Neighborly News

Jim Roane grew up as a kid of missionaries.   He spent time in Africa, Egypt, Sri Lanka and the Phillipines before his family settled in Minnesota.  Jim worked as a corporate trader in Minnesota, but a family tragedy made him reassess what was important in life.  He and Mary Beth now have a resort in Tanzania.  The goal was to bring two cultures together through a safari experience.  It is much mo...

Once a provider of glass packaging and branding to the spirits industry, Beth Dutton Hurwitz is now proprietor of a curated speakeasy and bottle room in Bonita Springs.  Leveraging her expertise in product presentation, she focuses on educating guests about small-batch distilleries through a unique tasting experience.  Her mixologists elevate these rare spirits with house-made syrups crafting cock...

Dave Baker thought it would be a good idea to interview Randy.  So the tables were turned and Dave asked the questions with his silky smooth radio voice.  If your travels take you to Green Bay or Door County WI, you might be able to catch Randy's band, Everson Starcheck.  Hear the background stories about the band, the podcast and the "why" behind Randy's pursuits. www.eversonstarcheck.com and fac...

Chef Justin suggested I interview Ilse Talavera.  You may see her from time-to-time, but she spends a lot of time behind the curtain making sure everything is "just so".  She is highly trained and has worked with a Michelin rated chef.  Enjoy the next 16 minutes getting to know another integral person in the Copperleaf family.

Tom Greenhaw wrote software for a living.  He founded two companies that have processed billions of transactions at thousands of business locations.  As examples, True Value Hardware and Michael's have used his systems for inventory management.  Tom is now retired, but he has many projects he's working on.  His most notable project is building a robotic hand, an incredibly complex undertaking.  He...

Neighborly News talks to Copperleaf Director of Food and Beverage, Alex Satizabal  and Executive Chef, Justin Hornyak to get a behind the scenes look at everything that needs to happen to provide a quality experience to the members. Do you know what the least liked meats are at Copperleaf?  Chef Justin knows and avoids them. Are you aware of the new Chef's Table?  What are the events the members n...

Mike Vitale is a singer, songwriter and performer currently based in Los Angeles.  We may see someone perform but not realize all the behind the scenes work it takes to be a musician.  This interview pulls back the curtain to the details a musician deals with on a day-to-day basis. Mike recently signed a contract to work for Holland America.  He boarded in October and his contract was extended unt...

Carrie and I started 2026 off with a cruise.  The way we did it was interesting.  We cruised standby.  Here is a 10 minute description of what we did, how we did it and the savings that we realized as a result.  Stay tuned.  Later this week, I will release an interview with Mike Vitale, a singer songwriter and performer on the cruise.

Copperleaf resident, Claire Batista is a PGA Class A Golf Professional.  She founded and currently runs the Claire Batista Golf Academy. She competed on Florida's Mini Tours and made her mark in collegiate golf as the founder and head coach of the University of Toledo women's golf team, leading the program to outstanding success during her nine-year tenure.   In 2002, she was recognized as one of...

    On October 28, Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica.  Sustained winds were 185 mph.  Some regions had up to 40" of rain.  Homes were leveled, roads were washed out and blocked by debris.  Many rural areas are still cut off from civilization.  72% of the island was without power.  Cell towers are down and the only link to the outside world is the few people fortunate enough to have Starlink and a gene...

In this episode, we sit down with Patty McPherson, a lifelong animal lover whose passion for wildlife began when she was just a young girl.  Patty shares how her connection to animals has grown and evolved over the years, leading her to become an advocate for wildlife in her community.   We also dive into two incredible rescue stories that took place right in the Copperleaf neighborhood, showcasin...

PJ Shanahan is the son of Copperleaf resident Carol Shanahan.  You may have seen PJ on the golf course, but you might not know his name.  He is paralyzed from the chest down after being shot in the back during a robbery attempt.  July 16 will mark the 15th anniversary of that tragic event.  Two young men left him to die in the street, but God had other plans for him. Hi story embodies perseverance...

Josh is a husband, father of 3 and has a determined spirit.  He is also the new General Manager of Copperleaf Golf Club.  He is looking forward to carrying the Club to new levels of excellence.  Listen to our brief but informative conversation.

Toni Marotta is a captivating interviewee, brimming with energy, wisdom and personality.  She was a devoted wife and mother of five while also pursuing her entrepreneurial ambitions by launching a company that helps people with weight loss. Toni is the author of two diet books.  Her business gained significant momentum when she organized a "diet cruise" from New York to the Bahamas, featuring a Ne...

Dr. Greg Davis retired from Eli Lilly as Executive Director and Senior Principle Fellow in Global Regulatory Affairs. Inronically, Greg suffers from a disease that has no pharmaceutical treatment.  Huey Lewis suffers from the same disease and is unable to perform due to his disease. We discuss the epiphany that allowed Greg to circumvent the symptoms of the disease. If you suffer from balance issu...

Dan Stary is 35 years old but possesses more than 35 years of wisdom.  This podcast interview was his idea and features an unscripted conversation between a son and father that delves into mental health, songwriting, the loss of a good friend and how Dan's struggles have led him to a better place. The interview includes snippets of songs that Dan has written and recorded.  You can listen to his mu...

Norma Quine has had an interesting life.  Her father was world renowned philosopher W.V. Quine.  He had books published in several languages, received the Nobel Prize and a Kyoto Prize.  He was a also a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy.   She had an interesting childhood dealing with a mother who experienced the highs and lows of bi-polar disorder.  She was a model, actress and ultimately owned a...

General E. Gordon Stump began his military career in 1965.  In 1966, he completed his pilot training as the top person in his class and was assigned to the F-102. He then went on to further training in the Fighter Interceptor Program.  Shortly thereafter, he headed to The Phillipines.   He flew 241 combat missions from South Vietnam and Thailand.  41 of his missions were flown over North Vietnam....

Tom Fries, another member of the Copperleaf Community, was a catcher in the minor leagues during the early 1960's.  His teams were associated with the Washington Senators and the Minnesota Twins.  He played with many players who became familar faces in the major leagues.  You will find his stories very entertaining.

Kevin Dooley had a colorful and rewarding career.  He began that career in 1980 as a state prosecutor in the Broome County D.A.'s Ofice in Binghamton, NY.  In 1998, he became a federal prosecutor at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Nothern District of NY.  From 2005-2007, Kevin spent two years in Iraq assisting the Iraqi High Tribunal in the investigation and prosecution of Saddam Hussein and ot...

General Manager of Copperleaf, David Dore-Smith, sits down with Randy to talk about FRASS, Love Grass, Project 2024, staffing at Copperleaf and many other interesting topics.

Four couples of the Copperleaf Community decided to rendezvous in Central Wisconsin at Sand Valley Golf Resort.  The cocktail hours were expecially entertaining and include some of our triumphs and frustrations playing the courses there.  I'm sure this will give you a chuckle or two.  I listed it as explicit in the description, but it's really only kind of PG-13.  

Parker Ferren is Director of Golf Course and Grounds Maintenance at Copperleaf.  He is a Certified Golf Course Superintendent and President of the the Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association.  We discuss government regulation of golf courses, work/family balance, wildlife and we reveal a secret most of you would not be aware of, a Copperleaf branded natural product soon to be released!  Yo...

Brad Breedveld saw it all in his tenure with Michigan law enforcement.  His stories show the compassionate side of those who are trying to maintain order in our society.  He dealt with the homeless, broke up biker fights and provided security for the President of the United States during a Superbowl.  

We have a few more stories from Dave Phillips before we move on to other topics.  The retired MLB umpire "ran" many players and coaches.   Here are the stories about the Gaylord Perry spitballs, Joe Niekro ejection and a description of one of the "lush" hotel rooms that Dave got to sleep in.