Latest Episodes

Emily and Jack Talk about Trees

Jack tells Emily that her superpower is her ability to identify trees before they have leaves. Emily laughs. The two go for a walk in early spring and celebrate what they know, and what the trees share with them.

The Last Sermon

Karen Chakoian retired from Central Presbyterian church in Granville, Ohio after 23 years in the pulpit. She did so while maintaining a vital spiritual energy. She shares the struggles through which she attained this perspective, and what it’s like to transition into retirement.

Always Moving

Bob Cole has directed the Nutcracker for the Central Ohio Youth Ballet for 28 years. He has a powerful personal story, a drive to infuse ballet with story and drama, and an energy that keeps his productions always moving.

Julie Mulroy sees the connections

Julie Mulroy is a biologist who studies plants and how they relate to each other. She also studies people and how they interact in community. Health issues have limited her mobility, and she often does her observing from a distance, but she keeps watching. And seeing the connections.

The Town Meeting

A quaint country village in western Licking County, Ohio, Alexandria, suddenly found itself about to become an industrial zone. Residents had to act, and act fast. They used the best tool at their disposal to save a quality way of life: the Town Meeting.

The Big Sit

Tom Bartlett sits up on his stand and counts bird species. He’s encouraged by the hundreds, and thousands, even, that crowd Magee Marsh on Mother’s Day weekend. The Big Sit is a national event, but Tom has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Black Swamp Bird Observatory.

The Memory Gears

Heather Shaw cares for her mom who has Alzheimer’s. This means that sometimes her own mom doesn’t recognize her, and calls her by different names. Other times, she’s clear, more present than she’s ever been. This is the surreal world she’s in, one with surprising gifts.

Let’s Dance

Sue Cavenaugh had committed to make a large fabric installation for the Mansfield Art Center, and had just begun when she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Determined, she completed the work, and died a short time later. Doug Swift, who’s wife had recently died of ovarian cancer, visits the exhibit.

Maryna and the Symphony Orchestra

Maryna Kohut was horrified when Russia invaded Ukraine. She has relatives who live in both countries, and considers Ukraine her home country. She said it was like seeing her daddy beating up her mommy. We visit with her as an orchestra from Ukraine swings through town.

About Jack and Doug

Doug Swift and Jack Shuler are journalists based in Central Ohio. This is Ohio tells true stories about the quietly heroic people in their home communities and across the Buckeye State. This is Ohio is a project of The Reporting Project, a local media source serving the good people of Licking County, Ohio.