PODCAST · news
Sunken Press
by Sunken Press
In 1837, an angry mob raised in the City of Alton, Illinois finally killed abolitionist journalist Elijah Lovejoy after throwing three of his presses into the Mississippi. Upon his death, his fourth press joined them in the depths. The tallest monument in Illinois now stands in Alton in honor of his contributions to the abolitionist movement and the American ideal of a free press. We are here to honor his memory and avenge him. Alton may be the town that killed him, but he demanded his grave be made here. Since he decided Alton and its morals and people were worth his martyrdom, it deserves continued stewardship and vigilance. Enter Sunken Press, a podcast created by local media enthusiasts and journalism junkies. Hosted by Cory Davenport, a local journalist with more than a decade of experience covering the region who was trained by a Pulitzer winner, Sunken Press wants to solve the world’s problems in our own backyard. He is joined by Nicole Gory, a person with textured life exp
Episodes
-
Jonathan Harms | Skateboarding Before It Was Cool (Again)
Jonathan Harms gives us a full history lesson on skateboarding — from its earliest days in the 1960s, riding clay wheels while barefoot, to the revolution sparked by surf culture, drained swimming pools, and backyard halfpipes. We talk about how skateboarding exploded in the ’70s, nearly...
-
Kaylin Gauthier | Turning Nature’s Strangest Things into Something Beautiful
Barber, artist, and bug lady Kaylin Gauthier (River City Oddities) joins us to talk about how she builds her intricate dioramas using ethical insect sourcing, antique glass, and locally foraged materials. She’s also a barber at Anderson’s Classic Barbershop in Alton, which somehow leads to…
more -
CyRhen Smith | Finding Beauty in the Dark (and Making It Wearable)
CyRhen Smith (Glam Trash Zodiac) has been part of Alton’s art scene for over a decade, moving through mediums like painting and wire-wrap jewelry pieces while building an aesthetic that's as beautiful as it is weird. We talk about what “goth” really means to her and what is and isn't goth. We...
-
Chelsa Pruden & Kelley Hatlee | Rural Resistance, an Indivisible Community
Part of the growing Indivisible movement, veteran organizer Kelley Hatlee has joined with Macoupin native and blossoming activist Chelsa Pruden to create a Macoupin County chapter. Despite the county's deep red government and voting record, the pair has inspired a growing community dedicated to...
-
Jason Harrison | Schools, Community Leadership, and Using Our Skills for Service
We go deep into the intricate work of serving one’s community while also maintaining a family at home with Jason Harrison. Jason has served in multiple roles in the community, most recently becoming a member of the Alton Board of Education. We hold nothing back when discussing the hardships faced...
-
Itchy | Art, Psychology, and the Cult of Professional Wrestling
This episode takes a lot of surprising twists and turns — from the Ethiopian Bible to the cult of professional wrestling to love being an addictive drug. Itchy, who has been artist of the month at both Milton Schoolhouse and Jacoby Arts Center, has a lot of unique perspectives on the world around...
-
Al Swacker | Rock, radio, and curation with the KDHX legend
We miss KDHX. We know a lot of you do, too. So, we got one of our old favorite DJs, Al Swacker, former host of The Greaser’s Lunchbox, a rockabilly/punk show that ran for nearly 25 years and introduced many folks to obscure bands from their own backyard and across the globe. While Al has moved on...
-
Holly Kim | What's a Comptroller?
Paying the state’s bills sounds like a boring job until Holly Kim explains what’s actually at stake. The current Lake County Treasurer talks about her experience in office, her goals for the future, goats, homesteading, and growing up Korean-American. If you think paying the bills doesn’t affect...
-
Dylan Blaha | AIPAC to Aliens with the Viral Progressive Darling
Running against incumbent Rep. Nikki Budzinski in Illinois’ 13th Congressional District (IL-13) ahead of the March 17 primary, Dylan Blaha has been making national news. Starting with viral video messages to active-duty troops about unlawful/illegal orders, Blaha has been a thorn in the side of…
more -
Troy Taylor | True Tales of Alton Ghosts, Legends & the History Behind Them
We brought in Alton’s own master of the macabre, true crime historian, and ghost expert Troy Taylor to separate truth from fiction in popular ghost stories in Alton and across Illinois.Hear Troy talk about where he’s actually seen ghosts, where there’s more story than substance, and the one topic...
-
Kyle Armentrout-Steward | Church Outside the Church
What happens when two people discarded by Christianity get into a conversation with a United Methodist pastor? If that pastor is Kyle Armentrout-Steward, then expectations are subverted.Kyle is trying to rebuild community in a way that isn’t tied to guilt, culture wars, or church politics. He...
-
Mike Lemons | The Future of Radio
Cory and Nicole sit down with Mike Lemons, coordinator of the Digital Streaming and Broadcast Media program at Lewis and Clark Community College. Mike’s been teaching radio and managing the local college radio station for decades, and Cory actually came through his program back in 2007, when it…
more -
Sunken Season Finale - Joe Exotic, the Tiger King himself
In this episode (our last one till November), we talk to Joe Exotic from a federal prison in Texas. We then break down why he's there and why Cory believes he should be free. This episode humanizes Joe with all his trauma and flaws without excusing his actions. We also eat some gross gummy corn...
-
Crossing the river - St. Louis queer culture with Chris Andoe
In this episode, we are graced by the God-tier storyteller Chris Andoe, the owner and publisher of Out in STL magazine/website. The publication currently runs as a nonprofit with the goal of propagating queer media throughout the area. We learn a lot about queer history, organized crime, an...
-
A light in the dark - Christina Foster Beegle on addiction, recovery, and hope
In this heavy and heartwarming episode of Sunken Press, we speak to Christina Foster Beegle, president of Foster's Light in the Dark, about her powerful journey through addiction recovery and the devastating loss of her brothers to suicide. We talk trauma, mental health, grief, overdoses, and the...
-
CATco...where the cool cats go!
In this episode, we talk to Donald Reynolds, the cool cat serving as executive director of CATCo, the non-profit which recently acquired the convent on State Street. Reynolds discusses their plan for a future third space and potential living quarters while addressing controversies caused when…
more -
A curated conversation about art and mental health with Charles Mooneyham
In this episode, we discuss Downtown gallery Mooneyham Art with its founder, Charles Mooneyham. An artist himself, Mooneyham discusses his life in the 90s art scene, struggles with and work in mental health, tiny houses, and the current artistic renaissance being experienced in Alton. This talk...
-
Building community from tragedy - Trinity's Way continues teen's caring legacy
In this episode, we discuss why all of Alton should attend Trinity Fest instead of going to Puddle of Mudd this weekend. The festival continues the legacy of Trinity Buel, whose life was cut short at 17 in a car wreck. We talk to her mother, April Gray, and high school friend, Faith Yinger, about...
-
From Andy Griffith to ACAB - Facing the issues with Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford
We put away our ACAB cards to get to know one of the city's most major stakeholders - our police chief. We dive into topics like gun violence, downtown rowdiness, ICE raids, SWAT raids, and the militarization of modern police. We were surprised by many of his answers. In fact, we walked away with…
more -
Building back better - The future of Jacoby with Chantel Morrigan
In this episode, we talk about Jacoby Arts Center's new location and continuing dedication to arts education in our community. We have co-director Chantel Morrigan in the Sunken studio to discuss art camps, being displaced, and the surprising difficulty of clay. Nicole chimes in with her own...
-
Progress in our own backyard - Madison County Democratic Party Chair Andy Asadorian
In this episode, we test out the futuristic technology of a video call for the first time to speak to Andy Asadorian. Andy was elected head of the Madison County Democratic Party earlier this week. We spoke to him before the election regarding the policies of the Madison County (IL) Democratic...
-
Fighting "The Man" (peacefully) with Clayton Monroe
In this episode, we interview Clayton Monroe, founder and organizer of weekly anti-Trump protests every Sunday at Lincoln-Douglas Square in Downtown Alton. We discuss the politics of punk rock, shirtless seething, and the surprising demographics of protesters. With around 100 people each weekend,...
-
Everybody knows her - Sara McGibany on Alton Main Street
In this episode, we speak to the woman whose name is behind nearly every major Alton community gathering, Sara McGibany. For two decades she has been at the helm of Alton Main Street. We talk to her about the way things have changed in our business community, festivals, the farmers market, and...
-
How to decolonize your yard with Sam Dublo
In this episode, we talk to local native plant entrepreneur Sam Dublo about his botanical passions. This 20-year-old Zoomer already has spent his early adult life cultivating native plants and selling them at farmers' markets. You'll be surprised at the amount of cool stuff we've been ignoring…
more -
Entering the Kooliverse with artist Mike Snider
In this episode, Cory and Nicole talk to the enigmatic weirdo behind the ostentatious works of art at the Conservatory, Mike Snider. From 1,000 trumpets to 31,000 stamps, we talk about the philosophy of Kool and the artistic process. You won't want to miss it. Mentioned in this episode:...
-
Talkin' toys for all ages with Funky Planet
In this episode, we interview Sage and David, the proprietors of Funky Planet Toys and Gifts in Downtown Alton. We discuss the independent toy market, trade wars, supply chains, and the blight of kids with too much screen time. This independent local toy store is surprisingly affordable, and...
-
Freakin with sideshow king Thomas Nealeigh
Founded in Hollywood, California, FreakShow Deluxe is a nationally touring sideshow act. Its founding father Thomas Nealeigh joins us on this episode to discuss the history of sideshows, why he moved to Alton, and demonstrates the infamous "Blockhead" stunt. Don't try this at home, kids. More…
more -
Diving deeper - Talking to Nicole about her past as an unhoused addict, single mom
After talking to Peter Hough and Megan Tyler about how they deal with the ongoing plight of homelessness in Alton and surrounding areas, we wanted to hear more about Nicole's lived experience and see how she felt about what our guests had to say. Trigger warning: We do get into some disturbing...
-
Crisis intervention with cops? A look at Sacred Spaces of Care
In this episode, we talk with Megan Tyler, a local mental health advocate who founded Sacred Spaces of Care, a nonprofit organization touted by current Alton Mayor David Goins as a remedy for homelessness. She also discusses the current lack of mental health options in Alton and the importance of...
-
How the OWLs were hatched - a conversation on homelessness
In this episode, we talk to Alton-based Pastor Peter Hough, an outspoken advocate of our unhoused neighbors and one of the original founders of the Overnight Warming Locations (OWLs). We discuss the issues he's faced trying to fight for the most vulnerable as well as the purpose and practice of...
-
Going global - American volunteer describes experience fighting in Ukraine
In this episode, former Marine from South Roxana Derek Spears shares his stories from the Ukranian front lines with Cory and Nicole. From a $100k tech job to $2,000 a month to fight in one of the world's most brutal and controversial ongoing conflicts. Got an IT job lead for Derek? Find him here:...
-
What the BLEEP just happened? Mayoral race 2025 wrap
Nicole and Cory discuss their interviews with the Alton mayor candidates, compare ideas, and choose their favorites following our interview series. Find your ward on the map here: https://bit.ly/altonwards https://sunkenpresspodcast.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this...
-
The once (and future?) king - Mayoral race 2025 Pt. 3
In the last of our interviews with Alton's 2025 mayoral candidates, we talk to two-term Mayor Brant Walker about crime-free housing, the burden of taxation, and his campaign promise to let Cory holler sermons from a firetruck (again). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this…
more -
This is not an ad about potholes; please don't skip! Mayoral race 2025 Pt. 2
In this episode, we sit down with Third Ward Alderperson and mayoral candidate Ray Strebel to talk about Halloween, gentrification, farmers markets, AND THAT LEAKED PHONE CALL WITH ZACH YINGER. You won't want to miss the results. Ray is a public servant, but even we didn't know he was serving 😉...
-
Will Alton keep Goin? Mayoral race 2025 Pt. 1
In this episode, we talk to Alton's current Mayor David Goins, a former cop, pastor, and school board member. We ask him about some of Alton's greatest issues such as homelessness, youth violence, tourism, AltonWorks, diversity, and his experience as Alton's first black mayor. This is the first...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
In 1837, an angry mob raised in the City of Alton, Illinois finally killed abolitionist journalist Elijah Lovejoy after throwing three of his presses into the Mississippi. Upon his death, his fourth press joined them in the depths. The tallest monument in Illinois now stands in Alton in honor of his contributions to the abolitionist movement and the American ideal of a free press. We are here to honor his memory and avenge him. Alton may be the town that killed him, but he demanded his grave be made here. Since he decided Alton and its morals and people were worth his martyrdom, it deserves continued stewardship and vigilance. Enter Sunken Press, a podcast created by local media enthusiasts and journalism junkies. Hosted by Cory Davenport, a local journalist with more than a decade of experience covering the region who was trained by a Pulitzer winner, Sunken Press wants to solve the world’s problems in our own backyard. He is joined by Nicole Gory, a person with textured life exp
HOSTED BY
Sunken Press
CATEGORIES
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Sunken Press have?
Sunken Press currently has 35 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Sunken Press about?
In 1837, an angry mob raised in the City of Alton, Illinois finally killed abolitionist journalist Elijah Lovejoy after throwing three of his presses into the Mississippi. Upon his death, his fourth press joined them in the depths. The tallest monument in Illinois now stands in Alton in honor of...
How often does Sunken Press release new episodes?
Sunken Press has 35 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Sunken Press?
You can listen to Sunken Press on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Sunken Press?
Sunken Press is created and hosted by Sunken Press.
URL copied to clipboard!