Paragould Podcast

Donis Hamilton is a retired attorney who moved to Paragould over 55 years ago. Since that time, Donis has served on the airport commission and has played a major role in the development of Leadership Paragould, the 412 bridge project, and more. He even gets into the sticky subject of buying access to politicians. This is an episode you won't want to miss!

Joe Wessell: Track starter for the SEC, advocate for the Collins Theater, retired banker, and a Paragould original.

Wes & Sydney Watts moved to Paragould just over a year ago and have fallen in love with the city--especially the sense of community here. Wes & Sydney are both attorneys who met each other in law school. Sydney grew up on a cotton farm near Rector and has a real heart to provide rural Arkansans and farmers access to the legal services they need. Wes is originally from Jonesboro and knew that he wa...

The World's Toughest Mudder, Drake Wallace, joins us on the Paragould Podcast this week! The son of an Army Ranger, Drake has learned the value of discipline and hard work to achieve success. He has competed in at least 16 Tough Mudder competitions and has made it all the way to Las Vegas for the World's Toughest Mudder event.   Find out why hard work beats talent and how to find the motivation to...

Sonia Fonticiella is the owner of Fonticeilla Law, PLLC in Paragould and has been practicing law for 13 years. She has served as a deputy public defender for Craighead County and an Assistant Federal Public Defender. But Sonia is not defined solely by her career. She is a mother of six and a very active member of our community, and her passion for life and family really comes through. If you are a...

No one knows the history of Paragould like Bob Branch. A retired attorney, Bob has lived in Paragould for over 9 decades, and his knowledge and story-telling ability are second to none. This is the episode we have been trying for so long to create. We hope you will enjoy it.

Brad Snyder's 25-year law enforcement career began with the Greene County Sheriff's Department in 1997 before moving to the Paragould Police Department. Now he is running for Sheriff.

Sheriff Steve Franks joins us on this episode of the Paragould Podcast. After serving as Marmaduke's Chief of Police for 21 years, Steve was elected Sheriff of Greene County in 2018.   With a tough race for re-election ahead, Sheriff Franks sits down to talk about why he got into law enforcement and tell us some of the accomplishments he's most proud of.

Dr. Martin Eggensperger joins us in this episode of the Paragould Podcast! Dr. Eggensperger is the President of Black River Technical College--"the MIT of 2-year colleges"--where they are interested in making heroes and craftsmen. Martin is a real cheerleader for the college and the investments they are making in Paragould.   This episode will get you excited about the future of our city. Don't mi...

Luke Lewallen joins us on the Paragould Podcast to talk about trauma. Luke is a therapist and Licensed Certified Social Worker (LCSW). He is also the founder of Hope and Healing, which specializes in trauma and is designed to help people in coping with emotional issues. hopeandhealingofnea.com

Kevin Eubanks suffered a massive stroke 8 years ago, which left him paralyzed on his left side. Events like this have a way of transforming a person's perspective on life, and Kevin was no exception.  Kevin and Laurie were recently featured on CBS's Sunday Morning and ABC's Good Morning America because of a simple invention that has given him the ability to "HugAgain."  After going on and on about...

Raised on a row crop and produce farm, Curtis Hitt said he learned the value of hard work from an early age. He started his law practice as a state prosecutor and is now the owner of a general practice law firm in Paragould. Hitt is running for the Arkansas Senate, District 21, which includes Greene, Clay and Randolph counties, as well as a significant portion of Lawrence County.

Country music artist, Cory Jackson joins us on the Paragould Podcast. In this episode, you will get a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to make it to the big stage on shows like American Idol and The Voice. Cory is a gifted yet humble member of our community who is using his gifts to inspire others. Learn more about Cory at coryjacksonmusic.com, and be sure to subscribe to our mailing list a...

Brad grew up in Paragould and has been working in sports broadcasting for over 20 years. We can't promise, but you're likely to hear a lot about the Red Wolves--and maybe some references to classic Memphis wrestling.

Steve grew up in Paragould, was a star athlete in high school, played D-1 football for UCA (rooming down the hall from Scotty Pippin), and coached at the high school level. He seemed to have achieved the American Dream... just to lose it all to addiction. You can't miss Steve tell his riveting story of hardship, loss, and redemption.

Neal Adams is our guest on this episode of the Paragould Podcast. A lifelong resident of Paragould, Neal is the co-owner of Adams Nursery and has an inspiring story of how hard work and passion can turn dreams into reality.

Gabe and Tiffany have an interesting and inspiring story that brought them together and ultimately brought them to Paragould. They are now the owners of Shadrach's Coffee in Paragould and are about to break ground on a second location. The Paragould Podcast exists to bring you the incredible stories of people in the city you call home.

Pat Austin joins us on the Paragould Podcast this week to talk about her love for creating environments within our city for kids and families to enjoy for generations.   Pat's love for Paragould and its people is unmatched. After more than 45 years with the Paragould Parks and Recreation department, she has a unique perspective on just how far we've come--including the development and management o...

In October of 2020, April Biggs got the news no woman wants to hear: "You have breast cancer." Listen to her inspiring story of courage and hope for others battling this dreaded disease.

Brian Osborn (Big O) lives and breathes Paragould. He is a co-owner of MOR Media, a radio personality, and a guy who knows just about everything about our city. 

An Arkansas native, Mr. Gunn is no stranger to athletics, especially football. His resume includes playing for the Arkansas Razorbacks from 1984-87, which included the 1984 Liberty Bowl and the 1987 Orange Bowl; winning several conference and state championships in his 11 years coaching high school football in Arkansas and Texas; 11 years experience as an assistant coach at Arkansas State Universi...

Richie Williams came home to the Paragould School District as Director of Bands in 2007. Since that time, he has become what many refer to as the Nick Saban of band directors--building one of the most successful programs in the state of Arkansas and recognized across the nation. The Paragould Pride Marching Band has now won the Arkansas state championship a record six consecutive seasons! Richie h...

Paragould Mayor Josh Agee returns to talk about his first year in office. From the 8-Mile Trail, to a new city website, to the newly announced Farmer's Market, Josh says Paragould is in the driver's seat. All this, he argues, is to improve Paragould's quality of life, which stands on 4 pillars: safety, schools, healthcare, and good jobs.

Ted served on the bomb squad, worked alongside the CIA and fought in Vietnam.  During his military career, Ted received a variety of badges and medals, most notably the Bronze Star Medal & Airman's Medal. In this episode, Ted shares how he earned those medals, and how he (in his own words) has "lived a full life with no regrets". 

Jared reflects on his 3 biggest takeaways from this year’s guests and shares a few highlights from various episodes.