What a pleasure it was to sit down at the LoFi Café with Al McGreehan—a true local legend whose influence can be felt across the Ridge and greater Northern California.

From serving on LAFCO and spending more than 20 years on the Paradise Recreation and Park District Board, including time as Board President, to remaining a standout on the softball field, Al has built a life defined by adventure, service, and community.

In this episode, Al shares stories from travels through the Australian Outback, his experiences in Northern California higher education, and a career in land planning that stretches back to the 1960s. We also get to hear a more personal side of Al that often remains hidden behind board meetings, community events, and quick conversations around town.

Episode 25 is a special snapshot of a remarkable life filled with love, challenges, humor, and dedication to public service.

Thank you, Al, for your time, your stories, and your decades of service. You are truly one of a kind.

WELCOME to the Skyway Podcast an Interview style, family friendly podcast covering topics on the Paradise, Magalia, Concow Ridge and Chico area. Connecting the Ridge to the Valley with commute length podcasts between 35 - 40 mins(half on the drive up, half on the drive down) covering topics that will help you and your family get the most out of life in our area, enjoy the drive and stay safe out there.

In this episode of The Skyway Podcast, Scott sits down with Jason Gambill to talk about food, entrepreneurship, community, and the winding road that brought him to Paradise.

Once a pipeline operator, Jason is now a purveyor of pesto and pasta. His journey into the restaurant business has included bold ideas, difficult timing, and the kind of grit required to open and operate during the uncertainty of the COVID-era lockdowns.

Jason shares the lessons learned from those early challenges, the importance of community support, and what it takes to work through the inevitable growing pains of building something new. The conversation also explores Jason’s connections to Paradise and the people who have helped shape his story.

It is an honest and encouraging conversation about perseverance, second chances, and following an unexpected path from pipelines to pasta.

WELCOME to the Skyway Podcast an Interview style, family friendly podcast covering topics on the Paradise, Magalia, Concow Ridge and Chico area. Connecting the Ridge to the Valley with commute length podcasts between 35 - 40 mins(half on the drive up, half on the drive down) covering topics that will help you and your family get the most out of life in our area, enjoy the drive and stay safe out there.

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Today we sat down with Torey Feldhaus of TNT Dirt Fishin to talk about Dirt Fishing—aka chasing gold—with a modern twist. Using metal detectors, wands, and a whole lot of curiosity, Torey takes his adventures off the beaten path in search of old mines, hidden spots, and whatever history might still be buried out there. His YouTube channel is as much about the journey as it is the finds—equal parts exploration, storytelling, and the thrill of not knowing what’s next. If you’re into wilderness adventures, a little tech in the field, and the idea of uncovering something forgotten, check out TNT Dirt Fishin and see where the next trail leads.

WELCOME to the Skyway Podcast an Interview style, family friendly podcast covering topics on the Paradise, Magalia, Concow Ridge and Chico area. Connecting the Ridge to the Valley with commute length podcasts between 35 - 40 mins(half on the drive up, half on the drive down) covering topics that will help you and your family get the most out of life in our area, enjoy the drive and stay safe out there.

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Outro

Today we sat down with Jenni Harris, owner of Curves International Paradise, to talk about the Curves model, building consistency through 30-minute workouts, and the role community plays in keeping people moving. We dive into her journey as a coach and business owner on the Ridge, how Curves creates a welcoming and supportive space for women of all fitness levels, and why “showing up” is often the biggest win of all.

From habit building and accountability to the power of encouragement, this conversation highlights how fitness can be more than just a workout—it can be a connection point for people rebuilding routine, confidence, and community.

If you’re looking to get started, get back on track, or just want to be around good people doing good work, stop by Curves Paradise and see what it’s all about.

WELCOME to the Skyway Podcast an Interview style, family friendly podcast covering topics on the Paradise, Magalia, Concow Ridge and Chico area. Connecting the Ridge to the Valley with commute length podcasts between 35 - 40 mins(half on the drive up, half on the drive down) covering topics that will help you and your family get the most out of life in our area, enjoy the drive and stay safe out there.

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Outro

Tubbs Construction 30 S

Today we sat down with Jamie Kalanquin to discuss the Thistle & Stitch origin story, post-fire support from the Ridge community, the purchase and build out of their storefront ON THE SKYWAY, and the journey that flannel and super special fabric fueled across the Midwest through the Scottish Highland games. Check out their etsy store or their homepage at www.thistleandstitch.com or drop by their storefront at 7668 Skyway, Paradise. If you are keen on Highland Cow adorned sweaters or carefully selected fabric bolts - look no further!

WELCOME to the Skyway Podcast an Interview style, family friendly podcast covering topics on the Paradise, Magalia, Concow Ridge and Chico area. Connecting the Ridge to the Valley with commute length podcasts between 35 - 40 mins(half on the drive up, half on the drive down) covering topics that will help you and your family get the most out of life in our area, enjoy the drive and stay safe out there.

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Outro

Frankenstick 30 Second

Wayne and Livia Kurtz join The Skyway Podcast to share their remarkable story of resilience, entrepreneurship, and community spirit in the Ridge area. From joining our community after the Camp Fire to creating beloved local businesses, their journey reflects a deep commitment to Paradise and its future. Tune in for a heartfelt and inspiring conversation about hope, hard work, and finding purpose in the place you call home.

Welcome to the Skyway Podcast an Interview style, family friendly podcast covering topics on the Paradise, Magalia, Concow Ridge and Chico area. Connecting the Ridge to the Valley with commute length podcasts between 35 - 40 mins(half on the drive up, half on the drive down) covering topics that will help you and your family get the most out of life in our area, enjoy the drive and stay safe out there.

Mentioned in this episode:

Tubbs Construction 30 S

Outro

Our first collaboration with another Paradise based business! Paradise Tribute Series and mastermind artist owner, Lucas Blair, join us on the podcast to discuss the healing power of fusing a keen artistic eye with branding the Ridge in all it's glory through the Pine and Flume Supply Co. Catch your host on social at the Paradise Tribute Series facebook or Insta page sporting the newly released Long Sleeve SPF 50 in Olive Green - which is where this collaboration allllllllll started.

The Paradise Tribute Series highlights local Ridge residents, business owners, Moms, and other do-gooders through social media based outreach while celebrating the rich community supporting the various apparel and locally made products Lucas makes at Pine and Flume Supply Co.(Head to Buffy's Gift Barn to purchase locally).

Thanks for all you do and for the epic collaboration Paradise Tribute Series!

WELCOME to the Skyway Podcast an Interview style, family friendly podcast covering topics on the Paradise, Magalia, Concow Ridge and Chico area. Connecting the Ridge to the Valley with commute length podcasts between 35 - 40 mins(half on the drive up, half on the drive down) covering topics that will help you and your family get the most out of life in our area, enjoy the drive and stay safe out there.

Mentioned in this episode:

Outro

Calli-Jane West of the Butte FireSafe Council joins us on the show today. She has a wealth of fire history knowledge and a passion to teach the importance of land stewardship to all, especially our children and our growing community. A timely episode, as fire season is around the corner in 2025, here are a bunch of links that Calli-Jane shared with me so you can dig deeper into the importance of being firewise in Butte County and beyond.

Grazing Festival https://buttefiresafe.net/grazing/

Youth Education https://buttefiresafe.net/education-programs/

Firewise USA Map of where folks may be in a community already or want to form one

https://buttefiresafe.net/firewise-usa/

Fire History - Calli-Jane is really excited for everyone to see the Concow/Yankee Hill story map which really has an integrated relationship with the Ridge communities via fire history and fuels.  

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/3b1ee57224cf423f843a44d582a658dd

WELCOME to the Skyway Podcast an Interview style, family friendly podcast covering topics on the Paradise, Magalia, Concow Ridge and Chico area. Connecting the Ridge to the Valley with commute length podcasts between 35 - 40 mins(half on the drive up, half on the drive down) covering topics that will help you and your family get the most out of life in our area, enjoy the drive and stay safe out there.

Mentioned in this episode:

Outro

Intro

Meg Smaker sits down to discuss The UnRedacted - a feature length documentary about four men who were once Jihadists, now in rehabilitation. The UnRedacted(Jihad Rehab) is showing at the Pageant Theatre on March 28th, 29th, and 30th 2025. As this film has been outright cancelled, the Pageant is the ONLY place you can see this film(until its triumphant return to mainstream), so get your tickets ASAP.

The film is powerful, the Pageant is a wonderful venue, and Meg is a representative of Butte County out there changing the world in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenge. Get to the Pageant to check out this film, you will be glad you did!

WELCOME to the Skyway Podcast an Interview style, family friendly podcast covering topics on the Paradise, Magalia, Concow Ridge and Chico area. Connecting the Ridge to the Valley with commute length podcasts between 35 - 40 mins(half on the drive up, half on the drive down) covering topics that will help you and your family get the most out of life in our area, enjoy the drive and stay safe out there.

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Intro

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April Kelly of Nic's in Paradise joins us on the show with a tale of travels abroad, her favorite recipe on the menu, bringing her extensive experience back home, and then she served me an amazing meal - all of which was awesome. Come see for yourself and get to know the person driving community building through delicious delicatessen on the Skyway.

WELCOME to the Skyway Podcast an Interview style, family friendly podcast covering topics on the Paradise, Magalia, Concow Ridge and Chico area. Connecting the Ridge to the Valley with commute length podcasts between 35 - 40 mins(half on the drive up, half on the drive down) covering topics that will help you and your family get the most out of life in our area, enjoy the drive and stay safe out there.

Mentioned in this episode:

Intro

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