Paragould Podcast

MMA Fighter and Owner of Ballew’s Barbershop, Jerry Ballew

Jerry Ballew joins us to talk about his fascinating journey that ultimately landed him in Paragould. After hanging out in the barber shops of Brooklyn, NY, moving to Houston, TX, spending time on an oil rig in the Gulf, and working as a private security contractor in Afghanistan, it was MMA that eventually brought him to our city.

Jerry's incredible journey is guaranteed to inspire you to make the most of the life you've been given. 

A 100-Year-Old Murder Mystery in Paragould Told by Award-Winning Historian Erik Wright

On Wednesday, December 29, 1909, James Henry Trammell walked into the Elk Cafe in downtown Paragould. After getting into an argument with  Charles Gragg, Trammell pulled a gun, shot, and killed Gragg. He immediately headed west to evade police, and from there the story gets really interesting.

You will not want to miss one minute of award-winning historian Erik Wright as he uncovers a mystery that leads from Paragould, to Memphis, San Francisco, and even Sydney, Australia!

Donis Hamilton Talks About Flying, Leadership Paragould, and Buying Access to Politicians

Donis Hamilton is a retired attorney who moved to Paragould over 55 years ago. Since that time, Donis has served on the airport commission and has played a major role in the development of Leadership Paragould, the 412 bridge project, and more.

He even gets into the sticky subject of buying access to politicians. This is an episode you won't want to miss!

University of Arkansas Track Starter, Retired Banker, and Producer of The Ultimate Oldies Show, Joe Wessell

Joe Wessell: Track starter for the SEC, advocate for the Collins Theater, retired banker, and a Paragould original.

Wes & Sydney Watts on Why They Fell In Love With Paragould

Wes & Sydney Watts moved to Paragould just over a year ago and have fallen in love with the city--especially the sense of community here. Wes & Sydney are both attorneys who met each other in law school.

Sydney grew up on a cotton farm near Rector and has a real heart to provide rural Arkansans and farmers access to the legal services they need. Wes is originally from Jonesboro and knew that he wanted to be a lawyer by the time he was in the 6th grade--either that or the first baseman for the St Louis Cardinals.

World’s Toughest Mudder, Drake Wallace, Talks About Discipline & Hard Work to Achieve Success

The World's Toughest Mudder, Drake Wallace, joins us on the Paragould Podcast this week! The son of an Army Ranger, Drake has learned the value of discipline and hard work to achieve success. He has competed in at least 16 Tough Mudder competitions and has made it all the way to Las Vegas for the World's Toughest Mudder event.

 

Find out why hard work beats talent and how to find the motivation to reach your goals in this week's inspiring episode. Make sure you never miss out by visiting ParagouldPodcast.com and joining our mailing list.

Sonia Fonticiella on Life as a Criminal Defense Attorney and Running for Office

Sonia Fonticiella is the owner of Fonticeilla Law, PLLC in Paragould and has been practicing law for 13 years. She has served as a deputy public defender for Craighead County and an Assistant Federal Public Defender.

But Sonia is not defined solely by her career. She is a mother of six and a very active member of our community, and her passion for life and family really comes through. If you are a fan of criminal law, you will really enjoy this episode!

The History of Our City with Paragould Legend, Bob Branch

No one knows the history of Paragould like Bob Branch. A retired attorney, Bob has lived in Paragould for over 9 decades, and his knowledge and story-telling ability are second to none. This is the episode we have been trying for so long to create. We hope you will enjoy it.

Police Captain and Candidate for Sheriff, Brad Snyder

Brad Snyder's 25-year law enforcement career began with the Greene County Sheriff's Department in 1997 before moving to the Paragould Police Department. Now he is running for Sheriff.

A Conversation with Greene County Sheriff Steve Franks

Sheriff Steve Franks joins us on this episode of the Paragould Podcast. After serving as Marmaduke's Chief of Police for 21 years, Steve was elected Sheriff of Greene County in 2018.

 

With a tough race for re-election ahead, Sheriff Franks sits down to talk about why he got into law enforcement and tell us some of the accomplishments he's most proud of.