Jennifer and Drew have drawn up a progress report for the Biden administration. Instead of reading, writing and arithmetic, the topics of conversation are the COVID surge, the Afghanistan withdrawal and a rollback of abortion access in Texas. Is President Biden performing up to his potential or does he need to be looking for some extra credit? __ Left on Red is presented by Bevill State Community College. For more information, visit bscc.edu

Left On Red

Great Expectations

Former First Lady Laura Bush is not only the wife of former President George W. Bush but also the mother of two women who are pretty amazing in their own life and a lifelong booklover. In 2001 she helped found the National Book Festival and in 2021 her foundation awarded more than $1 million to 205 school libraries in 43 states, including our own Ruby’s library here in Walker County.

Left on Red presents Ruby's Amazing Women: Laura Bush: My Itty Bitty- Bio/ Our Great Big Backyard

This week’s amazing woman is photographer Dorothea Lange, who overcame polio as a child and was a pioneer in the field of photojournalism. Lange is best known for her work documenting the world-weary faces of Americans trying to survive in the Great Depression. Less frequently discussed are her photos documenting the wartime internment of Japanese Americans.

Left on Red presents Ruby's Amazing Women: Dorothea’s Eyes

In just three years, Greta Thunberg has become one of the most famous and outspoken environmental activists. From the start, Thunberg has shown no fear in confronting world leaders about their insufficient actions to address climate change. Her actions have inspired other youth to push for less rhetoric and more response from their political representatives.

Left on Red presents Ruby's Amazing Women: Greta and the Giants

Ruby Bridges will be forever seared in the American imagination as a young girl being escorted to school by federal marshals. Though Brown v. Board of Education was decided before Bridges was even born, many schools were still not integrated by the time that she was ready to start her education. One marshal said of Bridges on her first day of school, “She never cried. She didn’t whimper. She just marched along like a little soldier.”

Left on Red presents Ruby's Amazing Women: Ruby Bridges Goes to School

Ruby’s first amazing woman is Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani woman who started writing about life under Taliban occupation as a seventh grader and was the target of an assassination attempt at age 15. Malala, who has become the symbol of the right that all young girls of the world should have to an education, is the youngest person to win a Nobel Prize.

Left on Red presents Ruby's Amazing Women: Malala’s Magic Pencil

One young lady has inspired us to take a break from politics so we can discuss summer reading with her. Here's an overview of our kid-friendly, limited series that kicks off July 6.   __   Left on Red is presented by Bevill State Community College. Visit bscc.edu OR find Bevill State on Facebook for more information.

Get ready for 'Ruby's Amazing Women'

Your mama probably told you not to talk politics or religion in polite company, but we're ignoring that advice by inviting the Rev. C.J. Cobb to the podcast table. Cobb, pastor of First Christian Church of Jasper, shares stories from his career in the aerospace industry (16:12), gives some history of the Christian Church (also known as the Disciples of Christ) (25:30) and explains what was at the heart of the church's 2019 decision to advertise itself as an open and affirming congregation (30:19).

We, Us, Are

Jennifer and Drew take a break from the usual format to share their reflections on the 10-year anniversary of the April 27, 2011, tornadoes. They discuss what they experienced that day (0:35), where the city was in its recovery when Drew became mayor in 2012 (12:37), the two-year struggle to get downtown demolished (15:54) and the ongoing struggle to get it built back (29:03). Drew also talks for the first time on the podcast about how it felt to pass the torch to a new administration in November  (41:49).

Ten Years Later

Sumiton Mayor Petey Ellis joins the pod this week to discuss the short list of mayors who have served Sumiton (18:04), the happy day when Wal-Mart came to town (20:49), and how to tell whether you're in Sumiton or Dora when traveling through East Walker (23:42). Ellis also breaks some news about the 2021 Frog Festival (34:30) and shares some advice for young mayoral hopefuls (52:18).

Eight-term Ellis

Which Hollywood star may make a run for governor of the Lone Star state? Find out in this week's WTH segment. Then, Walker County Circuit Judge Joeletta Barrentine takes Jennifer and Drew through the journey that led her from a seat on the Sumiton City Council (13:35) to hanging out a shingle for her own law practice (29:46) to becoming Walker County's first female judge (36:36). Barrentine also shares her views on how young girls and women should live beyond labels (46:10) and explains how she is addressing a backlog of cases awaiting trial (51:10).

Positivity, Purpose & Pearls

The pod's month-long celebration of women leaders opens with local EMA Coordinator Regina Myers, who shares info about unusual calls she has covered (22:10), how much planning goes on behind the scenes before disaster strikes (32:15) and how the pandemic has complicated disaster response (46:53). Stay tuned to the end for our pitch for an apocalypse film set in Walker County. Also, Jennifer and Drew have an answer to the royal family's ongoing troubles in the opening WTH segment.

Walker County's Wonder Woman

This week, Jennifer and Drew are asking, "WTH, Sen. Shelby?" (0:42). Then they have a delightful interview with Matt "The Ostrich" Mitchell. We hear about his new podcast (9:35), toe the line of blasphemy during a discussion of Chick-fil-A biscuits (14:48), get the origin story on the fake DME Twitter (19:23) and his reasons for making the move to a wider audience with "It's a Southern Thing" (13:47).

Ruffling Feathers

Left on Red is back with new guests and new segments. First, Jennifer and Drew try to figure out why the Arizona GOP thought censures were a good idea in the inaugural WTH segment (4:37). Then Walker County Commissioner Keith Davis talks about starting his first business at 16 (15:50), how he came to be recruited as the vice chairman of the Walker County Republican Party when it was still trying to become a dominant player in local politics (24:35) and the reality of county finances as it relates to paving projects (43:09).

The pride of Slocomb

If the devil went down to Georgia today, he’d find former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang going door to door drumming up votes. Jennifer and Drew discuss other big names who have been keeping the roads around Atlanta hot. They also dive into the parts of the Electoral College calendar that have yet to unfold and how many dominoes would have to fall in order for Rep. Mo Brooks and Congress to overturn the election results. 

The Return of the Yang GA(ng)

A political history podcast with a Walker County, Alabama twist.

hubhopper

Left On Red

hubhopper