It's Where I Am with Zandra Polard

Wesley Knight 0:00
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Zandra Polard 0:44
Good morning, Las Vegas. It's Sandra Pollard, it's where I am. Today. We're talking about civic engagement. Why is it so important? How does it relate to our mental health? Well, I have a special guest here. His name is Brad combs, and he is running for

Brad Combs 1:07
State Assembly District, 29 out in Green Valley in

Zandra Polard 1:11
my hood, in my neighborhood. Yes. Brad reached out to me and told me he was running. And I said, Oh, my God, I had to be a part of it. Yeah. I'm so very proud of you. Brad and I worked together many, many years ago, and I am not surprised that he has made this a mission, you know, to help others or to continue to help others. Yeah. So what made you first of all, Brad, you went to law school after I met you. You are now practicing law. That's right, okay. And you are practicing law for,

Brad Combs 1:52
you know, I work for the teamsters primarily, and I work for quite a few other unions as well. And so it's a lot of fun, because you get to represent working people, everyday people you know. A lot of times, as an attorney, your work is is kind of removed from the people you know in the real world, you know, and it's sitting behind a computer and typing up something that somebody may never actually read, you know? And the work I get to do, I get to go out and and talk to these people every day, and I love

Zandra Polard 2:28
it, yeah? Well, still working for the people, that's right, yeah. So we're talking about civic engagement and the importance of it. Now we're always stressing, get out and vote. Get out and vote. But there's other things that you can do, aside from being a part of political campaigns, there are other things. What are other civic engagements people can participate in?

Brad Combs 2:59
Well, of course, before we get into the political aspect of it, you know, just as a preliminary thing in our own area, you know, they've done, and I had done this on my own with some friends years ago, five or six times, go out to Pittman, wash and pick up some trash.

Zandra Polard 3:18
Yeah, that's one of them, you know, and it's volunteering at the local senior center, volunteering at the community, you know, with the kids, yeah, stuff like that.

Brad Combs 3:29
That's right. It makes you feel good. You know, you when you're working on something bigger than yourself, and you're able to be a part of something like that. Yes, you feel better about yourself. And so even if you just want to do it selfishly, because it makes you feel better, go out and do it, and you'll you'll keep doing it, and you'll feel better, and you're going to meet great people, you know, with you and I, you know we met working in politics, and you know, I think you meet really great people when you get civically involved. When you go you register people to vote, you pitch you pick up trash, you work on a political campaign, or, you know, you go work in retirement home, volunteer there. You meet people oftentimes that are going to be some of the best connections and best friendships you're going

Zandra Polard 4:19
to have. I mean, you make friends for life. Look at us, right? That's right, yeah, and don't forget about those animal shelters.

Brad Combs 4:27
Oh, yeah, that's a, that's a popular one, yeah, yeah, that's a good one. And, you know, whatever you can do, whatever capacity you have, and whatever time you have, you know, it's great. There's a big push, you know, I think over the last few years, I think with working for food banks, especially, you know, when we had covid, a lot of people were out of work. There was a lot of people who really showed up and turned out to make sure people get fed. The same thing when we had this recent government shutdown, you know, there's a lot of folks who really stuck. Kept up and made sure that people were fed. And so that's really great

Zandra Polard 5:04
cause, do we have anything like that going on in Green Valley?

Brad Combs 5:10
I you know, I know three, so the three square, I know, coordinates a lot of that.

Zandra Polard 5:14
And church, there's a huge church

Brad Combs 5:19
in Henderson, is that central? Yes, yes. I think they had one at their parking lot. Yeah, they've got a big you know lot there. They can stage that kind of a thing. I actually remember, I think, getting tested for covid Back in 2020, in their parking lot.

Zandra Polard 5:37
Oh, yeah. Oh, wow, yeah. I want to give a shout out to Alex Bernal. He does lots of food drives at a senior center off of Parkdale. It's called Parkdale Senior Center, yeah. So shout out to you for what you do in your community. So thank you. Now we're talking about mental health and civic engagement. And I have Brad combs here, who was

Brad Combs 6:08
running for Assembly District, 29 in Green Valley.

Zandra Polard 6:12
Yeah. So when are people going to be able to vote? When is voting?

Brad Combs 6:18
So the primaries are in June. Oh, that's that's really close. So the primaries are in June. That's going to determine, you know, who the nominees are for the Democratic Party, for the Republican Party. I am running as a Democrat. So that's the primary that I will be in. There will be people in the Republican primary as well. And then, of course, you know, whoever makes it past that will go on to the November general election.

Zandra Polard 6:45
Now, how many people are running as Democrats? Who are you running?

Brad Combs 6:49
There's at least three others. So okay, at minimum four in total. So quite the fun little jamboree we got going on,

Zandra Polard 6:59
and that take. I'm sure it's costly, right? Oh, yeah, yeah, it is. So what do you do? Like, how does that I want to understand someone in your position. How are you getting the word out about who you are?

Brad Combs 7:12
Well, you know, I think a lot of it, you look to the people that you know the best, your friends, your family, you know, obviously, I'm involved in the labor movement, and that's going to be a big source of how we're able to get the word out right through unions and working people. And, you know, going to shows like this social media, you got to go door to door. That's the main thing. That's, you know, at the end of the day, when you're in a local election, you have to go to the doors.

Zandra Polard 7:39
You know, sometimes when I would do door to door stuff, it's like, you think it would be so scary, but people really are open to talk with you.

Brad Combs 7:50
Oh, yeah, I always thought it was fun, you know. I think it's all the other stuff that's not fun, you know. But going and talking to people in your neighborhood, it's nice and you hear what they actually need. Yeah, you know, because that's, that's kind of how you get a sense of what's going on in your community. Yeah, you have to stay connected, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I enjoy it. I've had a lot of great experiences. I've had people who maybe weren't the same political party as me, and, you know, offered me a soda or a whatever, or totally disagreed with me, but offered me a bottle of water or snack. And, you know, I've had extended conversations. I've been invited in for dinner. I think people are really nice. You know, there's obviously gonna be some people that don't want to engage. And you know, it is what it is, but

Zandra Polard 8:40
right then it's just have a good day. Bye, yeah, yeah. So what are, what are some things that are coming up for you? What are you doing in the next few weeks, the next few months?

Brad Combs 8:53
Well, as I'm sure you know, a lot of it is fundraising, right? And you know, a lot of it is endorsements. So you interview with various groups, whether it be labor unions or whether it be, you know, some sort of political advocacy group. You go and you talk to them, and, you know, kind of give your pitch of why they should support you.

Zandra Polard 9:12
So what does a council man or council person do?

Brad Combs 9:18
So as a State Assemblyman, oh, State Assembly, you're good. So as a State Assemblyman, you're, you're kind of the equivalent of a member of Congress for the state of Nevada. So you make the laws, you you go in there, and you get a certain amount of bills you're able to introduce, and you sit on committees where the bills have to go through, and then you know, at the end of the day, you're going to vote on them. And we do that every other year in Nevada. It's a part time legislature, four months every other year.

Zandra Polard 9:47
Oh, okay, so you can still keep your day job and you'll be all right.

Brad Combs 9:52
Yes, it's what's called a citizens legislature, okay, so we in the state of Nevada, they want people who bring that person. Perspective of, you know, this is my job. I have in my day job, and I'm bringing that perspective up to Carson City, right? And, you know, there's, there's good parts about it, there's bad parts about it. I think there's a lot of governing to do. And so, you know, a lot of states have full time legislatures where you go up there, and that's your job,

Zandra Polard 10:22
and you've been in Green Valley forever. I mean, you went to Green Valley High School. That's right,

Brad Combs 10:27
yes, right. So I went. I was born in St rose over on Water Street. No, sorry, not Water Street, Lake, Mead Parkway over there. Yeah. And then, you know, I went to for elementary I went to Green Valley Christian School, which is on Sunset right there in the district. Then I went to Greenspun junior high, public Green Valley High School. So I was in a Green School in Green Valley the whole time. Yes, yeah, completely green.

Zandra Polard 11:01
Okay, all right. Now, when you get in office, what is the first thing you are really pushing for? What is what thing are you the most passionate about?

Brad Combs 11:14
Well, I think top three. I think, okay, top three. I like that. So I think number one is to continue to get good investments in our parks and schools and infrastructure. You know, I think in Green Valley, people really enjoy our communities, our trails. We have some of the best public schools that are in the county. We have excellent community centers. We have, you know, like the Pitman wash trail, the new Railroad Trail. People love these amenities. And, you know, it's at a point where we want to keep them as nice as they are, and we want to make sure they stay clean, and we want those resources. So I think, above all, I think that's what people are laser focused on, is making sure that our our schools are good and our parks are good. The next thing I would say that I'm particularly interested in, and as it relates to, you know, the theme of the show is, you know, getting more resources for mental health support in Nevada, particularly long term chronic care. If that makes sense.

Zandra Polard 12:19
Yeah, that makes sense, and we need it, yeah,

Brad Combs 12:22
I mean, last legislative session, so I'll give you an example. I had some notes here on kind of what happened, you know, we passed a bill to build new forensic facility that's going to be over the CSN campus, you know, where we already have one facility over there. This is going to have 300 beds for people who need long term treatment. The problem is, the issue with that is we're looking in the 1000s of people untreated that could use this kind of help. So we would need to build more and more of these facilities. It's great that we got that done, but we need a lot more help.

Zandra Polard 13:03
Yeah, it's very limited. I mean, we get excited, like there's people have been on the show and have said, Oh, we have like, 200 300 beds. And, like you say, there's 1000s and 1000s.

Brad Combs 13:15
That's what we're looking at, 1000s, 1000s of 1000s that need long term, committed care. You know, obviously, there's 1000s and 1000s more that have mental health needs that are, you know, need inpatient care, or they are outpatient care, I should say, or some kind of, you know, just see a therapist, what have you. But you know, in terms of people that have chronic mental health, yes, conditions, a lot of them living out on the streets and you're not able to take care of themselves. Those are the folks that really need this help. And you know, our total capacity, you know, even this new facilities, the whole state is less than 1000 and you know, looking at some other statistics, you know there are close to nine times as many people who need long term mental health care that are in jail or prison, receiving care there, right in a facility, right and even those sort of mental health wings, so to speak, in Clark County Detention Center and and state prisons, you know, are full. I did a jail tour back when I was a law clerk working for a judge and, you know, talking to the officers there. They basically had that kind of area. The mental health portion of the jail was basically full every day at capacity, and so they're at a point where they you have to choose which people need the care the most, and the rest they may go out on the streets, because there's no long term beds available. They're all full. So you're just looking at folks that are coming in and out of jail who are unable to take care of. Themselves, and we don't have any support for them,

Zandra Polard 15:03
you know, and just even, like basic therapy needs, oh yeah, that's difficult as well. Oh yeah. And some people don't even know to look on the back of their insurance card to get services, and that will tell you where your provider, who your provider is, or how you can get to a provider

Brad Combs 15:24
that's right, and look at other sources too. Yeah.

Zandra Polard 15:27
So it's just, it's just so difficult. Oh, yeah, you know, I talked to therapists who are friends. They're totally booked, Yep, yeah.

Brad Combs 15:36
So that's the other end of it. It's not just building facilities, it's, it's bringing in people, come here and work, right? So it doesn't matter if it's people who need long term critical care or if it's people to just need to talk to someone, right? Occasionally, there's not enough providers. They're not not enough facilities. There's not enough

Zandra Polard 15:56
of everything. So that's why we have to figure out things we can do for ourselves as well.

Brad Combs 16:02
That's right, yeah, that's right. And I wish it wasn't like that, but that that is the case.

Zandra Polard 16:07
Make sure you're exercising, make sure you're involved, and eat, eat. Well, you know,

Brad Combs 16:16
definitely helps me to get that exercise in, to get the stress levels down, yeah.

Zandra Polard 16:21
How are you maintaining your stress right now, with everything you got going on?

Brad Combs 16:24
I mean, that's it, right? Exercise, and, you know, as the campaign comes up, that's what's kind of nice about it. You know, you knock on doors, right? You can't, you can't, you can't be too stressed if you're walking seven miles. Yeah, you know, be tired, but

Zandra Polard 16:41
I'm pre diabetic, right? And when I would do campaigns, and I had to do the door to doors, I mean, I'm telling you, my sugar levels were low. I was doing so good. I lost weight, I was in shape. My sugar levels were good because I was out there walking, you know, seven miles a day,

Brad Combs 16:59
oh yeah, yeah, oh yeah. Or more getting out in the sun. That's a big one for me, too. So that's why I I enjoy that kind of work.

Zandra Polard 17:08
Yeah, that vitamin A and D from the sun. You know, this is not all you can do, but they're little nuggets. You know what I mean? Of things that you can do personally and stay connected, friends, family, or even your pet. And everyone is not, you know, social, right? Yeah, and that's where the

Brad Combs 17:31
animals come in. Oh yeah, oh yeah. Man's best friend the dog.

Zandra Polard 17:37
But what do you think about this is a pet peeve of mine. Now there's a lot of service dogs. This is kind of off the bat, but everybody's got a service dog. The dog is in the grocery store. Why is the dog in the grocery store? It's so easy to access that, but people need it.

Brad Combs 17:59
That's right. But what

Zandra Polard 18:00
do I do when I'm afraid of them?

Brad Combs 18:04
I don't have an answer for you on that. Unfortunately, you know, I think the other is the well serviced animal or not. You know, even non service animals, you know, people bring them into restaurants, which is, yeah, is definitely a health thing you got to look at

Zandra Polard 18:22
I went to this restaurant, and it was for dogs and people, and I left, yeah, yeah.

Brad Combs 18:30
It was uncomfortable. And I think it's definitely, I think it's a West Coast thing here in Nevada, California, Colorado, I think people on the East Coast are, they don't have that. They don't do that. They have a different kind of attitude.

Zandra Polard 18:47
Yeah, I don't know, yeah, it just popped in my mind, and I thought I'd ask. So anyhow, we're here on it's where I am. I'm Sandra Pollard. I've got Brad combs with me who was running for assembly,

Brad Combs 19:04
Nevada, State Assembly District, 29 I'll get it right. Green Valley. Green Valley, you know, Greenspan. Green Valley, high school, Galleria Mall, all of that, if you're living over there, that's, that's the assembly district we're talking about. Okay? Pittman wash, you know, Royal grande park where I grew up. You know, when it would snow, we'd go down to Fox Ridge Park, Royal grande Park. You know that every three or four years it would snow, we would put our sleds out there. And, you know, it's a great area.

Zandra Polard 19:36
Now I have a question. Okay, so this is a caucusing state, and a lot of people I know are from California, and we don't, we don't have a caucus there. So when people move here and they say, Oh, I'm independent, you know, they're thinking, I'm just gonna vote in the primary. But that's not the case here, right? Right? You have to caucus first.

Brad Combs 20:02
Well, it's not a caucus for legis, stateless. What you're doing? No, no, it's a regular primary. Now, it is a closed primary state, like you were saying. So you have to be, you know, if you want to vote in the Democratic primary, you got to be a Democrat. You want to vote in the Republican primary, you got to be a Republican, right? If you are not registered in a party, which at this point is close to half of our state, okay, where the one of the biggest no party register people states in the country, you know you can't vote in the primary, and so you've got to wait until November to cast your ballot. So if you want to vote in a primary, Democratic primary, Republican primary, you got to register with that party.

Zandra Polard 20:43
That is so important. I'm so glad we thought to bring that up, yeah, because that came up a lot, oh yeah. And trying to explain that to people, oh yeah, yeah. And it's like, you can switch back later, right?

Brad Combs 20:55
You can, yeah. I wish I had in front of me the exact date of when you'd be able to register for this upcoming one. I believe it's still available, but there will become a time when you're no longer able to change it for the June primary. Oh, really, yeah, usually there's a deadline of a specific date that you need to be registered in the party by.

Zandra Polard 21:14
Well, I'm sure you're able to give that information and much more from your social media handles. You want to give those out.

Brad Combs 21:21
That's absolutely So most importantly, Brad for nv.com on the website, that's the number four, Brad for nv.com and that's going to be the same on Instagram, Facebook. Nice. And I will additionally say that the state of Nevada makes it easy to change your your voter registration. Just go to their website and what is that takes, like, two minutes. I believe NVS os.was.gov so you can just Google Nevada voter registration will pop right up, and it takes no time at all.

Zandra Polard 21:58
Cool well before I let you go and start playing some music. Is there anything else you want to make sure our listeners know

Brad Combs 22:06
nothing much else? Just like I said before, I'm Bradley combs. I'm running for Nevada State Assembly District, 29 out in Green Valley, and that's about it. Go Green Valley. Gators, I guess.

Zandra Polard 22:21
Go Rebels. We're gonna vote for the first time on what's the date? You said a couple months that's gonna be in June, June. Okay, yeah, that's gonna be in June. All right. Well, we'll keep you posted.

Brad Combs 22:33
All right. Thank you so much for having me on. I really appreciate it, and so nice to see you.

Zandra Polard 22:37
Yeah, absolutely you too, Brad, take care. You know, I'm here every second Sunday now, at 8:30am you know, I was here once a week before, like last year, it was a lot. I prefer the monthly show. It feels better for me. It's stress free, and it's a good time. So every second Sunday at 830 and if you've missed part of this broadcast, or if there's anything else you want to look up, feel free. You can go to KU nv.org to find shows or whatever your favorite podcast is you can find me just put in that search bar. It's where I am with Zandra. For now, I'm signing off. I'll be back next month. All right, y'all that's it for now, and I want to give a special shout out and tell Brad Happy belated birthday. Hope you have fun with your family. Let the good times roll. Playing next.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai