Podcasts about Avondale

In this episode of The Localist, Carrie Rollwagen sits down with Malissa Davis, the founder of Best You Ever, a Birmingham-based personal styling and image consulting firm. Malissa spent nearly 10 years at Nordstrom before launching her own business, and now works with clients in Birmingham and virtually across the United States. Fun fact: Malissa is also the mom of Taylor Davis, the showrunner for The Localist. If you've ever seen Taylor on camera and thought she looked great, that is Malissa's work. Malissa opens with how she starts every client relationship: tell me your story. She talks about why building trust in a dressing room feels a little like being an unlicensed therapist, and what she learned in a decade at Nordstrom that shaped how she works today. She walks through her closet cleanout process (take out anything that does not fit, including the clothes you keep to shame yourself into losing weight), her style assessment quiz, and why her four-hour shopping cap is really about respecting your capacity. The second half is about the business side of things. Malissa gets into why she specializes in curves and tall women, why tailoring is worth the extra $15 every time, how she styles for speaking events and camera, and the SOS package for special occasions. She also shares one of her favorite client stories: styling a Biggest Loser finalist for the show finale. If you are trying to build a personal brand, style yourself for a speaking event, or just tired of your closet saying no to you every morning, this episode is a warm, practical guide. Watch on YouTube _______________________________________   Mentioned in This Episode         Best You Ever Nordstrom Infomedia Thanks to Our Sponsor, Infomedia The Localist is sponsored by Infomedia. They are a Birmingham-based web and digital marketing company. They help small businesses grow online. •       Contact Infomedia    Join Us at Localist Lab Localist Lab is a free event series for small business owners. It meets on the third Thursday of most months at Saturn in Avondale. Free tacos and coffee too. •       See upcoming events and register   Subscribe to Carrie's Newsletter Want more small business tips from Carrie? Sign up for her newsletter. •       Sign up here

EcoShip, which began in 2021 and operates out of an Avondale storage space, collects packaging materials and provides them to local business owners for free reuse. The nonprofit's leaders encourage folks to save their packaging and pay them forward instead of throwing them into the landfill. Host - Jon Hansen Guest - EcoShip founder and CEO Aleksandra Plewa Read More Here Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HEREWho we areBlock Club Chicago is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization dedicated to delivering reliable, relevant and nonpartisan coverage of Chicago's diverse neighborhoods. We believe all neighborhoods deserve to be covered in a meaningful way.We amplify positive stories, cover development and local school council meetings and serve as watchdogs in neighborhoods often ostracized by traditional news media.Ground-level coverageOur neighborhood-based reporters don't parachute in once to cover a story. They are in the neighborhoods they cover every day building relationships over time with neighbors. We believe this ground-level approach not only builds community but leads to a more accurate portrayal of a neighborhood.Stories that matter to you — every daySince our launch seven years ago, we've published more than 30,000 stories from the neighborhoods, covered hundreds of community meetings and send daily and neighborhood newsletters to more than 150,000 Chicagoans. We've built this loyalty by proving to folks we are not only covering their neighborhoods, we are a part of them. Some of us have internalized the national media's narrative of a broken Chicago. We aim to change that by celebrating our neighborhoods and chronicling the resilience of the people who fight every day to make Chicago a better place for all.

Earlier this year I sat down at the inaugural WRITA spring conference with Jeff Scheetz (CIO, City of Avondale) and Zach Duguid (AI Engineering Manager, Polimorphic). Jeff's answer to what he'd put in front of a room of local government CIOs isn't a success story. It's the horror stories — the scary stuff nobody puts in the press release. Most of this episode is the unglamorous work that prevents it. Zach walked through what Polimorphic does before an agent ever answers a resident: a Knowledge Base Health Check that seeds up to 500 questions against a city's own content, then reruns them weekly or monthly to confirm what the agent answers and which sources it pulled from. We also talked about:Why pilots de-risk AI and then stall before they scale across departmentsSingle sign-on inside the city, four or five logins outside itJeff's next 18 months: consolidate, standardize, clean up after the growthTimestamps01:55 "I just got a new dog. How do I register him?" — the AI answers, then files the form03:43 "We're not selling services. There's no checkout cart." So what is a city website for?04:55 The caller doesn't know the address. They know the coffee shop. The map does the rest.07:24 A water outage in Utah, live on the phone line the moment staff post it09:14 Single sign-on inside the city. 4-5 logins outside it. Nobody's solved this.10:22 30-40 departments, each with its own process — and the war against too many toggles11:47 19 years in: how much security pain can you inflict before staff route around you?12:56 "We had to move very quickly for years. Now we finally get to go clean it up."14:14 Your chatbot is quoting agenda minutes from a decade ago — the check that catches it first16:30 A 20-year employee retires. Where does the knowledge go, and can AI hold it?18:18 Pilots de-risk AI. They don't scale it. Why Zach wants it treated as infrastructure.19:28 Jeff's ask for the roundtable: not the AI wins, the horror stories

In this episode of The Localist, Carrie Rollwagen sits down with Austin Senseman and Robert Hill, the co-founders of Caravan. Caravan is a Birmingham-based AI training company that teaches business owners and their teams how to actually use tools like Claude Code and Claude Cowork. Austin is also co-founder of Birmingham AI, the 501(c)(3) that puts on free monthly AI events at Innovation Depot, and is a Claude Ambassador for Birmingham. Infomedia hired Caravan for a full team training earlier this year, and Infomedia also sells the class to clients. Austin and Robert talk about how Caravan started with a listening tour of 20 Birmingham businesses at the end of last year, and how the answer they kept hearing was not build me a product, it was teach me how to use these tools. They get into why they think Claude Code was the moment agentic AI became real for non-technical professionals, why every AI class is also a little bit of therapy, and why they update the curriculum every single week to keep up with what the tools can do. The second half is where the conversation goes deeper. Carrie, Austin and Robert all get honest about the ethics of AI, the anxiety it creates, and the reality of being a writer or a small business owner trying to navigate this moment. They talk about why anger is a common emotional home for people right now, why disengaging from AI often means leaving the conversation to bad actors, and why Robert thinks 2027 is going to get weird. They also talk about James Clear's identity framework, why buying local-ish beats buying local perfectly, and why Austin's favorite AI story is a Birmingham pastor who uses AI to save four hours a week on sermons so he can visit more people in hospice. If you are grappling with AI in your own work, this is a rare honest conversation. Watch on YouTube _______________________________________   Mentioned in This Episode    •       Caravan •       Birmingham AI •       Infomedia •       Claude •       Claude Code •       Anthropic •       Innovation Depot •       Hardware Park •       Sloss Tech Thanks to Our Sponsor, Infomedia The Localist is sponsored by Infomedia. They are a Birmingham-based web and digital marketing company. They help small businesses grow online. •       Contact Infomedia    Join Us at Localist Lab Localist Lab is a free event series for small business owners. It meets on the third Thursday of most months at Saturn in Avondale. Free tacos and coffee too. •       See upcoming events and register   Subscribe to Carrie's Newsletter Want more small business tips from Carrie? Sign up for her newsletter. •       Sign up here

What actually makes a photo shoot go well, and what makes an expensive one go sideways? In this episode of The Localist, Carrie Rollwagen sits down with Katey Beck and Taylor Davis, producers at Infomedia Studios. Katey is a chef turned producer. Taylor is a film major from Auburn with a background in commercial acting and wedding videography. Together they run photo and video shoots for small businesses and brands in Birmingham, and Carrie regularly goes to them for the questions she cannot answer herself: what to wear on camera, how not to freeze up on video, whether her Zoom background looks weird. Katey and Taylor talk about what really goes into a shoot. Why one hour of production equals one minute of finished content. Why a full day realistically nets you 80 photos and a 90 second video, not a highlight reel. Why hospitality matters more than gear. Why you should never book a photographer without asking about lighting, focus and their ability to direct posing. When you actually need a stylist on set, and why food is the one category you always do. How to make people comfortable on camera when they are not used to being there. The second half is a practical guide for anyone shooting on their own. What a shot list is and why the whole team needs one. Why brand shoots often fail because the photos were not planned against the content they would live in. Why you should not wear the same blazer in every frame. How to build a good background at your desk. Why the iPhone is a legitimate tool in 2026, and how to hold your exposure to get better footage in any light. Katey and Taylor also answer listener questions on why video is so much harder than photos, whether there really is a good side of your face, and what budget you actually need to hire a producer. Watch on YouTube _______________________________________   Mentioned in This Episode    Infomedia Studios Infomedia Uptick Marketing @pinklanternbhm Spindle Photography (Kelly Cummings)   Thanks to Our Sponsor, Infomedia The Localist is sponsored by Infomedia. They are a Birmingham-based web and digital marketing company. They help small businesses grow online. •       Contact Infomedia    Join Us at Localist Lab Localist Lab is a free event series for small business owners. It meets on the third Thursday of most months at Saturn in Avondale. Free tacos and coffee too. •       See upcoming events and register   Subscribe to Carrie's Newsletter Want more small business tips from Carrie? Sign up for her newsletter. •       Sign up here

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Send us Fan MailReady is not a personality trait, it's a practiced way of living. We open up 2 Timothy and take Paul's charge seriously: preach the word, be ready in season and out of season, and keep your faith when the moment is inconvenient. Along the way, we talk about what it actually means to “rightly handle the word of truth” so we're not twisting Scripture into a feel good quote, but letting God's Word form a steady, resilient life.You'll also hear a moving update from Shiloh about serving with our partners in Thailand, from kids and youth camps to homeless outreach, and a sobering look at ministry connected to the red light district and children impacted by trafficking. Her story puts mission, compassion, and courage in the same frame, and it reminds us that God is moving even in places that feel impossibly dark.From there, we get practical and personal: fleeing the passions that pull us off course, resisting the trap of “itching ears,” and holding grace and holiness together without sliding into legalism or excuses. We share a simple image that sticks: you can have a whole toolbox nearby, but if you don't carry the right tool into the moment, you still get stuck. Scripture is meant to be on your tool belt, ready to correct, train, and strengthen you for real life.If you're ready to recommit, or to say yes to Jesus for the first time, we make space for that response too. Subscribe for more, share this with a friend who needs a steady word, and leave a review so more people can find the message.Cornerstonehttps://www.cornerstoneaz.org/Follow Jesushttps://www.cornerstoneaz.org/follow-...Life Groups https://www.cornerstoneaz.org/life-gr...Giving https://cornerstoneaz.churchcenter.co...Church Center App - Download then add Cornerstone Christian Center in Avondale, AZiOShttps://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-ch...Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...----Instagram   cornerstoneaz  Facebook  cornerstoneaz.org  Twitter  cornerstoneaz.org

Shamus Toomey, Editor in Chief and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Shamus has details on: State, City Sue South Side Vegetable Oil Plant Over ‘Foul Odors,' Pollution: Pullman Innovations in South Deering — already the subject of a class-action suit filed by fed-up neighbors — has […]

This week, our "4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" shines on Kimberly Wright, publisher of three Macaroni Kid sites in metro Atlanta.Her Macaroni Kid sites cover East Atlanta, Downtown, Little 5 Points, Decatur, Avondale, and College Park. There are 12 sites in metro Atlanta and about 30 across Georgia.Coolest Thing About Kimberly: She just started taking salsa classes at Chicheria Mexican Kitchen Favorite Restaurant: Chicheria Mexican Kitchen on Chattahoochee RowFavorite Local Getaway: Gulf coast beachesLast Podcast: Water Boyz podcast Favorite Guilty Pleasure: Going to the beach aloneFavorite Non-Work Hobby: Exercising, but out and about at her own pace rather than at the gymWebsite: https://decatur.macaronikid.com/Mitch's day job is providing public relations services, media training, and crisis communications, but he also operates Leff's Atlanta Media, an online database with contact info for thousands of Atlanta-based journalists.The "4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" podcast has been ranked on the "100 Best Georgia Podcasts" and the "69 Best US PR Podcasts" according to Feedspot Blog Reader.https://podcast.feedspot.com/georgia_podcasts/https://podcast.feedspot.com/us_pr_podcasts/###

Send us a text and chime in!As students return for the 2026-2027 school year, the Avondale Police Department is increasing enforcement in and around school zones to help keep students, parents, and staff safe. During the first several weeks of school, traffic officers will have an increased presence during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up times, with patrol officers assisting as calls for service allow. Drivers are reminded to slow down, obey the 15 mph speed limit in school zones, stop for crossing guards and school buses, avoid distracted driving, and follow designated traffic patterns. Passing another vehicle in a school zone is prohibited. Stop, Look and...   For the written story, read here >> https://www.signalsaz.com/articles/avondale-police-increase-school-zone-enforcement/ Check out the CAST11.com Website at: https://CAST11.com Follow the CAST11 Podcast Network on Facebook at: https://Facebook.com/CAST11AZFollow Cast11 Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/cast11_podcast_network

The boys have always said they wouldn't dish it out if they couldn't take it - and no week was that theory put to the test more than this one! On the agenda for Lachie Flannigan, Josh Parish and Mark Ivkovic this week:Josh's chickens came home to roost as Zach Cianci scored two goals in a 2-2 draw with Green Gully Gully and Thunder officially relegated - where did it go wrong and how can they get back to NPL VictoriaHeidleberg United's woes continue as Avondale finally take a serious top six scalp - but a relic of the past stole the showEnjoying the show? Keep in touch via our socials!➤ Twitter: @NPLVicPod➤ Instagram: @NPLVictoriaPod➤ Pester Nick here : @NickDurbano_➤ Tell Lachie he's wrong here: @lachieflannigan➤ Direct hate mail to Josh here: @joshparish_➤ Keep up with Ivka's transfer scoops here: @mivkaaThe NPL Victoria Podcast is brought to you in 2026 by Melville Bodyworks, located at 106 Melville Rd Brunswick West. For all your panel beating and smash repairs, give them a call on 8378-5555, or visit http://melvillebodyworks.com.au - and let them know we sent you!Grab your morning coffee in style with Panenkups - premium keep cups that reflect your passion for the beautiful game. With 10 iconic clubs to choose from, head to http://www.panenkups.com and use promo code NPLPOD at checkout for an exclusive 15% discount.We'd also like to thank Content Hype for their support of the show.From matchday photography, videography and social media to website management and newsletters, Content Hype will tailor a package that suits your club's needs.Plus, the Content Hype podcast studio is available for hire! Visit http://www.contenthype.com.au to find out more.

If you live in Birmingham, you already know Trattoria ZaZa. In this episode of The Localist, Carrie Rollwagen sits down with Bryan Stanfield of Trattoria ZaZa in downtown Birmingham. Bryan started at ZaZa as a server in 2010 while he was a student at UAB. Five years later, he and his former business partner bought the restaurant from original owners Brian Somershield and Geoff Lockert. Today ZaZa is one of the most beloved lunch and brunch spots in the city, known for Roman-style square pizza, daily pasta, and coffee program. Bryan and Carrie get into the name (it was ZaZa Trattoria in 2009, became Trattoria Centrale after a legal issue, and eventually went back to ZaZa when the community never stopped calling it that). They talk about how Bryan bought the restaurant instead of opening the ramen shop he had been planning. Why the pandemic pushed ZaZa to include tips in the menu price, and what the reaction has actually been. What it was like to close for eight months in 2019 for a renovation forced by Orchestra Partners' redevelopment of the Frank Nelson Building, how the space grew from 20 seats to 60, and how Bryan worked with Creature and designer Andrew Thomson to figure out every sconce and paint color. The second half is about the food and the philosophy. Why the menu changes daily and how a chef comes in at 3 p.m. and rebuilds a dinner menu from scratch by 5. Why brunch became such a phenomenon. Why the pizza is a hybrid of Roman pizza al taglio and focaccia, and why Bryan describes his food as second-generation Italian cooked with Alabama ingredients. Why he still calls Brian Somershield and Geoff Lockert regularly for advice, and why the downtown restaurant community is genuinely a community. If you love ZaZa, run a restaurant, or care about what has been happening in downtown Birmingham food for the last 15 years, this conversation is for you. Watch on YouTube _______________________________________   Mentioned in This Episode    •       Trattoria ZaZa •       Paramount •       El Barrio •       Brick & Tin •       Helen •       Punch Love Coffee •       Orchestra Partners •       Creature •       The Localist episode with Uncle G's Pizza •       Andrew Thompson Design Studio   Thanks to Our Sponsor, Infomedia The Localist is sponsored by Infomedia. They are a Birmingham-based web and digital marketing company. They help small businesses grow online. •       Contact Infomedia    Join Us at Localist Lab Localist Lab is a free event series for small business owners. It meets on the third Thursday of most months at Saturn in Avondale. Free tacos and coffee too. •       See upcoming events and register   Subscribe to Carrie's Newsletter Want more small business tips from Carrie? Sign up for her newsletter. •       Sign up here

Send us a text and chime in!You may have noticed distinctive pedestrian crossings at key locations throughout Avondale. These are HAWK crossings, designed to make it safer and easier for people to cross busy roadways. HAWK stands for High-Intensity Activated CrossWalK. Unlike a traditional traffic signal, a HAWK crossing is activated only when a pedestrian presses the crossing button. Once activated, the signal stops traffic, allowing pedestrians to cross safely before traffic resumes. HAWK crossings are installed in locations where pedestrian activity is high and additional safety measures can help reduce conflicts between vehicles and people walking or biking. Research has shown that HAWK crossings can...   For the written story, read here >> https://www.signalsaz.com/articles/hawk-crossings-enhance-pedestrian-safety-in-avondale/ Check out the CAST11.com Website at: https://CAST11.com Follow the CAST11 Podcast Network on Facebook at: https://Facebook.com/CAST11AZFollow Cast11 Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/cast11_podcast_network

Send us Fan MailFear loves to impersonate reality. It tells you you're stuck, too broken, too tired, too far gone, and it keeps you from the life God is actually inviting you into. We lean hard into 2 Timothy 1:7 and get specific about what replaces fear when the Holy Spirit leads the way: power, love, and self-control, not as motivational phrases, but as a lived, daily practice of discipleship.We also share what we witnessed through ministry connections in Bangkok and beyond, from baptisms to church planting efforts and practical projects that serve communities. Seeing students lead and serve is a needed wake-up call: our kids are not waiting to become the church someday. Their identity is already secured as sons and daughters of the Most High God, and that confidence helps them cross cultural lines and love people well.Then we bring it home. We talk about praying for prodigals, honoring the legacy of generational faith, and refusing to give up when a loved one feels out of reach. We unpack why “fan into flame” is not poetic language, it's survival language for spiritual life, and why Christian community and life groups matter if we want a sound mind and real self-control. We close with a clear invitation to say yes to Jesus and take a next step so no one has to walk alone.If this encouraged you, share it with someone who's fighting fear, subscribe for more, and leave a review to help others find the conversation. What's one area where you need power, love, or self-control right now?Cornerstonehttps://www.cornerstoneaz.org/Follow Jesushttps://www.cornerstoneaz.org/follow-...Life Groups https://www.cornerstoneaz.org/life-gr...Giving https://cornerstoneaz.churchcenter.co...Church Center App - Download then add Cornerstone Christian Center in Avondale, AZiOShttps://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-ch...Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...----Instagram   cornerstoneaz  Facebook  cornerstoneaz.org  Twitter  cornerstoneaz.org

It's a full house tonight as Josh, Lachie, Ivka and Nick dissect a blockbuster round of action.There's a musical flavour as Heidelberg's struggles continue to be a major talking point. Will things turn around soon?South Melbourne defeated the league leading Oakleigh, ending their 16 game unbeaten run. What does this mean for the race for the finals?Meanwhile, Hume continued their winless run at the hands of St Albans who continue to play spoiler for the finals contenders.Avondale and Preston recorded important wins in their push for finals berth, and the race for promotion is heating up.Enjoying the show? Keep in touch via our socials!➤ Twitter: @NPLVicPod➤ Instagram: @NPLVictoriaPod➤ Pester Nick here : @NickDurbano_➤ Tell Lachie he's wrong here: @lachieflannigan➤ Direct hate mail to Josh here: @joshparish_➤ Keep up with Ivka's transfer scoops here: @mivkaaThe NPL Victoria Podcast is brought to you in 2026 by Melville Bodyworks, located at 106 Melville Rd Brunswick West. For all your panel beating and smash repairs, give them a call on 8378-5555, or visit melvillebodyworks.com.au - and let them know we sent you!Grab your morning coffee in style with Panenkups - premium keep cups that reflect your passion for the beautiful game. With 10 iconic clubs to choose from, head to www.panenkups.com and use promo code NPLPOD at checkout for an exclusive 15% discount.We'd also like to thank Content Hype for their support of the show.From matchday photography, videography and social media to website management and newsletters, Content Hype will tailor a package that suits your club's needs. Plus, the Content Hype podcast studio is available for hire! Visit www.contenthype.com.au to find out more.

If your digital ads feel broken, it is because they are. This episode is a live recording from Localist Lab, the free monthly marketing event series for small business owners in Birmingham. Matt Robinson, Director of Advertising and Analytics at Uptick Marketing, takes the stage to walk a live audience through what has actually changed with Google Ads and Meta Ads in 2026, and what to do about it. Matt oversees digital advertising at Uptick Marketing and also serves as President of AMA Birmingham. Matt breaks down why you may be spending the same amount and getting less. Why cheaper cost per click is not the win it used to be. Why the platforms now treat your website as a data source just as much as your ads. What AI Max, Performance Max and Advantage Plus are actually doing on the back end, and why bad website content will burn your ad budget on them. He walks through what kinds of Facebook ads the platform is actually rewarding right now (us versus them, face to camera, product demos, testimonials, web experience, positioning tests, founder story), and why the answer is 20 plus ads a month, not a single perfect one. The second half covers tracking and AI-generated advice. Why tracking is broken and getting worse. Why to think directionally, not in exact dollar amounts. Why cutting your budget is the wrong reaction to rising costs. And why AI advice from Claude or ChatGPT can lead you off a cliff if you do not tell it your budget, your goals, what has worked and what has not, and demand it push back. If you run digital ads for your small business, this is a practical field guide. _______________________________________   Mentioned in This Episode    •       Uptick Marketing •       Infomedia •       Tempo Websites •       AMA Birmingham •       Google Ads •       Meta Ads •       Claude •       ChatGPT •       Google Gemini •       Uncle G's Pizza episode of The Localist •       Lady Bird Taco Thanks to Our Sponsor, Infomedia The Localist is sponsored by Infomedia. They are a Birmingham-based web and digital marketing company. They help small businesses grow online. •       Contact Infomedia    Join Us at Localist Lab Localist Lab is a free event series for small business owners. It meets on the third Thursday of most months at Saturn in Avondale. Free tacos and coffee too. •       See upcoming events and register   Subscribe to Carrie's Newsletter Want more small business tips from Carrie? Sign up for her newsletter. •       Sign up here

Send us a text and chime in!Residents are invited to take a behind-the-scenes look at how the City of Avondale serves the community through the Citizens Leadership Academy, a free, interactive program designed to connect participants with the people, projects, and services that keep the city running. The academy provides an inside look at city operations through engaging presentations, guided tours, hands-on workshops and demonstrations. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how city services are delivered, how future developments are planned, and how local government works to meet the needs of the community. Over the course of the program, residents will explore a variety of...   For the written story, read here >> https://www.signalsaz.com/articles/citizens-leadership-academy-in-avondale/ Check out the CAST11.com Website at: https://CAST11.com Follow the CAST11 Podcast Network on Facebook at: https://Facebook.com/CAST11AZFollow Cast11 Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/cast11_podcast_network

Send us Fan MailOne wrong turn in the water can feel like the right direction until you run out of breath. That story becomes a mirror for spiritual life as we open 1 Timothy and talk about deception, truth, and the quiet ways we can drift without noticing.We walk through Paul's guidance to Timothy on rejecting myths, clinging to Scripture, and training for godliness in everyday life. You'll hear simple, practical handles for Christian discipleship: listening to God through the Bible and the Holy Spirit, talking with God through honest prayer, and acting on what he asks so we stop “swimming” against the truth. We also lean into Paul's call to set an example, reminding both young and older believers that God's calling is not limited by age and that spiritual gifts are meant to be used, not neglected.Then we zoom out to a foundational question: what is the church? Not a place we visit, but a people we are. That leads into a grounded, sometimes challenging conversation about biblical honor in 1 Timothy 5 and 6: honoring elders, caring for widows, providing for family, valuing faithful leaders, and showing respect in the workplace so the name of God is not dragged down. We close with a direct warning about false teachers and modern noise, plus a timely lesson on contentment, the love of money, and what it means to fight the good fight of faith with consistent spiritual training.If you're hungry for spiritual freedom, clearer discernment, and practical next steps for living like Jesus at home, online, and at work, press play. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the message.Cornerstonehttps://www.cornerstoneaz.org/Follow Jesushttps://www.cornerstoneaz.org/follow-...Life Groups https://www.cornerstoneaz.org/life-gr...Giving https://cornerstoneaz.churchcenter.co...Church Center App - Download then add Cornerstone Christian Center in Avondale, AZiOShttps://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-ch...Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...----Instagram   cornerstoneaz  Facebook  cornerstoneaz.org  Twitter  cornerstoneaz.org

In this episode of The Localist, Carrie Rollwagen sits down with David Fleming, president and CEO of REV Birmingham. REV is the nonprofit that works to grow downtown Birmingham and the Woodlawn neighborhood, and David has been doing this work for 30 years. He is a self-described building hugger, a Bessemer native, and a walking encyclopedia of Birmingham history. Carrie and David open with a Birmingham history lesson. Why the city was founded as an entrepreneurial response to the collapse of the Southern slave economy, why the immigrants who came here to open dry goods stores and furniture shops mattered as much as the industrialists, and why understanding that DNA is critical for anyone leading the city into the future. Then they get into the last 30 years of downtown revitalization. Why 2010 was the pivotal year. How Railroad Park and Regions Field changed people's belief in what downtown could be. Why Second Avenue North became a corridor and how Urban Standard lit the fuse. The second half is a practical guide for small business owners. What REV actually does (place management, economic development, marketing and storytelling, advocacy and policy), the CAP program you see downtown in the blue shirts, the Business Improvement District, the historic preservation easement program, and the real estate advice REV offers for free to any business owner trying to figure out where to open. David also shares what a 2000-person survey revealed about what people actually want to see downtown, and why the answer is not what most people expect. If you own a small business in Birmingham or love the city, this conversation is full of practical resources and Birmingham history you should know. Watch on YouTube _______________________________________   Mentioned in This Episode •       REV Birmingham •       Downtown Birmingham •       Sloss Furnaces •       Birmingham Historical Society •       Railroad Park •       Regions Field •       Pepper Place Farmers Market •       Alabama Theatre •       El Barrio •       Filter Coffee Parlor •       Church Street Coffee & Books •       Gus's Hot Dogs •       The Localist episode with Gus's Hot Dogs •       The Localist book by Carrie Rollwagen Thanks to Our Sponsor, Infomedia The Localist is sponsored by Infomedia. They are a Birmingham-based web and digital marketing company. They help small businesses grow online. •       Contact Infomedia    Join Us at Localist Lab Localist Lab is a free event series for small business owners. It meets on the third Thursday of most months at Saturn in Avondale. Free tacos and coffee too. •       See upcoming events and register   Subscribe to Carrie's Newsletter Want more small business tips from Carrie? Sign up for her newsletter. •       Sign up here

Send us Fan MailLetters can feel quaint until you realize they once carried hope across oceans and silence across years. We start with a story that makes that real: an elderly woman in her 80s whose arthritis kept her from writing to a friend in Ireland, until healing and persistence gave her back the ability to put pen to paper and reconnect. That “small” act becomes a big reminder that connection and discipleship aren't disposable, even if modern communication is instant.From there, we walk through 1 Timothy 1 with Pastor Angus at Cornerstone and step into Timothy's world in Ephesus, a massive, diverse city crowded with pagan worship, spiritual counterfeits, and competing philosophies. We talk about why the pastoral epistles matter for church health today, how to recognize false teachers, and why endless speculation and argument can quietly replace the mission of Jesus. You'll also hear a memorable warning about choosing teachers wisely and why we have to study Scripture for ourselves so our faith becomes owned, not borrowed.We close with the heart of the message: sound doctrine should produce love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith and no one is too far gone for God's mercy. Paul's transformation proves it, and our testimonies carry that same power when we live changed lives instead of chasing debates. If you're hungry for biblical teaching, Christian discipleship, and a clearer path to spiritual growth, press play, then share this with a friend and leave a review. What part of your story might God be asking you to use?Cornerstonehttps://www.cornerstoneaz.org/Follow Jesushttps://www.cornerstoneaz.org/follow-...Life Groups https://www.cornerstoneaz.org/life-gr...Giving https://cornerstoneaz.churchcenter.co...Church Center App - Download then add Cornerstone Christian Center in Avondale, AZiOShttps://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-ch...Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...----Instagram   cornerstoneaz  Facebook  cornerstoneaz.org  Twitter  cornerstoneaz.org

What might have been the last official raceday at Avondale Racecourse in Auckland took place on Wednesday. A crowd of locals and some from further afield showed up for what to send off the storied racetrack in style. Erin Johnson reports.

If your ads aren't performing the way they used to, if you keep hearing about AEO and wondering what it is, or if you have a Google Business Profile you haven't touched in a year, this episode is for you. In this episode of The Localist, Carrie Rollwagen sits down with Alan Harned, Director of Account Services at Uptick Marketing. Alan works with small business owners every day on digital ads, SEO, AEO and analytics. He's honest about what has changed, what still works, and what small business owners can do right now, even without a marketing budget. Alan and Carrie talk about why AI has accelerated changes in marketing analytics, why pausing keywords based on an AI report can actually hurt your campaign, and why platforms need 30 to 60 days to learn what a good lead looks like for your business. They get into hard conversions versus soft conversions, why Google Ads is now prioritizing conversion data more than ever, and how small changes to a website (like adding a schedule button) can turn analytics into a real business insight. The second half of the episode covers small-business AI use cases: how to use ChatGPT and Claude to analyze your own analytics, build an AI advisory board, critique your website, and catch things like spammy backlinks you did not know existed. Alan also answers audience questions on whether customers are actually finding businesses through ChatGPT and Perplexity, whether SEO is dead (spoiler: no), how to handle a Google Business Profile you have neglected, whether Google Ads are still worth the money, and what budget you actually need to start working with a marketing agency.   Watch on YouTube _______________________________________   Mentioned in This Episode •       Uptick Marketing •       Infomedia •       ChatGPT •       Claude •       Perplexity •       Google Business Profile •       Google Analytics •       Google Ads •       StoryBrand •       Yelp for Business •       Bing Places for Business •       Ohm Jiu Jitsu Thanks to Our Sponsor, Infomedia The Localist is sponsored by Infomedia. They are a Birmingham-based web and digital marketing company. They help small businesses grow online. •       Contact Infomedia    Join Us at Localist Lab Localist Lab is a free event series for small business owners. It meets on the third Thursday of most months at Saturn in Avondale. Free tacos and coffee too. •       See upcoming events and register   Subscribe to Carrie's Newsletter Want more small business tips from Carrie? Sign up for her newsletter. •       Sign up here

Send us Fan MailPanic spreads faster than truth, especially when it comes wrapped in spiritual language. We pick up in 2 Thessalonians and talk about what happens when a church gets rattled by claims that the day of the Lord has already arrived. Barb opens with a relatable picture of Y2K style fear and then drives straight into Paul's warning: don't get quickly shaken, don't get played by rumors, and don't let anxiety shape your choices.From there we zoom out to the bigger challenge for Christians right now: discernment. We unpack how deception can travel through whispers, “someone said,” and even messages that look legitimate, and why testing what we hear against Scripture protects our peace and our intimacy with God. We also talk about vigilance without obsession, including the idea of the Holy Spirit as the restrainer and what it means for the church to “hold the wall” together by praying, standing, and shining light in ordinary places like our homes and workplaces.Gage then brings it home with hope: God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. We dig into what sanctification actually means, why the gospel can't be replaced by good intentions, and why good works are the fruit of salvation, not the price of admission. Dave closes with two practical marching orders from 2 Thessalonians 3: pray and serve, plus a real invitation to volunteer with Mercy House and our back to school outreach.If you want clearer faith in a noisy world, hit play, then subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find it.Cornerstonehttps://www.cornerstoneaz.org/Follow Jesushttps://www.cornerstoneaz.org/follow-...Life Groups https://www.cornerstoneaz.org/life-gr...Giving https://cornerstoneaz.churchcenter.co...Church Center App - Download then add Cornerstone Christian Center in Avondale, AZiOShttps://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-ch...Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...----Instagram   cornerstoneaz  Facebook  cornerstoneaz.org  Twitter  cornerstoneaz.org

Host Richie Tevlin and Co-Host Evan Blum talk with Basil and Kevin Kershner, the brothers and co-founders behind Brothers Kershner Brewing Co. in Skippack, Montgomery County. Since opening their 15-barrel brewhouse in the heart of Skippack Village in 2018, the two have grown the brand into a three-location operation, adding the seasonal Brothers on the Brandywine beer garden in Coatesville and The Barrel, a restaurant and taproom in Avondale, in the summer of 2025.  https://www.brotherskershner.com/ @BrothersKershner _____________________________________________ THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!: The Beer Accountant: https://www.paddymaccpa.com/brewerysolutions Patrick McDonald Email: pmcdonald@paddymaccpa.com 267-566-4077 - Licensed CPA Norris McLaughlin P.A. https://norrismclaughlin.com/ted-zeller Ted Zeller - Epi 91 Email: tzeller@norris-law.com (484) 765-2220 - Liquor Attorney Cascade Floors https://cascadefloors.com/ Chris Klein Email: chris@cascadefloors.com (541) 510-1080 _______________________________________ EPISODE NOTES: Breweries & Beverage Brands Allagash Brewing - Portland, ME Bell's Brewery - Comstock, MI Requiem Bier - Philadelphia, PA Victory Brewing - Downingtown, PA Warwick Farm Brewing - Epi 68 - Jamison, PA Other Mentions Annie Bailey's Irish Public House - Lancaster, PA Basta Pasta - Skippack Village Italian restaurant Brandywine Outfitters Riverside Park - Canoe & kayak rental + riverside park (Mortonville, PA) The Dutch Cottage Tavern - Schwenksville, PA Duville Inn - Closed Iron Heart Canning - Mobile canning company Olive Garden - Restaurant chain Pitch-a-Friend - Epi 71 - Event company The Stray Dog Tavern - Skippack, PA Suburban Comedy - Philly-suburbs comedy shows Texas Roadhouse - Restaurant chain TimeOut Sports Bar - Skippack, PA Wawa - Convenience store chain Mentioned People Conor McGregor - UFC Fighter & Co-Founder of Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey Jamie - Team member at Brothers Kershner (The Barrel) John - Lead Bartender at Brothers Kershner Josh Fryauff - Head Brewer of Brothers Kershner & Co-Founder of Requiem Bier Pat McDonald - CPA & Owner of Beer Accountant Ryan Seiz - Epi 68 - Founder of Warwick Farm Brewing Tim - Team member at Brothers Kershner (Beer Garden)   What We Drank? Love American IPA | 6.5% Brothers Kershner Brewing -------------------- Strawbird German Leichtbier | 4.0% Brothers Kershner Brewing -------------------- BBB (Bing Bang Boom) American IPA | 6.5% Brothers Kershner Brewing _______________________________________   STAY CONNECTED: Instagram: ⁠⁠@brewedat⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠@thebrewedatpodcast⁠⁠ Tik Tok: ⁠⁠@brewedat ⁠⁠/ ⁠⁠@thebrewedatpodcast⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠@brewedat⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠@thebrewedatpodcast⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠BrewedAt Website: ⁠⁠www.brewedat.com / www.spacecadetbeer.com  

How do you compete with Domino's when you are running a small pizza shop with two food trucks and a brick and mortar? In this episode of The Localist, Carrie Rollwagen sits down with George Gilliam, owner of Uncle G's Pizza in Birmingham. George is honest about the journey. He has pivoted his business more than once, from food truck to brick and mortar to takeout-only with a commissary kitchen. He has built one of the most engaged social media presences of any small business in Birmingham. And he has been openly using AI to give himself back the time he needs to run the business and create good content. George and Carrie talk about why pizza parties for first responders perform better than product shots, why short form video has been a sea change for his business, why the social videos that perform best are the ones he throws together quickly, and how he uses CapCut to build them. They also nerd out on AI: where George uses it for the back end of the business, where he avoids it, why he believes it can level the playing field for small business owners, and why the AI conversation feels risky to even have publicly right now. If you are a small business owner trying to figure out where AI fits, how to use social media without being self-serving, and how to make small business work in 2026, this is an honest, funny and useful conversation. Watch on YouTube _______________________________________   Mentioned in This Episode •       Uncle G's Pizza •       Donate a Pizza Party •       Hop City Birmingham •       Trim Tab Brewing •       Ghost Train Brewing •       CapCut •       Adobe Premiere Pro •       Google Gemini •       A. Studio That Works / Andrew Thomson (designer of the King Pep mascot) •       Noah Stalcup (illustrator of the King Pep mascot) •       Andrew Jackson Hood (designer of Ohm Jiu Jitsu branding) •       The Camel music venue (Richmond, VA)   Thanks to Our Sponsor, Infomedia The Localist is sponsored by Infomedia. They are a Birmingham-based web and digital marketing company. They help small businesses grow online. •       Contact Infomedia    Join Us at Localist Lab Localist Lab is a free event series for small business owners. It meets on the third Thursday of most months at Saturn in Avondale. Free tacos and coffee too. •       See upcoming events and register   Subscribe to Carrie's Newsletter Want more small business tips from Carrie? Sign up for her newsletter. •       Sign up here

More than 130 years of horse racing is coming to an end at Auckland's Avondale Racecourse with the final race day set for next Wednesday. reports.

Send us Fan MailFireworks fade fast, but the questions linger: what does freedom actually require, and what does it cost to keep your faith when the current is moving the other way? We start with something simple and surprisingly powerful, the practice of writing letters, then we open Paul's words in 2 Thessalonians 1 and let them challenge us. When Paul praises a persecuted church for growing faith and increasing love, we hear a message many of us need today: keep going, stand firm, and don't let pressure rewrite your convictions.We talk honestly about what persecution can look like in modern life, not always dramatic, but often personal. Being left out by friends, misunderstood by family, or punished professionally for living by Christian values can wear you down. We anchor the response in Scripture and in a clear call to live with courage and love, while also praying for America with gratitude for the freedom to worship and the responsibility that comes with it.Then we give a practical framework we can all pray: recovery, restoration, repentance, and release. We ask God to restore awe, rebuild what's been broken, turn hearts away from sin, and break chains of addiction, trauma, and strongholds. We close with an invitation to follow Jesus, plus next steps so no one has to walk alone.If this encouraged you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs strength, and leave a review so more people can find these conversations. What's the one “R” you're asking God for right now?Cornerstonehttps://www.cornerstoneaz.org/Follow Jesushttps://www.cornerstoneaz.org/follow-...Life Groups https://www.cornerstoneaz.org/life-gr...Giving https://cornerstoneaz.churchcenter.co...Church Center App - Download then add Cornerstone Christian Center in Avondale, AZiOShttps://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-ch...Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...----Instagram   cornerstoneaz  Facebook  cornerstoneaz.org  Twitter  cornerstoneaz.org

The Cincinnati Planning Commission gave its blessing in June, but some residents remain opposed.

AI can give you words. But it can't give you judgment. This episode is a live recording from Localist Lab, the free monthly marketing event series for small business owners in Birmingham. Janna Stevens, Communications Director at Infomedia, takes the stage to walk a live audience through writing with AI. Janna is a career writer. She has spent years honing grammar, voice and style. She talks about what AI is actually good at, where it falls short, and how to use it without losing your voice. Janna covers where AI helps: beating blank page paralysis, drafting structured writing, repurposing content, editing for length, grammar checks, document summarization, research and brainstorming. She also covers where it falls short: average output, flattening your voice, not knowing your audience, sameness across the internet, and the iteration loop that often takes longer than just writing it yourself. Then she shares practical tips for getting better AI output, including building richer prompts, asking AI to critique instead of create, and deleting the first paragraph almost every time. If you've been wondering how to use AI for your small business writing without sounding like everyone else, this is a clear and honest guide from a writer who is using it every day. ___________________________________ Mentioned in This Episode Claude (AI assistant) Claude Cowork ChatGPT Google Gemini NotebookLM Pam Darden's SEO for the AI Era talk at Localist Lab Luke Richey email marketing episode of The Localist Uptick Marketing Tempo Websites Infomedia Studios _______________________________________________________________________________ Thanks to Our Sponsor, Infomedia The Localist is sponsored by Infomedia, a Birmingham-based web and digital marketing company that helps small businesses get big results online. Contact Infomedia: https://infomedia.com/contact ________________________________________________________________________________ Join Us at Localist Lab Localist Lab is our free live marketing event series for small business owners, held on the third Thursday of most months at Saturn in Avondale. Each session features practical strategies you can use right away, plus free tacos and coffee. See upcoming events and register https://infomedia.com/events ________________________________________________________________________________ Subscribe to Carrie's Newsletter Get more small business insights, resources and behind-the-scenes updates from Carrie delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for the newsletter: https://gmail.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9c59a060684d71f12f6e495fc&id=98cd3122b9  

Send us Fan MailFear is loud, persuasive, and weirdly familiar, especially when we're trying to look brave. We start with three words that set the tone for everything that follows: aware, awake, anointed. Then we get honest about the kind of fear that doesn't just make you nervous, but quietly drives your decisions, your relationships, and your view of God. If you grew up with rapture anxiety or end-times teaching that left you bracing for a “gotcha” moment, you'll feel this shift: Jesus doesn't scare you into following him, he draws you close.We walk through 1 Thessalonians 5 and the warning that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night. That's not a cue to spiral, it's a call to spiritual readiness. We connect it with Luke 17, Noah, and Lot, and we talk about how distraction, indulgence, and nonstop “peace and security” messaging can lull a culture to sleep. We also name the real-world weight of war and instability, pray for Venezuela, and remind ourselves that even in countries labeled “enemies,” we have brothers and sisters in faith.The practical turn is simple and strong: live as children of light. Stay sober-minded, put on faith and love like armor, and hold the hope of salvation steady in your mind. We close with an invitation to embrace Jesus, a prayer you can pray right now, and clear next steps for your walk with God, including baptism and support for new believers.If this helped you breathe again, share it with a friend who's been living on edge. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us what you're choosing to replace fear with this week. What does “aware, awake, anointed” look like in your life today?Cornerstonehttps://www.cornerstoneaz.org/Follow Jesushttps://www.cornerstoneaz.org/follow-...Life Groups https://www.cornerstoneaz.org/life-gr...Giving https://cornerstoneaz.churchcenter.co...Church Center App - Download then add Cornerstone Christian Center in Avondale, AZiOShttps://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-ch...Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...----Instagram   cornerstoneaz  Facebook  cornerstoneaz.org  Twitter  cornerstoneaz.org

In the wake of tragic headlines, political tension, global instability, and economic stress, people are once again being confronted with the angst of chronic stress, personal pressure, relational strain, and the weight of what feels like nonstop chaos in our world.   For many men... that weight is often carried silently. They are emotionally drained, discouraged, powerless, or overwhelmed by what is happening around them, in their families, and in their communities.    ⁠Dr. Ronn Hale⁠,  Senior Pastor/Apostle of ⁠The Carpenter's House of Worship⁠ in Avondale, Arizona, brings a faith-based perspective and a voice and message that reach far beyond church walls. He is well-positioned to encourage people seeking tools to maintain a healthy mindset, process life with clarity, and stay grounded in difficult times.   Dr. Hale offers practical, encouraging insight drawn from the principles of his new book, ⁠The Power of a Kingdom Mindset⁠. His message is especially relevant for those trying to remain steady when silent pressures become too loud to process alone.   Follow Dr. Ronn Website: www.drronnhale.org IG: @drronnhale (IG) Follow B. Lifted Up! Radio: @bliftedupradio (Twitter/Instagram/Facebook) ⁠www.bliftedupradio.com⁠ | ⁠www.mochapodcastsnetwork.com/bliftedup⁠ (Websites) Mia Hall - @miahalltv (Instagram) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the app you have been wishing existed could actually be built by you, even if you don't know how to code? In this episode of The Localist, Carrie Rollwagen sits down with Dan Atchison, the creator of Tend+, an iOS app that helps you tend to the relationships already in your phone. You download the app, pick the people you want to keep in touch with, set how often you want to connect, and Tend+ prompts you when it is time to reach out. Carrie has been using it for months. Here's the twist. Dan is not a developer. He vibe coded the entire app himself, starting over Christmas break when he got bored. Dan talks about how he went from idea to App Store, what tools he used, what he learned the hard way, and why every small business owner should know what vibe coding can and cannot do. Dan and Carrie also talk about what Tend+ is really about. Why proximity used to do the work in our relationships and how that has changed. Why we should tend to people instead of managing them. Why the cost of delivery is directly tied to the value of the message. If you have an app idea, or you just want to be a better friend, this conversation has something for you Watch the Full Episode on YouTube ____________________________________________________________________________________ Mentioned in This Episode Tend+ on the Apple App Store Tend+ website Highlands College Claude (AI assistant) Claude Code Anthropic Famous.ai Base44 Lovable Supabase Netlify Vercel GitHub Hattie O'Hara episode of The Localist Dan's Substack: Truth and Wonder _______________________________________________________________________________ Thanks to Our Sponsor, Infomedia The Localist is sponsored by Infomedia, a Birmingham-based web and digital marketing company that helps small businesses get big results online. Contact Infomedia: https://infomedia.com/contact ________________________________________________________________________________ Join Us at Localist Lab Localist Lab is our free live marketing event series for small business owners, held on the third Thursday of most months at Saturn in Avondale. Each session features practical strategies you can use right away, plus free tacos and coffee. See upcoming events and register https://infomedia.com/events ________________________________________________________________________________ Subscribe to Carrie's Newsletter Get more small business insights, resources and behind-the-scenes updates from Carrie delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for the newsletter: https://gmail.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9c59a060684d71f12f6e495fc&id=98cd3122b9

  In the wake of tragic headlines, political tension, global instability, and economic stress, people are once again being confronted with the angst of chronic stress, personal pressure, relational strain, and the weight of what feels like nonstop chaos in our world.   For many men... that weight is often carried silently. They are emotionally drained, discouraged, powerless, or overwhelmed by what is happening around them, in their families, and in their communities.    Dr. Ronn Hale,  Senior Pastor/Apostle of The Carpenter's House of Worship in Avondale, Arizona, brings a faith-based perspective and a voice and message that reach far beyond church walls. He is well-positioned to encourage people seeking tools to maintain a healthy mindset, process life with clarity, and stay grounded in difficult times.   Dr. Hale offers practical, encouraging insight drawn from the principles of his new book, The Power of a Kingdom Mindset. His message is especially relevant for those trying to remain steady when silent pressures become too loud to process alone.   Follow Dr. Ronn Website: www.drronnhale.org IG: @drronnhale (IG) Follow B. Lifted Up! Radio: @bliftedupradio (Twitter/Instagram/Facebook) ⁠www.bliftedupradio.com⁠ | ⁠www.mochapodcastsnetwork.com/bliftedup⁠ (Websites) Mia Hall - @miahalltv (Instagram) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Built by Samuel Hayes in 1779, today, Avondale House is one of Wicklow's greatest visitor attractions but just what does this piece of Irish history have on offer for those hoping to, reach new heights this summer? Newstalk Reporter Sarah Madden has been exploring just that and she joins Pat to discuss.Pat was broadcasting live from Avondale House in Wicklow as part of Newstalk's 2026 Summer Tour.

Broadcasting from the stunning surroundings of Avondale, Co. Wicklow for the first stop of Newstalk's Summer Tour 2026, Pat is joined by historian Patrick Geoghegan to explore the life and legacy of Charles Stewart Parnell.

Broadcasting from Avondale in Rathdrum for Newstalk's Summer Tour, Pat Kenny is joined by Newstalk newsreader and local man Alex Rowley for a lively look at the morning papers.

Housing, homelessness and addiction are now among the most urgent social challenges facing communities across Ireland, and Wicklow is no exception. Broadcasting from Avondale, Pat looks at the pressures on families in emergency accommodation, the rising demand for social housing, and gaps in supports on the ground with Senator Aubrey McCarthy, co-founder of Tiglin.

Broadcasting from Avondale for the opening stop of Newstalk's Summer Tour, Pat turns from Wicklow's famous woodlands to another local treasure: Kilmacurragh Botanic Gardens near Rathdrum with Diarmuid Gavin.

After enduring the Touchstone, new students eagerly race to find out their exciting new assignments! Wait...there must be a mistake...Natural 20 shoutouts go to Scale & Feather Meadery in Avondale, AZ! Check out their delicious D&D themed meads: www.scaleandfeather.comTheme music by Humanure: ⁠⁠https://straybolts.bandcamp.com⁠⁠Other music used in this session:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58PCM-x7jlg&list=PL070fnXrugDz0LV2LuN09l1QLzR8sp1Wchttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DWkqNyb7yI&list=PL070fnXrugDz0LV2LuN09l1QLzR8sp1Wc&index=10https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsE2_WWkFd8&list=PL070fnXrugDz0LV2LuN09l1QLzR8sp1Wc&index=8

Email is one of the cheapest and most direct ways to talk to your customers. So why are so many small business owners still ignoring it? In this episode of The Localist, Carrie Rollwagen sits down with Luke Richey, Director of Content Marketing at Uptick Marketing. Luke and Carrie are both writers, and they both know that good writing can sell services in a way most other marketing simply cannot. They take a deep dive into newsletter email marketing, what it really does for a small business, and why most owners are sleeping on it. Luke and Carrie talk about why newsletters build loyalty better than social media, why your email list is yours in a way your Instagram followers will never be, whether to send from a person or a brand, how to find your voice, why your subject line is the most important sentence you will write, when to use Substack and when not to, what to do with 25 subscribers, and how to keep going when people unsubscribe. If you have a small business and you have been wondering if email marketing is worth it, this episode is a clear and honest guide to getting started. Watch the Full Episode on YouTube ____________________________________________________________________________________ Mentioned in This Episode   Carrie's free newsletter and good stuff folder Uptick Marketing Infomedia Mailchimp Constant Contact Substack HubSpot Zapier Canva Marketing Made Simple by Donald Miller StoryBrand   _______________________________________________________________________________ Thanks to Our Sponsor, Infomedia The Localist is sponsored by Infomedia, a Birmingham-based web and digital marketing company that helps small businesses get big results online. Contact Infomedia: https://infomedia.com/contact ________________________________________________________________________________ Join Us at Localist Lab Localist Lab is our free live marketing event series for small business owners, held on the third Thursday of most months at Saturn in Avondale. Each session features practical strategies you can use right away, plus free tacos and coffee. See upcoming events and register https://infomedia.com/events ________________________________________________________________________________ Subscribe to Carrie's Newsletter Get more small business insights, resources and behind-the-scenes updates from Carrie delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for the newsletter: https://gmail.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9c59a060684d71f12f6e495fc&id=98cd3122b9

Kyle Karges sits down with Bill and Kimberly Fischer to talk about their entrepreneurial journey from Alaska business owners to active real estate investors in the SubTo community. They share how their first fix-and-flip in Avondale came together through a bird dog relationship, why they chose partnership over a simple referral fee, and what they learned when contractor issues pushed the project behind schedule. The conversation highlights the value of taking action, building trust, and becoming the kind of person others want to do deals with. Follow Bill & Kimberly Fischer - www.instagram.com/billfischerak Follow Kyle Karges - www.instagram.com/thekylekarges

Send us Fan MailSome Sundays don't feel like inspiration, they feel like endurance. We start with a simple but challenging truth from Paul's letter to the Thessalonians: trials aren't a glitch in the Christian life, they're part of it. Angie Ortiz shares how sickness, financial pressure, family burdens, and the battle in our minds can either shake our faith or strengthen it, and why God's presence matters more than a painless path. If you've been asking where God is when life gets heavy, you'll hear a steady answer: He's faithful in the middle of it.From there, we dig into 1 Thessalonians 4 and talk sanctification, becoming more like Jesus with real choices in the real world. That includes sexual purity, self-control, and the uncomfortable reality that holiness won't always match the crowd. We also talk about the Holy Spirit's conviction as a gift, guidance that keeps us from drifting into consequences, and brotherly love as the everyday proof that Jesus is changing us.Then Sarina brings a vivid image that lands in the heart: the empty chair. Maybe yours is a person you lost, a relationship that ended, a dream that never came, or a prayer that still feels unanswered. Paul doesn't tell us not to grieve; he tells us not to grieve without hope. Because Jesus died and rose again, the tomb is empty, and that reshapes how we carry sorrow, how we wait, and what we believe about reunion and restoration.We close with a clear invitation to say yes to Jesus and step into a living relationship with God, plus prayer for anyone walking through trials or loss. If this encouraged you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find hope that holds.Cornerstonehttps://www.cornerstoneaz.org/Follow Jesushttps://www.cornerstoneaz.org/follow-...Life Groups https://www.cornerstoneaz.org/life-gr...Giving https://cornerstoneaz.churchcenter.co...Church Center App - Download then add Cornerstone Christian Center in Avondale, AZiOShttps://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-ch...Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...----Instagram   cornerstoneaz  Facebook  cornerstoneaz.org  Twitter  cornerstoneaz.org

What does it really take to open a bookstore, survive a pandemic in your first year, and then expand twice in six years? In this episode of The Localist, Carrie Rollwagen sits down with Kristen Iskandrian, co-owner of Thank You Books in Birmingham's Crestwood neighborhood. Thank You Books opened in December 2019, just months before COVID closed everything down. Six years later, they are expanding for the second time and doubling their footprint. Kristen talks about why retail leases matter more than most people realize, how Thank You Books learned what worked by listening to their customers, and why the book business is one of the hardest small businesses to run. They get into sideline items, signed first edition subscriptions, why bookstore margins are so thin, how to host author events that actually pull a crowd, and what it really means to build community around a store. Carrie spent years in bookselling before The Localist. She was co-founder of Church Street Coffee and Books and managed Jonathan Benton Bookseller. This conversation goes deep into the business, the dream and the reality of running an independent bookstore. Watch the full episode on YouTube ____________________________________________________________________________________ Mentioned in This Episode  Thank You Books Shop Thank You Books merch at MAKE Birmingham Thank You Books First Edition Subscription Thank You Books on Libro.fm Thank You Books on Bookshop.org MAKE Birmingham (local goods sold at Thank You Books) Hannah Mills (local maker featured at Thank You Books) Crestwood Pharmacy Red Bike Coffee Urban Suburban (Crestwood) Total Joint (Jimmy from Crestwood) Church Street Coffee and Books (Carrie's old shop) Parnassus Books (Nashville) Ingram (book distributor) Paz & Associates Bookselling Bootcamp Co.Starters small business class (Birmingham) Alabama Booksmith Little Professor Book Center Bookmarked Birmingham American Booksellers Association Indie Bookstore Day Winter Institute Birmingham Mountain Radio Square Books (Oxford) Bookshop.org Libro.fm _______________________________________________________________________________ Thanks to Our Sponsor, Infomedia The Localist is sponsored by Infomedia, a Birmingham-based web and digital marketing company that helps small businesses get big results online. Contact Infomedia: https://infomedia.com/contact ________________________________________________________________________________ Join Us at Localist Lab Localist Lab is our free live marketing event series for small business owners, held on the third Thursday of most months at Saturn in Avondale. Each session features practical strategies you can use right away, plus free tacos and coffee. See upcoming events and register https://infomedia.com/events ________________________________________________________________________________ Subscribe to Carrie's Newsletter Get more small business insights, resources and behind-the-scenes updates from Carrie delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for the newsletter: https://gmail.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9c59a060684d71f12f6e495fc&id=98cd3122b9

What if a few hours of part-time help would change your week? This episode is a live recording from Localist Lab, the free monthly marketing event series for small business owners in Birmingham. Carrie Rollwagen takes the speaker seat this time to walk a live audience through how she hired a virtual assistant, what she actually has her VA do, and where AI tools fit into the mix. Carrie covers what a virtual assistant is, how to find one, how to budget for one, and what to do before they start. She shares the documents she made for her VA, the tools they use together, and the kinds of work she does and does not hand off. She also walks through how she uses AI for tasks like building decks, transcribing meetings, organizing her desktop, and turning one podcast into a dozen reels. If you are a small business owner who keeps thinking you cannot afford help, this episode is a clear and honest look at what part-time help actually looks like in practice. Watch on YouTube ____________________________________________________________________________________ Mentioned in This Episode Virtual Savvy Time Tailored OnePass (password manager) LastPass (password manager) Calendly Otter.ai (voice memo transcription) Carrie's Turn One Post into Ten talk Ohm Jiu Jitsu (Russell Marbut) Alabama Twisters _______________________________________________________________________________ Thanks to Our Sponsor, Infomedia The Localist is sponsored by Infomedia, a Birmingham-based web and digital marketing company that helps small businesses get big results online. Contact Infomedia: https://infomedia.com/contact ________________________________________________________________________________ Join Us at Localist Lab Localist Lab is our free live marketing event series for small business owners, held on the third Thursday of most months at Saturn in Avondale. Each session features practical strategies you can use right away, plus free tacos and coffee. See upcoming events and register https://infomedia.com/events ________________________________________________________________________________ Subscribe to Carrie's Newsletter Get more small business insights, resources and behind-the-scenes updates from Carrie delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for the newsletter: https://gmail.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9c59a060684d71f12f6e495fc&id=98cd3122b9

Zeb and Ray from the fantastic North Carolina band Bask join me for this episode as we chat on the back patio of Livewire Lounge in Chicago's Avondale neighborhood. Bask released their epic, genre-defying album The Turning last year, blending elements of psych, prog, atmospheric rock, and country into an incredibly awesome, cinematic vibe. We dig into their collaborative songwriting evolution, how they execute their massive sonic dynamics, and how their music serves as a true journey for the listener. Plus, since the interview fell on Zeb's birthday, we talk about the band's essential Chicago birthday stop: hitting up Johnny's Beef in Elmwood Park (this band knows how to maximize their tour down time).   Support Our Sponsor Exploding House Printing is here for all of your screen printing, embroidery and other merchandising needs. They're local, headquartered in the heart of Hermosa. Here's why I want you to consider them for your t-shirts, merch, whatever - their focus is on small businesses, bands, brands, and everything in between. They've worked on products for Meat Wave, Empty Bottle, the Music Box, Dante's Pizzeria, the Brokedowns, and the list goes on and on. Jonathan at Exploding House has been doing screen printing for decades. He knows what he's doing - besides his technical expertise, he delivers production efficiency and cost awareness to offer boutique print shop quality at much lower, large print shop prices. Check out their work on Instagram at @explodinghouse, or check out their site at explodinghouseprinting.com for a quote, or to see a list of some of their clients.  

Join LaTangela as she chats with Dr. Ronn Hale, II on the #TanLine Dr. Ronn Hale II is a bestselling author, pastor, entrepreneur, and mentor He is the author of The Power of a Kingdom Mindset, a practical leadership blueprint designed to help people, especially men, renew their thinking, strengthen their identity, and lead with discipline across family, business, and community life. Known as "The Kingdom Mindset Strategist," Dr. Hale brings a rare combination of church leadership and marketplace credibility to the national conversation around identity, mental resilience, and generational leadership. As senior pastor of the Carpenter's House Christian Worship Center in Avondale, Arizona, he has led a growing ministry with international reach for more than two decades. As an entrepreneur and investor, he has launched and operated multiple successful businesses across publishing, automotive, health food, counseling, and behavioral health, employing dozens of professionals and serving hundreds of families. Dr. Hale's inspiring trajectory from poverty, early education learning deficiencies and deadly illness to faith, healing and financial success will empower audiences as he teaches principles to achieve a life of purpose through transformative thinkingWatch full episode HERE Chime in: www.LaTangela.coom RADIO - WEMX- Baton Rouge, La. Mon-Fri 10a.m.-3p.m.CST KTCX - Beaumont, Tx. Mon-Fri 3-8 CST KMEZ - New Orleans, La. Mon-Fri 7p.m. - mid WEMX Sundays 6a.m. KSMB Sundays 6a.m .WWO - YouTube - #LaTangelaFay Podcast - ALL digital platforms - #iTunes #Spotify #WEMX www.LaTangela.com www.TanTune.com Special Thank You - Gordon McKernan Injury Attorney - Official Partner #GordonGives #TanCares #225BulletinBoard TanTune TanCares POOF Power Over Obstacles Forever GT Legacy AutoThe Fiery Crab Hair Queen Beauty Super CenterSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Growing a Business Without Losing What Makes It Special | Golden Age Wine In this episode of The Localist, Carrie Rollwagen sits down with Brandon Loper and Trent Stewart, co-owners of Golden Age Wine in Birmingham. Last time Brandon and Trent were on the podcast, it was during the pandemic. A lot has changed since then. They still have their original Mountain Brook location, but they also have Golden Age Wine Garden downtown, a national wine club and their own importing company called Vins de Lieu. Brandon and Trent talk about why they chose to scale through importing instead of opening more locations, how they think about pop-ups with local chefs, what makes Birmingham's small business community so supportive, why they hire for hospitality first and wine knowledge second, and how they keep both shops feeling personal even as the business grows. If you own a small business and you have ever wondered what it looks like to grow without losing what makes you special, this conversation is full of honest answers. Watch the Full Episode on YouTube ____________________________________________________________________________________ Mentioned in This Episode Golden Age Wine website Golden Age Wine Club signup Brandon and Trent's first Localist episode (2021) Paramount (Brian) Bandit Patisserie Chez Fonfon Salud David Baker Architects June Coffee Erin Merhar (pizza pop-up) Harper Snell (Golden Age photography and marketing) Rob Culpepper (photographer) _______________________________________________________________________________ Thanks to Our Sponsor, Infomedia The Localist is sponsored by Infomedia, a Birmingham-based web and digital marketing company that helps small businesses get big results online. Contact Infomedia: https://infomedia.com/contact ________________________________________________________________________________ Join Us at Localist Lab Localist Lab is our free live marketing event series for small business owners, held on the third Thursday of most months at Saturn in Avondale. Each session features practical strategies you can use right away, plus free tacos and coffee. See upcoming events and register https://infomedia.com/events ________________________________________________________________________________ Subscribe to Carrie's Newsletter Get more small business insights, resources and behind-the-scenes updates from Carrie delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for the newsletter: https://gmail.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9c59a060684d71f12f6e495fc&id=98cd3122b9

Your website traffic might be down. But that doesn't mean your business is. In this episode of The Localist, Carrie Rollwagen sits down with Pam Darden, VP of Accounts and Revenue at Infomedia, to answer real audience questions about small business websites in the age of AI. Pam has worked with small business clients for over 10 years. She knows what actually works, and what is quietly costing you customers. They cover why you still need a website even if traffic has dropped, how AI is pulling information about your business from places you never thought to check, what to put on your site so AI includes you in the conversation, how to track sales when analytics no longer tell the full story, and whether vibe coding is ever a good idea for a small business. If you have a website and are not sure if it is working, this episode will show you exactly where to look.  

What if the reason you opened a business had nothing to do with profit? In this episode of The Localist, Carrie Rollwagen sits down with Cierra Lober, founder of Cha House, a community hub centered around a tea house in Avondale, Birmingham. Cierra did not set out to open a tea shop. She set out to build a community center, and she chose tea as the method — specifically the traditional Chinese practice of Gong Fu Cha, where small pots of loose-leaf tea are steeped again and again, slowing you down and making you present with the people around you. Cierra talks about why she started Cha House, how five years of pop-up events led her to a brick-and-mortar space next to Beloved Community Church in Avondale, what it felt like to have four strangers volunteer to work for free because they wanted the space to survive, how she manages a seven-day-a-week event calendar, what she has learned about training staff for a community-first business, and what it actually takes to build a real third place in Birmingham. Whether you are running a traditional business, a mission-driven business or just someone who wonders what it would look like to build something around community first, this episode is warm, honest and full of ideas.  

What if the reason your small business marketing isn't working has nothing to do with your budget, your platform or your posting schedule? This episode is a live recording from Localist Lab, our free monthly marketing event for small business owners in Birmingham. Marketing consultant Laine White of Uptick Marketing joined Carrie Rollwagen on stage at Saturn in Avondale to share a simple three-question framework that reveals where most small business marketing goes wrong — and exactly what to fix first. Laine walks through the three questions every piece of marketing needs to answer: Is it clear what you are selling? Is it clear why they need to buy? And is it clear what they need to do next? She works through real examples, a live Q&A with the audience, and some honest talk about Google ads, AI in marketing and what actually moves the needle for small businesses with limited budgets. If you have ever felt like your marketing is not working but you could not figure out why, this episode gives you a framework you can apply to everything — your website, your ads, your social media — starting today.