Chris is the owner of Platform Industries, a Honesdale-based screenprinter. Although he will be the first to admit his best skills are not artistic, he has grown his business from startup to success by building a team of professional designers and printers, and always keeping customer service at the forefront of his shop. He likes to say "We're a customer service business who happens to print t-shirts." Chris also has a lifelong passion for motocross, and we discuss his life riding dirtbikes. Al...
Dec 10, 2020•30 min
Eric grew up near the beach in NJ and bounced between several different professions. Eventually he found his way to NEPA and as a stop-gap, took a job at SES working in I.T. Over the years, what was supposed to be a temporary job turned into a career as Eric grew to love the job. I'd call it a Satellite Farm, but SES is best described as a "Teleport" where huge amounts of media and data are handled and streamed via satellite all across the country and the planet. Recently Eric started volunteeri...
Nov 19, 2020•30 min
Michael grew up in Northeast PA and early in life he began working at local radio stations. Eventually he made his way to 95.3 DNH where he worked for years before heading to the NY metro area to work for much larger stations including Radio Disney. Michael couldn't stay away long, and he returned to NEPA and Bold Gold Media Group where he now works as General Manager and Market Manager for the NEPA region. Early in life, Michael had a hare-brained idea for a fund raiser that he pitched, and mov...
Nov 12, 2020•37 min
Greg is a lifelong resident of Sullivan County NY. When he was just 20 years old, Greg started working at The Misner Agency, a local family-owned insurance agency helping insure individuals, families and businesses. In the early 1980s, Greg took over ownership of the Misner Agency, and has since expanded it, adding offices elsewhere in Sullivan and Orange Counties. In addition to this deep connection to his area, Greg is a longtime pilot, foreign-car aficionado, and has extremely old-fashioned t...
Nov 05, 2020•35 min
Dave grew up in Southern California. Early in life he began working in the construction industry, working on projects in neighborhoods like Beverly Hills. Eventually he moved easy, and kept working in construction, but now in metro NYC. Finally, Dave and his wife relocated to Northeast PA and identified an opportunity to renovate and breathe new life into a self-serve carwash near their home. They brought their life's experience to the table and focused on making the customer experience the best...
Oct 29, 2020•38 min
Domestic violence takes many forms, and can result in substantial damage to the people and relationships involved. Michelle acts as Executive Director for VIP - a program which assists individuals dealing with abuse in relationships. Michelle explains how she got started on her path and discusses the many ways that VIP can help victims. There are lots of ways that a relationship can become abusive, beyond acts of physical violence. Fortunately, Michelle and her team at VIP are here to help. Mich...
Oct 22, 2020•28 min
Andy grew up in western Michigan and spent several years teaching math in highschool. He taught in Alaska, Boston and eventually returned to western Michigan. After teaching math for 8 years, Andy felt called to work in the church and found a position in Wayne County, PA at the Grace Ridge Church on Terrace St in Honesdale. He and his family relocated and the rest is history. Andy's first job in Honesdale was as a youth pastor, but he has recently been promoted to Assistant Pastor, and he has ov...
Oct 15, 2020•30 min
During high school, one of Tony's kidneys became damaged to the point of needing replacement. Fortunately for him, a willing and matching donor was close at hand. Tony spent years with one of his sister's kidneys helping his body eliminate waste and operate correctly. Years later though, he needed another. Tony was confident that he would spend the rest of his life visiting dialysis clinics until a remarkable chain of events helped connect him with the organ his body needed. Tony talks about his...
Oct 01, 2020•33 min
Jessica's life has had several unique and distinct "chapters." She worked for a long time in the foodservice industry, accumulating years of experience in the kitchen and front-of-house. During highschool she developed (haha) an interest in photography, carried it into college, and spent more than a decade teaching highschool art students the techniques and technology of photography. After that, she opened an art gallery in her hometown, displaying her and her husband's growing collection of art...
Sep 17, 2020•34 min
Just across the Delaware river from Wayne and Pike Counties in PA, you'll find the beautiful Sullivan Catskills, an entire county loaded with a rich history of agriculture, tourism, music, artistry and innovation. Roberta's job for the last 20 years or so has been to develop and deepen the area's vibrant business and tourism industries and she joins us to talk all about her job and what makes the Sullivan Catskills so special. At the end of the interview, she has a special challenge for Adam, wh...
Sep 10, 2020•35 min
Tom grew up in Deposit, NY and started his working life as an automotive technician. After moving south to Callicoon, he started working at Delaware Valley Job Corps - a trade school for young people aged 16-24. Tom taught in the automotive department and eventually switched to Facility Maintenance instructor. All the while, Tom was volunteering with the Callicoon Fire Department. Today, Tom serves as president, captain and commissioner for the F.D. and also keeps busy working as a DJ for partie...
Sep 03, 2020•33 min
Tom (who I later found out actually goes by "Mike") has been running the FBO (Fixed Base Operation) at Cherry Ridge Airport near Honesdale, PA for decades. We talk about what it takes to pursue a private pilot's license, and why he recommends all private pilots endeavor to achieve their IFR or "instrument rating." Tom talks to us about working as a crew chief on military and civilian jets, the difference between jet and "recip" engines, and how over time, the "hundred-dollar hamburger" has start...
Aug 27, 2020•36 min
Jane works in the commercial fruit industry, helping her company to identify desirable qualities in strawberry plants, and then breed them so they can be grown successfully in large quantities. She explains that her company uses selective breeding, not genetic modification, to achieve the results they are seeking, and Jane explains why flavor is not necessarily always the most-desirable trait that her team looks for. Things get a little nerdy, but Jane helps explain it so we can all understand h...
Aug 06, 2020•32 min
While he was still in highschool, Josh started volunteering with a local fire company. By the time he turned 18, he was trained, qualified and ready to apply for a job working as an Emergency Responder with a local ambulance corps. Josh enlisted in the Navy Reserves, and continued to focus on emergency medical response. Then, just a couple of years ago, Josh found himself buying a Jeep Wrangler and connecting with other folks in his community who were enthusiastic about their Jeeps. Josh and his...
Jul 30, 2020•33 min
John's family opened Two Guys From Italy in Honesdale, PA in the early 1970s. When he was just a few months old, John moved to Honesdale from the NY metro area and grew up close to the restaurant, but never spend much time working there. After highschool, John went to college and eventually got a master's degree before working in NYC during the "dot com" boom. Soon though, John realized he would be better suited working for himself, and the rest is history. Hear the whole story, including some o...
Jul 23, 2020•32 min
Kim has worked closely with people for decades. Some time ago she was brought on as the Activities Director at Bethany Village Senior Living Community. We'll talk all about the things she does with her residents, and how even though Covid has impacted many of their plans, they're still able to have lots of fun. Kim has also spent lots of time volunteering around the community, and recently has worked on a project to honor veterans from the Honesdale area.
Jul 16, 2020•30 min
The Carachilo family has been running concession stands for decades. Their name has become synonymous with delicious cheesesteaks, gyros, blooming onions, french fries and chicken fingers, along with funnel cake, fried dough and more fair-food-favorites. This year the Carachilo family found themselves in a precarious and unprecedented position, as their entire summer circuit was cancelled due to Covid-19. After talking out their situation, they arrived at a solution: partnering with local busine...
Jul 09, 2020•23 min
Dave moved to the NY metro area from Wisconsin to work building sets for the stage and television. He loved working with his hands to create set pieces but when Covid hit, his work shut down and he had to come up with a Plan B. He relocated to Sullivan County, NY and opened a small food stand in his backyard. At the stand, he and his partner Jin sell seasoned grilled meat skewers and not much else. It's simple, delicious, and it seems to be a great idea for Dave and his family.
Jun 25, 2020•32 min
Jocelyn is Wayne County's first-ever female commissioner. She joins Adam to discuss her history working in both the theatre and financial industry. Her family has deep roots in Wayne County, and her journey to becoming a county commissioner has been long and includes lots of interesting twists and turns.
Jun 18, 2020•31 min
Susan is the Director of the Stourbridge Project, a co-working space, business incubator, and vital resource for individuals and businesses who need access to high-tech equipment and high-speed internet connectivity. The Stourbridge Project is located close to downtown Honesdale, PA and Susan speaks with us about how the building will be opening back up to guests and members as Wayne County, PA shifts to "green."
Jun 11, 2020•36 min
Jessica originally went to school to be an accountant - she's got a knack for numbers. But somewhere along the way, her plans changed and she became a Doula. A Doula acts as the support team for an expecting, delivering, and post-partum mother, and father too. The role of a Doula can dramatically improve the process of childbirth and the months after the baby is delivered. Jessica talks about becoming a Doula, some of her own childbirth experiences, and the importance of food and nutrition to a ...
Jun 04, 2020•28 min
Linda moved to Wayne County more than 15 years ago with her family. After spending some time as a full-time mom, it was clear to her that she needed to get out and find some work. She started by working with lots of small businesses all across the area, and eventually found her way to the local radio station, where she was welcomed with open arms and trained to become an expert marketing specialist. Today, Linda helps businesses spread the word about what they're doing, and Linda has a whole new...
May 28, 2020•36 min
Anthony's family moved from New Jersey to NEPA when he was 15. After highschool he started his own business, sold it, spent time working in the trucking & construction industries, and now Anthony manages the only by-hand carwash for miles and miles. We talk about what makes a by-hand carwash so much better than any of the other options and also what differentiates a "detail" from a regular car wash.
May 21, 2020•34 min
This interview was originally recorded in May of 2018. Dr. Cruse has roots in Louisiana and currently works as Medical Director for Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers. He and his team have been on the front line of the Covid-19 Pandemic, but when we originally recorded this interview, neither of us had any idea what was coming our way two years down the road. Listen in and learn more about how Dr Cruse found his way into the field of medicine, and how he made his way to Northeast PA. The do...
May 14, 2020•31 min
Jessica grew up in a small Massachusetts town and spent many of her summers in Milford, PA. Early on, Jessica knew she wanted to work with books and shortly after college she found herself living in New York City, landing a job in the historic Flatiron Building. Jessica's mother passed away when Jess was only 23, and while going through her mother's things, Jess found a trove of de-classified documents, articles and research pointing to her uncle Jack who went MIA somewhere in Laos during the Vi...
May 07, 2020•26 min
Karen had an inkling early in life that being a stylist/cosmetologist was something she wanted to do. After deciding that college wasn't right for her, she attended beauty school and worked for several area salons. After spending several years working for other people, she moved ahead and opened her own salon, quickly adding spa services and re-locating to her current location on Route 6 in Honesdale. The spa is 8,000 square feet and includes every imaginable treatment and service. While the spa...
Apr 30, 2020•30 min
Dr. Rogers has been a practicing dentist in Wayne County for more than 25 years. He tells the story of how he became interested in dentistry while working on plastic models as a young man. Later in life, his attention to detail would serve him well as he began his career as a general dentist. Dr Rogers' office has undergone some changes in the wake of Covid-19, and he explains how he is still able to provide critical emergency services for anyone in the community who needs his help. Dr. Rogers e...
Apr 23, 2020•40 min
Murph currently works on a tugboat, but as he explains, tugboats aren't just for moving big ships around the harbor. Andrew and his crew primarily transport things like petroleum up and down the coast. He explains the process that sailors need to go through in order to be licensed to pilot and work on boats like these, and also about some of the interesting superstitions and intense moments onboard the boats. Andrew also has a strong community streak in him, and organizes an annual volleyball to...
Apr 16, 2020•32 min
Bob attended highschool at Western Wayne and went to East Stroudsburg University as a Media Communication major. After school he worked for several years at a Scranton newspaper. Eventually Bob enrolled in PSP's cadet training program and has been working as a member of Pennsylvania's State Police force ever since. Bob talks about the process of becoming a Trooper, and brings in some keto-friendly pizza to share with Adam.
Apr 09, 2020•39 min
In 2018 Brian came in for Taste Test to explain his work as one of three Wayne County Commissioners. Since this episode was recorded, the slate of commissioners has changed but Brian is still on the team. Brian's wife sent him into the studio with delicious baked potato soup and amazing homemade guacamole. Adam managed to track down Maryland Crabs and brought one in to share with Brian.
Apr 02, 2020•31 min
