Reelfoot Forward

Matt Marshall is a passionate advocate for racial reconciliation in West Tennessee. In addition to getting to know this fascinating West Tennessean a little better in this episode, you’ll hear more about some of the work he and others are doing to provide venues for listening, learning and discussing race, diversity, inclusion and equity in our communities. Matt’s motto, “The way forward is together,” has sparked many informative and educational conversations. Matt, who is president and CEO of United Way of West Tennessee and the young adults pastor at Historic First Baptist Church in Jackson, Tenn., is also helping lead the way in the Jackson Equity Project, a program that advocates for equity and justice for marginalized, disenfranchised and oppressed people.

She now calls West Tennessee home, but Lauren Smothers spent much of her childhood in Krasnodar, Russia and the United Kingdom with her missionary parents, and often had her nose in a book or could be found writing in her journal. Today, Lauren is an independent bookstore owner in Jackson, Tenn. and continues her writing. This episode is especially meaningful for those who love book stores in rural communities, and all listeners will enjoy hearing how Lauren made her dream come true, in spite of the challenges of opening a new business during a pandemic.

In this special episode, we’re commemorating the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment and kicking off Discovery Park of America’s new pop-up exhibits on the women’s suffrage movement. Guests include Dr. Renee LaFleur, associate professor of history and director of the Center for Women and Gender Equality at the University of Tennessee at Martin; Dr. Alice-Catherine Carls, the Tom Elam distinguished professor of history, also at UT Martin; and Dr. Minoa D. Uffelman with the history department at Austin Peay State University. The guests take listeners behind the scenes of this important moment in history and discuss the roles of women activists in Tennessee's history and how their impact can still be felt today.

This podcast episode is sure to be a “treat.” Jessica St. John and her brother, Jordan, along with their parents, own and operate Sweet Jordan’s Baked Goodies and Ice Cream Shop in Paris, Tenn. They employ over 30 special needs individuals who work the register, bake the tasty treats or help with other important tasks. In this episode, Jessica shares how this business idea originated and more about the next big adventure for the Sweet Jordan’s brand. Listeners are sure to enjoy this heartwarming story of faith and will wish they had a scoop of ice cream to go along with it.

The legacy of Elvis Presley is alive and well with guests traveling from around the world to West Tennessee to experience Graceland his home in Memphis. Joey Sulipeck, Elvis fan and Fox 13 chief meteorologist, has been part of Elvis-related programs and events for the past 20 years. In 2000, he was a co-host of the first live, online broadcast of the candlelight vigil, the “VigilCast” on America Online, and he has hosted the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest since its inception. In this episode, he and Scott Williams commemorate Elvis Week 2020 by taking listeners behind the blue suede curtain. They discuss their personal experiences and favorite memories with Elvis fans and the talented men and women working hard behind the scenes taking care of business for the king.

As a dedicated journalist and co-anchor of WPSD Local 6, Jennifer Horbelt Bonds delivers the news to households across our region every night. In this episode, Jennifer shares her thoughts on being a reporter during a time of great crisis in our country, the impact of our constantly changing media landscape and some of the reasons local and regional news remains so crucial to the long-term health of our communities. Listeners will also enjoy learning more about her personal history and getting to know the real person behind the anchor desk.

Scott Conger, mayor of Jackson, Tenn., follows three principles when navigating his role as a leader in local government: transparency, efficiency and inclusion. He is the third member of his family to serve as the mayor of Jackson and is passionate about giving back to his community. In this episode, Scott shares how he has learned to pivot at a moment’s notice, communicate more effectively and embrace patience while leading his community through a worldwide pandemic. Listeners are sure to enjoy hearing how he approaches criticism on social media and his advice for other leaders during this challenging time.

Paula Casey, publisher of The Perfect 36: Tennessee Delivers Woman Suffrage, has a passion for sharing the story of how Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the 19th Amendment, making women's suffrage legal in the United States. In this episode, especially relevant as we prepare to commemorate the 100th anniversary on Aug. 18, 2020, Casey takes listeners behind-the-scenes to discover three pivotal players from West Tennessee who fought for women's suffrage and played a major role in "the greatest nonviolent revolution in the history of our country."

As a high school football player, Ted Kluck, assistant professor of communications at Union University in Jackson, Tenn., never imagined he would one day become an award-winning author and publisher. An unfortunate injury in college led him to discover his passion and talent for writing. In addition to authoring nonfiction books, memoirs of great athletes and several theological works, he’s dedicated to inspiring and teaching the next generation of writers. In this episode, he shares of bit of that inspiration for listeners who also want to find success in the writing industry. Those aspiring to work in the movie industry will also enjoys hearing a few behind-the-scenes details about “Silverdome,” a film he wrote and that is currently in production.

From paramedic to law school to launching a successful soap empire, Brad Kellum, founder of Buff City Soap, shares his journey of finding a need and filling it. This West Tennessee entrepreneur opened his first brick and mortar store in his hometown of Bartlett, created a one-of-a-kind retail experience and then franchised the business nationally to great success. This episode is full of life lessons for those with a dream and funny anecdotes relatable for anyone who has ever started something new and found both failure and success.