Sidewalk Talks
Random people, random topics, talking on random sidewalks in the City of Saginaw, Michigan.
Episodes
In this Sidewalk Talks episode, we chat with Anne Bruzewski, CEO of Go Great Lakes Bay, about tourism, community pride, and the time we first met—when a truck collided with the I-675 bridge. Ann shares her path from Findlay, Ohio to Northwood University to joining Go Great Lakes Bay in early 2020 as COVID and Midland’s dam breaches forced major pivots. We also break down what a CVB/DMO does and how tourism benefits Sagi...
Saginaw’s Surprising Link to the 50-Star American Flag (and a Handyman Who Puts Family First)
In this Sidewalk Talks episode, Phil chats with Ryan Schramm, owner of Schramm's Services, a handyman business that focuses on painting but also tackles plumbing, electrical, and general contracting. Our conversation takes a fascinating turn when Ryan reveals his uncle, Saginaw-native Bob Heft, designed the 50-star U.S. flag as a high...
THE CIVITAN WILL LIVE AGAIN! Eugene "Fookie" Seals has purchased The Civilian Recreation Center in downtown Saginaw with the goal of restoring back to its role as a valuable community center. He grew up nearby, played basketball and attended summer programs there , and credits the center with helping launch his path to professional basketball. Seals says the Seals Group began pursuing the building in 2019 and finalized the purchase...
In this episode of Sidewalk Talks, we chat with Saginaw musician Indigo Connolly about motherhood, music, and music education! Along with being a performer, Indigo also created My Music Matters, an organization dedicated to highlighting local artists and providing more representation in music education in the Great Lakes Bay area. She also teaches piano and voice lessons out of Indigo Music Studio
Timestamps:
00:00 Meet I...
On this episode of Sidewalk Talks, we meet the jump rope master Giovanni Jamall Jackson—an entertainer from Saginaw who jump ropes, teaches ballroom dance, performs Motown, and acts—and talks about how he started jump roping in 2019 as a stress reliever during a period of depression. Giovanni explains what he loves about jump rope and shares how freestyling, viral TikTok views, and growing social media contacts led to A...
In this Sidewalk Talk, we talk with Swept AI founder Shane Emmons about hype, the hope, and the harm of AI. Swept AI has served over 25 million users, ensuring AI safety, integrity, and compliance. He's an authority on the subject of AI, and if you have questions about how AI works and what it means for the future, this episode is a must listen!
00:00 Cold Open Clapboard
00:15 Meeting Shane Emmons
00:33 From Navy Brat to...
In this Sidewalk Talks episode, we reconnects with Tina Swanton—funny hat and butterscotch cookies included—for an update on the Saginaw Community Food Club and Kitchen. Tina explains the nonprofit grocery store’s sliding-scale membership and points-based shopping system (healthier foods cost fewer points, with produce always one point), plus an educational kitchen with six student stations, an instructor station,...
In an impromptu, chilly Sidewalk Talks episode filmed in Morley Plaza, we sit down with Renee Johnston of the Saginaw Community Foundation to talk about what makes Saginaw special, why citizens should cherish and care for their community, and how individual accountabilitybuilds a stronger village. Renee explains what the Saginaw Community Foundation does beyond the name—philanthropic partnership, endowment funds, grants, scho...
On the latest episode of Sidewalk Talks, I chat with Tony Serra! Tony is the Executive Director of TempleArts, the organization that oversees both The Temple Theatre and the Saginaw Art Museum & Gardens. We talk about the current Andy Warhol exhibition, the role of TempleArts in the community, and his personal journey from the Temple Theatre to the Fox Theatre in Detroit...and back again!
Timestamps:
00:00 Opening Ban...
In part two with Alex Mixter (recorded at Potter Street Station), the conversation ricochets from Lee Mansion cleanups and Spot It, Snag It to a core theme: communities earn trust through visible action. They discuss how pride, cross-class connections, and being “with real people in real places” can counter negativity and burnout, and why constraints can spark better solutions. Alex explains Saginaw’s “green...
In this Sidewalk Talk with Alex Mixter, we talk about why preserving Saginaw's Potter Street Station matters, and how it could become a transportation again. Why Preserving Saginaw’s Potter Street Station Matters—and How It Could Become a Transportation Hub Again. Alex tells us about efforts since 1989 to save the building, all while facing an arson in 1991, a temporary roof in 1995, and a tower collapse in 1997. We als...
From Lebanon to selling suits in Saginaw...it's Sal, baby!
In this episode of Sidewalk Talks, Phil visits Sal, a longtime Saginaw tailor known as “Sal Baby,” for his first podcast, reflecting on how Sal helped save Phil’s wedding suit experience after a bad big-box chain encounter and how Sal’s shop treats customers like family. Sal describes running his store for about 38 years, traveling to trade shows, sou...
Marlana Cork kicks off Season Three with a Sidewalk Talk about community-building! Be sure to subscribe to Sidewalk Talks and leave a review!
00:00 Season Premiere Banter
01:17 Aging and Dentist Days
02:31 Why Community Matters
03:53 Grandma’s Candy House
07:04 Showing Up When It’s Hard
10:24 Community as Relationship
17:13 Unsung Heroes and Commitment
21:38 Communication Meets Action
23:43 Confli...
A new season of Sidewalk Talks premieres Monday! Watch the video for a sneak preview of all of this season's amazing guests, and then subscribe to Sidewalk Talks and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts.
Two new episodes will go up every week, so subscribe and don't miss an episode!
On Saturday, September 28th at 7:30 p.m., the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra (SBSO) continues its 90th Season with Music Reframed: Pictures at an Exhibition at the historic Temple Theatre in downtown Saginaw. This ambitious program pairs one of the most celebrated orchestral works of all time with bold contemporary compositions performed by their creators.
The evening culminates in Modest Mussorgsky’s iconic Pictures at an Exh...
In his first-ever podcast appearance, MLive journalist Justin Engel talks about his history and work in local journalism. The conversation centers on defining journalism and discusses misinformation, clickbait, and AI-generated content, and argues for news literacy and reading beyond headlines and comment sections. Justin and Phil emphasize the value of strong local media in the Great Lakes Bay Region, explain why journalism isn&rs...
From Saginaw to living to an RV and back again! In this episode of Sidewalk Talks, Jessica Shepherd discusses her background in broadcasting and journalism, selling most of her belongings to travel full-time in an RV for about two and a half years, and work-camping around the country. She talks about life on the road and why she and her partner, Mark, chose to return home to Saginaw.
00:00 Mic Check & Meet Jessica Shepherd ...
In this episode of Sidewalk Talks, Eric Shevchenko talks about bringing New York-style pizza to Saginaw with Old World Pizzeria. He talks about the power of food as a way to keep people connected, preserve culture, evoke emotion, and be a vehicle for creativity.
Eric explains how pizza became his focus, including a 48-hour research trip to New York eating slices and revisiting favorites. Shevcenko talks about his obsessi...
Ja'Maiya Ryan is a Saginaw-based designer and she just released a new collection! In this episode of Sidewalk Talks, she talks about design, her history, and her love of not only designing, but creating accessible and beautiful accessories.
00:00 Celebrating the Win: The Iconic Happy Tears Photo
00:21 Behind the Scenes: Finding the Right Fashion Program
00:32 Hands-On Craft: Tools, Techniques, and Industry Collabs
01:...
Brian Pruitt was heading into the NFL draft as one of the best running backs in the country, when he received a phone call that changed his life forever. On NFL draft night, he received a call from his agent that he would not be drafted due to spinal stenosis discovered at the NFL combine, a condition the league was then weeding out because of neck-injury risk.
After three years of trying to return to the NFL as a free agent, ...
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