Exploring the Ozarks

Episode 8 of Season 2 of Exploring the Ozarks Podcast is here, and it’s the perfect Halloween treat! Join us for an exclusive interview with Brittney Greer—award-winning filmmaker, director, and SPX makeup artist extraordinaire.

With over 15 years in production, Brittney has worked on web series, short films, and features like Drifter Broken Road, Stage Fright, and her latest horror film Happy Halloween. From crafting intense horror scenes to getting creative with makeup FX, she’s done it all!

Tune in as Brittney shares her love for horror, her journey in film, and what it’s like to...

We're back with Episode 7 of Season 2 of Exploring the Ozarks Podcast, and this one is BIG! We're thrilled to have the legendary Jackie Stiles on the show! Jackie is not only a former WNBA player and NCAA scoring champion, but she’s also a true inspiration, both on and off the court. As a Hall of Fame inductee and a beloved figure in Missouri sports history, Jackie has an incredible story to tell—from her basketball triumphs to her continued work in sports and wellness.

Tune in as we dive into Jackie’s journey, the ch...

This time, we're joined by Ryan Collingwood, the Public Safety Reporter and Features Writer for the Springfield News-Leader! With over 17 years of print journalism experience, Ryan brings a wealth of fascinating stories to the table!

Tune in to hear Ryan's insights and tales from his extensive career. We guarantee you won't want to miss it! Check out Ryan's incredible work at the Springfield News-Leader here: https://www.news-leader.com/staff/7824551001/ryan-collingwood/

If you enjoy these videos you can help support our channel through our Patreon:👇www.patreon.com/exploringtheozarks/pos...

Jarad Giddens: Exploring the Ozarks Podcast S2 EP5

Episode 5 of Exploring the Ozarks Podcast has arrived! Join us as we sit down with Jarad Giddens, the Mayor of Nixa, MO! Matt and David dive deep into discussions about Nixa, and government responsibilities, and get to know Mayor Giddens a little better. Don't miss out on this enlightening and engaging episode!

🎸Music From The Warehouse 🧑‍🎤

Meet Leadership Class: the alt-rock sensation from Springfield, MO! 🎶✨

Formed at Nixa High and reunited in 2021, Jonathan Lee and Jason Conley lead the charge, crafting a unique sound akin to Butthole Surfers and Queens of the Stone Age. Joined by Jacob Shively and Nate Esterline, their music transcends genres, inviting listeners on a journey of innovation and community.2024 holds promise with their Queen City Shout appearance this Sunday (3/24/24) at Where House Bar. Dive into their world at LeadershipClassMusic.com and embrace the movement where music meets leadership. 🚀🎵

🎙️🌟 Eddie Gumucio: Exploring the Ozarks Podcast S2 EP4 🌟🎙️

✨ Exciting News! Our latest podcast episode is now live, and we're thrilled to welcome back a familiar face: Eddie Gumucio! 🎉Eddie, the mastermind behind Queen City Shout, Springfield's premier Music, Film, and Art Festival, is here to give us a sneak peek into this year's event and share some incredible stories along the way! 🎶🎬🎨Get ready to be inspired and entertained as Eddie takes us on a journey through the vibrant arts scene of Springfield and fills us in on what's in store for the upcoming festival. 🌟Don't miss out on t...

Get ready to dive into the heart of the Ozarks with our latest episode of Exploring the Ozarks Podcast, Season 2, Episode 3!

This time, we're thrilled to have special guest Zac Rantz, Chief Communication Officer for the Nixa School District, joining us on the show! Zac takes us on a journey from his days as a student in Nixa Schools to his current role, sharing inspiring tales along the way. Plus, discover how Zac's involvement with the Aetos Center of Performing Arts is shaping the cultural landscape of our community! Learn about the Nixa community's unwavering support for...

🌟 Jeff Bates: Exploring the Ozarks Podcast S2 EP2 🎙️

Get ready for another exciting episode of the Exploring the Ozarks Podcast! We had the pleasure of hosting the one and only Jeff Bates, a beloved public figure here in the Ozarks! 🌳 Jeff is known for his fantastic videography and photography skills, capturing the essence of our region like no other. 📸 He's on a mission to highlight local businesses, fascinating individuals, and, of course, the best spots to grab some delicious eats! 🍔🍕 Join us as Jeff shares his story and dishes out some insider tips on where to find the mo...

🎙️🌟 Get ready for Season 2 of the Exploring the Ozarks Podcast - it's finally here! 🎉 Join David and Matt in this exciting short episode as they set the stage for what's to come this season. 🌲✨

From fascinating guests to captivating stories about The Ozarks, we're eager to bring you more of what you love about our show. 🎧🚀 We've got a ton of exciting plans lined up, and we want YOU to be a part of it all! 💬🌄

Have suggestions for people, places, or unique Ozarkian tales? Don't hesitate to share them with us - your input helps shape the h...

Join us on our 5 part mini-series as we learn from George Cron on what it takes to be a falconer. In this episode, we learn about the equipment and housing needed to properly take care of and transport a falcon. Will George pass his inspection with the Game Warden? Find out now!

Check out the newest mini series: Falconry in the Ozarks. In it we explore what it takes to get involved with Falconry with George Cron, why he got involved, and what he plans on accomplishing in the future. This will be a 5 part series covering how to get into falconry, capturing, taking care of the Falcon, and eventually releasing it back into the wild. Check back in with us and George to see how the journey goes! #exploringtheozarks #ExploreWithUs #Falcons #ozarkslife #storytime #wildlifeconservation #wilderness

Just a few weeks back, we welcomed David Romano back to the studio for an enlightening update on the ongoing efforts of the River Access Coalition (RAC). Discover the latest developments in their tireless fight to ensure public access to the rivers that grace our beautiful Missouri landscape. Tune in for a dose of advocacy and riverfront insights—we promise, this update is one you won't want to miss!

Get ready for a truly special episode of our show, featuring the beautifully bearded Shawn Cranford, our newest sponsor and the owner of Mattress by Appointment, and a diverse portfolio of other businesses. 

In this episode, we had a blast delving into his ventures, sharing insights into his businesses, and indulging in some genuinely enjoyable conversations. So, tune in and join us for an episode that's not just informative but an absolute joy to experience. We can't wait for you to enjoy this one! 

While we're typically all about thrilling adventures and steer clear of political topics, this time we couldn't resist. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine has been making headlines, with news outlets often choosing which parts to cover. 

So, we decided to bring in our resident Middle East expert, the esteemed Dr. David Romano, a Thomas G. Strong Professor of Middle East Politics at Missouri State University. In our latest podcast episode, we had a deep dive into the historical backdrop of this complex conflict and delved into the current events

Wow! What a year we have had! We have put out 30 episodes since January and we are having a blast! Now comes our next area of focus! We will be focusing on building and planning for the year 2024!

That takes a lot of planning and scheduling, and that's what we are going to do. We are also going to take this time to build our following and engage with our audience. Over the next 4 months, every other week, we are going to share with you the top 12 episodes that had the most impact. Don't...

We have Kathryn Vicat back in the studio with us along with Myra Miller! Myra is the Co-Founder and Kathryn is the Executive Director of Footsteps Researchers & Legacy: Lost & Found! Today they are discussing the new movie that is releasing today called REVEILLE! This is a WWII film that was filmed right here in the Ozarks! They discuss all the planning and how they got to film it. They also get to discuss more about their amazing work at Footsteps Researchers & Legacy: Lost & Found!

More on the movie REVEILLEhttps://www.reveillefilm.com/

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Get him in a canoe with his wife and his two huskys and he is right where he wants to be.  Danny grew up in the Ozarks, graduating from Glendale and Drury. After graduation he moved to NYC for 4 years and later moved to Ecuador where he worked as the Expedition Manager for a National Geographic Unique Lodge of the World.  Family led him back home to the Ozarks and his passion for the outdoors led him to start 37 North Expeditions.

To learn more about 37 North Expeditions: https://www.37northexpeditions.com/

📣Kathryn Vicat Part 2: Exploring the Ozarks Podcast EP28🎙

Sorry for being late on this one folks! We have Kathryn Vicat back in the studio with us! She is the Executive Director of Footsteps Researchers & Legacy: Lost & Found!. Footsteps Researchers is a global team of archival researchers who help you retrace the footsteps of those who served in the war. Legacy Lost and Found researches and identifies the heroes who owned items that were accidentally lost during or sold after WW2. It is their goal to help reunite these sacred relics with the veteran or family...

We had so much fun with our guest George Fuller on the podcast! Ruck'n'Run was created by an Army Drill Sergeant, Ruck 'N' Run® honors Veterans and connects the community through fun, motivating, yet challenging events.

While stationed in DC, Ruck ‘N’ Run® creator George W. Fuller served as a liaison for U.S. Service Members returning from overseas due to an injury or illness, which included those wounded in combat.

This unique duty allowed him to interact with thousands for U.S. Service Members on their journey to a full recovery.

One aspect...

Join us as we talk about what it has been like to run exploring the ozarks! Who has been a favorite guest? The funniest? We go over that and other random thoughts during this episode. If you enjoy these videos you can help support our channel through our Patreon:👇 www.patreon.com/exploringtheozarks/posts www.exploringtheozarks.net #exploringtheozarks #ozarkslife #explorewithus #beauty #roadtrip #JourneywithUs #history #people #places #theozarks

We had so much fun with our guest Johan Collins on the podcast! Johan is a local music promoter who works primarily out of the Outland Ballroom here in Springfield! Johan shares a lot of stories from his work in music and we explore the music scene here in Springfield. We hope you enjoy this episode! If you enjoy these videos you can help support our channel through our Patreon:👇 www.patreon.com/exploringtheozarks/posts www.exploringtheozarks.net #exploringtheozarks #ozarkslife #explorewithus #beauty #roadtrip #JourneywithUs #history #people #places #theozarks

Today is the 79th anniversary of D-Day. In honor of this historical day, we have Kathryn Vicat, the Executive Director of Footsteps Researchers & Legacy: Lost & Found, with us on the show. Footsteps Researchers is a global team of archival researchers who help you retrace the footsteps of those who served in the war. Legacy Lost and Found researches and identifies the heroes who owned items that were accidentally lost during or sold after WW2. It is their goal to help reunite these sacred relics with the veteran or family. They also strive to educate the family, local school children...

We have the FX man, Mr. Mike Strain on the show! Mike is a licensed pyrotechnician who has done lots of pyrotechnics for big-name artists like Rascal Flatts, and Rob Zombie! Mike is also a special effects artist for films! Mike shared a lot of cool stories with us! We hope you enjoy this episode! For more information about Studio 2060👇 https://www.facebook.com/Studio2060 If you enjoy these videos you can help support our channel through our Patreon:👇 www.patreon.com/exploringtheozarks/posts www.exploringtheozarks.net #exploringtheozarks #ozarkslife #explorewithus #beauty #roadtrip #JourneywithUs #history #people #places #theozarks

Enjoy our episode with Caleb Sylvester, a sales manager for Industrial applications at Boston Dynamics, who livest here in the Ozarks!

Boston Dynamics’ mission is to imagine and create exceptional robots that enrich people’s lives. Building machines that can approximate the mobility, dexterity and agility of people and animals is a grand challenge. Curiosity and respect for the natural world are at the heart of our work on robots. We see products derived from this work as the next step in the human history of building machines to reduce the danger, repetition and physically difficult aspects of w...

Exploring the Ozarks EP20 Drops Wednesday!We have special guests Geoff & Joy Steele, directors of the Gillioz Theatre! This was a fun episode! You will enjoy all of the stories they shared with us! So, stay tuned!

For Patreons, you can see a Sneek Peek of Wednesday's episode right now! https://www.patreon.com/exploringtheozarks

For more information about the Gillioz Theatrehttps://gillioztheatre.com/

We have a special guest, John Farmer de la Torre on the show! raised in rural Missouri, educated in public schools, and graduated from Georgetown's School of Foreign Service with a bachelor's degree in international relations. This guy has seen lots of things in his life! John is also a Journalist, Documentary Photographer, and Radio Commentator in Springfield, Missouri.

Enjoy this week's episode as we discuss all different kinds of topics!

For more information about John Farmer de la Torrehttps://about.me/john_farmerdelatorre

If you enjoy these videos you can help support...

📣Exploring The Ozarks Podcast EP18🎙 We are so excited to have Ken Colman on the show with us! Ken has enjoyed a 40+ year career as a real estate agent and broker, closing over a billion and a half dollars in sales in Southwest Missouri. He learned at an early age how to build the strongest influencers in town to send him business on a regular basis, consequently Closing over 6000 properties in his career. He was instrumental in the formation and funding of America’s first Privately Owned/Public Use Airport in Branson Missouri, and served as the first Chairman of the B...

We checked in with Jeff and Kyaw of SATO48 to see how the filming weekend went!

Check out the event website at sato48.com for upcoming events, such as the screenings at The Moxie and the Award Ceremony held at the Gillioz on June 3rd.

Keep exploring the Ozarks!

Shayne Taylor is an experienced barber located at The Coven Collective on C-Street in Springfield MO. He is also an Ozarks native, was in MSU marching band, cast-iron restoration, restores classic cars, and is a fun guy to talk with! Definitely have to stick around for the secret of marshmellow pepsi.

www.exploringtheozarks.net #exploringtheozarks #ozarkslife #explorewithus #beauty #roadtrip #JourneywithUs #history #people #places #theozarks If you enjoy our videos you can help support our channel through our Patreon by following this link:👇 www.patreon.com/exploringtheozarks/posts

Brandon started at KY3 reporting weather on weekends just before he graduated from Evangel University (then college) in 1996. He holds a BS degree in Broadcasting and a Certificate of Broadcast Meteorology from Mississippi State University. Brandon reported weather on the weekends, and worked in the KY3 promotion department three days a week. In 2000, he moved to Ozarks Today Monday-Friday when well-known weatherman Tom Dye retired. The morning news has expanded from 30 minutes to four hours in the 20 years he's been part of the morning team, from 5-7 am on KY3 and 7-9 am on the Ozarks CW.

<...

Cory Kays is a full-time, award-winning actor who has worked consistently in film for the last three years. During that time, he has held credit-worthy roles in 10 feature films, 20 short films, several commercials, and has appeared on a variety of television shows. He has received four ‘Best Lead Actor’ nominations, competing against Ray Liotta (Goodfellas, Blow, Field of Dreams), Judge Reinhold (Beverly Hills Cop, Fast Times At Ridgemont High, The Santa Clause), Henry Ian Cusick (Lost, The Passage, The Girl on the Train), and Angus Macfadyen (Braveheart). He received the ‘Best Lead Actor’ award from The Indie Horror Film Festival...

Jess Bowman is a local small business owner with Bowman Insurance group. Check out her story on how she ended up in the Ozarks, why she stayed, and what plans she has to help make this area better for everyone!

www.bigmissouri.com/

www.exploringtheozarks.net ⁠#exploringtheozarks⁠ ⁠#ozarkslife⁠ ⁠#explorewithus⁠ ⁠#beauty⁠ ⁠#roadtrip⁠ ⁠#JourneywithUs⁠ ⁠#history⁠ ⁠#people⁠ ⁠#places⁠ ⁠#theozarks⁠ If you enjoy our videos you can help support our channel through our Patreon by following this link:👇

www.patreon.com/exploringtheozarks/posts

Tim Ernst is Arkansas's Wilderness Photographer. He has been hiking, driving and crawling around the wonderful Ozark Mountains for most of his life, preserving the images he sees on film for everyone to enjoy. His photographs have appeared in hundreds of national, regional and local publications. Some of his credits include National Geographic, Audubon, Backpacker, Outside, Outdoor Photographer, American Hiker, Natural History, Country, Chevy Outdoors, and Arkansas Times magazines, Sierra Club and Hallmark calendars, National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service maps and brochures, Readers Digest Books, and The New York Times. Much of his time these days is sp...

Jeff Houghton is the Creative Director of The Writers’ Room, and heads up the original writers’ room for The Mystery Hour. Jeff also worked at the Late Show with David Letterman and has performed improv and standup around the nation.  Jeff has worked closely with brands to deliver countless commercials and has lived in the agency world as a copywriter for various agencies.  

www.exploringtheozarks.net    

#exploringtheozarks #ozarkslife #explorewithus #beauty #roadtrip #JourneywithUs #history #people #places #theozarks  

If you enjoy our videos you can help support our channel through our Patreon by following this link:👇    ...

Now in its 12th year, Queen City Shout is Springfield's largest showcase of music, film and art with its two-fold vision to

Celebrate The Arts & Support Poverty Relief. Join us as we speak with founder Eddie Gumucio and learn more about how the festival came about, and what it is doing now.

www.exploringtheozarks.net    

#exploringtheozarks #ozarkslife #explorewithus #beauty #roadtrip #JourneywithUs #history #people #places #theozarks 

If you enjoy our videos you can help support our channel through our Patreon by following this link:👇    

www.patreon.com/exploringt...

Join us this week as we talk Springfield and The Ozarks 48 hour film challenge (SATO48) with founders Jeff&Kyaw.  Learn what it is like to participate in a 48 hour film challenge to make a 5 min film, what it is like writing for a big hollywood tv show, and much more!

www.exploringtheozarks.net  

#exploringtheozarks #ozarkslife #explorewithus #beauty #roadtrip #JourneywithUs #history #people #places #theozarks

If you enjoy our videos you can help support our channel through our Patreon by following this link:👇  

www.patreon.com/exploringtheozarks/posts

This week we have Chad Bay with Chasing the Ozarks! Matt and Chad swap hiking stories, and Chad tells us how he got into starting Chasing the Ozarks.  www.exploringtheozarks.net 

 #exploringtheozarks #ozarkslife #explorewithus #beauty #roadtrip #JourneywithUs #history #people #places #theozarks

If you enjoy our videos you can help support our channel through our Patreon by following this link:👇 

www.patreon.com/exploringtheozarks/posts

Have you every spoken with someone who paddled the entire Missouri and Mississippi River? Our guest Amanda Hoenes is one of only 50 people to have completed that journey, and she discusses how that went, what lead her to do the trip, and what she is doing now.

www.exploringtheozarks.net

#exploringtheozarks #ozarkslife #explorewithus #beauty #roadtrip #JourneywithUs #history #people #places #theozarks

If you enjoy our videos you can help support our channel through our Patreon by following this link:👇 www.patreon.com/exploringtheozarks/posts

We had the pleasure of having David Romano and Rick Coffman of the River Access Coalition on the show! This group has been helping to protect Missouri's public ​access to streams and rivers! A few years ago you may have heard of the famous river spot, Lindenlure, being closed by government officials and deemed as private property. Well, the RAC stepped in and took Christian County to court, and WON! Join us as they share this story with us and as they share their mission for not just the Ozarks but for all Missouri rivers as well.

It was an honor to speak with Rich and Leah Callahan with 14 Mill Market, the newest and most exciting development coming to the Ozarks and Nixa, Mo in the Spring of 2023. This will be Southwest Missouri's first Food Hall, which will offer a sprawling marketplace of foods, showcasing 10 unique restaurant concepts and sweet treats, a full-service bar, and an outdoor entertainment area. This History behind the Nixa Mill is incredible, and we can't wait to visit this new establishment soon!