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What does it actually mean to be a man — not just grown, but a man?

James sits down with Corwin Johnson, better known as CJ Moneyway — host of the CJ Moneyway Show and Planting Seeds with CJ, and author of "Both Eyes Open and Both Eyes Shut" (2015) and the newly released "Faith Through Trials" (2025) — for a conversation that was never supposed to go where it went.

It starts with an unlikely admission: James voted for Trump three times. CJ's a Democrat. Instead of the conversation falling apart, it becomes the foundation for something better — a real, man-to-man discussion about what actually holds people together when politics tries to tear them apart.

From there, the conversation moves into faith and fatherhood. James and CJ walk through the stories of Abraham, Job, Moses, and Daniel — not as Sunday school lessons, but as blueprints for how a man carries his household through uncertainty, failure, and consequence. CJ opens up about his own life falling apart in his twenties, discovering discipline through scripture, and what it actually took to become the man his kids needed — not the one he used to be.

The conversation gets pointed when they talk about presence versus performance: men who are physically home but absent, men who've traded discipline for comfort, and CJ's unfiltered take on what it means to actually lead a household — even when you're wrong, even when it's hard, even when nobody's clapping for you.

This is a conversation about growing up — really growing up — not just getting older.

🎙️ Guest: Corwin Johnson (CJ Moneyway)
 Find CJ Moneyway on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram — search "CJ Moneyway"
 New project: "Planting Seeds with CJ," launching June 19th

🎨 This episode is sponsored by Vitale Painting, serving Blair County, Altoona, and State College. Call today for a free estimate: 814-937-8663

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Pennsylvania is $4.8 billion in the hole and the governor wants to use the rainy day fund to buy himself one more year before the bill comes due. District Representative Scott Barger from the 80th district in Blair County Pennsylvania sits down with James to break down exactly how the state got here, who's responsible, and why he thinks every Pennsylvanian is looking at a tax increase by 2028 if nobody makes the hard cuts that need to happen.

Scott doesn't hold back. He explains why legalizing recreational marijuana only generates $140 million in year one — a drop in the bucket against a $4.8 billion structural deficit. Why taxing skill games buys maybe 10% of the gap and wipes out small businesses and fraternal organizations in the process. And why he believes the only real solution is cutting spending, which nobody in Harrisburg wants to do because cutting spending doesn't get you reelected.

He also gets into the data center boom that's coming to Blair County whether people are ready for it or not, and why he's urging local township supervisors to get zoning ordinances in place now before corporations show up with lawyers and a checkbook. Including the possibility of small nuclear power plants attached to these facilities — something most municipalities haven't even begun thinking about.

The childcare crisis in Pennsylvania gets real time in this conversation too. Scott breaks down a package of 14 bills Republicans just introduced aimed at cutting red tape for daycare centers — staffing ratios, square footage rules, trash can lids, all of it — because the state has lost 60% of its in-home daycare providers and some centers have waiting lists of 600 kids.

Plus the cell phone in schools bill that just passed the House and why Scott voted against it even though he agrees with the idea behind it. And the ongoing drama around SB9, the bill that says only girls can compete against girls in Pennsylvania school sports, and why House Democrats keep moving it from committee to committee to avoid bringing it to a vote.

If you live in Blair County, central Pennsylvania, or you just want to hear a state representative talk about what's actually happening in Harrisburg without the spin, this one is worth your time.

Find The James Finochio Show on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and anywhere else you listen to your podcasts. 

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Chet Denny and Michael Thomas of The PennSoulvanians join James for one of the most genuine conversations about music, identity, and staying true to yourself when everything around you says conform.

They were doing it different back when different wasn't cool — writing original, soulful hip hop in an era that wanted gangster rap, building a seven piece live band nobody asked for, and refusing to play covers when every venue told them they had to.

In this episode: how the band formed by accident, what grief taught Chet about music, why Pennsylvania is their whole identity, and the philosophy behind staying original for over two decades.

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Daryl Dittmer spent years fighting everything. Life, people, problems, himself. Then his sponsor said something that stopped him cold. When you stop fighting, the fighting stops.

In this conversation Daryl gets into what real recovery looks like, why calling addiction a disease lets people off the hook, how to build the kind of internal strength that makes you stop caring about what you can't control, and why the courage and confidence you keep waiting for is already in you right now.

Daryl is the number one bestselling Amazon author of When I Stopped Fighting and When You Stop Fighting. He coaches people on building strength physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally so they can weather whatever life throws at them.

If you have ever felt like you were getting in your own way this episode is for you.

🌐 Learn more about Daryl at https://www.daryldittmer.com/

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George Ceballos grew up hustling — first weed, then coke, then heroin. What started as a way to be self-sufficient turned into addiction, incarceration, and years of cycling through state prisons, rehabs, and parole violations. Six prisons. Nearly a decade lost.

Then a counselor at a rehab facility did something nobody had done before — he sat down, found the resources, and built a plan. A welding program. A real shot. And George took it.

This is an honest conversation about the street life nobody glorifies honestly, what addiction really costs, and what it looks like to claw your way back from less than zero. George is now nearly three years clean, working a career in welding, and present for his kids for the first time.

A conversation about wasted potential, dark money, and what it means to finally become a square — and be proud of it.

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Hilary Momberger Powers was the voice of Sally Brown on Peanuts at just five years old. But early success became her prison—and rock bottom became her liberation. In this raw, unfiltered conversation, Hilary shares how hitting her lowest point forced her to rebuild from scratch, and why she now helps others find their worth through spiritual awakening and radical authenticity. If you've ever felt like you had to perform to survive, this one's for you.

Find Hilary: hillarymomburgerpowers.com

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Who Told You What a Man Should Be?

Dr. Gloria Vanderhorst spent 50 years working with boys and men. Her question: Who decided what a man should be in the first place?

From preschool to adulthood, we're training boys to isolate, shut down, and never ask for what they need. In this conversation, we explore how culture shapes masculinity, what isolation actually costs men, and what happens when we finally let men be human.

This one's for anyone questioning the script they were given about what it means to be a man—or raising someone who is.

Dr. Vanderhorst's books: www.drvanderhorst.com

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Chip Scholz is an executive coach, author, and woodturner who gets at the real stuff. We talk about his journey from sales to authorship, why he put a manuscript in a drawer for five years, and what Father's Day gift sparked his comeback story.

But mostly, we talk about failure, curiosity, and becoming yourself. Chip's philosophy is simple: failure is something we do, not something we are. Judgment closes doors. Curiosity opens them. And the moments that matter aren't about being indispensable—they're about being real.

This is a conversation for anyone writing a book, leading people, or trying to figure out what comes next.

Key Takeaways:

• Failure is a verb, not a noun
• Be curious, not judgmental
• Your pocket knife: the tools you carry in life
• Why authenticity beats performance
• Publishing insights for aspiring authors

Find Chip: scholzandassociates.com

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Most parents in Blair County, Pennsylvania have never heard of CareerLink — and that's exactly the problem Malissa Fry is trying to fix.

Malissa is a Youth Career Facilitator at PA CareerLink Blair County, and in this conversation she walks us through everything they offer for young people ages 14 to 24. We're talking about a paid summer work program where kids can earn up to $3,600, resume help, mock interviews, financial literacy, and even cursive writing — all free, all designed to give young people a real head start before they enter the workforce.

We also cover what employers are actually looking for, why your resume might be getting filtered out before a human ever reads it, how AI tools are changing the application process, and what's available for adults who need help getting back on their feet or leveling up their career.

If you're a parent of a teenager or young adult in Blair County, this one's for you.

Find CareerLink Blair County: Second Floor, Altoona Public Library — 1600 Fifth Avenue
📞 814-502-3346
🌐 https://www.pacareerlink.pa.gov/jponline
📘 https://www.facebook.com/pacareerlinkblaircounty/

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In this episode of The James Finochio Show, James sits down with author, healer, and educator Heather Ann Ferri for a wide-ranging conversation about healing from the inside out. Heather shares her personal journey from childhood trauma and silence to becoming a wellness advocate, and breaks down two topics most people have never thought about together: generational trauma and toxic water.

You'll learn what ancestral trauma actually is, how it lives in your nervous system and affects your daily life, and what practical steps you can take — from somatic movement to upgrading your water — to start reclaiming your health. Heather also discusses glyphosate and forever chemicals in the U.S. water supply, the difference between clean water and medical-grade water, and why the foundation always has to come before the fix.

📘 Heather's Book — Transcending Victim to Goddess Includes a retreat, music, and 3 meditations with Amazon purchase. Email [email protected] to claim. 👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G1DFP49G

💧 Free Water eBook — "Water Matters" 👉 https://www.heatherannferri.com

💧 Get 5% off your first Multipure water system Use code 436409 — cleaner water starts with the foundation.

Connect with Heather: 🌐 https://www.heatherannferri.com ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@heatherannferri 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherannferri/ 📘 https://www.facebook.com/heatherannferri/ 📧 [email protected]

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