Take On The Lake

I've been wanting to interview Justin Wagner for a long time, and we finally got together. He's the powerhouse behind Waves and Wheels, Blue Wave Audio, and now Doug Wright Powerboats, and I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

Justin shares his incredible journey from arriving at Lake of the Ozarks with just $300, a cat, and a pregnant wife to becoming a Lake of the Ozarks...

After a long winter's lull... we're relaunching with a new season!

In this solo episode, I talk about the biggest stories to come across our LakeExpo news desk so far this year. And there's already a LOT!

We'll dive into the Outlet Mall Rescue Plan, and unpack:

• What developers have revealed so far (Bass Pro!)

• How much they plan to spend 

• What they're asking from the City of Osage B...

When Chris Edgar took office as Camden County Sheriff, he didn’t just inherit a badge — he inherited a mess.

Welcome to Season 2 -- aka year two -- of Take On The Lake! We're starting this year off with a bang... specifically, hundreds of missing flashbangs.

In his first year on the job, Edgar discovered missing flashbangs, non-functional AR-15s, weak ballistic vests, unsecured firearms,...

If you’ve lived at or visited Lake of the Ozarks for even five minutes, you’ve eaten at — or boated to — something George Tucker built.

Paradise, Tucker’s Shuckers, Frankie & Louie’s, Neon Taco, Malted Monkey… the list goes on.

So how does a guy go from buying a worn-out lake bar in 2007 as a new college grad, to becoming one of the Lake's most prolific restauranteurs who is now deve...

We go full-send in this episode on hunting. Brady Ford and I talk deer season, big bucks, and the big question a lot of Missouri hunters are asking:

Is Missouri Conservation actually helping… or just getting in the way?

Guest: Brady Ford — managing broker for the Matt Ford Real Estate Team and a hardcore hunter who’s guided trips for elk, antelope, bear, whitetail and more from Missouri ...

Hot take: local generosity eats national dysfunction for lunch.

Shana Aubuschon has seen a lot during her time at Share the Harvest Food Pantry. From elderly folks on a fixed income who only take the canned goods (they leave the fresh veggies for the younger families) to food bank hoppers, they serve 600 families every month, right here in Camden County.

Shana took a moment away from a b...

State Rep. Jeff Vernetti (Camden County) is back — and this one gets spicy.

We talk about the stadium subsidy bill (and why he voted no on the Chiefs & Royals stadiums), a huge step toward commercial air service at Lake of the Ozarks, and a push to make it harder to rewrite Missouri’s constitution.

Plus: ADA lawsuit shakedowns, senior pension reform, and fixing the state’s mental-hea...

Tucked deep in the history of Lake of the Ozarks is one family name that helped build the place — literally and culturally.

Emily (Blair) Mensendiek is part of that legacy: her family started Blair Cedar, Ozarkland, and Blair’s Landing — some of the most iconic local businesses at the Lake. Now, she’s turned her energy ...

Tucked into a little light-industrial corner of the city of Eldon, just a stone's throw from Lake of the Ozarks, is a wildly niche business with a high-profile, international customer base.

It's called Argosy: they make super-high-end, custom shelving and workstations specifically for audio recording studios. And it's all made right here at the Lake.

Here's one testimonial: "Argosy is th...

Lighthouse for the Blind – St. Louis is a nonprofit manufacturer employing 200+ blind and visually impaired workers. They make Falcon boat horns (yep, the handheld ones you’re legally required to carry on your boat), Dust-Off “canned air,” vinyl/gelcoat repair patches, screen cleaners, emergency kits, and more—right here in Missouri.

We talk mission, products boaters actually use, how th...

The Lake's outdoor scene is getting a major upgrade with a new project being spearheaded by the Community Foundation of the Lake.

The Magic Dragon Trail System is under construction, and it'll result in 70 miles of trails at the Lake that could some day connect with Missouri's famous Katy Trail.

Behind it all is the Community Foundation of the Lake (CFL). For this episode, CFL President ...

Charlie Kirk and Bill Federer were friends. Charlie would often text him scriptures of encouragement. Bill recently joined Turning Point USA’s education initiative, at Charlie’s behest. In the wake of Charlie’s death, Bill joined me to remember this giant of a man.

In this episode, we talk about Charlie’s life, their friendship, and what hope remains for a cou...

Citizens Against Domestic Violence Director Sheree Keely would love if the organization she runs didn't have to exist.

But it does. CADV serves hundreds of people every year in the Lake area who are victims of domestic violence. In this sobering interview, Sheree and Michelle Cook talk about the reality and pervasiveness of domestic violence in our community... and how it hides in plain ...

Chris Wilson has traveled the country as a "Fixer." Auto dealerships would bring him in to help turn things around: from culture problems to messy financials, Chris has seen a lot [pun intended].

Now a partner at Van Chevy/Cadillac/Subaru in KC, Chris brought his unique experience to Lake of the Ozarks when he discovere...

It's arguably the most well-known name in all of American medicine: Mayo Clinic. When you can't figure out what's wrong with you and you've exhausted all your local doctors, you end up going to Mayo.

Now, Mayo is coming to the Lake of the Ozarks.

In a dramatic announcement last month, Lake Regional Health System announced they would be joining the exclusive Mayo Clinic Care Network. That...

New Lodge of Four Seasons GM Steve Sharkey and Golf Director Matt Dillman join us as we look backward at the Lodge's past, and look forward into the Lodge's future.

People are already noticing some of the upgrades, and they're really just getting started... room overhauls, golf cartpaths, there's a lot on the horizon and we got a sneak peek in this episode.

Did you know Hurricane Deck Elementary school has the highest rate of homelessness in the Camdenton School District?

"We will run anywhere from 16 to 25%. So a full quarter of our population will qualify under what's called the McKinney Bento Act," HDE Principal Christie Moulder shared.

Moulder also shared a fact many people probably don't know: the school has no budget for things like f...

Google is infamous for changing the rules of the Internet. For the past 20 years, it's been: play by Google's rules, or you won't get found. And if they change the rules, well, sorry, you'd better keep up.

But what happens when the guys who are constantly changing the rules get the rug yanked out from under them?

Well, one thing is that my guest Sandy Waggett and I can't help but smile.

...