Paragould Podcast

Owner and Head Chef at Avanzare Italian Dining, Tony Rama

Tony Rama moved from Sicily, Italy to the United States following tragedy. He was 16 years old, had $20 to his name, and spoke very little English. Through unimaginable dedication and hard work, he went from unpaid dishwasher to part-owner of a successful restaurant in Boston. Then he fell in love with the people and the pace of life in Arkansas and decided to open Avanzare Italian Dining in Paragould 8 years ago. 

Jeff Conaway, former GCT football star and Head Coach

Jeff Conaway joined the show to talk with us about his time as a player and coach at Greene County Tech. During our conversation we also talk about Jeff’s time at Shiloh Christian and how he ended up in Orlando, Florida where he now serves as the Head Coach and Associate Athletics Director at The First Academy.This is a great episode on leadership, learning from our mistakes, the importance of relationships, the gospel, grit and so much more.

Representative Jimmy Gazaway

Since 2017, Jimmy Gazaway has been serving in the Arkansas House of Representatives. Before that he served in various positions throughout Northeast Arkansas. Most notably now, he was one of the primary leaders in passing the Protect Arkansas Act, which has the potential to reform much of the criminal justice system. 

Al Bromberg, son of two Holocaust Survivors shares his family’s story of survival.

What's the most evil you've faced in your life? It would be difficult to come close to the suffering experienced by millions of Jews during WWII, including both of Al Bromberg's parents. Listen as Al gives us a personal account of what took place nearly 100 years ago and how that made him into the man he is today. 

Owner of Juniper Tree Meadery, Lynn Childers

Juniper Tree Meadery is a unique offering to Northeast Arkansas. Located on hwy 358, just west of the 412 bypass, this peaceful location attracts lovers of the honey based mead. Lynn Childers has been playing with wine making for decades, since he was a biology student. Now, he and his wife enjoy crafting creative award winning mead (honey based wine). They're looking to expand their location in the coming months. 

Dr. Vern Ann Shotts, Greene County’s First Female Physician

Dr. Vern Ann Shotts has been taking care of children in Greene County for decades. She was the first female physician in Greene County history. On top of that, her father owned the three Big Star locations in Paragould and she shares with us what it is about Big Star that seemed to produce some of the most successful citizens to come out of Paragould. 

Southern Confections and IV Kings Coffee owners, Brandon and Audra King

Several years ago, Brandon King bragged on his wife's pie making skills online. Not long after, they were selling hundreds of pies. In 2019, they opened their first brick-and-mortar building for Southern Confections, which sits directly next door to IV Kings Coffee. This is a premier spot to get fresh baked goods and excellent coffee because their passion is excellence and they are never in a hurry to speed up perfection. 

The Paragould Meteorite! Rusty McMillon and Erik Wright Join to Share About this Artifact

Just after 4am on February 17, 1930, residents all over Greene County were awakened by a sonic boom and bright light. Many went outside to see what was happening. The celestial event caused people to worry that nearby towns were destroyed by whatever flew out of the sky. Over the days and weeks to follow, three meteorites were discovered in fields around the south side of Paragould. The largest had created an eight foot wide, eight foot deep crater in the middle of a farmers field. It took several men and horses working together to pull the over 800lb Chrondite Meteor out of the hole, breaking a wagon trying to do so. This is still listed as the second largest witnessed meteorite landing in North America and the largest Chrondite (low-iron rock). 

Six Star Marathoner, Liz Nelson

Liz Nelson began running in her early 30s and didn't run her first marathon until she was 37. Now, she has completed 21 marathons and counting, including the six most respected marathons in the world (Boston, Chicago, New York, Berlin, London, and Tokyo), a feat that only 11,000 people in history have ever accomplished. The amazing part of her story, is her supernatural grit and drive to push through adversity. Before her first marathon, she had an injury that doctors thought would take her out of running the rest of her life, however she had enough passion to complete her first marathon that with the proper training she pushed through. Now, she's one of the most decorated athletes in Paragould history. And probably the only holder of a Guiness World Record! 

Mike Woodside, former teacher at GCT & PHS and owner of a Patent with Allen Engineering

Mike Woodside could write insightful & engaging books about many different topics, including science, engineering, and history. He has a natural curiosity and childlike wonder about the world that is contagious. That is what made him one of the favorite teachers in his years at PHS and GCT, 26 years in total. Listen today to hear some of his amazing stories.