Paragould Podcast

Hamburger Station has been a staple in Paragould since 1925. It's been featured on TV shows, books, and countless articles. In 1998 Bert bought the restaurant from its previous owners. However, today's episode is about so much more than a hamburger. Bert opens up vulnerably to talk about a struggle with Alcohol addiction and how he just sought help in recovery. You won't want to miss this incredib...

Jimmy Dodd is on the podcast this week! It was special for us to have two legends in the Paragould Rams Sports Network family talking Paragould schools history, what it takes to be a great broadcaster, and the importance of school spirit. We hit on Doc Paynter and the new gym that Paragould will be building by fall of 2025. This is a great episode for Rams, Eagles, and Falcons fans alike!

Bill Phillips has experienced a lot of life in his nearly 90 years. For most of his life he has lived right here in Paragould. He first worked at the Gulf Oil Company service station that is now Carlos' Street Tacos Downtown, but he spent the majority of his vocational career with Paragould Municipal Utilities, though of course it was not named that 50 years ago. 

Jiles Wright survived a horrific plane crash in 1990, but found his way back in the pilots seat a few years later. The adrenaline rush that comes from flying was amplified even more when he discovered the sport of Fast Draw target shooting. At first he shot in the stance he was trained as a police officer. Before long, he found his form and became a champion. Earlier this year, he became not just...

Luke Morris has been working at the Greene County Jail for just 18 months, but has already made a huge impact in the opinion of Jail Leadership. In today's episode we talk about a day in the life at jail, how to remain calm in a chaotic situation, leadership, and why so many inmates are repeat offenders. 

We had a unique treat to interview Carlton Jones, the district judge from Miller County, who is running for Arkansas Supreme Court! It was fun to hear his story about how he's been serving Arkansas communities for 35+ years and is ready and excited at the opportunity to serve the entire state if elected to the Supreme Court this year! 

Sue is responsible for launching the Leadership Paragould program, recruiting many industrial employers, and much more. During her time with the Chamber of Commerce, Paragould saw tremendous growth. Still today she serves the city as a board member for local organizations and acts as a sounding board for our current leaders. In this episode we talk about how to recruit new businesses to our city,...

The Collins Theater is nearly 100 years old! Jon, Meredith, and the whole team at The Collins Theater are working diligently every year to make it better and more diverse than ever. There are some really exciting events coming up in 2024, but first we talk about the history of the Collins and if it is haunted! 

Max Bishop, legendary ninja cowboy, returns to the show! Max was in our third episode ever, way back in 2021! This winter he went viral, making national news as video of him roping a baby calf stranded on a pond and pulling it to safety struck the hearts of many. Max has more stories about Mixed Martial Arts, being a good neighbor, persevering through pain and adversity, and why it's not a good id...

Holden Smith joined the show this week and shared incredible insight into life after losing a parent early in life. His perspective on life as he advances through many of the same life stages as his dad is full of wisdom. As Holden creates his own life as an adult, he carries with him the work ethic he learned from both his parents. 

Jeff Branch knew in Kindergarten that he wanted to follow in his dad's footsteps and be a lawyer in Paragould. Early in his tenure, he got some of his first action as a deputy prosecutor on the infamous Jones murder trial! As a retired lawyer, Jeff has a lot of opinions and wasn't afraid to spill all!

Mayor Josh Agee joins the show to talk about what all the city has accomplished in 2023 and look forward to great plans for 2024! You won't want to miss this super informative episode! 

Coach Kevin Gill has coached at GCT and Paragould Schools locally. His teams had multiple state title appearances and one win (as Ridgecrest Schools). In this extended episode, time flew by as we talked about so much more than sports. Relationships are vital to a healthy life. 

Trey Stafford got his start in Radio back when he was 9 years old in Marked Tree, AR. His local station wasn't giving enough updates on the school, so he filled the void and hasn't looked back since. This very entertaining episode details out Stafford's journey through radio to becoming one of the (if not the) most recognizable voices in Northeast Arkansas Radio. 

Judge Goodson has been involved in many high profile cases in Northeast Arkansas over the last 30+ years including the conspiracy to commit murder of the Jones family and the West Memphis Three! He shares about what it's like to be a judge and some about his upbringing in Black Oak, AR where he knew celebrities Jim Dandy and John Grisham!

This week's guests are Brent and Amanda Waugh from John 3:16 Ministries! John 3:16 has been a place where many people in Paragould have found freedom from addiction and substance abuse. Their story is a powerful one and they hope the transformation they've both experienced individually can inspire anyone currently in addiction to find help and hope.

Dan Stidham was assigned the task of defending Jessie Misskelly Jr., one of the accused in the famous West Memphis 3 murders. For the last nine years, he has been working on a memoir about his time defending Misskelly and why he's still passionate about defending his client. 

Have you ever wondered what it takes to run a jail the size of Greene County's? Who would even be in charge of that operation? When Sheriff Brad Snyder took over, he insisted that Sheila Robertson follow him from the Paragould Police Department because she had more then proven her ability to organize well! Listen to this episode to hear about all the aspects of running a jail that you never though...

Kenny Hall Jr. is a veteran who has a passion for serving our community. He now serves with the Paragould Police Department as a School Resource Officer within the Paragould School District. In our conversation we talked about poverty, parenting, and many of the dangers kids in our community are facing in and out of school. Kenny has a contagious passion for reaching underprivileged children in ou...

Brooksie is one of the most well known names in real estate in Paragould, AR. She has been a part of the sale of hundreds and hundreds of homes and along with Pete Cancilla founded Image Realty 14 years ago. Listen to this episode to learn about her grit and mindset to become one of the most successful realtors in NEA. 

As a local fireman for 14 years, Jeremy knows what it means to do hard things, to expect pain in order to achieve your goal. So, when he set out to run the Arkansas Traveller 100 mile race through the Ouachita National Forest this fall, he was prepared to push through one of the most difficult physical competitions there is. Listen to this week's episode as we hear about Jeremy's story and his wor...

Leigh Blythe and Shauna Hitt play an important role in our communities fight for mental health and victory over substance abuse. Leigh volunteers as the President of the Greene County Mental Health and Substance Abuse Coalition. Shauna is the Coordinator and Case Manager for 100 Families. Together and with the help of many other local organizations they are fight for families in Greene County in t...

Randy Phillips became the head football coach at PHS this year after a few years of success in Trumann. He is already seeing early signs of success at the beginning of his tenure and is looking towards the foundational building of his program from pee-wees up to Sr's. Coach Phillips joined the show to talk about faith, football, putting players first, how to handle loss and adversity, and so much...

Dr. Brent Reddick serves our community as a Veterinarian at Linwood Animal Hospital. Day in and day out he and his team help save the lives of cats and dogs in Paragould and last year they were critical to saving the life of Jared's pet dog, Ranger. 

How did Haag Brown become the premier real estate developer in Northeast Arkansas in the last 20 years? Josh Brown joined the show to talk about the hard work behind the scenes that brings a national retailer or restaurant to the area.