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
1,508 Episodes
1 – 20

Brittney DeNaro And Drs. Mabry And Lee Discuss The Importance Of Eye Health

Drs. Lee and Mabry sit down with Brittany DeNaro, a Board-Certified Ophthalmologist and the only female eye surgeon in Tennessee. Originally from New York, Brittany shares her journey into ophthalmology and reflects on her eight years of practice. She emphasizes the importance of building personal connections with patients of all…
21 Aug 9AM 33 min

Joe Flury And Tiffany Anton Discuss The Faith Based J & G Exterior Solutions

Tiffany Anton sits down with Joe Flury of J & G Exterior Solutions to talk about how he turned small handyman jobs with his retired father into a full-time business rooted in faith, second chances, and quality craftsmanship. Joe shares his journey from personal hardship to building a company that…
20 Aug 9AM 32 min

Jessica Etheredge Joins Jeremy Wendt To Discuss Her Transition Into Educated Play

Jeremy Wendt sits down with Jessica Etheredge, Director of Advocacy for Educated Play, to talk about her transition from educator to champion of inclusive outdoor learning spaces. With a background as a teacher, special education teacher, principal, and RTI coordinator, Etheredge now works with a recreation company that builds inclusive…
19 Aug 9AM 33 min

Casey Flatt And George Halford Discuss His Decades Of Enforcement Service

Casey Flatt joins host George Halford to reflect on his decades of service to Putnam County—as a police deputy, the county’s first School Resource Officer, and former Director of Juvenile Detention. Inspired by both his parents—his father in law enforcement and his mother in education—Casey began as an auxiliary officer…
18 Aug 9AM 32 min

Ashley Waters And Ben Rogers Discuss Waters Law And Estate Planning

Ashley Waters recently sat down with Ben Rogers to discuss the importance of estate planning and the key steps individuals should take to prepare for the unexpected. She emphasized the need to establish both financial and medical powers of attorney as early as age 18, explaining their distinct roles in…
15 Aug 9AM 33 min

Greg Shelton And Tiffany Anton Discuss The Story Behind Shelton Roofing

Tiffany Anton sits down with Greg Shelton of Shelton Roofing to talk about his journey from working at Coca-Cola to running a successful roofing business in the Upper Cumberland area. Greg shares how his brother got him into roofing and how he started part-time with a Mount Juliet-based company expanding…
13 Aug 9AM 32 min

Kim Dillon And Jeremy Wendt On Leading Overton County Schools

Jeremy Wendt sits down with Kim Dillon, the new Director of Overton County Schools, to discuss her unexpected journey from classroom teacher to district leadership. Originally planning to become an attorney, Dillon switched paths after having children and has now been in education for 23 years. She shares her thoughts…
12 Aug 9AM 32 min

Trish Stover And George Halford Discuss The Story Behind Stover's Country Kitchen

Host George Halford sits down with Trish Stover, a proud Jamestown native and owner of Stover's County Kitchen in Livingston, Tennessee. Trish shares stories from her upbringing, the strong family values that shaped her, and how those values are reflected in her restaurant. She opens up about the heartbreaking loss…
11 Aug 9AM 32 min

Allen Foster And Ben Rogers Speak On Cumberland Co. Fiscal 25-26 Year Growth

Cumberland County Mayor Allen Foster sits down with Ben Rogers to discuss Cumberland County's 2025-2026 year growth, and what it means for the county now and in the upcoming future. Hear the Mayor's first hand account of what this will mean for Cumberland County and the surrounding counties around the…
8 Aug 9AM 33 min

Alma Shoemaker And Drs. Lee And Mabry Discuss Her Journey To Caring Hearts United

Alma Shoemaker of Caring Hearts United joins Drs. Lee and Mabry to share her journey from truck driver to devoted volunteer in this moving episode. She reflects on meeting founder Melinda Breedlove at the Warren County Fair and the compassionate mission that sparked Caring Hearts United. After Melinda's passing, Alma…
7 Aug 9AM 32 min

Algood Elementary Staff And Jeremy Wendt Discuss The Importance Of Teaching

Jeremy Wendt sat down with Algood faculty and staff Beth Gaw (assistant principal), Kesha Johnson (kindergarten), and Jill Williams (3rd grade) to discuss the importance of teaching and how to bring more people into the profession. They reflected on the influence of their own favorite teachers and how those experiences…
5 Aug 9AM 35 min

Jimmy Johnson And Ben Rogers Break Down The 25-26 Fiscal Year For Fentress Co.

Fentress County Executive Jimmy Johnson joins Ben Rogers to break down the 2025–26 fiscal year and the progress being made across the county. Johnson discusses major construction projects, including new junior college buildings, school and highway funding, and the impact of state revenue on small counties with lower pay scales…
1 Aug 9AM 32 min

Blakelee Smith And Drs. Mabry And Lee Discuss The Importance Of UV Awareness

Tennessee Tech alumna Blakelee Smith, a Cookeville native, joins Drs. Lee and Mabry to spotlight the importance of UV awareness during National UV Awareness Month. Blakelee shares what sets her dermatology practice apart, highlighting the wide range of clients they serve—from teens struggling with acne to older adults managing chronic…
31 Jul 9AM 33 min

Lee Flatt And Tiffany Anton Discuss The Story Behind Wrap World

Tiffany Anton sits down with Lee Flatt, founder and owner of Wrap World, to talk about how he turned a simple idea into a thriving business. Starting in a space barely bigger than a recording studio, Lee now leads a team that specializes in vehicle wraps, temporary signage, and banners…
30 Jul 9AM 33 min

Dale Carver And Jeremy Wendt Discusses The Importance Of The CHS Welding Program

In this episode, Jeremy Wendt sits down with Dale Carver, Welding Instructor at Cookeville High School, to discuss the importance of skilled trades in today’s workforce. A Lebanon native with 24 years in manufacturing, Dale shares how his lifelong passion for teaching and inspiration from his middle school shop teacher…
29 Jul 9AM 32 min

Lisa Carver And George Halford Discuss The Impacts Of Highways And Hedges

George Halford sits down with Cookeville native Lisa Carver, the force behind Highways and Hedges, a grassroots outreach making a real impact in the local homeless community. After a motorcycle accident left her with a brain injury and ended her career as a hairdresser, Lisa began assembling “blessing bags” with…
28 Jul 9AM 33 min

Lori Burnett And Ben Rogers Discuss Her Journey To Becoming Mayor

In this episode, Ben Rogers sits down with Lorie Elder Burnette, the newly elected Mayor of Livingston, to talk about her journey from small-town roots to big-city life — and back again. A Livingston native, Lorie shares how her time in Nashville gave her a deeper appreciation for her hometown…
25 Jul 9AM 32 min
1 – 20