The Mainstreet Podcast

"DAMN THE VALLEY" was a phrase regulary uttered by the men that spent any amount of tme in the Arghandab River Valley during the deployment of 2 Fury to Afghanistan in 2009-2010."

The above blurb comes from a press release for a new book, "Damn the Valley," by first-time author Will Yeske, an 11-year combat veteran who participated in the mission that received little attention from the media and r...

After a brief end-of-summer hiatus, we're back with a new episode featuring Mountain Christian Lead Pastor Ben Cachiaras.  We can now say that we've had a rabbi, priest, and a pastor on Mainstreet.  That's a set-up just waiting for a puncline.  

After hearing our conversation with Pastor Ben, you'll realize that he could have succeeded in doing any number of things -- outdoor adventure guide, camp couns...

You know the name, have heard the ads, and have seen the trucks. Now learn the story behind Von Paris Moving and Storage, one of Maryland's oldest and most successful companies. President and CEO John Von Paris stops by Mainstreet to share the history behind the family name and the company his great-grandfather founded in the late 1800s.  John also brings us up to date on how the moving and storage industries have evolved over...

Mainstreet welcomes Debbie Umbarger to fill us in on her duties as board member and fundraising director for Rally Against Parkinson's, the local non-profit that celebrated its fifth anniversary in March of this year.  This long-time Harford County resident and former teacher at Homestead-Wakefield also shares her lifelong commitment to fitness, something she regularly comments on in her healthy lifestyle columns for Harford&a...

Mainstreet is pleased to welcome back Brad Cox, author, podcaster, songwriter, and musician to discuss his latest book, These Things I've Said: A Book of Poetry, Musings, and Lyrics, available on Amazon, select local booksellers, and at  bradwilliamscox.com

Local music fans may also know Brad from his performances with one of his bands around Harford County and from The MOG (Mouthful of Graffiti) podcast.

B...

Growing up in East Baltimore, Monkton resident Larry Dukes wanted nothing more than to be a professional athlete or sports play-by-play broadcaster.  Seeing violent collisions from field level during a stint as an intern for the Baltimore Colts made him reconsider his career aspirations. A brains over brawn mentality prevailed. .  Before computer science was even an established concentration, Larry found himself at the forefront of...

Yes, we're the Mainstreet podcast but that doesn't mean we ignore what's happening on nearby Bond Street, Bel Air's other "Main Street."  And one thing that's happening on Bond Street is the opening of U Brand Yourself, owned and operated by Bel Air native Wendy Nowakowski.  This is Wendy's story and we're happy to share it on Mainstreet. 

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The year was 1962. Steve Murfin was a sports-crazed kid growing up in Hagerstown, Maryland.  Long before 24/7 news cycles and blanket sports coverage on the Internet, Steve gained his encyclopedic knowledge of local teams by  devouring box scores in the Hagerstown Daily News and Washington Post. Fall Sundays would find Steve glued to the radio listening to Chuck Thompson and Baily Goss call Colts games, while lazy summer nights mea...

How many people can say they played centerfield at Camden Yards and conducted at Carnegie Hall? Our guest this week can. Oh, and he's also an architect.  We'll talk to Bill Bratten about all these things, and so much more, on this episode of  Mainstreet. 

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Author Richard Chizmar stops by Mainstreet to talk about his celebrated career as a prolific essayist and writer of horror and mysery short stories, novels, and screenplays.  He is  the founder of Cemetery Dance Publications and editor/publisher of Cemetery Dance magazine.  Perhaps best-known in Harford County for his locally-inspired Chasing The Boogeyman, Richard also co-wrote with Stephen King the novella Gwendy's Button Bo...

To his legions of local fans, Dennis Schocket is one the hardest working performers in the thriving Harford County music scene.  At any number of local venues, you can catch Dennis performing solo, with special guests such as Rob Fahey, or with one of his bands -- Starbelly, 1974, The Atomic Light Orchestra (AL0) and Fabtastic Four. Under appreciated, however,  is Dennis's talent for creating complex harmonies and lilting melo...

We are pleased to welcome back to Mainstreet one of our favorite guests,  Forest Hill's very own "Queen of Pie," Sandy Kempton, from the Kempton Cottage Bakery.  Sandy talks about some new creations from her magical oven and muses about the possibility of someday opening a shared kitchen to Harford County. Investors, are you listening? 

Follow The Kempton Cottage Bakery on the web and social media. 
KC...

Tony Lombardi stops by Mainstreet to chat about his decision to leave his highly-successful career in sales at Boeing Capital for what initially was, in his own words, "a hobby."  That hobby ultimately became a new career as managing partner and journalist for the award-winning  Russell Street Report (formerly Ravens247.com) https://russellstreetreport.com/ and the Eutaw Street Report https://eutawstreetreport.com/. With ...

Growing up near Baltimore, long-time radio  voice of the Washington Wizards Dave Johnson developed a love of sports and broadcasting by listening to, among others, local play-by-play legends Chuck Thompson and Bill O'Donnell.  After graduating from Towson University, Dave embarked on his own Emmy-award winning career in broadcasting, including his current posts with the NBA's Washington Wizards and D.C.'s 103.5 WTOP-...

Former Baltimore Colt cheerleader Leslee Yoder stops by Mainstreet to chat about her years cheering on our once-beloved hometown team.  It's hard to believe that nearly 40 years have passed since the Mayflower moving vans whisked away the team to Indianapolis on that fateful night in March 1983.

Now the Head Cheer Coach at York Suburban High School, this York, Pa. native and former dance and gymnastics instructor is ...

We welcome to Mainstreet Brian Snyder, owner of BMORE Around Town, a local sports-themed tour and social gathering planner. 

Learn more about BMORE Around Town here: https://www.bmorearoundtown.com/

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Please join on Mainstreet for a brief look back at episodes 76-100. Thank you to all our guests for coming on and sharing their stories.  

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We mark our 100th episode with another conversation with an up and coming Nasvhille singer songwriter with local roots.  Fans of American Idol may remember Emma Klein from her appearance on the program during its 17th season.  Long before that appearance, the Bel Air native and John Carroll grad was studying guitar with local luminary Dennis Schocket and performing in venues around Harford County. Emma is now quickly establishing h...

Locals familiar with the Harford County music scene might remember seeing Piper Bateman perform at different establishments around town.  Before she was even old enough to order a drink in such places , Piper could be seen on stage doing what she loves -entertaining with her music.  Now in Nashville, this Fallston native is living her dream, writing music for herself and others and performing at Tootsies, near the legendary Ryman A...