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Sevier County, Tenn. refused to let the government shutdown devastate its fall tourism draw—Great Smoky Mountains National Park. County Mayor Larry Waters describes the lengths he and his neighbors went to keep the park open. And NACo Chief Government Affairs Officer Mark Ritacco offers an outlook on what counties can take away from the shutdown and into the future.
County News Podcast
Stories behind the stories, lessons on county leadership, and more – your audio companion to County News.
Podcast: Economic mobility at work
The Lake County, Calif. Food Policy Council is helping local farmers find new markets for their produce. Lake County Supervisor Bruno Sabatier explains his county's agricultural background and his goals for the council and NACo's Alseta Gholston outlines economic mobility resources available to county officials.
Podcast: Early childhood services and counties
Boone County, Mo. Commissioner Janet Thompson describes the challenges that inadequate childhood services pose to children and families and the labor market, and how her county is working provide more options for county employees.
Podcast: County experience can improve disaster response
Kevin Leonard, executive director of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, and Amanda McKinney, a Yakima County, Wash. commissioner, talk about two different challenges county officials face in responding to disasters.
Podcast: Counties fight social isolation
As awareness of social isolation spreads, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Loudoun County, Va. Chair Phyllis Randall discuss the role of government in combatting the problem.
Podcast: NACo at 90 preview
NACo Executive Director Matt Chase interviews County News Podcast Host Charlie Ban about a new book chronicling NACo’s first 90 years.
Podcast: Life after coal for one county
Commissioner Melody Villard and Economic Recovery Corps Fellow Sasha Nelson discuss the transition Moffat County, Colo. planned to diversify its economy after the closure of coal mines and a power plant decimated its property tax revenue.
Podcast: The CIO Reserves
Greenbrier County, W.Va. Commissioner Tammy Tincher, Cook County, Ill. CIO Tom Lynch and NACo CIO Rita Reynolds discuss the pilot CIO Reserves program, which offers IT experts to help rural counties assess their technology and cybersecurity needs.
Podcast: Artificial intelligence and county government
Shinica Thomas, a Wake County, N.C. commissioner and a member of NACo's AI Exploratory Committee, talks about her process for learning about artificial intelligence, its limits and challenges and some applications for use in county government.
Podcast: Heavier truck proposals in Congress threaten county bridges
Johnson County, Texas Commissioner Rick Bailey spent 35 years in the trucking industry prior to running for office, and he offers two perspectives to the County News Podcast on the issue backed by his experience, but there’s no reason to save the surprise — he doesn’t approve of proposals to increase the weight limit on trucks.
Podcast: Counties find homes in the midst of a housing crunch
Allegheny County, Pa. Director of Housing Strategies Ed Nusser introduces the 500 in 500 initiative for moving people out of shelters and NACo’s Mike Matthews discusses the county role in developing housing affordability.
Podcast: Challenges mount for counties facing disasters
Clay County, Iowa Supervisor Barry Anderson joins the County News Podcast to describe the compounding effects from a generational flood his county seat faced in June.
Podcast: James Gore on getting stuff done
NACo President James Gore joins the County News Podcast to talk about what brought him to county government, the challenges Sonoma County, Calif. has faced while he has been a member of the Board of Supervisors and and how he views county government.
Podcast: Mental health and the criminal justice system
Miami-Dade County, Fla. Administrative Judge Steve Leifman joined the County News Podcast to outline systems that can be put in place in counties across the country.
Podcast: ForwardTogether during National County Government Month
NACo President Mary Jo McGuire spoke to the County News Podcast about National County Government Month seen through the prism of her presidential theme: ForwardTogether — connect, inspire and lead.
Podcast: Making intergovernmental connections at NACo's Federal Agency Expo
A handful of county officials and a federal exhibitor talked on the County News Podcast about the connections they hoped to make and what they hoped to learn during the Federal Agency Expo at the NACo Legislative Conference.
Podcast: Election officials talk shop
The hosts of High Turnout, Wide Margins join NACo's inaugural podcast to discuss how they manage elections in Boone and St. Louis counties in Missouri, what elected officials should know about election administration and more.
Related News
Congress introduces Bipartisan HOME Reform Act
On October 21, 2025, Reps. Mike Flood (R-NE.) and Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO.) introduced the HOME Reform Act, which would make substantial changes to the eligible uses and exemptions applying to the Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program.
Inland port offers opportunity for Hertford County, N.C.
Hertford County, N.C. leaders positioned the county to capitalize on new shipping corridors that will link it to the rest of the world.
County program helps boost foster youth into adulthood
A Los Angeles County guaranteed income program, dubbed “BREATHE,” is helping set up low-income residents — including more than 2,000 foster youth aging out of care — for success by providing them with monthly payments, no strings attached.
Bridging the digital divide in Telfair County, Ga.
In rural Georgia, Telfair County is taking meaningful steps toward expanding broadband access as a strategic lever for economic mobility.
County leadership guides shared prosperity
There’s no chicken-or-egg debate: Economic mobility is not just a byproduct of growth — it is the result of intentional county governance.