local rapport: Recent Episodes
Sam Flores
A podcast dedicated to building relationships with residents of Calhoun County, TX and surrounding areas.
Richard Morin shares his personal story about disability, faith in himself, and a community he is glad to call home. Growing up "Little Mexico" tough, his determination has equipped him with the confidence to bet on himself to be something more. The relationships he built along the way in life have given him hope he wishes to pass along to others.
Richard currently works with Turner Industries as a millwright at Formosa Plastics.
For Raymond Butler, a long-time resident of Calhoun and graduate of CHS, our community's appearance to locals and visitors means a great deal to him. So much so, it's his hope he can instill a sense of pride and urgency for all locals to make the small changes that will help keep our community looking great.
Raymond Butler presents "Port Lavaca Pride":
a case for residents to take self-responsibility in the cleanliness of one's residence and our community.
Do you have Port Lavaca Pride?
Come hang out with Roland Cantu. This Calhoun class of '84 graduate has done a little bit of everything around this town. HVAC, Electrical, worked at Formosa and Invista and was even our town's repo man - uh oh. His latest venture was Roland Custom Homes, working self-employed. You may also know him as "Amy's Husband" or "Reed's Dad."
We chat about music, family, local life, and why he feels the need to help others when the opportunity arises. So, what's next for this man? It looks like I'll have to bring him back on to find out.
In this episode, I catch up with Brooks Bynum (a kinesiology student and intern at the Health Plex in Victoria) and Hunter Duke (a store manager in the HVAC industry). We talk about the need to be healthy and how out of touch we, as late-millennials/early Gen-Z guys, are starting to feel as we age. Oh, and some awkward card game that makes us share stories we rather forget. Oh well.
I was able to attend the first-ever Rock Festival in Port Lavaca, TX. I share some of what this experience was like, what it meant for us locals, and talk with some on the team that made this event possible.
Something Else To Note:
As I wrap up this last episode of "Season One," I'm super thankful for all the support I have received this past weekend. My content isn't the most polished due to me having another full-time job, being a dad, and currently operating this podcast solo. Also - I'm learning the craft of video and audio editing as I go with no real prior experience. Still, I enjoy connecting with our community, and I appreciate the chance to hopefully get better at doing things like this as I go. Thank you for that opportunity!
Our guest this episode is someone I've known my entire life. She put aside a career in cosmetology to become a "professional stay-at-home mother", as she would so put it. She raised two sons and has donated countless hours to be of service to her community for many years. This recording is on mother's day, 2021, and our guest today is my very own mom, Pamela Flores.
In this episode, we discuss recent events that have unfolded in our community as documented on the "Port Lavaca Listens" FB page and hear a bit of her upbringing and takeaways as a mother.
Port Lavaca Wave Article about upcoming Rock Festival:
http://www.portlavacawave.com/news/around_town/ready-set-rock/article_d98330c4-afbb-11eb-b066-83598d99c423.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=user-share&fbclid=IwAR277G-dJGqL7HO7O35mUkfCuji6G6WzEhx4uB-CHrncrehQM-AmDH0P8cs
Chris Galindo is employed at Memorial Medical Center as a full-time ER desk clerk. On their time, they enjoy painting, drawing, and serve as a worship leader who helps out local churches in our community when able.
Chris will like to share his story with you. We will cover topics such as faith, depression, drugs, and other lifestyle practices that our guest believes result from him trying to find his place in this world and identity while working through loss and rejection. For some listening, the conclusions expressed by our guest may not sit the same for all, but I trust you will still find his story encouraging. He can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat @galicj51, and his former drama team performances on Facebook @Six Miles from Heaven Ministries.
You can visit rickpinotour.com to attend Texas Worship Nights with Rick Pino, an event Chris encourages listeners to check out.
Blanca Cordero is a local business owner (Blanca's Event Decor). In this episode, she shares her experience opening up "Blanca's Fashion Boutique" before it was unfortunately lost not once, but twice, to a fire. Not giving up, she shares her ability to find resolve and purpose among friends and family that supported her during a difficult run with detours and debt collectors. She currently enjoys more time with her family while still being able to do what she loves today.
I know, I know, sounds like clickbait. Not totally. I look forward to returning next week with a new guest from our community. This week I am taking somewhat of a brief pause, but I would like to hear from you!
What makes "life worth the living" for you? Got a favorite book on the bookshelf everyone should have? What are some of your highlights from the past month? Do you have recommendations for this show? Let's chat, and I am all ears!
I would love to get to know you guys; as always, I greatly appreciate your support.
Email: localrapport@gmail.com
-Sam
Public professional profile:
Raymond Butler has over 30 years of experience in executive-level marine operations management, inland barging and waterway operations, quality and safety program management, vessel maintenance, logistics, and cargo.
Based in South Texas, Raymond is currently an independent consultant to inland marine transportation companies and ports. He has developed a fleet maintenance program for an inland barge company operating 30 boats and 80 barges and has worked on various marine consulting projects including a major coal-fired power plant fuel supply, logistics projects involving container-on-barge, aggregate barging, and brokering of inland marine equipment. Prior to becoming a full-time consultant, he spent many years working for a variety of inland barge operations. From 2001 until March 2010, he served as Exec Dir of the Gulf Intracoastal Canal Assn. In this role, he led the 250+ member assn in ensuring the waterway was effectively maintained and improved via federal lobbying efforts.
He developed an industry-wide disaster response plan, and emergency vessel traffic mgmt protocol. He served as Special Projects Mgr for the BP Oil Spill Response Team from May 2010 until Sept 2010. There he supervised a special team of professionals in the development and use of a unique skimming system used in eliminating ocean oil pollution. Earlier in his career, he served as VP of Maintenance and Operations at Hollywood Marine from Nov 1997 until Dec 1999. He managed the operation/maintenance of 255 inland tank barges and 55 towboats. Prior to joining Hollywood Marine, Raymond worked in a variety of roles with Kirby Corporation from Jan 1992 until Aug 1997. These roles included VP of Vessel Maintenance/Opns, Corporate Re-engineering Chair, and major fleet acquisition. Formerly, he founded and operated his own marine towing company and served as Department Head of Olefins for Union Carbide.
He is a registered professional engineer in Texas and a licensed fixed-wing and rotorcraft pilot.
It was inevitable! My supportive wife, Melissa Flores, took time out of her spring break to hang out with me record an episode. Besides being an awesome wife and mom, she is a 4th-grade teacher at VISD with a big passion for students and loves traveling - like, really loves traveling. I had fun with this one.
Did you know Port Lavaca is getting a skatepark? It's true.
Our guest, Ricardo, is currently a college student studying to be an operator at Formosa Plastics. He is an event decorator and a YouTuber. Skating has made a huge impact on his life, and he has had to make the best to hone his craft while living in a town without a skatepark. We talk about what skate life is like for skaters without a park and the optimism having a park brings to local skaters in our community.
Ricardo and his friends recently made the Port Lavaca Wave's front page when the City of Port Lavaca approved the project to build the park.
We talk Calhoun Sandcrab football!
For over a decade, almost two, our guests David Barecky and Ken Bulsterbaum have called play-by-play and game commentary for the Calhoun High School football team. If their voices sound familiar, you have likely heard them on KNAL 93.3 radio during the football season. They both have witnessed Calhoun’s history as our high school football team transitioned into an opponent that absolutely no team wants to face in the post-season. Calhoun football is now respected among state and national ranks - and in this episode, we get to hear guest’s perspectives of what football life has done for our community.
Tania French is a former (yet, current interim) newspaper publisher for the Port Lavaca Wave. She is president of Something More Media - a company that does business marketing, branding, and newspaper systems support. She is also Calhoun's community event planner.
In this episode, we talk a bit about the past two weeks meeting our community's needs during the Texas winter storm of 2021 and her experience as a reporter.
Tania recently wrote the Port Lavaca Wave article, "The heart makes a community".
Haynes Searcy is a youth pastor for Alamo Heights Baptist Church in Port Lavaca, works with UPS in Victoria, and at times you can catch him on Sandcrab Radio during the Friday night lights. In this episode, he shares about his roles in Calhoun and his experience during the Texas winter storm of 2021 that affected our local community and millions more.
Email: searcyhaynes@gmail.com for more info on the upcoming gathering for men in March.
Heather Jones and Miranda Waechter both work at the Pregnancy Help Center in Port Lavaca, TX.
The Pregnancy Help Center exists to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of individuals and families facing the challenges of pregnancy and they serve the entire crossroads area. All services they provide to the community are free.
Check out more here at https://phccrossroads.org/
Can you believe it? 8 solid weeks straight of having guests from around the community on this podcast. I'm so excited about what's to come and celebrate the milestones along the way. In this episode, I take a short pause from hosting guests and share with you 5 things I'm excited about for localrapport.
-Sam Flores
What do you do when a door full of opportunity is shut right in front of your face? What happens when the common things you took for granted are stripped away?
Our guest this episode is Morgan Molina, who shares his experience with personal crises and the open doors that followed since that gave his life purpose and drive. He wears many different hats: he is a sales associate at Fastenal, a Twitch streamer, and a songwriter/musician who performs original works.
Music |Alias "Sunnydale" Rock/Pop-Punk
Link - https://www.reverbnation.com/AllTheRightThings
Twitch channel (18+): twitch.tv/MorganKMolina
Mari Consuelo is a local licensed cosmetologist who is passionate about her career and community. She believes one of the best things a person can do is "bloom where you are planted." Mari prioritizes "positive practice(s)" that includes spiritual, mental, and physical health.
Check out her art and style contributions to Port Lavaca on Instagram @marconsrodri and her FB page Mari Consuelo.
Frankie Yarborough is currently a stay at home mother with previous work experience as a secretary and quality control, her most recent job at Formosa Plastics.
She has made Port Lavaca her home despite her mixed upbringing in this town. She shares her experience working at the local plant, previous aspirations to make a career out of singing, and hopes to spread positivity with her newfound outlook of Port Lavaca with her kids and others in the community.
Hunter Duke (age 24) and Brooks Bynum (age 27) are a lot of fun, especially in a pair. Hunter is a store manager for Solar Supply. Brooks is a UHV student where he is studying Kinesiology and is a ministry intern for Parkway Church.
This episode is packed with ridiculous humor - yet grounded with personal stories and observations from two young men who balance school, work, and ministry.
Happy New Year!
I briefly sit down with six locals of Calhoun County, and we reflect on the highlights and lessons learned from 2020 and what we hope to expect in the year to come.
Russell McCarson is the Student Pastor for Parkway Church. Former history teacher at West High School, Russell has invested over five years into students' lives in our community as a teacher and pastor. Today, you can find him getting creative in his ability to partner with both students and parents in a 2020 world.
Chris Kovarek is a long-time resident of Calhoun County and has served our community as a social worker for many years. She is currently the Program Director at Memorial Medical Center, where she supervises “Senior Behavioral Health” and “Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehab.” You also may find her at the YMCA, where she has been teaching classes as a Fitness Instructor since 2008.
Eric Lee has lived in Calhoun for 4 years, a transplant from Iowa who works at Formosa Plastics as an engineer. With a fresh, outside perspective, Eric Lee shares his story and experience connecting in the town of Port Lavaca.
I have a story to share with you. It’s the story of Calhoun County, TX, and the people in and around this community. It’s not a story I can tell alone; in fact, I’ll be partnering with other locals to share their experiences and life lessons in hopes that we become more understanding of the people who call Calhoun home.
You're listening to local rapport, your neighbor's podcast.