Locals

Michele Hintz, a teacher at Bloomsburg High shares her classroom with digital technology, changing goals and AI. It's an interesting time to be a teacher. She'll tell us about it in this week's episode. Enjoy.

Today's guest is Charles Pursel (you probably know him as Cardy), retired attorney and lifelong resident of Bloomsburg. Cardy and I take a trip up Main Street as it was in roughly 1940. Time to geek on what was where when in Bloomsburg way back then.  Enjoy.

This is the second part of my interview with Steve Wright.  In this episode Steve talks about his 2,200 mile hike from Georgia to Maine on the Appalachian Trail. Enjoy.

Steve Wright, author of The Weight I Carried, joins us today for a talk about his childhood, his life and his 2,200 mile hike through grief to healing on the Appalachian Trail. There is a little adult language in this interview. Nothing you've not heard before.

Laurie McCants has had a life. Fortunately for her and others, it's not over yet but her story so far is quite interesting. Let's let her tell it.

Millville local Connor Henry has been making environments intended to scare since he was a child. Whether it began with the ghost who lived in his house (still does), the work of Tim Burton or his first trip to Philadelphia's Terror Behind the Walls, Connor's passion for fear abides. In this interview, we'll hear his life, his installations and future plans. Enjoy.

LuAn Keller grew up on a dairy farm between Catawissa and Bloomsburg.  She also lived in India, Japan and China before returning to Bloomsburg. And where did she get this connection to the larger world? Possibly from her mother who... grew up on a small farm outside of Catawissa and had a drive to live larger and more widely. This is a very interesting talk with a very interesting person.

What's in a name? Well, as far as the Whipple name goes;  a signer of the Declaration of Independence, a gang of local horse thieves and yours truly. In today's episode, William Baille, of the Columbia County Historical Society talks about our industrious, larcenous and (at least one of them) charming gang of horse thieves. Enjoy.

Today's guest is Steve Gilliland, a member of the local music scene for decades and now a theatre artist in New Orleans. Steve talks about his career path and his experience with Ayahuasca. This episode is about journeys.Enjoy.

Welcome to Season 2 of Locals. Our first interview of the year is with Cary Rhodemoyer. Cary is a Viet Nam vet, who volunteered for service and at 19, was flown to Viet Nam for a life changing year.Cary's experience is shared by many people in our community. It is also shared by people across the globe and back through time. It is story of courage, youth, resilience and the burdens carried by having stepped forward to serve. To all Vets. thank you for your service.

It's Christmas Eve and for the final episode of our first season we'll have,  not an interview, but Laurie McCants reading Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Locals will be taking a few week break for the Holkdays. We'll be back in January with a new seasons of conversations with people who are... well... local.Enjoy this wonderful story and enjoy your holidays.

I'll be talking this week to Justin Naylor of Old Tioga Farm. Justin is a Latin reading, garden loving chef who teaches locally as well as in Italy. Think of him as Conan the Agrarian, wielding organic gardening and knowledge of the culinary arts in his battle against the dark forces of your grocery store's produce department.Buon appitito.

When Bette Grey was twelve, she asked PennDot and the Berwick Council for a traffic light to make an intersection safer. Thirty years later, as a member of that Council, she voted to install the light.  In this episode, we'll talk about Bette's lifetime of advocacy. "If I see a problem, I want to be part of the solution." 

Marty Coyne's wife began to show signs of forgetfulness and confusion in her early 50's. Their journey since her later diagnosis of Alzheimer's has been one of love, support and the long goodbye. This interview speaks of a beautiful marriage,  the journey of a couple through dementia and the support of a local community. 

Lisa Herrald-Doerschler's Ideas Studio for Children teaches math, language, physics and emotional self-regulation using blocks, paints, books and a hill. Her students are 3-5 year olds, growing every day in every way. Lisa will talk about why she chose her career, what you are seeing when you visit an Early Learning classroom and the advice she gives to parents. Enjoy.

In this episode, we'll talk to Josie Weibel, Benton native and definitely a local. Josie has been racing since she was 7. She and her parents/pit crew/supporters, Ginny and Eli will talk about the racing world of weedwhacker motors, roll cages and the sport in which, when you are sitting still... you are not just sitting still. Enjoy.

Emaley Rose knew that she wanted to be a professional actor from a young age. And she did it. Hear her story, her advice and why she chose her path.AND... sorry for the weird, ghostly echoes in the first part of Emaley's interview, That happened in the editing program and I could not get rid of it. 

In this episode, I talk to Justin Hummel, Mayor of Bloomsburg. Justin is from a family (both sides) that have been an important part of our town for over a hundred years. He talks about what it is like to be the Mayor of a small town, its changes and successes.

Local Evelyn Moore walks toward what others tend to run from. She is a ghost hunter or investigator, choose your term. In this episode, Evelyn talks about when her interest in the paranormal began, what building in our community are haunted and what her plans are after she passes.

Can a Professor Emeritus find happiness with the town she loves, or at least help out on its Council? Only the future knows for sure. But Karen Anselm knows about the happiness part and is working on the Council part. I'll talk to her about why, like Kris Barrett, she is stepping forward to do her part in town. And, Locals will not feel alone and lonely come Monday, when there'll be a new Locals Jr. podcast in the world. I'll give you the what and why as well as a teaser in this episode. And thank you author John Gardner for the Thor analogy. It came in handy in this part of the episode.EnjoyLocals mentioned in this episode: Bette Gray, Kris Barrett, Justin Hummel, Galileo (He's an Honorary Local in my opinion. His establishing mathematics as the language of scientific discovery made a lot of things possible in Bloomsburg.)

In this episode of Locals, I talk to Matty Matthews. Matty is well known in the local music scene. He is a retired nurse, retired Senior Care Administrator and lifelong creator of music and songs. We’ll learn how he started his musical career while sitting on the kitchen floor, how he assumed a virtue he had not in order to get a gig and how his music and voice are gifts he is giving to his grandchildren and great grandchildren. Enjoy.Locals mentioned in this episode: Dave Kessler, Phyllis Michael, Melissa Matthews, Steve Gilliland, Jeff Brown, Len Kissel, Tim Breon, John Tucker, Noah Erwine

I am back with Kris Barrett for a  conversation about working for the good of others. Kris is a volunteer, conscientious local citizen and candidate for Bloomsburg Town Council. We'll talk about who she is and why she does what she does . She will also talk about her grandbeagle Bill. Enjoy.

In this episode of Locals, I talk to Jon White-Spunner, the recently retired Managing Director of the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble. Jon's story is one that spans the globe and speaks of a life in the theatre, deep love, the family journey of autism and living with grief. This is a truly wonderful and moving episode. Locals mentioned in this episode: Laurie McCants, Luke Black, Mary Clapp, Jim Goode, Jerry Stropnicky, Collin Dennen, Maria Bekelja, Toni Ann Yates, Will Stropnicky, Kathy Baas, Mike Hickey, Elizabeth Dowd.

Karen Anselm, Professor Emeritus at CUP, community engaged citizen and lover of colorful flying things will talk about her efforts to make her garden into a butterfly breeding paradise. She'll tell you where to get your butterfly friendly native plants locally and how to bring monarchs and swallowtails to your yard. Butterfly populations are dwindling and Karen is working to be sure your descendants will have these amazing creatures in their lives. This conversation will flit from topic to topic.

Today's episode is, in essence, Debbie Smith, Acupuncturist, Part 2. Debbie and I went a bit long in the words during the first interview.  I enjoyed the part of our talk in which we talked about some common social experiences and wanted to include that as well. This one is pretty short. Enjoy.

in this episode, Kris Barrett, tech whiz, candidate for town council andnative plant enthusiast talks about gardening for the future.

Locals, the podcast in which we talk to people who are... well... local, kicks off with a conversation with Debbie Smith, acupuncturist, speaker of Russian, reader of ancient Chinese texts and a Millville native. This podcast arose from a conversation with Debbie so it is only fitting that she is its first guest. Relax, get your chi flowing and enjoy the podcast.