Link Ahead with the City of Dublin, Ohio

A phone call comes into Dublin City Hall many months ago from a local family looking to sell their property and business.  That's how this whole thing began as you'll get the inside scoop from a family member herself.  Fast forward to today, the deal is poised to transform the West Innovation District into a transportation, sports and recreation mecca! Dublin is purchasing nearly 250 acres that include SportsOhio, Shepherd Excavating and Carter Farms. Among many options from this strategic investment, think of the symbiotic combination of SportsOhio with Darree Fields to create a dynamic sports complex to attract teams, fans and events from all over the country. Additionally, when combined with land the City previously acquired across the railroad tracks to the east, the Carter Farms parcels provide us with a prime location for a future passenger rail station, which is being studied right now. City Manager Megan O'Callaghan and Samantha Shepherd of SportsOhio join Lindsay and Bruce to talk about this historic investment, plus behind-the-scenes details on how it all got started with one phone call.

We hope you have heard of Envision Dublin, but if not, don’t worry — this episode is the perfect crash course! Envision Dublin is our city’s comprehensive master plan, a strategic roadmap guiding everything from large-scale developments and transportation initiatives to everyday details like sidewalk design and enhancing safety for our most vulnerable residents.

At the heart of these efforts is Jenny Rauch, our dedicated Director of Community Planning and Development. With two decades of service to Dublin, Jenny is deeply committed to balancing community input with expert recommendations. Whether she’s engaging with residents at public meetings or integrating feedback from City Council and consultants, Jenny’s role requires both meticulous planning and attentive listening.

Jenny often jokes about her “degree in coloring,” but it’s her keen eye for detail and passion for thoughtful urban design that truly shine. She’ll also share her humorous struggle to “turn off” her planning mindset when she visits other cities.

Whether you’re new to the conversation or ready to dive deeper, your voice matters in shaping Dublin’s future!

Ohio State University Women's Basketball Coach Kevin McGuff has access to the best workout facilities in the country at OSU. But many days, where does he choose to get his sweat on? At the Dublin Community Recreation Center! That says a lot: not just where he and his family choose to live, go to school and prosper but how he stays grounded and connected to our community as a whole. Coach McGuff actually joined us during what he calls his busiest time of year - the offseason. That's not a typo. You'll hear him tell it, but the basketball season itself is the grind of practices and games. The offseason is EVERYTHING else it takes to run one of the country's premiere women's programs: recruiting, massive travel, roster management, coaching appearances, off-season workouts; the list goes on. Plus, he and his wife, Letitia, have six children! Two are playing college basketball and the other four attend Dublin City Schools. Speaking of which, you have to hear what Coach McGuff says about Dublin Coffman's own, Jacy Sheldon, who was the fifth overall pick in the WNBA draft this year after an outstanding career at Ohio State. Sheldon is also the first Coffman player ever drafted into the WNBA!

He's a YouTube sensation, co-winner of the 2022 Steve Martin Banjo Prize, has toured the world many times and, as the Irish American News put it, 'Enda does things on the banjo that should be impossible.'  He is Enda Scahill and he's been playing the Dublin Irish Festival for 10 years now!  Enda joined Bruce and Lindsay from his studio in Ireland for this episode where he said Dublin, Ohio has become a second home to him. From the organization of the festival itself to the passion of the audiences,  Enda says musicians worldwide know our festival is THE one to play.  Enda drops some knowledge bombs, too, including a favorite coffee shop that he says serves some of the best in the world.  He also had a local haircut experience involving falling asleep in the chair and waking up to a big surprise. Plus, you have to stay until the end of the episode when Enda picks up his banjo and gives us a musical preview of the 2024 Dublin Irish Festival!  

23 million albums, multiple Grammy nominations and a four-time Female Vocalist of the Year who's recorded more than 20 top 10 singles including six number one hits! We're talking country music royalty - the legendary Martina McBride. She headlines our 2024 Independence Day Celebration at Coffman Stadium. So, what goes into planning one of Dublin's signature events and how are we able to book dynamic headliners year after year? The woman who leads our team in doing just that is Community Events Director, Alison LeRoy. She has the scoop on just about every touring performer and band out there because her job involves talking to everybody. But summer in Dublin is much more than the 4th. Alison joins Lindsay and Bruce to unveil details on weeks' worth of incredible events happening at Riverside Crossing Park: from Workout Wednesdays to Cinema Saturdays, there's something for the kids and adults alike. Have your smartphone calendar handy because this episode is full of events you'll want to plan right now!

In Dublin, we truly live our mission every day to be the most sustainable, global city of choice.   Think about these numbers:  our world-class Dublin City Schools teach students from more than 70 countries who speak more than 100 languages.  Residents in more than 20% of homes in Dublin speak a language other than English.  Our more than 4000 businesses contribute to worldwide commerce every single day.  Plus, from Lebanese to Cuban to Vietnamese restaurants and virtually every ethnicity in between, the world's delicious delicacies are abundant and thriving in Dublin.   So, we absolutely jumped at the chance to highlight a recent naturalization ceremony at the Abbey Theater where nearly 150 people became U.S. citizens.   And talk about a star-studded podcast guest line-up: the Honorable Ed Sargus of U.S. District Court who helped officiate that very ceremony and Vita Lambillotte, Senior Stylist Director at Penzone.  Vita is a naturalized citizen herself and both she and Judge Sargus call Dublin - home.  Stay tuned to hear why this episode especially is a huge milestone too!

From exclusive, never-before-seen productions to Disney musicals to Green Day's 'American Idiot', the award-winning Abbey Theater truly has something for everyone this season. Check out the performance line-up because the 200-seat venue is sure to fill up night in, night out and matinees, too. Lindsay and Bruce walk you through the season with Dublin's Theater Supervisor, Joe Bishara, as this episode is absolutely jam-packed. The City, the Abbey, and our audiences are so fortunate to have earned a reputation where playwrights, directors and performers want to come to us to debut their work. There are performances now through the fall for families, kids and adults. Joe also discusses his holistic vision, how he plots out a full season and his longer-range goals to bring even more educational and immersive experiences to the Abbey. If you listen long enough, you just might hear him bust out some fantastic Josh Groban melodies, too!

Each Dublin City Council member brings their own perspective, strengths and goals to the job.  We're fortunate and so are our residents to have member, Andy Keeler, watching many things including our tax dollars and local creativity!  Andy is a certified financial planner and by nature a goal-setting planner.  And yet, he's a master woodworker and furniture maker.  His works are on display in his office, his home and at Council chambers.   He shares equal passions with Lindsay and Bruce on being a careful steward of taxpayer dollars and explains how those dollars are effectively spent and leveraged for the greater good.  Bridge Park is a great example of this!   You'll also hear more about his passion for the arts and his quote 'mind-blowing 2.0 version of Metro Center!'    Plus, in our rapid-fire segment, if a buttoned-up financial guy, like Andy, won the lottery, could he then make a silly financial purchase?   Find out!