This week, our "Exceptional Educator" spotlight takes us to dear ole Webster County, as we visit with a retired teacher who spent her entire tenure at Dixon Elementary School!! She is Kim Farris, and her tireless efforts in the classroom enabled countless students to flourish throughout her career spanning nearly three decades! Tune in as Kim reflects on fond memories of her days as an elementary school student, her inspiration for teaching, and the grades/subjects she taught at Dixon. She also speaks of mentors who assisted her in her acclimation to the teaching world, and extends advice for the educators of tomorrow . . .and that's not all! So sit back and lend your ears to one of the finest to ever serve in the Webster County school system!

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Our first "Blabbin'" guest of 2026 has been a paraplegic since the age of 16 . . .but he has not, and will not, let this hinder his efforts in the realm of sports!! Meet David Hartsek of Lexington, a wheelchair athlete who competed in his 41st (forty-first) consecutive Bluegrass 10K race this past July! Join David as he describes the nature of the incident which caused his paralysis, reflects on his rewarding career in the field of I.T., and details his impressive triumphs in wheelchair athletics (ranging from basketball, to tennis, to road racing!). In conclusion, he also offers insight on resources through which we can learn of wheelchair sports availability in our necks of the woods. So enjoy listening to, learning from, and being inspired by David's remarkable story!

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On 2025's "Blabbin' In the Bluegrass" grand finale, I'm privileged to welcome two tremendous talents who help to make possible many of the athletics we enjoy on a regular basis . . .one of them is 84 years of age, and still actively officiating!! He is Henderson's Billy T. Haynes, who maintains a strong refereeing presence in high school basketball and volleyball, and even spent 22 years handling college basketball at the NCAA Division I level! Don't miss out on numerous stories of the players involved in games he called, and special friendships he formed through the years with coaches such as the late Joe B. Hall. Joining Billy is Mrs. Stacey Howell, a veteran volleyball official who met Billy during her coaching days. She describes her special bond with Billy, and what she believes to be his most commendable qualities as a referee. So treat yourself to plenty of grins and giggles, and more fun than the law should allow!!

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This week's special guest brings over three decades of ministry excellence to the table...making him beyond worthy of a "Preacher Feature"!! He is Pastor Jim Wofford, who served as Senior Pastor at Henderson's First United Methodist Church from 2012 to 2023. Jim has also skillfully ministered to congregations in Hardin County, Louisville, and Fort Thomas...and, he's currently Lead Pastor/Co-Planter with Arise Church of Northern Kentucky. Tune in as he describes the discovery of his calling to preach, the steps he took to become a minister, and many notable highlights of his impressive pastoral career. He also explains the Arise Church concept, and his quest to establish house churches in Northern Kentucky, before offering advice to youngsters who fill called to enter ministry. For additional information about Arise Church of Northern Kentucky, and how you can become involved, please email Pastor Jim at arisenky@gmail.com. A website is still in the works...but for now, you can visit the web page of Arise Church Lexington, led by Jim's son Austin Wofford, by simply clicking here: https://www.arisechurches.com/.

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This week, I'm quite pleased to spotlight a "Notable Nonprofit" which has made a vital impact in the realm of education! My guest is Mrs. Stephanie Summers, a former 4th-grade teacher of mine, who proudly serves as a Professional Learning Consultant with the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA). The NWEA has created various assessments to track student development, including the MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) Growth Test...but, a number of additional resources are readily available through the organization which shouldn't go unnoticed. Join Stephanie as she discusses her role with NWEA, the mission of this nonprofit, and its useful assessments that have become increasingly prevalent in school systems nation wide. She'll also explain the means by which NWEA caters to a wide range of stakeholders: from students, to faculty, to even district leaders! Don't hesitate to email Stephanie with any questions you may have regarding our conversation at summersslm@gmail.com. Also, be sure to check out NWEA's web page linked here: https://www.nwea.org/.

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I sure hope you brought a hearty appetite, because this week's special guest has the perfect recommendations to cure all of your cravings!! I'm tickled to be joined by Mr. Barry Goodall, a restaurant reviewer from Louisville, who has made quite a name for himself through his "Goodall's Country Kitchen" Youtube channel. His parents owned and operated Goodall's Country Store during his youth, and Barry will explain how this fueled his passion for food. He'll also speak of his time in the restaurant industry, the origination of his Youtube platform, and highlights from his restaurant visits in various categories (ranging from breakfast, to barbecue, to burgers). Don't hesitate to email Barry with questions, comments, or inquiries you may have about purchasing "Goodall's Country Kitchen" merchandise at barrygoodall1966@gmail.com. And, be sure to follow the "Goodall's Country Kitchen" Facebook page linked here: https://www.facebook.com/goodallscountrykitchen.

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This week, it brings me great pleasure to feature an icon who has rightfully earned nicknames such as "The Unofficial Mayor of Louisville" and "The City's Coach"!! He is the legendary Scotty Davenport, who spent 20 seasons serving as head men's basketball coach of the Bellarmine Knights. Coach Davenport admirably guided the Knights to a Division II national championship in 2011, and an Atlantic Sun Conference title in 2022. But even before these, he served as an assistant at U of L under both Denny Crum and Rick Patino, and also won a state title in 1988 at Louisville's Ballard High School! Join Scotty as he describes his path to basketball as a child, relives his Ballard state title, and looks back at two household names he was privileged to coach at Ballard: Allan Houston and DeJuan Wheat. He also discusses various aspects of his assistant/head coaching days at the college level, and talks a bit about what's keeping him busy in retirement. After listening to Coach D, I know you'll agree that his passion is simply contagious! Feel free to drop him a line any time at sdavenport@bellarmine.edu.

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If you're a steady viewer of WBKO-TV in Bowling Green, you're no stranger to this week's guest!! He is meteorologist Shane Holinde, who spent over two decades serving as BKO's evening weather man. For the past two years, Shane has served as Outreach Manager of Mesonet, a network of automated weather monitoring stations providing data to media outlets and other entities. Holinde shares the fascinating story of how he was drawn to weather as a youngster, and reflects on a few of the most significant weather systems he covered on the set, including the tornado outbreak of December 2021. He also sheds light on Mesonet's primary purpose, the useful information it provides, and the presentations he frequently delivers to students in classrooms across the Commonwealth. It's absolutely impossible to listen to Shane without learning a great deal, and enjoying every minute! To find out more about Kentucky's Mesonet system, simply visit the website linked here: https://www.kymesonet.org/. And, don't hesitate to email Shane with any inquiries at shane.holinde@wku.edu.

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