Hanford Insider
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
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Recent Episodes
Feb. 1, 2026
Hanford Insider: How A Historic Bakery Shaped A Town And Sparked A New Chapter In Community Business
Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! A bakery that once fed a town now feeds a different kind of hunger: connection, service, and shared memory. We follow Maccagno’s from a 1949 brick landmark with 20‑foot ovens and loading docks to a living hub for local business, events, and civic…
Jan. 25, 2026
Hanford Insider: How Tightening Residency Verification Aims To Balance Programs, Class Sizes, and Opportunity at our local high schools
Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! What happens when a growing city meets crowded classrooms and a patchwork of feeder schools? We sit down with HJUHSD Superintendent Victor Rosa and Assistant Superintendent Bobby Peters to talk candidly about enrollment trends, residency verifica…
Jan. 18, 2026
Hanford Insider: How A Brewery, A Builder, And A Vision Aim To Transform Downtown Hanford
Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! A 19th-century courthouse is about to get a 21st-century heartbeat. We sit down with builder and BarrelHouse Brewing co-founder Kevin Nickell to unpack the real work of revival: clearing decades of debris, rebuilding plumbing and electrical syste…
Jan. 11, 2026
Hanford Insider: Community Updates, MLK Day Celebration, And Local Sports Highlights
Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! A new year only counts if the community moves with it. We open the season by catching you up on City Hall’s biggest storyline, celebrating neighbors doing extraordinary work, and inviting you to a Martin Luther King Jr. gathering designed to brin…
Dec. 31, 2025
Hanford Insider: Mayor Kairis' Wednesday Wrap Up for December 2025
Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! City decisions rarely feel urgent until they touch your block, your commute, or your kids’ route to school. This week’s wrap brings it all home with quick, plain‑spoken highlights from Hanford’s council meeting—what changed, what’s next, and how …
Dec. 14, 2025
Hanford Insider: A Ribbon Cutting Sparks Regional Transit, Economic Growth, And Holiday Cheer
Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! What if a transit center could change how a city moves, works, and dreams? We head to downtown Hanford for the KART Transit Center ribbon cutting and hear directly from the people who built it—county supervisors, city leaders, state voices, and t…
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Recent Blog Posts
Jan. 21, 2026
Renovating the Old Kings County Courthouse
Downtowns don’t rebound by accident—they rise when people decide to invest sweat, patience, and capital into places others wrote off. That’s the heart of our talk with Kevin Nickel, co-founder of Esteem Land Co., Carvalho Construct…
Nov. 17, 2025
2025 Winter Wonderland and Christmas Parade Preview
Hanford’s holiday season arrives with a full slate of community news, major event updates, and a practical guide for anyone planning to celebrate with family and friends. We start with the essentials: City Council meets with recognitions for y…
Aug. 3, 2025
Board of Supervisors - Doug Verboon
In a revealing conversation on The Hanford Insider podcast, Kings County Board of Supervisor Doug Verboon provided valuable insights into ongoing county projects and his approach to public service. As a fifth-generation resident of the Central Valle…