This site requires JavaScript to be enabled. Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings, or upgrade to a modern browser.

Johnathon Williams Joins Ben Rodgers To Discuss His Lifelong Commitment To Service

Loading player...

Ben Rodgers sits down with Putnam County Commissioner Jonathan A.D. Williams, whose journey from Chicago to the Marine Corps to Cookeville shaped a lifelong commitment to service. Williams shares how his upbringing, military career, and years in law enforcement inspired his passion for local government and community leadership. Now a barber and the representative for District 1, he talks road infrastructure, school priorities, and the importance of building consensus over holding grudges. It’s an honest look at what it takes to serve your neighbors—and why relationships matter in politics.

Listen To The Local Matters Podcast Today!

12 Dec 2025 9AM English United States Society & Culture · Education

Other recent episodes

Brian Larson Joins Tiffany Anton As They Discuss Building A Stronger Community

When it comes to electrical work, quality and safety matter most. Tiffany Anton talks with Brian Larson of Larson Electrical Solutions about why hiring a licensed electrician is crucial, how he ensures every job is done right, and his hopes to teach the next generation of skilled trades in our…

11 Feb 9AM 32 min

Trent Jones Joins Jeremy Wendt To Discuss What STEMOVATE Is & Its' Impact On Students

On this episode of the Local Matters podcast, Jeremy Wendt is joined by Trent Jones from STEMOVATE. He helped bring STEM education to Putnam County School Systems as a 4H Agent, and has lived a life full of spreading his knowledge in agriculture, stem, and 4H. He talks about what…

10 Feb 9AM 33 min

Gannon Richesin Joins George Halford To Discuss How Faith Fuels His Work

George Halford sits down with Gannon Richesin, a Philadelphia, Tennessee native whose heart for service fuels both his ministry and community leadership. Gannon shares his path from Loudon High School to becoming a vocational minister and pastor of Three Rivers Church, as well as the director of Matthew 25 Ministries…

9 Feb 9AM 32 min

Doug Stafford Joins Ben Rodgers To Discuss The Importance Of Decisions In Local Government

Ben Rodgers sits down with Jackson County Commissioner Doug Stafford, a lifelong local whose roots run deep in Gainesboro. Doug shares his journey from working city trash trucks and spending two decades at Nielsen to serving on the county commission, reflecting on a lifetime of volunteerism that began at just…

6 Feb 9AM 32 min

Stacy Brewington Joins Dr. Emily Lee To Speak On Heart Health & American Heart Month

Emily Lee sits down with Stacy Brewington, a longtime cardiology professional who has spent 21 years with Tennessee Heart. Brewington shares how a single EMT class at Tennessee Tech shifted him from engineering into a lifelong career in patient care. He breaks down the many moving parts that keep a…

5 Feb 9AM 34 min

All episodes