Hanford Insider

Rob Bentley
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Welcome the Hanford Insider, I’m your host Rob Bentley. I’m a lifelong resident of Hanford and I’m very involved in the local history scene and podcasting so I decided to start this show as a resource to Hanford area residents for covering issues, promoting events, sports, and reflecting on some local history. Tune in each Monday for a new episode. Please help me get the word out about the show by sharing on social media, or telling a friend. For more information about the show, you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X,  or Threads at @Hanford Insider.  If you have a show idea, be sure to email me hanfordinsider@gmail.com  If you are part of an organization that needs help getting the word out to the community, let’s work together.

  1. 1 day ago

    Hanford Insider: City Hall Roulette with Chris Tavarez

    Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! Big city projects rarely feel real until you hear the timeline, the tradeoffs, and the “here’s what happens next” details. That’s why we sat down with Hanford City Manager Chris Tavarez for a fast-moving update on what’s currently being built, what’s being designed, and what’s still stuck in the waiting phase across Hanford, California and the wider Kings County community. If you’ve been wondering what Measure H is actually paying for, how the city thinks about emergency response time, or why certain construction zones seem to take forever, you’ll get clear answers here.  We dig into the planned public safety building near 7th and Harris, including programming, property acquisition, and how Fire Station 4 and new facilities can improve police and fire coverage. We also talk about downtown readiness for potential El Nino storms, the Veterans Building roof project, and the behind-the-scenes work storm drain crews do to reduce flooding risk in known problem areas. From there, we hit major planning items like the RAISE grant for China Alley and the Civic Park area, plus an honest look at the HART team’s work with the unhoused, combining relationship-building with ordinance enforcement and cleanup efforts.  Growth is a theme too: the East Lacey Boulevard corridor project near the Costco area, state housing element requirements that shape local development, and a new blue ribbon recreation advisory committee meant to help prioritize parks, walking paths, bike paths, and multi-generational facilities. We also cover the Grangeville underpass concept, city council chambers audio and video upgrades for better public access, and the new 12th and Mall Drive development bringing Chick-fil-A, Olive Garden, and more. Then we wrap with a Fall Sports Report spotlighting local football and playoff positioning.  Subscribe for weekly Hanford news and interviews, share the episode with a neighbor, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What project do you want us to follow closest? You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider Thank you for supporting the show!

    Hanford Insider: City Hall Roulette with Chris Tavarez

  2. 18 Oct

    Hanford Insider: The Itchy Pooch Mobile Grooming with Shamra Bettencourt

    Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! A grooming van pulls up to your house, your dog steps inside, and the whole appointment happens without a noisy lobby or a room full of barking dogs. That simple change can mean a calmer pet, a smoother handoff for busy owners, and a grooming experience built around safety and focus instead of chaos. We’re joined by Shamra Bettencourt, Hanford native and owner of Itchy Pooch Mobile Pet Grooming, to talk through what makes mobile pet grooming different from a traditional salon. We get into how she learned the trade, why she chose a fleet of purpose-built grooming vans, and what first-time customers can expect at the door. Shamra also breaks down the real services people ask for most, from nail trimming and bathing to full haircuts, ear cleaning, teeth brushing, deshedding, and even de-skunking. Trust is a huge part of pet care, so we dig into how Itchy Pooch approaches accountability and professionalism, including in-unit security cameras and ongoing education like pet CPR and first aid training plus special courses for grooming senior dogs. We also talk about the behind-the-scenes reality of operating in Kings County and the Central Valley: fuel costs, maintenance, and smarter routing to keep mobile service sustainable. The conversation lands where Hanford Insider always tries to land: community. Shamra shares a moving story about helping a pet owner in a tough spot, and we highlight Itchy Pooch’s local giving, including sponsorships and a shelter blanket drive. If you love Hanford stories, local business journeys, and practical pet grooming advice, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review so more neighbors can find the show. You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider Thank you for supporting the show!

    Hanford Insider: The Itchy Pooch Mobile Grooming with Shamra Bettencourt

  3. 18 Oct ·  Bonus

    Hanford Insider: Football Special

    Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! Two weeks left in the regular season and the margin for error is basically gone. We’re tracking the Hanford-area high school football stretch run with a quick, detail-packed update that focuses on the plays that changed games and the matchups that can still reshape league standings. We start with Hanford High’s bounce-back win over Redwood, a game that turned on defense, finishing drives, and one huge special teams moment. An early takeaway helps Hanford grab control, and the night features explosive connections from Jaron Mao to Braylon Thomas, plus Mao’s burst on the ground. The sequence everyone will be talking about is the 99-yard kickoff return touchdown that gets called back for holding, wiping out a potential momentum flip and keeping Hanford in the driver’s seat. With the Bullpups now 6-2 overall and battling in EYL play, the next test is enormous: unbeaten, league-leading Tulare Western. Then we jump to the Tri-County Sequoia League, where Sierra Pacific takes down Hanford West in the latest Clash of the Claws behind a big passing night from Harrison Grant and a multi-score effort from a deep group of playmakers. We also look ahead to Sierra Pacific vs Reedley and Hanford West vs Fowler, two games that carry real weight for confidence and league progress. If you follow Central Valley high school football, this is the time to lock in. Subscribe, share this with a fellow fan, and leave a review to help more locals find the show. You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider Thank you for supporting the show!

    Hanford Insider: Football Special

  4. 11 Oct

    Hanford Insider: Young Family Farms Shows How A Pumpkin Patch Brings A Town Together

    Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! A fall tradition does not have to come from a big theme park or a long drive, sometimes it’s built one pumpkin vine at a time right here in Hanford. We visit Young Family Farms for a behind the scenes look at their Pumpkin Patch and five acre corn maze, and Justin and Nicole Young explain how they turned a leased ranch into a place where Kings County families can slow down, laugh, and take photos they’ll actually keep. They share what’s growing on site, from heirloom pumpkins to classic orange carvers to giant white pumpkins, and why they care so much about creating an experience that feels welcoming from the moment you walk in. We dig into the details that make this stop more than a quick pumpkin pick: sensory play in the corn pit, vintage tractor hayrides that roll through the middle of the patch, games for kids, and plenty of photo backdrops for fall photos and holiday cards. Nicole also breaks down how weekends come alive with rotating food vendors and sweet treats, plus seasonal extras like s’mores kits when it cools down. Justin pulls back the curtain on the real work, irrigation, tractors, dust control, harvest crews, and the year round prep that makes October look effortless. You’ll also hear our community news and calendar, including key Hanford City Council updates and events around town, then we wrap with Hanford area sports highlights across football, volleyball, and water polo. If you want practical local info plus a warm story about building community, this one is for you. Subscribe to Hanford Insider, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review so more locals can find it. You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider Thank you for supporting the show!

    Hanford Insider: Young Family Farms Shows How A Pumpkin Patch Brings A Town Together

  5. 4 Oct

    Hanford Insider: UCP+ Hanford, KRH Calico Festival, Kings Symphony strikes a note!

    Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! Three big community spotlights, a packed local calendar, and the kind of practical info you’ll actually use, this Hanford Insider update keeps you connected to what’s happening across Hanford and Kings County. We start with community news, including the official groundbreaking for new development at 12th and Mall Drive, a quick look at upcoming City Council details, and reminders about election ballots and where to go with questions. If you like staying in the loop on local openings, civic updates, and neighborhood changes, this one is built for you. Then we sit down with Victor Perez and Sarah Ramos from UCP Plus of Hanford to talk about early intervention and school readiness services for kids from birth to five. They explain what to do when you suspect a developmental delay, how Early Start evaluations work, what “qualification” can look like, and why their parent education model matters so much. They also share a simple but powerful message: you don’t need an appointment to walk in and ask for help, and these services can be provided at no cost to families. From there, we highlight family-friendly events you can put straight on your calendar: UCP +'s Trunk or Treat at the COS Hanford campus, the 50th annual Kings River Hardwick Calico Arts Festival with its vendors, car show, farmers market, sweet shop, and silent auction, and the King’s Symphony Orchestra opening concert at the Hanford Fox Theater featuring the full Beethoven’s Fifth. We wrap with a local sports report covering football, water polo, and volleyball, plus how to send in your own score updates. Subscribe for weekly Hanford community news, share this with a friend who loves local events, and leave a review to help more neighbors find the show. You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider Thank you for supporting the show!

    Hanford Insider: UCP+ Hanford, KRH Calico Festival, Kings Symphony strikes a note!

  6. 27 Sept

    Hanford Insider: BIG Weekend Spotlight!

    Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! Three major Hanford events are landing on the same weekend, and we’re giving you a clear game plan so you can actually enjoy them instead of hearing about them after they’re over. We start with quick community news across Hanford and Kings County, including support for K9 Officer Jet, a big retirement announcement from downtown’s Salmon’s Furniture Galleries, and a packed list of upcoming local dates worth putting on your calendar. Then we sit down with Brad Albert from the City of Hanford for a preview of the Renaissance Of Kings Fair, one of the longest-running Renaissance fairs in California. We talk entertainment, roaming guilds, the king and queen, knight combat, classic Renaissance food, and why Hanford Civic Auditorium Park and the historic downtown square make the whole thing feel like a real step back in time. Brad also shares updates on other city events, including the Catfish Crawl and what’s coming for the Halloween bash. Next, Arianne Wing from the China Alley Preservation Society joins us to spotlight the third annual tribute to the China Alley Moon Festival at the Carnegie Museum of Kings County. We cover the lion dance, taiko drumming, crafts, moon cakes and tea, and we share real progress on China Alley restoration after a major preservation grant. We wrap our triple feature with Chief Daniel Perkins and the Hanford Fire Department Annual Open House, including hands-only CPR, kid-friendly safety activities, and a timely warning about lithium-ion battery charger risks and smoke alarm response. Hit subscribe, share this with a friend who needs weekend plans, and leave a review to help more people find Hanford Insider. You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider Thank you for supporting the show!

    Hanford Insider: BIG Weekend Spotlight!

  7. 20 Sept

    Hanford Insider: Carnegie Museum's Building Kings County Pt. II Preview

    Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! A town’s history isn’t just in textbooks, it’s in the buildings you drive past, the restaurants you miss, and the events that pull people together on a random weeknight. We start with what’s happening right now in Hanford and Kings County, from the World of Outlaws Valley Clash at Kings Speedway to a beginner Dungeons and Dragons class at the Hanford Library Temporary Branch, plus live music at the Thursday Marketplace. Then we jump into entertainment news with a closer look at Queen Nation, a Queen tribute band stopping at the Hanford Fox Theater. We share what to expect, how tickets are moving, and why shows like this matter for downtown Hanford. If you’re planning a night out or bringing friends in from out of town, you’ll get the key details to make it easy. The centerpiece is an inside look at the Carnegie Museum of Kings County and its latest exhibition, Building Kings County. We pull highlights from curator training so you can hear the stories behind the displays: the old Kings County Courthouse and its restoration, the surprising era when local banks could print their own money, churches and civic life, Highway 198’s changing path through town, the Fox Theater’s origins, and local places that still spark instant nostalgia. Some moments are light and fun, like drive-in memories and Maccagno’s rum cake recipe, and others land with real weight, including a World War II era restaurant closure tied to internment camps. We wrap with Eric Bentley’s local sports roundup covering Hanford High, Hanford West, and Sierra Pacific across football, water polo, and volleyball. Subscribe for weekly Kings County community news, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more locals can find it. You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider Thank you for supporting the show!

    Hanford Insider: Carnegie Museum's Building Kings County Pt. II Preview

  8. 13 Sept

    Hanford Insider: HESD's Multi Year School Modernization Plan

    Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! Construction signs outside a school can feel like background noise until you hear what’s actually happening behind the fences. We sit down with Hanford Elementary School District Superintendent Joy Gabler and Director of Facilities and Operations Daniel Pierotte to get a clear, practical update on the district’s school modernization projects, including the multi-year Monroe Elementary rebuild and the campus upgrades rolling across Hanford. We talk about what drives today’s school construction timelines: California building codes, Division of the State Architect approvals, fire life safety, structural standards, access compliance, and Title 24 energy requirements. Daniel explains the kinds of improvements that matter long after the ribbon cutting, like LED lighting, better indoor air quality, durable surfaces, and infrastructure that’s affordable to maintain for the next 50 to 75 years. We also hit Washington Elementary repairs, ADA and restroom upgrades, and a central kitchen electrical project designed to increase capacity as schools move toward greener energy. Joy shares what it takes to run these projects while students and staff are on campus, why bond measures are essential to funding facility work, and how technology has become part of the building plan itself. We dig into one-to-one devices, reliable classroom connectivity for state testing, a districtwide new math adoption (Illustrative Mathematics), and a new student information system plus the HESD Connect app that aims to simplify parent communication. We close with pride points, including major school recognitions, a reminder about safe driving in school zones and around bus stops, plus community news and a local sports roundup. Subscribe to Hanford Insider, share this with a neighbor, and leave a review if the show helps you stay connected to Kings County. You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider Thank you for supporting the show!

    Hanford Insider: HESD's Multi Year School Modernization Plan
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About

Welcome the Hanford Insider, I’m your host Rob Bentley. I’m a lifelong resident of Hanford and I’m very involved in the local history scene and podcasting so I decided to start this show as a resource to Hanford area residents for covering issues, promoting events, sports, and reflecting on some local history. Tune in each Monday for a new episode. Please help me get the word out about the show by sharing on social media, or telling a friend. For more information about the show, you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X,  or Threads at @Hanford Insider.  If you have a show idea, be sure to email me hanfordinsider@gmail.com  If you are part of an organization that needs help getting the word out to the community, let’s work together.

Information

  • Creator
    Rob Bentley
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    183
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Hanford Insider
  • Show Website
    Hanford Insider