The Local Exchange Podcast

Episode 30: Jeff Givan

Jeff Givan is a first-time candidate for the Ohio House in District 78, which covers Allen County and part of northern Auglaize County. He is a co-founder of the Lima Pri

Episode 29: Matt Hambleton

Matt is back on The Local Exchange. We start with a little Shawnee football, then get into recent issues around Shawnee Schools. After that we talk through where things s

Episode 28: Lew Modic

Lew Modic is the Democratic candidate for Allen County Commissioner, running against incumbent Brian Winegardner in the November 3, 2026 general election. In this episod

Episode 27: Joe Wassink

Episode 27: Joe Wassink – LifeWise, Faith, and the Lifewise 5K In this episode of The Local Exchange, Jon sits down with Joe Wassink of Lima, Ohio. Joe serves with ACTS

Episode 26: Sov Savors

In this episode of The Local Exchange, I sit down with Sov Savors — the Lima-area food reviewer who’s been making serious noise across greater Northwest Ohio. We dig int

Episode 25: Dalton Smith

Dalton J. Smith (attorney who was part of the legal team representing Shawnee Township Fire Chief Austin Miller during last year’s proceedings) joins us to discuss the cu

Episode #24: Jake Eilerman | 419 Live

In this episode, Jon sits down with Jake Eilerman - lifelong Lima resident, Director of Communications at 419 Live, and the man behind the camera who live-streamed the Sh

Episode 23: Evan Skilliter

Episode 23: Evan Skilliter In this episode, Jon is joined by Matt — back for his first podcast since Episode 17 — as they sit down with Jon’s brother-in-law, Evan Skilli

Episode 22: Marc Bowker

A long time ago in a podcast studio not too far away, Jon sat down with Marc Bowker - Lima’s own comic-book store owner, certified Heroic Coach, and real-life superhero o

Episode 17: Stephanie Ernest

In this episode of Local Exchange, we sit down with Stephanie Ernest, a member of the Bath Local School District Board of Education, to talk about the proposed Bath High

Episode 16: Chief Miller’s Hearing Results

Matt and I react to the outcome of Chief Austin Miller’s termination hearing, where all charges were dismissed with prejudice. We share our thoughts on what the decision

Episode 15: Chief Miller Lawsuit Reaction

Originally posted 12/13/2025 We share our thoughts on the federal lawsuit filed by Shawnee Township Fire Chief Austin Miller and discuss what it could mean for the towns

Episode 14: Chris Cross

In this episode, we sit down with Chris Cross, Treasurer of Shawnee Schools, to discuss the financial landscape of the district. We cover the history behind Shawnee’s pas

Episode 13: Todd Washam

In this episode we sit down with Todd Washam, Vice President of the Shawnee School Board, to discuss the key issues facing Shawnee Schools. We talk about efforts to impro

Episode 12: Shawnee Township Emergency Meeting Recap

We recap tonight’s emergency meeting regarding Shawnee Township Fire Chief Austin Miller. We walk through what happened, what questions remain, and how this situation may

Episode 11: Mark Triplett

In this episode, Matt sits down with Shawnee boys basketball head coach Mark Triplett to cover a wide range of topics, including his approach to the game, the challenges

Episode 21: The DeLong Family Adventures

Meet 5-Year-Old Liam DeLong – Quarter-Finalist in the 2026 National Jr. Ranger Champion Competition! Join us for a fun, heartwarming conversation with Liam DeLong and hi

Episode 19: Chief Austin Miller

In this episode, I sit down with Shawnee Township Fire Chief Austin Miller to talk about the upcoming fire levy renewal on the May 5 ballot. We keep it straightforward: w

Episode 20: Andrew Benchic

In this episode we sit down with Andrew Benchic — local attorney at Huffman Kelley & Brock, parent, coach, and husband of a Bath teacher. Andrew is a strong advocate fo

Episode 18: Cory Parent

In this episode, I talk with Cory Parent, a Shawnee Township resident, Shawnee High School alumnus, cloud engineer, and former U.S. Army intelligence trainee. We discuss