Rex Nelson's Southern Fried Podcast

In this week’s episode, Rex Nelson talks with the President and CEO of Arkansas Community Foundation, Jessica Hughes Ford, about the foundation and its mission to protect, grow and direct charitable dollars in the state. Ford discusses the challenges facing the non-profit sector in Arkansas and how the foundation helps non-profits accomplish their missions in the state. Podcast on  Apple ,  Spotif...

In this week’s episode, Rex Nelson sits down with Doug Schoenrock, director of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, to talk about some of the commission’s initiatives. Schoenrock talks about his upbringing, the Boy Scouts and how that translated into his current role as the commission director. Podcast on  Apple ,  Spotify , and  YouTube , or visit  arkansasonline.com/podcast23 for an exclusive...

In this week’s episode, Rex Nelson talks with Dr. Nirvana Manning, head of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UAMS, about maternal health in Arkansas. Manning discusses recent statistics on maternal health in the state and the work needed to improve how Arkansas delivers maternal care. Podcast on  Apple ,  Spotify , and  YouTube , or visit  arkansasonline.com/podcast23 for an exclusive subscription offe...

This week’s episode is the second half of a conversation between Rex Nelson and Marion School District Superintendent Glen Fenter about public education. Fenter discusses the LEARNS act and how it has changed the landscape of public education in Arkansas. Podcast on  Apple ,  Spotify , and  YouTube , or visit  arkansasonline.com/podcast23 for an exclusive subscription offer available only to podca...

This week’s episode is the first of a two part series in which Rex Nelson talks with Marion School District Superintendent Glen Fenter about public education. Fenter discusses the legislature's role in education and its effects on K-12 students' educational outcomes. Podcast on  Apple ,  Spotify , and  YouTube , or visit  arkansasonline.com/podcast23 for an exclusive subscription offer available o...

In this week’s episode, Rex Nelson talks with Saracen Casino’s Chief Marketing Officer, Carlton Saffa and Red Oak Steakhouse’s Maître D, Ken Lipsmeyer, about wine and food. Lipsmeyer talks about his journey to becoming a premier wine connoisseur in Arkansas and, more specifically, at Saracen Casino’s Red Oak Steakhouse, where Saffa expresses the value Lipsmeyer brings to the casino. Podcast on  Ap...

In this week’s episode, Rex Nelson talks with Saracen Casino’s Chief Marketing Officer Carlton Saffa about his journey and how the casino came to be. Saffa discusses the casino's inception and reminisces about the initial efforts to bring the idea to fruition following the approval of the Arkansas Casino Gaming Amendment of 2018. Podcast on  Apple ,  Spotify , and  YouTube , or visit  arkansasonli...

In this week’s episode, Rex Nelson talks with a psychiatrist at the UAMS women’s mental health clinic, Dr. Jessica Coker and the UAMS outpatient director of the women’s mental health program, Dr. Shona Ray-Griffith, about women’s mental health in Arkansas. Coker and Ray-Griffith talk about pregnancy planning, maternal mental health and postpartum mental health and how it impacts women in Arkansas....

On this week’s episode, Rex Nelson talks with Co-Executive Director of Stage 13 Alyson Courtney. Stage 13 is a nonprofit in Little Rock that emphasizes the value of performing arts education. Courtney talks about theater, arts and entertainment education in Little Rock and how it enriches Arkansas artists. Podcast on  Apple ,  Spotify , and  YouTube , or visit  arkansasonline.com/podcast23 for an...

In this week’s episode, Rex Nelson talks with the Little Rock Convention and Visitor Bureau President and CEO, Gina Gemberling and Finance Committee Chair Nick Roye to talk about the development of the venues in downtown Little Rock that host events and visitor experiences. Gemberling and Roye discuss the planning of priorities, goals, and objectives for the visitor experience in Little Rock and e...

In this week’s episode, Rex Nelson talks with Little Rock Attorney Bryan Hosto about commercial real estate development in Central Arkansas. Hosto talks about how he got into real estate and what motivates his continued investments in properties in the Little Rock area. Podcast on  Apple ,  Spotify , and  YouTube , or visit  arkansasonline.com/podcast23 for an exclusive subscription offer availabl...

In this week's episode, Rex Nelson sits down with Christina Munoz and Holly Judd to talk about the development of Wildwood Park in Little Rock. They discuss upcoming shows and developments in Wildwood, and what patrons can expect this year. Podcast on  Apple ,  Spotify , and  YouTube , or visit  arkansasonline.com/podcast23 for an exclusive subscription offer available only to podcast listeners Ch...

In this episode, Rex Nelson sits down with Wildwood Parks' Executive Director, Bevan Keating. Bevan talks with Rex about his journey from London, Ontario in Canada to Little Rock. Rex also discusses Bevan’s struggles with moving to the United States amid the turmoil following the September 11, 2001 attacks. Bevan explains how he came to be the director of Wildwood Parks and his long-term goals for...

In this episode, Rex Nelson sits down with Skip Rutherford to discuss the new year and the changes it may bring to Arkansas. Rex discusses Arkansas politics with Skip, noting the changing landscape amid turmoil between the legislature and Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders.  Skip also talks with Rex about economic growth in West Memphis, Mena, and other places throughout Arkansas. They highlight the outd...

In this episode, Rex Nelson and Skip Rutherford review events and happenings in Arkansas in 2025. Rex also talks with Skip about revitalization in downtown Little Rock and the amount of work to be done in central Arkansas. Rex and Skip also discuss topics such as the closure of the Amazon facility at the Little Rock port, the University of Arkansas vs. Arkansas State University football game at Wa...

On this week’s episode, Rex Nelson sits down with Arkansas State University Chancellor Todd Shields to talk about the economic upswing of Northeast Arkansas. Todd cites his desire to build as a factor in his decision to move from the University of Arkansas to become ASU's chancellor. Todd also talks to Rex about the need for healthy competition, which fuels academic excellence at large higher educ...

In this week's episode, Rex sits down with Porter Briggs to talk about his new book "South, Towards Home: An Unexpected Love Story." Porter, a Little Rock native, says he considers his adult life to have started when he arrived at his Army unit in Germany, citing a 4km trek using a map and compass in the extreme cold. Porter also talks about his life growing up in Little Rock, his 1958 high school...

In this week’s episode, Rex Nelson sits down with former Master Chef contestant, Jennifer Maune, to talk about her new restaurant, Restaurant Fleur, set to open in downtown Little Rock next year. Jennifer tells Rex about her journey, how she became interested in cooking and her time studying abroad to learn different techniques for baking pastries and other world class foods. Jennifer also express...

On this week’s episode, Rex Nelson sits down with the president and CEO of the Ozark Foundation, Michael Spivey, to talk about the non-profit’s mission of ‘positioning our state as a premier outdoor recreation destination’ Rex discusses with Michael the challenges the organization faced at its inception during the covid-19 pandemic and how it has grown beyond them. Michael also shares with Rex the...

In this week’s episode, Rex talks with Little Rock City Director Capi Peck and Friends of Fourche Creek board member Norm Berner about Little Rock’s litter problem. Rex talks with Capi about the Keep Little Rock Beautiful nonprofit and its mission to empower residents and businesses to prevent litter and beautify the central Arkansas area. Rex also talks with Norm about Fourche Creek and the natur...

In this week’s episode, Rex talks with Sam Dean, Executive Director and CEO of the Scott Family Amazeum in Bentonville, about the hands-on approach that Amazeum and other science museums take in getting young people interested and engaged in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Sam discusses how science museums can not only engage kids in hands-on STEM activities but also spark...

In this week's episode, Rex talks with Peter MacKeith, Dean of the Fay Jones School of Architecture at the University of Arkansas' Fayetteville campus, about the development of Arkansas' forest economy in building material sustainability and the programs the university is implementing to increase that sustainability. The episode also addresses the benefit that the school of architecture can provid...

In this week's episode, Rex talks with otolaryngologist Dr. Susan Emmett from UAMS about the dangers of hearing loss and the need for specialized care in rural communities throughout Arkansas, especially for K-12 students. The conversation begins with Susan telling Rex about her journey to become an otolaryngologist and how she worked on Capitol Hill with former Tennessee Senator Bill Frist before...

In this week's episode, Rex sits down with Create Conway's founder, Jessica Crum, and its Executive Director, Katie Wilson, to discuss the growing arts scene in downtown Conway as well as the city's thriving arts community. The conversation begins with an overview of Conway's art scene and how Create Conway's focus is to "put creatives on display." Jessica, a Pine Bluff native who moved to Los Ang...

This week, Rex is once again joined by old friend and frequent guest Skip Rutherford, the initial president of the Clinton Foundation and former Dean of the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service. On this episode, however, the duo largely avoid a conversation about politics or education in favor of an in-depth look at recent information released by the U.S. Census Bureau and the A...