That Podcast In Hutch: Recent Episodes
Jason Probst
That Podcast in Hutch explores the people, places, and events that make Hutchinson a vibrant and engaging community.
In this week's episode of That Podcast in Hutch, guest host Jackson Swearer returns again for a follow-up interview with That Guy in Hutch, Jason Probst.
Earlier this year, I sat down with Jason for a two-part conversation about his life up until he joined the legislature. A lot of people seemed to enjoy those podcasts, and asked me if I would consider interviewing Jason again. What we have for you today is Part 3.
This time, we pick up where the conversation left off, and discuss Jason's experience representing the 102nd House District since 2017. I asked him about life in the legislature, how the process of passing laws really works, how he has built relationships with different people during his time in Topeka, and more. We even talked about Teddy Roosevelt!
Jason has an uncanny ability to explain complex issues in a way most people can understand. He is also more willing than most legislators to pull back the curtain and reveal to his constituents how things really work in Topeka. I always find our conversations enlightening, and I hope that listeners will too.
In this week's episode of That Podcast in Hutch, guest host Jackson Swearer returns again for a follow-up interview with That Guy in Hutch, Jason Probst.
Earlier this year, I sat down with Jason for a two-part conversation about his life up until he joined the legislature. A lot of people seemed to enjoy those podcasts, and asked me if I would consider interviewing Jason again. What we have for you today is Part 3.
This time, we pick up where the conversation left off, and discuss Jason's experience representing the 102nd House District since 2017. I asked him about life in the legislature, how the process of passing laws really works, how he has built relationships with different people during his time in Topeka, and more. We even talked about Teddy Roosevelt!
Jason has an uncanny ability to explain complex issues in a way most people can understand. He is also more willing than most legislators to pull back the curtain and reveal to his constituents how things really work in Topeka. I always find our conversations enlightening, and I hope that listeners will too.
This week on That Podcast in Hutch, Tyler and I come together for another episode of What's the Big Idea.
This time, we explore a little more deeply the big idea of whether consumer plastics such as water and soda bottles, could be repurposed for use as filament in an at-home 3D printer. We speculate, and then pull in an answer from someone who actually understands the properties of this material far better than we do.
Like we said at the outset, this experiment has always been about the big ideas - and whether we have to accept as final the things we think have been told are impossible
This week on That Podcast in Hutch, Tyler and I come together for another episode of What's the Big Idea.
This time, we explore a little more deeply the big idea of whether consumer plastics such as water and soda bottles, could be repurposed for use as filament in an at-home 3D printer. We speculate, and then pull in an answer from someone who actually understands the properties of this material far better than we do.
Like we said at the outset, this experiment has always been about the big ideas - and whether we have to accept as final the things we think have been told are impossible
For this episode of That Podcast in Hutch, I decided to publish a recent event I hosted, that featured Chris Courtwright.
For 35 years, Chris was the chief economist with the Kansas Legislative Research Department. In that role, he helped inform legislators about the consequences of changes to tax and spending policies through his research and staffing of the taxation and appropriations committees.
He also worked with the Consensus Revenue Estimating group - a group of various industry experts who gather twice a year to calculate the next year's economic conditions, and the amount of expected state revenue. The work of the CRE is by statute what the governor must base a budget on, and it's what legislators rely on as they deliberate spending decisions.
In this presentation, Chris goes through a good history of tax policy in Kansas, and he points out how changes in one area of taxation often lead to increases in other areas. He also throws in some very interesting history - including a reference to a Reno County lawyer who later became Governor and an Appellate Court Judge.
If you want to follow along with his slideshow, you can access that here.
If you'd rather watch the presentation on video, I've uploaded it to Youtube
This election season, there has been a lot of chatter about education. Much of it centered around the idea that there's a lot going on behind the imposing walls of a child's school that parents aren't aware of, or involved in. And in that general conversation, there are few buzzwords that have been more thrown about than a three-letter acronym - SEL, which stands for Social and Emotional Learning.
In this episode, I sit down with Melissa Evans, who is the Assistant Principal at Hutchinson Middle School - 7th grade. Melissa takes a deep dive with me into what SEL is, how it helps students, and how it's really nothing to be worried about. You'll learn that SEL is the relatively new formal name for a concept that has been used in education for quite some time - and that it's not being taught by some sinister cabal that's hoping to indoctrinate children. In fact, its use was requested after input from the Kansas business community, which told educators that they required a workforce that was more emotionally mature, and prepared to handle the rigors of daily work.
This episode ranks among my favorites. Melissa does a fantastic job of demystifying not only SEL, but the relationships between students and teachers, and teachers and parents. If you have any sort of interest in education and the students in it - or if you've been curious, worried, concerned, or even alarmed by the idea of SEL - you will not want to miss this episode.
This election season, there has been a lot of chatter about education. Much of it centered around the idea that there's a lot going on behind the imposing walls of a child's school that parents aren't aware of, or involved in. And in that general conversation, there are few buzzwords that have been more thrown about than a three-letter acronym - SEL, which stands for Social and Emotional Learning.
In this episode, I sit down with Melissa Evans, who is the Assistant Principal at Hutchinson Middle School - 7th grade. Melissa takes a deep dive with me into what SEL is, how it helps students, and how it's really nothing to be worried about. You'll learn that SEL is the relatively new formal name for a concept that has been used in education for quite some time - and that it's not being taught by some sinister cabal that's hoping to indoctrinate children. In fact, its use was requested after input from the Kansas business community, which told educators that they required a workforce that was more emotionally mature, and prepared to handle the rigors of daily work.
This episode ranks among my favorites. Melissa does a fantastic job of demystifying not only SEL, but the relationships between students and teachers, and teachers and parents. If you have any sort of interest in education and the students in it - or if you've been curious, worried, concerned, or even alarmed by the idea of SEL - you will not want to miss this episode.
This week's episode of That Podcast in Hutch features Hailee Black - and the secret lives of teenagers. Well, maybe not secret as much as mysterious or misunderstood.
Hailee is a soon-to-be 18 year old senior at Hutchinson High School. I first met her last legislative session when she travelled to Topeka with a group of JAG-K students. Hailee explains more about JAG in the podcast - but it's a fantastic program that helps prepare students for many aspects of adult life. It stands for Jobs for America's Graduates. I encourage you to learn more about this program - it's a great tool and addition for our students.
We also talk about some of the stressors, issues, ideas, and misconceptions about today's teenagers. And I will warn you that some of the conversation is frank, pointed, opinionated, and even a little dark. I wanted to hear and learn about this perspective, and I think the best way to do that is to ask questions, and listen. So while I didn't know what Hailee might say, or even what questions I would ask, I did want her to have the freedom to answer my questions honestly, and in her own words.
This week's episode of That Podcast in Hutch features Hailee Black - and the secret lives of teenagers. Well, maybe not secret as much as mysterious or misunderstood.
Hailee is a soon-to-be 18 year old senior at Hutchinson High School. I first met her last legislative session when she travelled to Topeka with a group of JAG-K students. Hailee explains more about JAG in the podcast - but it's a fantastic program that helps prepare students for many aspects of adult life. It stands for Jobs for America's Graduates. I encourage you to learn more about this program - it's a great tool and addition for our students.
We also talk about some of the stressors, issues, ideas, and misconceptions about today's teenagers. And I will warn you that some of the conversation is frank, pointed, opinionated, and even a little dark. I wanted to hear and learn about this perspective, and I think the best way to do that is to ask questions, and listen. So while I didn't know what Hailee might say, or even what questions I would ask, I did want her to have the freedom to answer my questions honestly, and in her own words.
In this week's episode of That Podcast in Hutch, I visit with Sgt. Wesley Vaughn with the Hutchinson Police Department.
Wesley has been a friend of mine for quite some time, and I've always enjoyed our conversations. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience in a variety of areas. And everytime we visit, I leave feeling better informed, with a deeper understanding of our community, and the challenges faced by members of law enforcement.
Plus, he's just a lot of fun to talk with.
I encourage you to listen with intention to this episode. I think we cover some important topics - from the changes in law enforcement over the years, to the unique challenges encountered by a person of color who has built a career as a police officer serving our community.
You'll also get some interesting and useful insights about gardening, as well as chicken and rabbit husbandry!
In this week's episode of That Podcast in Hutch, I visit with Sgt. Wesley Vaughn with the Hutchinson Police Department.
Wesley has been a friend of mine for quite some time, and I've always enjoyed our conversations. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience in a variety of areas. And everytime we visit, I leave feeling better informed, with a deeper understanding of our community, and the challenges faced by members of law enforcement.
Plus, he's just a lot of fun to talk with.
I encourage you to listen with intention to this episode. I think we cover some important topics - from the changes in law enforcement over the years, to the unique challenges encountered by a person of color who has built a career as a police officer serving our community.
You'll also get some interesting and useful insights about gardening, as well as chicken and rabbit husbandry!
This episode of That Podcast in Hutch has us revisiting one of my favorite guests and business - Pippin Williamson with Sandhills Brewing.
Earlier this month, Pippin learned that his liquor license was in jeopardy because he hadn't met the 30 percent food sales requirement that was put in place by Reno County voters 36 years ago, in 1986.
This week Sandhills launched an aggressive plan to sell as much food as possible to get the numbers into compliance with regulations. In one night, they sold over $16,000 in food - but he's still about $13,000 short of reaching the goal by the end of the month. So go buy some food!
https://sandhillsbrewing.square.site/product/pizza-for-pickup/1228?utm_source=sqmktg_email
In this episode, guest host Jackson Swearer visits with Pippin about the challenges he has faced as a small business, and the regulatory hurdles microbreweries encounter in Kansas. I talk about the history of Kansas liquor laws, how we got to this point, and what needs to happen to change the law.
We don't do the three person format very often - and we don't record on location too much. But we did both for this episode. (As such, the sound is going to be a little more open than usual). I think you'll learn a lot from this episode, and walk away with a deeper understanding of both Kansas liquor laws and the mission and vision behind Sandhills Brewing.
This week’s episode will be abbreviated, but I wanted to take a moment or two to reflect on the past year.
That Podcast in Hutch is 1-year-old!
The first episode of That Podcast in Hutch aired on Sept. 2, 2021. A year later, we’ve cranked out nearly 50 episodes that have covered a variety of topics - from truck drivers to chefs, former drug addicts, single moms, and experts who provided insight into some of the big questions we have around here.
It's not always been easy. For everyone who works on this show, it's a labor of love. It's not our "job" and we're not making bank. We do it because we enjoy it, we like telling the stories, and we believe in it.
That's a long way from where I was about 18 months ago, when I was somewhat reluctant to jump into podcasting. I've always been a writer - it's where I'm comfortable, and I can edit, change, and finesse things to my liking. We can edit podcasts, to be sure, but for the most part these conversations are raw and authentic.
I've really enjoyed the past year of That Podcast in Hutch - and I'm looking forward to another year of storytelling. I hope you've enjoyed it too and that you'll stick with us for the next year.
Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/3Suj0t5wImKUSbaIWhomAq?si=5e1d0748899f4e92
Listen on Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1579734295?ign-itscg=30200&ign-itsct=lt_p
Listen on Google - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy50cmFuc2lzdG9yLmZtL3RoYXQtcG9kY2FzdC1pbi1odXRjaA
https://linktr.ee/thatguyinhutch
This week's episode of That Podcast in Hutch takes me up the road a bit, to the Reno County hamlet of Yoder.
If you're not familiar with Yoder, it's worth learning about - a small, Amish community in Reno County, most known for horse-drawn buggies and good food. But my recent visit took me to the Yoder Thrift Shop, located in the heart of downtown Yoder.
As you'll learn, this store is much more than a thrift store - it's a passion project forged by a community determined to do all it can to help others. Through the sale of donated materials, this store has donated upwards of $80,000 to local charities and families. It's really a remarkable study of what is possible when a group of people put their minds and spirits to doing all the good they can. And that's certainly what I saw during my visit to the store.
I think you'll enjoy this small road trip to Yoder, and the chance to learn more about the Yoder Thrift Store and its mission-driven focus.
A few weeks ago, my friend Tyler sat down with me for a new segment we decided to call "What's the Big Idea." Our first topic of conversation centered on the recent chatter on the internet about what happens to wind turbines once they've reached the end of their useful life.
The prevailing thought online is that the wind turbines are disassembled and disposed of in landfills or in some sort of green energy graveyard. The thought behind this is that perhaps wind turbines aren't all that green after all. Tyler and I wondered if that idea is based in fact - and if it is in fact true, does it need to be - or is there something else that could be done with them?
Kimberly walked me through the life cycle of a wind turbine and provided good information about not only what really happens - but some of the interesting uses that have been developed to reuse and repurpose wind turbines.
After our recording, she sent over a table of information from the Environmental Protection Agency about what we put into landfills. While there are many alternative uses for wind turbines once they've been decommissioned, some do end up disposed of in landfills. But it's a very small amount. Annually wind turbine blades account for somewhere between 70 and 133 tons solid waste in the U.S. - about .05 to .09 percent. By comparison, Americans annually toss out 30,630 tons of food, accounting for 22 percent of all solid waste.
I hope, like me, you'll appreciate learning more about the reality of wind turbine disposal - as well as a deep and thoughtful answer to our questions about Big Ideas.
A few weeks ago, my friend Tyler sat down with me for a new segment we decided to call "What's the Big Idea." Our first topic of conversation centered on the recent chatter on the internet about what happens to wind turbines once they've reached the end of their useful life.
The prevailing thought online is that the wind turbines are disassembled and disposed of in landfills or in some sort of green energy graveyard. The thought behind this is that perhaps wind turbines aren't all that green after all. Tyler and I wondered if that idea is based in fact - and if it is in fact true, does it need to be - or is there something else that could be done with them?
Kimberly walked me through the life cycle of a wind turbine and provided good information about not only what really happens - but some of the interesting uses that have been developed to reuse and repurpose wind turbines.
After our recording, she sent over a table of information from the Environmental Protection Agency about what we put into landfills. While there are many alternative uses for wind turbines once they've been decommissioned, some do end up disposed of in landfills. But it's a very small amount. Annually wind turbine blades account for somewhere between 70 and 133 tons solid waste in the U.S. - about .05 to .09 percent. By comparison, Americans annually toss out 30,630 tons of food, accounting for 22 percent of all solid waste.
I hope, like me, you'll appreciate learning more about the reality of wind turbine disposal - as well as a deep and thoughtful answer to our questions about Big Ideas.
This week's episode is going to be filled with flavor! On this edition of That Podcast in Hutch, Chef Daniel Downing sits down to discuss the art of cooking and his life as a chef.
I've wanted to visit with Daniel for quite some time, after seeing some of the creative and delicious dishes he prepared as chef for Jillian's Italian Grill, which has since - and quite sadly - closed. He's now working with Salt City Brewing - and has likewise been working to bring his personal experience and techniques to the cuisine there. Then I started watching the show "The Bear," on Hulu. If you've ever worked in a restaurant, this show will bring back memories for you - probably both good and bad. The camera work does a great job of showing the chaos of a kitchen. The writing and characters are great, and they do a fantastic job of conveying the ever-present anxiety and pressure of the clock that exists in just about every commercial kitchen.
In this episode, Daniel shares his journey from a child helping out with family meals, through his formal education in culinary school, to his work today at Salt City. I think you'll find the conversation an interesting insight into what life is like in a kitchen, as well as the thought and inventiveness that goes into creating new and unique dishes from scratch.
Bon appétit!
Daniel's professional Facebook Page, Chef at Large: Daniel Downing https://www.facebook.com/sonntagbuffet
Information on The Bear - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14452776/
This week's episode is going to be filled with flavor! On this edition of That Podcast in Hutch, Chef Daniel Downing sits down to discuss the art of cooking and his life as a chef.
I've wanted to visit with Daniel for quite some time, after seeing some of the creative and delicious dishes he prepared as chef for Jillian's Italian Grill, which has since - and quite sadly - closed. He's now working with Salt City Brewing - and has likewise been working to bring his personal experience and techniques to the cuisine there. Then I started watching the show "The Bear," on Hulu. If you've ever worked in a restaurant, this show will bring back memories for you - probably both good and bad. The camera work does a great job of showing the chaos of a kitchen. The writing and characters are great, and they do a fantastic job of conveying the ever-present anxiety and pressure of the clock that exists in just about every commercial kitchen.
In this episode, Daniel shares his journey from a child helping out with family meals, through his formal education in culinary school, to his work today at Salt City. I think you'll find the conversation an interesting insight into what life is like in a kitchen, as well as the thought and inventiveness that goes into creating new and unique dishes from scratch.
Bon appétit!
Daniel's professional Facebook Page, Chef at Large: Daniel Downing https://www.facebook.com/sonntagbuffet
Information on The Bear - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14452776/
I'm really excited about this week's episode! I've brought in David Reed, curator with the Reno County Historical Society to talk about Time Capsules.
On Aug. 15, people gathered outside Hutchinson City Hall to witness the unearthing of a time capsule that was buried in 1972. I was there, and it was exciting to see the old steel vault lifted out of the earth. It was equally sobering to see a new time capsule lowered and buried - to be opened in 2072, on Hutchinson's 200th Anniversary.
David and I visit about what was found in the time capsule, the history of Hutchinson, the reason time capsules are such an important and interesting part of our culture, and why it's critical to document your photos and stories. There's even a reference to a time capsule placed in Massachusetts by Paul Revere and Sam Adams. Here's a Washington Post story on it and here's another story that provides the inscription on the silver platter believed to have been etched by Revere.
If you have even a passing interest in history, I think you'll enjoy this episode. If you have an interest in family, community, and humanity, I know you'll enjoy it.
I've included some links below with information about the Reno County Museum, and the City of Hutchinson's 150th Anniversary celebration on Aug. 18.
Reno County Museum - https://www.renocomuseum.org/
Stories about the time capsule unearthing -
Hutch News - https://www.hutchnews.com/story/news/local/2022/08/15/hutchinson-opens-its-1972-time-capsule/10330959002/
Hutch Post - https://hutchpost.com/posts/b8149b70-daa1-4c84-a441-2b83aa0b0c46
Info about Hutchinson's 150th Anniversary celebration -
https://www.hutchgov.com/?mobile=OFF&date=3-20-2021&contentId=53010cbb-9f93-49f8-a5bd-43f1b670c110&contentId=5f866895-1808-4a66-bc69-9712cd2e45f8
https://www.hutchrec.com/hutchinson150th/#:~:text=The%20City%20of%20Hutchinson%20officially,incorporated%20city%20in%20August%202022.
Jason and Tyler discuss big ideas including wind turbines and what happens to their blades when they are retired.
The call of the cicada is in some ways the sound of a Kansas summer. And children inspecting or playing with the discarded skin of a cicada is a sort of rite of passage in these parts.
Greg Holmes has spent countless hours travelling around the country to record and video cicadas. And as you'll learn in this episode there are many different types of cicadas - all of which have unique sounds and behaviors.
Greg's work and study of the cicada landed him an invitation to work on the production of a new series published by the BBC and now streaming on Discovery+ - The Mating Game.
In this episode, you'll learn more about cicadas than you ever wanted to know. You'll also learn more about a few of Greg's other hobbies and passions - in what I hope you'll find as an interesting and insightful conversation.
To view some of Greg's work, visit http://thelope.com/ and
https://www.youtube.com/user/acejackalope/videos?app=desktop&view=0&sort=dd&shelf_id=0
In this episode of That Podcast in Hutch, I sit down with a familiar voice - Jackson Swearer.
A few weeks ago, Jackson attended the Aspen Ideas Festival. This is a signature event of the Aspen Institute. Curious and engaging minds from around the world gather in Aspen for the festival to learn from experts, and each other, and to explore big ideas and questions of our day. The Aspen Institute's mission statement lays it out pretty well: "We drive change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the greatest challenges of our time."
I wanted to ask Jackson about his experience, partly because I knew it would be a fun conversation. But also because I could tell how energizing the experience was from his uncharacteristically frequent and animated social media posts.
We unpack some of what he learned at the conference, as well as how beneficial it is to a community like Hutchinson when we invest in people who can learn more about the world and bring that knowledge back to our town.
In this week's episode of That Podcast in Hutch, I visit with my friend Tyler Kershner. We met years ago on the annual Biking Across Kansas event - and we've become close friends in the time since.
We talk about some of the challenges that come with riding a bicycle across the state, as well as the unique experiences that keep us coming back year after year. We also share our stories about what prompted us to sign up for BAK in the first place - and what keeps us on our bikes after all these years.
This is a fun conversation between two people who have an unusual love for cycling. I hope you enjoy sitting in.
In this week's episode I visit with Katie Gibbons and April West, from Hutchinson's Milestone Clubhouse.
You'll learn more about the mental health clubhouse model and the good it can do for those struggling with mental illness. I think you'll find that we're lucky to have this helpful tool in our community.
This week's edition of That Podcast in Hutch takes you to the brew room of one of my favorite places in the world - Sandhills Brewing in Hutchinson.
I've long told people what's being done with beer at Sandhills is nothing short of art. Pippin Williamson visits with me about his interest in brewing, and some of the early experimentation that created a number of failures to get to the delicious craft beers that are now enjoyed at their two locations - one in Hutchinson and the other in Mission.
But I think you'll find in this conversation that there's a lot more than meets the eye in brewing a good keg of beer. And there's more to a brewery than the beer that's served there. It's a community space, where people can meet, work, relax, and learn. And that's one of the things I've always enjoyed about breweries - including Sandhills. The atmosphere feels a lot like home.
You'll also learn about the steps taken to move from basement home brewing to a full-fledged craft brewery - in a measured way that hoped for growth but recognized the risk of failure.
I hope you'll enjoy this visit with Pippin as much as I enjoyed having it.
This week, instead of the traditional format for That Podcast in Hutch I’m going to send you over to another podcast to check out – The Higher Points. Nate Hiatt and Nick Sowers produce The Higher Points – where they bring in a variety of guests to have meaningful and insightful conversations. This week, they asked...
Warning: This episode contains some graphic depictions of death and death scene investigation. If you’re sensitive to this sort of thing, proceed with caution. For the next several weeks, I want to focus on the issue of overdose deaths and in particular fentanyl poisoning. And it is poisoning, because most people who are dying from...
For the next several weeks, I want to focus on the issue of overdose deaths and in particular fentanyl poisoning. And it is poisoning, because most people who are dying from fentanyl use are completely unaware of the substance’s presence. The numbers are staggering, too. In the first half of 2021, there were 388 overdose fatalities, which...
Lynn Rogers currently serves as the Kansas State Treasurer – a role most known for helping people find out if they have any unclaimed property. Most of us have likely seen or stopped by the Treasurer’s booth at the Kansas State Fair over the years. There’s much more to the job than giving people their...
This week Kansas Legislature passed a bill to allow the use of driverless vehicles – specifically large trucks. In the lead up to the vote, the big groups that support it (Koch Industries, Walmart, Americans for Prosperity, and the Kansas Chamber) sent out a brief explaining why this is needed. They relied largely on the truck...
I want to thank everyone for all of your patience, prayers, and support during the past couple of weeks. And I especially want to thank Jackson for stepping in to keep That Podcast in Hutch rolling while I focused on a family crisis. Mitch is out of the hospital, working toward recovery, and doing much better...
In this week’s episode of That Podcast in Hutch, guest host Jackson Swearer returns to talk to Amanda Wilke about the challenges and opportunities facing childcare providers.A lack of quality, affordable childcare is an issue facing many communities right now, and Hutch is no exception. In our conversation, Amanda shared some of the challenges she...
In this week's episode of That Podcast in Hutch, guest host Jackson Swearer visits with Dave Sotelo, Human Relations Officer for the City of Hutchinson.
Sometimes serendipity emerges from disappointment. This week I had made arrangements for another guest – who I still hope to get on the show. But on the scheduled day for recording, illness had struck and she couldn’t make it. So I had to scramble to find someone else to interview. Luckily, I had read this column written by...
In this week's episode of That Podcast in Hutch, I visit with John Donley, with the firm Devine, Donley, and Murray Governmental Affairs.
I got to know John through work in the Kansas legislature. John represents a number of agriculture interests, including the Kansas Farm Bureau. I wanted to visit with John about his work, and some of the challenges farmers and ranchers face everyday - and in the face of emerging world events.
I think you'll learn something about the way a lobbyist approaches the work in Topeka, as well as gain some good insight about the daily lives of Kansas farmers and ranchers.
If you haven’t listened to the first part of this two-part series with Katy Everitt, I strongly encourage going back and catching up. In the first episode, you’ll get to hear from Katy about the life of a hairdresser. She lives in Topeka with her 9-year-old son and has built a nearly 20 year career...
The next two episodes are really special and important to me. I think when you’re done listening, you’ll understand why. For the next two episodes, you’ll get to hear from Katy Everitt, who lives in Topeka with her 9-year-old son. She has built a nearly 20 year career that she loves as a hairstylist. Though...
In this week’s episode of That Podcast for Hutch, I visit with Cecelia Pina of Hutchinson. I wanted to visit with her – and several others suggested I should have her on – after she spoke before the Hutchinson City Council regarding proposed changes to the Woody Seat Freeway that spans over Avenue B in the...
In this week’s episode of That Podcast in Hutch, we finish up the two-part episode in which we turn the microphones completely around. Instead of me interviewing someone, I’ll once again be the subject of the interview. Several friends and regular listeners to That Podcast in Hutch suggested this might be an interesting experiment. So, despite my reluctance, I...
In this week’s episode of That Podcast in Hutch, we turn the microphones completely around. Instead of me interviewing someone, I’ll be the subject of the interview. Several friends and regular listeners to That Podcast in Hutch suggested this might be an interesting experiment. I’ve been reluctant to do this sort of thing – and found myself...
This week I share an episode of Steve Becker and Beth White’s podcast “Cleared”. The episode is about The Groveland Four, Four black men accused of the rape of a white woman in 1949 Florida, the many injustices that led to their convictions, and the long journey to their eventual exoneration. Subscribe to Cleared: https://saltcitysound.net/category/cleared/feed/podcast/
In this week’s episode, I visit with Joe Coles – A resident of Southwest Kansas who spent more than 40 years with a career in education and now travels across the state as a consultant. I came to meet Joe through our mutual friend, Rep. Boyd Orr, from Fowler. Boyd called me one day this fall...
Jacci Espinoza is an accounts manager at New Beginnings, a wife, mother, daughter, and an engaged member of our community. She’s also an addict in active recovery. In this episode, Jacci shares her journey through addiction and recovery, and the importance of harm reduction policies that can prevent overdose deaths. I’m thankful to Jacci for...
In this week's episode of That Podcast in Hutch features Rep. Jim Gartner, from the 53rd House District in Topeka. But we talk more about the plight of the Ornate Box Turtle - the state Reptile of Kansas - than anything else. I'm not going to spoil the episode for you - but if you listen, I guarantee you'll learn more about the world and more about the Ornate Box Turtle than you ever expected.
One of the things I do enjoy about the Kansas Legislature is the opportunity to learn new things about the world. And in my conversation with Rep. Gartner, I am certain that you'll learn something you didn't know before. There's a whole underground world that involves this innocent reptile that you probably don't know a thing about - and that's how some legislation comes to fruition, even if it seems bizarre to the outside world.
This week's episode of That Podcast in Hutch was recorded inside the Kansas State Capitol building in Topeka. Since I'll be in Topeka for most of the next several months, I'm working to keep production going between normal - and sometimes abnormal - legislative work. My guest this week is Rep. Tom Sawyer, who represents the 95th House District, in Wichita. He's the current minority leader in the House - but his experience in state government goes back to the 1980s, when he first started working on campaigns. Tom is widely known in Topeka as an expert on tax and budget policy - and in this episode he shares some of his experiences from throughout the years, as well as some of the changes he's seen develop over the decades. There's also a story in there about the time he sacrificed himself to make sure something really bad didn't happen to Kansas. I think you'll enjoy hearing that one.
In this episode of That Podcast in Hutch, I describe John Fairbanks as resilient. I think after you listen, you'll agree.
I've wanted to have John - who is an avid cyclist - on the show for quite some time to visit about being struck this summer by a motorist as he was cycling on the north edge of Hutchinson.
Beyond the accident and his recovery, John has overcome other challenges in his life - including a 2005 heart attack and subsequent heart transplant. Neither of which stopped him from riding competitively, or from other goals in his life.
I'm thankful John was willing to come on the show to share his experiences - and I think you'll find it to be a compelling story of resilience and determination in the face of difficulties.
In this episode of That Podcast in Hutch, I sit down with my producer, Chris Acker, as we take a look back at past episodes, and we look forward to the future of the podcasts. you can contact me directly at thatguyinhutch@gmail.com Interested in starting a podcast in Hutchinson, or sponsoring local podcasts? Contact Salt...
In this episode of That Podcast in Hutch, I decided to do something a little different. Instead of sitting down with one guest, I took a chance and set up at Crow & Co Bookstore and Cafe – and asked people to come down and share their Christmas stories with me. I wasn’t disappointed. I’m...
We're doing something a little different - launching a two-part series. This is the second segment, where you'll get to sit in as I visit with my friend Frankie Shayne Pearman. When we start talking, the conversation often runs long - and instead of launching a 2-plus hour episode, we decided to release two episodes closer to an hour each. If you didn't catch the first episode, I'd encourage you to go back and give it a listen. In the first part, we visited about how our paths have crossed, his passion for music, health, and weightlifting. In the second half, we visit more about his faith, and how it guides so much of his life. . Thanks for tuning into both segments - and I hope you enjoy our conversation.
We're doing something a little different - launching a two-part series. For the next two weeks, you'll get to sit in as I visit with my friend Frankie Shayne Pearman. When we start talking, the conversation often runs long - and instead of launching a 2-plus hour episode, we'll release two episodes closer to an hour each. In the first part, we visit about how our paths have crossed, his passion for music, health, and weightlifting. In the second half, we visit more about his faith, and how it guides so much of his life.
Every year since 2013, for at least a few days, Hutchinson officially declares itself as Smallville - The home of Clark Kent, the human counterpart to Superman. That proclamation has grown in the years since to include a community "Smallville" festival, and a weekend- long comic-con. In today's episode I visit with Christopher Wietrick, one of the driving forcing behind Hutchinson's claim to Smallville fame. We talk about his long standing fascination with superheroes, in particular Superman. And we visit about his struggles with mental illness, and how the sense of community and the real-life superheroes he found in Smallville helped save his life and gave him a sense of purpose and belonging.
Happy Thanksgiving! In this week's episode, I'm trying something a little different. Instead of interviewing a guest, I'm reading through listeners' comments about their reasons for being thankful this year. Despite all the chaos of the past two years, I think you'll enjoy hearing the ways in which people find gratitude. And if you're inspired after listening, send your reasons for Thanksgiving to me at thatguyinhutch@gmail.com
Mark and Phoebe Davenport were living in Brooklyn, New York, and investing in real estate in the New England area when they stumbled across some property listings in the Midwest. Now, they are splitting their time between their home in the Kansas City area, and their properties in Hutchinson - including Plaza Towers, Leon Place, and the Hoke Building, which they’re converting into a boutique hotel.
In this episode of That Podcast in Hutch, I visit with JoAnn Rivera, RN,CCRN Director of Patient Care Services, Intensive Care Unit, at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. We discuss some of the demands on nursing staff throughout the 18 months as Covid-19 spread throughout the world, and our community. JoAnn helps us understand the strain and demand on nursing staff, and the emotional toll the job of helping others has taken on nursing staff and their families.
Tim Smith is a graduate of Hutchinson High School, and a long-time friend of mine. He has worked for well more than a decade as a truck driver. Throughout much of his career he worked as an over-the-road truck driver. In this episode, we visit about some of the on-the-ground issues that push drivers to other careers. If you’re interested or concerned at all about some of the supply chain failures we’ve been experiencing lately - including issues in the trucking industry - this is an episode you’ll want to hear.
Jacci Espinoza is an accounts manager at New Beginnings, a wife, mother, daughter, and an engaged member of our community. She’s also an addict in active recovery. In this episode, Jacci shares her journey through addiction and recovery, and the importance of harm reduction policies that can prevent overdose deaths. I’m thankful to Jacci for being willing to share her story with such openness and honesty, and I think listeners will have the chance to learn a lot from our conversation.
Lyndsey Becher is the Artistic Director for Stage 9 in Hutchinson. In this episode, she visits with me about the upcoming production of “Talking Tombstones? and a new feature titled “If Walls Could Talk.” Both take a historical look at some of Hutchinson’s interesting people, recreated as characters, in this 15-year Halloween-time tradition. To learn more, visit https://www.stage9hutch.com/
Denice Gilliland is the Community Impact coordinator for the United Way of Reno County. In this episode, Denice talks about her experience as a single mother of three children, trying to manage a household budget that didn’t quite stretch far enough. I think you’ll find this conversation enlightening - as we dive into the issues of childcare, budgeting, and the Cliff Effect, which punishes individuals as they earn more by removing assistance that supports their family.
Myra and Jim Kitson own Metropolitan Coffee in Hutchinson. In this episode, Myra talks about the challenges of running a small business - and some of the ways in which that has been complicated by a global pandemic. Myra was open and authentic in our discussion and I think you - like me - will enjoy learning more about her experiences.
Ben Jones is a musician, actor, director and member of the Kansas Board of Education, among many other things! In this episode, I visit with Ben about his experience in theater, and in his recent directing role for the upcoming Family Community Theater production of Arsenic and Old Lace. We also discuss how the arts intersect with education, and serve to help children develop the skills they need to successfully navigate adulthood.
Heidi Unruh is a church and nonprofit consultant, working with them on how to better their community engagement. She’s someone who cares deeply about our community, and lends her talent, skill, and energy to making Hutchinson a more compassionate and caring community. Her daughter, Elise, contracted Covid-19 and has endured multiple symptoms related to “long” Covid for the past 10 months. In this episode, Heidi shares her family’s experience in trying to secure healthcare for their daughter, as well as the support they’ve received from the community.
Steve Becker is a retired District Court Judge, who served on the bench for 26 years, and later spent six years serving in the Kansas House of Representatives. Steve, along with his daughter Beth White, is launching a new podcast called “Cleared.” It will examine cases of wrongful convictions, and shed some light on the imperfections in our legal system and how those imperfections lead to the imprisonment of innocent people.
Amy Bickel is an award-winning journalist who covered a variety of areas at The Hutchinson News - specializing in thorough coverage of Kansas agriculture. She also loves the Kansas State Fair, and along with her cohort Kathy Hanks provided readers with a hands-on state fair experience.
In this episode, I visit with USD 308 Hutchinson board of education member Kail Dennison. We discuss some of the difficult decisions school board members have been forced to make, and the challenges of navigating competing constituencies that have different ideas about how education should be delivered.
That Guy In Hutch, Jason Probst, introduces his new show, That Podcast In Hutch, that will bring you news, stories, and events, from Hutchinson, Kansas.