My first guest of Season Two is Aubrey Barnes, also known as Mister Aubs.

I wish I could nominate him for Rock Island's Poet Laureate.

Aubrey is a nationally recognized poet, writer, and educator from Rock Island, and the founder of Young Lions Roar — a youth-centered arts and empowerment collective that uses poetry, performance, and creative writing as tools for liberation, healing, and social change.

Aubrey is also a co-creator of THE HALF, a powerful stage production developed with Curtis Lewis through Journey Live Productions. The play examines life on 14½ Street in Rock Island, exploring memory, place, identity, and what it means to grow up — and stay — in a neighborhood that holds both pain and pride.

I invited Aubrey on after reading his poem Rock Island Sounds Like. The opening lines reference the sound of the descendant trains — the very sound this podcast is named for — and I knew immediately I wanted to sit down with him.

In this conversation, we talk about poetry and creativity, education, mental health, politics, policing in America, and what it means to remain human inside complicated systems. It's expansive, honest, and grounding — exactly the tone I want this season to hold.

You can learn more about Aubrey and his work at misteraubs.com, and I hope you'll take the time to check it out.

Rock Island Line is produced by me, Annika O'Melia. Theme music is Different Times by Jett Everill.

You can find past episodes, writing, and more about the project at www.rockislandline.com

Thanks for listening — and I'll see you down the line.

In this heartfelt season finale of The Rock Island Line, host Annika O'Melia sits down with her dear friend, Jessica Youngblood Kirkpatrick — but this time, the roles are reversed. Jessica interviews Annika about her own Rock Island story, tracing deep family roots that stretch through generations of Rocky and Augie graduates.

What begins as a conversation about hometown heritage quickly opens into a reflection on the season itself — the inspiring guests who are helping drive Rock Island forward, the sense of gratitude Annika feels for the work being done across the city, and her growing frustration, at times, with the process of community engagement.

Jessica and Annika explore how much of Annika's own voice, curiosity, and convictions have shaped The Rock Island Line. From her passion for policy and civic life to her growing engagement with issues of human rights, safe housing, and dignity for all, Annika shares how the podcast has become not just a storytelling platform, but a space for advocacy — and how she's learning to embrace taking positions on the issues that matter most.

Woven with warmth, honesty, and friendship, this conversation brings the season full circle — grounding the show in the people, history, and hope that make Rock Island home.

A special thanks to Jessica Youngblood Kirkpatrick for decades of friendship, support and love. May everyone be so lucky as to have a friend like Jess.

To learn more about Rock Island Line, head to www.rockislandline.com

While this is the last regularly scheduled episode of the season, be on the lookout for pop-up episodes.

🎵 Music Credits Intro/Outro music: "Different Times" by Jett Everill — licensed via Epidemic Sound

In today's episode, Annika talks to Matthew Claude. Matthew grew up in Rock Island, graduated from Rock Island High School, and taught at Rock Island Academy for five years, with his first year of teaching occurring in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Matthew and Annika discuss Rock Island, education, teaching, learning, poverty, policy, unions, capitalism, and more in this fast-paced conversation. Enjoy!

To learn more about Rock Island Line, head to www.rockislandline.com

🎵 Music Credits Intro/Outro music: "Different Times" by Jett Everill — licensed via Epidemic Sound

In this conversation, Annika sits down with Rev. Jennifer Ohman-Rodriguez, Lead Pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church in Rock Island, Illinois. Jennifer's journey to ministry weaves together deep-loss, creative renewal, and a profound commitment to embodied worship and public faith.

She opens up about relocating to Rock Island, the sudden and tragic loss of her husband (Anthony D. Rodriguez) in 2016 and how that grief transformed daily life for her and her two sons. Drawing on her background in early childhood education and music, she brings into her pastoral vocation a lived understanding of trauma, resilience, and recovery.

You can find Jennifer's book, A Time to Mourn A Time To Dance at:

https://chalicepress.com/products/a-time-to-mourn-a-time-to-dance?srsltid=AfmBOoreQlRunWtKJ7BCMj7CI7uFahOhKRnifRbJ4qeDh_QK-dL1UQk_

We explore how she practices "embodied worship" — worship that engages body, story, heart and community — and how she sees the role of the Church in today's fractured public sphere. Jennifer discusses how faith intersects with politics, social justice and the larger world, and how congregations might offer a space for healing, truth-telling and action.

Whether you're curious about how one leader lives faith in the gray places of loss and hope, or how a local church might become a force for healing in a city like Rock Island — this episode offers insight, vulnerability and a vision for what public theology could look like when grounded in real life.

Music credits: "Different Times" by Jett Everill - licensed via Epidemic Sound

Stay connected: Visit rockislandline.com to learn more about Rock Island Line

In today's episode, Annika talks to Heinz-Georg Drensler, her father's "brother" from Germany. Heinz was a foreign exchange student at Rock Island High School in 1964/65 and has loved Rock Island and his American family ever since. Heinz was in town last week for Rocky's 60th Class Reunion and stopped by the studio to reflect on his journey to Rock Island from Germany, his American experience, and his view of America from abroad. This is a fast, fun conversation!

Check out www.rockislandline.com for more stories, articles, and interesting tid bits.

Reverend Dr. Dwight Ford is widely known as "The People's Pastor" — an innovative leader, author, and public theologian committed to impoverished communities and eliminating the causes of poverty.

Rev. Ford served six years in the United States Marine Corps, including tours in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, where he was ranked among the top ten percent of enlisted Marines. After his military service, he earned a B.A. in Business Management & Leadership from Western Illinois University, a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School, a Master of Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Leadership from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, and a Doctorate in Divinity from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.

Today, Rev. Ford serves as Chief Executive Officer of Project Now in Rock Island, IL, admnistering programs such as utility assistance, Headstart, weatherization, meals for seniors, rental assistance, and homelessness services. He is also the pastor of Grace City Church and travels the country as a preacher, public speaker, and consultant on church and community transformation. His book Never Easy, Always Necessary challenges Christians to reimagine service and justice in times of crisis.

In this episode of Rock Island Line, host Annika O'Melia sits down with Rev. Ford to explore his journey and his decades-long commitment to serving those society often overlooks. Together, they unpack the controversy around Project NOW's Lift Now Shelter, which provided emergency refuge for people experiencing homelessness this past winter but became a flashpoint for local debate. They also discuss the City of Rock Island's proposed Social Services License Ordinance, which would impose new limits and licensing requirements on agencies serving the unhoused.

What does this debate reveal about Rock Island's identity and values? How should a city with a high poverty rate balance compassion, safety, and economic development? And what role can faith and community leadership play in guiding policy?

To learn more about Project Now, head to https://www.projectnow.org/index.php

To learn more about Rock Island Line, head to www.rockislandline.com

🎵 Music Credits Intro/Outro music: "Different Times" by Jett Everill — licensed via Epidemic Sound

In this episode of Rock Island Line, Annika sits down with Holly Sparkman — longtime community leader, storyteller, entrepreneur, and do-er— to explore her life in Rock Island.

We talk about:

• Holly's path to Augustana College, which rooted her in Rock Island

• Her journey in the art world, from opening art galleries to being a member of the Art Guild

• Holly's time working with Renaissance Rock Island to create an arts and entertainment district in downtown Rock Island

• Holly's role as Director of Communications/Marketing Director with the Rock Island Milan School District

• Her involvement with Friends of Longivew and the revitalization of Hauberg

• Holly's role with the YWCA and the local Illinois Film Office

Holly shows up for Rock Island and I think you will enjoy this conversation.

To learn more about Rock Island Line, head to www.rockislandline.com

🎵 Music Credits Intro/Outro music: "Different Times" by Jett Everill — licensed via Epidemic Sound

Description: In this Rock Island Line update, Annika breaks down the September 22nd Rock Island City Council meeting in 10 minutes.

Key takeaways:

• Housing & Redevelopment: The city officially dissolves the stalled 1st Street TIF and backs a new Northwest Industrial TIF, while supporting Community Home Partners' Valley Homes senior housing project.

• Homeless Services & Community Innovation: The Third Place QC shares its vision for a daytime drop-in space to help unhoused residents stabilize and connect with housing and healthcare.

• Urban Agriculture Rules: Council advances a comprehensive ordinance setting standards for front-yard gardens, vacant-lot farms, and small-scale livestock.

• Downtown Development: New rezonings pave the way for new development and other adaptive reuse projects.

• City Priorities: Conversations about better incentive policies, improved public communication, and supporting local small business owners.

Plus: proclamations for Hispanic Heritage Month and the Marching Avenir Highsteppers, big ARPA-funded projects, and new events coming to town.

Listen in for the pulse of Rock Island — the moves shaping housing, food, business, and community life right now.

On today's episode, Annika sits down with Antaeus Simmons, founder of UTH Riders Foundation, or "Under the Helmet." Antaeus outlines his work on promoting safety, whether that's road safety, providing gun locks, working to reduce gang violence, "Stop the Bleed" community safety trainings, or summer programming for kids promoting safety, academic excellence, and athletics. Building a safer community is at the heart of everything Antaeus does.

You can learn more about UTH Riders Foundation here:

https://uthridersfoundation.org/

If you are enjoying the podcast, please like, subscribe, and leave a positive review. You can read articles and learn more about Rock Island Line at www.rockislandline.com.

🎶 Music featured in this episode: "Different Times" by Jett Everill, licensed through Epidemic Sounds. Listen on Epidemic Sounds.

Today's episode is a quick check-in to announce I'm taking the week off and will have a new episode out next week. In the meantime, I'm asking for feedback. What do you like? Who should I interview? What do you dislike?

Email me at [email protected]

Thank you for loving Rock Island and for listening.

See you next week on the Rock Island Line.