Show: On The Town Station: KNCO File: 9:24.mp3 Air date: 2026-09-24 Source: OpenAI whisper-1 · shrunk from 54.6 MB to 6.8 MB --- transcript --- We hope to see you there. It is 1130 and 79 degrees, and I'm going to take this opportunity to have a conversation with Ryan Serino. Good morning, Ryan. Good morning, and how are you? I'm doing good. Thank you very much for calling in today. Tom had an appointment that he needed to attend, and so we're doing On The Town here temporarily today. I appreciate you taking the time to call in and to talk about Serino's. This is the final Thursday of September. I cannot believe how fast this year has gone. Every time I do a schedule at work, I just go, where is the time going this year? I don't know if it's as fast for everybody else, but we're creeping right into what we call in the restaurant industry the busy season. I think that the earth is accelerating its spinning, so we're going faster. That explains a lot. Hang on, everybody. Grab a hold of something. I can't imagine in Australia, because they're upside down. Any big plans for fall, or what's coming up in fall at Serino's? Like I said, we're going to enter probably the most beautiful season this county has to offer. People are going to start visiting this town more and more. It comes down to the weather. It's just so comfortable. Mill Street is going to fill up. Grass Valley's colors are going to change here before we know it. It's a perfect time to come down and walk Mill Street. Start thinking about your Christmas shopping. Sorry to say that. Come into Serino's and grab a bite to eat. I have to say that just the other day, I was talking to a customer and letting him know how long we've been in business. I even stumble on it, because I forget that it's been 43 years we've been in this county producing food for our locals. It's been 43 years that they've been coming out to see us, share their stories, and eat our delicious food. It just blows me away. You're not even 43 yet, are you? I am. I'm 44. Okay, so you were saying goo-goo and stuff like that when the restaurant opened. Yeah, exactly. Or gouda. I was filling waters in Nevada City, and then I moved right into the kitchen, and now look where we're at. There's a couple of traditions that we have at Serino's that are still going on. One is that we like to celebrate people's birthdays and anniversaries. Another one is that we do not have a surcharge, which you see more and more and more as you go out to eat. Pay close attention to that receipt. If you look down at the bottom, you'll see a 2% or 3% cost of living charge or something like that that is hidden in there. We don't do that at Serino's. We have the best customer service you're going to find anywhere. I know that because our customers tell us that, and that's really what it comes down to when you go out to eat. You're spending your money. You want to be taken care of, and we have the best staff and an old-school style of customer service in there, and I'm really proud of that. As you filter into town this year to do your Christmas shopping and have a bite to eat, I want you to come down and just relax and enjoy what we have to offer. Consistent food, amazing food, great customer service, no hidden fees, and just remember the way it used to be. That's how you can enjoy a meal at Serino's at Main Street. You do hit all the marks. Thank you. You can tell the experience is right there, how to run a successful business and a successful restaurant. I appreciate that. We are starting to get large reservation requests. They're starting to filter in, mainly for those months of December and November because there's a lot of holidays. Offices are celebrating Christmas parties and things like that. I'm urging you folks, please call in and get those reservations in now because it's going to turn into a zoo, and we want to make sure we have a table for you. Should we start thinking about making those reservations as well? Look ahead through those two months. I would, and it just takes a couple seconds. Give us a call in the morning when we have time to talk to you, and we'll get you. Don't worry about being too far out. We want to know when you're coming in. We want to have a table for you. The number is 530-477-6000. Call in the morning sometime, if you can, not at 6 p.m. on a Saturday night when we're in service because sometimes we can't even hear the phone that well. Make sure that we get your information down, and make sure that you let us know if you're celebrating something special so we can take care of you when you come in. All right. Well, Ryan, thank you so much. Did you want to mention Kiss the Cook at all this time, or you've been too busy to think about that? No, no. I have a name right here. I've just been shuffling through some things. I'm back up. We have a James, and we have a Lindsey, both local winners this time because a lot of times I get so many people from out of town coming to visit us. But we've got two locals, so congratulations to them. And remember, Kiss the Cook is a contest where you come in, you drop a couple of bucks, a quote-unquote kiss, if you will, at an envelope, and that goes directly to the kitchen staff, the unsung heroes, and then you get a chance to win a dinner for two. So it's a good deal for everybody all around. Well, Ryan, thank you so much for calling in today. I know you're very busy all the time, and you took the few minutes to give us a call. And thank you for hosting On the Town every Thursday. On the Town in the KNCO studios today. Not a problem. Okay. All right. Thank you, Ryan. Talk to you next time. Thank you so much. Cheers. Bye. All right. So, yeah, On the Town today is Nevada County Law Enforcement and Fire Protection Council, and we'll get underway with that portion of the program right after we take a look at local news. So we're going to head into the news booth and connect with Chris Gilbert, and then it's Nevada County Law Enforcement and Fire Protection Council. It's 1136.79 degrees. I'm Chris Gilbert with the KNCO local news update. With approval of a six-year contract by the Grass Valley City Council at its Tuesday night meeting, Alex Gamilgard is now officially the permanent city manager. The starting annual base salary is $279,500. Chamber of Commerce CEO Robin Galvin-Davies was thrilled with the selection. The transition is going to be fairly painless. The relationships are in place. He's serving as the interim has allowed him to walk into the water and become accustomed to the temperature, which is often cold, and the water is often choppy. So we commend you for making this choice. Gamilgard took over for Tim Keeser with the temporary title in March, and the city then conducted an extensive and time-consuming search process, interviewing 73 applicants from across the country. After a long career with the police department, including the last 10 years as chief, Gamilgard said he's gotten comfortable with the new job, and as city manager, he will also be responsible for hiring the seventh chief since the department's inception in 1938. And he told us last week that the plan is to name a replacement before the end of the year. And over 2,000 local children read books, receive free lunches, and discovered everything from bunnies to a kangaroo this summer with help from the Friends of the Nevada County Libraries. At their meeting last week, the Board of Supervisors accepted another donation from the group that provided significant support for the summer learning program and other services. County Librarian Nick Wilsack told the board that this gift totaled $43,400. That went to performers, it went to prizes for kids, different programs going on, all the games that we have, and the summer learning game program, and the subsequent prizes there. The summer theme was Plant a Seed, Read. County Libraries offered 336 programs. More than 2,000 books were distributed for kids to keep at home, and more than 2,000 free lunches were served at the Grass Valley and Meadowland-Helling library branches. In addition, the libraries issued 3,700 new library cards. Also, teen interns contributed about 550 hours of work. Join us for our next local news update at the bottom of the hour. And for news and weather anytime, you can go to KNCO.com. I'm Chris Gilbert, KNCO News Talk 830. This from the KNCO B&C Ace Home and Garden Center Weather Center. Ace is the place. Here is your forecast on KNCO News Talk 830. Hazy conditions from time to time. Sunny with a high in the mid to upper 80s and a light easterly wind. It will be clear overnight. Terlo in the upper 50s near 60. Sunny and not as warm on Friday with a high in the upper 70s. Friday nights will be clear in 55 and sunny in 76 on Saturday. For weather anytime, click on the weather center at KNCO.com. I'm meteorologist Dan Holiday on KNCO News Talk 830. Now we can play the music. Time to chat with Rick Fisher, financial advisor with Ostro Financial Consultants, LPL Financial, member SIPC. I gave my note to the band to begin playing, and they started playing early. So that's why we got your music before we were ready to play. Oh, okay. Okay, I was wondering. Well, I'm glad that's all it was. Yeah, and they're union, so we have to pay them. Oh, okay. Yeah, you got to be really careful. Can't criticize them too much because they'll go after you. Talk to the foreman, yeah. So, Rick, how are things looking on Wall Street today? A little bit better than we were this morning. We have been... We're down across the... Oh, no, we just went mixed again. So, currently we've got the Dow down just 86 points to 51,425. S&P 500 just turned positive again up four points to 7710. And the Nasdaq statistically flat down a little over eight points to 26,929. Taking a look at commodities, we've got crude oil has jumped up $2.25, $94.42 a barrel. Gold's off just under $10 to $4,309 an ounce, with silver off $0.70 to $64.27 an ounce. And the 10-year Treasury, currently we've got a yield of 5.16, along with the highest mortgage rates in two years. So, that's probably why we're getting all this activity. All right, 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, Incorporated, LPL, inviting you to call us at 273-4425 and discover the difference when you think beyond investments. Have a wonderful afternoon. Security is offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA SIPC. Investment advice offered through Ostroff Financial Consultants, Incorporated, a registered investment advisor, and separate entity from LPL Financial. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday. Isn't it wonderful when someone sings to you or makes an effort to help you celebrate your special occasion? Hi, this is Jerry Serino from Serino's at Main Street Restaurant, reminding you that we're here to help you celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and any special event. For 43 years, celebrations have been a part of our tradition, and tradition is embedded in the Serino culture. But we recently decided that you deserve more. That's right. However, you must make reservations by calling 477-6000 and remind us that it's your special day, and we'll do the rest. Of course, we can't tell you what that is because it's a surprise. 477-6000, Celebrations at Serino's. All right, KNCO, morning news time. It is 1143, and currently we're sitting at 80 degrees, so a little bit warmer than what we were expecting today, I think. And it is time for us to connect with Nevada County Law Enforcement and Fire Protection Council. And Mike Bratton's here today. Hey, Mike. Hi, Moe. It is always good to see you. Good to see you. Good to be here. You know, Mike is one of the greatest supporters of this community. You are a fine human being. We really appreciate all that you do for this community. Community is good to us. And also, you're a representative of Nevada County Law Enforcement and Fire Protection Council. Thank you very much for being here today. Happy to do that, Moe. Yeah, you don't get your Serino's meal. No, that's right. I was looking forward to messing with Ryan. He's a good guy. I coached him in Little League years ago. Oh, how did he do? He did well. He did well, yeah. But you did get to hear the fluid voice of Jerry Serino. Yeah, the song, Happy Birthday. Yeah. And Andrew Liller is here with us today, too. Is it your birthday today? It is not. Okay. So maybe you can hold on to that until it is your birthday. Andrew Liller, Nevada County Sheriff's Office Sergeant. Thank you so much for being here as well. You're welcome, Moe. And let's see. I think we – I wanted to ask you about the – I know you were a part of the Sheriff's Academy or – what is that called, the event that happened a couple of weeks ago? The Sheriff's Community Academy. Yeah. That's ongoing. So we're going into week six. It's a 12-week program, and it's two hours every Wednesday night from six to eight. And we basically do an in-depth, deep dive of the Sheriff's Office for anybody that wants to sign up. And how is the attendance at those events? It's pretty good. It is a long commitment, so we ask that people don't miss more than two. I know life happens, so some people have had to bow out, but that's okay because we do have some dedicated people that are learning a ton about the Sheriff's Office. Now, you've been in this community for many years, right? I think you graduated from Nevada Union? I did. My whole life I've lived here in Nevada County. What was life like when you graduated from Nevada Union? A world of opportunity. I moved away for a very short amount of time and came back. It was only a couple months, and I realized how much I liked it here and all the different things that Nevada County has to offer. This is a wonderful community. Thanks to men like Mike Bratton and others around here. When you were attending Nevada Union, were you thinking about a career in law enforcement? Not necessarily, but I was pursuing an art degree. That didn't come true, but I still enjoy doing art and woodwork and drawing and all kinds of stuff. Okay, so you're exercising a lot of parts of the brain, I think. I do. Is what you're doing. Yeah, and so what inspired you to join the law enforcement? It was actually a ride-along, and at that time it was Corporal Shannon Moon that gave me a ride-along. I rode with her, and it was one of those perfect scenario ride-alongs that we had a lot of fun. She kind of gave me the pathway to get in and told me how to do it. I started at the jail in 2007, and I've worked here ever since. The Wayne Brown, correct? Correct. What was life like while you were working at Wayne Brown? It was a whole new experience for me. I hadn't had any real contact with that side of the population, and it was eye-opening. I was 23 years old. Is it a little rough dealing with the personalities at a place like that, or what was the relationship like? You learn a lot. That's for sure. I would say that our jail is much nicer than some of the other jails that I ended up visiting later on, and the cleanliness of our jail and the staff and really trying to take care of the people that are in there. Yeah, and so from there you moved on to another department. I did, yes. So I did about a year working at the jail, and I was asked to go to the police academy and graduated from there in 2008 and started my career on patrol. And now you are a homicide detective, is that right? No, I was a homicide detective before I promoted. So I worked several cases, and I will say that detective was probably my favorite role in the sheriff's office. But right now I'm doing community outreach, and I'm attached to the Office of Emergency Services. Okay. Now when you were a homicide detective, is that a tough job to leave at work? Oh, yeah. That is a job that you don't leave at work. It's very difficult to not think about it on your time off because you're wanting to provide some sort of resolution. It's never closure, but you want to solve the case for the family. And if somebody was thinking about considering a career in law enforcement, what would you say to them? Well, I'd have to absolutely say come do a ride-along. Come see what it's about. Let us talk to you about it. Join the community academy. Come out. Learn about the sheriff's office. Learn about what law enforcement does, all the different things that we do. It's not just driving around and pulling cars over. There's a whole bunch of things that we get to do as sheriff's deputies and correctional staff. Are you sticking around, or are you thinking about moving on at some point? I'm sticking around. I don't have too much longer left, and I've done my whole career here, and I really appreciate the opportunities that the office has given me. And you have children, you said, right? I do. I have two children. And how do you feel about raising children in this community? It was the best place to raise them, yeah. I started early, so they're adults now, but it was a great place to raise kids. Okay. I thought you were really young. You say you're nearing the end of retirement? Well, I've got about eight years before I can retire. Really? Yeah. Okay. But we need to keep them around. We need to keep good people here in place and have them move up the ranks, because that's what makes this community so wonderful. It's the knowledge of growing up here and becoming in business here and part of our community like you are. And it's wonderful, Andrew, that you've grown up here and that you're here and serving this community, and that's why we're a wonderful, relatively very safe community. And are your kids sticking around as well? Are they off to college, or what are they doing? I think so. My son's joining the Army, and he'll be off starting that career shortly, and my daughter is a hairstylist. Okay, here in this community. Yeah. Well, good. All right. Well, you raised them right, because this is a great place, this town. And we're going to take a break, and then I'd like to get some information from Mr. Mike Bratton concerning the efforts of recent experiences of the Nevada County Law Enforcement and Fire Protection Council. So we'll take a quick break. We'll be right back with more here at KNCO News Talk at 8.30. ♪♪♪ Escape the everyday and enjoy a little more time to relax with the weeknight getaway, because this year Stellar Rewards members of every tier can enjoy 50% off all suites and 30% off all standard rooms Sunday through Thursday. Settle in and relax in our luxurious rooms and enjoy everything the resort has to offer, from casino excitement and free live entertainment to award-winning craft beer and delicious dining at the brewery. The Lodge at Feather Falls Casino Resort, your place to stay. Must be 21 or older. Blackout day supply, management reserves, all right. All-you-can-eat prime rib and crab legs? Oh, yeah, this is not a drill. Feather Falls Casino Resort's Dream Catcher Buffet is serving up the ultimate surf and turf. Slow-roasted prime ribs, sweet buttery crab legs. Pile your plate high, then go back for seconds or thirds, maybe fourths. Hey, we don't judge. Join us Friday and Saturday from 4 to 9 p.m., just $34.99 for all-you-can-eat prime rib, crab legs, and all your buffet favorites. Dream Catcher Buffet, come hungry. Leave impressed, only at Feather Falls Casino, your place to feast. Great, now I'm hungry. Discover the stories that shaped Nevada County on History Unfolded, hosted by Tom Fitzsimmons and myself, Mike Stewart, with special guests the second and fourth Mondays at 9 a.m., brought to you by Mowl Paint & Glass, serving Nevada County since 1949, and Smarter Broadband, local, reliable, high-speed internet. Don't miss the voices, the stories, and the history that make our community unique, right here on KNCO News Talk 830. Planning for retirement isn't easy. If you don't know where to start, tune in to Bright Lake Wealth Presents Retirement Talks with Ted Thatcher every Sunday morning at 10. Ted shares helpful tips and strategies that just might change the course of your retirement. Listen every Sunday at 10 to Bright Lake Wealth Presents Retirement Talks with Ted Thatcher. Hope in a bright future. Bright Lake Wealth Management offers investment advisory services and is registered with the SEC. What if you could spend less time on chores and more time doing what you love? At Eschaton Village Grass Valley, that's everyday life. Nestled on 42 beautiful acres in the Sierra Foothills, Eschaton Village Grass Valley is a non-profit senior living community designed to help you live fully. And as a non-profit, we reinvest every dollar into creating a vibrant, supportive community for our residents. Picture starting your day with a swim in the heated indoor pool, enjoying lunch with friends in our restaurant, or taking a stroll along our pet-friendly walking paths, all without worrying about cooking, cleaning, or yard work. With 24-7 staff, housekeeping, a full culinary program, and a lively calendar of activities, you'll have endless opportunities to connect, explore new interests, and deepen friendships. Whether you're looking for independent living or the peace of mind of assisted living and memory care, Eschaton Village Grass Valley is here for whatever life brings. To learn more, visit us at eschaton.org slash evgv or call us at 530-273-1778. Yo city drivers, you know the grind, the potholes, the constant stop and go, the mileage racking up quick, but 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. We're talking a low-cost, month-to-month vehicle protection plan that saves you from those nasty out-of-pocket expenses on future auto repairs. Engine light on, transmission acting up, imagine paying almost nothing for covered repairs. Yeah, you heard that right, nothing. This special alert is for every American driver with their factory warranty running out or you've got no coverage at all. This protection plan is at an all-time low and we're hooking you up. Get it today and also get free roadside assistance, free towing, and even car rental options, no extra cost. Don't get stuck with unexpected repair bills. Drive smart, drive protected. Call CarShield for your free quick quote right now and future-proof your ride today. 800-648-1397, that's 800-648-1397. What are you waiting for? Call 800-648-1397, 800-648-1397. Again, 800-648-1397. Hope you guys got that number. Okay, NCO, morning news time. It is 1155 and it's 80 degrees and this is On the Town, Moe Howard filling in for Tom Fitzsimmons. And since Tom had an appointment and couldn't be at Serino's today, we moved the program here to the studios. But thank you once again to Serino's for sponsoring On the Town every Thursday and associating with Nevada County Law Enforcement and Fire Protection Council Tom's guests today are Andrew Lillard, Nevada County Sheriff's Office Sergeant and Mike Bratton, State Farm Agent and also one of the members of the Law Enforcement Council. And the Nevada County Law Enforcement Council does so much for law enforcement and for fire protection. And maybe you can, Mike, if you don't mind, talk a little bit about some of the things that they are responsible for. Sure, we're just a non-profit group that was organized by Bill Drown. I'm going to say 22, 23 years ago, I've lost track, but he used to come in my office and ask for, hey Mike, you got to be a member and help us and donate for things like the red light ball and different things we were trying to raise money at for helping provide things for first responders. And that's what we do. Over the last 20 plus years, I believe we're at about $1.25 million that have been raised here in this community to provide things that are needed for first responders. And it's things that are maybe new that they don't have the budget for yet or replacing radios and so forth and helping them with tools that make their jobs safer and possibly easier, which all means more protection for all of us that live here. And so just over the last couple of months, we've been able to purchase five more radios for Paradale Chicago Park Fire Department, awarded two bicycles to CHP for their bicycle program now, and also awarded a new drone for the CHP. And these are things that we just do to all the different first responders. Of course, we have budgets that we deal with because we raise money basically from the red light ball, which is coming up next year, May 15th. So we want you all to put that on your calendar. It's a wonderful event that we honor our first responders. And we also have a raffle and we have an auction. And so that's where we raise the money. And plus, of course, we're asking for donations from the community. And I have to say that if you want to give a donation to something that makes a big difference in this community, the Law Enforcement and Fire Protection Council is a good place to think about for year-end giving or become a member, become an affiliate member and help us put the red light ball on and the different things that we go to to support the first responders. And I say this all the time. If you want to support somebody, support somebody that supports you. Support somebody that's there for you in maybe the worst time in your life or when you dial 911 and who shows up? You're in a traffic accident. Who shows up? It's our first responders. Do you know your buddy gets lost in the woods? Who shows up? First responders. So that's what we do. We're there to help support our community first responders and it's just a blessing. And I understand that this is pretty indigenous to Nevada County. There's not a lot of this going on as far as these kind of organizations supporting law and fire personnel in other communities. I can't answer that absolutely. But to what I know, we're one of the lone guys out there doing that. And we've had other communities come and find out what we're doing and try to pull it off. But I haven't personally heard of any others. And so yeah, it's a wonderful program that we get to call our own here. We'd love to see it spread because it's absolutely needed. You know, they only have so much budgets and things wear out and they have to wait until they get more money. And sometimes that waiting is not a good thing for them or for all of us. So that's what we're there to do, help support. Now last year was the first year that you were personally overseeing the turkey trot. Can you tell us about what the plans are for who's going to be taking your position? Or when is it happening? And do you have any details about that? Well, the Bratton family is still involved. And of course, it's the annual Thanksgiving Day morning 5K, 10K run walk at the high school. And it's to raise funds for A New Day and other programs in the community. Which of course, A New Day supports a program that helps first responders when they're in need of help personally with counseling and so forth. So it's being picked up now by the Grass Valley Police Association and A New Day. Myself and my son-in-law Jason, who is really more in control than I was of the turkey trot. So we're on the board. So it's going to be a very smooth transition. You're going to walk in Thursday morning and not see anything really different other than maybe some of the signage. But it's going to go on just like it did. Last year we probably had 3,000 people there. And we were able to give away almost $50,000 and put back into our community after all the expenses and signs and T-shirts. --- end of transcript ---