This shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Historic Jefferson Highway" Show is packed with news from the road. As always, the show features Roger Bell, Co-Host and President of the Jefferson Highway Association, along with host and producer Lisa D. Smith.

Fresh home from the Crossroads of America Centennial Conference in Joplin, Missouri, Roger shares the highlights. The conference marked 100 years since Joplin was promoted as the crossroads of the Jefferson Highway and Route 66, and brought together Route 66 Association members, tourism bureaus, travel writers, classic car clubs, and vintage trailer owners from every state and province on the route.

Hear about CeCe Otto's highway songs, Daniel Hershberger's 1920s tourist camp, 20-year-old Model T enthusiast Ian Borges camping in full period style, a trivia championship, and the pre-conference tour's surprise stop at the tiny post office in Opolis, Kansas. Plus, meet Flat Stinky, the conference's new travel companion.

Roger also announces the 2027 Jefferson Highway Association conference, the association's 14th, coming to St. Cloud, Minnesota, July 19–21, 2027, with a possible post-conference run north toward Itasca State Park, Bemidji, and beyond.

Lisa then announces the launch of the Jefferson Highway Travel Guide, a new monthly digital guide debuting October 1 and publishing the first of every month. The first issue is ad-free and celebrates the members and partners who helped make it happen, with haunted history along the highway, a directory, events, a Google Map for everything featured, and a new column called "The Notables." spotlighting a notable person born that month from each region of the route.

Learn more about the Jefferson Highway Association: https://jeffersonhighway.org/

Plan your journey with the Jefferson Highway Travel Guide: https://www.jeffersonhighwaytravelguide.com/

Subscribe to the Jefferson Highway Dispatch: https://jeffersonhighwaydispatch.substack.com/

The Big Blend Radio "Historic Jefferson Highway" Podcast airs every 4th Thursday. Follow the show at https://jefferson-highway.podbean.com/

This episode of Big Blend Radio's "Getting to Know You" series was recorded back in April with Phyllis Bitner, Chair of the Miners Hall Museum Foundation in Franklin, Kansas.

Phyllis shares how Miners Hall Museum grew out of the 2003 tornado that leveled the town's community center, why the museum's twelve exhibit categories focus as much on the immigrant experience as the equipment, and the story behind the Page 618 Walking Dragline — a massive, one-of-eighteen-ever-built machine now being moved piece by piece into a new free public park along the Jefferson Highway. She also talks about the historic 1.7-mile Franklin-Arma sidewalk, the site of the 1921 Amazon Army March, and why the museum's research library keeps surprising visitors with their own family history.

Then Phyllis plays a round of our Lucky Seven Questions — sharing her spirit animal, her NASCAR bucket-list dream, a life lesson from her father, and more.

P.S. — Phyllis will be one of four storytellers at "Night at the Friendly Tavern" on September 3rd, part of Pittsburg, KS's 150th birthday celebration, and Miners Hall Museum is a featured stop on the Jefferson Highway Association's "Miner's Drive" caravan, September 17–19.

Resource Links: - Miners Hall Museum: https://www.minershallmuseum.com/ - Night at the Friendly Tavern Tickets (Sept 3): https://memorialauditorium.ludus.com/show_page.php?show_id=200542773 - Jefferson Highway "Miner's Drive" Caravan (Sept 17–19): https://jeffersonhighway.org/event-6661501 - Jefferson Highway Travel Guide — Miners Hall Museum page: https://www.jeffersonhighwaytravelguide.com/travel-directory/kansas/miners-hall-museum

Discover Shelby County, Kentucky, just east of Louisville, with Janette Marson, President and CEO of ShelbyKY Tourism, on this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Food, Wine & Travel" Show with the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

Known as the Saddlebred Horse Capital of the World, Shelby County offers an authentic Central Kentucky experience where horses, bourbon, food, farms, history, shopping and outdoor adventures come together.

Janette takes us inside the region's remarkable horse culture, including more than 100 Saddlebred farms, Thoroughbred farms and the largest Icelandic horse farm in North America. We also explore the area's bourbon heritage, including Bulleit and the special mother-daughter team behind Jeptha Creed Distillery.

Food is another big part of the story, from Kentucky barbecue and bourbon mash-fed livestock to Talon Winery, local restaurants, farm-to-table dining and family farms such as Mulberry Orchard and Gallrein Farm.

We also talk about historic downtown Shelbyville and Simpsonville, antique shopping, family attractions, horseback riding, lakes, fishing, camping, golf, festivals and the region's growing appeal for road trippers and pet-friendly travelers.

And because Shelby County is a four-season destination, Janette shares ideas for visiting throughout the year—from bourbon tours and horse farms to fall pumpkins, winter shopping and spring and summer horseback riding.

- Explore Shelby County, Kentucky: https://www.visitshelbyky.com/

- Learn More About IFWTWA: https://www.ifwtwa.org/

- Follow the Podcast: https://food-wine-travel.podbean.com/

- Check out the "Travel, Food & Wine" Digital Podcast Magazine: https://online.fliphtml5.com/yhwzg/ekxy/#p=1