In this episode of Small Town Girl, we sit down with Justin McCormick, Executive Director of Main Street Ozark, to talk about the heart, hustle, and hope behind revitalizing small-town Arkansas. From growing up in Altus and Coal Hill to working in larger cities and ultimately returning home, Justin shares his powerful journey of rediscovering purpose in the place that raised him. We dive into the challenges and opportunities facing rural communities, the importance of investing in local businesses, and what it really takes to bring a downtown back to life.

If you care about small towns, entrepreneurship, or creating vibrant communities where people want Connect with Justin & Main Street Ozark:
Main Street Ozark Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mainstreetozark?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
Web: https://mainstreetozark.com/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnszNXAOLsNt8-ExWHFCs9id8OSDi5rf_lDMyylJihB1oczaHD8Ouxb9yYVmQ_aem_Q3cT7qhGHx-dkAoszQ2l-w
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MainStreetOzark/
Email: mainstreetozark3@gmail.com
Howdy Co.: @thehowdycompanyAR
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• (00:00:00) - Small Town Girl
• (00:01:03) - Meet the Furniture Designer from Southern Loft
• (00:05:28) - Super-involved girl at school
• (00:07:48) - Coming Out: Growing Up Gay in Arkansas
• (00:10:50) - Gay Voices on Growing Up
• (00:15:28) - On Masculinity in the Southern Women's Perspective
• (00:18:27) - Graduating from Fayetteville with a journalism degree
• (00:22:00) - One Gay Couple Adopt a Child
• (00:24:04) - Adopt a Little Boy from Arkansas
• (00:25:04) - Farmhouse in Denning, Oklahoma
• (00:26:35) - Who is the Main Street Ozark volunteer?
• (00:28:42) - The new executive director for the Ozark Chamber
• (00:34:00) - A Christmas gift for a hillbilly
• (00:37:18) - Reveal: The Western Market in Altus
• (00:41:17) - Farmers' Market and Springfest
• (00:43:55) - Howdy & Co: Help revitalize Downtown Ozark
• (00:51:30) - Ozark's potential on the river
• (00:53:27) - Ozark Mayor on the Future of the Town
• (00:58:57) - Main Street Ozark: How to find someone?

In this episode of Small Town Girl, Gwen Faulkenberry sits down with Colt Shelby, a sixth-generation Arkansan from Cecil who is running for governor as a Libertarian against Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Shelby shares how a proposed 3,000-bed prison project near his hometown sparked his entry into politics. What started as concern over a development in his community led him down a deeper path of researching state government, criminal justice policy, education, and economic challenges facing rural Arkansas.

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Read Gwen’s Column: https://www.arkansasonline.com/staff/gwen-faulkenberry/

More on Colt Shelby: https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2026/feb/23/colt-shelby-opponent-of-franklin-county-prison/

In this episode of Small Town Girl with Gwen Ford Faulkenberry, Gwen sits down with longtime friend Corrie Radtke, a former missionary whose life journey has taken her across continents, cultures, and through profound spiritual questions. Corrie shares her story of growing up in a charismatic Christian environment, entering the mission field with Youth With A Mission (YWAM), and spending years serving in Europe and the United States. Along the way, she wrestled with deep questions about faith, church culture, and the systems that shaped her spiritual life. Through various experiences, Corrie reflects on the moments that began to shift her perspective and lead her into a process of faith renovation and deconstruction.

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Read Gwen’s Column: https://www.arkansasonline.com/staff/gwen-faulkenberry/

Check out Corrie's Work: https://substack.com/@corrieradke