💛Episode 17: What does it mean to truly serve your hometown?

In this episode, we sit down with a fourth-generation Oroville native whose family legacy spans real estate, development, and public service. A 1972 graduate of Oroville High School and Butte College alum, he dedicated 35 years to the Oroville Fire Department before serving three terms on the Oroville City Council — including time as Mayor.

We talk about growing up in a family deeply rooted in Oroville, raising three children and now enjoying five grandchildren, and what it takes to lead through change. We also dive into important local topics like biomass energy, economic development, and the often-debated annexation of Thermalito.

This conversation is about legacy, leadership, and loving your community enough to step up - even when the conversations get spicy.

Join Erin and Jaymes Lackey for our hyper-positive regional podcast highlighting local individuals in Northern California who have a Heart of Gold.

Hearts of Gold Podcast is sponsored by Erin Lackey Photography | www.erinlackey.com

💛 Episode 16: In this episode we sat down with Dan Nevers from the Rainforest Art Project to explore his journey as an artist and teacher. Dan shared how growing up between San Diego and Chico, California shaped his deep love for glass, mosaics, and crafts — especially the joy of working with his hands and turning small pieces into meaningful art. We talked about how his passion became a lifelong vocation, leading him into public art and the transformative work of the Rainforest Art Project, which creates hands-on educational art programs and large mosaic installations with students and communities. Dan offered insight into the power of mosaics not just as a craft, but as a way to build confidence, connection, and creative expression in people of all ages.

At Hearts of Gold, we love highlighting people who are quietly and faithfully shaping their communities through vision, creativity, and service. Dan is a perfect example of someone using his gifts to build something lasting — one small piece at a time. Thanks for listening, sharing, and continuing to look for the gold in the people and stories all around us.

💛 Episode 15: In this episode, we talk with Patrick Piatt, Community Development Director for the City of Oroville, about the city’s new biomass energy project and what it means for Oroville and the future of Butte County.Patrick oversees planning, building, economic development, annexations, and citywide branding initiatives, and brings a unique blend of big-picture thinking and practical execution to his work. He shares how growing up in Southern California shaped his heart for the environment, and how that passion now fuels his commitment to creating resilient industries and fostering inclusive economic growth in Oroville.This conversation explores sustainability, leadership, and stewardship—what it looks like to plan not just for today, but for generations to come and why Patrick’s approach embodies the very heart of what this podcast is about. 💛Learn more at: https://www.orovilleca.govAt Hearts of Gold, we sit down with people whose hearts for their community, their work, and their neighbors are making a real difference. These are conversations with leaders and everyday community members who often work behind the scenes - people who pair care with commitment and vision with action.Each episode is about more than a job title or a project. It’s about the values, stories, and convictions that shape how people show up for the places they love. We believe those stories matter and that when we listen closely, we learn how to build stronger, more hopeful communities together.Join Erin and Jaymes Lackey for our hyper-positive regional podcast highlighting local individuals in Northern California who have a Heart of Gold.👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share to support local stories that matter.This episode is sponsored in part by Miller Glass & Erin Lackey Photographyhttps://millerglass.comhttps://erinlackey.comFor more information on how to get involved with Hearts of Gold Podcast, visit us at our website: https://www.heartsofgoldmedia.com

💛 Episode 14: Painting the Future with a Heart of GoldIn this episode of Hearts of Gold, Erin and Jaymes sit down with a passionate local art educator and community leader, Misty Rayome, who is making a lasting impact across Oroville and beyond!As the new high school art and digital photography teacher at Oroville High School, Oroville Arts Commission member, board member of Brushstrokes Art Gallery, and proud Artist of Rivertown, Misty shares shares how art can shape young minds, strengthen communities, and bring people together in meaningful ways. We talk about how she came to Oroville from Concow and how several dreams she had on her 'bucket list' as a kid came true.From the classroom to the commission, this conversation is filled with inspiration, personal stories, and insight into how the arts continue to thrive in Northern California thanks to dedicated individuals who truly lead with a Heart of Gold.✨ Whether you’re an artist, educator, parent, or community advocate, this episode will remind you just how powerful creativity and service can be.Join Erin and Jaymes Lackey for our hyper-positive regional podcast highlighting local individuals in Northern California who have a Heart of Gold.👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share to support local stories that matter.This episode is sponsored in part by Miller Class & Erin Lackey Photographyhttps://millerglass.comhttps://erinlackey.comFor more information on how to get involved with Hearts of Gold Podcast, visit us at our website: https://www.heartsofgoldmedia.comThank you for watching!

💛 Episode 13: A new year always invites a little reflection—and a lot of hope. In this special episode, Erin and Jaymes sit down together to talk all things New Year: the routines that ground them, the vision boards that spark excitement, and the words of the year guiding their intentions.

They also look back on 2025—what worked, what surprised them, and what lessons they’re carrying forward. Whether you’re a goal-setter, a dreamer, or somewhere in between, this conversation will leave you feeling inspired and ready to turn the page with a whole lotta purpose.

Join Erin and Jaymes Lackey for our hyper-positive regional podcast highlighting local individuals in Northern California who have a Heart of Gold.

In this deeply personal episode, Erin opens up about losing her sister Shanin in 2017 and how grief has shaped her life in ways she never expected. Together, Erin and Jaymes explore what no one tells you about how your brain responds to loss, why grief isn’t linear, and the well-meaning things people say that can unintentionally cause more pain.This conversation isn’t about “fixing” grief—it’s about understanding it, sitting with it, and learning how to show up for ourselves and others with more compassion. Whether you’re navigating loss yourself or supporting someone who is, this episode offers honesty, empathy, and a reminder that you’re not alone.Join Erin and Jaymes Lackey for our hyper-positive regional podcast highlighting local individuals in Northern California who have a Heart of Gold.Link to Mel Robbin's episode: https://youtu.be/uSZy6Ww3e6A?si=RJYOPzmAI-ZTZApN

Link to Kate Bowler's Book: https://katebowler.com/books/everything-happens-for-a-reason-and-other-lies-ive-loved/

Episode 11 💛

Jaymes and Erin talk all things Christmas movies! We share what our favorites are, what we are watching this holiday season, and even discuss what we think the moral of A Christmas Carole is.... and it's not what you think!

Join us today for a hyper-positive podcast that highlights individuals, businesses and organizations in Butte County!

Check out our website: www.heartsofgoldmedia.comCheck out Erin's website: www.erinlackey.com

Grab your Santa hat, pour yourself way too much peppermint cocoa, and join Erin and Jaymes for a holiday episode that is… well… delightfully unhinged.

In this episode, we launch into a heated-but-loving debate over real vs. fake Christmas trees (one smells amazing, the other doesn’t shed needles like a cat in July). We also talk about many of our holiday traditions including the best cinnamon roll we've ever eaten. And of course, no festive conversation would be complete without discussing the most controversial cinematic mystery of our time: the Polar Express humanoid animations that live somewhere between “holiday magic” and “please don’t blink at me like that.”

If you’re craving festive chaos, local love, and enough laughter to shake like a bowl full of jelly—this episode is your holiday home.

Join Erin and Jaymes Lackey for our hyper-positive regional podcast highlighting local individuals in Northern California who have a Heart of Gold.

This week on the Hearts of Gold Podcast, Erin and Jaymes sit down with Greg Blake, Superintendent of Chico Unified School District and a 34-year educator whose career has spanned nearly every role in the field—teacher, coach, principal, director of maintenance, superintendent/principal, and now district superintendent.

Greg shares his Golden Beginnings in education, the path that brought him along the Yellow Brick Road to the Chico community, and the moments that continue to inspire his service to students, families, and staff.

He also opens up about the lessons learned over three decades in public schools, the joys and challenges of leadership, and how he keeps perspective by embracing one of his greatest passions: all things Disney.

From favorite local Hidden Gems to rapid-fire fun in the Gold Rush Round, this episode is full of heart, wisdom, and a little bit of magic. Greg leaves listeners with a powerful Golden Nugget of Wisdom about investing in people and leading with purpose—on campus and beyond.

Read more about Chico Unified School District: https://www.chicousd.org

Join Erin and Jaymes Lackey for our hyper-positive regional podcast highlighting local individuals in Northern California who have a Heart of Gold.

💛 Episode 8: This week on Hearts of Gold, Erin and Jaymes sit down with artist, educator and small business owner Forest Wong, whose creative spirit and dedication to young musicians and artists have made a lasting impact in Butte County. Forest shares her journey as a visual artist, the path that led her to call Oroville home after going to college at Columbia University, and the inspiration behind co-founding the North Valley InTune Music Foundation—a nonprofit that brings music performance and music education opportunities to local youth as well as her most current project, Union Coffee Club.In this heartfelt conversation, Forest opens up about the joys and challenges of community-focused creative work, the local gems that keep her rooted, and the lessons she’s learned while nurturing both art and music in the region. As always, the Gold Rush Round brings out fun surprises, and Forest’s Golden Nugget of Wisdom offers encouragement for anyone looking to use their gifts to uplift others.Follow Forest’s artwork on Instagram at @forestwongart.Check out In-Tune Music Foundation: https://www.facebook.com/nvintune/Follow Union Coffee Club: https://unioncoffeeclub.comJoin Erin and Jaymes Lackey for our hyper-positive regional podcast highlighting local individuals in Northern California who have a Heart of Gold.