Our first business spotlight! Ten Pin Alley is more than a bowling alley - the arcade, laser tag, and restaurant/patio area make it a unique entertainment spot in Hilliard!  Aside from Heather's favorite trivia nights, Ten Pin has live music (with Chris Logsden and Shuckin' Bubba coming soon)!  Great history, and a long-time Hilliard business!

Jen Hoening is a 20 year resident with a brand new storefront for her business, Little Bean Embroidery.  Additionally, Jen runs the Faces Of Hilliard page on Facebook - which is a fun place to find out more about those people you see all over town! So, whether you're looking for a t-shirt quilt or just want to know the name of the guy you always see at the Post Office, Jen's your gal!

Members of Hilliard's environmental group, Keep Hilliard Beautiful, share some interesting facts with us about how much trash volunteers pick up around town (spoiler alert: it's in the TONS) and ways that you can help make a difference, too. We hear about the good things the group is doing and all the opportunities we have to be more aware of all of the little things we can do that add up!  Let's all Keep Hilliard Beautiful! Thanks Melissa, Chuck, and Lori for joining us!

"All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon" is one of the first things we learn from Eric Smith, Hilliard resident and founder of the Central Ohio Whiskey Society. Eric gives us a quick understanding of whiskey and bourbon - and we talk all about the group he created, COWS.  Eric also gives ussome of his favorite and best "bang for the buck" bourbons out there! Definitely a fun, enlightening, and different episode of the 43026 podcast!  Can't wait to have Eric back soon!

Jeff Decker, Hilliard resident and HCSD teacher, tells us about his exciting appointment as the 2022 Grand Marshal in the Hilliard Parade! The parade will take place Monday the 4th at 9 am with a different route! Andy reminds us that the Freedom Fest is this Saturday!  Dylan Scott will be the headliner - join us at the Roger A Reynolds Municipal Park and enjoy the games and food trucks.

Today's episode has a special guest co-host! Heather and Libby Gierach (Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce) talk with Mark Abate.  Mark was the President of the Hilliard Board of Education during the 2020 school year. He talks with us about leading during a pandemic, his biggest accomplishments on the Board, growing up in Hilliard, and choosing to raise his family in Hilliard.

Resident Andy Warnock talks us through some development plans for Old Hilliard and how his company, The Westwood Collective is helping to design those improvements. A new Bourbon Bar? Maybe a golf simulator? These ideas and more are discussed!  Join us!

Angela Zody, the Downtown Manager for the City of Hilliard, joins us to talk local economic development! But first, she tells us some cool stories about her time here in Hilliard before joining the City staff.  We learn about the cool new businesses coming to Old Hilliard and Downtown Hilliard -- and most importantly -- we discuss the difference between the two!

Kevin Corvo was born and raised in Hilliard and, as a reporter for This Week News, has covered the goings-on in Hilliard for many years! He has some stories!  Join us and meet another resident that's definitely a part of Hilliard history and his memory is pretty good. From working for Don Gino's pizza as a teenager to covering stories on covering up sunflowers --- Kevin has seen it all!

Ted Barrows is a long-time Hilliard resident, Kiwanis Club member, and one of Heather's first bosses!  He tells us all about the Kiwanis and Key Clubs and his long legal career, including nearly 20 years as a Franklin County Municipal Court Judge!

Paul Lambert is a long-time resident of the Hilliard area and a former Board of Education member.  Paul has the reputation of being a numbers guy and he does a great job explaining how our districts are funded and helps dispel some myths about paying taxes. Paul has a wealth of knowledge and we hope he's back on the podcast soon!

Robin Brenneman is the Artistic Director of the Hilliard Arts Council and a long time Hilliard teacher and resident. She talks about the upcoming HEF and Arts Council Fundraiser with Jessica Grove, along with summer arts and theater camps, summer concerts, and our next summer musical "Crazy For You". It's a fun one and we learn a lot about upcoming events! Also, thankfully, neither Heather nor Andy sing in this episode.

Jessica Grove is our special guest!  Jessica is a Hilliard Davidson alumna and a Broadway veteran!  She returns to Hilliard on June 11th for a great night of music benefiting the Hilliard Education Foundation and The Hilliard Arts Council. https://www.hilliardartscouncil.org/announcements/jess-and-judy-a-benefit-concert/ Check out the link and buy tickets! 7 pm at Hilliard Darby.

Hilliard will, once again, have a Pride event on June 11th! We discuss all the info for the event and some of the background in Hilliard passing anti-discrimination legislation.  This episode has a special intro with a heart-felt tribute to Larry Earman, Norwich Township Trustee, who passed away on Sunday May 29, 2022. We will miss you, Larry.

The Hilliard Optimist Club does a lot for the Hilliard area! They serve thousands of student athletes and provide scholarships and life lessons!  It's a great group, led by Past-President and Incoming President Deryck Richardson. Deryck is a busy guy but he stopped by our studio at the Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce to talk a little about sports, refs, and Hilliard!

We heard the buzz about Sheetz - and we wanted to try it out!  So we brought some friends along with us, tried out some gas station food, and came back and talked about it! Have you wondered about Sheetz and their cafe? We order a bunch of stuff.

Join us to hear about some of the latest happenings - and upcoming events - from the Hilliard City School District! We are lucky to have Superintendent Dave Stewart today. He talks about those pesky "4th High School" rumors, next levy dates, upcoming graduations, and the focus on facilities planning as well. Don't miss!

Kim Emch has been feeding hungry children and teaching English as a Second Language in Hilliard for a decade and a half. Hear her story and how she serves our neighbors in this episode!  Kim first created SON ministries and that has grown and evolved into FESTA (Feed, Educate, Serve, Teach, Advocate). She does amazing work in our community and we are lucky to have her! There are a lot of ways for you to get involved and volunteer at wearefesta.org

We interviewed Alan Horvath, local neighbor and involved Dad! He's a pharmacist, volunteer, and owner of Cartridge World on Cemetery.  He discusses his business successes and his years giving back to his community.

Ever wondered what it's like to send your kids to a Taekwondo Academy? Heather describes Ms. Thompson's teaching style as "magical" and "witchcraft". Mel Thompson teaches us so much about children, life, and a little about getting your black belt!   Free Self-Defense class for females 13+ on Saturday, May 14th from 10am - Noon! 6320 Scioto Darby Rd (corner of Cosgray)