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Orlando from the Cars, Crafts, and California Brews Festival joins us in the studio to talk about the first edition of the festival. It will be a whole day of celebrating the California lifestyle in the heart of Salinas. The festival will be on August 30, 2026, from 10 - 5 at the Salinas Sports Complex.

This week, we get an update from Protect Salinas Renters about the rent stabilization ordinance. Over 10,000 signatures were gathered to get it on the ballot in front of Salinas voters. Xago, Jesus, and Jasmine sit down with Oz to talk about how we got here and the upcoming election. To learn more about the launch party on March 7th click the link below 👇    Protect Salinas Renters Launch Party

The world is in a state of constant change, and Salinas is no different. In this episode, Oz talks about changes happening around town. Change is not always welcome, and we are seeing some of that in our local politics. Even though change is always happening, the past has a strange habit of sticking around longer than we expect, and Salinas is seeing some of that as well.

Luther McDaniels moved to Salinas with his mom just after WWII. He soon made friends with three other guys who had gospel roots like him, and they formed the 4 Dueces. One day, Luther was invited by a friend to check on rabbit traps by the Salinas River. That led to a multi-decade music career with Salinas at its center.

Brian Sheffield is a writer, teacher, and all-around interesting person. His latest project has him directing the 1979  play The Elephant Man by Bernard Pomerance for Enchantrix Theatre. We sit in the studio and talk about life, French opinions about Americans, and, of course, his vision for the play. The play runs from January 9 to January 30. Tickets can be purchased at www.enchantrix.net

It would seem like people camping out for chicken would be the most interesting story of the month, but a schoolyard spat between local politicians has Oz looking through his bookshelf looking for answers. He found it in an article written by Huey Newton in 1967.

The Rumba Madre is a band that needs to be experienced in person. David is the founder and creative leader who has gone all around the world learning and playing music. He talks with Oz about their new single "Vibaporú," which is now available to stream online. He talks about the inspiration behind the song. Be warned, when you start playing "Vibaporú," you won't be able to sit still, and the song will be in your head all week.

Andrea Leon started Baila Baila Studio this year to get everybody in Monterey County on the dance floor and out of their comfort zone. Listen to her story of growth, from a shy, introverted person who disliked attention to leading dance classes with dozens of people. She teaches at the Links in Carmel on Tuesdays and at 201 Main in Oldtown Salinas on Friday nights. Her classes are welcoming and open to all, and her patience with new dancers makes sure that everybody feels comfortable and learns something new every time. Grab your dancing shoes and come on out to one of her classes!

Ashley, Nancy, and Yari are three of the young Salinas residents who help put on the Ciclovia event coming up on October 12. This event closes off Alisal Street from Front Street to Sanborn Road to vehicles and lets pedestrians take over. Not only pedestrians but also people riding bikes, rollerblading, skateboarding, and most other forms of transportation that don't require an engine. This is an awesome event that is planned and executed by the youth and has been held annually for over 10 years. It is an opportunity to get outside and see the city from an angle that you usually only see from a car, and it's FREE!   The event is happening on October 12 from 10 AM to 2 PM. It will be on Alisal Street from Front Street to Sanborn.

Recently, some members of the city council asked for a financial request that turned out to be more controversial than they expected. They requested $100,000 for a Fourth of July event hosted by Compass Church that was open to the public. This raised questions not only about the amount going to one group but also whether this violated any law requiring the separation of church and state. Ultimately, the council decided to punt the vote down the road, but not before they heard plenty from members of the community. Additionally, the walls are being constructed on the new Amazon warehouse located on the edge of town, which promises to alter the landscape of Salinas.

Amazon is building a huge fulfillment center on the edge of town. With that comes thousands of new jobs, millions of tax dollars flowing into the city, and increased pressure on the infrastructure to keep things all running smoothly. Oz takes a deeper look into what this building actually is, how big it is, and how much sales tax is can potentially generate for the city of Salinas. Additionally, can the city approach Amazon and ask them to partner with local colleges to train a workforce centered on agriculture to fix and maintain the thousands of robots that will go into the new facility?

Salinas is one of the most expensive places to rent a home in the country. There is no simple solution to fix the issue, but last year, the city implemented a set of protections for renters to help keep them in their homes. This year, there was a shakeup in the city council, and one of the first things they did was to remove those protections before any help could be given or any data gathered. Now a group called Protect Salinas Renters is gathering signatures to put a referendum on the ballot and give the choice back to the voters of Salinas. They will be gathering signatures until July 4 at locations all around Salinas. Find them on Instagram @ProtectSalinasRenters and at ProtectSalinasRenters.com.

This week, our guest is Liz, who created Liz and Media to showcase all the cool events that happen around the Monterey Bay. After you hear her story, you will know why we have kept doing this show for over 12 years now. She is the perfect example of having the grit and determination to achieve your goals. Born and raised in Salinas, her curiosity and sense of adventure have taken her all over the world,  and she is only getting started.

Enchantrix Theatre is preparing to do its version of the hit rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar. We sit down with director Colin St. John and the long-haired man himself, Stephan Sams, to tell us about the production process. They found an empty warehouse in Castroville and turned it into a temporary theatre, which allows them plenty of space to put on a spectacular show. The show opens on May 9th, and you can get tickets at Enchantrix.net.

Several new and old council members were elected last November, and they are already busy trying to make their mark on the city. Their current target is the rent stabilization ordinance passed last year to help the over-burdened renters in Salinas. What is rent stabilization, and how does it work? Does it even work? Oz tries to answer those questions and comes up with a unique solution that would make Salinas more resilient to gentrification and more attractive to businesses.