Show: Insight Station: KNCO File: 10:19.mp3 Air date: 2026-10-19 Source: OpenAI whisper-1 · shrunk from 98.6 MB to 12.3 MB --- transcript --- Welcome to KNCO Insight, Nevada County Action, KNCO's local issue talk show. This is your chance to gain insight into issues affecting Nevada County. Be a part of the show. Call with your questions or comments. The number, 477-5626, that's 477-KNCO. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and callers and do not reflect the opinions of the advertiser, staff, or ownership of Nevada County Broadcasters. Now here is your host, Tom Fitzsimmons. Yep, that's me, KNCO Newstime about 907, 62 degrees, beautiful blue skies out there, kids are back at school, all is right with the world when fall breaks over, unless you got used to it being kind of quiet around town as far as driving goes, but yeah, it's a very important show we're doing today for our monthly visit with the County of Nevada as their Executive Director is here, Executive Officer, I should say, for the county, Allison Lehman. Talking elections today, Allison, which is obviously perfect timing. Yeah, it really is perfect timing. We have a great show and a great lineup and so looking forward to the conversation, Tom. Yeah, I actually did my ballot the other day. I was sharing with Corey O'Hare, is O'Hare correct? Correct. Yeah, just like the airport. All right. There we go. Yeah, he's the assistant registrar of voters that I did my ballot and dropped it off at a secure location. I always prefer to drop it off at the Root Center because I've just been used to doing it. Right. So you mean you came to the Government Center, you didn't come by and say hello? No, I didn't. I had my dog in the car. I didn't want him to wait out there. We're dog friendly. Are you dog friendly? I could have brought the dog in. You could have brought the dog in. I'll make a point of doing that later today. Heck, I'll do that. Anyway, I felt good about dropping it off there. Just because it looks secure. I must have passed two or three other locations on the way, but I don't feel very secure about them sometimes because they could be in a neighborhood that has some issues. I say that just, I was thinking about this, the Grass Valley Post Office is a great example. I went to drop off. I said, well, maybe I'll mail it, but I didn't want to drop it off outside. So I said, I'll go in the lobby and just put it in there. The thing was locked because it was early morning. I said, well, that's not good, is it? You can't drop it off there. They don't even have a way to securely put it into the facility, not just the box outside. There's kind of a transient population that are out here. So I worry about just somebody messing with stuff. It's terrible that I've gotten that way. Yeah, no. I mean, I think it's great discussion and I'd love for Corey to jump in, but the department has been really intentional to make sure that there's access to the voter boxes. They are in locations where they're monitored and secured and I think actually picked up daily. Like you, I dropped mine off at the government center. So not only is there a place outside in the parking lot where you could just literally drive by, but also in the elections office on the second floor of the government center, they have a box inside their office as well, but I believe they expanded the locations this year. So you could talk about where they're located, but from grocery stores and like you said, post office. And so making sure that people have confidence that when they drop off their ballot, that it gets to the elections office. And you probably know this already, but you could go online to make sure that your vote was received and counted. Yeah, that's right. And I do follow that. Yeah. And Corey, that's all the transparency people want, I guess. I've always thought everything's been safe and secure all along myself. Yeah. So to Allison's point, we have all boxes. They're all monitored. They're all working closely with government entities for our 24 seven boxes. They're outside our government buildings or libraries or anything like that. Also trust and transparency is what we're all about. You can watch us on our YouTube channel on the Nevada County YouTube channel. You can just watch us work through all the mail ballots that are coming through and just go step by step and you can just watch the cameras and watch us do our thing 24 seven if you want to. Yeah. I still have a post traumatic voting syndrome from years ago on some of the presidential elections when there were some people, I think trying to intimidate people when they were dropping off ballots and stuff. I don't want to just point out President Trump necessarily, but during the Trump elections, it seemed to raise emotions more, shall we say. And so that's one reason I went to the Roots Center too, because that was a place where there were people kind of hanging out. And I just said, not that I wanted to be confrontational, but I wanted to walk over there and just do it and go, okay, is anybody here to say anything to me or anything? But everything was fine. It was quiet. Easy. Yeah. I mean, for over the 20 plus years I've been with the county, we've had very, very few incidents and isolated incidents. And I think that just really reflects that we have a very engaged community that with, which is great. That's a good way to put it. But when it comes to election time, people are there, there's high civility and respect. Our poll workers are fantastic. So I think that we should celebrate the engagement of our community and our high voter turnout, which is fabulous. And I mean, guys like Tom Bremser, who's here, he's a longtime vote center manager. That's correct. Yeah. And having guys like you, I really do appreciate you and all your volunteers at those vote centers really giving us that confidence about voting. Well, thank you. And I'm sure speaking for all the other volunteers, we thank you for that vote of confidence. All right. Now, Corey, there's a lot of things on the ballot. Can you highlight some of the good and bad that's on the ballots? By that I mean the craziness that's on the ballots. Yeah, there's a lot on the ballot. As many of you know, for midterms on the federal level, there's a U.S. Representative District 3 in this county. That's on the ballot. For state races, we have the State Senate 4 up in Truckee is on the ballot. And also U.S. Representative 1's on the ballot, or sorry, State Assembly 1 is on the ballot too. But something that people don't really maybe know, there's a lot of local races on the ballots, a lot of local communities, a lot of local districts, fire districts, people like that that are making decisions on the local level that impact you daily. So those type of contests are also on the ballot, along with 14 state propositions, which a lot of people have talked about. That's a lot, and it is a lot. And it is kind of crazy. I mean, if you read them, you can almost get dizzy just because of the language in them. Yeah, I mean, but California, they went through all the steps they needed to get the signatures they needed to get on the ballot. And it's important that we recognize that the process was done correctly to get to this point, even though it feels like a lot of propositions. These are important things that people in California want to discuss and want to have a vote on. All right. You guys are about to have an open house too. Is that correct? Correct. Tomorrow, from 4 to 7, we'll have an open house at 12740 Loma Rica Drive in Grass Valley. That is where our ballot processing center is. We've been there for the last two elections. We did an open house last election, which was a success. And we'd be excited for anybody to come. We give a little tour. Usually it takes about a half hour or so out of your life if you wanted to come, come be part of it, and see what we're doing. All right. I noticed that there's, Allison, an election hero day that's going to be celebrated out there too, I guess, huh? Yeah, I really am impressed with the elections office that they have had longstanding volunteers that have come back year after year and are just really dedicated to the process. So the office is doing a great job to make sure that their efforts are recognized. That's excellent. And that says a lot. And Tom, again, I recognize guys like you that kind of are like a leader to make that happen because election workers, they remind me of almost nurses during COVID at times. They were kind of like bad mouth. Like there was some extra agenda there when they're some of the most noble volunteers around. Yeah, I think a lot of people kind of transfer their frustrations to the people that are helping out and trying to do the right thing to help them cast their ballot, which is pretty dang important. It's their chance to have their voice heard. And we're just there not representing any one group, any one party. We're just people there from the county that are volunteering to make it easier for them to get their vote counted. All right. And you got some youth helping you this year, right, Corey, and stuff? That's kind of exciting. Yeah. In the past, we've had some youth poll workers, but we've really ramped it up to really get the word out there and try to get more. And we have a lot more, more than double of what we normally have had at any other election along the way. So we do have a lot more youth involved, and you'll see them out there on election day helping you out, just like Tom and his crew, but they'll be out there helping you out and learning the process and getting a feel for the process themselves. All right. Ella Miller's here. She's a youth commissioner. Ella, I was visiting with you off the air. You're not eligible to vote this election, right? No. Are you too young? Yeah. Does that bum you out? You seemed kind of upset when I asked you that question. Yeah, I'm bummed out. I'd really love to vote. I really like politics, though. You really like politics? All right. That is counterintuitive. A lot of people think kids are kind of detached from politics. Why are you so involved, and why do you find it so interesting? I find it very interesting because it impacts everyone. I feel like sometimes kids think that it's not impacting them because they don't see it themselves day to day, but it is. It's impacting their futures. It's impacting what they believe in, their morals. Also, I think kids should just start to look into politics more sooner rather than later so they're less confused when they're adults. Boy, that is a very mature outlook. Now, do you have an interest in going into politics? I do not. You do not? I do not. All right. Fair enough. I'm very interested in it. That is kind of a refreshing thing there, Allison, to have a young person speak that way about it. Oh, absolutely. I'm so impressed with Ella's, along with her peers around the Youth Commission, where they really take on policy issues, as she stated, that impacts the community, their future, and they become informed and in a position to make policy recommendations to elected officials. Yeah. All good stuff. All right. We're going to take our first break. Yeah. We're going to have a whole show dedicated to the election process here. My mind's going. Anyway, we're going to have our first break at KSU Insight. We'll be right back. Escape the everyday and enjoy a little more time to relax with a 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. 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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, KNC Newstime is at 920, 63 degrees. Welcome back to KNCO Insight, Ella Miller is here as a youth commissioner in the studio. I forgot to tell Ella, Ella, just start talking when you hear the music, but I wouldn't leave that on you, though. It's now her show. Yes, it would be her show, and she would just start by saying, I can't vote and I'm mad. How old are you, Ella? I'm 17. 17? Yeah. All right, and where do you go to school at? I go to North Point Academy as a senior. Very nice. Good school? Yeah. Are you excited to be graduating soon? Yeah, I'm graduating in December, so a little early, so I'm really pumped. How excited is that? I went around the corner. Yes, that's very exciting. What are you going to do after graduation? Do a few more GEDs with Sierra College, so I can get some of my psychology degree done, and then wait for the college replies. Okay, and what do you want to do when you grow up? I want to be a psychiatrist. You want to be a psychiatrist, a therapist of some type? Yeah. Is that because you deal with crazy people in general? I'm just kind of curious. Yeah, I work at Starbucks, so one day I recently got a drink thrown at me. I'm a little scared. I love your personality. I knew I could ask that question, and I would get something like that. I really do appreciate that. All right, so with the vote centers that are out there, Tom Bremser is here. Tom, how old are you, by the way? I just turned 75. Well, you look great for 75, young man. Thank you. Wow, good for you. Okay, 75. What got you interested in working at a vote center? Is this something you've done for a long time or relatively short time? Well, this is my sixth election, and it's easier to count elections than years. Yeah, I see. So this is my sixth election. On retirement, I knew I needed to volunteer somewhere, or I knew I wanted to. Years ago, I had considered a job with another county's election office. I was an IT guy. Okay. I was a backroom guy that took care of the systems and things like that. So you were kind of nerdy in your day. Very. Yeah, okay. Yeah, very. And so I had seen that the county was looking for somebody in their IT, in their election office, and that's when kind of the penny dropped. This was probably back in the 90s that computers were really getting into fields that you just never expected. Yeah, okay. And so I thought about it, but I was on another track with a hospital. And so I stayed with that until I retired. But in the back of my mind, I recognized the importance of elections and have always had a – I'm a veteran. I volunteered for that, and I have a sense of duty to the whole election process. Yeah. That goes back. So after the dust settled with retirement, then I started looking around for the county at the county's webpage to see when they were looking for volunteers. So that's what brought me to the county here. That is interesting about vets. They really – sometimes they do a couple of vet shows a month as well, and a lot of them say one of the best ways to thank a vet is to participate and vote. Truly. Right? Yeah. Oh, no. Because that's – I mean, this is the way – this is the only way a person's voice really gets recorded. You can petition your congressman. You can scream and yell all you like. But the only way to really move the needle is to actually have your vote voted and then counted. All right. Now, to become a vote center manager, how long did that take? Did you go right to the top right away, knowing maybe that they needed leadership or what? After my second election as a volunteer, I kind of – during that second election, I was at the Root Center for 11 days, and I spent that time shadowing, surreptitiously shadowing the manager because I thought I wanted to be a manager. And so I kind of followed her around and saw what she was doing and felt that I was capable of doing that. And so then the next election, the third election, I went ahead and put in an application. The elections office, Corey, at that point, it was – well, no, I think it was still – It was Natalie. I think it was still Natalie. Corey was just coming on. Put out the call for – to the previous volunteers, who wants to be a volunteer, who would like to be a manager. And so I went ahead and expressed my interest in being a manager. How was it during the last couple of election cycles with the angst that's out there? I mean, there's a whole bunch of different emotions. I was always shocked by the emotions of people questioning how elections were run and the people that were helping out as volunteers. Yeah. I think it seems like when people get inside the vote center, a lot of that goes away. I mean, that's more expressed, I think, outside of the vote center, out on the street. Yeah. We ran into some – a lot of issues when, of course, a couple of elections ago, when we had the problems with the ballots. I don't mean to bring up – The ink overspray. Yeah. I don't mean to bring up a bad time. Right. And that had – that really had people asking questions. Right. But in general, I haven't run into a lot of anger. Yeah, good. Once the person gets in there and they see that we can do what they want, which is get their vote counted. Yeah, Corey. I think, to Tom's point, I think a lot of people, no matter what their passion is, respect voting and they respect that people are casting their vote at those vote centers. So we really haven't had a lot of issues at vote centers themselves, as Tom said. It's usually people out in the, you know, social media, things like that. But at vote centers, we're very proud of what we have going there and the teams that are there. Yeah. And when there is an issue that rises up, they handle it very well. And we work a lot on de-escalation and making sure people understand people are there to vote, including that person that might be a little upset. Let's try to get their vote cast and make sure that they're happy walking out the door. Yeah, that's the number one goal is to get that person's vote cast. And that really is the primary aim is to make sure that they leave feeling like they did something. They got their vote cast, no matter how many or how it happened. But we made it happen. Well, I know it must be great to have these longstanding volunteers that do election after election. What's it like getting some new people involved, like these kids that are getting involved this year? Is that bringing excitement to it? Oh, yeah. We had a young girl at the last election that I worked with, and she was a sophomore in college. And she was the youngest one of all of us retirees. And so if anybody had a computer question, it went right to her. There's something to be said for that. It is great seeing the younger people come in. I've worked with volunteers before, and they're always so willing to help. And they just want to do whatever they can do. And it's been a great experience working with the younger volunteers. And it's good to see we're having more of them this time. Because especially on Election Day, it gets pretty crowded. And we only have so many volunteers, so it's nice to have the extra help. Yeah, I agree. Anything you want to add, Allison? Just my appreciation to all the volunteers. I mean, like Tom, we have around 70 volunteers for each election. And if you've ever experienced going to a polling center, everyone is just super helpful. Super helpful. Excited to be there. You know, take an opportunity. We talked about having confidence in the different drop boxes. But just reminding individuals, and I did this last time actually with my kids. We went into the polling center at the government center. And you can actually scan your votes into the machine, right? Scan and go, right? Scan and go. And so if you forgot to vote on a page or you forgot, if you undervoted, it beeps. It brings it up. And poll workers are there to assist you. And then when it's finalized, you see it all done right in front of you. So just another opportunity to build that confidence in our voting system. Yeah, and sign, scan, and go is getting more popular every day. On Friday, we have in-person voting going right now at our Loma Rica ballot processing center. And on Friday, 100% of the in-person votes were all signed, scanned, and go. People were bringing their ballots from home, scanning them in the machine. And, Tom, I just want to make sure we give that address, too, because we're saying that our ballot processing center. So it's up by the airport. Up by the airport, right. And the address is 12740 Loma Rica Drive, and that's Grass Valley. So if your listeners want to come out just to observe or come to the open house or drop off their ballots, that opportunity is there for them. Is there a big sign that says vote here or drop ballots here or something? There's a flag. You can't miss it. And it's a new building. It's a beautiful building, so it might not be a building that people are familiar with. But it's right up there by the airport. Can I also say some people have asked the question, does that mean the vote center at the government center is not going to be there? That's not true. And everything out there, just so everybody knows, we have two 11-day vote centers opening starting this Saturday, October 24th. One's at the government center at 950 Maidu Avenue, and then the other one is up at the Truckee Airport. So we will have vote centers starting to open. And, yes, you can vote at the government center starting October 24th. By the way, today's deadline to register, right? Correct. That's another big thing. Another big thing. Yeah. Today's the last day to register to vote. I will say, if you do not register today, you still can put in a conditional voter registration, it's called. But you'd have to go to a vote center, and you'd have to do that at one of those locations after today. So today is a big day for registration. But you have to be 18 by Election Day. Correct. You'd have to be 18 by Election Day. Well, I think you're out of luck. Yeah. It's okay. I'm pre-registered. All right. There you go. Yes. Of course she did. Oh, you show-off, you. All right. Let's take a break here. We're going to try to get a couple of youth from Truckee by phone to join us to talk about why they're going to be part of the election process. It's very exciting from Truckee High School. Anyway, we'll get a news update, weather forecast. We'll be right back. Good morning. I'm Paul Haas with a KNCO local news update. A community meeting on what's behind a significant decrease in Nevada County's homeless population is scheduled for Thursday afternoon. Hospitality House Board President David Langness says they're hosting a panel discussion with Spirit, Freed, and the county at Wolf Creek Lodge at co-housing community in Grass Valley. How we could better deal with some of those root causes here in the county. We're going to talk about how we measure success, and we're going to focus on what makes Nevada County different. Why are we being successful when so many other counties in California have rising homelessness numbers? Langness credits growth in grants that have been put to use effectively in providing more housing. He says another 175 affordable units have been obtained as a result, yet the county continues to have a cost of living rate that's well above average. And so it's unusual that we're able to reduce homelessness like we have, but we've made a really strong effort among the county, who deserves a lot of credit, and the non-profit agencies who also deserve a great deal of credit for working really hard to be able to build, buy, and find new housing. Langness says he used to be among people who attributed a lot of homelessness to mental illness and substance addictions, along with just plain poverty, but he says it's mainly due to a basic and chronic lack of affordable housing. Nevada County's jobless rate remains among the lowest in California, but continued a mostly flat trend in September at 4.8 percent. That's a slight drop of two-tenths of a point from August when the rate was 5 percent. July was also at 4.8 percent. Brandon Sinaceros with the state's Employment Development Department says the leisure and hospitality sector had a seasonal drop of 340 jobs, but the government sector gained 100 jobs. Because, you know, they're probably getting off summer break, and we're seeing those numbers come up in September. So, yeah, that would include our schools. It would be mostly focused in local government, but, you know, you're going to see an uptick in government overall. And Sinaceros says most of the county's employment sector shows similar seasonal patterns that keep our rate fairly stagnant most of the year. Join us for our next local news update at the bottom of the hour. For news, traffic and weather anytime, visit KNCO.com. I'm Paul Haas, KNCO News Talk 830. Rain or shine, all about gutters and awnings has your home covered. From custom seamless gutters and leaf guard systems in 26 colors to choose from, to beautiful retractable awnings and motorized shades, they'll help protect your investment while making your outdoor space more enjoyable. Contact us today for your free estimate. With quality products, expert installation, and friendly local service, it's easy to see why homeowners trust. All about gutters and awnings. AwningsAndGutters.com Ready to check glassblowing off your bucket list? At Bear River Glassworks in Grass Valley, their three-hour intro classes let you create something truly unforgettable. Make a hollow-blown jellyfish using gold and silver fuming to create beautiful shimmering colors, or create your own hollow-blown glass pumpkin just in time for fall. Get hands-on, play with fire, and take home something amazing you made yourself. Book your class today at BearRiverGlassworks.com. That's BearRiverGlassworks.com. 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. Mostly sunny with a high in the mid to upper 60s today. A very light south wind. Cloudy this evening or overnight low 44. And then mostly cloudy and a bit cooler on Tuesday with a high 65. Tuesday night scattered showers. Our low upper 40s and a chance of rain again Wednesday and mid 60s. For weather anytime, click on the weather center at KNCO.com. I'm meteorologist Dan Holliday on KNCO News Talk 830. All right, KNCO News Time, 937, 64 degrees. Welcome back to KNCO Insight. Also known as the, well, almost the Ella Miller show. Ella is going to be doing, I think, our roundup stuff, right? Isn't she, later on? She is. My mom told me I was running a show. She's all set to run the show. Well, she was upset she wasn't running the show. It's like not electing. Right. She knows it's coming up. She's going to give herself a chance to do it. We'll cover it either way. But we have some students from Truckee High School, home of the Wolverines, I think, up there, if I recall. I think they're Lady Wolverines, if that's the correct term. It is Jackie Garcia, who's a junior, and Mia Bilbray joining us. Are you ladies there? Yeah. Hey, there we go. Just like that. You guys are working the elections in different ways, which I think is very exciting. I understand, is this, I don't know if this is for you, Allison, or, Corey, if it's for you. Is it unusual to have election workers be students that are still in high school? So this is Armando wants to expand the internship program that we're working with different high schools. We have an intern here in the western part of the county, but he also wanted to reach out to Truckee High School and see if they had some people interested. So this is the expansion of our internship program, working through Nevada County. And, Allison, they do a great internship program throughout the whole county government. Well, I do appreciate, Allison, how you, county staff, supervisors, have really embraced the idea of youth getting more and more involved. Oh, absolutely. That student engagement is so important, as you could hear it on your show with Ella, that just, one, the understanding and how they're able to shadow the different departments. They really leave with a better understanding of local government and whether or not they go into politics. And, Ella, I still think there's a future for you in politics. As adults, they're informed. You ought to see the look. She's probably blocked a little bit because of the scream there. Politics are scary. It's scary. Politics is public policy. It is. I find politics very, very important. I think I would go into something like journalism if I ever went into politics. That's the spirit. There you go. I love it. Radio. Radio. I'll think about it. I'll think about it. All right. Here's the thing with Mia, first, because you brought up Armando's name, Corey. Mia, how did you get involved? I understand it was Armando doing something with your class, doing some type of speech, I believe? Yeah. So, Armando came into my AP Lang class with Mr. Rowe and presented about Nevada County elections and kind of alluded to some internships coming up soon. I kind of just kept an eye on it. Then once I saw the application open, I definitely was excited and decided to apply. All right. Have you always had an interest in elections and politics, or is this something that that speech just turned you on to? I've always been interested in politics. It's definitely a passion of mine. I also do voter registration for one of my other clubs. So, it's already been something I'm interested in, and then hearing him discuss the internship was really exciting to me. All right. And up there, politics, it's a different town up there. I mean, we have our western side of the county here, eastern side up there in Truckee. Are kids passionate about elections up there, or are they kind of kicked back and waiting for snow to fall? Yeah. We have a lot of people interested in politics. We have a lot of school protests, actually, that our school is involved in. We have pretty motivated students, and so voter registration is super fun because it's kind of hard for them to know how to actually become involved that way. And so once we kind of connect that link, it's definitely exciting that they can make their voice heard. All right. And have you done any special projects preparing for the election and stuff? Yeah. We've been working on a lot of videos and things like that. I just made a video for first-time voters on how the process works, and so that was super exciting. I worked on it for a couple weeks, and then Lisa went ahead and posted it. Now, Tom, how does that make you as one of the election heads, you know, as far as at sites and stuff? That's kind of exciting to hear this kid. Exciting and optimistic that there's a next generation coming on. That's great. Yeah, no doubt about it. All right. And you're a senior. Is that correct? Yes. All right. So what are you going to do when you grow up? Are you going to go to college or trade school? What are you going to do? I'm applying to colleges right now. It's definitely a lengthy process, but I'm going to see where I get in. And my major is either going to be political communications or political science. Wow. How about that? Nice. All right. So they're making an inroad over here. Ella's thinking about politics by the time she's done. And here's the thing. Jackie's there. Jackie, I understand you're bilingual. Is that correct? Yes, correct. All right. So I understand that you did something very exciting working with Spanish-speaking people. It's a pretty good-sized population up there in Truckee, if I'm not mistaken, to really get them to understand the elections more. How has that been going? So it's going actually very great. So I also got the opportunity to learn from this internship from Mr. Rowe. And when I was, like, learning about it, I was like, I can use my bilingual skills to really get out there to the Latino community because I know how it is to, like, how, like, you know, like, language barriers with my parents. So I was like, I really want to make a difference. So it's honestly going very well. I made some videos on, like, showing where the voting boxes are and, like, the ballot boxes in Spanish because I know some of the Latino community here in Truckee struggle with that a little bit. All right. How tough has it been for the Spanish-speaking population up there to be involved with elections and stuff? Because, you know, for lack of better terms, it has, like, a federal tone to it. And, of course, ICE is a worry and things like that. Has that been tough for the population up there? Yeah. So I honestly feel like here in Truckee a lot of Latinos are, like, not voting because they don't have enough, like, resources. Like, I see that a lot. So I honestly, like, I see it, like, with my parents a lot and, like, with all of my other family members. So, like, I honestly feel like they just get, like, kind of, like, scared to vote because they might not, like, understand, like, who to vote for and, like, stuff like that. All right. So you being bilingual could maybe demystify the process and stuff? Yes. All right. Corey, what are some of the options for people that are bilingual and maybe they speak, maybe they're still monolingual if that's the right term, that they're Spanish speakers and really don't know much English? Yeah. Well, actually, anybody that feels like they need a facsimile ballot, as we call it, it's all in their primary language. So we also support Spanish as a facsimile ballot or Camay also as a facsimile ballot. So anybody could request one of those from our office and we could get it to them. And they're also at every single vote center. Right. So anybody that goes to a vote center that may not feel comfortable in English and would like to see a ballot in Spanish, they could do that. They still have to vote the actual ballot in English. But they do have the facsimile ballot available to them so that they can transfer the information and read it appropriately in their own language. So, yeah. Yeah. The other thing, Tom, those that are bilingual, those that might have a tough time understanding English and such, they're still welcome to vote and go through the process, right? Oh, of course. Yeah, of course. We not only have the facsimile ballot there, but we have access to a language line. So if somebody truly needs help and translate, then we can get somebody from a language line on a video interface with them and deal with that. That's excellent technology. Yeah, there's a language line at every single vote center, over 200 languages, including American Sign Language. And you're talking to a live person. If they need help, they can see a live person and talk with them and through the vote center worker and try to communicate. So that's a very important piece of what we do at our vote centers, too. And, Jackie, is this the first time you've been working with an election? Yes, this is the first time I've ever been working here. So how do you feel about the whole thing? I honestly feel great. This is something very interesting to me. Since I'm a junior, I'm still not sure what I'm going to do. But seeing different things, like elections, it's been one of probably my first ones that I'm really interested in, like political stuff. All right. That sounds great. And, Mia, is this your first election? You've done elections before. I helped, Lisa, with some social media posts last April. But this is the first time I'm an intern and fully engaged in the process. And, Tom, I really want to give credit. We have amazing teachers, both in Eastern and Western County. They're building those connections with local government. Who's the teacher they're talking about up there? So that's Craig Rowe. And he is sort of like the Jeff Dulles of Eastern County. And for those people who don't know who Jeff Dulles is, it's someone who has been integrated in our school system, is an advocate for young people. And he's a hairdresser, as you can tell. He is. And Craig Rowe has done just like we need to do a show on him. His life story and how he's in Truckee and really empowering young people. And many young people are first generation in terms of community engagement. It goes beyond politics. And just one recent example beyond just the election engagement that he's facilitating with Armando, our clerk recorder, he or register of voters, he is actually working with Supervisor Bullock on sponsoring some young people to go to NACO conference in D.C. And NACO is the National Associations of Counties and Cities. Excellent. Yeah, so I just really want to point out just the amazing individuals and academics that we have that are those important partners to make things like this happen. Very cool. How come you guys aren't in school, by the way? I just wanted to check on that. No, we got a little break. It was okay with our teachers. And we're currently in a little room in the library. They know you're doing this, right? They're not going to call me and say, where are my kids? You're actually signing off the notes, Tom, right here. Yeah, that's fine. I'll sign it off. All right, but I'm going to let you get back to class, ladies. Anything you want to add, Jackie or Mia, just about the election process and encouraging other 18-year-olds and older to vote? Yeah, I would just say even if you're not 18 yet, if you're 16 and 17, you can pre-register. So you can get involved. And then as soon as you're 18, all of your stuff is automatically sent to you. Yes. All right, very good. Ladies, thank you so much for taking part in the process. It really makes me feel hopeful about the future. And you're a role model for a lot more people than you realize. It might be some people that were sitting down going, I don't know if I want to vote. But maybe they'll get involved, get engaged, just because of the energy that you two are bringing to it. So all the best. And go Wolverines. Thank you. All right, take care. All right, we're going to take our last break down the homestretch here of KNCO Insight. And it's going to become Ella's show right after we come back. 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You can have Schwab and Fidelity right here in your backyard. That means you get a true hometown relationship with Fortune 500 muscle behind your plan. We work with everyone from entrepreneurs building wealth to retirees focused on maximizing income. And we go beyond the basics, showing you smarter ways to grow your money that most people never knew existed. At the end of the day, we meet you where you're at and help you get where you want to go. Come visit us here in Grass Valley or give us a call today at 530-955-5402. Zion Capital, a mission bigger than money. Securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA SIPC, a registered investment advisor, and separate entity from LPL Financial. Just by listening to KNCO's on-the-half-hour or morning newscasts, you could pick up a valuable prize with the news quiz contest. Prizes might be movie passes, pizza, car washes, and much more. KNCO's local newscasts are Monday through Friday, twice an hour between 6 and 9 a.m., and the rest of the day at half past the hour. Join us for the most comprehensive local news in town, then get ready to answer a question about one of the stories to win the prize of the day. Weekdays on KNCO News Talk 830. All right, KNCO News Time, 953, 65 degrees. I know we're down the home stretch of the show because my dog Ranger has come to the side door. Just looking, going, daddy, is it almost walk? Yes, it almost is walk time. Smart dog. My dog Ranger. You love Ranger, don't you, Allison? I actually do love Ranger. And you tricked me because I always bring treats for him. Yes. He hasn't been here the last couple of times. Or you had him in the back room? I think I had him in the back room, yes. He would get kind of vocal, you know, because I've been battling my health issues. It's his radio. And he's protective, best way to put it. Yeah, he's a sweetheart. And then he got jealous of Ella, I think, being here. Ella was very insertive and used her animal psychology. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, exactly. That's what you did. Now, here's the thing. Before I get to Ella's calendar events, again, a reminder about your open house. Don't mind me asking. Yeah, our open house is tomorrow at 12740 Loma Rica Drive in Grass Valley. It's from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Come on by and you'll get about a half hour tour of the facility. Yeah, it will be a lot of fun. And it's up there by the airport. And I really appreciate them honoring those volunteers that are up there. The heroes of the election process, Tom. That your volunteers you have up there doing it. Yeah, exactly. And the other thing, they can also drop off their vote up there. Yeah, there's a box up there. And say hi to Tom. Yeah, there we go. Yeah, we can do that. And a quick reminder of today being the last day to register, but you can still conditionally register after that at any vote center. All right. Just wanted to plug that. Right there, Ella. Ella Miller is your youth commissioner, but you have a lot of things that are happening in the county, so you take it away, young lady. There are so many things happening in the county. My favorite thing that's happening currently is we're going to have a spooktacular at the Root Center, which is just a whole bunch of fun vibes for the kids. We do a little trick-or-treating. All the Nevada County workers come together, and they just pass out candy and things like that. Yeah. Do you know what you're wearing for Halloween, by the way? I do. Yeah. What is it? I'm going to be a ladybug. A ladybug. Okay. Very cool. So the youth commissioners are going to be at the path that takes everyone downtown the city to make sure that they cross Highway 49 safely. But, Tom, I just want to quickly say that this event has really grown. Yes, it has. County employees donate their time to decorate as well as their own money for treats. But this year, we have partners who have linked in who have helped co-sponsor for treats, and that's YubaNet, Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital, Waste Management, Nevada County Superintendent of Schools, Connecting Point, Nevada County Contractors Association, and Cal Fire. That's impressive. It is. I think it just really goes to show that everyone is really looking at a safe trick-or-treating as well as a community-building event. So it's super exciting. Bring your kiddos to the government center on Friday the 30th from 3 to 5. And your costume for Halloween is what? Our office is going all dinosaurs. That's awesome. So are you going to be a T-Rex? What are you going to be? Are you going to be a stegosaurus? You're going to have to come on down and sing. Velociraptor? Whatever they call that one. That's my favorite dinosaur. Velociraptor? Yeah, it would be. That does not surprise me. It's going to be a scary one. Yes, exactly. That does not surprise me at all. All right. There's also Spooky Booky going on, isn't there, too? Yes, there is. Do you have information on that? That's, I think, with the library. Yeah, it's a book giveaway where there's going to be face painting, music, games. It's a family-friendly celebration. It's going to be a good time. All right. Very good. All right. So what's next on the list there? So much. There's so much. Oh, my God. Young Entrepreneur Pitch Week. Your applications are due November 6th. Please apply. If you go on to apply at nevadacounty.gov slash pitchweek, you can apply. Also, there's more information on Nevada County Youth Commission Instagram. Please go follow. This doesn't have to do anything with baseball pitching. This is like pitching a business idea. This is pitching the business. And there's prizes. Like what? What are the prizes? I don't know. You're going to have to find out. You're going to have to apply. You don't know. You don't know? You're telling me this. Is it money? It is money. It's money. All right. I believe there's a third, a second, and a first place prize for a certain amount of money. I do not know the amount of money. Okay. That's fair enough. All right. What's next? Our next thing is in avoiding scams on Friday, October 23rd, the Nevada County Library is hosting a free workshop on avoiding scams. And it's a part of the library's adulting series, which helps adults build practical life skills, which is really valuable. Oh, it totally is. And actually, the reason tech's important, I kind of shared this, it's kind of an embarrassing thing to share, but I was a victim of a scam using my phone recently, which really shocked the heck out of me. It happens so quickly. You don't even see it. And I think AI, just the use of that, just brought it to a different level where things kind of look like, well, this does look legitimate and all this stuff, and it wasn't. Yeah. Yeah. All right. So when's that happening? That's happening October 23rd, 11 a.m. to noon. And if you want more information on it, it's at nevadacountycalifornia.libcal.com. All right. All right. Anything else on there? Our ballot processing center open house is tomorrow, October 24th to 7th. Please go. It's so important. Located at 12740 Loma Rica Drive in Grass Valley, near the Nevada County Airport. Is there any way you're going to go there, bat your eyes and see if you can get the vote or anything like that? Well, I see two people that now know my name. Hey, guys. Hi. Hey. It doesn't work that way. No, it doesn't work. No. I got to wait. It's okay. All right. Great job, Ella. Great job there. And newsletters are always a good way to get information, too, right? You guys still have your – We do. We have a weekly newsletter that comes out on Thursday, so you could visit Nevada County website. Just Google Nevada County. They'll bring you to the website where you're able to subscribe. Does it still have your picture on the cover? Because I know Taylor's trying to – It's Taylor's picture now. Is it Taylor's picture now? We're leveling up. Wow. Okay. I know she wanted to take it over. I didn't know she was that bold. No. We highlight community partners, community events. It highlights the board of supervisors, the wonderful work that's being done in the community. So if you want real-time updates, go and check it out. And, Tom, we always truly appreciate KNCO and you for helping us tell the story of local government. My pleasure, especially when it comes to voting. As Tom said, he served our nation in the military. That's why those men and women serve, is so we can exercise our right to vote and keep our democracy strong. It's the only way you can do it. So, please, make sure you go out there and vote, become an informed voter, and then take advantage of all the opportunities that the county has laid out here that you can vote safely, securely, and be involved. All right. That does it for us. We've got ABC News coming up next. Thanks, guys. ♪♪ --- end of transcript ---