chattanooga

Pinkie and Mildred speak about Tennessee 
Focusing on The Capital, Nashville "Music City"

http://PinkieThePigPodcast.com

This episode features Jonesborough Area Ministerial Association Food Pantry volunteers, Rick Newell, and Rufus Houston. This conversation took place on January 12, and was moderated by Advisory Committee member, Michelle Treece, and a friend of the McKinney Center, Brittany Butler. This recorded event will be released on January 19, to see it, go to YouTube.com and search for McKinney Center or use any podcast app and search CTM the Podcast or visit https://mckinneycenter.com/conversations-that-matter . 

Rick Newell grew up in Western New York and moved to Washington D.C. after high school. He worked with a Virginia based sound company on band road tours and managed maintenance of a 12-story apartment building. Rick moved back to Western New York and bought the family heating and air conditioning business. He met and later married his wife, Karen 36 years ago. Eventually Rick sold the business and went to work for the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate as a construction supervisor. Rick retired in 2015 and relocated to Jonesborough where he became involved with the JAMA Food Pantry around 2019. Rick currently holds the title of assistant treasurer and is involved with the ordering and organizing of pantry food supplies. 

Rufus B. Houston III is originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee but has lived in Jonesborough for over 27 years. Rufus presently serves on the JAMA Food Pantry board, Washington County Library Board of Trustees (Chairman), and Friends of the Washington County Jonesborough Library (President). Rufus retired from the Air Force after over 21 years of service. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s in public administration. Rufus has been an ordained minister for over 42 years. Rufus was the Volunteer of the Year for Jonesborough and volunteer of the year for the Jonesborough Library. He loves going to the Jonesborough repertory Theater, Storytelling Center for teller in residence, and is an avid walker. 

Supported by a grant from the East Tennessee Foundation, “Conversations that Matter” is a monthly series produced by the McKinney Center in Jonesborough, Tennessee. In each “Conversation” two local guests from different backgrounds (age, race, religion, culture, etc.) explore their own culture and perspective, and talk to each other about what makes them unique, discover their similarities, and explore their differences. They will look at where their lives might intersect personally and in the community. The goal of each “Conversation that Matters” is for guests and participants to hear real stories, from real neighbors. 

This monthly series is inspired by the Diversity & Equity Subcommittee at the McKinney Center, and their desire to highlight the experiences of all voices in Washington County, Tennessee, with an intention to include marginalized groups. By showcasing these conversations, the Diversity & Equity subcommittee hopes to open doors to new ideas and perspectives amongst our very own neighbors. Questions such as, “What was your experience in grade-school and how did that make you feel?” or, “Have you experienced exclusion or racism?” For many of us the answers are different and unique. The McKinney Center believes it is time to talk about our experiences and share them. 

There is value in uplifting these stories so that we may learn from one another. Then, after hearing from one another our moderators and guest conversationalists will give insight on how to move forward.

This week on a new episode of The Allon Exchange with Jay & Brittany Hagy, the duo discuss everything you need to know about taxes and why tax planning is such an important piece of the retirement planning puzzle. Jay & Brittany discuss topics ranging from RMDs to how working with a financial advisor can be so beneficial as you make your way to and through retirement. And as always, the duo answer a few common retirement planning questions to close out the show.

To get in touch with Brittany & Jay Hagy and the team at Allon Planning Partners call 800-971-4549 or visit allonplanning.com for more information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's show, Brittany & Jay Hagy explore the financial anxiety that folks face as they prepare for their retirement. Brittany & Jay offer strategies folks can apply to their financial plan to limit their stress, concern and panic associated with their financial planning journey. The Hagy's explore the connection between our money and mental health and how to combat the negative impacts on both our bank accounts and mindsets. 

For more information call Brittany & Jay Hagy at 800-971-4549 or visit allonplanning.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's show, Brittany & Jay Hagy explore the different strategies you can take today that lead you toward financial freedom in the future. Brittany & Jay break down the different economic issues like market volatility, inflation and recession forecasts and how each can impact your finances. The Hagy's break down expanding your financial knowledge and financial health and find the confidence you need to sleep well at night knowing you have a plan to get you to and through retirement.

For more information call Brittany & Jay Hagy at 800-971-4549 or visit allonplanning.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the latest episode of The Allon Exchange with Jay & Brittany Hagy, the duo kick off the show with a few simple tips to help make the biggest difference in your retirement savings. Brittany & Jay share the five things you need to know about your retirement savings and offer important numbers that go along with financial planning. The Hagy's offer strategies for retiring amid market volatility and inflation. Jay & Brittany round out the show answering common retirement planning questions.

Call Jay & Brittany Hagy and the team at Allon Planning Partners for more information at 800-971-4549 or visit allonplanning.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s guest is one of the most recognized investors and thought leaders in the conversational AI community. Bradley Metrock is the CEO of Project Voice, author of the popular Substack newsletter This Week in Voice with more than 30,000 subscribers, and a General Partner at Project Voice Capital Partners. Congrats to Bradley and the team on their recent announcement of their new rolling fund. 

Bradley’s a proud citizen of the Volunteer State of Tennessee. Fair warning: you may be ready to move to Chattanooga after today’s conversation. Oh, and he’s also an ironman in the world of podcasting having just launched season eight of This Week in Voice, a podcast he launched in 2017. We’re on about episode 180 of this podcast going back to 2019 so I admire Bradley’s stamina.

Listen and learn… 

1. Where there’s opportunity for entrepreneurs to innovate in conversational AI 
2. How conversational AI is changing quick serve restaurants, contact centers, banking, and hospitality 
3. How Bradley evaluates new pitches at Project Voice Capital Partners 
4. How Bradley defines voice technology in his market map 
5. Is voice the new app… or perhaps the “original app” 
6. Why generative AI is so disruptive 
7. Should we be concerned about voice assistants like Siri and Alexa listening in on our conversations 
8. What jobs will AI create over the next decade 
9. Bradley sells the great state of Tennessee to entrepreneurs establishing roots outside a coastal state 

References in this episode... 

• Dr. Lance Eliot describes the risk of sharing your data with ChatGPT
• Applied Brain Research, a Project Voice Capital Partners investment 
• Bradley’s voice technology market map 
• The Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights 
• Project Voice 2023 

This week on The Allon Exchange with Jay & Brittany Hagy, Jay Hagy and Brittany Hagy explore the SVB bank run and discuss the risk involved in the banking system specifically. The pair discuss the various types of risk in retirement planning and how to choose what risks you believe are worth taking. Brittany & Jay answer questions from listeners on all things financial planning offering tips for folks in similar predicaments.

Call Jay & Brittany Hagy and the financial planning team at Allon Planning Partners at 1-800-971-4549 or go to allonplanning.com for more information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Allon Exchange with Jay & Brittany Hagy, Jay Hagy and Brittany Hagy dive into tax season FAQs explaining the critical role tax planning plays in retirement planning. The pair explore eliminating fear and uncertainty when it comes to your financial plan and discuss how to guarantee security while preserving your savings. Brittany & Jay share the age milestones to be mindful of when drafting your financial plan to protect your wealth to and through retirement. Jay & Brittany answer questions from listeners and offer financial planning wisdom and tips for those in similar situations. 

Call Jay & Brittany Hagy and the financial planning team at Allon Planning Partners at 1-800-971-4549 or go to allonplanning.com for more information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Allon Exchange with Jay & Brittany Hagy, Jay Hagy and Brittany Hagy explore the world of financial planning for couples--sharing tips for thriving and removing emotional, knee-jerk decisions. The duo answer listener questions and offer financial planning strategies and solutions for those in similar situations. 

Call Jay & Brittany Hagy and the financial planning team at Allon Planning Partners at 1-800-971-4549 or go to allonplanning.com for more information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Allon Exchange with Jay & Brittany Hagy, Jay & Brittany explore the market cycle and how the bear and bull markets effect your nest egg. The Hagys' share some tips for weathering the storm. Brittany & Jay also explore the emotional component and impact knee-jerk decisions can have on your long-term investment goals. 

Call Jay & Brittany Hagy and the financial planning team at The Allon Exchange at 1-800-971-4549 or go to allonplanning.com for more information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We met Brayden & Sydney Guerrette at a book signing event for the Amazon bestseller 'The Musical Imprint' in which Sydney is a co-author! In the book, she describes the catalyst for her family to uproot their lives in Maine, travel across the United States, and advocate full-time for the welfare of youth and mental health through music across the globe. She shares, "...we learned that when you use your art as the avenue to share your truth, as Brayden did with his music, positive change can happen." And thus, Be the Change Youth Initiative as we know it today was born.

Get to know the remarkable brother and sister duo that started it all, find out what's on their playlists, and learn all about Be the Change's various initiatives. Stick around after the interview to hear their cover of Taylor Swift's 'August', as well as their original song 'I'll Stay'

Original photo by: Jude Byrum

Trip to Chattanooga 

Brandy heads back to Chattanooga and Higdon, Alabama, a third time. Knocking on doors has yielded some results – the most promising being word from Tiffany’s sister-in-law, Ashley, that Tiffany does want to talk and is only waiting for some sort of NDA to run out. So, in town again, Brandy leaves a note at a house she thinks belongs to Tiffany’s in-laws, and, while refueling at the local pizza place, receives a totally unexpected text: “I got your letter. I will tell a great story about everything that happened, but only to the one who pays the most. So what are you paying?” The person who sent the text turns out to be a family member she hadn’t interacted with before, a 19-year-old who tells Brandy it was her aunt Debbie, Tiffany’s mother-in-law, who told her to send it. Tracking down Debbie herself gets the best result so far, and, armed with new evidence, Brandy confronts a hard-core Tiffany truther.

Tiffany Dover isn’t the only person who knows what it’s like to have strangers on the internet take her story, twist the facts, and turn it into a weapon. Last September Amanda Makulec’s youngest son, Zander, died unexpectedly, just shy of three months old. Someone took the tweet where Amanda told her friends and family what had happened and pasted it next to another tweet of hers from two months earlier -- where she had written about her relief at being vaccinated while pregnant. The juxtaposition turned her into an anti-vaxx meme, and her story ended up on TheCovidBlog, a website dedicated to spreading conspiracy theories and misinformation. Brandy visits Amanda and then goes to meet the site's owner, and only author: a 47-year-old Iowa man named Brian Wilkins, who’s written that Tiffany Dover is “one of the early cases that inspired the creation of this blog.” Brian's mission is to lead as many people away from vaccination as possible, relentlessly casting doubt on accepted science. But now, Brandy learns, a committed group of doctors is starting to fight back.

Brandy’s attempts to get in touch with Tiffany Dover are yielding only silence. So she heads to Chattanooga to prove that she’s alive—or at least, not dead. After stakeouts at Tiffany’s house and workplace don’t pan out, Brandy searches everywhere for records: the police department, the Office of Vital Records, grave registries. Nothing. Brandy meets with the local TV reporter who covered the vaccination event, and who got caught up in the conspiracy theory herself, and she questions a hospital official about CHI Memorial’s handling of the incident. Meanwhile, the theory is rolling right along, spreading more lies, and dragging in new victims.

The story of Tiffany Dover begins, ironically, in a moment of hope. The COVID vaccine is finally arriving in communities across America. Tiffany, the head nurse in her hospital’s COVID unit, proudly gets the shot, and then faints while taking questions about it. As she falls into the arms of the doctors standing behind her, the local news cameras turn away. By the time she returns to the podium 20 minutes later, a new conspiracy theory has been hatched: Tiffany Dover had died and been replaced by a body double. Brandy Zadrozny sets out to trace how the theory started, and to find the people who are keeping it going—those who truly believe that vaccines kill, and those who are just addicted to the game.

Tiffany Dover was one of the first Americans to get the COVID vaccine—and she got it live on camera, at the hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where she works as a nurse. “I'm sorry, I'm feeling really dizzy. I'm sorry,” Dover said while taking questions afterward. Then she fainted. Twenty minutes later, Dover was back in front of the camera. “I feel fine now,” she said. And she was totally fine. But thousands of people online had already made up their minds: Tiffany Dover was dead. And they were going to prove it.