Honoring Hometown Heroes: Veterans, Victory & Voices in Elk Grove

This Veterans Day edition of the Elk Grove CityCast salutes service and celebrates community spirit. Tune in for details on a hometown celebration for two-time NASCAR Cup Champion Kyle Larson, updates on federal SNAP benefit impacts and how to help local families, and SacRT’s $1 million boost to transit safety. Plus, hear about a new opportunity for Elk Grove teens to shape the future of public safety through the Chief’s Community Youth Advisory Board—and a special thank-you to our veterans with waived pet adoption fees.

Don’t miss an update—sign up to receive the City’s weekly email in your inbox every Monday at elkgrove.gov.

Rate, review and subscribe to the Elk Grove CityCast to get more information about the people, programs, and services shaping the City. You can find the Elk Grove CityCast anywhere you get your podcasts or listen online at elkgrove.gov/podcast.

Transcript

Kristyn Nelson: Thanks for tuning into the Elk Grove CityCast, the podcast about Elk Grove, California. I'm Kristyn Nelson, Elk Grove’s Public Affairs and Communications Manager. And with the help of artificial intelligence, we're rolling out new episodes that dive into the relevant topics, events, and happenings within our city.

We're using technology to provide you with new resources that will help you to stay informed and connect with the community at the time and with the tools that you prefer. So whether you have a passion for podcasts or print material, subscribe to social media or dig into digital. We want to be a source for local information that's valuable to you.

Now, without further ado, let me turn it over to our AI friends for a deeper dive into this week's topics. 

AI-leen: Welcome to the deep dive. Today we're digging into a really interesting set of sources. They all focus on one community, Elk Grove in California, right around Veterans Day, and it's quite a mix. We've got everything from NASCAR celebrations to serious concerns about federal welfare funding plus some big moves in public safety. 

AI-den: Yeah, it's a fascinating slice of local life, isn't it? What really jumps out when you look closely is how a place like Elk Grove has to juggle so many things at once. You know, handling immediate crises like making sure families get food when federal aid is delayed, but also investing in things like community spirit and long-term safety. We're trying to see, okay, where are the actual resources going? The time, the money, the volunteer effort. 

AI-leen: Exactly. And our goal for you listening is to really pull out the specifics. What are the concrete actions? What are the numbers? We want you to walk away with a really clear sense of what this community is prioritizing, how it's actually supporting its people day to day.

So let's start with something positive. A real high note, Elk Grove's. gearing up for a huge celebration. We're talking about Kyle Larson, their hometown hero who just won the NASCAR Cup series again. 

AI-den: That's right. His second win. And the celebration is set for Friday, November 14th, kicking off at noon. It's not just, you know, a quick wave.

They're doing a full parade down historic main street. And it wraps up with the ceremony at the Old Town Plaza. It sounds like quite the event. 

AI-leen: It really does. And you think about the resources for that -- traffic control, security, why put that effort in right now, especially with other pressures? It says something about community morale, doesn't it?

AI-den: Oh, absolutely. Celebrating successes like this, it builds identity, connection. It's an investment. And Larson has history. He won back in 2021 too. Plus they gave him the city's first ever key to the city way back in 2014. So the connection is deep celebrating him is in a way celebrating Elk Grove itself, 

AI-leen: Right. So that's one kind of hero celebration. But moving towards Veteran's Day itself, the city's honoring service in a different way. Quieter maybe, but really practical. Tell us about the Pets for Vets Act. 

AI-den: Yeah, this is a really neat example of a state law, having a direct local impact. Basically California's Pets for Vets Act means veterans can go to the Elk Grove Animal Shelter or any public shelter in the state actually, and get adoption fees waived 

AI-leen: Any public shelter, that's significant. So the specific detail is a veteran can adopt a pet free of charge every six months. That kind of statewide standard, that makes it much easier for veterans, right? No matter where they are in California. 

AI-den: Exactly. Standardization is key for access. It turns a nice idea into something people can actually easily use. And the sources even gave us a little story. A family, Frank and Valerie, they adopted their dog bingo through this program. That's the goal right there. A real connection, emotional support, and removing that financial barrier. 

AI-leen: Okay, so from celebrations and animal companions, we have to pivot now to something well much more concerning, the potential fallout from the federal government shutdown. Specifically hitting CalFresh benefits, what most people know as SNAP, 

AI-den: Right. And this is an abstract federal politics for Elk Grove. It's immediate. The numbers are pretty stark across Sacramento County. You've got over 270,000 people who rely on SNAP. 

AI-leen: 270,000. Wow. And the sources narrow that down for Elk Grove. 

AI-den: Yeah. Within Elk Grove itself, it's more than 20,000 residents, 20,000 people. That's a significant number of families. Facing potential food insecurity because of delays. 

AI-leen: And is there any relief coming? I know there was some court action. 

AI-den: There was. A US district court order means the USDA is releasing partial November benefits using contingency funds, but, and this is the crucial part for people on the ground, getting that aid could still take weeks, maybe even months. It's not instant. 

AI-leen: Weeks or months. So the local community has to step into that gap immediately, which puts immense pressure on places like the Elk Grove Food Bank. 

AI-den: Exactly. They're in crisis mode now. The call is out for urgent donations, food, money, whatever people can give. They're pointing everyone to www.elkgrovefoodbank.org. It really shows how local organizations become the first line of defense when you know, larger systems falter. 

AI-leen: It's a stark reminder of that interplay dealing with immediate needs while also looking at longer term investments. Which actually leads us nicely to another big topic in the sources, public transit safety. SacRT, the Sacramento Regional Transit District is making a pretty significant investment here, 

AI-den: a very significant one. They've approved a million dollars for safety and security in the upcoming budget fiscal year 2026. Now, a million dollars, it sounds like a lot, and it is, but for a whole transit system. Buses, light rail stations, you have to ask, where exactly does that money go? How far does it stretch? 

AI-leen: Good question. And the sources actually break it down into three main areas. It's an interesting mix. Let's start with the people part, the transit ambassadors. 

AI-den: Right. So two things happening here. First, they're increasing the number of ambassador positions from 40 up to 50, but maybe more importantly, they're adjusting the pay. This seems to reflect that broader trend we're seeing in transit, focusing more on customer service deescalation. Those softer skills and the pay adjustment, that's about keeping experienced people in those roles. Better retention. 

AI-leen: Okay, so investing in people and those deescalation skills. I like that focus. But they're not ignoring technology, are they? What's the second area? 

AI-den: No, definitely not. The second piece is the Security Operations Center. They're adding two more staff members there for round-the-clock monitoring and get this, SCRT has more than 2000 security cameras across its system. 

AI-leen: 2000. Wow. That's a huge network to watch.

AI-den: It really is. So more staff means they can theoretically respond faster to things seen on camera or reported through their tip line or the app. It's about managing that massive flow of information. 

AI-leen: Okay. So people, technology. What's the third part of the million-dollar plan? 

AI-den: The third part is more traditional, more visible security guards. They're expanding the presence of uniformed guards. You'll see more of them at light rail stations, actually on the trains and buses and in parking areas. So it's really a combination strategy. You've got the ambassadors for deescalation, the Tech Center for Monitoring, and the guards for visible presence and deterrence.

AI-leen: Right, a multi-pronged approach, trying to cover all the bases. So while SacRT is tackling safety with guards and cameras and ambassadors, elk Grove's Police Department is thinking about safety and community relations from a different angle, especially with young people. 

AI-den: Yeah, this is really interesting one. The Elk Grove police chief is launching a new community youth advisory board. It seems very forward thinking, trying to build bridges and get direct input from youth. 

AI-leen: How does it work? It's not just a one-off meeting, right?

AI-den: No, it's a real commitment. Yeah. They're bringing in 10 high school students and get this. It's for a two-year term, so it's designed for sustained dialogue, not just a quick focus group. 

AI-leen: Two years. That's substantial. What will they actually do? 

AI-den: They'll be working directly with police department leadership. The idea is for them to give input on actual policies on how the department engages with the community, especially young people. And specifically finding ways to build more trust between youth and law enforcement. It's about giving them a real voice in shaping things. 

AI-leen: That sounds incredibly valuable for the students. They get leadership experience, insight into local government and for the police. They get perspectives they might not otherwise hear. Right. Helping shape policy proactively. 

AI-den: Exactly. It's about integrating that youth perspective early on at the planning stage. It's kind of a fascinating contrast, isn't it? You've got the million-dollar SacRT investment. In, you know, cameras and guards, visible security infrastructure, and then you have this police initiative investing in relational security, in dialogue and trust building two different but maybe complimentary approaches to community safety.

AI-leen: That's a great way to put it. Okay. One last thing before we wrap up. Something a bit lighter and very timely. It connects community activity with giving back the Elk Grove Gobble Wobble. 

AI-den: Ah, yes. The Thanksgiving race. Mm. Registration is open. It's one of those great events, you know, get some exercise in before the big Thanksgiving meal. But the key thing here is the cause. All the money raised goes to Chicks in Crisis 

AI-leen: And Chicks in Crisis. That's a registered nonprofit of 501c3. 

AI-den: That's right. An independent nonprofit. And their work is really vital, especially when we think back to the SNAP issues. They provide services related to pregnancy, parenting support, adoption resources, education, basically support for families often in vulnerable situations. So that fun run that gobble wobble, it directly supports another piece of the local safety net. 

AI-leen: Okay, so let's try and pull all these threads together. We've touched on a NASCAR parade, waived pet adoption fees for Vets, a major potential food crisis, a million dollars for transit safety, a new youth police board, and a charity run. It really paints a picture of a community dealing with a lot all at once, celebration crisis, long-term planning. 

AI-den: It really does. What stands out is that balancing act. You see the city and its partners responding to immediate, urgent needs like the food bank having to step up because of SNAP delays or SacRT adding more visible security. But at the same time, they're making these strategic, future focused investments. Things like the Youth Advisory Board, we're focusing on retaining those transit ambassadors. It shows that supporting a community effectively means doing both handling today's problem while building for tomorrow. It's complex work.

AI-leen: It absolutely is. And that brings us to a final thought, something for you to chew on. We talked about the new police chief's community youth advisory board, this investment in dialogue and trust with young people. And we talked about the SacRT safety plan with its big focus on more cameras, more monitoring, more guards. So here's the question. If you put those side by side. Does giving young people a formal seat at the table, a real voice in advising on law enforcement policy…Does that ultimately lead to more effective, more trusted public safety than primarily relying on expanding surveillance and uniformed patrols? Or do you need both? What stands out to you as the more impactful approach in the long run? Something to think about. 

Kristyn Nelson: Thank you for listening to the Elk Grove CityCast. Tune in again soon for another deep dive into the news events and happenings around the City of Elk Grove. Like what we're doing? Please rate, review, and subscribe to the show to help spread the word to other audiophiles. Want more news before the next episode? Follow the City of Elk Grove on social media. You can find us on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Nextdoor. Or get our news delivered directly to your inbox by signing up for the city's weekly email update at elkgrove.gov. Thanks again for listening For the City of Elk Grove, I'm Kristyn Nelson.