Show: On The Town Station: KNCO File: 9:15.mp3 Air date: 2026-09-15 Source: OpenAI whisper-1 · shrunk from 30.7 MB to 6.1 MB --- transcript --- It is 1133.73 degrees and it's Tuesday. Tom Fitzsimmons is On The Town at Toffinelli's. Good morning, Tom. Well good morning. I'm outside in the patio at Toffinelli's, matter of fact, it is a great place to be. Matter of fact, Toffinelli's is a very special place in that the atrium, where I've been doing On The Town for a while lately, has a seminar of some type that's going to be starting here shortly. So you can have a group in there doing a seminar, you can have a bunch of people having lunch here on the patio. The upper part of the patio is a post-wedding group that's out here, and they're being helped by Ashley, who's, you're frantically trying to put in their order, aren't you? Yeah, I only have, I'm doing good, I've got three out of the ten tables left to ring in, I'm actually doing pretty good. Are you doing okay? Yeah, I'm doing good. How are you doing today, Tom? I'm doing fine. We'll do this real quick. What are the specials today? We have a prime rib Philly-style sandwich. It's not quite a Philly, but it's kind of in the style of it. It's on a grilled ciabatta roll. It's our thin-shaped prime ribs with sauteed bell peppers, onions, and pepper jack cheese. Our second special is a pesto chicken sandwich on the same grilled ciabatta roll. They are from Truckee Sourdough Company, they're very, very good. Lettuce, tomato, mozzarella cheese on that guy with basil pesto. Soups are tomato florentine and chicken noodle today. We do have a full bar, so please come in. Usually, if you can think it, we can make it. There's just a couple things here and there we might not be able to if it's very specialty. Post-wedding group, are they a full bar type of group up there? Because post-wedding, people usually, maybe they need the hair of the dog type of thing. There's a couple people who definitely ordered some drinks, but most people are sticking with coffee this morning. I think I'm on pot of coffee number four or five. There you go. I understand. All right. How have you been doing? Everything good? Everything's been doing good. I'm starting to learn how to walk and school started up, which has been really nice for me in the house, because now I have a little bit of quiet time before the kids get out of school. Never. My husband had surgery. He's post-surgery 13 days, so he just had his post-surgery appointment this morning. Things are looking good. Yeah, we're just trying to be positive because that's all you can be if you start looking down on everything. Everything just keeps going sour. Well said. Well said. Okay. Real quick, dinners are here as well. Anything special dinner-wise? So halibut we are done with. Yes, fishing season is still open, but the last few orders of fish we got in didn't really feel very fresh, and we only like to serve fresh fish here. So we cut halibut for the season. You'll have to catch us in March when it opens back up and that comes in nice and fresh, but because we don't have halibut, we've been bringing in a lot of different white fish. We had flounder last week. We had a trout another week. We've been trying to at least still have another white fish on menu, and even if we don't have the white fish, our salmon is always good. It's farmed salmon, but it always comes in fresh, never frozen. We cut and portion it here ourselves, and if you don't care for a grilled or pan-seared piece of salmon, we always have our poached salmon salad as well that is available breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Very good. Well, I'll let you get back to your tables. Thank you, Ashley, so much. Thank you, Tom. It's always a pleasure. I'll see you in a couple weeks. Great seeing you here at Toffanelli's in downtown Grass Valley. Going to take a quick break, check on Wall Street, then we're on to town next with the voice of Grass Valley. Next. It is 1136 and 73 degrees, time to chat with Rick Fisher, financial advisor with Ostro Financial Consultants, LPO Financial, member SIPC, and just newly back from Hawaii a few days ago, did you have a chance, or do they still have, like a Don Ho sort of experience there in Hawaii? You mean, do they have luaus? Or maybe somebody who pretends to be Don Ho or the Don Ho experience? No, I have not. No, if they do it, they do it on another island and they keep it really quiet because I haven't heard the name Don Ho in decades. Okay. Because I thought that was a big part of visiting Hawaii, but I... If you're drinking champagne and have the tiny bubbles, maybe, but I don't drink anymore, so... Yeah. Okay. Well, that would, I guess, excuse you then. Yeah. You are excused. Okay. And Wall Street, how are things looking today? Oh, I think we want to talk about those other things. I want to know, who is the voice of Nevada County? Who is the voice? It might be Paul, but I'm not sure. He didn't reveal ahead of time because Paul was just given a special... I could be in the running. It's possible. It could be you. Yeah. Somebody might open up the door like that Kool-Aid thing and might bust through the wall there and say, you're the voice of Nevada County. Does that mean you get a key to the city? Yes. Well, a key to Chris Gilbert's apartment. Okay. So, you don't want it. All right. Moving on. Anyway. So, yeah. So, it looks like the Fed might be raising rates and the market doesn't like that. So, we're down across the board, deeper than we were when we started this morning. So, currently, we have the Dow down 429 points to 51,992. S&P 500 is off a little more than 36 points to 75.84. And the NASDAQ down 196 points to 25,991. Taking a look at crude oil, we've got crude oil up big, up 4%, up $4.31 to $105.71 a barrel. Silver's off $7 and change to $4,345 an ounce, with silver actually up 20 cents to $64.34 an ounce. And the 10-year Treasury currently is at 5% even. So, that's where we are, this beautiful Nevada County late summer day. Are we getting... When is fall? It's fall. It's around the corner, isn't it? It is a week from today at... Okay. All right. ...about 5 p.m. So, this is very late summer. Very late, yes. Correct. And we'll get an update from you right after the 5.30 newscast this afternoon. So, until then, this has been Rick Fisher of Ostroff Financial Consultants, Inc., LPL, inviting you to call us at 273-4425 and discover the difference when you think beyond investments. Have a wonderful afternoon. Securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA SIPC. 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He just came back from his experience in Cornwall that is unique and fabulous, becoming a Bard from the College of Bards in our sister city, Bodmin, Cornwall in Great Britain. That's as neat as it gets. And he is the voice of Grass Valley. I'm going to get into that. To clarify things for Rick Fisher, in case he's still listening, we figure Rick, and I'll ask about him, Mo goes down the hill, that maybe he could be the voice of Ellis Lake down in Marysville. I think that's what Rick is qualified for. Congratulations on becoming a Bard, Paul. That is fabulous. Is it still kind of settling in what experience happened to you over there? Yes. I mean, it's still, I am, it blows my mind that I was even considered and nominated and then elected by the Council of Bards to be part of this. It's something that I didn't think I was worthy of. When you look at our local historian, Gage McKinney and Eleanor Kennitzer and what they've done with the Grass Valley Cornish Carol Choir, and I kind of look at myself as, well, I guess the voice now. So I jokingly said, but kind of also felt it at the city council meeting when I said, yeah, we've got the beauty with Eleanor and the choir, brains with Gage and his historian and bullocks with me. That's about right. That's not bad. Okay. Let's go back to when you became the town choir. That was an invitation from Howard Levine, if I recall, way back when? That was, yeah, it was, I can't remember the year exactly. It's been over, it's a well over, well over 10 years now. And yes, it's, the opportunity presented itself and I jumped on it. And so they, and I've lived here since 81. Was there a town crier before you were town crier and if there was, do you, did they remember who it was? There was, there was one that was just right before me and he was just for a few years and I don't, I, unfortunately I don't know what his name was. But yeah, he was, he was there and then stepped away and that's what vacated the position. And it might be because you work with me, so maybe I get, I found out more of what, what the responsibilities are, what you would do, what event you would go to and stuff. But they made no impression with me. That's why I was serious when I asked that. I don't recall that town crier. I was told when you were offered it because they were saying, Hey, is this okay? We offer this to Paul. And I said, well, absolutely. And stuff. And they basically said, well, he'll be at some events and all that stuff. You kind of took it to a different level, didn't you? Yeah. I tried to put myself in as many events as we can in order to help promote the Cornish identity around the area and throughout California and apparently the United States. And now with the way that this all developed and then my role at the station and being able to tell stories, we've really created a unique element there where we go back and forth with our new stories about Cornish culture in America and having them shared on BBC Radio Cornwall as well. And so it's really exciting to be part of that. All right. Let's think about your chance versus town crier when you took this on and stuff. Did you go and research what they were doing in Cornwall about what chance were used and how they were delivered? A little bit. And again, it was more of what was it like in America at the time and, you know, from the eighteen hundreds and it was Western culture. And so that's why I'm not in a full regalia, as they would recall, as they would call it with a tricorner cap. I went with a top hat because that's more what was represented in the United States at that time. So that's why the top hat, the long coat kind of resembles the cape that they have. And so that was something that I had and was able to adapt to. And then all of my Cornish accessories have been given to me by either people of Cornwall or people here of Cornish descent that gave me Cornish scarf. And they wanted to make sure I had the they wanted me to have the right things, not not a party hat. They wanted to make sure that it reflected with their true Cornish turban and not just a plaid of some other sort. Totally for that. I think that's the greatest thing, because it's all part of that culture. It's the it's the language. It's the outfits. It's just really the the presence you have just holding yourself. And I try to make that important because I want this to be an important role that's played in the city and be the voice or the face of our Cornish identity. Though I am galvanized Cornish, not blood Cornish, but my family does have blood Cornish in it. Now, galvanized Cornish. Is that because you married a Cornish woman, Tammy, or is that for something else? It's for embracing the Cornish culture and identity and race and her. Oh, yeah. That's part of it. But I love the fact that my children have Cornish blood and my grandchildren have Cornish blood. And so it's there. It's in the family. And I just have to be the accessory on the other side. Do you believe that it went from you getting asked to do that to where you are now? It's a remarkable thing in 10 years. That's what I mean. I really it is really mind blowing the way that that has has happened. The important part of this is, I mean, I've grown so much in what I've learned and embrace that it's like sitting with Eleanor and really talking about what the Cornish carols are and where they came from and how important they are. And you were with me on Christmas morning and I mean, I had tears in my eyes when I was playing some of those soundbites from Eleanor that talk about Leonard Priske, Deborah Priske's father. It was coming upon the Christmas season. This was one of the first years that Eleanor had revived the Cornish Carol Choir and he was failing. He was on his deathbed and the family asked if the choir would come and sing at the house and he was there laying basically unresponsive and Eleanor had the choir around and they gathered around and they started traditionally they start with sound sound and the minute that they started singing, Leonard began to mouth the words and that to me that I mean, I get chills just thinking about that. That's the power of importance of tradition and character that I want to make sure that I help continue that legacy and that story and be able to bring it to as many people as we can. Even in their last days, they can still have that spark inside gets rekindled and it's right there at the surface. Amazing. Absolutely. It is completely amazing. And on this latest trip, it was amazing the way that our relationship with Bodmin is just grown over the three years now that I've gone back three years in a row. And this year, being able to be initiated into the Gorset Curnow or the Cornish Bards in Bodmin as our twin city was so incredible. And then to be able to spend time with the mayor of Bodmin giving personal tours and just the way they treated me, Tammy, my guests that came over to watch me get initiated. I still just can't believe that all of that happened, but I mean, what an honor. And then on the actual day of the ceremony, they in full regalia led the procession and then came in and then as the Gorset came in, the initiates led, but then we were kept outside of the circle until it was time for the initiation. And then as we walked through the opening in the circle, we paraded past the mayor, the vice mayor or the deputy mayor, the city clerk, deputy clerk, and all of the officials in their full regalia. It was such an honor as we walked by all of them in unison directly to me, gave me the nod, you know, the nod from, because they're seated, but the equivalent of a bow, of which I returned. But it was just amazing. Somebody did say that American guy. Anyway, we're going to talk about that. We have to take a one break. We're going to do that on the town here at Toffinelli's. My guest Paul Haas today, he is the voice of Grass Valley. We'll tell you why, how that happened, how he has that title when we come back. Tune in to the Ramsey Show today at noon. Brought to you by Zion Capital, your trusted Ramsey SmartVestor pros right here in Nevada County. Yo city drivers, you know the grind, the potholes, the constant stop and go, the mileage racking up quick. When your ride suddenly gives out, that's a problem you don't need. It's time to future proof your ride. CarShield gets it. 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Grammy Award winner and Lilith Fair icon Paula Cole brings the unforgettable sound of the 90s to the Center for the Arts in Grass Valley, October 6th. Powerful, personal, intimate, spend an evening with one of the defining voices of a generation. Paula Cole, October 6th at the Center for the Arts. Get your tickets now at thecenterforthearts.org. And welcome back to On the Town, Tom Fitzsimmons here at Toppenelli's Gold Country Bistro in downtown Grass Valley. Great place to be, it's right next to the Center for the Arts here, so if you're having a show, just tell your server that you have to have a show to catch, they'll get you done and out on time. Paula asked my guests, we don't have anything to do. We're talking about something that was so darn special, it gives me goosebumps, and I was across the pond and across the country from it, as over in Bobbin, England. You joined the College of Bards, and you got a title, you got your unique name. How does that come about, and feelings and the emotions when it was delivered? It was absolutely amazing, because I feel that the name aptly resembles what I do, both my work with the radio station as a news person, and as town crier on both sides here in Grass Valley and Nevada City, which has been great, helping that come back along as well. In Cornish, the name is Laven Nance Gwells, and that basically is the voice of Grass Valley. Lave is voice, Nance is valley, and Gwells is grass, so it's voice of valley of grass, but Grass Valley is the way it translates. That was just such an honor to be given that name and have it read. And then the... You got a certificate here, right? The little one that I'm pulling out, this is what really I find is really touching. It's from the Bardic poet who writes a little three-line poem that goes with your title. A specific poem for you? Just for me. And I can't read it in Cornish, well, I could try, but it wouldn't mean much. But let me give it a shot. Lave crave in pow hour, in aunts deen sal dower, e glee weir glan lower. Okay, so it rhymes. And so the way that that translates, the first line is, a strong voice in California. The second line, beyond the salty water, will be heard clearly. And that's what goes with Levan non squels. That is awesome. Yeah. It's... Again, I... Because you're a native son of California, that's another organization, so you're proud of your heritage here, and now you're galvanized Cornish. I mean, that brings it all together, that whole title. It's unbelievable. And that written by the Bardic poet without really knowing me, but reading whatever information was sent in by the people that nominated me, and I don't really... I have an idea, but that's never been shared. So it's... You did mention Nevada City, because you do parades in both towns and all that stuff. You're a crier in both towns when needed. And we're getting Penzance, their sister city, back on board with each other? Yes. The way that the trip was laid out this time was arrived in Bodmin a day and a half before the ceremony. And so I spent a day with the Bodmin mayor and the city council, or not city council, but the executive board, and then had tours, and we had a nice high tea, and we exchanged gifts, which I want to thank Sue Amick from Foothill Mercantile for helping contribute to that. Each of the council members and the mayor were given an ornament representing Grass Valley, and KNCL helping with that as well. And then also Gage McKinney signed a couple of his book when minors sang, and so those went to the mayor and the deputy mayor, and then there was a real special gift that came from one of the original Grass Valley families, the George family, and it was really touching to be able to give them something from the George foundry, which represents the heart of Grass Valley. So that was really a spectacular day. Then Saturday was all barred, barred, barred, barred stuff, and that was just amazing. And then Sunday was a travel day because we were heading down to the tip, where Penzance is, and so that was- What's it called, tip? Well, just south, the south end, the southern end is, they call it Land's End, but that's a whole different thing. But Penzance is the city, and it's literally the end of the railroad line. And so we were staying in, and again, I laugh because they corrected me all the time on my pronunciation of things, whether it was English or Cornish, whatever I was trying- I'm the American. But we were saying, my enunciation was too clear, you need to run things together, and so, St. Ives, St. Ives, but they would say, no, no, no, no, that's not even, it's Cornwall, not Cornwall, when I gave the proclamation. And so, and that's all, I'm fine with that, I'm fine with that, but meeting with the mayor and getting up in the Twinning Committee of Nevada City and Penzance was spectacular as well. We had Kathy Wilcox Barnes instrumental in setting that up, and she, former mayor, former city clerk, former everything, and current historian, current historian, and in charge of the museum, helped get that arranged with the last member that she was aware of. And so it's almost all new people on both sides, but there are some people that have been around for a while, and they are excited to get that relationship restarted, and we need to try to get the youth involved, and that's why Lynn Skrookrud is so key, because she's been to Cornwall, she's been to Penzance, she knows what it's all about, and she provided a set of 25 gifts, because, believe it or not, the city council of Penzance is 20. Yeah, there's a mayor and then 20, trying to get business done, and it's really interesting, 15 in Bodden, and so it's, you know, they're not small, they're not small. We're almost out of time, see, we're down to like a minute, we're down to like a minute, this is what I mean, we have to kind of continue this, are there any big things that are going to be happening you anticipate this next few months, year? On Sunday, we've got the Constitution Day Parade, but I'll be leading that, and what I'm really hoping is that my grandson will march with me again, because he has shown interest at five years of age, and wants to be part of it, and that's what we need, we need the youth. And then also, Melissa George, I mentioned the George family, she's a teacher over at Bell Hill Academy, her second grade class, getting them involved, because they are all in, and that's what we want, the perfect age, and so to get the youth back, to get the families, the original families involved again, people that have been in Grass Valley since the 1880s, that's what is exciting about this, same thing over in Nevada City as well, trying to get that going again, and bringing it all life, and it can't just be me. --- end of transcript ---