In Focus with Carolyn Hutcheson

In a visit to Jackson Lake Island, Alabama, the Honorable Lynn Clardy Bright and Priscilla Crommelin McMullan talk with Carolyn Hutcheson, In Focus host, about the filming of the 2003 movie,"Big Fish," based on the novel by Daniel Wallace.  The interview took place at the movie set of the town of Spectre, much of which is still standing.

As parents and students make purchases for the new school year, Monde Donaldson, Vice President of the Better Business Bureau Serving Central and South Alabama, talks with Carolyn Hutcheson, In Focus host, about how to check out companies and their products and use discounts.

Catherine Allard, host of Opus 3 on Troy Public Radio and Professor Emerita of the John M. Long School of Music at Troy University, discusses the BBC Proms with Carolyn Hutcheson, In Focus host. The BBC Proms are being broadcast on TPR's SymphonyCast Monday evenings through September 26.

The pandemic has had a severe impact on many Arts organizations, so Elliot Knight, Executive Director of the Alabama State Council on the Arts, talks with Carolyn Hutcheson, In Focus host, about ways the state agency can help artists, organizations, and communities.

Maria Rosario Jackson is Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, and following her recent visit to three Alabama cities, she talked with Carolyn Hutcheson, In Focus host, about her impressions of  the Arts in Alabama.  As an urban planner, Dr. Jackson reflected on the importance of incorporating the Arts in both urban and rural communities, with access for all ages.

On The Exchange today, economist Judson Edwards, Dean of the Troy University Sorrell College of Business, discusses pressures on the U.S. housing maket with In Focus host Carolyn Hutcheson.  Edwards  also hosts  the Double Dome podcast, which examines current economic issues and the impact on consumers.

Mrs. Catherine Romay Johnson Davis was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal this week, in honor of her World War II service as a member of the "Six Triple Eight" all-black Women's Army Corps 855-member 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion.  The remarkable centenarian visited by Skype with Carolyn Hutcheson, In Focus host.

Monkeypox and the BA.5 subvariant of Covid-19 have been in the news, so Dr. Wes Stubblefield, District Medical Officer for the Alabama Department of Public Health, talks with Carolyn Hutcheson, In Focus host, about the symptoms and treatments for both.

The Montgomery Zoo has an exhibit of animals from South America, and Michelle Johnson, Conservation Enrichment Manager who also manages elephant care, and Devan Castillo, Zookeeper Two, talk with Carolyn Hutcheson, In Focus host, about marmosets, lemurs, and capybaras. The marmosets' high-pitched screeches accompany their curiosity towards us.

Martin Olliff is professor of history at the Troy University Dothan Campus and is director of the Wiregrass Archives.  He talks with Carolyn Hutcheson, In Focus host, about his new podcast, "It Came From The Archives," and shares a World War II story his mother told him. 

James Bullinger, who was inducted earlier this year into the Alabama Sports and Adventure Hall of Fame, shares with Carolyn Hutcheson, In Focus host, ideas for locations to hike in the state.  The Wiregrass resident has a YouTube channel, "Bama Hiker," that chronicles his outdoor adventures, with tips for viewers.

On The Exchange, Amanda Senn, Chief Deputy Director of the Alabama Securities Commission, talks with Carolyn Hutcheson, host of In Focus, about the ASC "She Can" financial empowerment program for women.  Today Amanda tackles social media, hackers, and financial fraud.

Joanne Staley, Montgomery painter, silversmith, and fiber artist, visits with Carolyn Hutcheson, In Focus host, at the spring 2022 Herb Day, sponsored by the Alabama Herb Society.  She describes her silversmith training at Troy University, where she taught art for 18 years, and she uses polished native stones in her metal pieces.  Joanne's  work is often featured in the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts gift shop. 

For people looking to buy or rent, today's housing market has challenges with both availability and affordability.  Kimberly Hobbs, Executive Director of the Central Alabama Fair Housing Center, which covers 29 counties, talks with Carolyn Hutcheson, In Focus host, about how the Fair Housing Act affects property owners and managers, as well as home buyers and renters.

Travel plans have frustrated consumers this summer, with undependable airline schedules, high gasoline prices, and accommodations with hidden fees.  Monde Donaldson, Vice President of the Educational Foundation of the Better Business Bureau Serving Central and South Alabama, talks with Carolyn Hutcheson, In Focus host, about how the Better Business Bureau can help.

Freelance writer and editor Jennifer Kornegay talks with In Focus host Carolyn Hutcheson about a unique restaurant in Brewton, AL, that serves Southern food without menu prices.  The nonprofit Drexell & Honeybees was profiled by Jennifer for The Bitter Southerner, an online publication and new podcast.  Her story will be the lead story.