Hanford Insider

Rob Bentley
  • 4.7 (3)
  • News Commentary
  • Updated Weekly

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. 4h ago ·  Bonus

    Hanford City Council Wrap Up in Minutes Aug 10, 2026

    Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! A single City Council meeting can quietly steer the next 25 years of growth, safety, and Vice Mayor Nancy Howze breaks down the August 4th Hanford City Council Meeting. We start with a big-picture item that affects everyday life: the Kings County Association of Governments (KCAG) update to the Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy, a required roadmap for 2026 through 2049 that helps keep our local agencies eligible for state and federal transportation funding. We talk through the four growth scenarios KCAG is studying and what they are designed to do: reduce vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions through coordinated land use and transportation investment. The standout news is that all four scenarios meet the state’s greenhouse gas reduction goals by 2035, and the draft plan is open for public review through September 5 at 5 p.m., so residents still have time to shape the direction. Then we shift to local actions with immediate on-the-ground impact, including a public hearing on the Copper Ridge Development and a vote to amend the annexation boundary by removing 58.24 acres. We also share results from the drone-enforced It’s Not Worth It illegal fireworks campaign: what we saw, how many calls and fires we responded to, how citations were issued, and why the council voted to continue the program next year. We close with the triumphant return of Freedom Fest and the live fireworks show, plus the vote to move forward with planning for Freedom Fest 2027. If you want clear context without the jargon, press play, then subscribe, share this with a neighbor, and leave a review so more Hanford residents can stay informed. You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider Thank you for supporting the show!

  2. 1d ago

    Hanford Insider: Hanford Jewelry and Loan, Kings Players, Babe Ruth Stars, High School Fall Sport Preview

    Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! A pawn shop with two vaults in an old bank building sounds like the start of a crime story, but in downtown Hanford it’s really a story about trust. We sit down with Kirsten Bookout of Hanford Jewelry and Loan to talk about what it takes to keep a local jewelry store thriving for 65 years and why “pawn” often means something far more practical than people assume. We get into the real day-to-day: how the business grew from watchmaking roots, why the shop shifted away from tools and electronics, and what customers are actually looking for right now in pre-owned jewelry and estate pieces. Kirsten shares how they buy gold (and why so many people forget what’s sitting in the back of a closet), plus the small services that online shopping can’t match like fit checks, reassurance, free cleanings for items bought in-store, and help when life doesn’t fit neatly into store hours. We also talk candidly about collateral loans and how a short-term loan against a piece of jewelry can help someone bridge an unexpected bill or stretch to the next paycheck without the stress of asking family. Along the way, we hit the community side of the Hanford Insider: the Thursday night marketplace, the Carnegie Museum of Kings County opening the 1976 Hanford Bicentennial Time Capsule and collecting messages for 2076, a senior wellness workshop, local theater with Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, and a quick sports report with local baseball and a girls volleyball preview. If you enjoy local business stories, downtown Hanford history, and practical community news you can use, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more Kings County listeners can find us. You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider Thank you for supporting the show!

    Hanford Insider: Hanford Jewelry and Loan, Kings Players, Babe Ruth Stars, High School Fall Sport Preview

  3. Aug 2

    Hanford Insider: The Tee Box, Time Capsule Contents, Sports Update

    Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! A small town feels bigger when you know what’s happening and you’ve got somewhere fun to meet up. We start with the civic stuff that impacts real life in Hanford: major City Council changes, three open seats, who has filed for candidacy, and the fast-approaching deadline to throw your hat in the ring. We also preview the week’s public meetings and the kinds of issues that show up there, from reports and hearings to how the city reviews community campaigns and big summer events. Then we roll into a community calendar designed for people who actually want to get out of the house. Heat can change plans quickly this time of year, so we talk through what’s scheduled and what to watch. The most memorable stop is the Carnegie Museum of Kings County, where the 1976 bicentennial time capsule comes back to life through cassette recordings. Hearing a local leader wonder about rising costs, fresh air, and what Hanford will look like decades later is equal parts funny, sobering, and weirdly comforting. The centerpiece is our interview with Marty Keeton, owner of The Tee Box, a new virtual golf simulator bar in downtown Hanford. Marty explains why they chose this location, what it took to get the ABC license, and how they’re building a family-friendly indoor golf experience that works for total beginners and serious players alike. We talk TrackMan technology, interactive games for kids, party options like birthdays and fantasy football draft nights, beer and seltzers on tap, and why bringing your own food is not just allowed, it’s encouraged. We wrap with Hanford sports, including a big youth baseball run and a local player moving up the pro pipeline. Subscribe for more Hanford and Kings County stories, share this with a friend who needs a new weekend plan, and leave a review so more locals 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 Tee Box, Time Capsule Contents, Sports Update

  4. Jul 31 ·  Bonus

    Hanford City Council Recap In Minutes Pt. II

    Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! A reballot powered by neighbors. A budget shortfall that changes what gets maintained. A major public safety project that forces a hard conversation about eminent domain. Mayor Mark Kairis returns with part two of a July 21 Hanford City Council meeting recap, breaking down the votes and what they mean for everyday life in Hanford. We start with a bright spot: the City Council recognizes Grid Alternatives of Central Valley for helping Hanford families reduce energy costs through affordable solar energy. The numbers tell the story, from 150 households served to more than $4 million in lifetime energy savings, plus an environmental impact comparable to nearly 2,000 vehicles off the road. If you track clean energy, utility bills, or local climate solutions, this is practical progress you can actually measure. Then we shift into city operations and quality-of-life details that matter to families: council approves the purchase of a self-contained kitchen food concession trailer for the Youth Athletic Complex, also known as the Bob Hill Sports Complex. It is about meeting health department requirements and keeping outdoor cooking safe, legal, and workable for the Hanford Youth Baseball League and the city’s recreation and community services department. The biggest neighborhood storyline centers on landscape assessment districts. Quail Run Estates sees a grassroots petition and reballot succeed, raising the annual assessment to $268 per lot to restore weekly maintenance, close a deficit, and keep a beloved park open. Portofino, however, fails to pass an increase again, meaning services drop to a minimal level focused on safety hazards and basic tree health. We close with the council’s resolution of necessity for 203 East 7th Street, the vacant old Robert Chevrolet site, as Hanford moves toward a new public safety facility to replace an over-50-year-old police station. Subscribe for more Hanford City Council updates, share this recap with a neighbor, and leave a review so more residents can stay informed. What part of these decisions affects your neighborhood most? You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider Thank you for supporting the show!

  5. Jul 28 ·  Bonus

    Hanford City Council Recap In Minutes

    Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! A proposed data center that the city says it hasn’t been consulted on. Police tech that raises big questions about privacy. And a new California water law that could change what “normal” landscaping looks like across town. Mayor Mark Kairis gives us a fast, practical wrap-up of recent Hanford City Council actions from the July 21 meeting, focused on what residents asked about most and what council wants to revisit publicly.  We start with the two issues that took over public comment even though they weren’t on the agenda: the potential data center planned for state-owned property and the Hanford Police Department’s use of automated license plate reader technology, including Flock cameras. We talk about what the city knows today, what it doesn’t, and why bringing these topics back as future agenda items matters for transparency, accountability, and public trust.  Then we dig into the study session highlights, including Assembly Bill 1572 and the push to reduce potable water use by prohibiting irrigation of non-functional turf. We break down what counts as non-functional turf, what counts as functional turf, and the important exemptions for single family residential lawns and cemeteries. We also share what we learned from the 2026 National Community Survey and National Business Survey, including the top priorities residents named: safety, the economy, and utilities, plus where you can explore the results on the city’s dashboard at www.hanfordca.gov/ncs.  If you care about Hanford water regulations, local government decision-making, and the real-world impact of public safety technology, this recap is a quick way to stay informed. Subscribe for part two, share this with a neighbor, 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!

  6. Jul 26

    Hanford Insider: 1976 Time Capsule

    Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! A sealed tube buried in 1976 just told Hanford a story it couldn’t hear anywhere else and the voices are still there. We crack open the City of Hanford 1976 Bicentennial Time Capsule and walk through what was saved, why it was chosen, and what it feels like to hear local life preserved on cassette tapes from KLAN and KNGS radio. It’s a rare kind of local history you can actually listen to, from ceremony clips to everyday newscasts that instantly transport you back to Kings County in the bicentennial year.  We also zoom back to the present because today’s headlines become tomorrow’s artifacts. I share a quick community roundup, including the impact of illegal fireworks enforcement, reflections on the Hanford Freedom Fest, and the packed City Council conversation around data centers and Flock cameras, plus the news that Councilman Lou Martinez won’t seek re-election. These moments help answer a bigger question: what should a community choose to remember when it’s writing a message to the future?  Then we look forward to the next milestone, the Tricentennial Time Capsule set to be opened in 2076. I explain how you can contribute items that represent life in Hanford in 2026, and how the 1976 capsule items will be displayed at the Carnegie Museum of Kings County during Hanford’s 135th birthday celebration. If you care about Hanford, local heritage, and saving real life for the next generation, hit play, share this with a neighbor, and subscribe so you don’t miss what comes next. You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider Thank you for supporting the show!

    Hanford Insider: 1976 Time Capsule

  7. Jul 20 ·  Bonus

    Hanford Insider: ENCORE EPISODE with Nancy Howze

    Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! Hiring a new city manager might sound like inside baseball, but it is one of the biggest decisions Hanford will make this year, and it will shape everything from staff culture to how fast projects actually move. We talk with Vice Mayor Nancy Howze about what she’s learning in her first six months on the Hanford City Council, how she’s working to build a more cohesive and respectful dais, and why the “process” is more than paperwork, it’s how better decisions get made. Nancy walks us through the city manager search process, including why the council wants an outside recruitment firm and what she hopes to see in the next leader: someone who’s active in the community, shows up, earns trust with city employees, and keeps forward momentum on the goals already set. We also get real about budgeting in local government, including Measure H, how quickly the city can shift from budget approval to implementation, and why spending on anything not in the budget can come straight out of the general fund. We also cover community hot spots like Hidden Valley Park and the required California environmental review, plus street safety concerns around Centennial and student crossings. Nancy goes deeper on a point you can’t ignore: crosswalk beacons and new signage help, but distracted driving, illegal fireworks, and basic lack of consideration can still undo all of it. Listen, share this with a neighbor, and then tell us what you want Hanford to prioritize next. If you find value here, subscribe and leave a review so more residents can join the conversation. You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider Thank you for supporting the show!

    Hanford Insider: ENCORE EPISODE with Nancy Howze

  8. Jul 13 ·  Bonus

    Hanford Insider: ENCORE EPISODE, KCSO Air Support Unit

    Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! More planes and helicopters circling over Hanford has sparked a lot of curiosity and more than a few rumors, so we decided to go straight to the source. We sit down with Sergeant Jerry Hunter and Senior Deputy Eric Johnson from the Kings County Sheriff’s Department Air Support Unit to get a clear, grounded look at what aerial law enforcement actually does for public safety in Kings County. We talk through how the unit is staffed, what a typical patrol shift looks like, and why their schedule flexes with real call patterns. Eric explains how he monitors countywide calls for service from the aircraft and how the camera system is used to support specific incidents like vehicle pursuits, perimeter searches, reckless drivers, burglaries, and missing persons cases. We also address the most common concern head-on: the idea that aircraft are “spying” on neighborhoods. Their approach is call-driven and targeted, not random surveillance of backyards. Then we dig into why Kings County built its own aviation program instead of relying on CHP or neighboring sheriff’s offices, and what changes when you can launch locally and be overhead in minutes. Jerry breaks down what the helicopter adds beyond the fixed-wing aircraft, including command presence with a visible spotlight, the ability to land in emergencies, trauma kit support at serious crashes, and even water rescue options. If you’ve ever wondered what that searchlight means at night, this conversation brings much-needed context. If this helped you understand what’s happening overhead, subscribe, share the episode with a neighbor, and leave us a review so more people can find it. What question do you still have about the air support unit? You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider Thank you for supporting the show!

    Hanford Insider: ENCORE EPISODE, KCSO Air Support Unit
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Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
3 Ratings

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
    171
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Hanford Insider
  • Show Website
    Hanford Insider