Bob Levey, Washington Post Columnist, retired and National Champion Bridge Player, spent over 23 years as a prize-winning daily columnist for the Washington Post. He is also known for his work on local Our Town radio and television. Bob has plenty of stories of his time writing for the Post, and a story or two about his work on radio and television. Bob remembers his boss Ben Bradlee and shares his thoughts on the awesome work Katharine Graham did to grow the business into a Fortune 500 company. He also makes a case for the long term effects of radio on its listeners. He had a WMAL listener recognize his voice on DC Metro 20 years after he stopped working there! Take a listen to Bob’s experiences and why he made the decisions he did throughout his career to get to where he is today. Enjoy! The entire transcript for this podcast can be found on our website here:

https://ourtowndc.com/bob-levey-post-columnist/ A special thanks to Our Town sponsors GEICO, as well as Attorney Mike Collins, and Tony & Joe's Seafood Restaurant and Nicks Riverside Grill.

Deb Johns, Founder and Creative Director of SCOUT bags, is a designer and entrepreneur. After attending Cornell undergrad, she stayed on in New York and worked for Vogue where she learned all about design and business. She shares with Andy what she learned from some of the biggest names in design. She brought what she learned with her back to Washington DC and founded SCOUT with her husband. If you are looking for a good start-up story here it is. From naming the company to design, manufacturing and sales. Deb is knowledgeable and involved, not just in SCOUT but the community, and her community is vast as you will see in this podcast. Deb is energetic and tells a good story. Take a listen, learn and enjoy! The entire transcript for this podcast can be found on our website here:

https://ourtowndc.com/deb-johns-scout-bags/ A special thanks to Our Town sponsors GEICO, as well as Attorney Mike Collins, and Tony & Joe's Seafood Restaurant and Nicks Riverside Grill.

Harry Schnipper owns Georgetown's infamous Blues Alley Jazz and Supper Club. He is passionate about promoting and preserving jazz music. He runs the Blues Alley Jazz Society which partners with the Smithsonian Institute to produce the Ella Fitzgerald Vocal Competition, and puts on the Blues Alley Summer Jazz Camp. For more than 15 years, Harry has worked with the Smithsonian Institution to help promote Jazz Appreciation Month in April. It’s an overreaching program and event that includes the Ella Fitzgerald Vocal Competition. The event will take place over April 27 – 29, 2018. There are five finalist from around the world: Germany, Canada, Massachusetts and Washington DC Metro. They'll be here for the final competition on Saturday, April 28th, at the Museum of American History. And the finalists will perform at Blues Alley, and sign the Ella Sings Jobim Songbook from the 1981 seminal recording by Ella Fitzgerald. Listen in to this interview and you’ll see Harry Schnipper nows his jazz and it history in and around Georgetown. You’ll learn lots about what Georgetown was, and what it has evolved into especially with respect to the music scene. Enjoy!

Ann Hand, CEO of Ann Hand, LLC, is considered The Nation’s Jeweler or even Jeweler to the Stars! She hasn’t always been known for her many lines of jewelry. She has been a Navy wife and wife of Chief of Protocol for President Johnson. She is a mother of five. At 50 she decided to take a course in jewelry design at the Gemological Institute of America. She sold her first piece for $10. But that’s all changed! Ann has grown her business proudly without debt. She has designed jewelry for distinguished clients such as Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton, Madeleine Albright and Pamela Harriman. She just recently designed cufflinks for Secretary Tillerson and has worked with the White House Historical Association and the current First Family. Ann says that she looks at herself as a storyteller because most of her jewelry has a message. She wants her clients to wear one of her pieces and be able to talk about what it represents. That's what she wants to do for America. Listen in to hear Ann’s story. The entire transcript for this podcast can be found on our website here:

https://ourtowndc.com/ann-hand-jewelry-designer/ A special thanks to Our Town sponsors GEICO, as well as Attorney Mike Collins, and Tony & Joe's Seafood Restaurant and Nicks Riverside Grill.

Arthur Cotton Moore is an architect, master planner, author, and more. He is a 6th generation Washingtonian. Moore has been involved in major Washington DC architectural projects such as Washington Harbour, where he created a celebration of the waterfront by engaging that magical point where the land meets the water. His new book “Our Nation’s Capitol: Pro Bono Publico Ideas” is out and he describes an idea he has to repurpose Metro cars instead of junking them to the tune of 1.3 million dollars! Moore also tells Andy about how The Washington Harbour flooded when it was designed not to. That flood disrupted lives of everyone associated with Washington Harbour and cost millions in renovation. You’ll want to hear that story as well as what’s happening with our National Mall and Moore’s thoughts on The Wharf, The Navy Place and Nats Stadium. This podcast will be listened to many years from now by those who are interested in Our Town landscape and how it has, or has not, been shaped. The entire transcript for this podcast can be found on our website here:

https://ourtowndc.com/arthur-cotton-moore-architect-author/ A special thanks to Our Town sponsors GEICO, as well as Attorney Mike Collins, and Tony & Joe's Seafood Restaurant and Nicks Riverside Grill.

Dr. Paul Scimonelli is a musician, performer, director and author. His jazz-rock band, Street Life, is still playing together after more than 30 years. Paul was on the faculty for a while in the Prince George’s and Howard County school systems, including time as on adjunct faculty at Prince George’s College and Howard Community College. Afterwards, he became a member of the Music Faculty and Director of Strings at the Landon School in Bethesda, Maryland until he retired in 2014. Paul received his Doctorate degree in Music Education from Catholic University, where he was the instructor of the CUA Jazz Ensemble, as well as a member of the CUA Symphony Orchestra and the part-time faculty. Very early on, in his career, Scimonelli was a member of The United States Marine Band, “The President Own,” where his primary duty was to perform at The White House and The State Department, as well as many other diplomatic functions. Most recently, Paul authored a biography about former Washington Senators baseball player Roy Sievers, and advocates for Sievers to be inducted into the Washington Nationals Ring of Honor. You’ll have to listen to the podcast to find out where Scimonelli’s passion comes from for this advocacy. We think he’s got something there. Take a listen and decide for yourself. The entire transcript for this podcast can be found on our website here: https://ourtowndc.com/paul-scimonelli-author-musician/ A special thanks to Our Town sponsors GEICO, as well as Attorney Mike Collins, and Tony & Joe's Seafood Restaurant and Nicks Riverside Grill.

Ron Paul, CEO of Eagle Bancorp and The GW/Ron and Joy Paul Kidney Center Chair, has been in real estate and banking in Our Town since the early 80s. He’s been successful in both. At 26 years of age, Ron found out he had kidney disease after he took a test to get life insurance. No one believed it so he took the test again with the same result. In 1990, he received a kidney from his brother, and in 2009 he received a second kidney from a dear friend and colleague. Ron and his wife, Joy, have worked tirelessly over the years raising money for medical research in the fight against kidney disease. They believe education and testing is key. Prevention is everything. Kidney disease is a killer but doesn’t need to be. Ron and Joy are committed to raising awareness of this disease so that others may benefit from testing and treatment. The entire transcript for this podcast can be found on our website here:

https://ourtowndc.com/ron-paul-kidney-disease-survivor/ A special thanks to Our Town sponsors GEICO, as well as Attorney Mike Collins, and Tony & Joe's Seafood Restaurant and Nicks Riverside Grill.

Donnie Simpson is a Washington DC Radio Icon and TV and Movie Personality. He is one of the most beloved radio personalities in Washington DC. He's been on top of his game twice over past four decades, and recognized by Billboard Magazine as one of the best top radio personalities, and program directors in the Country. He is also a family man and committed friend and colleague. He tells Andy that his job during his short retirement was in transportation –“ transporting grand-babies back and forth to school” and how much he loved it. He expresses how much joy he’s derived from having shared 47 years of his life with his wife through different stages. He also honors his late brother Harry in a moving story about how he turned his life around to help others. Donnie Simpson is a happy guy. Take a listen and you’ll learn just how he’s managed to stay that way. The entire transcript for this podcast can be found on our website here: https://ourtowndc.com/donnie-simpson-radio-icon/ A special thanks to Our Town sponsors GEICO, as well as Attorney Mike Collins, and Tony & Joe's Seafood Restaurant and Nicks Riverside Grill.

Charles Allen has been a DC Councilmember from Ward 6 since 2015, but has worked in some capacity over the past decade for its citizens. His experiences span health care, small business concerns, education, and public health and safety. He and Andy discuss all. Charles is proud of the work he’s done, and shows a deep understanding of the possibilities and challenges facing his district, and DC as a whole. He is especially proud of a relatively new program run through the DC Public Library called Books From Birth that has put over 400,000 books into homes across DC. Andy and Charles also discuss his views on affordable housing, public safety, transportation and health, including the real use of data from speed cameras, water taxi transport on the water ways, and guns. They also talk about some of the improvements made to H Street such as the Rosedale Playground and a nod to DC history -an historic marker has been set at the location of the WOL station headquarters. Take a listen. The entire transcript for this podcast can be found on our website here: https://ourtowndc.com/charles-allen-dc-ward-6/ A special thanks to Our Town sponsors GEICO, as well as Attorney Mike Collins, and Tony & Joe's Seafood Restaurant and Nicks Riverside Grill.

Tony Perkins, 2x Emmy Award Winner, is a comedian, a news anchor, a weather forecaster, a radio personality, a dad, a father, and good citizen, and you’ll need to decide in what order as you listen to this podcast. If you are having a bad day, or even if you’re not, listen in to this podcast. Just hearing Tony’s delightful voice, and taking in his positive vibes, is enough to make you stay tuned from beginning to end and make it a great day! He’s insightful, which you’ll learn as he talks about his return to Our Town and the twists and turns of his career after leaving New York in the name of family. He is balanced that way. He remembers his hero Jim Vance, who gave so graciously of his time and advice to, Tony, then a shy communications major. Tony and Andy discuss Our Town media, past and present, including his time at WOL and recent reconnect with iconic Donnie Simpson at Majic 102.3 and the impact Simpson and visionary Cathy Hughes have had on Our Town. Today you’ll find Tony everywhere it seems: back on radio with Donnie Simpson; Fox 5 Friday and Saturday mornings, and on his podcast both live and recorded. You’ll want to schedule him in to your day for that infectious laughter that draws us all in. Enjoy! The entire transcript for this podcast can be found on our website here: https://ourtowndc.com/tony-perkins-news-anchor-radio-personality/ A special thanks to Our Town sponsors GEICO, as well as Attorney Mike Collins, and Tony & Joe's Seafood Restaurant and Nicks Riverside Grill.