earlier this year.

The Shasta College president has local roots, and a background in English. We talk about what the community college has to offer, above and beyond what many might expect! Plus, the role of AI in higher education, expected state funding and why he loves long-distance running.

Shasta County Supervisor Kevin Crye is fighting colon cancer, and fighting to keep his seat for district 1. He addresses some of the claims against him by the two people also running for that seat in the June Primary. We talk about his plans for mental health, infrastructure, a medical school and a school he's starting for local teens.

This former Cal Fire EMT and law enforcement officer is running for Shasta County Supervisor District 1. He's calling for the county to push back against state mandates, and to do a better job of spending taxpayer dollars.

This Redding City Councilmember says she'll fight for mental health options and better public safety if elected to Shasta County District 1. Erin Resner breaks down what motivated her to run for office, as well as her plan for spending less money.

The appointed clerk & ROV says he believes changing the elections process through Measure B could set the stage for a nationwide change. He talks about increasing access for election observers and relying less on computers and more on real people to count ballots.

This contractor and Anderson City Councilmember now wants to represent district 5 in Shasta County. He discusses streamlining planning processes to help our region grow and thrive. Plus, how he plans to tackle the county's domestic violence problem.

Meet Matt & Lauren Thiede as well as Matt Johnston, the people behind Stoble Workplace. They're now taking their concept of "people-powered projects" across downtown and into the foothills. From bike trails, historical preservation to fancy donuts, this trio of friends is putting an inheritance to work in our community.

This Chico State sociology professor is focused on getting ahead of disasters like wildfires and flooding with better planning. We also talk with Marianne Paiva about her post-Camp Fire research, and why she thinks being a mom will make her a better public servant.

Butte County's clerk-recorder is in Primary Election-prep mode. We talk about everything that goes into getting the ballots out to the right people, including eligible inmates! Keaton Denlay walks us through how his team makes sure each ballot counted is valid, and shares his stance on the push for stricter voter ID processes.

This former Assistant Shasta County Clerk & Registrar of Voters is running for the elected office this June. We talk about her experiences over the past nearly 2 decades when it comes to election security, fraud concerns, the need for more poll volunteers, ink over-spray issues and being unexpectedly fired.

From campaign spending to checking dinner receipts, the FPPC works to make sure you know what your elected officials are spending money on, and Adam Silver is at the helm. We talk about new rules in the works, managing challenges brought on by cryptocurrency and AI, and what happens to bad actors who get caught.

This Shasta County native first pushed for the State of Jefferson and now as a supervisor, he's focused on keeping water running in the ACID canal, plus streamlining planning and permitting to benefit the local economy. We also cover wolf management, bear hunting and election security.

Chico's District 7 councilmember is a planner by profession, and she is fighting to keep Public Works needs front and center. She believes better roads and bike lanes are a key part of public safety. Plus, as a lifelong musician, Bryce Goldstein says she'll work to keep downtown venues thriving amid recent closures.

This Modoc County rancher went from emergency services to the state legislature, and hit the ground running. Hadwick says it's better to show than tell when it comes to getting her Democratic counterparts to understand the needs of her Assembly District 1, the largest by territory in the state. We talk about wolves and other predators, wildfire management, Second Amendment protections and the...

The Red Bluff native rose to fame but never forgot his hometown roots. We talk about his growing family, working with AI in the music industry, his side gig shoeing horses, and why singing the national anthem still makes him sweat!