Seasonal Events, Holiday Smiles, and a Big Reveal

From holiday cards and community events to youth leadership and local art, this episode covers what’s happening in Elk Grove as we head into the holidays.

Tune in for quick updates, helpful reminders, and ways to stay connected. 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: Okay, let's dive in. We are dropping straight into Elk Grove, California. It's mid-November and you can just, you know, feel that energy shifting toward the holidays. 

AI-den: Yeah. That's palpable. 

AI-leen: And we've got this great stack of sources that really gives us a snapshot of local civic life right now. So our mission here is to cut through the, administrative noise.

AI-den: To find the real nuggets. 

AI-leen: Exactly. We're looking for those surprising insights, you know, from unique policing ideas to, well to some unexpected infrastructure challenges. Also, you can get up to speed fast on how this community works, 

AI-den: And it's a perfect illustration of how local government has to blend that immediate fun -- the holiday stuff – with long-term responsibility, it's strategy in action. 

AI-leen: Good point. 

AI-den: Oh, and just a quick logistical note before we get too deep. For any residents listening, the city sends out weekly email updates every Monday. You can find the signup link right on the elkgrove.gov portal. 

AI-leen: Perfect. Okay, so speaking of connection, let's start with something really accessible, a way to, you know, bridge that community police divide. It's called Fries with the Good Guys. 

AI-den: I like that name. It's informal. 

AI-leen: Totally. The idea is just pure accessibility. It's this Wednesday, November 19th from 4 to 6:00 PM The Elk Grove PD is just gonna be hanging out at a local McDonald's.

AI-den: And that location choice is so strategic, isn't it? A high traffic, totally neutral public space. It just normalizes the whole interaction. It's not an emergency, it's not a formal meeting, it's just people talking. Especially for families who are already out and about in the late afternoon. 

AI-leen: It feels like a really crucial first step for building community trust 

AI-den: A building block.

AI-leen: Yeah, and building on that, there's a much more structured initiative happening at the same time. This one shows a real commitment to getting future input. 

AI-den: You're talking about the Chiefs Community Youth Advisory Board?

AI-leen: That's the one. 

AI-den: This ties right into that same engagement strategy just at a, you know, a much higher level. And what's really fascinating here is that this isn't some temporary committee. 

AI-leen: No, 

AI-den: it's the inaugural board. They're looking for 10 high school students to serve a full two year term. 

AI-leen: That sounds great. But does the source material say anything about how they'll make sure this advice actually leads to change? Or is it more of a, you know, an information gathering role? 

AI-den: That is the essential question with any advisory board, right? Is it just for show? Well, the sources emphasize that their role is to advise the chief of police directly. They're giving input on policy, on engagement strategies, all to strengthen that trust between youth and law enforcement.

AI-leen: So it's a direct line, 

AI-den: It seems so, yeah. And that two year term commitment suggests they really want genuine influence, not just a soundbite. They're leveraging that Gen Z perspective on things like communication and technology and policing. 

AI-leen: So it's real leadership experience, but it's also substantive, a chance for them to actually amplify their peers voices? That's a huge opportunity. 

AI-den: Yeah. Really big one. 

AI-leen: So if you know a high schooler who'd be interested in that, applications are open right now. Just head to the police section of the city website. 

AI-den: It's about cultivating the next generation of leaders while getting real feedback today. 

AI-leen: Okay, let's transition a little. From policy to well, passion. The human side of the holidays. 

AI-den: Right? Because this time of year can also highlight social isolation. 

AI-leen: Exactly. And the city has this fantastic countermeasure called the Send A Smile Project. It's aimed right at older residents who might not have family nearby. 

AI-den: And the scale of this thing is pretty impressive. I mean, since 2020, they've gotten over 4,000 holiday cards out to seniors. 

AI-leen: Wow. 4,000. 

AI-den: Yeah. So this is not just a little craft project. It's become a proven, really high demand civic service. 

AI-leen: And the logistics are so simple. They've designed it so anyone can participate. The city provides these complete card making kits.

AI-den: Everything you need. 

AI-leen: Card stock, stickers, and this is key, a pre-addressed stamped envelope. You just have to add the warm message, 

AI-den: But that demand we talked about, it means they've had to implement some limits. So residents can pick up kits at city hall, but it's 5 kits max per family. 

AI-leen: That rationing actually says a lot, doesn't it?

AI-den: It really does. It highlights just how significant the need for connection is in the community. 

AI-leen: That's a really powerful point. The limitation itself is a metric of success. What about for like community groups, scout troops or clubs? 

AI-den: They can do a bulk request online. That has a maximum 35 cards. 

AI-leen: Okay, good.

AI-den: But if you're doing the bulk request, you have to remember the specific pickup dates, which are between December 8th and 12th, and the most critical date for everyone. 

AI-leen: The deadline.

AI-den: the mailing deadline. All cards have to be in the mail by Friday, December 19th. That ensures they get there before the holiday really peaks.

AI-leen: That timing is everything. Okay. Shifting gears again from giving back to, well, commemorating the city's identity, there's a new cultural investment they've made. 

AI-den: Ah, the partnership with Eric Dowdle, 

AI-leen: The folk artist. Yeah. 

AI-den: This is a really significant move. Commissioning a nationally known artist like Dowdle. It's a strategy smaller cities use to sort of define and market their unique character. 

AI-leen: So Elk Grove is joining some pretty big names. 

AI-den: Exactly. They're putting themselves on the map next to places like San Francisco and Santa Barbara, which Dowdle has also depicted it's municipal branding through culture.

AI-leen: It gives people a tangible, really beautiful piece of local pride, so the public gets to see it soon. 

AI-den: Yep. The unveiling is Monday, November 24th at 4:30 PM over at District 56. 

AI-leen: And the puzzles will be for sale right then?

AI-den: Immediately after they're $25. It's a fantastic. Locally inspired gift idea. They'll also be selling them later at the Dickens Street Fair and the Illumination Holiday Festival.

AI-leen: Oh, and you pair it with the 25th anniversary holiday ornament. They mentioned 

AI-den: The perfect gift bundle. 

AI-leen: So while that puzzle creates this, you know, beautiful public image for the city, we have to look behind the curtain. 

AI-den: To the list glamorous stuff, 

AI-leen: The absolutely critical civic duties, the infrastructure that keeps everything running.

AI-den: It's always that pivot, isn't it? From the festive to the functional. Yeah. And here we're talking to environmental protection, specifically a problem they call holiday FOG.

AI-leen: Right? And I think a lot of people would hear that and just assume it's weather, right? But what does FOG actually stand for here and why is it such a headache right now?

AI-den: It's a great question. FOG stands for fats, oils, and grease. 

AI-leen: Ah, okay. 

AI-den: The sources are very clear. All that amazing holiday cooking, the Turkey drippings, the gravy, all the buttery sides. It creates a ton of FOG. And the problem is what happens when people pour that liquid grease down the drain.

AI-leen: So what exactly happens in the pipes?

AI-den: This is where one small action has this massive municipal consequence. That warm grease hits the cold pipes, and it just, it hardens. It creates these stubborn, awful blockages, 

AI-leen: Which leads to backups.

AI-den: backups into homes, into streets, costly repairs for the city. And worst of all harmful sewer overflows. That means untreated wastewater, getting into local waterways. It's a huge environmental and public health problem. 

AI-leen: I remember reading about how the costs for this stuff just skyrockets for cities during the holidays. It's not a nuisance, it's a real financial burden. So what's the solution they're pushing?

AI-den: It's simple. And it relies completely on residents doing their part. You just have to collect that used cooking oil and grease in a sealed container, an old jar or milk carton, whatever works. 

AI-leen: And then what? Where do you take it? 

AI-den: You don't dump it. 

AI-den: You use the city's resources. They have a free drop off at the Special Waste Collection Center 

AI-leen: So they can dispose of it safely?

AI-den: Exactly. They make sure it's recycled or disposed of properly instead of wrecking the sewers. It's not glamorous work, but doing it is so vital for the city's infrastructure, especially this time of year. All the details are on elkgrove.gov/recycle. 

AI-leen: That's such a critical connection to make from your kitchen sink to the whole city's stability. Okay. To bring it back full circle, back to that visible community joy. Let's end on the grand finale. 

AI-den: The Holiday Parade of Lights.

AI-leen: The big one. The sources call it a deeply cherished elk grove tradition. 

AI-den: It really is the visual payoff for all that other civic work happening behind the scenes. People should mark their calendars for Saturday, December 6th at 6:00 PM. Weather permitting, of course. 

AI-leen: Of course. And it's hosted by the Elk Grove Lions Club and presented by Sutter Health. So you see that collaboration between community groups and major local institutions.

AI-den: And for any local groups or businesses listening, you can still get in on it. 

AI-leen: Oh, really? 

AI-den: Yeah. Parade entries are accepted through Wednesday, December 3rd. There's no cost to enter, and the form is right on the Illumination Festival event page on the city's website. A great chance for some visibility. 

AI-leen: What a range we've covered today. I mean, from building trust with police through, you know, fries and advisory boards to celebrating cultural identity with folk art, and then all the way down to the messy business of holiday grease.

AI-den: It really stands out, doesn't it? How civic life isn't just the big shiny parade. It's this constant strategic balance between those visible things, giving a senior a card, watching the floats, and the crucial, often invisible actions required from every single resident. 

AI-leen: Like not clogging the city's arteries with turkey grease.

AI-den: Exactly. Don't cause a municipal disaster with your leftovers. 

AI-leen: So what does this all mean for you, the listener? I think it leaves us with this one question to sort of mull over. How does a city successfully balance it all? The visible, festive joy of a parade, the cultural pride of a puzzle with the invisible but absolutely vital civic duty of dealing with FOG. And which of those unsung actions, you know, responsibly disposing of grease or giving thoughtful advice on a youth board. Which one provides the most long-term stable foundation for a truly functioning community? 

AI-den: That duality. That's the essence of a modern city. It's a great question to think about, and if any of these opportunities we talked about today piqued your interest from the advisory board to the card kits, you know where to look.

AI-leen: Thanks for diving deep with us. 

AI-den: We'll catch you next time.

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.