The Jeff Oravits Show Podcast

The Chairman of the Coconino County Republican Committee pleads with voters to get their ballots in. Return of ballots for Republicans has been slow. Jim shares why this election is so critical, how and why he's voting the way he is in all the statewide races and many local races. 

Tornadoes in Northern Arizona? That's not something you hear every day! Today Olivia and I discuss the unusual tornado warnings that swept through Flagstaff and surrounding communities. Just how rare are tornadoes in Arizona? What causes them to form, and what's the difference between a tornado watch and a warning? We also look back at Northern Arizona's historic 2010 tornado outbreak. Then we swi...

Angela and I break down Arizona's 8 statewide props. How we're voting and why.

Flagstaff Fire Chief Mark Gaillard and Casey Gonzales, President of United Flagstaff Fire Fighters, join me for an in-depth discussion about two important measures on Flagstaff's November ballot — Propositions 404 and 405. What exactly are voters being asked to approve, how much will it cost taxpayers, and what happens if the measures fail? We discuss Flagstaff's growing public safety needs, firef...

Democratic nominee for Arizona State Mine Inspector Brian Matlock joins me for an in-depth look at one of Arizona’s lesser-known statewide elected offices. We discuss Matlock’s background and experience, why the State Mine Inspector is a partisan elected position, and what the office actually does when it comes to mine safety, inspections, accidents and Arizona’s active and abandoned mines. Arizon...

Flagstaff City Council candidate Nancy Baca joins me to talk about her campaign, her Flagstaff roots and what she’s hearing from voters as Election Day approaches. Baca has called Flagstaff home for more than four decades, attended Flagstaff High School and brings a background in business, higher education and economic research to her run for City Council. We talk about some of the biggest issues...

Arizona State Senator Wendy Rogers joins me for a wide-ranging conversation that starts with politics and ends thousands of miles away in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. With Election Day approaching, Rogers explains why she believes Republicans will maintain control of the Arizona Legislature — and why she’s optimistic about Republican prospects in the U.S. House and Senate. We also dig into...

What exactly does Arizona’s State Mine Inspector do? Republican nominee and current State Mine Inspector Les Presmyk joins me to talk about one of Arizona’s most overlooked statewide elected offices — and an industry that remains enormously important to the Copper State. Presmyk shares his more than four decades of experience in Arizona mining and explains what the Mine Inspector actually does, fr...

Sine Kerr, Republican nominee for Arizona’s newly created office of lieutenant governor and Andy Biggs’ running mate, joins me to discuss what the job would actually look like and the role she hopes to play in a Biggs administration. We talk about Arizona’s rapid growth and whether the state has gone too far in courting massive data centers, the increasing pressure on Arizona’s water supplies, hou...

Local builder and contractor Mark Haughwout joins me to sound the alarm over Flagstaff’s move toward the latest International Building, Energy and Fire Codes — and what he says they could mean for the cost of building a home. Mark breaks down his estimates of how much the new requirements could add to construction costs and discusses snow-load standards, energy efficiency, sustainability mandates...

Olivia Oravits joins me for a wide-ranging conversation about politics, money and what could be a very interesting winter in Arizona. We start with political advertising: What actually gets people's attention anymore? With voters bombarded by digital ads, texts, emails and social media, could old-school campaign signs and physical mailers actually be making a comeback? Then we tackle the federal g...

Republican candidate for Arizona Secretary of State Alex Kolodin joins me to talk about his campaign, Arizona’s election system and what he would change if voters put him in charge of the Secretary of State’s Office. We get into election security, voter confidence, how long it takes Arizona to count ballots, voter ID and the rules governing our elections. Kolodin also discusses his experience as a...

Jonathan Nez, former president of the Navajo Nation and Democratic candidate for Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District, joins me to make his case for replacing Congressman Eli Crane in Washington. We discuss the issues facing Northern and rural Arizona, including the rising cost of living, water, healthcare, infrastructure and the role of the federal government in our communities. Nez also talks ab...

Flagstaff City Councilwoman Lori Matthews joins me for a wide-ranging conversation about her campaign for another term and the major issues facing Flagstaff. We talk about growth and development, housing and affordability, the cost of living, public safety, city spending and taxes, and the direction Flagstaff is heading. Matthews also discusses what she’s learned during her first term, where she b...

Flagstaff’s minimum wage is officially headed to $18.95 an hour, and I take a deep dive into how we got here—and where we go from here.   I break down the latest CPI numbers, the possibility of an interest-rate cut, Arizona’s new statewide minimum wage and Flagstaff’s much higher wage. What are the real-world impacts on small businesses, workers, prices and jobs? And what needs to happen to stop t...

Glenn Leest with WT Wealth Managment does a deep dive into AI from an investment angle but also from a moral angle and discusses the upside and downside to this rapidly moving technology. 

Isabel Oravits has visited all 50 states, traveled throughout Europe and explored destinations around the world. Now, she is turning those experiences—and her lifelong passion for travel—into IO Adventures, a travel advisory company dedicated to helping others plan unforgettable journeys of their own. In this special father-daughter conversation, Isabel shares some of her favorite travel stories,...

Angela joins me as we take on President Trump’s surprise promise of a $5,000 “dividend” for every adult American if Republicans retain the House and Senate — a proposal that could cost roughly $1.2 trillion at a time when the national debt has already topped $40 trillion. We’re not exactly cheering this one on. Then we turn local and look at what’s happened to NAU’s once-generous Lumberjack Schola...

Republican nominee for Arizona Attorney General Warren Petersen joins Jeff for an exclusive interview covering Gov. Katie Hobbs’ controversial legal defense fund, the surprising loophole that allows its donors to remain undisclosed, and Attorney General Kris Mayes’ decision not to pursue criminal charges in the Sunshine Residential Homes investigation. Petersen explains what he believes the Attorn...

Glenn Leest of WT Wealth Management joins Jeff for a wide-ranging look at the economy and financial markets. With the Dow around 53,000, they discuss what’s driving markets despite stubborn inflation and high interest rates—and whether investors have already priced in the continuing war with Iran and its impact on energy prices. Plus, is the massive investment in artificial intelligence the beginn...

Arizona Rep. Walt Blackman of Legislative District 7 joins Jeff to talk about the latest battle over Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account program and what the future may hold for school choice in the state. They also look ahead to the November election, the statewide political landscape and several of the ballot initiatives Arizona voters will decide. Plus, what does the future look like for...

Northern Arizona sits in the largest contiguous ponderosa pine forest in the world—but how much do we really know about the timber growing all around us? Joe Call of Pine Line Timber and Joe Dirt Excavation joins Jeff to talk about the past, present and future of Northern Arizona’s timber industry. Why is active forest management so important to forest health and reducing the threat of catastrophi...

Jeff talks with Nishan Campbell, co-founder and CEO of Gunfighter Canyon, about his military and civilian career and the story behind building Gunfighter Canyon in Northern Arizona. Then they dive into a major 2nd Amendment update: the history of the National Firearms Act, changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the Silencer Shop v. ATF challenge, and what eliminating the NFA tax could mean...

Arizona cities are backing away from Flock license plate cameras as privacy and misuse concerns grow — and state lawmakers may step in with new rules. Plus, a bizarre tied election in Gila Bend comes down to a game of chance,  and we look at the major changes Arizona voters could face if Prop 144 passes. Also on the show: another disturbing secret-filming case in Tempe, Meta agrees to a massive $1...

Olivia Oravits joins Jeff as co-host after touring NAU on Move-In Day! They dive into a major shakeup for Arizona’s November ballot as Prop. 212 fails to qualify while Prop. 144 survives a Supreme Court challenge. Plus, a managed fire at Camp Navajo, privacy concerns over Flock license-plate cameras, Eloy becoming the first police department in the nation to use AI “virtual investigators,” and gro...