Podcasts about East Tennessee

East Tennessee has a reputation for strange woods, hidden caves, Bigfoot sightings, Dogman encounters, and unexplained Appalachian legends, but today, we go even deeper. Tony and the Slingshot Nation crew sit down with Ricky to explore bizarre supernatural encounters in the forests of Maryville, Alcoa, Kodak, and the surrounding Tennessee mountains, including a Bigfoot-like creature crawling across a trail on its fingers and toes, possible Dogman activity near the Greenway, eerie cave systems beneath East Tennessee, occult bloodline connections, spiritual warfare, shadow figures, strange knocks on homes, and the chilling idea that something ancient may be moving through the woods after dark. From cryptid sightings to demonic encounters, today we ask one unsettling question: what is really crawling through East Tennessee?If you're able, consider helping the Merkel family with medical expenses by donating to Lindsay's GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/b8f76890

Some stories don't fit neatly into a testimony card. Ro Elliott's story is one of them. In this episode, Ro sits down with me to walk through a life marked by unexpected loss, hard-won faith, and the kind of redemption that only makes sense in hindsight.Ro grew up in a tightly-knit Italian Catholic family outside New York City before her father's job transfer landed them in the deeply unfamiliar terrain of East Tennessee where she encountered Protestants, Baptist churches on every corner, and eventually, Jesus. What followed wasn't a neat conversion story. It was a slow unraveling and rebuilding that touched every part of her life, and yet… Ro kept her grip on the God those communities had distorted, asked him hard questions, and found her way back, not just to church, but to genuine healing and community.This conversation is honest, unhurried, and full of the kind of hope that has actually been tested. If you're in the middle of your own hard story, this one's for you.Ro's Website: https://www.roelliottconsulting.com/Ro on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roelliott/

A family moves deep into the mountains near Rocky Fork State Park in East Tennessee and starts experiencing things they can't explain.A massive reddish-blond Sasquatch walks across a ridge in broad daylight and mentally identifies itself as “the protector of the forest.” Heavy footsteps shake the cabin at night. Something runs across the roof. Giant figures appear beside the road at 4 AM illuminated by headlights after Hurricane Helene devastates the region.Jodi and Michael share years of escalating encounters near the Cherokee National Forest including:Daylight Sasquatch sightingsPossible juvenile activityMetallic booming sounds in the mountainsTracks and knuckle impressionsTree pushes and whoopsMind speak experiencesA terrifying scream outside a Missouri forest homeStrange activity tied to remote Appalachian waterwaysThis is one of the most intense multi-encounter episodes ever featured on Bigfoot Society.Resources:Tennessee Cryptid Campout - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573643865014Michael's episode is 1115 of Bigfoot Society

Jim Palmer was a crusader for Christianity.He accepted the calling in East Tennessee, went to seminary, and started preaching in one of the largest mega churches in the country. He moved to Nashville to start an offshoot. But then things started to unravel. Faith turned to doubt and then to deconstruction. He was into deconstruction before it was cool, and now he sits down with us to talk about how he's guiding others who are figuring out what's next after Christianity.This episode was produced by Josh Deepan. Guest Jim Palmer, Post-Religion Spiritual Director and founder of The Center for Non-Religious Spirituality

Episode OverviewIn this East Tennessee Fishing Report on The Articulate Fly, host Marvin Cash checks in with guide Ellis Ward for an early-summer conditions update focused on the Watauga River tailwater. After a dry spring that kept anglers grinding through tough conditions, a stretch of rain and rising water has Ellis bullish on what's ahead: bigger flows, off-color water, and the full slate of techniques that make East Tennessee tailwaters unique. He covers the current Watauga generation schedule (six days a week, five hours of afternoon generation), how that release window shapes a full-day float, and why the combination of streamers, dry fly fishing to rising trout, and mousing after dark makes summer his favorite time of year to be on the water. Ellis also discusses the browns that have been showing up even through the tough conditions — fish in the 24-inch range with a handful over two feet — and a striper in the 34–35 inch class that made it to the boat. The deeper thread of the conversation is mindset: Ellis draws a direct parallel between hunting big brown trout on streamers and musky fishing, emphasizing patience, sustained focus, team mechanics in the boat, and the discipline of forming good habits before a big fish shows. His approach to dry flies gets equal attention, with a nuanced breakdown of how he thinks about hackle, CDC, and the meniscus — treating dry flies as micro topwater rather than fixed imitations.Key TakeawaysHow the Watauga River's afternoon generation schedule structures a productive full-day float that can include streamers, dry fly fishing to risers, and mousing after dark.Why approaching big brown trout on streamers through the lens of musky fishing — managing expectations, maintaining focus, and working as a team — produces fish that pure numbers-chasing won't.How to distinguish the post-spawn streamer fishery (low-feedback, high-consequence encounters with giant fish) from the early-summer streamer bite when 20 or more fish in the boat per day becomes realistic.Why the visual feedback of rising trout makes dry fly fishing a productive mental reset within a streamer-focused float, keeping anglers sharp throughout the day.How to think about dry fly construction in terms of water contact — CDC touch points versus hackle touch points, emerger versus floating presentations — rather than vise aesthetics.When moon selection matters for night mousing on tailwaters and why the hook set on a mousing fish is a fundamentally different skill than a streamer or dry fly hook set.Techniques & Gear CoveredThis episode covers a multi-technique summer tailwater program built around the Watauga River generation schedule. Ellis describes the float structure in detail: streamer fishing for the first several hours, pausing for risers whenever the dry fly opportunity presents itself, then transitioning to mousing as light fades — a full-day arc that demands different focus and mechanics at each stage. On streamers, Ellis fishes seven-weight setups with smaller trout flies rather than musky-scale patterns, emphasizing presentation discipline (getting the fly three inches from the bank when necessary), sustained team focus, and strip-set timing over fly size or flash. His dry fly breakdown centers on how materials actually sit on the water: he favors CDC for its hundreds of micro touch points holding the fly at the meniscus, contrasting it with the louder, fewer contact points of rooster hackle, and notes that many flies riding low in the surface are effectively fishing as emergers regardless of how they look in the vise. Mousing is treated as a patience game similar to streamer fishing, with moon phase factoring into session planning and requiring a hook set distinct from both streamers and dry flies. Ellis also notes bucktail availability through his website, elliswardflies.com, as musky conditions improve with returning rain.Locations & SpeciesThe primary fishery discussed is the Watauga River tailwater in East Tennessee, based out of Johnson City. Ellis also guides on the South Holston River, referenced briefly in the context of his broader East Tennessee tailwater program. Both systems are classic Tennessee tailwaters — dam-controlled flows with temperature-stabilized water that supports year-round trout fishing distinct from freestone or western tailwater fisheries. The main target species are brown trout, with multiple fish in the 24-inch range mentioned and a handful over two feet even through a difficult low-water spring. The episode also notes a 34–35 inch striper landed a couple weeks prior. Ellis mentions returning to musky fishing once water conditions improve following recent rain — a species he has been sidelined from during the spawn and low-water period. The early-summer window discussed (late May through July) is framed as some of the most consistent streamer action of the year, with the post-spawn bite giving way to days where 20 or more fish in the boat on streamers is achievable.FAQ / Key Questions AnsweredHow does the Watauga River generation schedule affect how you structure a full day of guided fishing?Ellis builds the float around the generation window: five hours of afternoon generation, six days a week. This gives the boat several hours of fishable water in the morning before generation kicks in, a streamer window as levels rise and off-color water comes through, and then the opportunity to stay on the water into darkness for mousing as levels drop back out. The generation schedule effectively writes the day's agenda, and Ellis treats each phase as a distinct technique opportunity rather than fighting the releases.How is hunting big brown trout on streamers similar to musky fishing, and why does that mindset matter?Ellis draws a direct parallel: big browns on streamers require the same patience, sustained focus, and expectation management that musky fishing demands. Unlike an indicator rig where the feedback is constant, streamer fishing can go hours between meaningful encounters, and the moment your concentration lapses is typically when a fish shows. He treats large browns the way he would treat a musky — working the boat as a team, identifying specific water to target, maintaining good habits throughout the day rather than only when a fish is behind the fly.What is the difference between the post-spawn streamer bite and the early-summer streamer bite in East Tennessee?Post-spawn (January–February) is a low-feedback, high-consequence game: you may go four or five hours without a follow, but the fish you do see could be jaw-dropping in size, and its appearance has nothing to do with the overall bite. Early summer shifts that dynamic significantly — fish are active, untargeted, and on a good day Ellis is putting 20 or more in the boat on streamers, with the realistic chance that a 26 or 27-inch brown shows up in a session where you've already seen a lot of fish. The two windows require similar discipline but very different expectation-setting.How does Ellis think about dry fly construction for tailwater fishing?Rather than tying for appearance in the vise, Ellis focuses on how each material interacts with the surface. He favors CDC for its density of micro touch points — potentially hundreds or thousands of tiny fibers holding the fly at the meniscus — compared to the louder but fewer contact points of rooster hackle. He notes that many "dry flies" are functionally fishing as emergers, sitting partly in the surface film, and that understanding where the fly actually sits (and what happens when you skate or move it) is more valuable than visual realism at the vise. He treats dry flies as micro topwater, with the same attention to presentation and action he applies to streamers.When does mousing become a priority in Ellis's summer guiding program, and what makes it different from streamer fishing?Ellis starts mousing as water drops and light fades at the end of a float, and he selects sessions in part around moon phase, particularly when dedicating a multi-hour block to it. The technique shares streamer fishing's grind-and-patience arc — long stretches without action punctuated by high-consequence eats — but the hook set is fundamentally different and requires practice to execute correctly. He describes August and September as the window when he becomes "chirpier" about mousing specifically, though the summer program already incorporates mousing as the third act of a streamer-and-dry-fly day.Related ContentS7, Ep 14: The Streamer Playbook: Tips and Tactics for Targeting Big Trout in East Tennessee with Ellis WardS7, Ep 32: Swim Flies and Trout Tactics: An East Tennessee Fishing Report with Ellis WardS7, Ep 45: Navigating the Waters: Streamers and Strategies in East Tennessee with Ellis WardS6, Ep 98: Navigating Late Summer Waters and Mousing Tactics with Ellis...

A weekend deep in the Smoky Mountains turns into one of the most unsettling investigations ever discussed on Bigfoot Society.Doc Brown from the Prometheus Lens Podcast shares firsthand experiences from a remote East Tennessee research area tied to Harley Owens, Robbie Ferrell, and legendary investigator Scott Carpenter.Investigators document massive humanoid tracks, three-toed prints, strange screams in the darkness, glowing orbs moving through the trees, and infrared sightings of towering figures surrounding camp. Multiple experienced outdoorsmen report overwhelming fear while deep in the woods near an abandoned graveyard and hidden hog pen in the mountains.The conversation dives into Bigfoot encounters, Dogman reports, ancient giant traditions, Nephilim theories, paranormal activity in Appalachia, and why certain locations seem to carry generations of unexplained phenomena.This episode includes:Sasquatch encounters in East TennesseeEx-military investigators fleeing the woodsStrange vocalizations recorded near campReports of orbs and shadow-like entitiesStories connected to Scott Carpenter's research areasBiblical giant and Nephilim theories tied to Bigfoot loreAppalachian paranormal activity and cryptid encountersIf you enjoy serious witness interviews, deep Bigfoot lore, Appalachian mysteries, and unexplained encounters in remote wilderness areas, this is an episode you'll want to hear from beginning to end.Resources:https://www.youtube.com/@Prometheus_Lenshttps://www.prometheuslenspodcast.com/podcasthttps://www.amazon.com/Epic-Esau-Birthright-Seed-War/dp/B0DV8VKKP4/

Samantha Brantley Smith is a woman in long-term recovery, community leader, and advocate from rural East Tennessee. After overcoming addiction and rebuilding her life from the ground up, she now dedicates her work to helping others find hope, healing, and accountability. Samantha serves in multiple recovery and prevention roles within her community, including Recovery Court coordination, peer support leadership, and substance misuse prevention initiatives. Known for her honest “front porch” approach and bold conversations, Samantha speaks openly about redemption, resilience, faith, family, and the realities of recovery in small-town America. Her passion is helping people understand that a past does not define a person's future. Today, she is a wife, mother, grandmother, advocate, and voice for second chances — using her story to help others believe change is possible. Shiloh Recovery Services: Website Shiloh Recovery Services: FB   Previous Interviews with Samantha EP 90: Uncovering Happiness - The Mind and Heart EP 333: Samantha's Recovery Story   Other Sober Resources: I Am Sober App Sobertown Podcast Zoom Discussion Groups Sobertown Podcast Resource Center Recovery Online Meetings No Sippy No Slippy. Not Another Drop No matter What.   Remember to Pour The Poison Down The Sink!! Sobertownpodcast.com

Christina Hello, everyone, I'm Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast. In today's extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.” So, Warren, what's up first? Warren Fidelity Charitable has released an interesting study.  Among the findings: “Most pre-retiree and retiree givers (ages 50-80) are committed to giving and avidly supporting their favorite causes. Of the donors surveyed, over half of pre-retirees (56%) and retirees (59%) gave $1,000 or more—and 17% of all donors gave $5,000 or more—to IRS-qualified charities in 2023.” Christina Fidelity Charitable may think that level of support is “avid,” but it sounds pretty anemic to me. Warren It is. Retirees and so-called “pre-retirees” both give far less than the biblical tithe, or 10 percent of their income, taken in the aggregate. That said, working people in their 50s and 60s are often in their peak earning years, and often have their home paid for and their kids through school, so there is some evidence that they are giving more, just not a lot more relative to their income. Christina Any other interesting findings in this study? Warren The Fidelity study found that “more than three-quarters of these pre-retirees and retirees (78%) say that charitable giving plays a significant or pretty important role in their lives” and “almost one-quarter of pre-retirees and retirees (24%) say charitable giving is much more important than other financial priorities.” Christina Retirees are also spending more time as volunteers. Warren “In the last year, over two-thirds of pre-retirees (71%) and over half of retirees (55%) volunteered,” the report said. “Nearly 9 in 10 retired respondents who currently volunteer agree that volunteering is a way to remain active (88%) and connected (91%).” Christina Let's shift gears. The Anglican Church in North America has been in the news lately because of its chaplain corps. There was an ugly split a few months ago. But today, some good news. Warren Rear Admiral Carey H. Cash, an ACNA (Anglican Church in North America) chaplain, is the new Chief of Chaplains for the United States Navy Chaplain Corps. Rear Admiral Cash will provide spiritual leadership and pastoral oversight for Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel and their families, strengthening spiritual readiness, moral resilience, and compassionate care in the midst of the unique challenges and demands of military service. Christina Warren, I already know that you are sucker for data and lists. Forbes magazine has a new list out, its annual list of billionaires. What can that list say, and what does it mean? Warren The new annual list from Forbes says there are now 3,428 billionaires on Earth. In 1987, the year Forbes started keeping track, the list had 140 names. The list included more than 400 new entries to the list. The growth of rich and super-rich motivated Washington Governor Bob Ferguson to sign into law the state's first income tax of any kind — a 9.9% “millionaires' tax” on income over $1 million. Christina And even some Christian groups are chiming in the subject. Warren The Christian online journal Mere Orthodoxy has an interesting analysis of the list. Its conclusion: the current wealth inequality is unjust. Christina But you disagree with most of the conclusions of this article. Warren I do. Most of the billionaires are rich because of their ownership in companies that create tens of millions of jobs. And there is that most important and overlooked fact of all in this conversation, and that is that we all die, and none of us take it with us. Most if not all the billionaires on the Forbes list got there because they built companies and stewarded them over time. Their personal wealth is usually incidental to the wealth they have created for others. Now, don't get me wrong. I think – as the Bible teaches – that those with wealth have much greater responsibilities. To whom much is given, much is expected. And the Bible has special condemnation for those of us who have wealth and yet ignore the poor, or structural injustices. But to make a blanket statement about the inherent injustice of wealth are painting with too broad a brush, and are ignoring many wealthy yet honorable people of the Bible. But, in a spirit of equanimity, here is the article. You can decide for yourself if its arguments hold water. Christina I also know you cover the world of journalism. And there have been some changes in the conservative journalism space. Warren The Daily Wire, after having its day in the sun, appears to be on the decline. The online magazine Puck recently reported a “sudden, precipitous decline of Ben Shapiro's Daily Wire,” with “sweeping layoffs and a steep drop-off in audience.” Christina On the other hand, the more even-handed Dispatch seems to be thriving. Warren I was particularly pleased to hear that The Dispatch had promoted my friend Michael Reneau to Executive Editor. According to a statement from The Dispatch, “Michael got his start in local journalism in East Tennessee, rising through the ranks to serve as editor of The Greeneville Sun before moving to national journalism, and eventually serving as editor of WORLD Magazine.” Christina You wrapped up your Signs and Wonders column this week with a few statistics from THINQ. Warren I was stopped in my tracks by some recent factoids from my friends at THINQ, the Nashville-based ministry led by Gabe Lyons. Among their gleanings: 23.7% of all Christian clergy in the U.S. are women, up from 2.3% in 1960. (Axios). And almost a quarter of American women aged 60 and over (24.3%) are on antidepressants. (CDC) You can sign up for THINQ's email bulletins here. Christina You're recording today from Dallas. That's the latest stop in what seems to be a lot of travel this spring. Warren I have had a lot of travel, but I'm not suffering. It has been tiring, but a lot of fun. It was a delight to meet with about 25 MinistryWatch supporters in Dallas this week. It is always fun to tell our story, but to tell it to such an enthusiastic and knowledgeable audience is even more fun. We will be doing similar events in upcoming weeks in Knoxville, Denver, and Colorado Springs. Let me know if you would like to join us. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com. Christina That brings to a close this EXTRA episode of the podcast. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. I'm Christina Darnell, along with Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

Investing In the Sevierville/Gatlinburg Market The Sevierville and Gatlinburg markets continue to attract investors from across the country — but is now still the right time to buy in the Smokies? In this episode of Real Estate with Ryan, we break down what's happening in one of Tennessee's hottest vacation rental and second-home markets. From short-term rental opportunities and tourism trends to rising inventory, pricing shifts, and long-term investment potential, we're covering what buyers and investors need to know before making their next move. Whether you're considering a luxury cabin, overnight rental, vacation home, or long-term investment property, understanding the Sevierville/Gatlinburg market could help position you for success in East Tennessee real estate. Listen this Saturday at 11 AM on Talk Radio 92.3 FM / AM 760 WETR Also airing at 1 PM on News Talk 98.7 FM Listen anytime on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, SoundCloud, Spotify, Apple Podcasts & Google Podcasts. Thinking about investing in East Tennessee real estate? Call 865-693-SOLD (7653) or visit RyanColeman.org Ryan Coleman Founder/Broker/CEO Hometown Realty LLC Voted Best of Knoxville 2017-2025 Proud Sponsor of the VOLS Dave Ramsey Top ELP YOUR TENNESSEE AGENT #RealEstateWithRyan #SeviervilleRealEstate #GatlinburgRealEstate #SmokyMountainRealEstate #ShortTermRental #VacationRental #EastTennesseeRealEstate #KnoxvilleRealEstate

Discover how Everything Closets transforms everyday spaces into organized retreats in this engaging episode. From local market insights to innovative storage designs, learn how this family-founded business is shaping the future of home organization in East Tennessee.In this episode: The evolution of closet design from wire shelving to custom solutionsHow growth in Johnson City influences local home markets and infrastructureThe process of designing and manufacturing custom storage solutionsThe variety of spaces beyond closets they serve, including garages, gun rooms, and hobby spacesThe impact of CNC technology in producing precise, durable storage unitsThe importance of low-pressure sales and personalized design servicesMarket trends: making luxury closet options accessible for more familiesFuture expansion plans including Asheville and marketing strategies to grow awarenessInsights into Tennessee's workforce and the company's hiring practiceUnique projects: sports memorabilia rooms, gun safes, Murphy beds, and moreHow to connect with Everything Closets for a free consultationEverything Closets designs, manufactures, and installs custom storage solutions tailored to your home and lifestyle. Proudly serving the Tri-Cities, Knoxville, and the surrounding areas for 30 years, we combine expert craftsmanship with thoughtful design to bring organization and beauty to every space. Resources: Social Media & Website Tags:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aplaceforeverythingclosetsInstagram: @getnewclosetsTikTok: @everythingclosetsWebsite: getnewclosets.comBuy your next home, or list your current home with us!https://www.thecolinandcarlygroup.com/Be a guest on the Johnson City Living Podcast: https://www.johnsoncityliving.com/guests?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaf_qLsH2l73s8fTV40Oebx8kSAGlIFS_y50ij7CRneeNX3I6NzzfQMUKP-7hw_aem_xHCpTZ5r_cOfc22X1DNvmw

Tennessee congressional candidate Kristi Burke joins God and Jesus to talk about running as an openly atheist former evangelical in one of the reddest districts in America. Kristi is running in Tennessee's 1st District against Rep. Diana Harshbarger after getting kicked out of Harshbarger's town hall for daring to ask questions. Now she's running a people-powered, no-corporate-PAC campaign built around three non-negotiables: healthcare as a human right, fully funded public education, and a fairer tax system where billionaires and corporations finally pay what they owe. She also talks about leaving the Southern Baptist church, fighting Christian nationalism, rural hospital closures in East Tennessee, voter apathy, gerrymandering, "dummymandering," and why she believes progressive policies can win even in deep red territory. As Kristi says in the interview: "I'm not negotiating my future." Bless that idea! Support Kristi's campaign at her website: https://www.votekristiburke.com/

Alex Murdaugh’s murder conviction was overturned yesterday. Karly had no idea who he was, so Joey and Nancy explained the case to her. Insomnia Cookies released three new cookies that have caffeine in them. Why are there so many strange foods and drinks with added caffeine? Hot Tea: Zach Top thinks sobriety is trendy and that people need to just drink a normal amount. People are trying to pay others to stand in line for them at the Alan Jackson concert in Nashville. A man stole the “O” off a police station’s sign. Nancy has to give a commencement speech today, and she still hasn’t written it. Joey wants her to put in random words and phrases to make it funny. Lucky 7 for $50 to The Diner at Twister’s! A video is going viral of a guy who wrote a parody song about Gatlinburg. He sang “Airbrush Me a Gatlinburg” to the song “Paint Me a Birmingham.” This inspired us to do more songs for East Tennessee towns. A plumber came to Joey’s house to work on his drainpipe. Joey noticed that the man was wearing Meta Glasses, so Joey is convinced the guy was filming him. Group Therapy: My Best Friend Wants Me to Lie to Her Husband See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alex Murdaugh’s murder conviction was overturned yesterday. Karly had no idea who he was, so Joey and Nancy explained the case to her. Insomnia Cookies released three new cookies that have caffeine in them. Why are there so many strange foods and drinks with added caffeine? Hot Tea: Zach Top thinks sobriety is trendy and that people need to just drink a normal amount. People are trying to pay others to stand in line for them at the Alan Jackson concert in Nashville. A man stole the “O” off a police station’s sign. Nancy has to give a commencement speech today, and she still hasn’t written it. Joey wants her to put in random words and phrases to make it funny. Lucky 7 for $50 to The Diner at Twister’s! A video is going viral of a guy who wrote a parody song about Gatlinburg. He sang “Airbrush Me a Gatlinburg” to the song “Paint Me a Birmingham.” This inspired us to do more songs for East Tennessee towns. A plumber came to Joey’s house to work on his drainpipe. Joey noticed that the man was wearing Meta Glasses, so Joey is convinced the guy was filming him. Group Therapy: My Best Friend Wants Me to Lie to Her Husband See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio posts a video that seems like a campaign ad. The cybercrime group ShinyHunters attacks an edtech platform for ransom. Russia's annual celebration of its WWII victory against the Nazis is pared down. The Dispatch's Michael Reneau joins Clarissa Moll to discuss these headlines, and then Clarissa sits down with Dan Allender of The Allender Institute to discuss Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy's skepticism about antidepressants, and how Christians can thoughtfully approach the use of psychiatric medication. GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN: Join the conversation at our Substack. Find us on YouTube. Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice. ABOUT THE GUESTS: Michael Reneau is an executive editor at The Dispatch and is based in Greeneville, Tennessee. Prior to that, he was editor of WORLD Magazine and for several years was editor of a daily newspaper in East Tennessee. Dan Allender is a psychiatrist who pioneered a treatment approach that bridges the story of the gospel and the stories of trauma and abuse. Dan serves as a professor of counseling psychology at The Seattle School. He is the author of The Wounded Heart, The Healing Path, To Be Told, and God Loves Sex. Dan also co-hosts The Allender Center Podcast. ABOUT THE BULLETIN: The Bulletin is a twice-weekly news analysis podcast from Christianity Today, with editor-at-large Russell Moore and executive editor of news Clarissa Moll. Each episode offers commentary on current events and headlining news with a roundtable of premier guests, and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more. “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today Producer: Clarissa Moll Associate Producer: Alexa Burke Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps Executive Producer: Erik Petrik Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From Spirit Airlines' collapse to Megan Thee Stallion's breakup, Marina Franklin dives into all the drama with comedians Jackie Fabulous and Alexis Bradby. Plus, they chat with Jackie about her hilarious new comedy show featuring an all-female lineup at the new Brooklyn Improv. Don't miss out!  Jackie Fabulous is a stand-up comedian, actress and writer who's been featured four times on THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON and has appeared on AMERICA'S GOT TALENT ALL-STARS. Jackie was named one of Variety's TOP 10 TO WATCH in 2024. Jackie also received the honor of having her name added to the wall of legends at The Comedy Store in 2024. In addition to her television appearances Jackie's hilarious and affable stand-up can be seen across the country as well as internationally. Her special YOU CAN LEAVE is available on HULU now. Tonight check out her new show featuring all women at the Brooklyn Improv : That Time Of The Month - ticket links go to brooklynimprov.com Originally from East Tennessee, Alexis Bradby started her stand-up journey after moving to Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California. Since her start in 2015, she has become a beloved performer in both Los Angeles and New York City. Alexis is known for her contagious smile and youthful energy, which led to her being featured on Holey Moley (ABC), The Price is Right (CBS), and iCarly (Paramount+). In addition to stand-up, she writes for television and was the writers' room assistant for hit shows such as iCarly and Tab Time. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf. Writer for HBO's 'Divorce' and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: 'Crutch  

What happens when deliverance ministry stops being theory and becomes a direct confrontation with darkness?In this episode, Mike Brewer shares the encounters that thrust him into a life of deliverance ministry, from his first shocking confrontation with a demon in an Applebee's parking lot to learning how trauma, occult involvement, bloodline agreements, and hidden spiritual strongholds can keep people bound. Mike walks through the moments that shaped his ministry, including violent manifestations, demonic resistance, supernatural intervention, and the hard-won lessons that taught him deliverance is not about hype, fear, or performance, but about loving people enough to fight for their freedom.As the conversation unfolds, Mike explains how God trained him through real-life encounters, why some deliverances require deeper discernment, and how his ministry has expanded from local sessions in East Tennessee to churches and nations around the world. His stories reveal a sobering reality: the spiritual realm is far more complex than many realize, but the authority of Jesus is greater than every curse, kingdom, and demonic assignment.Please pray for Tony's wife, Lindsay, as she battles breast cancer. Your prayers make a difference!If you're able, consider helping the Merkel family with medical expenses by donating to Lindsay's GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/b8f76890Become a member for ad-free listening, extra shows, and exclusive access to our social media app: theconfessionalspodcast.com/joinThe Confessionals Social Network App:Apple Store: https://apple.co/3UxhPrhGoogle Play: https://bit.ly/43mk8kZThe Counter Series Available NOW:The Counter (YouTube): WATCH HEREThe Counter (Full Episode): WATCH HERETony's Recommended Reads: slingshotlibrary.comIf you want to learn about Jesus and what it means to be saved: Click HereBigfoot: The Journey To Belief: Stream HereThe Meadow Project: Stream HereMerkel Media Apparel: merkmerch.comMike BrewerWebsite | Book: Bloodline DeliveranceSPONSORSSIMPLISAFE: simplisafe.com/confessionalsGHOSTBED: GhostBed.com/tonyQUINCE: quince.com/tonyIVERMECTIN: twc.health/tonyVENICE AI: https://venice.ai/theconfessionalsRUMBLE WALLET: https://rumblewallet.onelink.me/bJsX/ConfessionalsCONNECT WITH USWebsite: www.theconfessionalspodcast.comEmail: contact@theconfessionalspodcast.comMAILING ADDRESS:Merkel Media257 N. Calderwood St., #301Alcoa, TN 37701SOCIAL MEDIASubscribe to our YouTube: https://bit.ly/2TlREaIReddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/theconfessionals/Discord: https://discord.gg/KDn4D2uw7hShow Instagram: theconfessionalspodcastTony's Instagram: tonymerkelofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/TheConfessionalsPodcasTwitter: @TConfessionalsTony's Twitter: @tony_merkelProduced by: @jack_theproducerOUTRO MUSICThe Confessionals - X Marks the Spot

Rick writes "I was on your show about two years ago regarding my investigations into the potential paranormal aspects of the Bigfoot phenomenon. I would like to update you on my efforts (Quantum Bridge Project) and the progress we've made to date. As you know, I used to be the State Director for the Virginia Chapter of the Mutual UFO Network and investigated numerous UFO sighting reports to include purported "abduction" cases. I transitioned to the paranormal realm because of the apparent similarities in certain cases. I've been with the Center for Paranormal Research and Investigations (CPRI) for the past twenty-four years and, within the past eight years, started conducting "cryptid" research for the same aforementioned reasons. I chose CPRI because of their philosophy and the way they approached the paranormal using the scientific method. The organization has MDs, PhDs in sociology, educators, nurses, chemists, current and former law enforcement officers, etc. CPRI is a Virginia 501(c) nonprofit, educational organization with a Board of Directors. I approached their Board with a written research proposal requesting that we investigate the "cryptid" phenomena in the same fashion they approach the paranormal; using certain specialized instrumentation and equipment like thermal imaging/ recording devises, remote data loggers designed to measure various EM/ radiological fields, and certain environmental conditions. My proposal involved locating a potentially credible cryptid investigator and working with them in their respected field research areas in order to capture supporting data during a sighting. This would not only validate that something is actually occurring, but to potentially explain certain aspects of the phenomenon. I've attached this particular proposal for your reference. One of my investigators located Harley Owens; a fairly new cryptid investigator in the East Tennessee area. Some of his sightings have been validated by other independent investigators, so I decided to work with him. His research area is near Cosby, TN, which is one of the areas the late Scott Carpenter used to investigate. Over the past two years, Ive independently investigated this area with Harley to further gauge his credibility before devoting CPRI resources to this geographical area. During that time, I've seen strange tree structures, heard screams, roars, and strange "barn owl" sounds, I have also seen those infamous" lights" that are seemingly associated with the Bigfoot phenomenon. On one occasion, I saw one of these "lights" at night on my thermal imager. It was moving intelligently through the forest. Interestingly enough, when I tried to see the light without the thermal, it wasn't visible. When I looked through the thermal, it would reappear, indicating it had some type of invisible heat source. Harley was next to me and wanted to see the light through the thermal. When he looked through it, he saw the light and, as it approached a dirt road, he said the light "transformed" into an upright being exhibiting a heat signature. It walked across the road and up an incline towards an adjacent knoll. I didn't see this; however, about one minute later, I heard a loud scream and an "owl' like vocal come from this same knoll. This scream was extremely loud and lasted about two to three seconds. It also sounded like some type of primate. It was immediately followed by an "owl" vocal, which didn't seem right. On another investigation in July of 2024, Harley and I were in his research area one night when we heard a loud, very intimidating roar (not scream) coming from another Ridgeline adjacent to a cemetery, which is the apparent focal point of the activity. This roar was so intimidating and loud, we were concerned for our safety. You could actually feel "rage" coming from whatever made it. I've never heard anything quite like it before, so we decided to pack everything up in order to make a quick exit if the situation called for it. We didn't stay too much longer before we left the area. As you probably know, these so called "orb" sightings are very common in both Bigfoot and paranormal cases, which leads me to some information you and your listeners may find very interesting. Back in 2003, CPRI investigated a case near Bedford, VA. This case involved a lady who lived on a farm in a double wide home. The lady reported seeing shadows, hearing voices and reported poltergeist type activity throughout the house. During the course of our investigation, she related an incident that occurred in the early 80s. She was getting ready for bed, had just turned off the bedroom lights when she saw three "orbs" hovering in a level, straight line at the foot of her bed. They appeared to be the size of a softball and each exhibited a different color; one was orange, one was light blue and the last was reddish They emitted light and then moved in unison (line formation) down her hallway and made a 90 degree left turn into her dinning room. She immediately went to the dinning room to see where they went and couldn't locate them. It was as if they just disappeared. The following morning, she went back into the dinning room and noticed three circular discolored/ burnt marks on her window screen. She believed these orbs went through the screen because they weren't there before, the window was left open and each mark was about the same size of these orbs. We asked her about the screen and, fortunately, she had rolled it up and kept it in her barn and forgot about it. We went to the barn and she pulled it out. The screen still had these three strange marks on it, so we asked if we could have it analyzed. She agreed, so we gave it to one of our members who happened to be a Radiochemist and worked for a federal lab in eastern Virginia. He's no longer with CPRI, so I'm not at liberty to divulge his name or where he worked without permission. He took the screen to his lab for analysis. A few weeks later, he sent us a report with his findings, which were intriguing. I've attached a document containing excerpts of his report to keep him and his employer's information confidential. According to the report, the discolored sections of the screen were highly irradiated. The areas were so irradiated we decided to ask the lady some health questions. Around the same time as the orb incident, she did experience bad flu symptoms, nausea, fever and general weakness, which lasted about a week or two. She thought it was just the flu, but did reveal additional information that brings doubt to that conclusion. A few years later, the had to have hip replacement surgery. After the surgery, the doctor asked if she had ever had radiation therapy. When she said no, the doctor said the bone structure of her hip was porous. It appeared to have been subjected to a type of radiation. Apparently she may have been exposed to a great deal of radiation that night. This is not to say that all orb phenomena contains radioactive properties, but it appears these lights did. In March of 2025, I assembled a team from CPRI and we (along with Harley) conducted a preliminary investigation of the Cosby site. The team consisted of Harley, myself, an archeologist, University Professor and another retired law enforcement officer. We did take some instrumentation with us. During the course of three days, we found several unusual tree structures, interviewed a resident in the area and conducted night surveillance. The primary location was the site of an old cemetery, which seems to be the focal point of the activity. We were able to witness unusual light activity in the cemetery. This took the form of small red points of moving light. Another larger red light was also seen depending in a straight line towards the same Ridgeline that the "roar" was heard a year earlier. Our archeologist witnessed a large, indistinct dark mass cross in front of him through the cemetery. He was wearing an Apple Smart Watch with embedded bio sensor at the time. He was able to pull the heart rate data from the watch and, at the exact time he witnessed this event. His heart rate jumped from 66 BPM to 124 BPM. On one occasion, our professor also witnessed a small green light hovering about thirty feet above the cemetery. These lights couldn't readily be explained. They didn't match the will-o-the-wisp (swamp methane gas ignition) phenomena because the weather was cool, it hadn't rained, low humidity and most of the colors seen were red instead of the signature faint blue-violet glow."

We are setting the table today with cornbread. I've assembled an all-star lineup of guests today to talk about this soul-satisfying staple. Karen Shankles has twice won first place at the annual National Cornbread Festival cook-off. Today, she shares her recipe for Festive Good Luck Corn Bread Skillet with us. James Beard Award-winning food writer Ronni Lundy lets us know how she makes her skillet cornbread that goes with a pot of soup beans. And she also shares with us what she calls her tao of cornbread. Food preservationist with deep family ties to the East TN mountains and mountain cooking Shannon Walker lets us know how he makes his cornbread and his thoughts on cast iron cookware and old ways. And “Mountain Man”, Josh Lowans of Salubrious Farms, Walland, Knoxville, describes a Cornbread salad recipe that his better half Meagan makes and is his family's go-to recipe.

Stay or Sell? Making the Right Housing Decision as You Age One of the biggest questions homeowners face later in life is simple—but not easy: should you stay in your home or sell and make a move? The answer depends on your lifestyle, finances, health, and long-term goals. In this episode of *Real Estate with Ryan*, we break down the key factors to consider, including housing costs, maintenance, accessibility, market timing, and how today's real estate trends in East Tennessee are impacting your options. Whether you're thinking about downsizing, relocating, or staying put, understanding your choices can help you make a confident decision for the next chapter. Join us as we guide you through the pros and cons so you can make the right move for you and your family. Listen this Saturday at 11 AM on Talk Radio 92.3 FM / AM 760 WETR Also airing at 1 PM on News Talk 98.7 FM Listen anytime on Facebook, X, YouTube, SoundCloud, Spotify, Apple Podcasts & Google Podcasts If you're considering buying or selling, our team is here to help you every step of the way. Call 865-693-SOLD or visit RyanColeman.org Ryan Coleman Founder/Broker/CEO Hometown Realty LLC Voted Best of Knoxville 2017-2025 Proud Sponsor of the VOLS Dave Ramsey Top ELP

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I took this episode from an article I wrote for Flying Snake magazine, which was published in December 2020 (Vol. 6, #18). Show transcript: Welcome to Strange Animals Podcast. I'm your host, Kate Shaw. The Great Smoky Mountains is a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains, which stretches from the middle of Alabama in the United States north into southeastern Canada. The Appalachians formed when the world's continents crunched together to form the supercontinent Pangaea. The southern Appalachians formed separately and later than the northern Appalachians, around 270 million years ago. The Appalachians were once as high as the Rockies or Himalayas, but by the time the dinosaurs went extinct, they had eroded down to the mountain cores. Sediment weathered from the peaks and filled in valleys. But during the Pleistocene, when massive glaciers covered the northern parts of North America, the weight of the ice pushed the North American plate down, causing the southern part of the plate to rise. Eventually the ancient mountains' roots were a thousand feet (300 m) above sea level again. Rivers that once flowed east into the Atlantic Ocean or west into the remains of the shallow Western Interior Seaway shifted their courses to flow northward. Streams that once meandered across the land now plunged down steep slopes and dug gorges into the rock. And over thousands of years, animals and plants retreating from the ice migrated southward along the mountain range. When the climate warmed some 11,000 years ago and the ice age glaciers melted, many cold-adapted species were trapped in the peaks of the southern Appalachians. One of the highest peaks is Mount LeConte, with its highest point, High Top, measured at 6,593 ft, or 2,010 meters. I hiked Mount LeConte on 7 May, 2016 when the weather in nearby Knoxville, Tennessee was a warm 82 Fahrenheit, or 27.8 Celcius, but there was snow on the mountain that morning. I wrote my name in it. A spruce-fir forest grows on the upper slopes, a remnant of forest that grew throughout the mountains during the last ice age. The climate at the peak of Mount LeConte is more like that of southern Canada than the warm, humid southeastern United States. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established in 1934 to protect the mountains along the Tennessee/North Carolina border. No one lives in the park's 800 square miles (2,072 square km), which receives up to 90 inches [2.29 m] of rain a year, some of it from hurricanes that sweep up from the southern Atlantic or the Gulf of Mexico. Large tracts of old-growth forest still remain in the park too. So as you can see, the Smokies are a biodiversity hotspot. In 2018, the park announced its 1,000th species discovered that is new to science, which by July 2020 had grown to 1,025. Overall, 20,000 known species live in the park as of 2019 and scientists estimate that up to 100,000 more are yet to be discovered. The Smokies are heavily forested, of course, but some mountain summits and crests have no trees. Instead, native grasses and shrubs grow. They're called grassy balds and no one is sure why they exist. The prevailing theory is that Pleistocene megaherbivores opened the forests for grazing, and after their extinction, the balds remained open due to bison, elk (wapiti), and deer. When white settlers moved into the area, they used the balds to graze cattle and other livestock. Remains of mammoth and mastodon, musk ox, ground sloth, and other megaherbivores have been excavated from various balds throughout the park. Amphibian enthusiasts call the Smokies the Salamander Capital of the World, with 30 known species. Largest of these is the hellbender, which we talked about in episode 14, a giant salamander that can grow nearly 2 ½ feet long, or 74 cm, and which lives in swift-moving mountain streams. It's most closely related to the Chinese and Japanese giant salamanders, which can grow over twice as long as the hellbender. Twenty-seven of the salamanders found in the Smokies are lungless, in the family Plethodontidae. Instead of breathing with lungs or gills, the lungless salamanders absorb oxygen through their skin. Of these, the red-cheeked salamander is endemic to the Smokies—that is, it's found nowhere else in the world. The red-cheeked salamander lives in forests in high elevations. It can grow up to seven inches long, or 18 cm, and is gray or black with bright red patches on its face. It spends the day in a burrow, then comes out at night to find insects in the leaf litter. But it's hard to tell apart from the imitator salamander, although the imitator only grows a little over four inches long, or 11 cm. The imitator has red cheeks but its body is patterned black and brown instead of solid gray or black. Sometimes its cheeks are yellow, too, while the red-cheeked salamander only ever has red cheeks. Another animal found only in the Smoky Mountains, although it may also be present in mountains outside of the park, is a species of jeweled spider fly called Mary-Alice's emerald (Eulonchus marialiciae). Mary-Alice's emerald has a metallic-green body and yellow legs, and the adults eat nectar. But the larvae eat spiders. Specifically, they parasitize spiders. After hatching, the larva goes in search of a spider, especially trapdoor spiders that live in burrows. When it finds one, it works its way into the spider's body and eats it from the inside out, eventually killing it. Then it pupates in the burrow and emerges as an adult spider fly. It prefers high elevations that are cool and moist. A less horrific animal found in the Smokies is the Carolina northern flying squirrel. It was one of the species whose ancestors migrated south along the Appalachians during the Pleistocene. Then, after temperatures started to warm, the cold-adapted flying squirrel migrated north again. Some populations remained on mountaintops in the Smoky Mountains and have been isolated for thousands of years, evolving into a subspecies of flying squirrel found only in high elevations of the Smokies. It's much rarer than the southern flying squirrel that lives throughout the southeastern United States, and prefers spruce forests instead of the hardwood forests that southern flying squirrels like. But the spruce forests are threatened by climate change, the introduced woolly adelgid insect that kills fir trees, and pollution in the form of acid rain and pesticides that travel to the mountains from other states and even other countries. The Carolina northern flying squirrel has a patagium of furry skin that connects its front and back legs. When it jumps from a branch, it stretches its legs out and uses the patagia to glide to a new perch. It's clumsy on the ground, though, and spends most of its time in trees. It mostly eats fungi, mushrooms, and lichens, but will also eat nuts, insects, bird eggs and even baby birds, and other plant material like tree sap and buds. Bobcats still live in the Smokies, but the cougar, or mountain lion, was supposedly killed off in the area by the end of the 19th century. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed the eastern cougar subspecies from the endangered species list in 2018, since it is supposed to be extinct. The last cougar in what is now the park was supposedly killed in 1920. But sightings continue in the Smokies, close to a dozen a year, and some sightings are compelling, like the 2002 report of a cougar crossing a road in the park, spotted by a veterinarian who treated captive cougars in his practice. Considering how seldom seen the bobcat is despite it being relatively abundant, it's possible that a small number of cougars still live in the park—either animals that have moved back into the mountains from elsewhere, or a relict population. The red wolf is native to the eastern United States and was once common in the Smoky Mountains, but was killed off by white settlers throughout most of its range. Where it remained in the wild, it interbred with closely related coyotes, until it was declared extinct in the wild in 1980. Fortunately, by then a captive breeding program was in place. Starting in 1991, 37 red wolves were released in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee, following the release of 63 red wolves into the Alligator River Natural Area in North Carolina a few years earlier. But the release didn't go well in the Smokies. Wolves are shy and need enormous territories with lots of game. Before long some wolves were leaving the park and attacking livestock. Others died of parvo virus, especially wolf pups. Worse, this was about the same time that coyotes moved into the area from the west. The wolves started interbreeding with the coyotes, and the coyotes also competed with the wolves for food. In 1998, the Fish and Wildlife Service ended the program and recaptured all but one of the wolves originally released into the park. The North Carolina release went better, with a population peak in 2006 estimated at nearly 130 wolves. But that program was suspended in 2015, and without management of the wild population, the number has dwindled. As of 2019, only 14 wolves remain in North Carolina—and that's the entire population of red wolves in the wild. But sightings of red wolves continue in the Smokies. The trouble is that the red wolf looks very similar to the coyote. It's taller and larger, with a more pronounced reddish shade to its coat, but even experts can have trouble telling the two species apart if they can't get a good look at the animal. Most likely people are seeing coyotes, possibly ones descended from red wolf/coyote hybrids born during the reintroduction program. The biggest mystery in the park is the occasional sighting of a Bigfoot-type creature. Most sightings are probably bears, though. An estimated 1,500 American black bears live in the Smokies, and while some bears get used to hikers and tourists, most are shy and seldom seen. A black bear keeping an eye on hikers or cars will sometimes stand on its hind legs for a better view, and would naturally look like a hulking humanoid if glimpsed. But other sightings aren't so easy to explain. In February of 2009, a photographer named Deb Campbell was hiking the Middle Prong Trail in the snow. The Middle Prong Trail passes three major waterfalls and many smaller ones as it follows along a tributary of the Little River. She had the trail almost completely to herself—she says she only saw one person the whole time. Later she reported, “[A]t some point I am photographing along the stream and I start to smell a gawd awful stench. Not really like anything I had ever smelled before. I look around, see nothing, listen intently…nothing. So I finish up at that spot and go further up the trail.” The smell receded behind her but the snow increased, so finally she turned around to hike out. Around the area where she smelled the stink earlier, she started feeling watched. She stopped long enough to secure her camera gear for much faster hiking in slick conditions, when she heard a deep growl that she described as “very low, not like a cat, almost guttural.” Needless to say, she got off the mountain as quickly as possible. The black bear doesn't truly hibernate since its body temperature remains normal instead of dropping, but it does find a den in cold weather and will sleep for long stretches. It may emerge from its den occasionally during the winter during warm spells, but for the most part it's asleep in its den from around November through March in the Smoky Mountains. But Campbell was hiking in February during a snowfall, with snow already on the ground. A bear would most likely not be out of its den in that weather unless it had been disturbed. And bears don't actually smell bad. During the winter hibernation most bears don't defecate at all. Any feces left in a bear's digestive tract harden to form a fecal plug. If it does feel the need to defecate near the end of the winter, it will do so just outside its den, but the fecal plug has very little odor. Even under ordinary conditions, unless a bear has been eating carrion, it will smell no worse than a dog that needs a bath. Not only that, black bears don't actually growl. They make grunty, huffing noises when warning people away or when males fight in the summer, and a frightened bear will moan, but they don't growl like a dog. It's possible that Campbell hiked past a bear that had emerged from its den early and had found and eaten carrion, possibly roadkill, and that she was so close to the bear without seeing it that she smelled its breath. That's almost more frightening than the thought of passing near a Bigfoot. The growl might have come from a different animal, a coyote or who knows, maybe even a red wolf. Or Campbell might have encountered a creature sometimes called a skunk ape due to its foul odor. The skunk ape is most commonly reported in Florida swamps, but sightings—or smellings—have come from many other states. The smell is sometimes described as that of rotting food and roadkill on a hot day. A bear or other animal that has been rooting around in garbage bins can pick up this odor, especially in hot weather, but it's hard to believe that a bear would be actively foraging so much in winter that it would smell like trash. January and February are the depths of winter in East Tennessee. The bears are hibernating, not foraging. Thanks for your support, and thanks for listening! This is what a couple of fighting bears sound like: [bear sounds]

So going back more than 30 years, I was involved in work on childhood obesity. It was a prevalent problem at the time, but little attention was being devoted to children and weight issues. And it was fair to say that the field, as it were, was an academic backwater. Little was known about short and long-term effects of childhood obesity. The social and emotional lives experienced by the children hadn't really been documented or studied much. There was very little known about treatment or strategies for parents, but thankfully, things are different now. Thanks in part to the work of a number of really innovative people in the field, and one of the most innovative is our guest today, Dr. Joseph Skelton. He's a professor of pediatrics and founder and director of Brenner Fit. FIT stands for Families in Training, which is the family-based pediatric obesity program at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He's also editor of the Journal of Childhood Obesity is involved in clinical care, research, education, and community outreach. Dr. Skelton has just published what I think is a really important book through the American Academy of Pediatrics, entitled Your Child Is Not Their Weight: Parenting in a Size Obsessed World. I was asked to review the book and was delighted to see it before it was published and just was so happy to see that such a book existed at all, but such a good quality book at entering the picture. Really a very important advance in our field. Interview Transcript There have been some books about pediatric weight issues in the past. Who is this book for and how is it different than what's been out there? I feel overall the big audience for this book is any parent, especially of my generation, that were raised during some really toxic diet culture in the '70s, '80s, and '90s. And so, I think the main folks that that's for is that parent: I want my kids to eat healthy, to be active, to lead healthy lives. But I don't want them to become concerned about their weight to feed into our culture's focus on the ideal body image. I don't want to feed into that. But you know I do want to pay attention to the health habits. How can I do this in a healthy way? How can I focus on health habits with my kid that's not a focus on weight and do it in a way that's backed up by science. You know, that's what parents always want to know. Am I doing this right? Am I causing harm? And it is actually who the book is dedicated to, you know, all those parents that were raised in a toxic diet culture and want to do things differently with their children. So, in modern day America, what is life like for a child whose weight exceeds the standards that we know might be healthy, and for the parents who are raising those children? From personal experience and 20 years of running a program, as well as what the research shows, it can be kind of rough. Despite a lot of the advances that we've made around weight bias we're still in a place that kids are trying to live up to this idealized body image. And then they have all these toxic messages when it comes to nutrition and body image. I think it's rough. We know that kids in bigger bodies tend to have a lower quality life. They tend to have more symptoms of depression, anxiety; and it's because of this world that we live in. You mentioned messages that they might be getting from places like the media, but what are interactions like with peers and teachers and doctors and others in their lives that are affecting how they feel? Yes. So, the adults in their life were raised in that toxic culture. They're my generation and the generation behind me that was raised in that. You know, there's the myth that a smaller body is healthier than a bigger body. And I think we can't break away from that. And I think that still sort of comes through. We still see this as a lifestyle issue, and everyone has an opinion. Everyone has a thought of, you know, well, I did this... and I lowered my cholesterol... I did this and I lost weight, you need to do it too. And I think in the medical profession, because of a lack of understanding, a lack of training - I think that still occurs. I don't do a ton of medical education. I'm getting more and more into it, especially when it comes to areas around nutrition. But that's what I'm trying to avoid in the next generation of healthcare providers and even actually a lot of our community collaborators, teachers, and stuff like that. To get away from that. This is not a simple issue, so don't share advice because sometimes that advice can be damaging or could be wrong. You know, good lord how much I hear about carbs on a weekly basis. And not the carbs I like to talk about, which is around dessert and Carolina Gold rice and all these other food stuff. But it tends to be around sort of demonizing certain foods and just really bad messages that still are floating around out there. Let's dive in a little deeper about what you refer to as toxic diet culture that was especially pronounced in previous generations. What does that mean? Does it affect standards for what the ideal body looks like? What about messages about how much control you have over that yourself, and how responsible you are for your weight? How your self-image should be influenced by how you look? But tell us more about what you mean by that. We wanted this to be a book that didn't necessarily dwell on weight so much, but actually one of the first chapters is to say let's cover how complex weight really is. We know that 50% or more of someone's weight is heavily, heavily influenced by their genetics. Where they live, you know. The amount that our lifestyle affects that is much, much smaller. It's the minority of what goes into our body size. And even that, our habits are so influenced by the world around us. But it's, you know, trying to get people to understand that, hey, body sizes are just different. I love this picture from the Olympics and it was a medalist in gymnastics- it was Simone Biles; you know, the huge media personality of Ilona Maher who is a bronze medalist in rugby; and then one of the women's basketball players. You're talking 4'9", 5'10" and pure muscle and six foot seven, all people at the top of their game. And not only different heights, different body types. And, you know, body type is a hard thing to talk about because there's not standard body types. We're all just built differently. And starting that message at a young age that people are just oftentimes built differently. There's very little control that we have over our weight. And even though there are things that we can do about weight, what you can do is you can focus on your habits for health. And that has just gotten lost. We talk about in the book the, we call it veiled weight talk, and it's basically where you're just substituting the word health for the word weight. And kids pick up on that. They know when their parents and others are talking about weight. And so, a really big thing we want to accomplish is like, Hey, you know, eating for health is important. Being active for health is important. In my world, and I did one part of my early research in this, and we always try to have that message as there's so much more to health than weight. In our medical world right now, our primary outcome on these lifestyle changes that people are making is weight. You mentioned genetics as a contributing factor to who is affected by the problem. Tell me how you look at the food environment out there that people are exposed to now, and things like food marketing and the processing of foods. The availability of all these foods that are contributing to obesity and things. And the reason I ask is, you know, there was a time in our country when the prevalence of childhood obesity was probably close to zero. And there are plenty of countries around the world where that's still the case. But now in many countries there's large amounts of childhood obesity. And it's not as if the genetics have changed. When people move from other countries to the United States, their weight tends to go up. Their genes obviously don't change. There's something pretty toxic about the food environment that's driving this. So, thinking about things that way, does that help parents by shifting some of the blame from them and their children to an environment that they might be able to manage in some way? Absolutely. Because parents…they blame themselves oftentimes. You know, how did I let this happen? What did I do to sort of cause it happen and it's not. So, we do try to shift that of looking at ourselves as the reason blame. But you can kind of look at the - and I'm just going to focus on nutrition as the focus - the broader food environment and how that impacts. We tend to get a lot of buy-in or understanding when you talk about how they are trying to market to kids. And so, for any parent, all you have to do is bring up the checkout line at a grocery store, you know? And all the things that are at the kids' level that is just made to make your life as a parent hard when you're trying to feed your kids well-balanced regular meals but you're just kind of constantly walking through this landmine. It's the same thing with electronics and social media. There are so many things that they have a lot more money than you do to market to you than you do to protect yourself against it. And it absolutely influences it. And the way I talk about this is really when it comes down to snack foods, and using the parenting language that snacks get you between long periods of time between meals, but that got co-opted by companies marketing snack foods. And when you see food, smell food or hear about food, you kind of want that food. And that's what parents have every day to now the point is. Snacks always have to be crunchy, salty, and sweet, and we're supposed to give kids snacks when they ask for it, because that's what these companies tell us about hunger. You know, hunger hits us every time and you have got to have this bar to sort of get through that. Parenting is hard enough and then trying to parent through this when they're directly marketing kids... you know, in most European countries, they're not allowed to market to kids. In some countries it's age eight. Some countries it's age 12 because they don't quite recognize this is marketing, they're want you to buy this. It makes it a lot harder for parents. You know, when I was on the faculty at Yale, I got to know a political scientist. A very impressive person named Jacob Hacker. And he'd written a book called The Great Risk Shift. What he talked about was how government and American businesses have systematically shifted the responsibility for overcoming harm from products from themselves onto the consumer. And that's really true in a way here, isn't it? Because the problem is created by corporations who are marketing unhealthy foods in such high levels. It's not the only cause, but it's certainly an important one. But the responsibility for solving the problem then falls to the parents and the children who have it. And one party has way more resources than the other. As you said, it's really not a fair fight and parents have a very tough battle dealing with these things. Yes. There was a marketing study called The Nag Factor, and I'm an old Simpsons fan, you know. You imagine the people behind the one-way mirror watching things and trying to manipulate. And that's what the nag factor was. How can we get kids to nag their parents more effectively? And what they found is parents that were immune to nagging tended to be the more educated, higher-income parents. And so, they literally had this plan of we need to change how we're getting these kids to nag. We need to give them reasons to nag. And that's when you started seeing vitamin C, high in protein. So, you think the checkout at the grocery store is bad, but then the signage in the commercials each and every day are giving kids reasons they can go to their parents to tell them get me this. Because nagging is not going to be enough for the high-income parents. They have to have some purpose behind it. You know, when I was growing up, the only way I saw advertisements for food was on Saturday morning cartoon television. And there were three channels showing it. Well, it shows how old I am, but now it's just an avalanche of messages on social media, built into gaming, and it's just everywhere. And it's probably pretty hard for parents to control that. Wouldn't you say? Well, now that you've said that, that's what my phone's going to start doing. The next time I open up my Facebook, there's going to be an ad for some sort of food camp because it's listening to us. Absolutely. Oh yeah. There's just no comparison. And I think that's also something very hard for parents, regardless of the topic, is what worked for me that my parents used is different than for my kids. And even between your kids. You know, my 24-year-old and my 20-year-old are completely different kids. You wouldn't even know they're related and different personalities. And so, what worked for one, you can't necessarily apply to the other. And whereas we love the idea of multi-generation households and, you know, being involved and being there to give advice. And you should take the advice of your parents, but it doesn't always apply. It's just a different world. I feel like I need to give credit to my East Tennessee farming roots. There are two stories I always remember my dad talking about when they would go to a car hop. Maybe some of your listeners know what a car hop is maybe they don't. It's like a Sonic, you know, it's the old school drive up. Or for you Atlanta folks, like the varsity drive up. My grandparents would make my dad put on his Sunday clothes. You know, that was how rare they went out is they would actually get dressed up driving into town to go try these hamburgers and these French fries. Versus now you can you DoorDash that 24/7. I mean just what a different world and concept. And I still have to share this other story for my grandfather, who my oldest son is named after, he was a tobacco and sustenance his farmer in East Tennessee. And every time I have a med student that's a vegetarian in my cooking class, I always tell the story of he came home one day, and he was talking to my aunt. He says, you know what? The county agent said one day people are going to be eating soybeans. That's so funny. Soybeans were fed to cattle back then. It's really just how drastically we change and now it's changing even faster. I mean, my grandchildren will be light years different than what my children are. Let's dive back into your book. Tell me about the collaboration with the American Academy of Pediatrics and how did the book come about? They have had two books in the past that were sort of geared towards parents, you know, how to address weight in your kids if your child has a problem with their weight, what can you do about it? Well-written books. They had done well. But they were looking to try to do something different. It was kind of time to sort of update that. And the last book was great by Natalie Muth. It was a fantastic book. So, a lot of my friends were on the 2023 clinical practice guidelines. And when that came out, there was a huge blowback from the eating disorder community. And, again, it's sort of the polarization of our country right now. And, they had asked me to speak at a conference saying, hey, can you try to do something in the middle? They knew that we included elements of the body positivity movement in what we do. We're big adherents and teachers of authoritative parenting. And they said could you try to give a talk that kind of goes in between what we're trying to do with the treatment of obesity that's affecting children's health as well as the body positivity movement. It's kind of, again, speaking of the Saturday morning cartoons, it was kind of those things that everyone stepped back, and Bugs Bunny was still in the front and got volunteered. It was sort of one of those situations. And so, I gave this presentation and they said, hey, well, what do you think about turning this into a book? Would you be interested in writing a book? And I said, absolutely not. I don't have time. And never in a million years would I do it. But this needed to be out there. So, first of all, the AAP asks, as a pediatrician, you do it. And second of all, I feel like this book needs to be out there. Both for who I talked about earlier, those parents that don't want to hurt the kids' feelings, make them hate their bodies, feel like something's wrong with them, which is what a lot of kids say. But it's also for those parents that are wanting to do something. These are the parents that, you know, they want to put their kid on a diet or make a comment to them of you sure you need to have seconds on that? You know, which we know can do damage. And of course, parents, you know, they don't want to hurt their kids and get in the way. And so, it was kind of geared toward those parents that were starting down an avenue that may not have been safe. You know, they don't have access to a good evidence-based program. And so, it's also for those parents that says, hey, your kids aren't little adults. Don't take these weight loss approaches to kids. It's just a different beast. We'll come back in a minute and talk about specific parenting strategy, but you alluded to this blowback from the eating disorders fields and the clinical guidelines. Tell us a little bit more about that, because it's one of the key features that would drive the need for a book like yours. I'm not an eating disorder specialist, but there was a big concern that one of the big recommendations that was new was that you can't have watchful waiting anymore. It used to be, you know, if younger children were starting to gain weight, before you intervene or start into treatment or start to change a lot that maybe just wait to see if, you know kind of the old-fashioned thing, are they going to outgrow it? Are they going to go through a growth spurt? So that was a part of the recommendations. The evidence says that watchful waiting in today's world, you're unlikely to see a kid outgrow it anymore, including bariatric surgery, use of medications and things like that. And so, they felt like this increased focus that this was going to cause pediatricians and parents to focus even more on weight and therefore lead to eating disorders. And then that was coinciding over the previous five years, a lot of studies were coming out and then it got put into a couple of systematic reviews of meta-analyses that showed that kids in bigger bodies, kids with overweight and obesity, had a two to three times higher prevalence of eating disorders. Because typically eating disorders are always thought to occur in underweight or thinner children. But it actually is much higher risk of these in children in bigger bodies. And so, we use that term threading the needle, how do you help families who want to do something about their child's weight for health reasons but not worsening disorders. And so that blowback was really saying, hey, by increasing focus on this, you're going to make things worse with that. And it was kind of surprising. A lot of my good friends were on that practice guidelines and they're kind of taken aback because these are experts in the field. Well-meaning people that for 10, 15, 20 years had dedicated their careers to helping these kids looking for help. And I think any care provider to be accused of causing harm is always, always jarring. Tell us how you navigate that and what sort of advice do you give parents in this book? Yeah, so one is that I call weight literacy. It's sort of understanding this is a complex issue. It's not something you did. This is something that happens. We can't always explain it. There are still things, this is where you read too much of this science, it gets you really paranoid about microplastics and things like that. There are some legitimate arguments to me be made there in endocrine disrupting chemicals and stuff like that. We can't always explain why kids are growing bigger than other kids or at a heavier weight. So, the weight literacy, sort of, understanding this is a complex issue, this is not a lifestyle issue. And the second thing is it's worthwhile to focus on healthy eating and physical activity for health. Sometimes that will see improvements in weight, sometimes it won't. But it's still important to do. That's the idea of getting away from that weight being the primary outcome. We feel like this is a great adjunct for someone who might be pursuing bariatric surgery or medications, because it does give us the opportunity to not keep pushing kids harder on nutrition and physical activity, which could lead to that disorder eating. And I think the final thing is sometimes parents and kids are aligned. You know, give me a 15-year-old girl that wants to lose weight. A 15-year-old girl that wants to lose weight, that is unfortunately a child that's very high risk of developing disordered eating. And maybe the parents really wanted to help. But what oftentimes we see a lot is tension brewing between the parent and child. The parent making efforts to help the child with their health and their weight, and the child interpreting those efforts as you think I'm fat, you think I'm ugly, you think something's wrong with me. And it's causing that tension: you know, you can't eat too much of that. Taking Food away. That movie Spanglish with Adam Sandler, several scenes in that sort of reflect that of just small comments that parents can make. You know, actually wanting to help and how that can hurt children. And what we would hope for a lot of parents is to say how can you do this in a way that can be helpful. And one of our chapters is called how to not talk to your children about their weight. You know, the idea that parents don't need to feel that pressure to bring that up. Now, if their child wants to talk about it, absolutely they need to be there, and we give a lot of tips for that. But, you know, your job as the parent, you don't really have control of your child's weight, but there's lots that you can control and lots that you can do to promote the healthy development of your child. You know there's a heavy dose of compassion in your book. That was one thing that appealed to me about it and impressed me. Because if one thinks about a book for parents on dealing with their overweight children, you sort of default to, oh, this book is probably a diet or an exercise program, or things like that about how the child can change their weight. And you're talking much more here about understanding the psychological world of the child. Being sensitive to possible risks of talking to them in ways that are unhelpful or lead to eating disorders and things like that. It's wonderful that you pay so much attention to those issues. And it's very affirming because you're saying that there are some things parents can do about this in ways that affirm their children, accept them as individuals. It's built into the title of your book that your child is not their weight. And that just means so much, I think. Oh, thank you. That is what we had hoped. I mean, you know, parents love their children and in endless, endless ways. And the parents are the key to their children and their children's health. And I feel like sometimes we push too hard. Now we're doing it for good reasons. We want this child to be healthy. We want to help make some improvements. And we put a lot on the parents' back. And I think sometimes then that pressure then is extended to the children. And a lot of this is trying to get parents some insights of, we know you love your children. Here's how to make sure that your child is being loved. You know, the old parenting typology, and I kind of go through some of that history in there, really kind of gets at that. But sometimes we do or say things that doesn't make their children feel loved by accident of course. And it sort of highlights that, not to make parents feel bad, just so they're aware. I've been guilty of it. None of us are perfect parents. And you know, making sure that our kids are feeling, loved by us. Family-based treatment is obviously the key. And I always think of one of your, one of your hypertension studies, I think from 1983. I still quote it to this day. You know, the idea that even though we talk about family-based treatment, we're usually dealing with a parent and a child. The dyad. Now they're representative of the family and I've always felt like something was, sort of, missing there. And two things really influenced me. One of that is one of my co-authors, Dara Gardner-Edwards, who is a licensed clinical social worker. And they are all about the family. They know how to do family assessments. And so, recognizing there's more than just those parents and the child in the clinic with you. In addition to that, working the whole field, I didn't know about human development and family studies. Didn't know that was a field and actually came from the University of Minnesota. I was one of the early. Strong program. So, UNC-Greensboro, our neighbor over there. I started working with a professor over there, Cheryl Buehler, and we would go meet over sushi and she essentially taught me a four-hour freshman-focused family studies course. And just this whole other world, social science world of family dynamics and recognizing when you're working with that child and parent. You may or may not be affecting the family dynamics in the household, of that family system. And so being able to extend differently and having some more appreciation of the complexity of families and the relationships with families. Hopefully we're helping people understand making changes in health habits, relationships matter. We have a project going right now, led by one of my medical students. She was always impressed, in shadowing with us, of how many siblings were picky eaters. And I brought this up to my team, like, oh yeah, this is a huge stress. You know, this parent is obviously wants to change the habits of the entire family but is obviously focused on this child we have in clinic. But the struggle of having this other kid that's a picky eater really throws off those dynamics. And being able to account for that and that stress that that puts on families, and what can we do around that? Oh, that's so interesting. You know, the more aggressive, dramatic treatments that are being used for adults like bariatric surgery and the GLP one drugs, how do they fit into this picture? Yeah, so we feel like it's a perfect adjunct if someone is pursuing with this with their child, because it still is talking about that parenting approach. And it's not really going to change anything with how you're parenting around these things. You know, bariatric surgery for many years has been done safely and effectively in children. Not that it's always perfect, but again, because of the cost, the idea that it's not reversible and typically you want that done in a center that's very experienced with working with kids. So, access issues tend to be really big with that. It can be very effective for some kids but is not available to everyone. We're in the same situation with the medicines with GLP1s. There's one that has been approved for use down to age 12, and overall, they tend to work very well with kids. But we're in the real world now. We're learning a lot about that. It can be miraculous for some children because it gives them success with their weight. It takes pressure off themselves. We're always trying to prevent that restriction, both in hearing that from another adult or the child doing it themselves, trying to tell themselves to eat less. It's always going to backfire. It's going to increase your hunger and things like that. And having that GLP1 is going to help with that. It's actually going to lower that pressure. And oftentimes they can get in that healthy routine much quicker. In others, it's causing some problems. We are seeing some kids that it is absolutely wiping out their appetite. And we're figuring out now the kids are sort of at risk for that. And you can't do that. The kids gotta eat. But for some kids, they just lose all appetite whatsoever. And they can't not eat. And so, we're still figuring out through the real world. But I think, what we're also finding is the job that we do in these multidisciplinary teams, it's just as important if not more important when you're using medications than when you're not. Let me ask you a big picture question and let me see how optimistic you might feel about how, where things are going. So, think of a physician who is treating people with lung cancer. So, the lung cancer is caused by this terrible environmental influence: cigarettes. And the physician then is in the position of having to treat the people who have that really unfortunate problem. And thank God there are physicians who do that, and there's research showing how to treat it effectively. But of course, it would be better if the environmental insult that's causing the problem in the first place didn't exist. That would make everybody happier, except for the companies that sell the product. So, do you think you and colleagues who are doing similar work are faced with a similar kind of a problem? There are all these environmental things that are helping push this problem in the first place. Thankfully, there's kindness, compassion and effective care available and your book helps push that forward even further. But are you hopeful at all that the environmental situation, you know, all the bad foods and stuff out there is changing in a positive way so that there might be less of the problem, or it might be easier on the children now who deal with the problem? Some people think it's getting worse. Others think we might see some progress. But what do you think about that? My brother is an HR guy and he kind of talks about these different typologies with that. And, I forget, I'm called something like the mad scientist, which is you're very pessimistic in complaining, but you have enthusiasm. I don't really know how to take that. But I think, you know, I'm enthusiastic obviously about this topic and what we can do to help parents. But I'm a little pessimistic when it comes to the broader world. I think there's enough, and not saying that every for-profit company's bad, but I think a lot of history is on my side with that. I don't get paid more the more kids I see and the better success I have. I don't get paid more. My job is to be here to help. But, you know, companies, every time I see a for-profit company that comes out and says safety is our number one priority. Or, you know, your satisfaction is number priority, I'm like, no, it's not. Your number priority are your shareholders. And I think that's a very, you know, jaded way to say, I don't quite trust companies right now because of that. Are there some positives that you see, and do you see some changes being made in some menus? Do you see some different products out there that are really trying to get it healthy? But it's hard. I think I have some trust issues and I think that's well founded. Maybe that's my Appalachian background. I tend to be very distrustful of the large mining companies coming in. That, speaking of your lung analogy, that I think I have some healthy distrust that is well founded. So, I think trying to help, and that's obviously a big movement that we have, of trying to help people be more discerning parents, more discerning consumers. But it's hard because they, like you said earlier, they have a whole lot more marketing dollars to convince you to buy their product than we have trying to convince them to make smarter choices about it. BIO Joseph A. "Joey" Skelton, MD, MS, FAAP, FTOS, DABOM is a Professor of Pediatrics, and of Epidemiology and Prevention, at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He is the Founder and Director of Brenner FIT® (Families In Training), an interdisciplinary pediatric obesity treatment, prevention, research, and educational program. He serves as the Director of the Center for Prevention Science in Child and Family Health, Vice Chair of Research for the Department of Pediatrics, Associate Leader of Community and Stakeholder Engagement at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Childhood Obesity. He is board certified in Pediatrics and Obesity Medicine. His research and clinical work has focused on the treatment of children with obesity. He has secured nearly $10 million in funding over the past 15 years, has given over 50 national and international presentations, and has over 130 peer-reviewed publications. He enjoys teaching cooking classes that are both fun and informative to anyone who will listen.

In this compelling episode, we sit down with Rachael Speer, a dedicated researcher and resident of East Tennessee's Appalachian foothills. Deeply immersed in the realm of high strangeness, Rachael has spent years investigating Bigfoot, Mothman, UFOs, and other paranormal phenomena, with a particular focus on regional hotspots such as Cades Cove and Brushy Mountain, as well as the unsettling cases of individuals who mysteriously vanish in America's national parks.Rachael shares her most memorable personal encounters, including a chilling Sasquatch sighting in the remote Tennessee wilderness. She and her husband, an experienced outdoorsman, came face-to-face with a towering nine-foot-tall creature with glowing red eyes—an encounter that left a profound and lasting impact on them both. She also discusses her eerie experiences with shadow entities, baffling UFO sightings, and the heartbreaking stories of people who disappear without a trace under circumstances that defy conventional explanation.Rachael recounts a haunting family experience: her father's possible Mothman encounter, which appeared as an ominous warning prior to a tragic event.Tennessee appears to be a magnet for high strangeness—from eyewitness accounts by multiple individuals to the legendary Moon-Eyed People of Appalachian lore—topics that challenge our fundamental understanding of reality.https://www.tiktok.com/@moonchildgoddess69?_r=1&_t=ZN-95kryfKFoXeGot a mind-blowing paranormal encounter, cryptid sighting, UFO experience, or any high-strangeness story that still gives you chills? We want to hear it—and we want YOU on the show! Become a guest on Let's Get Freaky and share your true story with our growing freaky community. Drop us a line at: letsgetfreakypodcast@mail.com Or slide into our DMs on socials: Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, or YouTube → @tcletsgetfreakypodcast.

On this Make A Difference Minute, I talk with Kody Norris of The Kody Norris Show as he reflects on a 20-year journey in country and bluegrass music. From a young boy playing in the mountains of East Tennessee to sharing the stage with legends like Ralph Stanley, Kody shares how passion, persistence, and the right people helped turn a dream into a reality. This message is a reminder that the path may change, but staying committed to what you love can lead you exactly where you're meant to be. This MADM is brought to you by J. Calvert Farms, proudly supporting stories and the people who make our communities strong. Real stories. Real people. Real impact. News That Unites!™️

If you take anything away from this podcast episode, Naomi Asher wants you to know you are enough, you are worthy and you have value. In this episode of Further Together, Naomi and host Michael Holtz talk about career burnout, the need for rest and recovery, and finding yourself in the process. Naomi is the author of the book, “Take to the Bed (And Bring a Cake),” about the importance of giving yourself permission to rest when life gets overwhelming (and life gets overwhelming at times), evaluate whether what you do and how you present yourself to the world aligns with who you are, and make adjustments as necessary. This conversation takes place in the context of the wide variety of career opportunities that exist in the growing nuclear energy industry in East Tennessee. Be trained in a trade, get a community college education, make a mid- to late-career shift that better aligns with your values – the possibilities are endless. Naomi is the founder and principal of The Maven Consulting. Learn more about Naomi The Maven here: https://www.naomithemaven.com/about Naomi is a long-time resident of East Tennessee. She attended Johnson University where she graduated with a double major in Music and Theology. She was hired as the Executive Director of CASA of the Tennessee Heartland in 2010. While there she expanded the geographic service area, more than doubled the budget, created an endowment and reserve as well as increased volunteer numbers by double and retention rates from 41% to 92%. Naomi served on the Tennessee CASA Board and as a Regional Coordinator which allowed her to win and administer grants for the East Region as well as create regional marketing campaigns. She graduated from King University with her MBA in Marketing in 2012. In May of 2015, she was hired as the Executive Director of the United Way of Anderson, Campbell, Morgan and Scott Counties where she increased the budget by 42% as well as the geographic service area. She revised and rebuilt the grant-making process as well as created several community initiatives. She implemented annual Community Needs Assessments and provided technical training and support to other nonprofits. She is passionate about helping others thrive. Naomi is the Founder and Principal Consultant at The Maven Consulting and Doctoral Candidate at Carolina University where she is researching Nonprofit Executive Burnout. Naomi is a graduate of the Consortium for Social Enterprise Effectiveness through the University of Tennessee, Leadership Oak Ridge, Leadership Anderson County, and East Tennessee Regional Leadership Association. She is the Chair of Explore Oak Ridge, Past-President of the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge, Past-President of the Altrusa Club of Oak Ridge, a founding member of the Anderson County Young Professionals, a board member of the Oak Ridge Center for Leadership and Community Development and the Oak Ridge Land Bank. She has served as the President of the United Ways of Tennessee and as a Regional Representative on the TN CASA Association Board. In 2017 she was named the Anderson County Chamber Young Professional of the Year, was the 2018 recipient of the East Tennessee Economic Council's Postma Young Professional Medal and the 2021 Oak Ridge Chamber Young Professional of the Year. She lives and plays in Oak Ridge with her husband Ryan, dog Winnie, and 3 cats Jerome, Miley and Rhaenyra. They are a foster family with a heart for teenagers.

Our friend Neal Denton joins Phil on-air for a little DIGGIN' IN THE DIRT! This week, we talk about East Tennessee's role in the origins of Earth Day, Leland Cyprus, answer your questions & more! If it grows, Neal knows!! You won't want to miss what Neal has to say! #PhilShowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture is set to open the application process for farmers and foresters seeking relief assistance from the devastating impacts from Hurricane Helene that hit 8 East Tennessee counties in September of 2024.

Spring Market Setback? What to Do When Your Deal Falls Out of Escrow A deal falling out of escrow can feel like a major setback, especially during the fast moving spring market. But the reality is, it happens more often than you think, and the right strategy can quickly turn things back in your favor. From financing issues to inspection surprises, understanding why deals fall apart and how to respond can make all the difference in getting back on track and closing successfully. On this episode of Real Estate with Ryan, we break down the most common reasons contracts fall through, what buyers and sellers should do next, and how to protect your deal in today's competitive East Tennessee market. If you are navigating a failed transaction or want to avoid one, this is one conversation you do not want to miss. Why home sales fall out of escrow What sellers should do immediately How buyers can recover and stay competitive Strategies to protect your next deal Tune in this Saturday at 11 AM Talk Radio 92.3 FM AM 760 WETR Also airing at 1 PM on News Talk 98.7 FM Call 865 693 SOLD Visit RyanColeman.org Ryan Coleman Founder Broker CEO Hometown Realty LLC Voted Best of Knoxville 2017 to 2025 Proud Sponsor of the VOLS Dave Ramsey Top ELP YOUR TENNESSEE AGENT #RealEstateWithRyan #KnoxvilleRealEstate #TennesseeRealEstate #EastTennesseeRealEstate #SpringHousingMarket #EscrowFallThrough #HomeSellingTips #HomeBuyingTips #RealEstateAdvice #MarketUpdate #KnoxvilleTN #KnoxvilleHomes #EastTNHomes #HometownRealty #YourTennesseeAgent

What does it really take to build a profitable YouTube channel in a niche everyone says is "too small"? In this episode, Cody Moneymaker pulls back the curtain on how his bluegrass guitar channel, just 33,000 subscribers, generates right around $5,000 a month in course sales, with zero paid ads and barely any sponsorships. We get into the exact pivot that changed everything (hint: it wasn't about playing better), why his thumbnails look like a newspaper on purpose, how he plans his entire year around sales seasonality, and the mindset shift that keeps him from burning out. If you've got a small channel and you're wondering if the numbers will ever add up — this one's for you. About Cody: Cody Moneymaker is a bluegrass guitarist and educator based in East Tennessee. A graduate of East Tennessee State University's Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Country Music program, he has performed everywhere from Knoxville to Vietnam. His YouTube channel, Cody M. Music, has over 32,000 subscribers, where he shares lessons and insights into bluegrass guitar, gear, and ups and downs of being a local musician. Connect With Cody: YouTube Channel /// Website   What We Offer Creators Join Creator Communities. A place to gather with other creators every single day. This provides access to Our Private Discord Server, Monthly Mastermind Group, and MORE!  Hire Dusty To Be Your YouTube Coach YouTube Channel Reviews (Audit): Get a 7-10 minute personalized video review of your YouTube channel with honest, actionable feedback for just $50. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: Each week I document what I'm doing in my business and creative journey, share new things I've discovered, mistakes I've made, and much more! All Tools Mentioned On The Show: The Ultimate Entrepreneurs Resource. This is the spreadsheet where I keep all of the tools mentioned by all the guests on the podcast. Follow The Show: Facebook /// X /// YouTube /// Instagram

Matt Seeber is a dedicated Bigfoot researcher and the founder of East TN Bigfoot, an investigative group focused on documenting and exploring Sasquatch activity throughout the Appalachian region. Based in East Tennessee, Matt has spent years in the field following up on eyewitness reports, studying patterns in sightings, and working to separate fact from folklore.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/paranormal-411--4218639/support.

Dolly Parton continues to dazzle with her boundless philanthropy, headlining the news this week with a massive donation to the newly renamed Dolly Parton Childrens Hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee. According to the hospitals president and CEO Matt Schaefer in an interview with Chief Healthcare Executive, the gift is a generational and transformational commitment, described as beyond generous and a lifeline for treating sick kids and supporting staff for years to come. Ladbible reports it builds on her earlier contribution that prompted the hospitals renaming earlier this year, while a Bluaz video summary notes Dolly met with staff to map out the exciting future ahead. This could etch her legacy even deeper in East Tennessee healthcare.On the business front, Dollywood kicked off its 2026 season to fanfare, as WEARTV coverage highlights, marking the parks 41st year with Dolly launching the festivities remotely or via statement amid her first public appearance back in March after a quiet spell. Meanwhile, her SongTeller Hotel and Life of Many Colors Museum in Nashville gears up for a spring debut, Meetings Today details, boasting 245 rooms, live music spots like Jolenes and Partons Live, plus a third-floor exhibit of her career told through her own eyesopen daily from 9 to 5. Thats poised to become a pilgrimage site for fans craving that signature Dolly warmth.Not all smooth sailing thoughImagination Library faces headwinds, with MyBellinghamNow reporting Washington state slashing funding, forcing United Way of Whatcom County to scramble for donations and grants despite community love and a fresh Phillips 66 boost to keep books flowing to kids. Kentuckys legislature name-checked the program positively in recent bills per their records, signaling ongoing support elsewhere. Culturally, the Kansas City Star notes her greatest hits will soundtrack a symphony event unpacking the stories behind the songs over three shows.No fresh social media buzz or public sightings in the last 24 hours, but these moves underscore Dollys enduring impact at 80. Thanks for listening, please subscribe to never miss an update on Dolly Parton and search the term Biography Flash for more great Biographies. This has been a Quiet Please production.This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Is the Spring Housing Market a Smart Opportunity or Are Homes Still Overpriced in 2026? The spring housing market is heating up across East Tennessee — but are homes still overpriced, or is this the opportunity buyers have been waiting for? From Knoxville to surrounding communities, more listings, shifting interest rates, and seasonal demand are reshaping the market as we head deeper into 2026. On this episode of Real Estate with Ryan, we break down what's really happening this spring, whether prices are stabilizing, and what it means for buyers and sellers right now. If you're planning your next move, this is one conversation you don't want to miss. Spring market trends in East Tennessee Are home prices still elevated? What buyers should expect this season Opportunities for sellers in 2026 Tune in this Saturday at 11 AM Talk Radio 92.3 FM / AM 760 WETR Also airing at 1 PM on News Talk 98.7 FM Call 865-693-SOLD Visit RyanColeman.org Ryan Coleman Founder/Broker/CEO Hometown Realty LLC Voted Best of Knoxville 2017–2025 Proud Sponsor of the VOLS Dave Ramsey Top ELP YOUR TENNESSEE AGENT #RealEstateWithRyan #KnoxvilleRealEstate #TennesseeRealEstate #EastTennesseeRealEstate #SpringHousingMarket #HousingMarket2026 #HomePrices #BuyingAHome #SellingYourHome #MarketUpdate #KnoxvilleTN #KnoxvilleHomes #EastTNHomes #HometownRealty #YourTennesseeAgent

Dan talks about the tensions rising in the Middle East among several nations, as well as the failed bill in Tennessee that would harshen punishments for 3 strike offenders | aired on Friday, April 10th, 2026 on Nashville's Morning News with Dan MandisSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the weekend, the US military rescues a weapons systems officer who was shot down in enemy territory over Iran. President Trump dismisses US attorney general Pam Bondi. And the Artemis II crew gets closer to the moon than any American astronaut since 1972. Michael Reneau from The Dispatch joins to discuss these headlines with Clarissa Moll. Then, Clarissa speaks with Mark, Rachel, and Sarah Lanier, the attorneys who won the first case that held media companies responsible for creating social media apps that addict and harm children. GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN: Join the conversation at our Substack. Find us on YouTube. Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice. ABOUT THE GUESTS: Michael Reneau is a managing editor at The Dispatch and is based in Greeneville, Tennessee. Prior to that, he was editor of WORLD Magazine and for several years was editor of a daily newspaper in East Tennessee. Mark Lanier is an American trial lawyer and founder and CEO of the Lanier Law Firm. He has led a number of product litigation suits resulting in billions of dollars in damages, including Johnson & Johnson baby powder and Merck & Co.'s Vioxx drug. Lanier Law Firm has provided services in the past to Christianity Today. Rachel Lanier is the managing attorney of the Los Angeles office of the Lanier Law Firm and a member of the trial team. She practices in the areas of personal injury, toxic torts, pharmaceutical litigation, mass torts, and product liability. Sarah Lanier is an associate attorney in the Houston office of the Lanier Law Firm. Her practice areas include personal injury, toxic torts, mass torts, products liability, and pharmaceutical liability. ABOUT THE BULLETIN: The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today's editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more. The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more. “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today Producer: Clarissa Moll Associate Producer: Alexa Burke Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps Executive Producer: Erik Petrik Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we're diving into the work happening on the ground in East Tennessee to support farmers, strengthen local food systems, and build healthier, more resilient communities.I'm joined by Andy Brown and Jillian Gorell from the Appalachian Resource Conservation & Development Council, an organization that's been doing incredible work across the region, from farmland conservation and farmer training to expanding food access and supporting local infrastructure.They're tackling some big challenges like land access, economic pressures on small farms, and the need for stronger regional food systems, while also creating real, tangible opportunities for farmers and communities to thrive.Contact and connect: https://arcd.org/

Episode 353: He was an East Tennessee country guitar prodigy who was invited on the Grand Ole Opry at age 11 by Marty Stuart, and Trey Hensley has made good on that promise by emerging as one of the finest singers and pickers in contemporary roots music. His national profile took shape after forming a super-flexible duo with dobro master Rob Ickes around 2016. Now, after four albums, collaborations with Taj Mahal and a Grammy nomination, Hensley has revved up his songwriting and made Can't Outrun The Blues, which is not his first solo album but the one he regards as his true artistic debut.   

#joecazana #bythebook #nwa #gmbmpwWelcome to Episode 119 of Give Me Back My Pro Wrestling (@gmbmpw) with hosts Jimmy Street (@jamesrockstreet), our action figure expert "The Plastic Sheik" Jared Street and the Territory Wrestling Guru, Quinton Quarisma! Tune in as they join forces and tackle the world of Professional Wrestling!Today we welcome Joe Cazana to the show! Joe's history in wrestling is a rare one. Starting with his grandad, the legendary promoter of Knoxville, John Cazana. Then his own career which leads to his sons AJ and KC Cazana, aka the Country Gentlemen! We cover East Tennessee and Knoxville wrestling history, WCW, Smoky Mountain, the current NWA, Joe Cazana Promotions, his official NWA rule book and so much more! We even get in a Name Game too, and we did it all by the book! Enjoy!Check out The Cazana Legacy documentary: https://youtu.be/oFkAhR9wDYQ?si=KpXUql-aTL_7iEV6Follow Joe Cazana Promotions on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@nwajcp?si=HR5K8MkLUqTdt1XXVisit our Give Me Back My Pro Wrestling podcast page! https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gmbmpwFOLLOW & SUBSCRIBE:https://facebook.com/gmbmpwhttps://facebook.com/groups/gmbmpw/https://instagram.com/gmbmpwhttps://twitter.com/gmbmpwhttps://www.youtube.com/@GMBMPWCheck out Sheik's Shorts: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0oL-yrnIHtlaVHamAApDquYBXeGaHS8vCheck out the Live and In Color with Wolfie D podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/wolfiedVISIT OUR AWESOME SPONSORS!-Captain's Corner (Conventions, Virtual Signings and more!): https://www.facebook.com/captinscorner-Gideon's Warriors ministry, Pro Wrestlers telling stories and their testimonies! (Contact Pastor Rick Reynolds for more info on how to bring them to your church at icw2009@hotmail.com)-T's Westside Original Gourmet Sauces: https://www.westsidesauces.comADVERTISE WITH US! For business and advertising inquiries contact us at gmbmpw@gmail.comVery Special Thanks To: -Sludge (@sludge_cast) for the "Give Me Back My Pro Wrestling" entrance theme!-Tracy Byrd and A Gathering Of None for the "Sheik Fell Down A Rabbit Hole" & "Name Game" theme songs! © 2026, jamesrockstreet Productions

Tonight on The Pipes Magazine Radio Show, we welcome back pipe maker Ron Smith, the artisan behind Ranz Freehands. Based in East Tennessee, Ron began crafting pipes after retirement, drawing on his background in sculpture and art to create distinctive freehand designs. Since starting around 2015, his work has emphasized individuality, finish, and smoking quality, blending traditional shapes with creative twists. A longtime pipe smoker, Ron continues to refine his craft by learning from other makers and exploring new techniques, producing pipes that are both artistic and approachable. At the top of the show, Brian will discuss Virginia tobaccos.

In this gripping episode, we sit down with an all-star lineup of paranormal voices: Laura from the Midnight in the Mountains Podcast, Jason York from AFK Discussions, and Brooks Rinish from the East Tennessee paranormal team The Smokies Unforgotten Spirits.Together, we dive deep into one of Tennessee's most haunted and mysterious locations — Elkmont Ghost Town, nestled deep within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Gatlinburg.Once a thriving early 1900s logging community and exclusive mountain resort for the wealthy, Elkmont was left to slowly fade after the creation of the national park. Today, its decaying yet eerily preserved cabins, the infamous “Troll Bridge,” and historic homes stand as a haunting time capsule of Appalachian life — and a hotspot for intense paranormal activity.From shadowy air entities and dark figures to chilling encounters with Black-Eyed Kids, aggressive spirits, and even reports of Bigfoot, Elkmont has earned its reputation as one of the most active locations in the Smokies.But this episode goes far beyond the legends. The guys open up about a terrifying personal experience they had in the ghost town — an encounter so powerful it has haunted them ever since and may have left a lasting impact on their lives.Join us for a wild, unforgettable night at Elkmont Ghost Town and discover the lingering effects this abandoned place continues to have on those who dare to investigate it.Got a mind-blowing paranormal encounter, cryptid sighting, UFO experience, or any high-strangeness story that still gives you chills? We want to hear it—and we want YOU on the show! Become a guest on Let's Get Freaky and share your true story with our growing freaky community. Drop us a line at: letsgetfreakypodcast@mail.com Or slide into our DMs on socials: Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, or YouTube → @tcletsgetfreakypodcastEverything you need in one place: https://linktr.ee/letsgetfreaky

Daniel Ellis of Carter County, Tennessee was a wagon maker who became one of the most successful guides of the Civil War. Living behind Confederate lines in East Tennessee, Ellis created a secret route through the Appalachian Mountains to Union territory at Cumberland Gap.Traveling mostly at night and avoiding Confederate patrols, Ellis made about twenty journeys through East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, guiding roughly four thousand Union supporters to safety. About two thousand of them later joined the Union Army.Join us as we tell the story of the man Confederate soldiers called “The Old Red Fox” for his ability to escape capture, another one of the Stories of Appalachia.Be sure to subscribe to the Stories podcast so you don't miss a single episode.  And consider becoming a supporter of the podcast on Spreaker.com, where you can get an ad-free version of our stories, plus exclusive content.Thanks for listening!

Knoxville talks a lot about being “the Volunteers” but what does service actually look like when nobody is handing you a script? I'm joined by Liz Stowers, a powerhouse community leader with deep roots in a military “service over self” mindset, and we get real about what it takes to show up, listen first, and build trust in East Tennessee.If you are looking for a Realtor, don't forget to call The Landes Team to help you buy and sell! Yvonnca LandesRealty Executives Associates865.660.1186 or 588.3232www.YvonncaSellsRealEstate.comAdrienne LandesRealty Executives Associates865.659-6860 or 588.3232Click here: https://linktr.ee/talkintnwithyvonncaTurning Knox Rental (Event Rental Services): www.turningknoxrental.comLandes Home Collection Online Store: www.landeshomecollection.comFor promotion inquires please contact Yvonnca Landes. 865-660-1186All Copy Rights are owned Yvonnca Landes and the Landes Brand ©. To gain legal access contact David Landes 865.660.6860 or theappraisalfirm@charter.net Produced and engineered by: Adrienne LandesThank you for listening! Follow us on social media! https://linktr.ee/talkintnwithyvonnca

Provost Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle sits down with Dr. Randy Wykoff, founding dean of the ETSU College of Public Health, to reflect on his decades of leadership, teaching, and service. From building Tennessee's first accredited school of public health to preparing students for real-world challenges through hands-on learning and community engagement, Dr. Wykoff shares lessons from a career dedicated to improving health across Appalachia and beyond — just months before his retirement. Find out more:  ETSU College of Public Health: https://www.etsu.edu/cph/?utm_campaign=College-of-Public-Health Podcast transcript:  Dr. Randy Wykoff We believe from the beginning that we had to be world-class. I think it's critical for students to see how what they've learned works in the community. So all of our public health students, environmental health students, health admin students have to do an internship. And that's basically a semester-long opportunity for them to take what they've learned and see, "Oh, wait a minute, this really does work. I really can go out and help this agency do what they're doing." Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle Hi, I'm Kimberly McCorkle, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at East Tennessee State University. From the moment I arrived on this campus, I have been inspired by our faculty, their passion for what they do, their belief in the power of higher education, and the way they are transforming the lives of their students. This podcast is dedicated to them, our incredible faculty at ETSU. Hear their stories as they tell us "Why I Teach." In this episode, I speak with Dr. Randy Wykoff, the founding dean of the ETSU College of Public Health and the longest-serving dean of public health in the United States. Under his leadership, the college became the first accredited school of public health in Tennessee and central Appalachia and has tripled its enrollment since 2006. During his tenure, the college has secured more than $50 million in research funding and earned national recognition for teaching, research, and community service. A Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame inductee and recipient of the U.S. Surgeon General's Medallion, Dr. Wykoff has made a lasting impact on public health education, and practice across the region. Earlier this year, he announced his plans to retire at the end of the 2025-26 academic year. So before he retires, I wanted to make sure to feature his wisdom and his insights on "Why I Teach." Enjoy the show. Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle Dr. Wykoff, welcome to the show. This is a bittersweet episode for me as we're just a few short months from your retirement, which seems like a good time for reflection. You've spent more than two decades leading the College of Public Health. What originally drew you to public health, and what ultimately brought you to ETSU? Dr. Randy Wykoff No, that's a great question. Thank you for having me today. I always tell the students that your career isn't a river. It doesn't always flow in the same direction. So I started out to be a tropical pediatrician. That was my goal. That's what I ... I'd lived in Africa as a kid, and I planned on going back. And so I went to med school, did a pediatric residency, did a residency in preventive medicine and tropical medicine. I got a certificate of knowledge in tropical medicine. I got a master's in public health in tropical medicine. And in order to go to med school, I took out a National Health Service Corps scholarship. And after interviewing at various places, for reasons that I don't quite understand, they sent me to run six county health departments in South Carolina. So two aspects of my career happened at once: one, shifting from medicine to public health, and the other was into a leadership position. So after four years, I left that and went to the FDA, where I spent a decade. I spent some time on Capitol Hill and then went to an international nonprofit. And when it became clear to me that I needed to move on from the nonprofit, I had no academic experience. I had no published research. I had no funding. So I thought, "Why not become a dean of public health?" And I saw the ETSU ad, and I had never been in East Tennessee, other than briefly to travel through it. And my wife said, "Well, if we're going to live in Tennessee, we have to live on a lake." And I said, "There are no lakes in East Tennessee." That's how little I knew about it. So that's what brought me here. I just happened to see a job. I don't know that I was qualified for it, but they gave it to me. So that's it. Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle When you look back at the early days of the college, what was your vision for what it could become? Dr. Randy Wykoff Well, when we were accredited, we were the 43rd school in the country. And we were the newest, the smallest, the least well-known, and actually the least respected by at least one metric. And we realized that we had to do something different. We weren't going to be Johns Hopkins South, right? We had to figure out a way that we could be small but world-class. And if you want, I'll talk about the hotel analogy and how that played out. But we believed from the beginning that we had to be world-class, because we had to compete with these other 42 schools. All but one of them was at a large private institution or a state land grant institution. Two things I did that I'm kind of proud of. One was the hotel analogy, which was this idea that schools of public health are like hotels. Your five-star hotel has a gold elevator and doorman and uniform and a Cartier distributor and a Michelin star restaurant – more than you could possibly use in any one hotel stay and at a premium price. But large schools of public health were like that. Then your mid-sized schools of public health are like conference hotels. Good facilities, nice part of town, one nice restaurant. And your small schools of public health are like Motel 6s. They have clean washcloths. They have soap in those little plastic containers. They meet all the minimum accreditation requirements. But no matter how well you run a Motel 6, it's still a Motel 6. So our idea was there's actually three ways you can be small in the hospitality industry and be world-class. One is a bed-and-breakfast, which is about relationships. One is an adventure, like a barefoot cruise or base camp. And the other is a destination, like a safari camp. And we thought, okay, we can be all three of those. We can be one that's really known for how we treat students and how we treat each other, one that allows students to do things they wouldn't do anywhere else, and then promote Appalachia. Don't hide from it, promote it. It makes us unique and different. So that was the one thing. The other thing I did that I think was the only other thing I'm proud of, I've always had this idea that once someone shows you they can do their job, the best thing you can do is let them do whatever else they can do. And you see that you see people just absolutely go well beyond what their job description is if you empower them to do things. And that's worked really well for us, especially as a small school. We had to have people that could step up and do things that we didn't expect. Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle That's great. Well, two of the secrets to the success. Dr. Randy Wykoff That's right. That's all there is. Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle The College of Public Health has been nationally recognized for its innovative curriculum and teaching. How do you help students connect what they learn in the classroom with real-world health challenges? Dr. Randy Wykoff I think public health is somewhat unique in that while it is an academic field, it's an applied field. And so the students from the beginning know that they're going to learn skills that will be relevant in the workplace. And my personal theory has always been that when I'm teaching, my job is to prepare the students for the career that I had. None of them will have that career. But whatever I've learned on the way is what I should be preparing them for, because anything else is a little bit artificial on my part. I know a theoretical approach, but if I talk about here's how federal advisory committees work, here's how you work with media, the skills that I had to learn along the way. Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle What teaching approaches have you found most effective when preparing students to work in communities across Appalachia and beyond? Dr. Randy Wykoff I think it's critical for students to see how what they've learned works in the community. So all of our public health students, environmental health students, health admin students, have to do an internship. And that's basically a semester-long opportunity for them to take what they've learned and see, "Oh, wait a minute. This really does work. I really can go out and help this agency do what they're doing." So that's important. And then what we do at Valleybrook is, again, it's applied skills. When we're teaching students how to make a water filter or a water pump, they're probably thinking initially, "I'm never going to do this in the rest of my life." But the reality is what we're teaching them is the process, the logistics, the ability to take what you've got and get an outcome that you need. And that's really important in public health, especially when you get to disaster response and things like that. Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle As someone who's mentored faculty as well as students, and since public health professionals are educators in their own right, what advice do you give educators who want to become effective teachers? Dr. Randy Wykoff That's a great question. I used to look at all the SAIs (course evaluations), and I discovered that there were three things that you always see in a positive SAI and two things that you always see in a negative SAI. The three things are know the material, care about students, enthusiastic. Everybody knows their material. If you don't care about students, you probably shouldn't be in a higher ed. And if you're not enthusiastic, you're not thinking about how cool what you're doing is. On the downside, the two that come out are disorganized and unfair. Usually unfair is, "I didn't get any grades before midterm, and now I have no way to get my grade back up," and then disorganized is what it is. But in the College of Public Health, we have great faculty. We've won the teaching award, I think, five times. It's a real pleasure to watch people take their own natural approach to life and apply it in the classroom. You have people that are very systematic. I don't know if I can mention names, like Patrick Brown with POGIL (Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning). He's very systematic. We have others who are very hands-on and applied, like Mike Stoots. And we have others that are old-school, that get up and lecture, others who have interactive. But that's less important than knows the material, cares about the student, and is enthusiastic. Anyone who can do those things works out. Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle I'll mention that right after we record this podcast, you're headed to your own class that you teach. Dr. Randy Wykoff I am. Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle Yeah. I'm assuming you use those approaches in the classes that you continue to teach. Dr. Randy Wykoff I do. And what I've tried – I co-teach it with Hadii Mamudu. And what we try to do is he teaches leadership from sort of the academic side. What's the literature show? I try to walk students through, again, the career that I've had. And the whole idea is to teach the application of the skills through doing. So that's my general approach. Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle It's great that you continue to teach. Dr. Randy Wykoff Yeah. Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle Oh, yeah. Dr. Randy Wykoff I mean, you'd be crazy to be at an institution of higher ed and not do it, right? That's the great payback, is dealing with students. Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle Absolutely. Dr. Randy Wykoff Not that I don't like dealing with everyone else, but students are the high point. They're the highlight. Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle That's right. During the COVID-19 pandemic, you helped lead the creation of educational videos and public outreach. In many ways, that was teaching on a community scale. What did that experience teach you about educating the public? Dr. Randy Wykoff I think it reinforced something that is in public health and in a lot of fields. You have to speak the truth. Speak as you know it and recognize when things are unknown or evolving or changing. But with COVID, there was so much information going out. Some of it was accurate. Some of it wasn't. So I just tried to use my updates to say, this is what I believe is true at this point now. Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle I think that was the way I first got to know you was through your videos, through COVID. Dr. Randy Wykoff Yes. Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle Do you want to tell us what the tagline was for those? Dr. Randy Wykoff Well, that was "The Most Interesting Dean." Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle That one. Dr. Randy Wykoff Yeah, that was, again, it was an effort to make the messaging more fun. And what we discovered was that that ad campaign had ended in 2016. And there were a whole lot of students who had no idea what I was doing. And one of the people who works for me was like, "Why are you talking in that funny accent?" But the idea was make it entertaining, get the message out in a way that isn't offensive to people. Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle Yeah, it drew people in. Dr. Randy Wykoff Yeah. Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle And you were the most interesting dean in the world. Dr. Randy Wykoff For a few short weeks. Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle As you prepare to retire, what reflections do you have about the impact teaching has had on your own career and life? Dr. Randy Wykoff Oh, it's been, I can't think of a better way to end your career than teaching. You're taking everything that you've learned and you're passing it on to a new generation. It's incredibly rewarding. It gets a little bit awkward because my dad said that when I became Dean, my jokes would be a lot funnier. And it is a little bit awkward that people accord you this status above and beyond what you feel you've earned. And I think teaching does keep you humble a little bit because you're sitting there and every time you're teaching, you're thinking, “What don't I know about this subject? Why am I comfortable talking about this issue?” And the same with the weekly updates. I almost always have to do some research. I can't just spontaneously do them. But it's incredible. It's incredibly rewarding to be a teacher. And it's amazing to be at a place like ETSU that has focused on this community. I talk to other deans at other schools, and many of them have no real deep relationship with their region the way we do. The President says it all the time. We were created in 1911. And we went from education to business to health to the arts. We really touch everything that matters in this region. And in public health, that's what it is. Public health is everything that helps people live healthier, more productive lives. And I wouldn't want to be a dean anywhere else. And especially at a place that values esoteric research over the difference that you make in your community. Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle Finally, looking back, what do you hope your former students remember the most about learning from you? Dr. Randy Wykoff I hope that they are progressively proud to have come out of ETSU. I think five, 10, 15 years from now, a lot of the hierarchy in higher ed will be falling away as people start really looking at quality and realizing that ETSU really is an exceptional place. I hope they're proud of that. I hope they believe that they were prepared for a meaningful career. And I hope some of them become wealthy benefactors in 40 years. We often say that. We're creating alums for 40 years from now. I'm not opposed to alums giving back right away. It's important that they feel that they got a good education, that prepared them for the workforce, and that they can say with pride, "Hey, I went to ETSU." Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle Dr. Wykoff, thank you for joining me and for sharing your reflections on teaching, leadership, and public health. Your commitment to education and service has had a profound impact on ETSU, on your students, and on communities throughout our region and state. We're going to miss you. Dr. Randy Wykoff Well, thank you. I'm glad I'm going to stay around. I'll just have a different relationship with the university. Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle Thanks for listening to "Why I Teach." For more information about Dr. Wykoff, the College of Public Health, or this podcast series, visit the ETSU Provost website at etsu.edu/provost. You can follow me on social media at ETSU Provost. And if you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to like and subscribe to "Why I Teach" wherever you listen to podcasts.    

Send a textIn this episode of The Trillium Show, I sit down with Abby Ham for a conversation about identity, reinvention, and what happens when you finally step away from something that has defined your life for more than two decades.Most people in East Tennessee know Abby from her years behind the anchor desk, waking up with Knoxville long before sunrise and becoming part of the rhythm of this community. But behind that public role was a demanding schedule, a lot of personal sacrifice, and the constant pressure that comes with living so much of your life in front of other people.We talk about Abby's path into broadcast journalism, what it was really like to build a career in morning news, and how that schedule affected everything from sleep to marriage to family life. We also get into the harder parts of public-facing work: criticism, boundaries, self-doubt, and the challenge of separating who you are from what other people expect you to be.What I appreciated most about this conversation is Abby's honesty. She shares what it took to leave a successful career, why confidence looks different in your 40s than it does in your 20s, and what she is learning now as she builds something of her own. This is a conversation about trusting yourself, asking for help, and giving yourself permission to write a new chapter.It is thoughtful, funny, candid, and full of insight for anyone who has ever wondered whether being good at something is reason enough to keep doing it.Connect with Abby:FacebookInstagramWe Know People Knox

A Movie Podcast: A New East Tennessee Dolly, Queen Samara Weaving by Fanrun Radio

Coach Marty Euverard discusses his transition out of retirement to become the head football coach at Providence Christian Academy (PCA). After a highly successful 14-year tenure at Montgomery Bell Academy (MBA), Euverard had initially moved to his family farm in East Tennessee, but he felt a spiritual calling to return to the sidelines to influence young athletes. The move is particularly significant due to his personal ties to the school, where his daughter is a teacher and his eldest grandson will soon be a freshman on the team. Euverard highlights the collaborative nature of the transition, noting that he has spent considerable time consulting with his predecessor and longtime friend, Lebron Ferguson, to maintain the program's culture. The conversation also dives into the deep-rooted history and coaching philosophy shared by Euverard and Ferguson, who coached together for years at Oakland High School. They reminisce about the "Inside Drill," a notoriously intense "smash-mouth" training tradition involving several local high school powerhouses that focused on downhill rushing and physical toughness. Euverard emphasizes that his primary goal at PCA extends beyond football, focusing on the school’s mission to build young men with a strong faith and a spirit of excellence. This return to Middle Tennessee marks a new chapter for the Hall of Fame coach as he seeks to build upon the foundation Ferguson established at the growing program.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the world of floristry, one question keeps coming up: How can local flower farmers better connect with florists to provide fresh, quality blooms? In this episode, we delve into the innovative solutions offered by the Bristol Bloom Collective, a group that's transforming the landscape of flower farming in East Tennessee. We'll explore their mission, the unique advantages of locally grown flowers, and how this collective is making a significant difference in the community.Connect with Bristol Bloom Collective: https://bristolbloomcollective.com/Buy your next home, or list your current home with us!https://www.thecolinandcarlygroup.com/Be a guest on the Johnson City Living Podcast: https://www.johnsoncityliving.com/guests?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaf_qLsH2l73s8fTV40Oebx8kSAGlIFS_y50ij7CRneeNX3I6NzzfQMUKP-7hw_aem_xHCpTZ5r_cOfc22X1DNvmw

Michaela Barnett is a small business owner, scientist, and community leader who spent the last year working in Congress — so she knows firsthand what isn't working, why, and what to do about it.She's running to flip the longest-held Republican seat in the country, Tennessee's second congressional district. Michaela is fighting to reclaim our people's power and reform our government to better serve the people of East Tennessee. This race is going to take all of us working together to flip this long-held Republican seat. Think about the message it would send to the powers that be, if we flip TN-02 blue!Timeline of our conversation:0:00 Introduction1: 30 Michaela's backstory and civil engineering career5:30 Knoxfill - A community refillery in Knoxville, TN9:17 Why is policy important?12:17 School Vouchers and Students with Disabilities16:00 Medicaid and universal basic healthcare17:30 Women's Reproductive Health24:29: Voting Rights and the SAVE Act28:00 Action Items

Roughly a year and a half after devastating floods, two East Tennessee state parks continue to have significant closures. Plus the local news for March 4, 2026 and this week's edition of What Where Whens-day Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

This week, Steve and Rod tell the story of Granville “Stick” McGhee and Walter “Brownie” McGhee, two brothers from East Tennessee whose music helped shape American blues and early rock 'n' roll. Born in Knoxville, the McGhee brothers took the music they heard growing up and used it to launch themselves onto the national stage.Be sure to subscribe to the Stories podcast wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Consider becoming a supporter of the podcast and get extra content along with an ad-free feed of our stories!Thanks for listening!

Episode OverviewEast Tennessee guide Ellis Ward joins host Marvin Cash on The Articulate Fly fly fishing podcast for a late-winter fishing report covering the South Holston River and surrounding tailwaters. In this episode, Ellis breaks down how unpredictable dam generation schedules and fluctuating flows are the primary drivers of inconsistent fishing windows — more so than weather — and why that reality demands a fundamentally different mental approach from serious anglers. With BWO hatches failing to materialize on days that should produce blizzard conditions, and streamer eat windows compressing to brief, unpredictable pulses, Ellis and Marvin draw a direct parallel between the relentless focus required for post-spawn brown trout streamer fishing and the mental discipline musky anglers already understand. The conversation covers the critical tactical mindset of hunting specific, quality fish rather than grinding for numbers, how to stay locked in through hours of blank water, and why the angler who stays mentally present from first cast to last is the angler who converts when a big brown finally commits. Looking ahead, Ellis previews the approaching caddis hatch and the narrow pre-spawn musky window before the fish pull off into their spawning cycle — a brief but high-opportunity period for anglers willing to position now.Key TakeawaysHow flow variability on Tennessee tailwaters — more than weather or barometric pressure — controls streamer bite windows and hatch activity, and why monitoring generation schedules is the first step in trip planning.Why the mental framework musky anglers already bring to the water is the correct lens for post-spawn brown trout streamer fishing, where long blank stretches between eats are the rule rather than the exception.How to maintain cast-to-cast focus through low-feedback hours by loading your brain with data that supports your confidence in the water type and technique, rather than drifting toward easier or more visible options.When to pivot between top-run and bottom-run tailwater zones based on current flow constraints, and why reading the release schedule lets you prioritize water before you ever launch the boat.How Ellis Ward's newsletter gives subscribers first access to grade-one and grade-two bucktails before they sell out, making sign-up through elliswardflies.com the only reliable way to secure top-shelf material.Techniques & Gear CoveredThe episode centers on streamer fishing for post-spawn brown trout on tailwaters, with Ellis emphasizing that successful execution is less about pattern selection in the moment and more about willingness to grind through extended non-productive stretches with the same intensity you brought to the first cast. He describes the challenge of top-run versus bottom-run water selection under constrained flows, highlighting how generation schedules completely restructure where holdable current and soft edges exist. Ellis also touches on the early-season caddis hatch approaching within a week or two, noting that small caddis coming off will begin to offer aggressive dry fly opportunities for fish that, under current windy and unsettled conditions, are largely unreachable on top.Locations & SpeciesThe episode focuses primarily on the Watauga River and the South Holston River in East Tennessee, tailwater systems whose fishing quality is directly tied to TVA generation schedules rather than ambient weather.