Faces of GRAND Prairie, A Community Podcast

In this episode of the Faces of Grand Prairie podcast, Jenna Pecor interviews Emily Linares and Kelly Edelman from the Grand Prairie Parks, Arts and Recreation Department. They discuss their roles, the history and growth of the department, and the innovative events and programming that enhance community engagement. The conversation also covers the challenges of event planning, the importance of co...

Join Jenna and co-hosts Emily Aquino and Cadence Williams from Dubiski High School as we get to know our new GPISD Superintendent! Emily and Cadence are student leaders from the Media Technology Pathway. They prepared the questions for today's episode, and it was wonderful hearing how Dr. Trujilio answered them! This episode is full of advice and wisdom from our new superintendent and it was a ple...

This conversation explores the life and experiences of Ray Jean Bush, a Vietnam veteran and active community member in Grand Prairie. Ray shares his journey from growing up in Grand Prairie, his involvement in local sports, and the impact of his military service during the Vietnam War. He discusses the importance of community support, education, and the role of veterans in society. Ray also reflec...

In this episode of the Faces of Grand Prairie podcast, host Jenna Pecor interviews Mary Dominguez Santini, the founder of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Grand Prairie. They discuss the importance of community engagement, the impact of COVID-19 on local businesses, and the need for business education and access to capital for entrepreneurs. Mary shares her experiences in founding the chamber,...

In this conversation, Coach Gary Bartell shares his journey from growing up in Grand Prairie, Texas, to becoming a successful college football coach. He discusses his early athletic experiences, the transition to college football at Texas Tech, and the challenges he faced in his personal life and career. Bartell reflects on the importance of mentorship in coaching and the impact of his experiences...

Discover the insights from Brian Bondy, the new President of the Grand Prairie Chamber of Commerce, as he shares his vision for local business growth and community engagement. Episode Sponsors: My Jennarocity Estate Sales: https://myjennarocityestatesales.com/Coffee News GP: https://www.coffeenewsgp.com/Mansfield Driving Academy: https://mansfield-drive.com/Jenna Pecor, Bancroft Realty: https://je...

Join us as we sit down for a candid interview with Alex Dave, founder of Dave's Legacy nonprofit organization, to delve into the rich history and family legacies of the Dalworth community. Learn about the stories and experiences of one family that have shaped this vibrant neighborhood in Grand Prairie. Episode Sponsored by:Jenna Pecor, Bancroft Realty, 214-558-4410 https://jennapecor.com/Jenna...

This was a fun, albiet far too short, episode. My guest is one of the most recognizable alumni of SGPHS, JB Williams. JB tells how his passion for SGPHS football started his sophmore year and continued for years after graduation, running the famous SGPHS touchdown flag down the field for many years after. JB loves this city and loves our shared Alma Mater and it was a pleasure speaking with him on...

My guest today is Tony Shotwell, Grand Prairie City Council Member, Place 5. Our episode is sponsored by Jenna Pecor with Bancroft Realty and Jennarocity Estate Sales...if you're looking to downsize for yourself or a parent, this is Jenna's specialty! 214-558-4410

My guest today is Grand Prairie City Council Member Junior Ezeonu. Junior is the youngest council member ever elected in the history of Grand Prairie. We discuss issues all over the political spectrum, from term limits to being a partisan representative in a nonpartisan elected position. This video is sponsored and hosted by Jenna Pecor. Jenna is a Realtor with Bancroft Realty in Grand Prairie and...

Robin Brown is a wealth of knowledge on many subjects, but today we discuss the assassination of John F. Kennedy Jr and what led Robin to begin doing JFK tours in Dallas 12 years ago. We discuss the historical events leading up to the assassination and even incorporate some Grand Prairie history into the discussion. This episode is sponsored and hosted by Jenna Pecor, Realtor at Bancroft Realty in...

On this episode, we talk about COPE, an initiative through the Grand Prairie Police Department that stands for “Community Outreach Partnership and Education.” I talk with City Councilman Jeff Copeland, Supervisor Of the Crisis Support Unit Courtney Runnels, and Officer Greg New about how this unique initiative came to be. This innovative information-sharing program allows first responders to have...

Today, my guests are Dena Petty and Crystal Gaither with Mentors Care. Mentors Care is a 501C3 organization whose mission is to connect high school students who are at risk of not graduating with mentors, tools, and resources to help lead them toward graduation and purposeful, fulfilling lives. Mentors Care works with school districts that are historically underserved to enlist, train and equip ad...

Today my guest is Esmerelda Rodriguez. Esmerelda retired recently from the Grand Prairie Independent School District as the Parent Involvement Facilitator. Today we talk about her job responsibilities within the district and how she would help parents be involved with their children's education, as well as helping them discover resources when they needed them. We also discuss how she came to parti...

Today my guest is Grand Prairie Mayor Pro Tem and Councilman Mike Del Bosque. Council Member Del Bosque was elected to represent District 3 in May 2017. We talk about mentorship and how community members like Ms. Ruthe Jackson came along and encouraged him to get involved more in his local community and in politics. We also discuss the new Mi Familia playground, the different features it will offe...

Today my guest is Vandella Menifee. Vandella is retired from a career in the Department of Justice, first starting in the Atlanta Penitentiary System then eventually transferring to the Grand Prairie Office Complex in 2005. Vandella has become a professional volunteer in her retirement, working locally in Grand Prairie and Arlington with local elected officials, nonprofits and citizens to connect...

My guest today is Shebra Hackett. Among many things she is involved in, Shebra owns an Allstate Insurance Agency in Grand Prairie and we talk today about how she got into the insurance industry and then came to own her own office. We discuss the great things that come from owning your own business and some of the challenges that come from balancing family and community priorities with running a su...

In this mini-episode, Jenna reads aloud the Declaration of Independence. https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript

Incumbent Jeff Wooldridge answers interview questions for the upcoming run-off election for District 6 in Grand Prairie's City Council Election. Challenger Kurt Johnson declined to participate in the interview.   To learn more about Jeff Wooldridge: https://www.facebook.com/Jeff-Wooldridge-for-City-Council-District-6-206384646167158 To learn more about Kurt Johnson: https://www.facebook.com/K...

Today, I talk to Martin Cabellero, President and CEO of Bon Air Service Co. Inc. I caught up with Martin after he was named "Citizen of the Year" for 2020 from the Grand Prairie Chamber of Commerce. Martin took ownership of Bon Air after his mentor Cal Brundrett, retired. We talk today about mentorship and the importance of taking young people under our wings to help them find their place in our c...

Incumbent Greg Giessner and Challenger Junior Ezeono answer questions in an interview to help voters know about them prior to the June 5, 2021 City Council Election for District 8.    To learn more from Greg Giessner, go to his Facebook campaign page: www.facebook.com/greggiessnerG   To learn more from Junior Ezeono, go to his Facebook campaign page:   https://www.facebook.com/...

My guest today is Scott Jeffries. He’s the Director of the Library at Dallas Baptist University. Today, Scott and I talk about the job of a librarian at a university and some of the day to day help they give students. We talk about how to think critically about what you read in the news and discuss the obstacles students face in the current online landscape, as well as helping young people underst...

Why should local news and local community matter? Jenna talks about why the podcast is GP focused. If you like what I am doing and want to support more of my local interviews with interesting residents and officials click here https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/facesofGP! https://youtu.be/M2AgIPXpNDc

My guest today is Julie Harding. Julie and I were friends at a very young age, when we met as across the street neighbors in Grand Prairie as young kids. We talk today about being neighborly and what we feel are some of the reasons that neighbors in communities have gotten away from getting to know one another. We discuss the negative impact it has on the older and younger generations when we don'...

Today my guest is Duane Strawn, director of the Parks, Arts, and Recreation department of Grand Prairie. Duane talks to me today about his background as a landscape architect and how that fits into planning for a city. We talk about the unique vision of the grand prairie parks and recreation department compared to other cities and the city’s innovative attitude towards progress. We also discuss so...