Veteran Appreciation

Tucson mayoral candidate Jordan Ochoa joins host Sherry to outline her priorities, from homelessness response and public safety to water independence, transit, economic vitality, and government transparency. She explains how her personal experience and public-records research shaped her campaign, and makes the case for a more open, locally grounded city government.Jordan Ochoa says her research into Tucson’s decline and public-records work led residents to encourage her mayoral run.Her immediate homelessness priority is coordinating nonprofits and public agencies to connect people with food, beds, and effective treatment.She describes a revolving cycle involving police, hospitals, short-term treatment, and people returning to the streets, while arguing officers need stronger staffing and compensation.Ochoa calls for a path for people who have served prison sentences to regain rights and move forward, and says police officers need greater support.On immigration, she focuses on children she says may be vulnerable to trafficking and calls for cooperation to address the situation.Her water proposals include rain barrels, cisterns, grants, infrastructure renewal, and greater household water independence; she criticizes the One Water 2100 project.She connects cleaner public spaces and affordable family activities with Tucson’s economic appeal, and proposes targeted bus-fare assistance and safer transit.She criticizes broken parking and fare-collection equipment, downtown parking charges, and high public-sector salaries, and advocates prioritizing local talent.Ochoa pledges public access to city spending, opposes government NDAs, and says she would represent residents across political lines.She supports engaging young people in city government and imagines park-based agricultural spaces where children can interact with animals.

Former DEA chief of international operations Mike Vigil joins host Sherry for a wide-ranging, sharply critical discussion of U.S. politics after the midterm elections. They debate the role of Stephen Miller, congressional oversight, presidential pardons, immigration enforcement, political accountability, and whether lawmakers can work across party lines to protect democratic institutions and address everyday needs.Vigil and Sherry discuss the midterm results and argue that lawmakers should work together across party lines on issues affecting the public.They examine Stephen Miller’s elevation to White House chief of staff and what Vigil believes it signals for immigration policy and congressional relations.The conversation turns to congressional oversight, subpoenas, Jack Smith, and Vigil’s concerns about the Department of Justice’s independence.Sherry and Vigil discuss religious freedom and political attacks directed at Abdul El-Sayed and other Muslim public figures.Vigil argues presidential pardons should be restricted, contrasting the intended role of pardons with his criticism of their use in current politics.They debate alleged conflicts of interest, gifts to public officials, corporate influence, and the Emoluments Clause.The pair discuss immigration enforcement, the border wall, and the humanitarian consequences of policy choices.They raise public-service issues including health care, Medicare and Medicaid, SNAP, food costs, and minimum wage.Sherry mentions the January 6th Memory Project as a resource for tracking related lawsuits, pardons, and developments.They close by discussing political loyalty, the role of elected representatives, and the need for cross-party cooperation.

BJ Ganem, founder of Sierra Delta, a national nonprofit that helps veterans build purposeful relationships with dogs through individualized training plans, grants, and a veteran community. Ganem explains why Sierra Delta gives veterans agency to choose their goals and trainers, and argues that meaningful support should create opportunities for service rather than impose a one-size-fits-all model.Sierra Delta’s Life Buddy program offers veterans up to $3,500 toward professional dog training aligned with their individual needs and goals.Veterans choose their dog, trainer, and training objectives, from everyday manners and emotional support to scent work, herding, sports, or service tasks.A four-week cohort helps veterans assess their lives and dogs, explore training options, interview trainers, and develop a plan for review and funding.Life Force invites veterans to mentor peers, host local meetups, and help grow a community rooted in continued service.Ganem says broad access and veteran choice matter because rigid eligibility and one-size-fits-all programs can leave people feeling rejected or stripped of agency.He shares his experience of combat injury, a below-knee amputation, retained shrapnel, and an eight-year process to reach a 100% disability rating.Ganem describes dog training as a relationship and routine that support both the handler and the dog, rather than treating a dog as a medical device.The conversation explores ways trained dogs and veteran networks could serve local communities, including search support, shelter visits, and companionship in veterans’ homes.Ganem outlines Sierra Delta’s fundraising needs and invites donors, sponsors, trainers, and volunteers to help expand its reach.

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Former law-enforcement professional and author Ernest Stevens joins host Sherry to discuss mental health, de-escalation, and the lasting impact of trauma on first responders and their families. He shares practical wellness habits, explains how 988 and Copline differ, and argues that agencies and loved ones can help by making support normal and setting clear boundaries.Stevens says crisis calls involving mental health can shift quickly, making de-escalation training a priority alongside staffing and behavioral-health partnerships.He describes how accumulated traumatic incidents can surface after retirement, especially when officers have had little time to process calls during their careers.Families are affected too; agencies can involve them from recruitment through retirement, and families can agree on supportive communication and boundaries.His co-authored workbook, 101 Questions to Ask Before Becoming a Law Enforcement Officer, prompts reflection on career choices, wellness, technology, testimony, and personal development.Stevens shares GEBY: gratitude, exercise, breakfast or nutritious eating, and time for yourself, with changes in these habits serving as possible warning signs.He encourages coworkers and loved ones to raise concerns compassionately rather than judgmentally when someone's behavior changes.He distinguishes 988, a crisis service offering call, text, and chat options, from Copline, which is staffed by current or retired officers; he also stresses clinician fit and cultural competency.Stevens defines trauma as what happens inside a person as a result of what happened to them, and urges first responders to normalize different reactions.He closes by urging officers to define success as making a positive difference, not merely surviving the career.

Immigration attorney Mo Goldman to discuss a client’s release from Eloy Detention Center after a federal judge granted habeas relief, and what the case reveals about immigration detention and court oversight. They also examine detention conditions, immigration procedures, political rhetoric, and the value of hearing perspectives across the political spectrum.Mo Goldman recounts his client’s detention after a marriage-based green card waiver was denied, and the federal judge’s order releasing him after about 90 days.The conversation examines immigration judges’ appointment under the Department of Justice and concerns about political pressure and independence.Goldman describes reported conditions at Eloy, including foul-smelling drinking water, extreme cold, thin mattresses, and a pregnant detainee’s reported difficulty obtaining medical care.They discuss how detention affected the client’s immigration case, work eligibility, and next steps after release.Goldman explains that marriage-based green cards and work permits are not automatic, and describes evidence and interviews used to assess whether a marriage is genuine.The hosts discuss an ICE arrest involving conservative blogger Samuel Say and the conflicting reactions of people who had supported aggressive immigration enforcement.They criticize fear-based political messaging and personal attacks, and discuss the need for policy solutions and empathy beyond one’s political circle.Goldman and Sherry discuss polarization, election uncertainty, media diversity, and reading across political perspectives.

Mike Vigil, identified in the episode as a former Chief of International Operations for the DEA, about the Shield of the Americas, counterterrorism designations, drug policy, immigration enforcement, and election integrity. Vihill offers his perspective on the initiative’s capacity and explains how US foreign-terrorist designations differ from existing tools for targeting criminal networks.Mike Vihill argues that the Shield of the Americas lacks the judicial, financial-intelligence, military, and policing capacity needed for its stated security mission.He says excluding Mexico and Brazil limits the coalition because of their scale, geographic reach, and law-enforcement capabilities.Vihill outlines the US foreign-terrorist designation process, including agency review, consultation among officials, and a seven-day congressional review period.He distinguishes profit-driven criminal networks from terrorist organizations pursuing political or ideological goals, while noting overlap in tactics can complicate comparisons.Vihill argues existing laws, including the Foreign Narcotic Kingpin Designation Act, already provide tools to target drug-trafficking organizations.The discussion covers drug-interdiction priorities, including ports of entry, domestic demand, and weapons flows into Mexico.Sherry and Vihill discuss immigration enforcement, voting procedures, election claims, and public participation in elections.Vihill closes by questioning the consistency of drug-enforcement policy, citing presidential pardons discussed in the interview.

Former U.S. Attorney for Arizona Gary Restaino explains election-law questions behind headlines, including noncitizen voting prosecutions, federal authority over elections, and law-enforcement presence near polling places. He also offers practical guidance on responding to voting-machine errors and making a calm, informed voting plan.Restaino says noncitizens can mistakenly appear on voter rolls through motor-voter registration processes, and prosecutors must prove knowing conduct; reliance on official errors may provide a defense.He discusses the Maricopa County review of 60 referred voters: eight were identified as noncitizens, while 52 were citizens who were wrongly accused, prompting a lawsuit seeking their restoration to the rolls.He questions the timing of federal election-related charges announced close to an election, noting the longstanding DOJ practice of avoiding actions that could influence elections or undermine confidence.Restaino says states generally administer elections under the Elections Clause, while Congress may intervene; he argues Alaska's ballot dispute should primarily be handled by Alaska courts.He explains the federal prohibition, dating to 1865, on armed federal agents at polling places and describes local officials asking ICE agents to leave polling locations.He describes legal support and coordination for election officials, including the Government Council and Election Officials Network, convenings, and tabletop exercises.He cautions that mass mobilization near polling places can obstruct voters, and recommends reporting concerns through appropriate channels rather than confronting a situation.For voting-machine concerns, he advises checking selections before finalizing an electronic ballot; in Arizona, paper ballots provide a physical record.His practical voting-plan advice: review the ballot beforehand, allow extra time, know where and how you will vote, and stay calm if problems arise.