News Talk 94.1 Local Matters

Local Matters

Education, Sports, Faith & Everything In Between

Originating from News Talk 94.1 the show deals with community issues and interests that affect listeners closer to home. With topics from major events across the nation and how they impact our area to interesting people and figures from across the Upper Cumberland. Local Matters is where local, matters.

Covering the issues that matter to you. Every weekday.
Daily English United States Society & Culture · Education
1,010 Episodes
1 – 20

Sam Brooks: Cookeville Cavaliers Football Coach Taylor Hennigan

Sam Brooks sits down with Taylor Hennigan, the head football coach at Cookeville High School. Together they looks at what his experience was in his first full season as head coach, giving the players the best experience they can have and the "it takes a village" mentality that has been…
23 Mar 10AM 34 min

Local Matters With Bob Bell & Prescott South Middle School

Bob Bell meets with Dr. Catherine Jones, the principal of Prescott South Middle School. Catherine talks about the growth that is being seen at Prescott South, what the special focus area is with STEM this year, and how STEM and reading go together, and why reading is important.  Listen to…
21 Mar 10AM 34 min

Local Matters With Caroline Moore & The Biz Foundry

On today's Local Matters...Caroline Moore visits with Tiffany Anton, Vice President of The Biz Foundry. Tiffany gives a review of what the Biz Foundry is, what the "Power By Her" initiative is and the podcast with local, women business owners and their stories, and Tiffany's recent trip to Kenya with…
20 Mar 10AM 34 min

Ben Rodgers & Cookeville City Councilmen Eric Walker

Ben Rodgers talks with one of the city council members of Cookeville,  Eric Walker. The two talk about why he chose to go to UT-Knoxville for college, other things Eric did before city council that has ties to public service, and the decision that made Eric run in 2018 and…
17 Mar 10AM 34 min

Sam Brooks & Meet Former Coach Shane Qualls

Sam Brooks visits with Shane Qualls, a former coach at Livingston Academy and Jackson County High School. The two look at Shane growing up in Livingston and what life was like as a kid living on a 230 acre farm, the Outlaws football program that has developed into a good…
16 Mar 10AM 34 min

Bob Bell & Tennessee Tech College of Agriculture & Human Ecology

Bob Bell meets with Darron Smith, Dean of the College of Agriculture & Human Ecology at Tennessee Tech University. Darron highlights the two schools within the college and some of the majors they offer, more about the Community Health & Nutrition Masters degree in the College Of Human Ecology, and…
14 Mar 10AM 34 min

Ben Rodgers & Meet Algood City Manager Keith Morrison

Ben Rodgers talks with Algood City Manager Keith Morrison. .Keith touches on his background being born in Grundy County and growing up in Rhea County, how the contract experience helps him see 5-10 years down the road, and other projects that are taking place in Algood. Listen to the latest…
10 Mar 10AM 34 min

Sam Brooks & Local Gym Owner Jennifer Faccinto Part 2

Sam Brooks visits with local gym owner and fitness competitor, Jennifer Faccinto. They talk about how has the idea of New Years' resolutions played out for the members of Jennifer's gym, what her schedule looks like at this point, and talking about her daughters and what they do in terms…
9 Mar 10AM 34 min

Bob Bell & Highlands Training Center

On today's Local Matters...Bob Bell sits down with Highlands Training Center Executive Director Ryan Barnhart. Together they discuss his background, the recent grand opening of the Highlands Training Center in Cookeville, what an accredited center is, and why it's important that the Highlands Training Center is one, as well as…
7 Mar 10AM 34 min

Caroline Moore & Saturn & Sun Collective's Hailey Allen

Caroline Moore visits with Hailey Allen, owner of Saturn & Sun Collective here in Cookeville. Hailey talks about her business Saturn & Sun Collective and how it's much more than just photography, coming to Cookeville to attend Tech and how much growth she's seen here, and what her style is…
6 Mar 10AM 34 min

Ben Rodgers & EmpowerUC Director Megan Spurgeon

Ben Rodgers talks with Megan Spurgeon, the director of EmpowerUC. Megan recaps the $25 million planning grant that was received which helps EmpowerUC exist, what the specifics of the Highlands Training Center are, and how long the program is at the Highlands Training Center and what's to expect. Listen to…
3 Mar 10AM 34 min

Bob Bell & Tennessee Tech's College Of Business Dean Tom Payne

On today's Local Matters...Bob Bell talks with Tom Payne, the dean in the College Of Business at Tennessee Tech. Tom gives an update on the College of Business and highlights two graduate programs that're offered, the typical students that take the two graduate programs and what kind of jobs they…
28 Feb 10AM 34 min

Ben Rodgers & Empower UC's Megan Spurgeon

Ben Rodgers meets with Megan Spurgeon from Empower UC. Megan gives her background growing up in Pigeon Forge and working at Dollywood as her first job, any other public service, committees, and boards that she's been apart of, and what it was like starting a new job right when the…
24 Feb 10AM 34 min

Bob Bell & FutureReady Program's Lance Key

Bob Bell visits with Lance Key from Putnam County School's FutureReady program. Lance gives his background from growing up in Smith County to teaching in the mid-state and now with FutureReady, what VITAL is and how it's grown today, and partnering with Florida virtual schools and Dave Ramsey to put…
21 Feb 10AM 34 min

Caroline Moore & Cookeville Lifestyle Magazine's Chelsea Dartez

Caroline Moore meets with Chelsea Dartez of Cookeville Lifestyle Magazine. Chelsea tells us how Cookeville Lifestyle Magazine started, the winter issue of Cookeville Lifestyle and some of the feature stories inside, and all of the locations where you can find the magazine whether it's a paper copy or digital. Listen…
20 Feb 10AM 34 min

Ben Rodgers & Cookeville Mayor Laurin Wheaton

Ben Rodgers talks with Cookeville Mayor Laurin Wheaton. Laurin discusses what the differences are between being mayor and vice mayor, the Tennessee Municipal League's project of going back to more of a sharing plan with the state where the sales tax revenue is returned to the cities it was earned…
17 Feb 10AM 34 min

Sam Brooks & Barrett Steakley, Owner of Middle Tennessee Athletics Gym

Sam Brooks visits with Barrett Steakley, owner of Middle Tennessee Athletics Gym. Barrett gives an update on his kids and what life was before they were around, how Barrett and his wife found their way into owning the Middle TN Athletics Gym, and things Barrett looks for when he's deciding…
16 Feb 10AM 34 min

Bob Bell & Tennessee Tech's College of Business

Bob Bell meets with Susan Wells and Sherry Cannon from the business college at Tennessee Tech. Susan talks about the makeup of Governor's School with things like how many students are invited and what the students do while they are here, the different types of classes that are offered and…
14 Feb 10AM 34 min

Ben Rodgers & Cumberland, Smith, White, Jackson County Mayors Pt. 2

On today's Local Matters...Ben Rodgers visits with the four mayors from Smith County, Cumberland County, White County, and Jackson County. They talk about how each of the mayors do things like POs and budget amendments differently, the trash situation with the four counties and how each county handles it, and…
10 Feb 10AM 34 min

Sam Brooks & Absolute Fitness Owner Jennifer Roberts-Faccinto

Sam Brooks meets with Jennifer Roberts-Faccinto, owner of Absolute Fitness gym and a physique competitor. Jennifer talks about growing up in Jackson County, playing multiple sports growing up but mainly softball, her coach and all the experience/roles she brings to help Jennifer, and how she entertains potential customers at Absolute…
9 Feb 10AM 34 min
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