Isabel in San Dimas

Known as Mr. G to his middle school students, teacher Steven Guiles is also an artist and musician, and he is creating a new album in his San Dimas home studio. Inspired and challenged by recent events, both global and personal, Steven has spent a lot of time reflecting, chatting, listening - and now making music - to make sense of it all. In this episode, we dive deep into Steven's musical background, his inspirations, and his latest project Transitions: A new album by Steven Wesley Guiles. Take a listen to this episode, and enjoy our first ever live musical recording on the show!

McKinley is a local nonprofit organization based in San Dimas. Founded over 100 years ago as a residential facility for orphaned children, McKinley has grown in size and scope. The organization now serves diverse populations through a variety of services and programs. Listen to my interview with McKinley's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Liaison Bria Mason to learn more about the nonprofit and the good work that they do.

Dating back to Europe in the Middle Ages, freemasonry has a long history, seemingly shrouded in secrecy. And while you might find references to the masons in pop culture, they are very much a real organization, with a historical building right here in Old Town San Dimas.

Past Master of the San Dimas Masonic Lodge and longtime San Dimas resident Raymond Foster joins me in this episode to explore the origins of the freemasons and their history in the city. If you're interested in learning about the masons, including how the organization originated and if they really do have a secret handshake, take a listen to this episode!

The San Dimas Chamber of Commerce is the economic and business hub of our community. A nonprofit organization, the San Dimas Chamber started back in 1909 as the Board of Trade and served as the foundation for today's city of San Dimas. Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Chair Marilyn Sparks and CEO Silvia Melendez join me in this episode to talk all about the Chamber, including what services they offer, how they are a resource for local businesses, and what they do to enrich the community at large.

While I love to read, I do NOT like to write. Naturally, I admire anyone who has the creativity and the patience to put pen to paper and author an entire book! When I learned that Dave Milbrandt--a local resident, teacher, and author--had a new book, Fool's Luck, coming out in July, I invited him to chat. In this episode, Dave shares a little bit about his newest protagonist Myles Bradford as well as some thoughts about his writing process, inspiration, and more.

San Dimas Little League President Geoff Charpentier and I discuss all things Little League in this episode. As a prospective parent and newbie to Little League, I ask Geoff how the league works, who can join, and how the community can support their efforts. If you played Little League or have kids who want to play in the not-too-distant future, take a listen to this episode and ...play ball!

In a standard process that occurs every three years, Golden State Water Company proposed rate increases for 2022 through 2024. If approved, consumers in Region 3--which includes San Dimas-- would see an increase of approximately 23.5% to their monthly water bill over the next three years. In this episode, I explain Golden State's rationale for the rate increases, if the increases seem fair, and what you can do to make your voice heard.

After more than a year of distance learning, Bonita Unified School District elementary students will finally have the option to return to school for in-person learning two days per week starting April 5. Middle and high school students can return to campus on April 12. There is a lot to unpack and understand about school re-openings, so I invited Bonita Superintendent Carl Coles to talk about the ins and outs with me. I asked a lot of questions, and the Superintendent answered. Listen to this episode to learn more about what on-campus learning means for your family and children.

A founding member of the La Verne Bicycle Coalition and local bike advocate, Doug Strange talks with me about cycling culture in San Dimas and surrounding areas, what a more bike-friendly city could look like, and what it would take to get more people out of their cars and on their bikes. As someone who loves biking but isn't the most confident rider around, this interview gave me a lot of hope and inspiration for riding my bike more in 2021.

At the City Council meeting on March 9, the Council will--once again--consider changes to Via Verde could have potential impacts on all of San Dimas. The conversation hinges around increasing the amount of grading (or excavating or moving dirt around) allowed in Specific Plan 11, which comprises properties in the Via Verde Ridge Homeowners Association. The concerns from residents range from aesthetic, to environmental, to ethical. And the impacts of the Council's decision has the potential to impact communities all over San Dimas. Listen to this episode to hear how this issue could affect you.

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