Becka's Talking

Omaha Firefighter Drew Gerken saw a need 13 years ago when he found a family living in an empty apartment. His effort to provide them with furniture has led to The Furniture Project, a non-profit that provides furniture for needy families.

Omaha author Mary Kay Leatherman provides a glimpse into her new book about her own aunt called Her Religious Conviction.

Community Organizer, Leo Louis II, joins the podcast to share about his efforts to improve life in North Omaha.

Congressman Don Bacon (R) joins the podcast to share his efforts to end the government shutdown and to discuss other topics including immigration, tariffs, and his future in politics.

Dominic Gillen continues to push for access to medical cannabis in Nebraska to help his son who suffers from multiple seizures every day.

Pam Font-Gabel, executive director of Refugee Women Rising, explains how her Omaha-based non-profit is helping hundreds of refugee women to get settled and thrive in America.

John “JR” Robinson has played drums on some of the biggest hits of the past 50 years. He joins the podcast this week along with fellow Iowa-born musician Mitch Towne to talk about their musical trio called the JR Robinson Band.

Julie Shrader is the founder and CEO of Innocence Freed, a faith-based nonprofit working to help children and adults escape human trafficking and other types of sexual exploitation.

Nick Beaulieu’s feature length documentary, My Omaha, releases in select theaters across the country in a few days. He joins the podcast this week to talk about the film’s deep dive into political divisions in Omaha as well as his own family.

Omaha Chamber President Heath Mello joins the podcast to share what the Chamber is doing to bring more jobs and amenities to the metro area in the midst of a tight housing market.

Dana Murray came back to his hometown of Omaha after spending years on the road as a professional jazz drummer. He serves as executive director of North Omaha Music and Arts and joins the podcast this week to share the impacts and core values of NOMA.

Longtime play-by-play announcer Kent Pavelka joins the podcast to reminisce about his career in the radio booth including his years as the voice of Nebraska Football.

Chaz Kline and Zac Triemert, creators of Omaha Whiskey Fest, join the podcast this week to share their whiskey knowledge and explain what whiskey fans can expect to learn and experience at the event on October 4^th.

Book publishing expert, Lisa Pelto, helped Tom Becka publish his book a few years ago. And she joins the podcast this week to provide insight on the publishing process.

Historian and retired Council Bluffs dentist, Dr. Richard Warner, shares some lesser-known stories about Iowa’s 10^th largest city and how it established itself as the railroad gateway to the west.

Kathy Poehling, president of the Omaha Education Association, shares her perspective on the challenges facing public school teachers.

Tom Brewer joins the podcast this week to talk about how he uses his military combat experience to help on the ground in Ukraine.

Tens of thousands of families across Nebraska and western Iowa benefit from the Food Bank for the Heartland. CEO Brian Barks, joins the podcast to talk about the Omaha-based food bank’s expansion and why it’s necessary to meet the needs of the working poor across the region.

KVNO’s general manager, Sherry Kennedy Brownrigg, joins the podcast to talk about her station’s impact on Omaha culture and the future of public radio without the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Nicky Wik and Becky Korinek with Outreach Patient Advocates explain how they work side-by-side patients throughout their healthcare journey.

A walk through Omaha’s Prospect Hill Cemetery will reveal many familiar names. These names belong to Omaha pioneers who were influential in the early history of the city and would later have streets and parks named after them.

Development and Communications Director, Erik Servellon, explains how One World Community Health Centers uses their locations across the metro to provide affordable healthcare for anyone regardless of their ability to pay.

John Ewing has been mayor of Omaha since June 9^th. He joins Tom on this week’s podcast to share his thoughts on the recent immigration raid as well as what his focus will be as he settles into his new job.

Roni Gosch with the Tri-Faith Initiative shares about the uniqueness of the organization. She also promotes the recent documentary film featuring the west-Omaha campus that brings together a synagogue, a mosque and a Christian church.

Astrid Munn, a lead attorney with the Center for Immigration and Refugee Advancement, explains the challenges to those looking to immigrate legally to the United States.