Bound by the Cloak

Ever wonder what really happens at a crime scene? Barbara Butcher, the second woman ever hired for the role of Death Investigator in New York City, takes us behind the scenes of her riveting investigations, revealing the meticulous attention to detail required to reconstruct the final moments of a person's life. From high-stakes cases to unexpected twists, we explore the gripping tales that have defined Barbara's remarkable career. Join us as she walks us through the intricate process of piecing together clues from the remains of the silent witnesses left behind.

Do you know what roller derby is? It's okay if you don't, we've got someone who can definitely tell you all there is to know about it. Roller derby is a sport that many know absolutely nothing about and we're going to change that. It's a fast paced, hard hitting, alternative contact sport that's played all over the world. Since its early beginnings to its modern iteration, which started in 2001, roller derby has always been super inclusive, and this still holds true today!

Suzy Hotrod has been playing roller derby with Gotham Roller Derby (GRD) for around 20 years and she's still going strong. Gotham Roller Derby is NYC's roller derby league. They compete locally, nationally and even globally. Suzy has appeared in ESPN Magazine's 2011 body issue, has memorabilia in the Smithsonian and has appeared in a few documentary films.

We tracked down Suzy for a chance to learn all we could about roller derby, Suzy herself and see what GRD has been up to recently.

Have you ever had a question for a flight attendant that you've always wanted to ask but never had the chance? Well you're in luck, so do we. We caught up with Toni, a flight attendant with her very own blog, "A Wheel in the Sky."

We asked Toni about everything from what her typical flight routine is like to the craziest things she's experienced on a flight! She did not disappoint.

Toni blogs about work, travel and just life in general. Her blog is a great insight into the world of a profession that doesn't always get the respect it deserves.

Be sure to sign the petition for flight attendants to get paid for boarding! Not all flight attendants get paid for boarding, even though it's part of their responsibilities. It's time for that to change!

https://www.change.org/p/flight-attendants-need-to-be-paid-for-boarding

This Minisode is the extended interview with Mandi Shepp from our Lily Dale episode. In this wpisode you'll hear more about the history and culture of Lily Dale, learn which old Hollywood actress would frequent Lily Dale and learn more about what makes Lily Dale so unique.

Amanda M. "Mandi" Shepp received her MLS in Library & Information Science in 2013 from the State University of New York at Buffalo. From 2014 - 2018, she worked for the Lily Dale Assembly as the first professional Librarian of the Marion H. Skidmore Library, a special collections and rare books facility which houses the largest private library collection of Spiritualist and Occult books in the world, and became the Library Director in 2016. In 2017 Mandi was presented with the WNYLRC Excellence in Library Service Award for her role in completely revitalizing the library and bringing it up to modern academic standards. In 2018, she transitioned to The State University of New York at Fredonia's Daniel A. Reed Library Special Collections & Archives Division where she currently serves as the Coordinator of Special Collections & Archives.

In addition to her professional duties, Mandi presents and writes on topics related to collections and historical subjects within the realms of Freethought, Spiritualism, and the Occult; she also serves as the co-chair of the Harvest Moon Cemetery Tours planning committee. When she's not elbow-deep in materials from a bygone era, Mandi can be found homebrewing, experimenting in the kitchen, and enjoying life with her happy-go-lucky husband, Chris, and enormous Norwegian Forest Cats, Kujira and Bakemono.

During the early to mid-20th century, Chicken Bone Beach served as one of the few areas where African Americans were allowed to enjoy the Atlantic City shoreline. In this episode, we spoke with Cheryl Woodruff Brooks, the author of Chicken Bone Beach - A Pictorial History of Atlantic City's Missouri Avenue Beach. We explored the challenges and triumphs of the Black community as they fought against racial discrimination and carved out a space of joy and leisure amidst a deeply divided society. The history of Chicken Bone Beach also includes the 20th century jazz and entertainment scene, featuring legendary musicians who performed on its stages. With Cheryl, we celebrate the resilience and spirit of those who once gathered on Chicken Bone Beach and explore the efforts to preserve its memory for future generations.

The crime scene and death cleanup industry is a vital and often overlooked component of public safety and restoration. When the unthinkable occurs, crime scene and death cleaners step in to restore order and cleanliness. As a seasoned expert in the field, Scott Vogel of Emergi-Clean, based out of New Jersey, sheds light on the importance of crime scene cleanup and its significant impact on affected individuals and communities. From violent crimes to accidents, Scott shares anecdotes that highlight the resilience and dedication required to handle these challenging situations with professionalism and compassion.

Lily Dale is a place where Spiritualism lives and the dead are in constant contact with the living. It's a place that people flock to in search of comfort, healing and meaning. It is also a quiet community located in western New York that's a stone's throw away from Canada and nestled between Buffalo and Erie, PA.

In our search for some of the most interesting and unique places in America, Lily Dale stood out for its influence on American culture and society. We spoke to Mandi Shepp, the former director of the library in Lily Dale and has a great knowledge of the town's history. We also spoke with Bobbie Caswell, a psychic medium living in Lily Dale. Bobbie discussed what it's like to be a psychic medium, how the Spiritualist movement has, and continues, to shape this community and why people flock to it every summer.

In this Minisode we discuss Netflix ending their DVD service, streaming services and what it's like to have a DVD collection that is still growing.

Do you have a DVD collection of your own? Share it with us on Instagram or Twitter!

Are you one of the few people receiving DVDs by mail from Netflix? How do you feel about this service ending?

Check out! https://thesipteashop.com/

A brief discussion about our personal experiences in trying to eat healthy.

We discuss trying keto meals. (Not a full keto diet, but just meals to reduce the overall amount of carbs condumed.) Other things discussed in this episode are overall sugar consumption, the differences between similar foods and beverages around the world and growing and making our own food.

We are in no way giving advice, we are sharing our own experiences.

Check out! https://thesipteashop.com/

Joe Turner is a true crime author who has written about and researched the crimes of Danny LaPlante extensively. After writing an article with details about the case that bordered on stretching the truth, the truth came directly to him. Those close to the case started to contact him with details that weren't all that known. This has led Joe to write the a book detailing the case even further. We caught up with Joe to discuss his upcoming book and how the mystery and lack of details surrounding the case led to some of what little was known becoming the stuff of legend. Be sure to look out for "The Boy in the Walls", a true crime novel by Joe Turner.