HyperLocal(s)

Oftentimes one interview leads to another, to another. As is the case with Alyssa. The CEO at the YMCA, Jeff Scott, oriented me in the direction of this sweet, smart, savvy mom and director of the incredible local resource, Larkin's Place.

 Listen as the Chicago suburb transplant talks about growing up in a home with a sister who has a disability, picking a career path in special education, becoming a medical mom, directing a l...

Ageless, friendly and easy going. I had the privilege of interviewing his wife previously, and I was pleased to get to know the other half of the power couple that runs the thriving local retailer, Art Mart.

 Listen as this fellow tried-and-true townie talks risky hobbies, sharp career changes, a stress-free kind of love, being an introvert that loves talking to people, working in retail, photography, beer, wine, cheese, Art-Mart th...

There are some people who have the gift of teaching, and Anna is one of them. She is soft, kind, warm and structured. I loved listening to her gratitude and appreciation for being a mom and for the other parents that entrust her with their children. 

 Listen as this South Side Chicago mom, wife, teacher and preschool leader talks all things kids, potty training, learning through play, child loss at 7-months pregnant, being a grandma...

These three talented, confident and hardworking young men join me for an impromptu podcast where we talk on a personal level about the game of football.

 Listen as these tropical transplants: Jer'Zhan (Johnny) Newton of the Washington Commanders and Denzel Daxon of the Dallas Cowboys, both former Illinois defensive linemen,  talk with Jershaun (Shauny) Newton, freshman quarterback for the Fighting Illini squad. The juxtapositio...

Talk about a champion of both physical and mental growth. Emily is the epitome of discipline, control and practicing what you preach. The world of natural bodybuilding is layered and admirable.

 Listen as this Carbondale gal talks about the fascinating world of bodybuilding, prepping your body for competition, earning pro status, posing, the world of steroid use and natural competitions, reintroducing your body to a norm after compe...

 This trio is a community-driven powerhouse of commitment and dedication to kids and the game of football. 

 Listen as this mix of townies and transplants talks about youth football in our community, the popularity peak in the late 80s/early 90s, the fade out in the early 2000s and the rise again as Champaign-Urbana and surrounding towns build and strengthen youth football teams to participate in "the ultimate team sport,"...

 Champaign County Court Appointed Special Advocate's (CASA) representatives stop by to passionately and compassionately explain why the kids in our community need CASA to to be their voice.

 Listen as Candi, a townie and CASA volunteer, and Laura, a Peoria transplant and Director of Development, talk about how they attach themselves to the child abuse and neglect cases in Champaign County, the wide and vast volunteer base that ...

My husband and I download this non-stop season of life.
 
 Listen as my husband and the "Tales From Two Townies" most requested, returns to talk wrapping basement construction, "stolen" haybales, parent failures, having "the talk" as kids and with our own, the neighborhood car chase and accident, In Retrospect: A HyperLocal(s) Project, teaching Science Olympiad, tree troubles, having a dramatic...

What a local treasure. Champaign-Urbana is so very lucky to have someone who cares about creating, maintaining and improving beloved businesses in our community.

 Listen as this Michigan/Florida transplant talks about her commitment and ownership to five touchstone businesses in our town, Central Illinois Bakehouse, Espresso Royale Cafes, Martinelli's Market, Pekara Bistro and Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery, exceptional custo...

The introductions go wayyyy back to Franklin Middle School then Central High. Two of the four Cornett sisters, Amanda Overmyer and Jodi Davis, join me for a look back, snapshot of the present and glimpse into the future. 

 Listen as these Champaign natives talk sisterhood, family dynamics and roles, unexpected blessings, midwest mannerisms vs. southern hospitality, why Jodi will forever be mad at Amanda, parenting styles, career cho...

Coming in fresh from a day of summer school, this fixture at Central High School takes me through the trajectory of his teaching and coaching career.

 Listen as this small town Iowa farm kid talks farming, "kids these days," technology, the longevity of his career at our local high school, the approach of empty nesting, travel baseball, emotional coaching vs. skills coaching, bringing a team together, a frustrating end to ...

Busy, kind, funny and self-deprecating. Jess stayed cool, calm and collected under pressure as the definition of a multi-tasking mom unfolded right in front of me in order to get the job done.

 Listen as this Chicago-area transplant talks micropreemie, losing a twin, infertility, the endless NICU stay, taking home "the sickest, smallest baby at Carle," trach life, regrets and therapy, COVID isolation, long-term challenges,...

I couldn't take in all of the poetic and prophetic words fast enough. Wise beyond words and kind beyond the capacity of most, Carlos has used his tonsorial talent to give back to select groups of youth in our community.

 Listen as this Champaign native talks all things grooming, the importance of looking good to feel good, feeling good to perform good, abuse, divorce, being a dad to a big brood, the priority to support your chi...

A local newspaper article led me to her. She had surprised herself by winning an award for "Dispatcher of the Year." After talking to the 9-1-1 call center operator, there was no doubt she was deserving of this award. 

 Listen as this Monticello Sage lights up the MIC with her tales from behind the drawn windows of the local 9-1-1 call center, the importance of food on the job, night shift adjustments, car napping, busy si...

Open and honest, warm and approachable. Father O'Brien gives priests a great name. He has made such a positive imprint on our community, and we are sad to see him move on to his next assignment, as is the dedicated life of a priest.

 Listen as this Bloomington native turned nomadic priest talks rectory life, choosing to attend seminary and the low rate of graduates, what his parents thought of his life choice, keeping a line be...

It is much more than bell ringing and disaster relief, this couple upholds the promise to do the most good with the resources provided by The Salvation Army.

 Listen as this Nebraska native, Kenyon, talks about his story as a foster youth, how his mother needed and used the Salvation Army to bring their family back together, how the Salvation Army gave them the opportunity to have a Christmas, how the couple met through their faith ...

This red-headed delight has come up many times in previous episodes, so I thought it only right she comes on and tells her story.

  Listen as this Easton, IL native (home to 400 or less) talks about her life as a photographer, the niche she has carved in the industry, going from small town to big city, photographing campus shenanigans as her first gig, volunteering for Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (an organization that takes precious ...

What a joy and pleasure and light and well-rounded person Jae was to interview. There's no shortage of adjectives for this well-spoken delight. She is a That's What She Said Sister, therapist, financial guru and simply a great person to have met.

 Listen as this Naperville native and University of Illinois grad talks about the lifetime's worth of trauma she has experienced in just a decade. Jae describes her suicide a...

This smooth operator joins me at Kitchen Table Studios after a long day of teaching and dadding. 

 Listen as this Kankakee-born musician talks skipping a grade, clutching a high-honor scholarship, falling a few credits short, mastering his degree later in life, becoming a teacher of music and playing his voice all over our community while trying to manage a tricky relationship with finances. Finally and after some persuasion, Brando...