The Ridge Podcast

In this episode Ethan and Luke interview Aunt Jill. Normally, Ethan lists out the full name of our guests in the title of the episode but Mrs. Jill has asked to remain anonymous. Mrs. Jill is Luke's aunt. Mrs. Jill lived in England during World War II and later moved to the United States with her husband. During the episode, she discusses Germany, the involvement of The United States in the W...

In this episode, Ethan and Luke interview Congressman Morgan Griffith. Congressman Morgan Griffith has represented the Ninth District of Virginia in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2010. He is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and was recently named Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. He is also a member of the Sub...

In this episode Ethan and Luke discuss Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. It is a classic that many have heard of but have not actually read. It is a small and digestible book, but it is nevertheless very impactful and thought provoking. This is a great book for anyone looking for a shorter but very intense and pensive read. Podcast Information: Website: https://TheRidgePodcast.com Facebook: https...

In this episode, Ethan and Luke travel to the Fiddler's Convention in Galax, Virginia. This episode features interviews with folk from the Kazim Shriners, Moose Lodge, and Gideons International discussing what they do, history, music, culture, and tradition. This is a great episode to learn more about the Fiddler's Convention and the organizations that help make it run every year. Podcas...

In this episode, Ethan and Luke interview Mr. Mike Scott. Mr. Scott is a twenty year Navy veteran who served on submarines, was a recruiter, and was in the reserves for a one-year stint. After retiring he started working for the Surry County Veterans Services and provides services to Veterans not only in Surry County, but in surrounding counties. They also discuss the Nuclear Service, the Navy SEA...

In this episode, Ethan and Luke interview Deborah "Renie" Gates. Renie is the Democratic State Senate candidate for District 7. They also interviewed her mom a few weeks ago. She and her mom are running together as a mother-daughter campaign, the first mother-daughter political pair in the country's history. They are based in Floyd, Virginia and have been located in this area for th...

This episode is a bit different than normal. Instead of their normal long interviews with a single person, Ethan interviewed several different people a few minutes and Ethan and Luke also separately recorded a few segments summarizing their thoughts. This episode follows and focuses on the Froggy Mountain 100 Miler, the hardest race in North America. It consists of 100 miles around a 1 mile loop,...

In this episode, Ethan and Luke interview Mr. Mark Harmon. Mr. Harmon is a World History teacher at Carroll County High School. He is an active volunteer for the Carroll County Historical Society and is repairing the J. Sidna Allen House in Fancy Gap, Virginia. They also discuss his career teaching, his time as a student, his time working in England at the University of Nottingham, and other fun f...

In this episode, Ethan and Luke interview Paul Tilley. Paul is an ultramarathoner and is an owner of New River Trail Outfitters in Galax, Virginia. They discuss his time as a trucker, his business and the services that they provide, and his introduction into running, camping, and hiking. They briefly discuss the book Born to Run and how it inspired him and his brother to start running. Later on in...

In this episode, Ethan and Luke interview Mrs. Patty Quesenberry, the Democratic State Delegate Candidate for Virginia House District 47. They discuss infrastructure, affirmative action, education, housing, social services, volunteering, and other topics. They cover the Democratic platform and what challenges are presented while running as a Democrat in a primarily Republican area. They also discu...

In this episode, Ethan and Luke discuss The Grapes of Wrath by Mr. John Steinbeck. They discuss some of the themes in the book and share their thoughts, as well as explaining the first few chapters in detail. As July comes, we hope to publish more interviews with exciting guests, stay tuned! Podcast Information: Website: https://TheRidgePodcast.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theridgepodcas...

In this episode, Ethan and Luke discuss The Great Gatsby. They summarize the plot, discuss their opinions, and discuss some relevant cultural topics. Podcast Information: Website: https://TheRidgePodcast.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theridgepodcast Instagram: https://instagram.com/theridgepodcastinsta Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theridgepodcast.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@t...

In this episode, Ethan and Luke interview Staff Sergeant Dexter P. Jennings. Sergeant Jennings is a member of the active service Army and is currently a recruiter for the Army. He discusses many options for civilians looking to join the Army and the benefits of doing so. He explains the differences between Enlisted, Warrant Officers, and Commissioned Officers. He discusses how civilians are able t...

In this episode, Ethan and Luke interview John Bennardo. They discuss his time at film school, his job at America's Funniest Home Videos, and other experiences working Hollywood. They discuss winning Wheel of Fortune, his time teaching and showing his students the video of him winning. They also talk about the process of self-publishing books, creating films, writing screenplays, and more. Th...

In this episode, Ethan and Luke interview Commonwealth Attorney Roger D. Brooks. They ask him about his life growing up, his time at NC State University studying Mechanical Engineering and participating in a Cooperative Education program. He recounts stories about working in the Nuclear industry and explains how nuclear reactors work. They talk about his time migrating from the Engineering industr...

In this episode, Ethan and Luke interview Ronnie Dean Horton. They ask him about how his dreams to be a Virginia State Trooper. He talks about his career in the Sheriff's Office, his time at the jail, and eventually his time at the police academy to become a State Trooper. He remarks about his time in the academy, being promoted to Sergeant, and experiences on the SWAT/Tactical team. Later in...

In this episode, Ethan and Luke discuss the book White Nights written by Dostoevsky. They summarize the plot of the book, share the impact it had on them, and discuss their plans for this summer and the future of the podcast. Links mentioned: Project Gutenberg's White Nights copy: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/36034/36034-h/36034-h.htm Podcast Information: Website: https://TheRidgePodcast.c...

In this episode, Ethan and Luke discuss a niche but rich topic, the $2 Bill. They discuss everything from the history of the bill, its use, prevalent myths and superstitions that are commonly held, and even meaningful stories that involve the bill. While discussing these topics, they often cite and reference a documentary and book, both of which were created by John Bennardo. They also hope to int...

In this episode, Ethan and Luke interview Jason Newman. They discuss his time working in Taxidermy, Mr. Newman explains his motivation to enlist, recounts stories from the process, and how training worked while he was in. They then discuss being recalled into service for a year in Iraq and his experiences. Near the end they discuss DJ'ing, his advice for younger generations, and the meaning o...

In this interview, Ethan and Luke interview Nathan Jones, the school Athletic Trainer, at a CCHS Cavalier Baseball game! Many times during the episode the interview is interrupted for Mr. Jones to tend to an athlete or to participate in the Baseball team's antics. Ethan and Luke agreed to leave these parts in to demonstrate what Mr. Jones job is like and to extend that experience to the liste...

In this episode, Ethan and Luke interview Delegate Wren Williams (VA, HD-9). They ask about how he got into politics just a few years ago, his time and accomplishments serving as a state representative in Virginia, and his personal life as a new father, husband, and owner of a small business, a local law firm. Thank you again Delegate Williams for being on the podcast. Ways to contact Delegate Wre...

In this episode, Ethan and Luke interview Honorable Clerk Gerald Goad for the first thirty minutes. They briefly discuss his childhood, schooling, time at Wytheville Community College and Virginia Tech. Additionally, they discuss his musical career, scuba diving hobby, and his advice for younger generations in general. After that, for the rest of the episode, Clerk Goad gives us a tour of the faci...

In this episode, Ethan and Luke interview Sheriff Kevin A. Kemp, the incumbent Sheriff for Carroll County. They talk about early life and how his schooling was instrumental in developing his work ethic, his time traveling and singing Southern Gospel music, working at a prison, and then entering the law enforcement field. They discuss his time as a school resource officer (SRO), his accomplishments...

In this episode, Ethan and Luke discuss two books: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury and Night by Elie Wiesel. They talk about interesting themes in each book, how Fahrenheit draws many scary parallels to the world we live in today, and talk about how meaningful the story that is told in Night is to them. Near the end of the episode, they talk about some future plans for the podcast and contemplate o...

In this interview, Ethan and Luke interview C. Jamie Edwards, or Ethan's father. Jamie talks about his time as a Professor, his time at institutions such as Wake Forest and Bluefield, as well as his more recent jobs. Additionally, we briefly discuss interviewing people. Thank you again Jamie for being on the podcast. Podcast Information: Website: https://TheRidgePodcast.com Facebook: https://...