Stories from the Center of the Universe

Part 6 of a 7 part series on small businesses in Ashland, VA (each business is part of the Downtown Ashland Association).  Rusty Stone became the owner of the Iron Horse Restaurant in 2019, but he has worked there for quite a while before buying the restaurant.  Rusty bought the Iron Horse just before the Corona Virus Pandemic started and he discussed with Paul and Kevin the challenges that presen...

Steve Sands has interviewed some of the biggest names in sports. Paul and Kevin interview Steve in this episode via a connection with Ward Fasold (Episode #111) who knows Kevin. Steve talks about his time growing up in Washington, DC, how he went out west for college and how much he enjoyed working at WWBT which is the local NBC affiliate here in the Richmond area. He has worked for the Golf Chann...

Part 5 of a 7 part series on small businesses in Ashland, VA (each business is part of the Downtown Ashland Association).  Homemades by Suzanne is an icon in Ashland and the surrounding area.  Suzanne Wolstenholme and Kim Mills joined Paul and Kevin to discuss the restaurant and its past, present and future.  Suzanne started the restaurant in 1984.  She talked about how the core menu has remained...

Ward Fasold joins the podcast courtesy of guest host, Kevin Flippen. Ward grew up in Alexandria, VA and went to T.C. Williams (Remember the Titans fame!) He went to VCU, majored in Mass Communications and has been covering sports as a  cameraman and as a producer for twenty-eight years. Ward talks with Paul and Kevin about winning an Emmy, Texas HS football and his twin boys.

Part 4 of a 7 part series on small businesses in Ashland, VA (each business is part of the Downtown Ashland Association).  John Working and his partner started their law firm in Ashland in 2015. His wife has a business in town as well. John got to know Ashland originally when he attended RMC where he majored in English and played football. John’s dad was a football coach and before becoming a lawy...

Bill Walker works with Paul and was born in New Jersey not too far from Philadelphia. Bill and Paul talk about growing up in NJ and collecting baseball cards and sports memorabilia.  They also discussed Bill playing competitive poker, his love for all Philadelphia professional sports teams and entrepreneurship. Bill finished by talking about his family and he gave some personal finance advice to h...

Part 3 of a 7 part series on small businesses in Ashland, VA (each business is part of the Downtown Ashland Association).  Carolyn Hemphill and Kelly Payne join the podcast to talk about the Hanover County Black Heritage Society.  Carolyn started the society in 1994 and Kelly, her daughter, is heavily involved as well.  The mission of the society is to collect, research and exhibit historical item...

Alec Eberle was born in Tennessee and moved to Hanover County, Va. when he was in 6th grade. He attended Atlee HS where he was a standout on the football team.  Alec was recruited by several big time Division 1 schools and played college football at Florida State University. He tells Paul about his football journey from 6th grade to trying out for the NFL to now where he helps train and guide toda...

Part 2 of a 7 part series on small businesses in Ashland, VA (each business is part of the Downtown Ashland Association).  Dawn Beninghove started her nursing career forty years ago and started her own business in Ashland in 2003.  Dawn is from Florida, but said she is an “Ashlander” because she and her family have lived here for 36 years. Dawn talked about her wonderful team at Companion Extraord...

Paul Cormier grew up all over Virginia, but he spent his teen years in the Center of the Universe. Paul and Kevin talked with Paul C. about his work life from high school into adulthood, his musical tastes past and present and his many, many tattoos. They also discussed with Paul C. the world of professional wrestling and how he’s been a fan since he was a boy.  They finished by talking about what...

Part 1 of a 7 part series on small businesses in Ashland, VA (each business is part of the Downtown Ashland Association).  Chris Ray is a former Major League Baseball player and he and his brother opened the Center of the Universe Brewing Company in Ashland in 2011.  Paul and Kevin talked to Chris about his baseball career and they also discussed the COTU Brewery and how it came to be a reality. C...

Shawn Gallagher has led an interesting life.  Shawn grew up in Colorado and North Carolina and set state and national records as a high school baseball player. He was recruited to play in college and was also drafted to play professional baseball. Shawn decided on and discussed with Paul his journey in professional baseball and then his transition out of baseball and into college at the Massachuse...

Tina Ramirez joins the podcast courtesy of Jennifer Stevens (Episode #101). Tina grew up in Powhatan, Va. until she was 8 and then she and her family moved to California.  Her dad’s family was from California and she attended middle and high school while there. Tina said she was church kid growing up and participated in a lot of service oriented activities. She continued this service oriented life...

Jennifer Stevens was born and raised in New Orleans and has fond memories of growing up there.  She stated that she came up in the criminal justice system because her dad was a judge and her mom worked in a District Attorney’s office. Jennifer had a fun time in high school and also did  so well that she was able to skip her junior year. At sixteen, Jennifer emancipated herself from her parents. Sh...

The Superfan (Roger Lee), the Scribe (Rob Dull) and the Occasional Co-host (Kevin Flippen) look back at the first 100 episodes (Episode 0 + 1-99) with Host, Paul Gilman. If you're looking for a decently quick way to learn the top 10 episodes according to the Superfan and the Scribe, this is your episode.  We can't believe we've done 100 episodes. Thanks to Daniel, Katy, Rob, Kevin, Roger and our g...

Pedro Arruza is the Head Football Coach at Randolph-Macon College.  Pedro was born in Spain and lived in England and Mexico before settling in West Palm Beach, Florida.  He convinced his mom to let him play football in 7th grade and he was hooked. Paul asked Pedro why football became a career and Pedro stated it was the impact that his coaches had on him that paved his path to being an educator an...

Lyndee Cabo used to work with Paul and has wanted to be on the podcast since we first started.  Lyndee stated she is from Virginia, but told Paul that she moved around a lot due to her dad being in the U.S. Navy.  She moved around the states and also spent some time in Japan which she loved.  Lyndee spent the most time in Virginia, went to high school in Chesapeake and said she was a handful for h...

Caroline joins Paul this evening.  Paul and Caroline work together and she also works with Andrew Ting (Episode #40). Caroline was born in NC, but grew up in Beaufort, SC.  She talked to Paul about all the things she and her friends did and how she now realizes how incredible her childhood/teen years were because of where she grew up. Caroline talked about the first vehicle she had and how she wen...

Today, Paul is talking to Jeremy Moulder.  Jeremy is from Pensacola, FL where he grew up fishing, going to the beach and learning woodworking with his grandfather. He played football in high school which was the same school that Emmitt Smith attended.  After high school, Jeremy tried junior college while he was also getting trained as a fireman and EMT. Jeremy decided that JUCO was not for him and...

TJ Gwynn was born in Chapel Hill, NC and grew up in Burlington, NC which is in Alamance County.  Basketball was the only organized sport he played until he got to middle school.  He started in recreation and then started playing AAU when he was 10 years old. In high school, TJ also played football and track, but he said that was mainly so he could hang out with his friends.  He did mention that it...

Joining the podcast is Maggie Longest who is the Director of the Downtown Ashland Association (DAA).  Paul and Maggie discuss the role of the DAA and how the organization brings local businesses, citizens and the town government together.  They talk about the history of Ashland, the present and future opportunities for businesses in Ashland and the relationships with major stake holders such as Ra...

Joining the podcast is Phil Stinnie.  Phil is a former VCU basketball player and was connected to Paul through another VCU player, Lionel Bacon (Episode 81.) Phil talked about the bond that is formed by VCU players and how Lionel is his “little brother.” Phil is from Charlottesville, Virginia and he discussed how his Mom had him when she was only 14 years old.  He was an only child, but they had a...

Jay Strath joins the podcast thanks to a connection with guest host Kevin Flippen … they married into the same family! Paul, Kevin and Jay started off by talking about Jay growing up on a farm in eastern Henrico.  Jay said he worked on the farm a lot with his dad.  He said there was only one reason that his dad let him out of that work and that was sports. Jay discussed with Paul and Kevin the cha...

David Thach (pronounced Tot) joins the podcast because of his relationship with Paul. Dave has been Paul’s barber for over a decade. Dave grew up in Maryland, but has called the Richmond area home for about fourteen years. Dave’s parents are Cambodian, but Dave considers himself Vietnamese. Dave spoke in Vietnamese and even taught Paul and Kevin a word or two in Vietnamese during the podcast.   Da...

Joining us from Australia is Frederick James ‘Jimmy’ Koch.  Jimmy and Paul were connected through John Watts who was the guest on Episode 50 of the podcast. Jimmy is a professional actor, musician and dancer.  Jimmy was born in Sydney, but currently lives in Melbourne. Jimmy tells us about growing up in the “bush” of Australia. He recalls one particular encounter with a deadly brown snake during a...