Paragould Podcast

Stan Jones is the creator and owner of the Stan Jones Mallard Lodge, which was recently dubbed on the top 7 hunting lodges in the United States. Stan reveals how the lodge got started and the secret sauce that draws in engineers from Mercedes Benz in Germany, multiple governors and other politicians, musicians, celebrities, and even Seal Team 6 to duck hunt at his lodge here in Arkansas. Stan also...

Judge Dan Stidham serves as a Circuit Judge in Arkansas, but he is best known for representing Jessie Misskelley during the West Memphis 3 case. Judge Stidham opens up on this episode about his involvement in the case as well as the sudden loss of his own son just last year.

As we wrap up our month-long emphasis on education in our city, we are excited to have Scott Gerrish on the podcast. Mr. Gerrish is the Superintendent of Greene County Tech Schools and a lifelong resident of Paragould. Scott attended elementary school at GCT and middle school at Oak Grove. The stories of the educators who poured into his life at a young age are truly inspirational. This is an epis...

Bob Branch returns to discuss the history of education in Paragould and Greene County. 

Dr. Nick Jankoviak joins us on the Paragould Podcast. Dr. J's story begins with a humble upbringing in Michigan before providence moved him and his wife to Paragould. He now is at the helm of the Paragould School District with a servant's heart and a passion for the welfare of the kids in our city.

Terry Austin is a life-long resident of Paragould and a graduate of Crowley's Ridge Academy. He now serves as CRA's Administrator and chief cheerleader.  This is part 1 of our 4-part series focusing on education in Paragould. 

Founder of the Greene County Rescue Squad and owner of Heath Funeral Home, Butch Heath, joins us on this week’s episode of the Paragould Podcast!

Joining us on the Paragould Podcast is Paragould native and professional basketball player, Skyler Bowlin. Skyler has been playing pro basketball in Europe since 2011. He's back stateside for a visit, and we are excited to welcome him on the podcast. You won't want to miss it!

Kevin Lang is our guest on today's episode of the Paragould Podcast. Kevin spent the earliest years of his life living in the old No1 Fire Station, which is now the Post Office parking lot. He would eventually serve as a firefighter and later be appointed as the chief where he would serve for 15 years. He is now the Director of Planning and Development for the city of Paragould.

Jerry Ballew joins us to talk about his fascinating journey that ultimately landed him in Paragould. After hanging out in the barber shops of Brooklyn, NY, moving to Houston, TX, spending time on an oil rig in the Gulf, and working as a private security contractor in Afghanistan, it was MMA that eventually brought him to our city. Jerry's incredible journey is guaranteed to inspire you to make the...

On Wednesday, December 29, 1909, James Henry Trammell walked into the Elk Cafe in downtown Paragould. After getting into an argument with  Charles Gragg, Trammell pulled a gun, shot, and killed Gragg. He immediately headed west to evade police, and from there the story gets really interesting. You will not want to miss one minute of award-winning historian Erik Wright as he uncovers a mystery that...

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...