Welcome to Grass Valley

In this Halloween episode of Welcome to Grass Valley, sit-in host Gary Pate takes calls from podcast founder Ryan, who has two months left on a prison sentence. Ryan shares jokes, reads a sermon on the eagle's renewal tied to Isaiah 40:31, and explains why he is leaving the "chickens and ducks" behind. The two friends trade ideas about choices as a time machine, gratitude, forgiveness, and learning who your real people are. Ryan opens up about missed birthdays and facing release without a home, Gary shares a Spider-Man costume mishap with the family pit bull, and the episode closes with Halloween safety reminders and shout-outs.

Ryan puts Nathaniel through a 20-question game that he also plays with his children. Nathaniel shares his favorite places, films, music, and memories, including a disc golf trip to Oregon. The questions lead to stories about mountain lions, travel, and life around Grass Valley. Across three connected calls, they discuss how simple questions can help friends and families learn more about each other. They also talk about staying connected, finding work, and Ryan's concerns about housing and returning home after prison.

Maxx catches up with Ryan about managing conflict in prison, journaling, and preparing to return home. Ryan discusses his classes, uncertainty about housing after release, and the friends helping him stay connected with his children. They talk about setting boundaries in relationships, asking for support, and using a 20-question game to keep family phone calls going. Maxx shares updates from Grass Valley and the county fair, while both look ahead to future podcast conversations with friends and local guests.

Desi, team leader and driver for the 530 Piston Pushers, joins Welcome to Grass Valley to talk about her local rough trucks racing team. She explains how the crew of six drivers and a four-to-five-person pit team prepares stock vehicles — a Jeep Grand Cherokee, a Subaru Outback, a Nissan Pathfinder and a Ford F-150 — for races from Nevada County to Yuba City and Red Bluff. Desi shares shout-outs for teammates, sponsors and mechanic Liam Logan, describes tossing stuffed animals to kids between heats, and invites listeners to the side-by-side stock races at the Nevada County Fairgrounds on Sunday the 16th, gates at 6.

On this episode of Welcome to Grass Valley, host Maxx sits down with guest Jordan Beaver for an honest and reflective conversation about personal growth, family, faith, loyalty, and learning from past mistakes. Together, they discuss changing perspectives with age, the importance of making better choices, staying grounded through difficult times, and focusing on what truly matters in life. Through candid stories and authentic conversation, the episode explores accountability, companionship, mental resilience, and the idea that people can move forward with greater purpose and intention.

Ryan calls in from Avenal State Prison for a raw conversation about missing his kids, finding strength through faith, staying sober, and trying to rebuild a life after everything changed. He and Nathaniel talk about family, discipline, love, forgiveness, dating, prison conditions, and the practical work of keeping Welcome to Grass Valley moving with Maxx and Lindsay. Through frustration, grief, and humor, Ryan urges listeners to count their blessings, protect their relationships, and choose a better path while they still can.

Maxx and Lindsay welcome local artisan Aria Griffiths back to Grass Valley to revisit her story. Aria details Make Local Habit, her 17-year-old downtown shop curating wares from Nevada County artists, and her brand-new expansion at 110 West Main, where Golden Soul Herb Company runs a tea bar and Ursula Young's artwork rotates on the walls. The conversation roams through growing up on the ridge, her late father Randy Griffiths' Peaceful Valley seed packet artwork, favorite Yuba spots, lost restaurants like Cowboy Pizza and Mama Sue's, real estate trends, and a Turkey medicine card celebrating generosity.

In this episode of Welcome to Grass Valley, host Maxx checks in with Ryan Doty during a series of calls from Avenal State Prison, where Ryan opens up about the fear, stress, and emotional weight of prison life while also sharing a renewed sense of hope after friends and community members helped find a safe home for his dog, Patty. Ryan expresses deep gratitude to Jordan Beaver, Desiree, Nathaniel, Neil, Zack, Ashley, and others who have supported him, while also reflecting on missing his children, worrying about family struggles, trying to stay sober, leaning on prayer, church, exercise, and music, and learning to focus on what he can control. The episode balances heavy personal hardship with moments of humor, shout-outs, creative energy, and resilience, including Ryan sharing lyrics from a new song called “Custom Made” and looking ahead to returning home, staying positive, rebuilding his life, and eventually coming back to the podcast.

In this episode of Welcome to Grass Valley, the host shares a second letter from his incarcerated brother, Ryan Doty, written from Avenal State Prison. Ryan offers heartfelt encouragement about staying positive, getting outside, praying, and blessing a glass of water before drinking it as a simple gratitude practice. He describes harsh conditions, constant prayers for his kids and family, and gratitude for friends who have written, sent books, or helped rescue his dogs. Ryan shares his mailing address, hopes for a transfer to a mainline prison soon, and closes with a birthday shout-out to Nathaniel Redmond.

DJ Loot (Mike) sits down with Maxx and Gary Pate for a wide-ranging conversation on his path from sixth-grade saxophone to running a full-service studio in Citrus Heights. He traces his work through Chico State's recording arts program, Mobile Music Records, and years of mixing for Hollow Tip, San Quinn, Frank C, Lyrical Vision, J-Red the King, and the 530 Factors. He previews Cali Fire Volume 16, his Monday radio show on 89.5 FM in Vallejo, experiments feeding old demos through Suno, new work with Kid Ares and Ratchet Boy, and his ham radio hobby.