Link Ahead with the City of Dublin, Ohio

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A 678-pound pumpkin shows up on a quiet Dublin porch, and suddenly the whole neighborhood turns into a walking and driving tour. Lindsay and guest co-host, Scott Light, are joined by Jeanette Paras, the creator of Paras Pumpkins, to tell the story behind “pumpkinizing” celebrity faces on giant pumpkins.   This reveal is such a guarded secret every single October and Jeanette spills the scoop on those first few years;  from the very first painted pumpkins in 1988 to today’s forklift-sized spectacle.   Jeanette shares the behind-the-scenes reality of making a face read from the street, down to sketches, measurements, lighting, and the surprisingly important smell test.

We also get into how she picks the celebrity of the year, what it’s like when the internet has opinions, and the moments when famous people actually notice.   Then we finally share the 2026 character: 'Dolly PartKin'!    Jeanette goes on to talk about the 'Dolly' accessory nobody thinks about until you’re trying to scale hair to a pumpkin that weighs more than a vending machine.

The heart of this conversation is also bigger than pop culture. Jeanette is a two-time breast cancer thriver, and she explains how 'pumpkinizing' became part of her recovery and a way to push early detection, mammograms, and self-exams. She’s also raised tens of thousands of dollars for The Stephanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research.   If you enjoy local traditions, public art, and stories that mix humor with purpose, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave us a review so more listeners can find Link Ahead.

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Central Ohio is booming, and that sounds exciting until you ask the everyday question: how do we keep life easy, affordable and connected as hundreds of thousands more people arrive? Lindsay and Bruce welcome William Murdock, Executive Director of the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC), to talk honestly about what regional planning looks like on the ground for Dublin and our neighboring communities.

We dig into the data behind population projections and why those numbers shape everything from highway congestion to where transit should go next. William breaks down the “20-minute town” idea and the uncomfortable truth that it often only works if you can drive. From there, we get into big mobility moves: the LinkUS initiative, infrastructure like sidewalks and shared use paths, and the push to bring passenger rail back to Central Ohio with proposed routes that connect Columbus, Dublin and major Midwest cities.

Growth also raises the stakes on quality of life. We talk about housing costs, regional economic development, and why “growing better” has to mean more people benefiting from prosperity. We also cover MORPC’s sustainability agenda with air and water quality planning, and a practical program many people miss: free home weatherization that can lower energy bills. And yes, we tackle the legendary Central Ohio trick-or-treat “algorithm.”

If you care about transportation, sustainability, housing, and smart growth in Dublin, Ohio and the broader Central Ohio region, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a neighbor, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.

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Tourism can sound like a “nice extra” until you see the scoreboard: jobs created, restaurants sustained, hotel nights booked and community events funded without tapping resident wallets. Lindsay and Bruce are joined by Scott Dring, President and CEO of Visit Dublin, to explain how destination marketing quietly powers our quality of life.

We explain the hotel bed tax and how visitor spending helps fund amenities residents love, from signature celebrations to arts and experiences. Scott also connects the dots between tourism and economic development: most people meet a city first as visitors, and that first impression can turn into a future move, a new business, or a long-term investment. Along the way, we look back at what Dublin was like in the early 2000s, then track how Bridge Park and The Dublin Link changed the story completely.

This conversation is so timely too, as Visit Dublin has launched the Where Buckeyes Begin campaign built around Dublin’s uniquely high number of Ohio State student-athletes. Scott shares why youth sports travel stays strong in any economy and what it could mean for hotels, restaurants and Dublin’s national reputation over the next five to ten years.

Visit Dublin's work goes far beyond attracting visitors. It's about helping our community thrive. If you enjoyed today's conversation, subscribe for future episodes, share it with someone who loves Dublin, and leave a review

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Deer are part of what makes Dublin beautiful, peaceful and ultimately connect us to the outdoors in myriad ways.  That is, until the herd gets large enough that issues stop being rare and start feeling routine. We sit down with Barbara Ray, Dublin’s Nature Education Coordinator, and Greg Hitzhusen, an Ohio State University expert in human values and wildlife management.  Both help to explain why so many Ohio communities are now talking about deer population control, deer aggression, and the health of local ecosystems.

First, it's important to understand how we got here with deer becoming more habituated to people: increased property damage, deer vehicle collisions, and a growing risk of defensive encounters during fawning season, especially dog walkers. Barbara shares what residents can do immediately from no feeding the animals to deer-resistant gardening and simple hazing. We also clear up a common myth: feeding deer can actively harm them, because corn and other high-starch foods don’t match their natural diet.

Greg zooms out to the broader story of urban deer overpopulation, including why predators and hunting pressure don’t function the same way in suburbs.   We also walk through the hard questions communities ask next: why relocation and sterilization usually fail in open suburban landscapes, and why targeted removal has become a widely used tool.   A tool, in fact, over the course of hundreds of cumulative years in communities across Ohio, has never led to a single human injury.  Not one.  

If you care about humane wildlife management, public safety, and healthy parks, this conversation will give you clearer language, better facts, and practical next steps. Subscribe for more City of Dublin updates and share this with a neighbor to ensure they're informed on this important issue.

Deer are part of what makes Dublin beautiful, peaceful and ultimately connect us to the outdoors in myriad ways.  That is, until the herd gets large enough that issues stop being rare and start feeling routine. We sit down with Barbara Ray, Dublin’s Nature Education Coordinator, and Greg Hitzhusen, an Ohio State University expert in human values and wildlife management.  Both help to explain why so many Ohio communities are now talking about deer population control, deer aggression, and the health of local ecosystems.

First, it's important to understand how we got here with deer becoming more habituated to people: increased property damage, deer vehicle collisions, and a growing risk of defensive encounters during fawning season, especially dog walkers. Barbara shares what residents can do immediately from no feeding the animals to deer-resistant gardening and simple hazing. We also clear up a common myth: feeding deer can actively harm them, because corn and other high-starch foods don’t match their natural diet.

Greg zooms out to the broader story of urban deer overpopulation, including why predators and hunting pressure don’t function the same way in suburbs.   We also walk through the hard questions communities ask next: why relocation and sterilization usually fail in open suburban landscapes, and why targeted removal has become a widely used tool.   A tool, in fact, over the course of hundreds of cumulative years in communities across Ohio, has never led to a single human injury.  Not one.  

If you care about humane wildlife management, public safety, and healthy parks, this conversation will give you clearer language, better facts, and practical next steps. Subscribe for more City of Dublin updates and share this with a neighbor to ensure they're informed on this important issue.

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Trying to find the right kind of help can feel harder than the problem you are trying to solve. That's why Lindsay and Bruce brought in Sara Harrison Mills, CEO of Syntero, along with the City of Dublin's Molly Steiner, to talk about how we're making wellness easier to access and simpler to navigate.

We unpack the new Community Wellness Navigator developed through the Dublin Wellness Alliance, including what the navigator can help with: finding doctors and dentists, understanding insurance enrollment, connecting to prescription assistance programs, locating food assistance, and overcoming barriers like transportation. We also share how to reach the navigator, including in-person hours at the Dublin Community Recreation Center, plus phone and email options, so residents have a clear starting point instead of a maze of referrals.

From there, we zoom out to what community wellness really takes: strong partnerships, shared priorities, and support that shows up where people already are. Sara explains how Syntero’s continuum of care spans prevention, early intervention, treatment, and recovery.  Plus, how an embedded mental health clinician works alongside local police and fire teams to connect individuals and families to services after a call. We also talk candidly about rising stress, anxiety, depression, access to care challenges, and why the shift toward open mental health conversations matters.

We wrap with a rapid-fire round on self-care and the small resets that actually help: from mindful pauses to replacing doomscrolling with learning. If you find this helpful, subscribe, share with a neighbor, and leave a review so more people can find the support they need.

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Trying to find the right kind of help can feel harder than the problem you are trying to solve. That's why Lindsay and Bruce brought in Sara Harrison Mills, CEO of Syntero, along with the City of Dublin's Molly Steiner, to talk about how we're making wellness easier to access and simpler to navigate.

We unpack the new Community Wellness Navigator developed through the Dublin Wellness Alliance, including what the navigator can help with: finding doctors and dentists, understanding insurance enrollment, connecting to prescription assistance programs, locating food assistance, and overcoming barriers like transportation. We also share how to reach the navigator, including in-person hours at the Dublin Community Recreation Center, plus phone and email options, so residents have a clear starting point instead of a maze of referrals.

From there, we zoom out to what community wellness really takes: strong partnerships, shared priorities, and support that shows up where people already are. Sara explains how Syntero’s continuum of care spans prevention, early intervention, treatment, and recovery.  Plus, how an embedded mental health clinician works alongside local police and fire teams to connect individuals and families to services after a call. We also talk candidly about rising stress, anxiety, depression, access to care challenges, and why the shift toward open mental health conversations matters.

We wrap with a rapid-fire round on self-care and the small resets that actually help: from mindful pauses to replacing doomscrolling with learning. If you find this helpful, subscribe, share with a neighbor, and leave a review so more people can find the support they need.

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The world-renowned Gardiner Brothers know exactly why people keep showing up to see them: talent, tradition and showmanship. Lindsay and Bruce sit down with Matthew and Michael, five-time world champions in Irish dance and viral creators with more than 10 million followers and over a billion views. We ask them about their much-anticipated return to the Dublin Irish Festival this year! They break it all down: what makes this festival feel so big, so welcoming and so proudly Irish.

We dig into the creative choices that make the Gardiner Brothers stand out, from taking precise, traditional Irish step dance and pairing it with modern music people already love, whether it's the Bee Gees, Ed Sheeran or Taylor Swift. They explain how nostalgia pulls in new audiences, how they read the room on stage, and why their sets change throughout the weekend, giving festival-goers a different experience each time.

Then we go behind the curtain to learn how they maintain their health and wellness on the road: from ice baths to the fitness reality that "every day is leg day," and the pivot that happened when live touring paused and social media became the main stage. We also talk about the surprising third pillar of their brand: public speaking. They discuss how they teach innovation through rhythm with the mantra, "Act on beat. Think offbeat."

If you're into Irish culture, dance, live performance or building a creative career, subscribe and share this episode with a friend. Then make plans to see the Gardiner Brothers at the 2026 Dublin Irish Festival.

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A connected region doesn’t happen by accident. It takes cities willing to coordinate, infrastructure that can support real-world testing, and leaders who can turn big mobility ideas into solutions that make everyday life safer. Lindsay and Bruce sit down with Doug McCullough, Executive Director of The Beta District, to discuss how Dublin, Marysville and Union County are building a smart mobility innovation district that serves as a national testing ground for transportation and logistics technologies.

We talk through what “mobility” really means when you look beyond cars: the movement of people, goods and services across communities, industry, agriculture and logistics. Doug explains The Beta District’s living labs, including the 33 Smart Mobility Corridor and its partnership with the Transportation Research Center. Plus, he shares how multi-level coordination with DriveOhio creates an edge that many regions simply can’t replicate.

You’ll also learn about practical examples like truck platooning, why fiber and digital connectivity matter for both residents and businesses, and how the district keeps its focus on a clear North Star: reducing fatal crashes and improving quality of life. Lindsay, Bruce and Doug then look ahead to the next five to ten years, from microelectronics and logistics modernization to advanced air mobility. You'll even learn a new word as Doug describes himself as a "techno-optimist" when it comes to AI.

If you’re curious about smart cities, connected vehicles, transportation technology and how regional collaboration actually works, hit play, subscribe and share the show with a friend.