Podcasts about Westlake

Unity isn't just a buzzword. It's the foundation for business growth and community impact. In this episode of Building Texas Business, I sit down with Jeff Williams, president of Graham Associates, to talk about how bringing people together drives both engineering success and civic transformation. Working with his firm who design iconic Texas projects including AT&T Stadium and Southlake Town Square, and during his three terms as Arlington mayor, he demonstrats how unity principles scale from boardroom to city hall. Jeff shares his approach to bridging generational divides through Friday "High Five" meetings that transformed skeptical baby boomers and millennials into collaborative teammates. His engineering firm rebuilt their office culture post-COVID by creating collaboration spaces and displaying core values throughout their workspace, showing employees they're not just designing roads but contributing to state-of-the-art hospitals. When people understand their larger purpose, engagement naturally follows. His upcoming book "The Unity Blueprint" captures lessons from leading Arlington through the pandemic faster than any other U.S. city, according to NYU research, and emphasizes that modern leadership requires teaching over commanding, with trust and value as non-negotiables for today's workforce. Success comes from transforming "my plan" into "our plan" through genuine input and buy-in, whether you're managing engineers or running a city. This conversation reveals how Texas businesses thrive by embracing partnerships over politics, with Jeff's $8 million citywide rideshare solution versus $50 million per mile for light rail proving that innovation beats tradition when unity guides decisions. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS Discover how weekly "High Five" meetings turned skeptical senior engineers into collaboration champions, bridging baby boomers and millennials Jeff details how Arlington saved millions by implementing $8 million annual autonomous rideshare instead of $50 million per mile light rail Learn why being the first U.S. city to run autonomous shuttles attracted Uber, Lyft, and Via to compete for Arlington's contract Hear how post-COVID office renovations with collaboration spaces and visible core values brought remote workers back to rebuild culture Jeff shares how a devastating referendum loss taught him that expertise means nothing if political consultants silence your voice Understand why the Medal of Honor Museum chose Arlington over Washington D.C.—Texas builds in years what takes decades elsewhere LINKSShow Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About Graham Associates GUESTS Jeff WilliamsAbout Jeff TRANSCRIPT (AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Chris: In this episode, you'll meet Jeff Williams, CEO of Graham Associates and former mayor of Arlington, Texas. Jeff stresses the power of creating unity within a company to foster a strong culture and how training and developing your people it's critical to success. Jeff, I want to thank you for taking the time and welcome to Building Texas Business. It's great to be here. Jeff: Chris, it's always great to talk about Texas and especially business. Chris: Yes. So let's start with just introducing yourself and tell us what it is you do. What's your company known for? Jeff: Well, I own a civil engineering firm and we build communities. We design public infrastructure, highways, roads, utilities, but we also do sports facilities, churches, schools there. We've done a lot of different things. Some of our projects you might recognize in at and t Stadium, we were the civil engineers for it. And yes, we did work with the Jones family and we also also know Chris: Is Jerry World, right? Jeff: Absolutely. And it was an exciting project to work on and then it's amazing how well it's aged and still the top special event center here in the country. But then we've had South Lake Town Square, which was kind of the granddaddy of all of the town centers that's here and a really special place. Nebraska Furniture Mark. We got to work for Warren Buffett there and doing his grand scape development here in the Metroplex. But then we've also, we have Prestonwood Baptist Church, which one of the largest churches in the Southwest. So rewarding to be able to do that. And then we've got Westlake Academy, actually Westlake, Texas. We actually got to start from scratch there. It was a town that we got in on the very beginning. They had one subdivision and now they've got Fidelity's headquarters. Schwab is there, Deloitte, and then Viro, one of the most upscale developments in the state of Texas. So those are some of the fun projects that we've gotten to do. I think it's very rewarding. Chris: Yeah, no, I mean it sounds not just fun but impactful and kind of be able to look around and see how you've changed the landscape of your community, Jeff: Chris. That is so, so true. There's nothing better than to be able to take your family and friends to be able to show them what you've done, but even more importantly, to actually be at one of your projects and see people coming together and families enjoying a special place that we created. And of course that moves to unity and that's one of the things that I have grown to value more than anything else is bringing people together to make a difference. That's great. Well, Chris: We have the benefit here at Warrior Miller represent a lot of very successful real estate developers. And so I think I know our real estate team feels the same way is right working with the client to bring projects like that together and being able to, the benefit of doing the legal work for that and just see to go by years later and go, we worked on that project or that park or that building or that community center is really rewarding stuff. Jeff: Really is the mission of our company is to be an integral partner in building communities. Chris: I like that. So let's talk a little, I mean, what was the inspiration? Obviously you're engineer I guess by education, but what's been the inspiration for you to stay in this industry and build the company that you've Jeff: Built? Well, we just hit it. I feel like it's such an important part of being able to build these communities for people to live, work and play in. And then that actually led me to being actually recruited to run for mayor here in Arlington and to serve there. I served three terms as mayor. That's very unusual for engineers to move into that. I didn't realize it until after I was elected and there aren't many engineers that do that. But however, as an engineer, we have designed public infrastructure. We have to sell our projects to the citizens so many times we also understand schedules and budgets and being able to work through that. And so it really was a great fit for me there, although it's very challenging and people go, well, why would you do that? Well, the reason we'd do it, it's rewarding. It's the most rewarding job I've ever had. But it also is the hardest because you're working with so many different people. But it really increased my awareness that the last thing we need to be doing is to be having dissension and conflict all the time. Instead, we need to be bringing people together to make a difference and actually work on projects that can actually, people can get behind and have passion and discover their purpose. And then of course, the results of that have been actually to forge friendships. Chris: So I guess, how have you taken some of those lessons and lessons along the way and incorporated them into the company at Graham Associates to kind of build the team there? Jeff: Well, as I came out of serving as mayor, I ended my last term in 2021. We'd come out of the pandemic. There still were the lingering effects of it. People wanted to work from home. So however, in our business, in so many businesses, teamwork is a big part of what we need. Chris: Absolutely. Jeff: I read everything I could get ahold of because we are at the beginning of a technology revolution, but we also have societal changes that happen every few months or perhaps even sometimes monthly. So I needed to understand the young people, but also needed to figure out how to create an atmosphere to where our people wanted to be. So literally our offices, we redid everything in the way of so that we could be a very inviting place that our employees could be proud of, but also that our clients would want to come because those face-to-face meetings are still important. And then part of that impact too was that we try to create special places for collaboration and we have several collaboration rooms there. And so that was a key. But also in our Collins areas, we wanted to be uplifting. So in our kitchens we have those stocked, but we also put up positive phrases there that really epitomize our core values and we have our core values that our employees actually fed into. They're displayed everywhere. But then I ran into a roadblock because our older engineers said, Hey, why are we doing all of this? And then we started in on doing a Friday staff meeting where everyone came together and we call it our high five meeting, an opportunity for us to encourage each other and to be able to share some of the stories that happened that week. And man, my older engineer said, man, that's a whole hour of billable time that we could be having. And they didn't like it at all for the first couple of months. And then magic started happening. They started getting to know each other better. And so I had millennials getting along with the older baby boomers, they're an understanding each other and now they all look forward to it. And we do soft skill training and IT team building there also. But it is a time that we all look forward to and it built that camaraderie because we need teamwork and it helps to get them there. And so then I still allow my people to work one day a week at all. But then our project managers actually make the decision on how much more if someone wants to work from home more because it depends on the project and what we've got going, but yet our team understands now that they've got to be able to build those relationships. Well, I like what you pointed Chris: Out there is it's not a one size fits all game. You got to be flexible and listen. And I think as leaders, if you can communicate that so that your employees understand that they'll understand when you can't be as flexible as maybe they would like because the circumstances don't warrant that. But then when you can, you allow it, Jeff: Chris. That is so true, and you've got to value people and be able to listen to them. No longer can a manager when they ask you, why are we doing something? Because you can't say because I said so. Chris: No, Jeff: It's Chris: Because it's the way we've always done it. Jeff: Oh yes, that's another great line. That is a dinosaur that can't act more. But it's actually exciting to be able to share with our people why we're doing things and to be able to understand the big picture of that, Hey, this isn't that You're just designing a roadway to a hospital. You are contributing to the overall wellbeing of actually being a part of the team that constructs a state-of-the-art hospital that, Chris: Well, I think the other thing you've discovered, we see it here. It was certainly part of our culture before COVID and it's become an important part post COVID to regain connection. And that's getting people together in community, in the office, lunches, happy hours, breakfast, whatever, because then you use the word magic started to happen. I think that's right, that as we gain connection with our coworkers, that helps with retention, it helps with collaboration because we get to know each other a little better. Especially important I think not just in a post COVID world, but in the multi-generational office that we're dealing with. Right? Four and five generations in one office together don't necessarily see things eye to eye, but if you get to know somebody, you can break those barriers. Jeff: That's right. And that leads to something else that I've discovered. Even if you're an introvert and you think you don't need other people, it is amazing because God made us to live in community. And when you're coming together and aligning people with a purpose and you are working together, suddenly those barriers get broken down. And it doesn't matter the age difference, the color of your skin, all of those differences disappear because you're working together to make a difference. And suddenly, again, I'll mention you end up with friendships that are forged. In fact, if you think about it, probably your best friends are the ones that you worked on a project with. It might be for school, for church or in your work. And certainly it's awesome to be able to forge great friendships at your workplace. Chris: I love it. We haven't used the word really much, but it sounds like you're defining the culture that you're trying to build and nurture there. How would you describe the culture and anything else other than these kind of high five meetings and such that you're doing to try to help nurture the culture? Jeff: Well, I think the other part to round it out is that we have got to be focused on teaching and training. I think the culture has really got to be a teaching atmosphere. People don't respond to that type A manager that is forceful and raises their voice and all of that. It's more they've got to see that you value them, each one of these employees do. But then also it's not just in how you truth them. You need to take action in teaching and training them and show them how they are going to be able to help themselves and help the team overall by learning. And then of course, we also have to create that accountability because we aren't professional teachers. In fact, no matter what business we're in, most of us are not professional teachers. So we need our employees to be willing to ask questions and to be willing to be vulnerable, say, I really don't understand this. I need help on this. And that's where it's got to be a two-way street, but yet you cannot. You got to really foster that culture where they are willing to ask questions and to let you know that they don't know it there. But then we have the ability to focus in on what do they not understand and be able to get that training to help fill in that hole. Chris: Yeah, that's so important. So true. Let's just talk a little bit about technology and innovation. What are some of the things that you see and that you've tried to incorporate there from an innovative way of doing your work or how technology's changing the trends of how you go about your work? Jeff: Well, Chris, this is one of my favorite topics, and of course no surprise with me being an engineer, but we are really at the beginning of a technology revolution. In fact, I'll never forget, a few years ago I heard the head of IBM technology that was actually out of Belgium, and he said exactly that We are at the beginning of a technology revolution like the world has never seen, and we are going to see more change than we have ever experienced. Well, there is a little bit of a problem because most people don't like change. And yet we have got to be willing to adapt to that. And I challenge our engineers throughout when I'm speaking to engineering groups. So you guys have got to take the lead in that we, engineers are typically very conservative. They find a great way to do something or they want to stick with it. But however, because of new technology, we've got to be researching that technology. We've got to be looking to see what technology is good, what is not. We even need to be helping in the regulation of it. And so consequently, I'll say this, we have got to be researching AI and software that is coming out constantly. I have two people dedicated to that. Larger firms probably have whole departments that are dedicated because we have an opportunity to be able to do things better faster, but we've got to be able to be competitive. I don't want to wake up one day and all my competitors are being able to do things 30% cheaper than I can and beating my price point and actually able to serve the clients better. And I do equate it to when computers really came online in the eighties, we were all worried about, well, are we going to have a job? Oh, well. And then others would say, well, we're only going to work three days a week now because of computers. No, we saw ourselves become more productive and we will become more productive with AI and other technologies, but also even with the technology being able to incorporate how you use it. I'll give you an example of that. When I was serving as mayor, we were the first city in America to run an autonomous shuttle, a driverless shuttle there on a public streets. And it was amazing at work that we were all scared of it, but we actually challenged our city staff to be looking at new technologies that we could use to be able for transportation. And we said, Hey, let's open up our city as a laboratory. And so consequently, our staff came up with the idea that we really could have Uber and Lyft type process and actually have driverless shuttles that are seven passenger vans that could be going out throughout our city in a very cost effective way. That'd be much cheaper than high speed rail or light rail there. Of course, high speed rail is still a ways off. But anyway, long story short, we went out and did an RFQ, Uber, Lyft and a accompanied by the name of Via all proposed on it. And we ended up being the first city in America to implement technology rideshare and then added the autonomous vehicle to it. And now cities across America are doing that. And instead of paying 50 million a mile for light rail, we are end up calling actually covering our whole city 99 square miles for $8 million a year. It's an amazing thing and very cost effective. Everybody's business. We've got to look at how can we do things different and more cost effective utilizing the technology. Chris: Let's talk about a corollary to that. What are some of the trends you're seeing in your industry that we should be prepared for and maybe how is being based in Texas influencing those trends? Jeff: Well, it's growth, Chris. The growth is a big change in our business there because in growth is so big and so consequently the biggest resource we need or people, it's not, we can all buy our software, we can all buy our computers, but it's really about people. Every business I talk to, it's all about finding those people and then yet we've got to be willing to train them up there. And of course, really when you're hiring experienced people, many times that's just a stop gap because they don't quite fit what you need. So I think the big change that we're seeing trend that businesses are needing to train their workforce up and do that as fast as you can because we need more people to be able to fill those positions. So again, we've got to become teachers, we've got to be able to be efficient. And then I still think one of the biggest challenges in business and really in fact in America is that we have so much dissension. People have a tough time getting along with each other. Arguments come up and then suddenly that cancel culture comes and there's no forgiveness. It's I'm done with you. And that is a poison for business there. And none of us as managers want to spend all our time in conflict resolution. So to that, right? Chris: One of the things I talk about a lot is that if we can remember to give grace in the business world, we do have a personal life a lot, but for some reason we get into, then we think we switch and put the corporate hat on or business hat on and we kind of forget that. I think that is an important aspect to remember, to your point, it helps diffuse conflict. We're imperfect human beings. And so learning to have accountability but also with a touch of grace can help resolve conflict, avoid conflict mitigated in the workplace. Jeff: That's so true. Chris. I had an interesting thing happen along these same lines as New York University actually studied Arlington when I was mayor, and they got attracted initially that we had become the sports capital of the nation, but yet they looked at how we did things. And I needed help as a mayor, so I sought out people. I needed experts, I needed people that would work. I needed input from our citizens. And so we ended up working together to accomplish a lot of things. We had to work to keep the Texas Rangers here in town. There were a lot of other cities that wanted to move them out of our community. We also had not been bringing in jobs there. And in 2014, the year before I came in, the big headlines read that the DFW Metropolitan area had created more jobs in any other metropolitan area in the country, and Arlington was not doing that. And so we had to jumpstart that economy and then yet I needed to unite our leaders and we did that. And throughout the pandemic and so forth, New York University studied us and they believed we came out of the pandemic quicker than any other city in America, both physically and economically. And so they encouraged me to write a book on Unity and how you did it. And they also then took it a step further and they went to Forbes and I ended up signing a book contract with Forbes and were releasing the Unity Blueprint on September the ninth. That really is that plan. Therefore being able to bring people together in both your personal life, your life, and then even our civic involvement and so forth there. And that has been a big change for me really since I came into office. I always valued people, but now getting it, taking it to the next step of unity because how much time is wasted there when your employees are fighting with each other or arguing and then it's a lasting effect. They never work together as well. And so working and creating that culture and actually adding forgiveness to your core value I think is a very important thing. But then also getting people to adopt character values themselves, to have a foundation that they can work with. And when you see people working to be a person of character, there can be forgiveness, but there's not much room for forgiveness when it's constantly on the other person. It's a tough deal. Right. Well, Chris: I didn't realize about the book. That sounds, I'm excited to see it and read it, and I don't know if there's anything that kind of comes out of that as a tidbit that you might be able to share with us now the listeners about maybe obviously the lessons you've learned along the way, kind of that something that you've incorporated into your kind of leadership style that has helped foster unity within the organizations you've run. Jeff: Always amazed when a person gets appointed president of his company or gets elected to a position and many times they don't have a plan. And then in addition to that, if they do have a plan, many times they didn't get any input on it. They literally concocted a plan of their own versus the opportunity for you to work on a vision and a plan after you have researched it, and then you take it to your employees and get feedback from them. And suddenly that plan transforms from your plan to our plan. And it's amazing when you get that buy-in, how it can really work together, and you're not having to sell your plan all the time. They're doing it for you, and it makes all the difference. I'm very excited about being able to move out there around the country and pushing towards unity as a matter of fact, and our book has already reached the number one new release by Amazon. They're in both business and Christian leadership, so I'm pumped about that. That's awesome. Congratulations. But we're not perfect people. We all need the space, but if you're employees can see that you're working towards it, if your fellow employees can see you are working towards being that person of character and wanting to do it. Now, we landed in the middle of honor museum here in Arlington there. We were in a 20 city competition for that, and it's probably one of the greatest things I've ever been involved in. We had a six month journey there and competing against the other cities and it was a national museum. And you go, well, why didn't they go to Washington dc? Well, the reason they didn't is going to take 20 years to get it built. And we in Texas here, can get things built quick, can't we? Right. You've got great contractors, architects, engineers to make that happen. And real estate people, Chris real estate people, government. Chris: That wants to get stuff done, right? That's right. Yeah. Rather than being an impediment to getting stuff done. Jeff: Well, the middle of honor museum or the Medal of Honor recipients that were leading that recognize that very thing, they also saw that we are the center of patriotism and we can get things done. We have a track record do it. Chris: I had there's, we could do a whole episode I think just on that museum. I had the privilege, Texas Capital Bank did a little Texas tour and they hosted something here in Houston that I was invited to all about the museum, what it is, how it came about. Very unique, very special, very proud that it's going to be in Texas and hopefully more people will take time to get to know what this is all about and then go visit it once it opens. Jeff: Well, the thing that surprised me is when I actually visited with these Living Medal of Honor recipients, and each one of them has pledged to spend the rest of their life making more of a difference there. And what they're doing is they are pushing character values, integrity, sacrifice, courage, commitment, citizenship and patriotism. Well, that's what all of us need. And currently the state board of education here in Texas has adopted a two week curriculum that our students will study in school and then they'll be able to take a field trip to the museum or a virtual field trip. And I think that's gotten everybody excited that that is happening. And then of course, it's not just the youth, our adults too. So there are adult programs that are going on, but it had me reassess my core values. It had me to, I really wanted to reassess my character values and so forth. And in business it always starts with you got to do what you say you're going to do. But then I had an interesting thing happen and I pretty well knew the answer when I asked it, but I was speaking to 20 Chick-fil-A managers, and of course Chick-fil-A is number one in service, aren't they? Chris: Right? Jeff: I asked them, I said, guys, what are you looking for and you're leader? And they immediately spoke up and they said, we are looking for a leader that we can trust, and then we're looking for a leader that values us. I think that's where it starts for us then in Texas. We know that we get that right and we believe in partnerships and collaboration, and I think that separates us from so many other places in the country. Chris: So kind of tagging on with leadership, lots of theories and about how to become a leader, how to grow as a leader. I think you hit it on the nail on the head when you said you got to be a man of your word or a person of your word. Do what you say you're going to do when you say you're going to do it. It's kind of a foundational element, but I know from my own personal experience and talking to others, we learn a lot as leaders from mistakes we've made. And I'm just curious to know if you could share one of those rather than a mistake. I call it a learning moment where it didn't go as planned, but you learned from that and from that it actually probably accelerated your leadership skills because of it. Jeff: Yes, no doubt about it. That's very easy for me to say because one of the biggest disappointments I had in my career is we had worked on a Johnson Creek Greenway here in Arlington. It was a nine mile creek beautiful creek, and we also were going to be doing a river walk in the entertainment district around those stadiums and so forth. And we had done all the preliminary planning there. It got through the core of engineers, and we also had held major charettes. We were winning awards from all over the country. I was actually traveling and speaking on that. I had an incredible partner with me, a guy by the name of Jim Richards. I loved working with our team and I thought, this is what I'm going to be doing the next 10 years. But however, the city had to pass a sales tax selection to fund the project, and they hired a political consultant that came in and said, Hey, I think you guys ought to attach an arts referendum on this. The Johnson Creek project is so popular, the Riverwalk will go, let's attach that to it. And then there was one other thing that came in that was so unique, and that was that some of our people had actually gotten a agreement with Smithsonian to build a branch museum on this Johnson Creek river wall. And so they put that on the agenda there for an election, but the political consultants said, we don't want anybody doing anything. They said, we do not want Jeff Williams and my other partner going out and speaking, what if you make a mistake and you say the wrong thing or you stir people up? And then they also did not really realize that our refer referendum was very popular. We lost that election by a few hundred loaves. It was one of the most devastating things. And it's taken 20 years. A lot of it's been And it changed my whole career there because I had to study why did this happen? How did it happen? And I said, I have got to learn about how to handle sales tax and bond elections. And so I studied hard and in fact, I learned a lot on the Cowboys sales tax election because we had that coming up a few years after that. And we were prepared when we got into the Cowboys sales tax election. And I ran several school and city bond elections after that. There's times when you have to learn more and to be able to take control. And little did I know that it's going to prepare me for serving as mayor later on too. But I'll never forget, in 2008, we had a recession and y'all may recall that. And we had a bond program going on for public works and parks, and I was not mayor then of just engineer. And we were in trouble because if we didn't get these road projects through, and actually some of these parts projects, we had buildings that were in badly needed repair wreck centers, so forth, we had to again, engage more people and raise more money. And we went ahead with that sales tax or I should say bond program, and we were able to get it passed in the midst of that. And again, I think unity and learning about knowledge there played a huge pull. I'm a big researcher. I love to, and there are so many books out there, but also generally we never come up. We think that we come up with some creative idea that no one has ever done well, especially in business. Somebody has done it. Find them, find and you can learn from their mistakes and hopefully not make your own, but also learn from their successes. But great question, Chris. Chris: Yeah, no, you're so right. I mean, I tell people never stop learning. Be curious. We learn from our mistakes. We can learn from others and we can learn from our successes because sometimes we're successful despite ourselves or despite the plan. Lots of people will tell you it's good to be lucky every now and again. So sometimes that happens. But if you take the time to learn the why behind the success or the failure you will have learning and then that learning you will grow from Jeff: You just spur the thought that I think is so important as you are a success as you grow in your success in business. There, the ego definitely comes up. And then we all know that we've got to be careful and be humble, but I want to create a definition for humbleness because so many times when we hear humble, it goes, oh, well, you need to be modest. You never to don't need to show that confidence and so forth are really, I think the important thing about humbleness is that you need to realize that you are vulnerable and that we need other people. And you can't do it alone and you don't need to do it alone because you'll not really succeed as well. So as a leader, you walk along a cliff every day and we need people to be able to keep us from falling off. And I think you've got to continue to remember that every step of the way and there's always somebody that has a better idea. Let's go find it. Chris: Yeah, that's great. Jeff, this has been a great conversation. Just love your insights and your input. Can't wait to see the book. Unity. I want to turn just a little before we wrap up, is there a favorite spot in Texas that enjoy visiting or just kind of think about when are not doing all the engineering work and planning communities? Jeff: I love Texas. There are so many rural areas and cities, but I've got to share with you about three quick ones right here. One, Arlington, Texas has become the destination between Orlando and Vegas. And it is amazing how you can come now to the metroplex and you can see all kinds of events that are taking place there in our stadiums. And it may not be sporting, it may be concerts, it may be wrestling, who knows what it may be there going on. But then also we have the premier park in the state of Texas, I believe in River Legacy Parks, 1300 acres on the Trinity River bottoms and all of the tree growth and everything is still there. Amazing place with a world-class nature center there in it. But then you can go to Fort Worth and experience the Texas experience, the Stockyards, and then the world-class museum. And so we do staycations here because we don't want to take advantage of that. But then I'll hit two others real quick. Lubbock, Texas, I know you're going to go what in the world? Check out that restaurant scene and check out the music scene that is out there. And then Tex always got things going on, but of course we love Austin, San Antonio there in particular, Fredericksburg, east Texas and Tyler is awesome, but we have found a great beach in Port Aransas, har cinnamon chores for sure. We love it Chris: A lot to offer, right? Big state. A lot to offer. We accommodate all types and tastes. Right. Well that's one of the things I love about the state of Texas is if you can kind of find anything that any interest you have, we can satisfied. Jeff: That's right. That's Chris: Maybe not snow skiing. We hadn't figured that one out yet. But other than that, I think we got you covered. Jeff: Yeah, that's right. And of course Colorado's worried Texans are going to take over Colorado. We do head up there to do our skiing Chris: For sure. Okay, last question. Do you prefer Tex-Mex or barbecue? Jeff: Oh my goodness. I hate to make this choice, but I've got to talk barbecue. We have a really neat story here in Arlington with Harto Barbecue. This was a guy that was a backyard barbecue or Brandon, he's Texas monthly now has him in the top 50. But it was really neat. We had the first neutral World Series here in Arlington. You remember during the pandemic they picked us to in the LA Dodgers in Tampa came to town. The LA Dodgers found the small little barbecue spot of Hertado here in downtown Arlington and it went viral. They put it on social media. Everybody found Brandon Hertado, including Taylor Sheridan and Taylor Sheridan with Ellison started having him out to his parties and now he signed an agreement with four six's ranch that Taylor owns to supply the beef. And he's now got several restaurants. It's just a really neat story. And how many times is it so fun for us in Texas to discover that next new barbecue spot? Got 'em all over the place. It's awesome. That is a cool Chris: Story. I've not heard of that, but now I'm going to have to go try some, so love it. Well, Jeff, this has been great. I really appreciate you taking the time, love your story and just congratulations for all the success you've had, and I know you'll continue to that into the future. Jeff: Thank you, Chris, and look forward to continuing this relationship. And thank you for what you're doing here on the podcast. Chris: Absolutely. Jeff: And remember, let's build Unity and the Unity blueprint. Special Guest: Jeff Williams.

Bust out your fedoras and red dancing shoes! The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northern Nevada is hosting it's "Red Shoe Gala" on Saturday, September 20th, at the Renaissance Hotel. Join Brooke Westlake as she details how they'll go back to the Roarin' 20s with this fundraiser, all meant for helping sick children. Oh, and she even gives you a secret speakeasy password! To sign up for a table: Log on to rmhcnnevada.org, call 775-322-4663 and ask for Brooke, or click the link below! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/red-shoe-gala-flappers-fedoras-tickets-1378025073089?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tune in to the September 2025 Edition of the Westlake Weekly Podcast from Westlake Charter School. Music by Bensound.com

Christ, King, Crown, Westlake

This week on Happily Ever Banter, Uncle Dale Mills and Crystal “Kiki” Mills from OutDaughtered welcome one of their oldest friends, Brian Malveaux. Together, they dig up old memories and share some incriminating stories from their days back in Lake Charles. The laughs, the banter, and the nostalgia make this an episode you won't want to miss. Meanwhile, Dale continues his cold plunge routine and talks about the effects he's been feeling as he sticks with it. Curious about cold plunging? Learn more here: titanplunge.com/?ref=DALES Produced by Magnus of Manigold Multimedia Sponsored by Key T Wellness and Ressentials #HappilyEverBanter #UncleDale #KikiMills #OutDaughtered #Podcast #LakeCharlesStories #ColdPlunge #TitanPlunge #ManigoldMultimedia #KeyTWellness #RessentialsHealth

Send us a textIt is Week Two of Texas High School football and in Episode 120, Host Taylor Arenz talks to three players whose team had big success in their first time out on the field. First up is Pieper Warriors quarterback Isaiah Gaitan. Isaiah has been making a name for himself for years. At Cornerstone Christian, he threw for over 4,500 career yards and 38 touchdowns, and now he's bringing that talent to Pieper. In his very first game with the Warriors, he accounted for three touchdowns and helped lead his team to a big 35–28 win over Boerne. Taylor and Isaiah talked about how he's built chemistry with his new teammates, and what it means to step onto the field for his senior year. He also shared his advice for younger players, what he's looking forward to this season and more. Then Taylor talked with Prosper senior offensive lineman Zaden Krempin.   Zaden has been big on the recruiting trail and back in June he announced his commitment to Texas A&M after holding more offers than any player in the state, with 53.  Taylor and Zaden talked about what that recruiting process was like, the moment he knew College Station was home, and the advice he has for younger athletes chasing those same opportunities. He also talks about the Eagles big Week One win over Westlake and much more! We wrapped up Episode 120 with La Porte's running back Ashton Ruffin who help lead the Bulldogs to their first win on the opening night in their brand new 56 million dollar stadium. He filled me all in on all the “Border Battle” rivalry game excitement and how after two years of being without a true home field, the community finally got to pack the stands, and Ashton helped deliver a night they'll never forget. He rushed for 194 total yards and scored three touchdowns, including the go-ahead 36-yard run in the fourth quarter that sealed the win. We hear all about it and more in this fun episode that talks all about kicking off the 2025 Season! 

陳之漢 chén zhī hàn – Chen Zhi-han, a well-known Taiwanese internet personality and fitness entrepreneur館長 guǎn zhǎng – gym director (nickname of Chen Zhi-han, referring to his role as gym owner)爭議 zhēng yì – controversy; dispute健身教練 jiàn shēn jiào liàn – fitness coach海軍陸戰隊 hǎi jūn lù zhàn duì – Marine Corps (of the Navy)志願役 zhì yuàn yì – voluntary military service (non-drafted)士官 shì guān – non-commissioned officer (NCO)退伍 tuì wǔ – to retire or be discharged from military service連鎖 lián suǒ – chain (store, business)成吉思汗健身館 chéng jí sī hàn jiàn shēn guǎn – Genghis Khan Fitness Center (Chen's gym brand)經營 jīng yíng – to operate; to run (a business)電商 diàn shāng – e-commerce直播 zhí bō – live streaming直白 zhí bái – straightforward; blunt顛沛流離 diān pèi liú lí – displaced and wandering; a life full of hardships欺負 qī fù – to bully拳頭 quán tóu – fist堅強 jiān qiáng – strong; resilient剛硬 gāng yìng – tough; unyielding竹聯幫 zhú lián bāng – Bamboo Union (a Taiwanese gang)黑道 hēi dào – gangster; organized crime亂七八糟 luàn qī bā zāo – a mess; chaotic; disorganized推銷 tuī xiāo – hard selling; aggressive sales promotion企業家精神 qì yè jiā jīng shén – entrepreneurial spirit共產黨 gòng chǎn dǎng – Communist Party (usually referring to the Chinese Communist Party, CCP)反感 fǎn gǎn – dislike; aversion中華民國派 zhōng huá mín guó pài – pro-Republic of China faction極統 jí tǒng – extreme unification (with China)極獨 jí dú – extreme independence (for Taiwan)統一 tǒng yī – unification獨立 dú lì – independence中立 zhōng lì – neutral和平 hé píng – peace骨氣 gǔ qì – integrity; moral backbone被...壓著打 bèi ... yā zhe dǎ – to be oppressed by...; to be suppressed by... (used metaphorically)杭州 háng zhōu – Hangzhou, a city in eastern China西湖 xī hú – West Lake, a famous scenic spot in Hangzhou翻牆 fān qiáng – to bypass internet censorship (using VPNs to "climb over the firewall")If you're ready to take your Chinese to the next level, not just memorizing words but actually having meaningful conversations with Taiwanese people about real topics like politics, culture, war, news, economics, and more. I invite you to join a one-on-one trial lesson with me. I'll help you build a clear, personalized plan so you can speak more naturally and truly connect with others in Chinese. Book a one-on-one trial lesson with me !

Westlake, Lausanne, Jesus, John, Gospel, Pilate trial, king

Westlake, Lausanne, Jesus, John, Gospel, courage, identity

I was so excited to welcome Jaclyn Westlake to the podcast for her latest romcom meets women's fiction, Lucky Break. Set in a small lake town, Eliza is ready to start over after her engagement crumbles. Setting alone will have you basking in the last final moments of summer.Jaclyn was such a blast to chat with! We talked starting over, saying YES, romcoms, Bravo, writing and much more. If you are looking for a summer read finale filled with heart, look no further!

The BiG Scuba Duo, Gemma and Ian report live from their road trip to Seahouses, Northumberland and diving adventures around the Farne Islands with Serentiy Farne Island Boat Tours https://farneislandstours.co.uk/ They also visit https://diverstime.com/ and catch up with Scoobs at the Dive Shack and have a dive in West Lake to see the new attractions. Gemma and Ian drove the Auto-Trail Excel 620g throughout the trip and give a review of the motorhome… safe to say they loved it!   https://www.auto-trail.co.uk/discover-the-award-winning-auto-trail-excel-range/ The BiG Scuba Podcast is brought to you by Narked at 90.   “Beyond Technical”   If you are thinking of moving across to tech diving or completely new to diving, Narked at 90 can advise and guide on the best equipment and set up for your personal or commercial requirements  https://www.narkedat90.com/?affiliate_code=p42PzCC8sx&referring_service=link We hope you have enjoyed this episode of The BiG Scuba Podcast.  Please give us ★★★★★ review, and tell your friends and share and like, it all makes a difference.   Contact Gemma and Ian with your messages, ideas and feedback via our media links or email   thebigscubapodcast@gmail.com   Take a look at the  Insta3620 Store    https://store.insta360.com/ and use our affiliate link  BIGSUCBA We are on Instagram              @thebigscuba   We are on Facebook              @thebigscuba   We are in LinkedIn                 https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian%F0%9F%A6%88-last-325b101b7/ The BiG Scuba Website                      www.thebigscuba.com Amazon Store :                       https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/thebigscuba   Visit   https://www.patreon.com/thebigscubapodcast and subscribe - Super quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you.  

My sermon at Dover Congregational UCC in Westlake, Ohio on August 17, 2025.Hebrews 11:29-12:2Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder

Tune in to the August 2025 Edition of the Westlake Weekly Podcast from Westlake Charter School.   Music by Bensound.com

Send us a textEpisode 117: Westlake Chaparrals Head Football Coach and Assistant Athletic Director Tony SalazarThis week Host Taylor Arenz talks with the Westlake Chaparrals Head Coach and Assistant Athletic Director  Tony Salazar.They have an head  in depth conversation about tradition, leadership, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. Coach Salazar takes us inside the offseason grind from daily routines to the mindset needed after being the State Runner ups in the 2024 season.Coach Salazar and Taylor  talk about the pressure and pride that comes with wearing the Red W, his journey from defensive coordinator to head coach of one of the nation's top programs, and what “The Westlake Standard” really means on and off the field.Coach Salazar also gives us a preview of the 2025 Chaps, led by senior quarterback Rees Wise, and shares what makes this team special as they chase another state title. Plus don't miss the rapid fire round  to get to know Coach Salazar personality and a fun fact you probably didn't know.If you love Texas high school football, winning culture, and stories from the sidelines, this episode is for you.

Federal agents conducted a so called "trojan horse" sweep this morning at a Home Depot in Westlake. Construction is now banned in some of the most scenic parts of Ranchos Palos Verdes. Metro is debuting a new TAP card in honor of Nipsey Hussle. Plus, more.Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.comVisit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency! Support the show: https://laist.com

This is part of a series on Billionaire Pedophiles. Robert MillerCanadian Billionaire Robert Miller was a cross between Peter Nygard and Jeffrey Epstein. Like Epstein he knew both Les Wexner and the Bronfman crime family. Robert Miller is a wealthy pedophile, he amassed billions of dollar with his company Future Electronics which was sold last year to Taiwan for 3.8Bn. Whet exactly did he do? This disgusting predator arranged to have threesomes with high school girls or younger. His first victim starting 1982 was just 11 years old. Robert always had unprotected sex. His system evolved over time. At first he would pay a pimp, Raymond Poulet to act as his middle man and recruit young girls. They would bring them to a hotel usually the Intercontinental Hotel a luxury hotel in Montreal, or the Queen Elizabeth hotel. Once at the hotel they would be wine and dined then Poulet would pass them off to Miller who was only known to the girls as Bob. Also working for Miller via Future Electronics, was Sam Joseph Abrams. Sam Abrams was a kind of extra-curricular activities secretary and thus worked closely with Poulet. The girls only knew him as Joseph. A nother man actig in this role was Helmut Lippmann, who like Abrams, was labeled a Vice President at Future Electronics.Miller would instruct them to take a bath, usually he would undress and join them washing them himself and engaging in foreplay. From there he would move things into the bed room where he had unprotected sex and or used sex toys. Whenever possible there would be two girls. Similar to Epstein he paid his victims albeit a much higher rate of 1500 Canadian. If they pulled out before sex he might give them $700. The craziest thing is no one told the hotel staff or police. Or if they did it never went anywhere. Three individuals are most responsible for eventually bringing down Miller's network. John Weslake a former cop turned P.I. Donna Loupret the director of security at the Intercontinental Hotel and Robert's Miller's Ex-Wife. It was his Ex-Wife who first tipped off Westlake. Donna Loupret noticed the odd behavior of Robert Miller. He always rented the same room on the 25th floor, room 2520. He had it renovated on his own dime. He demanded they install a large tub in the bathroom and they did. It was called the F**k-Tub. He would only come in the day and never stay the night. Also the hotel was just a 15 minute drive from where he lived. Then there were the girls who looked about 14 to 16 year old that were always in and out of his room. Now they didn't enter with him or leave with him, but they were going to the 25th floor, always while he was there. He targeted small girls with dark hair.Increasingly, Miller would rely less on the pimp and more on gettnig the girls to recruit other girls and like Epstein he offered them a bonus to do so. I am happy to report that Raymond Poulet was arrested July 2025. After Donna questioned Miller once on the phone, Miller moved his operations into a more controlled environment. He bought two houses across the street from one another. His own home where he lived he purchased from Charles Bronfman the co-founder of Birthright Israel and chairman of the UJC and co-chair of Seagrams Liquor which got its start via organized crime selling alcohol labeled as “medicine” to get around prohibition laws. He and his brother made a tender offer via Seagrams, to Saint Joe's Mineral corporation. “Court papers identified the three Panamanian corporations as Transatlantic Financial Company S.A., Nayarit Investments S.A. and Finvest Panama. They were named by the bank as having purchased 1,055 stock options in St. Joe on March 10, a day before the Seagram bid for the company. The bank also named Finvest Geneva as having purchased 3,000 shares of St. Joe the day of the merger announcement. The S.E.C. said that Mr. Tome had placed both orders through the Swiss bank.” Also capitalizing on insider trading was Warren Eisenstein who was give a loan to buy the stock by his childhood friend, then working at Bear Sterns, Jeffrey Epstein.Charles Bronfman's neices Clare and Sara pumped in $100,000, 000 in to a sex cult run by Keith Raniere. It was so debaucherous that thye were branding women the way one brands a cow witha hot poker. And of course the Bronfman's are hardore Zionists and helped finance other close associates of Epstein like Ehud Barak. This is a constant thing with these people. More on Epstein hereFormer cop, John Westlake and his partner set up surveillance via a stake out, on Robert Miller and were shocked by what they saw. For 21 days, they observed a parade of young girls going in and out of the house at 380 Olivier Ave. in Westmount, often exiting with hockey bags.What was going on? Well Miller would have the girls brought usually by taxi to house that he had prepared. In the basement the would be clothing from Victoria Secret, CDs Jewlery and other goodies a young girl might fancy. They were allowed to fill up one hockey bag full of products as much as they could carry. Upstaires they would be given a bath and sometimes told to shave. After sex or being assaulted with sex toys, the girls would be given an evelope with $1500 to $4000. Miller had them color coded with little stamps, Gold, Orange, Purple, that colorlated with the money inside. A judge ordered these a pretrial seizure of these two houses from Miller in November of 2024.Westlake and his partner were approached by Miller's goons. Working for “National Criminal Investigation Service” which was just a Miller security company, Terence Corcoran and an ex-police officer named Stephen Roberts approached Westlake asking him to tell them what he knew. Next they tried to buy him off, offering $300k to give them what he had and to back off the case. With Helmut Lippmann, Sam Joseph Abrams, Raymond Poulet, Stephen Roberts, and Terence Corcoran all working and covering up for Robert Miller what we have here is a conspiracy.Think about this. A billionaire after createing a custom renovated hotel room, purchased homes and used employees including an ex-cop and a pimp, to target teenagers and adolesants for sexual exploitation. All these men acted together for years, over a decade, to systematically target girls for child prostitution.There was no blackmail. There was no spying. These were just sick f***s who did this because this is what these people are into. Rather than taking the brine Westlake went to the police. But it was Radio Canada not the cops that uncovered that Miller posed as an American businessman named “Bob Adams” who just fequently visited Montreal. It took pressure form the media to get any movement on this case. The police would raide Future Electronics and had a warrant (which is sealed) to target NCIS, National Criminal Investigation Service, which had its office on the Future Electronics property. How much bigger was this operation really? We probably are not going to ever know. Miller now 83 has Parkingson's disease. I hate to cheer for parkinson's disease but at least that serves as SOME type of punishment for for serial raping little kids for decades. Like Nygard, his punishment comes only at the end with Miller in his 80s, after engaging in a lifetime of rape.There is a class action lawsuit with 50 plantiffs and other lawsuits again Miller and his co-conspirators. Smoe have been tossed because Miller is too sick(rich) to endure them. But how does this happen? how in the world would hotel employees not pick up on what was going on immediately? Why were the police so slow to act? It is quite similar to what Nygard was doing in Winnipeg around the same time.We will be going over that case and more in this series on Billionaire Pedophiles. I want to stress this that what Epstein was doing was entering a pre-existing nexus of rich perverts. He did not groom or create the Johns. He provided for a market that already had an large appitite for child abuse and prostitution. This is a cultural problem. Of course people use blackmail and bribery. In this climate where women and men (as you will see in the Mike Jefferies case) are seen commercial sex products, it is easy. Consider signing up it is only $6 and some of these will be paywalled. It is not something I want to do to but I have to. If you are in media and want to do an interview on Miller, Epstein or any of these subjects, contact me through substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ryandawson.org/subscribe

As the government mulls what it's going to do about NCEA level one, a school that ditched it two years ago has no regrets. Westlake Boys' High School headmaster Paul Fordham spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: From Lake Dreams to Latte Ambitions: A Journey Begins Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-22-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 微风轻轻地拂过西湖，荷花盛开，湖水轻轻拍打着岸边。En: The breeze gently brushed over West Lake, the lotus flowers were in full bloom, and the lake water softly patted against the shore.Zh: 微和朋友凌、江一起坐在湖边的长椅上，享受着夏日的美好时光。En: Wei sat on a bench by the lake with his friends Ling and Jiang, enjoying the beautiful summer time.Zh: 这里是他们常常来的地方，风景如画，总能让人心情平静。En: This was a place they often visited, with picturesque scenery that always brought peace of mind.Zh: 微最近很烦恼。En: Wei was recently troubled.Zh: 他一直从事稳定的工作，但心里总有些不安。En: He had been in a stable job, but there was always some unease in his heart.Zh: 他有一个梦想，想开一家咖啡店，但这需要勇气和很多准备。En: He had a dream of opening a coffee shop, but it required courage and a lot of preparation.Zh: 他不确定是否该放弃现在的安稳，而去追求这个梦想。En: He was unsure whether he should give up his current stability to pursue this dream.Zh: 凌高兴地分享着她的新工作，她刚刚开始在一家著名的科技公司上班。En: Ling was happily sharing her new job; she had just started working at a well-known tech company.Zh: “这份工作让我每天都充满动力，”她说，脸上洋溢着自信的笑容。En: "This job motivates me every day," she said, with a confident smile on her face.Zh: 江则显得有些不安。En: Jiang, on the other hand, looked somewhat uneasy.Zh: 他希望生活能有变化，但不知道怎么开始。En: He hoped for changes in his life but didn't know how to begin.Zh: 他总是说：“我有很多想法，但不知道怎么实现。En: He always said, "I have many ideas, but I don't know how to realize them."Zh: ”微静静地听着朋友们的分享。En: Wei quietly listened to his friends sharing.Zh: 忽然，他说道：“其实，我也想做一些改变。En: Suddenly, he said, "Actually, I also want to make some changes.Zh: 我一直想开一家咖啡店，但我不知道是否该冒这个险。En: I've always wanted to open a coffee shop, but I don't know if I should take this risk."Zh: ”凌看着微，鼓励道：“微，如果这是你的梦想，那就值得去尝试。En: Ling looked at Wei and encouraged him: "If this is your dream, it's worth trying.Zh: 我们支持你。En: We support you."Zh: ”江也点头：“对啊，有时候我们需要走出舒适区。En: Jiang nodded as well: "Yeah, sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zone."Zh: ”微心中感到一丝温暖。En: Wei felt a warmth in his heart.Zh: 朋友的支持给了他力量。En: His friends' support gave him strength.Zh: 他们在湖边坐了整整一个下午，微倾诉着自己的计划和担忧，凌和江则不停地给他建议和鼓励。En: They sat by the lake for the entire afternoon, with Wei pouring out his plans and concerns, and Ling and Jiang continuously offering him advice and encouragement.Zh: 最终，微下定决心。En: In the end, Wei made up his mind.Zh: 他决定开始着手准备这家咖啡店。En: He decided to start preparing for the coffee shop.Zh: 他知道这并不容易，但朋友们的鼓励让他有信心面对未来发生的一切。En: He knew it wouldn't be easy, but his friends' encouragement gave him confidence to face anything the future held.Zh: 夕阳西下，微望着远处的湖面，心中不再犹豫。En: As the sun set, Wei looked at the distant lake, no longer hesitant in his heart.Zh: 他笑了，对凌和江说：“谢谢你们。En: He smiled and said to Ling and Jiang, "Thank you.Zh: 无论结果如何，我会努力去实现我的梦想。En: No matter the outcome, I will work hard to realize my dream."Zh: ”在这个夏日的下午，微感受到了前所未有的坦然和希望。En: On this summer afternoon, Wei felt an unprecedented sense of calm and hope.Zh: 他知道，不管未来如何，他已经迈出了勇敢的第一步。En: He knew that regardless of what the future held, he had already taken a brave first step.Zh: 西湖的景色似乎更加美丽了，他的心，也如湖水一样，平静而坚定。En: The scenery of West Lake seemed even more beautiful, and his heart, like the lake water, was calm and determined. Vocabulary Words:breeze: 微风gently: 轻轻地bloom: 盛开shore: 岸边picturesque: 风景如画troubled: 烦恼stable: 稳定unease: 不安courage: 勇气pursue: 追求motivate: 动力confident: 自信encourage: 鼓励realize: 实现support: 支持comfort zone: 舒适区strength: 力量continuously: 不停地advice: 建议preparation: 准备risk: 冒险outcome: 结果hope: 希望unprecedented: 前所未有determined: 坚定hesitant: 犹豫calm: 平静future: 未来beautiful: 美丽brave: 勇敢

With conviction rooted in faith and common sense, Senator Bernie Moreno joins The Narrative for a conversation on protecting life, strengthening families, and stewarding taxpayer dollars wisely. On this week's episode, Senator Moreno sits down with CCV President Aaron Baer, Policy Director David Mahan, and Communications Director Mike Andrews for a bold conversation that cuts through the noise and gets specific about the issues that matter most. From fighting for life to fixing broken systems, Senator Moreno outlines a clear vision for American renewal: ✅ Plans to defund Planned Parenthood—once and for all.✅ A smarter approach to the Child Tax Credit.✅ Medicaid reform that actually serves families, not bureaucracy. More About Senator Bernie Moreno Bernie Moreno is the senior United States Senator of Ohio. He was born in Bogota, Colombia, and moved to the US with his family at age five and became an American citizen at age 18. Senator Moreno purchased his first car dealership in 2005 and grew that one dealership into one of the largest dealership groups in America, eventually employing over 1,000 Ohioans. More recently, in 2016, Bernie recognized the value and transformational potential of blockchain technology, before it received mainstream attention, and moved much of his volunteer time and investment dollars into the space. Senator Moreno and his wife, Bridget, are parents to four children and reside in Westlake, Ohio. Talk to Us We want to hear from you! As a valued listener, your feedback is critical for us to keep The Narrative insightful, relevant, and helpful. If you have a particular guest, topic, or question you'd like us to cover, let us know!

Guest Hal McMillin, the Mayor of the City of Westlake, joins hosts Brady and Jillian on Louisiana's Playground to discuss Westlake's rise as a hidden gem in Southwest Louisiana. The city's focus on quality-of-life improvements for residents and visitors has the city bustling with recreational amenities for the whole family.   Find more information on where to eat, things to do, and events happening this weekend at VisitLakeCharles.org. Stop by Blue Iguana for great Mexican flavors and drinks in a clean, welcoming and vibrant atmosphere! Keep up with hosts Brady Renard on Twitter, @RenardSports and Jillian Corder on Facebook, @JillianCorderKPLC. 

Tyler Westlake High Plains Apache - Tech Tues.

In this podcast episode, we talk about the Mueller Power Clutch 2.0.  If you've ridden a modern Harley-Davidson motorcycle equipped with a cable clutch system, you probably know how fatiguing that clutch pull can get—especially during slow-speed maneuvers, stop-and-go traffic, or long days in the saddle. In this article, we'll introduce you to a game-changing upgrade: the Mueller Power Clutch 2.0. We'll also walk you through the key elements involved in upgrading your cable clutch system without getting bogged down in every bolt turn. SUPPORT US AND SHOP IN THE OFFICIAL LAW ABIDING BIKER STORE If you're riding an '18 and newer Softail or '21 and newer Touring model, chances are your clutch cable includes a cheap plastic inline adjuster. Not only is this piece prone to failure (and can even leave you stranded), but it also offers minimal fine-tune capability—just a red button that automatically adjusts based on spring tension. It's more “auto-manual” than anything else.The Solution: Mueller Power Clutch 2.0 Welcome to the Mueller Power Clutch 2.0, a precision-engineered German-made upgrade that transforms your clutch feel. This system replaces the stock plastic housing with durable aluminum components and an adjuster. And adds a custom ramp mechanism internally. The result? Up to 45% lighter clutch pull Smoother, more linear engagement Enhanced fine-tuning of friction zone Elimination of plastic components that commonly fail Whether you're dealing with arthritis, small hands, or just want to reduce fatigue on long rides or during training drills, this upgrade is a must-have. CHECK OUT OUR HUNDREDS OF FREE HELPFUL VIDEOS ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND SUBSCRIBE! A stiff, inconsistent clutch doesn't just cause fatigue—it can actually make you a less confident rider. Whether you're navigating urban traffic, doing parking lot drills, or touring for hours on end, a smooth, easy pull makes all the difference. The Mueller Power Clutch 2.0 is the best way to modernize your Harley's outdated cable system and make it feel like it should have from the factory. NEW FREE VIDEO RELEASED: 2025 Harley Street Glide Midnight Firestorm Paint! Ghost Flames-WORTH THE UPGRADE? Sponsor-Ciro 3D CLICK HERE! Innovative products for Harley-Davidson & Goldwing Affordable chrome, lighting, and comfort products Ciro 3D has a passion for design and innovation Sponsor-Butt Buffer CLICK HERE Want to ride longer? Tired of a sore and achy ass? Then fix it with a high-quality Butt Buffer seat cushion! If you appreciate the content we put out and want to make sure it keeps on coming your way then become a Patron too! There are benefits and there is no risk. Thanks to the following bikers for supporting us via a flat donation: Michael Anchulis of Westlake, Ohio James Augustus of Seville, Ohio Rodney Elnick of Washington, Michigan HELP SUPPORT US! JOIN THE BIKER REVOLUTION! #BikerRevolution #LawAbidingBiker #Bikaholics #RyanUrlacher

Congressman Max Miller joins Bob to talk about charges being filed against the man accused of an antisemitic attack that took place in Ricky River on June 19. Rep. Miller discusses the danger he was placed in, and that of his family if his child had been in the car, as well as the political violence committed in the name of antisemitism and anti-Zionism in general. The Westlake doctor who tried to run him off the road and threatened to kill him has been charged with 2 felonies and several misdemeanors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kim Thone Visentine, co-founder of the Coldwater Creek Group, joins the show to discuss a hard-won victory after 15 years pushing for recognition and compensation for those exposed to radioactive waste in the St. Louis region. Thanks to the recent expansion of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) included in the “big beautiful bill,” residents from 20 affected ZIP codes—including Coldwater Creek, Weldon Springs, and Westlake—are now eligible for financial compensation and medical bill coverage related to radiation-linked cancers. Kim shares her personal connection, revealing her son's rare radiation-related brain tumor, and highlights the challenges survivors and families faced fighting for decades against denial and indifference from agencies and lawmakers. She urges affected residents to gather proof of residence and diagnosis and prepare to apply once the government's application portal goes live. While this is a major milestone, Kim stresses there's more work ahead to cover autoimmune diseases and other conditions linked to radiation exposure, with ongoing efforts to secure further support at the local and federal levels.

Send us a textEpisode 115 of the Texas High School Football Podcast host Taylor Arenz chats with one of the fastest-growing programs in the state: Prosper High School.Head Coach Tyler Moore has been at the helm has watched Prosper grow in his 10 season at Prosper and he's someone who brings deep passion and perspective to the sidelines. He's coached state championship teams, built strong roots in the Prosper community, and leads a program of nearly 300 players across all levels.In this episode, Taylor and Coach Moore dive into how he got into coaching, how his dad inspired his leadership style, what it means to coach in a booming town like Prosper, and how they're gearing up for a huge Week 1 showdown against Westlake. They also talk summer workouts, program culture, and wrap up with some fun rapid-fire questions so you can get to know the coach behind the headset.It is a great episode and be sure to subscribe to not miss any episode! 

Young, beautiful, and smart, she was a 23-year-old college student and scholarship runner at Eastern Kentucky University. She was about to start her fifth and final year and was very close to graduating. She was spending the summer living with her older brother Nick in Indianapolis, Indiana, taking some summer classes at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) when she went missing on July 6, 2004. She seemingly vanished without a trace after attending a party at her Westlake apartment complex and leaving with a man named John E. Shelton. More than twenty years later, neither she nor her remains have ever been found. No suspects have ever been officially charged with her disappearance. Her family still misses her terribly and, at the very least, just wants closure. This is the story of Molly Dattilo. Anyone with information regarding Molly Dattilo's disappearance, death, or the location of her remains should contact Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-TIPS (8477) or the Marion County Sheriff's Office at 317-327-1700. Listen Ad Free: Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4HEzJSwElA7MkbYYie9Jin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/themurderdiariespod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Apple: Hit subscribe/ 1 week free trail available Sponsorship Links: Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period and take your retail business to the next level today! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shopify.com/murderdiaries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://themurderdiariespodcast.com/episodes/wx7pm9967k95696-7gmam-sjfe8-5737y-3p233-2rmha-kac9n-69gzk-j6ctk-bkght-wx7ah-dwby7-xzfpf-r33cx-tcjde-xr48m-p5dn9-dlgc2-nnfkj Music Used: Walking with the Dead by Maia Wynne Link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Maiah_Wynne/Live_at_KBOO_for_A_Popcalypse_11012017⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ License: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Glitter Blast by Kevin MacLeod Link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://filmmusic.io/song/4707-glitter-blast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ License: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://filmmusic.io/standard-license⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Our Links: Link Hub: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://msha.ke/themurderdiaries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/themurderdiariespod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Edited by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.landispodcastediting.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's episode of The Narrative—recorded live at Center for Christian Virtue's (CCV) 2025 Columbus Gala—US Senators Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted join CCV President Aaron Baer on stage for a candid conversation about the future of Ohio, the importance of faith and family, and what it means to lead with conviction in challenging times. Before the Senators take the stage, Aaron is joined by CCV Policy Director David Mahan and Communications Director Mike Andrews to dive into this week's latest news: ⚖️ The Ohio Senate passed the state budget with the notable exclusion of iGaming. The budget includes legislation that strengthens families, protects children, and restores common sense to public policy in Ohio.

Bear Ride '71 is the only sister of astronaut and American hero, Sally Ride '68, who in 1983 became the first American woman in space. In this episode, Bear tells Sally's story—but also her own, which includes “breaking ground” in her own right as a female and openly gay Presbyterian minister. The Ride sisters were born and raised in Los Angeles and attended Westlake School, where Bear and Sally each encountered life-changing teachers—leading Bear to pursue the ministry and Sally a PhD in astrophysics. It was at Stanford where Sally came across a NASA ad soliciting interest in a new kind of astronaut. She applied, and the rest is history. Bear also speaks to the release of a new documentary, Sally, produced by National Geographic and premiering on Disney+ and Hulu on June 17. The film not only charts Sally Ride's public journey into space, but also her private 27-year partnership with a woman—Tam O'Shaughnessy. It wasn't until Sally's death in 2012 that her obituary revealed Tam as her partner—and thus the truth she'd kept private for so long. Bear references Westlake teachers David Coombs and Elizabeth Mommaerts as profound influences on her and Sally's lives and careers.

Viral videos from the LA ICE protests show police firing “less lethal” weapons into crowds and at journalists. Advocates say the cops are not following the law. Weeks before ICE raided a Home Depot in Westlake on Friday, the White House ordered the agency to ramp up sweeps to help meet President Trump's deportation targets.  The Supreme Court decision New York Times v. Sullivan protects journalists from debilitating lawsuits. A group of billionaires, lawyers, and right-wing groups are trying to overturn it. Culture critic Carolina Miranda weighs in on a retrospective of Diane Arbus' photography at Zwirner gallery, and a Wende Museum exhibition about mass surveillance in former East Germany during the Cold War. 

Viral videos from the LA ICE protests show police firing “less lethal” weapons into crowds and at journalists. Advocates say the cops are not following the law. Weeks before ICE raided a Home Depot in Westlake on Friday, the White House ordered the agency to ramp up sweeps to help meet President Trump’s deportation targets.  The Supreme Court decision New York Times v. Sullivan protects journalists from debilitating lawsuits. A group of billionaires, lawyers, and right-wing groups are trying to overturn it. Culture critic Carolina Miranda weighs in on a retrospective of Diane Arbus’ photography at Zwirner gallery, and a Wende Museum exhibition about mass surveillance in former East Germany during the Cold War. 

Mark Westlake is the founder and CEO of GearBrain, a tech company focused on simplifying the Internet of Things (IoT). With over 25 years of experience in digital media and technology, his career includes executive roles at prominent companies such as About.com, HowStuffWorks, and Purch. A former member of the 1980s NYC band The Modulators, Westlake shares his journey from music to innovation, offering insights on smart home tech, AI integration, consumer education, and how GearBrain bridges the gap between people and technology. Key Takeaways:- How Mark transitioned from a music career to the tech industry- The benefits of IoT- The future of smart homesEpisode Timeline:3:00Mark's early years in The Modulators6:00Transitioning to the Internet and Digital Media9:00Why some companies can't adapt11:30The Birth of GearBrain and Its Mission12:30Innovations in IoT and AI integration15:05Challenges in the smart home market18:01The future of smart homes and AI21:30Consumer education and smart device benefits24:15The next decade in IoT technologyThis episode's guest:• Mark Westlake• GearBrain's website • Email Mark at Info@GearBrain.com Subscribe and leave a 5-star review: https://pod.link/1496390646Contact Us!•Join the conversation by leaving a comment!•Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn!Thanks for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Modern Direct Seller Podcast, we're joined by Anita Westlake and Tonia Dolinka for an honest and uplifting conversation about navigating seasons of change in direct sales. After nearly eight years of leadership at Color Street, recent shifts in the business prompted them to reevaluate their path and explore new possibilities. That journey led them to helping launch ABBI, a personalized skincare brand rooted in innovation and wellbeing. From processing grief to reigniting their passion, Anita and Tonia share what it's like to embrace change, build something new, and lead with purpose in a whole new way. Connect with Anita on her website [anitawithabbi.com] and follow her on Instagram @anitaw_abbi_pioneer. Connect with Tonia on her website [withthedolinkas.com] and follow her on Instagram @withthedolinkas. Time-Based Notes: 0:32 Meet Anita Westlake & Tonia 'Toni' Dolinka2:50 How Toni Navigated Color Street Changes5:10 How Anita Navigated Color Street Changes6:48 All About ABBI Skincare10:55 The Realities of Start-Up Mode17:04 Most Exciting Things About ABBI21:00 Anita & Toni's Current Business Focus27:17 Academy VIP Favorites32:15 How to Connect with Toni32:32 How to Connect with Anita33:13 Sponsor Message Show sponsored by CinchShare: The number one most trusted social media scheduling tool for direct sellers. Start your 60 day trial today with coupon code KEYBOARD60 and spend less time posting and more time socializing! Get the full show notes at https://moderndirectseller.com/episode240

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Dragon Boat Festival Allergy Scare Sparks Unbreakable Bonds Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-06-08-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 西湖的夏天，在龙舟节的热闹声中，映衬出绿色的群山和古老的亭台。En: The summer at West Lake, amidst the lively sounds of the Dragon Boat Festival, sets off the green mountains and ancient pavilions.Zh: 湖水清澈，游人如织，大家都在享受着节日的气氛。En: The water in the lake is clear, and it's crowded with tourists, all enjoying the festive atmosphere.Zh: 明宇和丽芬，两位好朋友，也决定抓住这个机会，度过轻松的一天。En: Mingyu and Lifen, two good friends, also decided to seize this opportunity to spend a relaxing day.Zh: 明宇是个热爱阅读和大自然的安静男人。En: Mingyu is a quiet man who loves reading and nature.Zh: 他对医学不太了解，总觉得不够自信。En: He doesn't know much about medicine and often feels a lack of confidence.Zh: 丽芬则热情洋溢，喜欢新鲜事物，尤其是美食。En: Lifen, on the other hand, is full of enthusiasm and loves new things, especially food.Zh: 她不知道自己对某些食物过敏。En: She isn't aware of her allergies to certain foods.Zh: 他们沿着湖边漫步，欣赏着周围的美景。En: They strolled along the lakeside, admiring the beautiful scenery around them.Zh: 到处都是欢声笑语，空中飘来粽子的香味。En: Everywhere was filled with laughter and joy, with the aroma of zongzi wafting through the air.Zh: 丽芬看到一个小吃摊，立刻被吸引住。En: Lifen spotted a snack stall and was immediately drawn to it.Zh: 她尝了一口没见过的花生糕，微笑着回头对明宇说：“这个真好吃！En: She took a bite of the unfamiliar peanut cake and turned back to Mingyu with a smile, saying, "This is really delicious!"Zh: ”然而，不到几分钟，丽芬的脸色开始变红，呼吸也渐渐不畅。En: However, within minutes, Lifen's face began to turn red, and her breathing became increasingly difficult.Zh: 明宇一眼就察觉到了异常。En: Mingyu noticed the anomaly right away.Zh: 他心里顿时紧张起来，却努力保持冷静。En: He felt a sudden wave of anxiety but tried to remain calm.Zh: 他焦虑地环顾四周，希望能找到帮助。En: He anxiously looked around, hoping to find help.Zh: “丽芬，你还好吗？En: "Lifen, are you okay?"Zh: ”明宇尽量让自己的声音听起来镇定。En: Mingyu tried to keep his voice calm.Zh: 他想起了水可能会有帮助，便快速在附近找一个卖水的小贩。En: He recalled that water might be helpful and quickly looked for a vendor selling water nearby.Zh: 终于，他找到一个卖凉茶的老奶奶，急切地问：“您这有药吗？En: Finally, he found an old lady selling herbal tea and urgently asked, "Do you have any medicine?Zh: 她过敏了。En: She's having an allergic reaction."Zh: ”老奶奶见状，马上从桌下拿出了一包抗组织胺药并递给明宇。En: The old lady saw the situation and immediately took out a package of antihistamine from under the table, handing it to Mingyu.Zh: 明宇给丽芬服下药后，紧紧握住她的手，轻声说：“别担心，我们会好的。En: After Mingyu gave the medicine to Lifen, he held her hand tightly and gently said, "Don't worry, we'll be okay."Zh: ”慢慢地，丽芬的症状减轻，呼吸也顺畅起来。En: Slowly, Lifen's symptoms eased, and her breathing became smooth again.Zh: 经过一阵惊心动魄的时刻，丽芬终于恢复过来。En: After a moment of intense tension, Lifen finally recovered.Zh: 她看着明宇，微笑着说：“谢谢你，明宇。En: She looked at Mingyu and smiled, "Thank you, Mingyu.Zh: 你真勇敢。En: You were really brave."Zh: ”在阳光下，明宇感到一种新的变化。En: In the sunlight, Mingyu felt a new change.Zh: 他意识到自己可以冷静地处理危机，更重要的是，他发现了他对丽芬的深厚感情。En: He realized he could handle crises calmly, and more importantly, he discovered his deep feelings for Lifen.Zh: 这个龙舟节成为了两人难忘的回忆，明宇也在心中默默许下承诺：不论何时，他都会保护丽芬。En: This Dragon Boat Festival became an unforgettable memory for the two of them, and Mingyu made a silent promise to himself: no matter when, he would protect Lifen.Zh: 湖边的微风轻轻吹过，带走了紧张与不安，留下的是温馨的友情与信任。En: The gentle breeze by the lake blew away the tension and unease, leaving behind warmth, friendship, and trust.Zh: 随着龙舟的鼓声远去，明宇知道，他不仅收获了一段铭心的友谊，更收获了面对挑战的勇气。En: As the drums of the dragon boat faded away, Mingyu knew he not only gained a deeply memorable friendship but also the courage to face challenges. Vocabulary Words:amidst: 在…中间pavilions: 亭台seize: 抓住lack: 缺乏confidence: 自信enthusiasm: 热情allergies: 过敏admiring: 欣赏aroma: 香味wafting: 飘来unfamiliar: 不熟悉的anomaly: 异常vendor: 小贩urgently: 急切地reaction: 反应antihistamine: 抗组织胺药symptoms: 症状eased: 缓解crises: 危机gentle: 温柔的breeze: 微风unease: 不安warmth: 温馨merriment: 欢声笑语faded: 远去memorable: 难忘的trust: 信任courage: 勇气challenge: 挑战discover: 发现

ICE raids in the Westlake area and downtown L.A. Friday were met with efforts to stop agents dressed for warfare from making arrests. The L.A. Local is sponsored by the LA Car Guy family of dealerships.

Tune in to the June 2025 Edition of the Westlake Weekly Podcast from Westlake Charter School.   Music by Bensound.com

Dogs eating their deceased owners in downtown LA? No, this isn't a horror movie—it's the real-life consequence of California's 'compassionate' homeless policies. Two individuals found dead at a tent encampment in LA's Westlake district, with one body partially consumed by her own pets after what appears to be a drug overdose. While officials struggle to address the 180,000+ homeless population (likely closer to 300,000), neighbors report their complaints go ignored as encampments, crime, and fentanyl devastate communities. Is anyone surprised this happened just minutes from Echo Park, where previous cleanup efforts revealed rat infestations and underground tunnels? How many more people need to die before politicians admit their 'housing first' approach is all harm, no reduction? SUBSCRIBE to stay informed about the government policies creating third-world conditions in America's wealthiest state, and SHARE this video to expose what mainstream media won't cover.

We would love to hear from you! Please send us your comments here. --------Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org. Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

For the last ten years (up until this past February), Deborah Rutter '74 was President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the national cultural center of the United States. In this episode, Deborah tells her story. From growing up in Encino and attending Westlake and then Stanford, to her long career in the arts—beginning with the LA Phil and LA Chamber Orchestra, before leading both the Seattle and Chicago Symphonies for 11 years each. Deborah and I also discuss the peculiarity of the past few months, beginning with her announcing in January this would be her last year leading the center as part of a carefully orchestrated succession plan. Two weeks later, everything changed. President Trump took over the center's board, naming himself as chair, and relieving Deborah of her duties. While Deborah does not directly address the President's reasoning, she instead focuses on the center's purpose and its magic. Deborah references Harry Jarvis of Mulholland Junior High School; David Coombs, James Hosney, Nat Reynolds '51, and Ham Smith of Westlake School; and Ernest Fleischmann of the Los Angeles Philharmonic as profound influences on her life and career in the arts.

Guest Toni Chapman, the Digital Content Manager at Visit Lake Charles, joins hosts Brady and Jillian on Louisiana's Playground to spotlight the must do experiences while in Lake Charles. The trio creates their own Mt. Rushmore of Lake Charles must dos in this fun episode!      Find more information on where to eat, things to do, and events happening this weekend at VisitLakeCharles.org. Stop by FatBoyz Kitchen Table in Westlake for phenomenal plate lunches and great homestyle Louisiana cooking! Keep up with hosts Brady Renard on Twitter, @RenardSports and Jillian Corder on Facebook, @JillianCorderKPLC. 

In this episode we reflect on the wild spring tea tour we just finished in 2025. We visited the Jingmai mountains in Yunnan, Anji in Zhejiang, Hangzhou's West Lake for Dragonwell, Chaozhou's Wudong Mountain for the dancong, Yiwu, Huazhu Liangzi, Laobanzhang, Laoman'e, Menghai, and Bada for the puer. It has been a wild ride and we have so much to say, but first let's just talk about seeing some old friends in Hangzhou and Wudong Mountian, that's Shanshan and Zhang Hailang from Nine Trees and Wen Zitong in Wudong. Hopefully a lot of the green teas mentioned here are already in your tea cups at home! Some still available on the One River Tea website.

Join guest host Brad Swail as he interviews Aaron & Ivana Silva about their efforts to pass the RESTORE Act into Texas law. They delve into the Westlake Athletic Community Center (WACC) scandal and discuss how Eanes missed a $210 million endowment opportunity. Aaron also discusses the closures of Valley View and Eanes Elementary as the district adapts to declining enrollment. The couple provides an update on the $1M defamation lawsuit against The Westlake Smear Cartel leaders.

Brian & Cargill (aka The Parker Brothers) take another gritty, violent trip to Westlake with Point Blank! I bet you're a big Lee Marvin fan, aren'tcha?Support us on Patreon! 

Send Kevin a Text MessageIn this episode of Don't Kill the Messenger, host Kevin Goetz interviews Shane Black, one of Hollywood's highest-paid screenwriters, who redefined action films with witty dialogue, dark humor, and unforgettable characters. From Lethal Weapon to The Nice Guys, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and Iron Man 3, Shane discusses his journey from a self-described "oddball" to a filmmaking powerhouse.Pittsburgh Roots and Early Influences (02:55)Born in Pittsburgh, Black shares how his father's printing business and bookshelf of detective novels sparked his love for "tough guy literature" that would later influence his writing style.Overcoming Personal Struggles (08:00)Black candidly discusses his battles with OCD and alcoholism. He reveals how he transformed these challenges into creative strengths and encourages others to "just lean into being weird."The Psychology Behind His Characters (12:04)Black explains how his characters often represent different aspects of his own psychology. He emphasizes that truly compelling writing comes from creating characters with authentic emotional DNA that resonates with the writer's own experiences.The Creation of Lethal Weapon (15:32)Black describes Lethal Weapon as "an urban western" with Mel Gibson's character representing "a Frankenstein kept in a cage" - a Vietnam veteran reviled by society but needed when violence intrudes on everyday life.Working with Hollywood Icons (27:13)Black shares insights about working with legends like Richard Donner, Tony Scott, Joel Silver, and Robert Downey Jr.From Writer to Director (40:06)Black explains his transition to directing to have more creative control over his work. Black adds that directing allows him to move beyond returning to the blank page and into a more collaborative aspect of filmmaking.Latest Project: Play Dirty (52:01)Black discusses working with Mark Wahlberg, and adapting Donald Westlake's Parker series for Amazon, calling Westlake "the king" among mystery writers and explaining his lifelong admiration for these stories he first read at age 12.Throughout the conversation, Black offers a masterclass on screenwriting in Hollywood. Black and Kevin Goetz discover numerous personal connections, creating an unusually intimate portrait of a filmmaker who transformed Hollywood's action genre. His journey from a bookish child to acclaimed filmmaker serves as proof that leaning into one's unique perspective can lead to extraordinary creative achievements.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review or connect on social media. We look forward to bringing you more revelations from behind the scenes next time on Don't Kill the Messenger!Host: Kevin GoetzGuest: Shane BlackProducer: Kari CampanoWriters: Kevin Goetz, Darlene Hayman, Nick Nunez, and Kari CampanoAudio Engineer: Gary Forbes (DG Entertainment) For more information about Shane Black:Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shane_BlackIMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000948/Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/director/shane-black/ For more information about Kevin Goetz:Website: www.KevinGoetz360.comAudienceology Book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Audience-ology/Kevin-Goetz/9781982186678Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

Bryce Walker is a former Notre Dame lacrosse player who won back-to-back National Championships with the Irish in 2023 & 2024. Bryce sat down with us to talk about his lax journey from West Lake High School in Austin, TX to winning the first two lacrosse titles in school history at South Bend.  

Andy and Dan wrap up their conversation about Kirk Cousins popping up in Westlake and Andy explains why it's a good thing, even if Kirk doesn't waive his no-trade clause to play for the Browns.

Hour 2 of Baskin and Phelps

Hour 1 of Baskin and Phelps

Daryl Ruiter pops in with Andy and Dan to share his insight on the Kirk Cousin in Westlake saga.

Andy and Dan decipher the validity of the claims that Kirk Cousins was at a Chipotle in Westlake.

The men who did dangerous work had a special kind of insurance policy. But when somebody wanted to collect on that policy, the claims investigator suddenly became a member of… The Risk Profession by Donald E. Westlake. That's next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.If you enjoy today's story by Donald E. Westlake, you might also like The Spy in the Elevator, another Westlake tale we narrated about 10 months ago. Originally published in Amazing Stories in March 1961, today's treat can be found on page 96. The Risk Profession by Donald E. Westlake…Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, The aliens wouldn't accept help, though their world was about to explode. They were adolescents. Adolescence is the time when you aren't smart enough to ask for help… The Untouchable Adolescents by Harlan Ellison☕ Buy Me a Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/scottsV===========================