Hometown California

What does the railroad have to do with our households, our businesses, rural California, and issues like homelessness and the environment?

Our host, Paul A. Smith, talks with Francisco Castillo of Union Pacific Railroad about the importance of the railroad and it's interconnectivity with our daily lives. Listen in to hear how we depend on rail for things we sometimes take for granted. Learn about the future of railroads, how the industry has been impacted by the pandemic, the intersection of railroads with local jurisdictions, and how policies in individual states impact the entire rail network.

Our host, Paul A. Smith, talks with Eric Sauer, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for the California Trucking Association. Listen in to hear how the trucking industry has been meeting the challenges of the pandemic to ensure essential goods and services are available to remote, rural areas of the state. Gain insight into the role of trucking, the intersection of the industry with rural jurisdictions, and a variety of issues facing the trucking industry.

Our host, Paul Smith of RCRC, talks with Daron McDaniel, Merced County Supervisor and Chair of the Rural County Representatives of California. McDaniel shares how, as a teenager from Illinois, he found himself in rural California and eventually elected to a seat on the Merced County Board of Supervisors. Listen in to hear his story and what it has been like to lead during a worldwide pandemic.