Cookin' Up A Story

On this episode, we continue our conversation with Ralph Bartley on all things canine, K9, and friendship. Hear the story about his favorite rescue, why your mood affects your dogs' mood, and about how his buddy Adam came to his rescue during the darkest day of his life. 

For Ralph Bartley, growing up in Mulberry, Kansas wasn't quite like growing up in Mayberry, though he did end up becoming mayor and police chief of the small town. From there, he ended up in Northwest Arkansas where he became a detective with the Bentonville Police Department along with the help of his K9 partner, Kilo. Listen to Ralph tell his story and how he ended up working with one of th...

Who are our dream guests? Where would we go if money were no object? What's really at Area 51? Would we rather fight fifty normal-sized ducks or one human-sized duck? Find out the answer to some of these questions, and more, on this edition. It's one you don't want to miss. 

You've got questions for the crew and we've got answer. Listen to the latest edition to hear us discuss the topics you the listeners asked about, plus meander down a few rabbit holes. And as always, when you get value from your listen, don't hesitate to reach out to find out how you can offer us a little value in return, from funds to brown water to guests. 

After getting out of prison, Brentt Tumey went to work, but that work wasn't his true calling. Instead, he discovered that his vocation enabled him to truly follow his passion and work to help kids overcome abuse to hopefully find some peace and have a shot at good lives. Initially working with CASA, he ended up founding his own organization, SCARS, to do everything he can to help kids avoid...

When Brentt Tumey was a young man, he made some mistakes. Then he was given a second chance, and he used it to make some new mistakes. He did manage to learn from those, though, and along the way he figured out he had a goal with a longer time horizon that just "tomorrow."  Listen to Brentt discuss how he found himself on the wrong path and what it took to get him working toward redempti...

Whether out doing police work or in the gym training fighters, Jim Totten and Karl Kroen are all about paying it forward in their community. For Jim, it's about making a difference in the world by not just protecting, but also by serving. One way he goes about that is talking to people and making sure that people know that they can talk to him, that's he's part of the community. For...

Jim Totten, Jr. played a variety of sports growing up, even spending time as a semi-professional football player, but fighting was always his love. Karl Kroen had a different path into the world of boxing, but a few years ago, the pair met up and are now doing their best to help others via the sport. Listen to Jim and Karl discuss how fighting helped them grow as men and how they're now using...

Don and Doug Overstreet love their job and they love the moments they get to celebrate with their customers. Because it's not about the sale, it's about the relationship. In part two of our latest episode, listen to the two discuss why they have dedicated their lives to helping people mark their moments. 

Overstreet's Jewelry has been part of downtown Bentonville, AR, since 1948. Don Overstreet took it over from his father and now works with his grandson Doug to help build relationships and serve the community. Listen to the pair discuss the history of the store, diamonds, and watch repair in this episode. 

Ghosts, severed fingers, and hotel rooms full of bubbles. These are things you can't experience if you don't go out and travel. There's also the truth that the history that you get in books, movies, and television shows these days isn't exactly accurate. If you go out and see if for yourself, though, the truth is still out there.  Listen to part two of our episode with Gan Nunn...

In towns all across this country, both large and small, there's history to be found. Gan Nunnally likes to head down the road and find that history when he travels, whether for pleasure or for sport. In this episode, Gan tells the crew about his trips, tips for summer travel, and what to look for when you're taking in the sights and sounds of this great country. Give it a listen. 

Much like Marines, snipers aren't made, they're born. Jason Rodden was born a Marine and a sniper, but sometimes the universe has different plans, as it did with Jason. Relentless from a young age, he steadily moved toward his goals. First it was joining the Marine Corps. Second was earning his way into sniper school. Third? Well, that's when the universe asserted itself.  Jason did...

At the age of 9, Jason Rodden knew he was a Marine, but it wasn't until he graduated high school and joined the ranks of recruits that it became a reality. Between those years, the 9/11 terrorist attacks were launched on America, which meant Jason hit the ground running once he was sent into duty. It was what he'd been dreaming of.  He became a point man and a PFC, always putting himself...

After being shot, James Dray found himself at the mouth of the tunnel of light, but it wasn't his time to pass through it. Instead, he stayed on this plane and worked on healing so he could return to work. He made that return, though after a few years back on the streets, the gravity of what he'd been through caught up with him, so he had to heal again.  Heal he did, continuing in his pr...

James Dray always knew he wanted to be a police officer. When other young men were roughhousing and getting into trouble, he was walking the straight and narrow, never wanting to do anything that would jeopardize his future career. Once he graduated from high school, he got married and became a father and in a short time, found himself behind the wheel of a cruiser.  From there, he started protect...

Jackson Butt and Doug Allen didn't choose easy professions. They especially didn't choose ones with high success rates. Through passion and perseverance, though, they have have found ways to do what they love while working to help lift other people up. Listen to them discuss how they found their paths and what they hope to teach others about the importance of living by the motto "co...

Jackson Butt and Doug Allen love the Kings River. They especially love fishing it for smallmouth bass, something they've been doing since they were young men. That love extends to protecting the bass and the habitat and teaching others how to get out and enjoy themselves, though they don't always use conventional matters in their pursuits of fish.  Listen to them discuss fishing, the out...

What did Timothy Tillman's bait his trap with before catching a Bigfoot? What did his wife say when he told her he'd trapped one? What's the best type of grass for your lawn and what is Grass Clippings Anonymous? Find out the answers to these questions and more, including questions you didn't even know you had, in Part 2 of our interview with Tim. 

Timothy Tillman has been trapping game since he was a young boy. While his focus has largely been on raccoons and the like, he recently caught something else when he set a trap. Though the creature escaped, likely with some outside help, he did get one picture of it on his game camera.  Listen to Tim tell his story of capturing a young Bigfoot to the crew alongside a few rabbit holes. It's on...

In the second part of our episode with Doc, Casey, and Kelley, we learn what Doc likened his pre-healing mood swings to, how Casey feels about his sister, and what happened when the authorities showed up at Kelley's house back in January. You want to listen to this one.  As the title says, it goes both ways, so if you have some time, treasure, or talent to share with us in exchange for our ti...

Doc Jaynes, Casey Brewster, and Kelley Woods served their country with honor, but it came with costs. Doc went through hell with PTSD. Casey earned a Purple Heart. To this day, as a behavioral analyst, Kelley has to get into people's heads.  Today, all three have learned to stand tall and think for themselves, but it wasn't a lesson they learned overnight. It's also not one they&apo...

When Jeff Attlesey was 27, he found he needed heart surgery and was presented with a choice. They could go through his chest or through his groin. For obvious reasons, he chose his chest. That left him with scars, ones that he wears proudly, which often causes him to go around in various states of undress.  Listen to Jeff discuss why he didn't retreat into victimhood and instead embraced nudi...

Jeff Attlesey was born with a rare medical condition, but neither he nor his parents let that stop him from living his life. He played in the dirt as a boy, raised hell as a teenager, and went to work as an adult. He also may have robbed a grocery store somewhere in there.  As an adult, his condition didn't improve and life added a number of other health conditions to his plate. That still di...

After landing in Arkansas and mostly settling down, Jake Latvala continued his journey with Walmart, putting in almost 20 years. In his downtime, though, his passion was woodworking. That passion led him to buy a sawmill, which radically changed the trajectory of his career. There was one constant that had been with him since his early days driving a forklift in the Walmart distribution center in...