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A national spotlight is about to hit the Tenn-Tom Waterway, and we’re ready. Tourism director Frances Glenn joins us to share how Bassmaster Elite is setting up at the Columbus Marina with 101 pros, live cameras, and a weekend atmosphere that turns attention into spending. We dig into why “free” events fuel hotels, restaurants, and gas pumps, and how a stacked slate of fishing tournaments can make the river more than scenery—it becomes a steady economic engine.

Then we zoom out to long-term bets. The amphitheater only works if it’s truly finished: seating, restrooms, concessions, and a professional promoter who can route artists through a 3,500-seat venue that draws from Memphis, Birmingham, Jackson, and Tupelo. We talk realistic timelines, booking strategy, and the kind of opening night that builds a habit of showing up. Culture gets equal billing as Spring Pilgrimage unifies under one umbrella for the second year with 18 homes and simple online ticketing, while new historic markers strengthen the African American Cultural Trail and preserve stories at risk of fading.

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Power doesn’t just show up in big scandals; it hides in procurement rules, town halls, and the shade over a park bench. We start with Columbus’ new requirement that newspapers secure audits or expert affidavits to qualify for city legal ads. On paper that sounds like due diligence. In context—coming after public complaints about coverage—it feels like a pressure valve on the free press. When the government can target one business, they can target any business.

Then we pivot to the refreshing tone change from Columbus Municipal School District, specifically a fresh leadership style from new Superintendent Craig Chapman

Then, retired publisher and Columbus tree board member Birney Imes brings stories of replanting storm-hit parks, building a native-species arboretum along the Riverwalk and designating a majestic centuries-old bald cypress as the city’s “Mother Tree.” Beyond beauty, trees are infrastructure: cooler streets, soaked-up stormwater, cleaner air, calmer nerves. Partnerships, small grants, and community hands can turn a walk into a living field guide and a playground back into a refuge.

If you care about press freedom, school stability, and the everyday design of a livable city, this one brings receipts and roots.

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A dangerous intersection, a doubled construction bill, and a voice that carries decades of experience - George Irby. We start with Highway 45 and Mike Parra Road, where 29 crashes since 2020 and the death of a young man have galvanized a petition and renewed pressure to improve public safety. We lay out the facts the way residents need them: what a traffic signal would change, why engineers might prefer cutting the crossover with managed U‑turns, and which interim measures could save lives now while a long-term design moves forward.

From there, we pivot to the Stokes Beard gym and a shocker: a $2.8M estimate swelling to $6.4M after a storm-shelter requirement came to light.

Then we welcome George Irby, a Columbus legend whose life spans NFL locker rooms, Tuskegee in the Civil Rights era, and a relentless commitment to service through the Happy Irby Fund.

If you care about safer roads, smarter schools, and a community that remembers its people, you’ll feel this one.

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Councilman Rusty Greene brings a bold idea to the table: three elevated, 750-square-foot cottages tucked behind a Waffle House, built for folks who want ownership without the bloat. We talk through the real economics of building small along with floodplain design, tree preservation, and the zoning flexibility needed to make infill sing. It’s a clear-eyed look at what “affordable” really takes. The councilman also discusses why this council makes it fun to go to meetings again.

Statewide education enters the chat with a dramatic twist: the House’s sprawling bill dies, largely over private school vouchers. The Senate’s slimmer version lives on with public-to-public portability, cutting the tie between a kid’s ZIP code and their prospects. And then a hard local story: a sheriff’s apprehension dog bites a young girl during a classroom demo. We unpack why that setup was never safe, credit the sheriff’s transparency, and lay out common-sense protocols for future outreach.

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The guys discuss Columbus' hopes of building out a regional crime center, even though Starkville has already made strides in that direction. They also tackle two bills in Jackson that could pave the way to MSMS opening its doors to high school sophomores.

From there, 4-County Electric’s Brian Clark and Jon Turner take us inside the week that snapped limbs, downed lines, and tested every mile of their nine-county footprint. They talk mutual aid, why a bucket at 40 feet is the coldest place in Mississippi, how restoration triage really works, and what you can do at home to cut peak demand and protect your neighbors from rolling blackouts. We also explore why winter is the true bill shock for a strip-heat South, and how free audits, blower doors, thermal imaging, and on-bill financing can make a real dent in your usage.

Finally, meteorologist superstar Matt Laubhan joins to break down the razor’s edge of this week's ice storm. He talks about how a single degree and a passing thunderstorm largely spared the Golden Triangle and gives us an update on the status of north Mississippi. He shares why his new 24/7 Mississippi Live Weather network went all-in early, how a distributed home-studio setup kept coverage online.

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The bills are flying in Jackson, and the stakes feel close to home. We kick off with a clear-eyed look at the “Freedom of Education” proposal: what it really does, what it costs, and why bipartisan opposition formed around accountability gaps and the risk of draining public school budgets. We talk honestly about how school choice can touch property values and what the Starkville-Oktibbeha consolidation taught us about raising the floor without lowering the ceiling.

Representative Kabir Karim joins us to push for something that should be simple: splitting Martin Luther King Jr. Day from Robert E. Lee Day. He explains why the dual holiday is a contradiction, how it clashes with ongoing fights for voting rights, and where Lee commemorations could reasonably live.

Then we bring it downtown—literally—with a $209,000 pavilion behind the courthouse and the Fifth Street North rebuild. Historic district rules, sidewalk upgrades, traffic calming, bikes, pedestrians, cones everywhere: we break down costs, benefits, and why the finished product needs to earn everyday use, not just look good on a plan.

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We sit down with Golden Triangle Development Link COO Meryl Fisackerly to unpack how the CINCO Megasite moves from dirt to deal, why “whale” projects require patience, and what it takes to keep a regional brand like the LINK sharp during a CEO search. We dig into workforce development with EMCC and Accelerate Mississippi, the push to keep graduates here, and the reality that business retention and expansion are as vital as new wins.

In their discussion about recent headlines, Zack and David talk about Columbus' police chief's legacy now that he is a finalist for the same position in Jackson.

The guys also discuss institutional stability as MUW President Nora Miller retires after delivering enrollment gains and navigating political crosswinds. The next leader must protect autonomy, sustain recruitment, and keep pressure on the legislature for facilities, all while sharpening identity to support long-term growth.

Public safety and transparency round out the picture. We break down the Columbus crime lab’s technology-versus-staffing gap, the falling backlog, and a practical pipeline fix: better pay plus training agreements that keep new chemists on staff long enough to make a dent.

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In our last episode of the year, we kick off with Councilman Jason Spears discussing a bold plan to turn Columbus' raw economic activity into real economic development: an action‑first advisory group made up of people who build, hire, lease, heal, and sell here. The hard questions aren’t dodged. What keeps self‑interest from creeping in? The committee’s mandate is to match supply to demand before the city courts the wrong projects.

Then we shift to the classroom, where stability becomes a strategy. Newly minted Columbus Municipal School District Superintendent Craig Chapman shares why he accepted an 18‑month contract and what he’ll deliver: fill the assistant superintendent of operations role, align curriculum to Mississippi’s accountability, and hire on merit rather than familiarity.

We also discuss new legislation affecting vape stores, reflect on past podcast episodes and more. It's a fully-packed episode to end 2025.