SGV Connect is Streetsblog Los Angeles' podcast that explores the people, places, projects and events that make up the changing face of transportation in the San Gabriel Valley. SGV Connect is hosted by Damien Newton and Chris Greenspon. This feed also hosts SGV Connect's predecessor podcast, #DamienTalks.
SGV Connect
Claim This Podcastby Chris Greenspon and Damien Newton
4.8(4 reviews)
127 episodes
Updated Bi-weekly
Accepts GuestsHas SponsorsLocation 🇺🇸
55
Podcast Authority
BetaFairBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more
Quality80
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YouTube0
Engagement76
Podcast Overview
SGV Connect is Streetsblog Los Angeles' podcast that explores the people, places, projects and events that make up the changing face of transportation in the San Gabriel Valley. SGV Connect is hosted by Damien Newton and Chris Greenspon. This feed also hosts SGV Connect's predecessor podcast, #DamienTalks.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
1/31/2019
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Recent Episodes
June 18, 2026
SGV Connect 149: Azusa Twilight Criterium & Monrovia Pride
<p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>This week on SGV Connect, Chris brings us two lighter features on some fun outdoor events in the San Gabriel Foothill communities.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>On Saturday, July 11th, the city of Azusa will host a Twilight Criterium race in its downtown. It's an exciting race weekend for Californian cyclists, with the state championship happening the next day in Manhattan Beach, and the continuing celebration of 100 years of Route 66 in Azusa. Racers can <a href= "https://raceon66.com/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGnOATtDLwZGR9BcRPQy6oUyhjHF-XgD_kpyPfiWbJwK0Y2o1fnYQbG1rgczAE_aem_adyGoQ7c5opc5M2tUGbr6w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">register here</a>. <a href= "https://la.streetsblog.org/sgv-connect-149-interview-bike-races">Here's the transcript</a> for Chris' interview with Patrick Caro of Go Fast Andiamo and Jose Jimenez from the city of Azusa.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":226650,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --></p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img class= "wp-image-226650" src= "https://la.streetsblog.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2026/06/Azusa-Race-Poster.png?w=723" alt="" /></figure> <p><!-- /wp:image --><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>Happening this Saturday is the Monrovia Pride Book Festival, put on by Underdog Books. The event will feature dozens of authors, discussion panels, drag storytellers, and even a pet parade. You may remember we spoke with the previous owners of Underdog <a href= "https://la.streetsblog.org/2023/06/16/sgv-connect-112-nathan-allen-and-carlos-morales" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a few years back</a>. Now the shop has new leadership, and has expanded operations into a more active non-profit and community safe space. Read a transcript of Chris' interview with Underdog's director, Kealie Mardell, <a href= "https://la.streetsblog.org/sgv-connect-149-interview-pride">here</a>.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":226651,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --></p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img class= "wp-image-226651" src= "https://la.streetsblog.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2026/06/Monrovia-Pride-Poster.jpg?w=819" alt="" /></figure> <p><!-- /wp:image --><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p><strong>Streetsblog's San Gabriel Valley coverage is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the San Gabriel Valley with connections to the A Line Stations across the Foothills and Commuter Express lines traveling into the heart of downtown L.A. To plan your trip, visit</strong> <a href="http://foothilltransit.org/" target="_blank" rel= "noreferrer noopener"><strong>Foothill Transit</strong></a><strong>. "Foothill Transit. Going Good Places."</strong></p> <p> </p>
June 11, 2026
SGV Connect 148: Transportation to the World Cup
<p class="isSelectedEnd">In this special World Cup edition of SGV Connect, Damien Newton talks with Foothill Transit Communications Director Felicia Friesema about how transit agencies across Los Angeles County are preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd">Friesema explains Foothill Transit's role in supporting Metro's operations at SoFi Stadium, including lending buses for shuttle service between Union Station and the stadium. She encourages San Gabriel Valley residents to use the Silver Streak and other transit connections to reach World Cup matches, noting that transit will play a critical role in moving tens of thousands of spectators.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd">The conversation also explores the behind-the-scenes planning required for a global event, with Friesema describing months of coordination, training, and security preparation involving Metro, Foothill Transit, and other agencies. The discussion then shifts to broader transit topics, including rising gas prices, ridership growth, long-term budgeting challenges, and Foothill Transit's proposed changes to commuter express service.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd">Newton and Friesema also discuss recent improvements to the regional fare system, including contactless credit card payments, the impact of the A Line extension into the eastern San Gabriel Valley, and the surprising success of Foothill Transit's temporary "Line 6-7" shuttle connecting the La Verne A Line station with Fairplex during the Los Angeles County Fair.</p> <p>Throughout the conversation, Friesema emphasizes the importance of flexibility, regional coordination, and adapting transit service to changing travel patterns across Southern California.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd"><strong>Damien Newton:</strong> As mentioned in the intro, I'm here with Felicia Friesema of Foothill Transit. This is our unofficial, quasi-official World Cup edition of the SGV Connect podcast and Streetsblog coverage.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd">This podcast is going up on Friday, the day of the first World Cup game in Los Angeles: the United States versus Paraguay.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd">There's been a lot of press about how people are getting to the stadium, the cost of parking, and all of those sorts of issues. But we wanted to highlight that it is easy and possible to take transit to the games, no matter where you're coming from.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd">As we've mentioned before, I live in West Los Angeles. On Monday, we're planning to go to a parking lot in Santa Monica and take the bus directly to the game—a game that I still only give about a 50 percent chance of actually happening.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd">But we're not talking about Santa Monica today. We're talking about the San Gabriel Valley.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd">So again, I'm here with Felicia. Why don't we talk a little bit about service from the San Gabriel Valley to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood? How is that all going to work? What's the expectation, and what are we hoping to see?</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd"><strong>Felicia Friesema:</strong> Well, I think it's really important that people understand how critical transit is going to be for making these matches work.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd">When you start seeing Caltrans signs on the freeway encouraging people to take transit to the matches at SoFi, it tells you how important transit is to making the whole experience happen. FIFA has some very strict rules about tailgating—as in, you're not allowed to do it—so it takes away some of the benefits of driving to the stadium that some people enjoy.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd">Foothill Transit is lending 10 buses to Metro to help operate the shuttle trips originating from Union Station and heading to SoFi Stadium.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd">The best way to get from the San Gabriel Valley to Union Station and then take those shuttles is to ride the Silver Streak. It runs very regularly—every 15 minutes during the week and every half hour on weekends. It's a pretty reliable service. You can visit foothilltransit.org and get all your trips itinerized.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd">I don't know if that's a word. Did I just make up a word?</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd"><strong>Damien Newton:</strong> I don't know. All words are made up.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd"><strong>Felicia Friesema:</strong> I'm only the communications director, you know.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd"><strong>Damien Newton:</strong> Doesn't Thor say that in one of the Marvel movies? Someone tells him he made up a word and he responds, "All words are made up."</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd"><strong>Felicia Friesema:</strong> Right. One thing I do want to note, though: for the shuttles going into SoFi, there won't be fare collection on the buses themselves.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd">Spectators can pay in one of two ways. They can purchase parking online in advance, which includes shuttle service, or they can pay on site using mobile fare-payment validators that will be stationed near the shuttle boarding queues.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd">Passengers will pay before they board the bus. It's a little different from how we're normally doing things, but it's something people should be aware of.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd"><strong>Damien Newton:</strong> We've seen Metro do this for other major events, and even private shuttle operations. When you're trying to move 30,000 people by bus for a special event, sometimes there are different procedures for boarding and exiting. It's good for people to know ahead of time so they can plan accordingly.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd">Do you know of other Foothill Transit employees who are planning to attend the games? Is this something people have talked about at the staff level? Like, "I'm going to the game and here's how I'm getting there."</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd"><strong>Felicia Friesema:</strong> Honestly, the biggest thing is that we all have our favorite teams, right? But most of our participation is making sure the service happens without a hitch.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd">Our role is making sure service is delivered safely and securely, and that coordination with Metro is clear, concise, and effective. It's more about enabling other people to have a great experience. We'll mostly be listening from the sidelines while making sure everyone else can get there.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd"><strong>Damien Newton:</strong> One thing I've always wondered about these major events, where your agency has such an important support role, is whether there's an extra level of excitement in the planning process—or whether it's more intense because there are so many additional details to work through.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd"><strong>Felicia Friesema:</strong> FIFA—and subsequently the Olympics—are really their own category when it comes to this kind of planning.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd">We've been meeting with Metro weekly for months to work through the logistics of serving the matches. The level of preparation, planning, security awareness, and training for operators, dispatchers, and security staff is well beyond what would normally happen for something like Rose Bowl shuttle service.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd">We have the Rose Bowl service down to a science. We know exactly how it works. But the World Cup requires a much more detailed operational plan.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd">I don't know that I'd call it anxiety, but it's definitely more intense.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd"><strong>Damien Newton:</strong> That was probably the wrong word.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd"><strong>Felicia Friesema:</strong> Yeah.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd"><strong>Damien Newton:</strong> I should have made a word up.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd"><strong>Felicia Friesema:</strong> Exactly. It's more intense. When you have an event as visible and heavily attended as the World Cup, everything operates at a different level.</p> <p class="isSelectedEnd">Not that we don't pay attention to those things for local events—we absolutely do—but this is bigger in every way. More people, more excitement, more moving parts.</p> <p>The good thing is that Metro has done a phenomenal job laying the groundwork for all of us to succeed. We're really grateful for that.</p>
April 29, 2026
SGV Connect 147: Living Schools and the Covina City Council Race
<p dir="ltr">First, Damien Newton and David Diaz discuss the Living School Yards program in El Monte, which aims to transform school yards into greener, safer spaces. The first completed project includes planting 46 new trees, creating outdoor classrooms, and installing play areas. Student input was crucial in the design process.</p> <p dir="ltr">You can read a transcript of the podcast, <a href= "https://la.streetsblog.org/sgv-connect-147-damien-newton-interviews-david-diaz"> here</a>. You can find out more about this weekend's Green School Tour, <a href="https://www.greensgvtour.com/">here</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Next, Chris talks with <a href= "https://www.serrano4covina.com/">Dr. Bri Serrano, a candidate for Covina City Council District 5</a> in the 2026 election, emphasized his commitment to affordability, transparency, and safety. He criticized the city's use of Flock cams and proposed a ban on city employees serving as federal agents. Serrano highlighted his slate's commitment to grassroots funding, with an average donation of $206. He addressed mobility issues, advocating for better bus routes and safer bike lanes. Serrano also criticized the proposed battery energy storage system's proximity to residential areas and recreational facilities. </p> <p dir="ltr">You can read a transcript of the podcast, <a href= "https://la.streetsblog.org/sgv-connect-147-chris-greenspon-and-dr-bri-serrano"> here</a>.</p> <p><strong id= "docs-internal-guid-bcad49e9-7fff-6bb6-06df-b67057a07d3a">Streetsblog's San Gabriel Valley coverage is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the San Gabriel Valley with connections to the A Line Stations across the Foothills and Commuter Express lines traveling into the heart of downtown L.A. To plan your trip, visit <a href= "http://foothilltransit.org/">Foothill Transit</a>. "Foothill Transit. Going Good Places."<a href= "https://cdn.forms-content.sg-form.com/f1c47cab-b0ae-11ee-ab20-7632ae4a2b46">Sign-up for our SGV Connect Newsletter,</a> coming to your inbox on Fridays!</strong></p>
127 total episodes available
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Alissa Walker
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Melanie Curry
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Felicia Friesema
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