SANTA BARBARA TALKS with JOSH MOLINA

SBT PODCAST 49

Santa Barbara High School Principal Elise Simmons

SBT PODCAST 48

Santa Barbara Planning Commissioner Gabe Escobedo

Daraka Larimore-HaLL

SBT PODCAST 46

Alejandra Gutierrez

SBT PODCAST 45

'THERE's NO MAGIC PILL, you Have TO WORK HARd'

Yona Estrada / Yona Redz

Yona Estrada grew up on Santa Barbara's Westside and now owns one of downtown's most popular businesses, Yona Redz. His birria quesotacos are the talk of the town. In this podcast, Estrada shares how he followed his dream, and turned his mother's recipes into a popular State Street restaurant.

'THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS AN EASY, POPULAR SOLUTION'

Wade Cowper

The mysterious man behind some of Santa Barbara's most successful campaigns opens up with SBT in this wide-ranging interview. Political strategist Wade Cowper helped Kristen Sneddon, Kate Ford, Alejandra Gutierrez, Virginia Alvarez, Vicki Ben-Yaacov and others sweep into office. Listen to his story.

'THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE OVER ANYTIME SOON'

Dr. CHARITY DEAN

Dr. Charity Dean, one of the country's foremost experts on battling the COVID-19 pandemic, talks with Josh Molina in this one hour-plus podcast conversation about the importance of COVID-19 testing and the country's failed response to the pandemic.

'MY COMMUNITY HAS BEEN DEPRIVED OF THEIR TRIBE'

Steve Epstein and Kostis Protopapas

Musician and Realtor Steve Epstein and Kostis Protopapas, artistic and general director of Opera Santa Barbara are working with a large group of arts stakeholders to bring live music, with social distancing, back to Santa Barbara.

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Santa Barbara Talks with Josh Molina provides a unique platform for people in the world of business, housing and education to talk candidly about the community's challenges and the solutions. Journalist Josh Molina creates dynamic conversations with the influential people who help make the community special. Your support helps Josh expand and grow his podcasts to a larger audience and create an audio history of this incredible community.

PEOPLE NEED A PLACE TO LIVE AND THAT'S NEVER GOING TO CHANGE

Steve Golis, Co-Founder Radius Commercial Group

Radius Commercial Real Estate Co-Founder Steve Golis talks how student housing has been hit hard by COVID-19, but is surviving. He also talks about some ballot measures, including how rent control would hurt the industry.

FIDEL RODRIGUEZ

Fidel Rodriguez has decades of experience holding workshops that focus on practical wellness tools, history, trauma, poverty, racism, leadership and healing. For the last few years, he's been on the front lines in Santa Barbara fighting to change an offensive and racist street name in Santa Barbara

LUCAS ZUCKER

Rising young political star Lucas Zucker is the policy and communications director for the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE). In this podcast Lucas talks about the Latino exodus of families in Santa Barbara and COVID-19 conditions in the migrant farmworker fields.

'THERE'S GREAT STORIES TO BE TOLD'

JOHN PALMINTERI

Santa Barbara journalistic icon John Palminteri talks with Josh Molina about his career, his biggest stories and life as a media celebrity. He talks about his Instagram platform, and how he uses it to break news, while dropping a ton of names, past and present. Settle in to this amazing podcast.

'EVERY DAY YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO REALLY HELP PEOPLE'

Santa Barbara Police Sgt. Rashun Drayton

Santa Barbara Police Department Sgt. Rashun Drayton talks about what it is like to be a Black police officer, implicit bias, his Santa Barbara upbringing, career in the U.S. Marine Corps, life as father of two girls, and the state of the country, amid the fallout of the George Floyd killing.

'I DON'T THINK OUR TEACHERS HAVE EVER WORKED HARDER'

Dos Pueblos High School Principal Bill Woodard

Dos Pueblos High School Principal William Woodard talks about how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted his school, DP's innovative parking lot graduation plans, the credit/no-credit grading policy, Just Communities' implicit bias training, district leadership and his former life as a journalist.

'KIDS DIE NEEDLESSLY AND MOMS DIE FROM PREVENTABLE CAUSES'

THOMAS TIGHE

Thomas Tighe, President and CEO of Direct Relief, talks about his organization's response during COVID-19, his thoughts on the Lompoc prison outbreak, and Direct Relief's other big mission: supporting midwifery and helping to prevent the unnecessary deaths of mothers and children during labor.

'I DON'T WANT IT TO BE LOOKED AT AS JUST A SHOPPING CENTER'

Paseo Nuevo's Mary Lynn Harms-Romo

Mary Lynn Harms-Romo, the senior marketing director for Paseo Nuevo, opens up about the loss of Nordstrom, the future of the iconic, 30-year-old mall, what's going on with the old Macy's building, she explainswhat's behind the $20 million in tenant improvements that the mall's owners are investing.

'I AM NOT A PERSON WHO REALLY LIKES TO BE TOLD NO'

MEAGAN HARMON

Santa Barbara City Councilwoman Meagan Harmon swept into office 16 months ago and is now the talk of City Hall. She talks about assisting the business community, rebuilding downtown, life as a mom during the pandemic and the pressures of being a parent while being committed to public service.