"Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot" was filmed in Macon and Middle Georgia, and premiered on July 4, 2024. In recognition of the anniversary of its release, we are sharing the conversation with three local actresses - Rena Laster, Sandra Jarrett, and Della Golden - who were featured in the film. They spoke about the the film, its important mission, and their experiences on set.

The film is available from Angel Studios. It was Inspired by the powerful true story of Donna and Reverend Martin as they ignite a fire in the hearts of their rural church to embrace kids in the foster system that nobody else would take. By doing the impossible--adopting 77 children--this East Texas community proved that, with real, determined love, the battle for America's most vulnerable can be won.

Watch the trailer here: http://angel.com/watch/sound-of-hope-the-story-of-possum-trot/episode/e0e712b5-4454-462c-8d41-4e097de69d38/episode-30/fight-for-kids

Dr. Shelton Land is the Executive Director of the Douglass Theatre in Macon. The Douglass Theatre has been an important part of Macon's history since it was opened in 1921. Dr. Land discusses the beginnings of the Douglass, highlights some of the performers who have graced the stage, and highlights what the future looks like for one of Macon's - and one of America's - great theatres. We talked about his education in social work and how that informs his approach to theater. Plus he previews the upcoming season for his beloved Washington Commanders.

More information about the Douglass Theatre is available at www.douglasstheatre.org.

Steven & Reia Collins, owners of Layers bakery in Macon have created a near cult following for their delicious cakes, cookies, and other desserts. They recently took a family trip to New York City to explore and to conduct research for items they can bring back to the community. Layers brings visitors from the surrounding area for their strawberry crunch cake, the pecan pie cheesecake, the blueberry cheesecake cookies, and the ten layer chocolate cake. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Steven and I discussed the beginning days of Layers, the couple's motivations for creating delicious desserts, their trip to New York City, and what's next for Layers.

Jay Markwalter is the Statewide Tourism Director for the Georgia Department of Economic Development. In this role, he leads the Department’s Tourism Division, working collaboratively with state leadership and industry partners statewide to drive the continued growth and economic impact of tourism in Georgia. He leads a Regional Tourism team dedicated to tourism industry relations, oversees the state’s nine Visitor Information Centers committed to serving travelers, and works in close partnership with the Department’s Marketing and Communications team to ensure marketing programs are developed in collaboration with Georgia’s travel and hospitality industry.

Jay is a Savannah native and lives in Augusta.

Liz Fabian is an award-winning multimedia journalist who has been on the front lines of the headlines in Macon and Central Georgia for 40 years. Liz has worked at every one of Macon's television stations, the Macon Telegraph, and now the Center for Collaborative Journalism.

Liz worked for the fledgling Weather Channel, and was the first reporter sent out into a hurricane to cover the storm.

She is involved in Macon in both her work and personal life, and was dubbed "the most trusted journalist in all of Middle Georgia" by her broadcast peers.

Photo courtesy Mercer Den

What a fun crossover episode with the other Macon podcast, "Macon It." I had the chance to sit down with Olivia Walter and Edna Adams with Macon-Bibb County. Like Voltron, we brought individual powers together to form the ultimate Macon podcast. We talked about living in Macon, designed the perfect day in Macon, and talked about what we love about our community.

Joe Finkelstein has lived in Macon for 24 years and is an AI educator, columnist, and public speaker. He is also active in a variety of local organizations, causes and pickleball leagues.

This wide-ranging conversations weaves from the Philadelphia Eagles to pickleball to use of AI for travel planning.

For more information about Joe's work with AI, visit his website - askaijoe.com.

Photo credit: ChatGPT

Brad Williams is presently on his Growth Spurt Tour, and is coming to the Macon City Auditorium on May 31. We had the opportunity to talk about his comedy, being a dad, his extensive travels, and even taxidermy. This was a fun and funny conversation. Expect a high-energy show here or wherever you have the opportunity to see Brad on the road.

Tickets for the show are available at maconcentreplex.org.

Follow Brad at bradwilliamscomedy.com or find him on Instagram = @bradwilliamscomic.