23 million albums, multiple Grammy nominations and a four-time Female Vocalist of the Year who's recorded more than 20 top 10 singles including six number one hits! We're talking country music royalty - the legendary Martina McBride. She headlines our 2024 Independence Day Celebration at Coffman Stadium. So, what goes into planning one of Dublin's signature events and how are we able to book dynamic headliners year after year? The woman who leads our team in doing just that is Community Events Director, Alison LeRoy. She has the scoop on just about every touring performer and band out there because her job involves talking to everybody. But summer in Dublin is much more than the 4th. Alison joins Lindsay and Bruce to unveil details on weeks' worth of incredible events happening at Riverside Crossing Park: from Workout Wednesdays to Cinema Saturdays, there's something for the kids and adults alike. Have your smartphone calendar handy because this episode is full of events you'll want to plan right now!

According to the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC), the 15-county Central Ohio region is expected to have a population of 3.15 million by 2050.  It's not a typo – 3.1 million.  And that number is actually an increase from previous projections.  In 2023, Columbus was the fastest growing city nationally according to the Bank of America Institute.    Even if regional leaders wanted to and we had the space to, we couldn't add enough new roadway lanes to accommodate our expected growth.  So, the solution(s) is a multi-layered approach centered on increased mass transit while continuing to make Dublin even more bike and pedestrian friendly.  (We're the only Ohio city with a silver level bike friendly designation!) For this episode, Lindsay and Bruce welcome the President and CEO of COTA, Monica Tellez-Fowler, and J.M. Rayburn, Transportation and Mobility Planner.  Together, they talk about this broad approach to transportation including the LinkUS initiative which will bring increased options from downtown Columbus to Dublin and beyond.   Plus, you have to stay tuned to find out which mega-star juiced public transit ridership by the thousands!

There are many famous names in golf, but only one stands above all others in collective contributions from the game and to it - Nicklaus.   Jack Nicklaus won more majors than anyone in history, and his legacy and his family's legacy are spread worldwide in everything from golf course design to leading edge health care.   His son, Jack Nicklaus II, leads many of those efforts, including serving as Chairman of the Muirfield Village Golf Club and the Memorial Tournament.  He's designed 50 golf courses worldwide and also serves on the Board of the Nicklaus Children's Healthcare Foundation.   Jack joins Lindsay and Bruce to talk about the origins of Muirfield (it was hunting grounds for his father and grandfather), big changes to this year's tournament and how his famous father might not be the best golf coach.   

In Dublin, we truly live our mission every day to be the most sustainable, global city of choice.   Think about these numbers:  our world-class Dublin City Schools teach students from more than 70 countries who speak more than 100 languages.  Residents in more than 20% of homes in Dublin speak a language other than English.  Our more than 4000 businesses contribute to worldwide commerce every single day.  Plus, from Lebanese to Cuban to Vietnamese restaurants and virtually every ethnicity in between, the world's delicious delicacies are abundant and thriving in Dublin.   So, we absolutely jumped at the chance to highlight a recent naturalization ceremony at the Abbey Theater where nearly 150 people became U.S. citizens.   And talk about a star-studded podcast guest line-up: the Honorable Ed Sargus of U.S. District Court who helped officiate that very ceremony and Vita Lambillotte, Senior Stylist Director at Penzone.  Vita is a naturalized citizen herself and both she and Judge Sargus call Dublin - home.  Stay tuned to hear why this episode especially is a huge milestone too!

From exclusive, never-before-seen productions to Disney musicals to Green Day's 'American Idiot', the award-winning Abbey Theater truly has something for everyone this season. Check out the performance line-up because the 200-seat venue is sure to fill up night in, night out and matinees, too. Lindsay and Bruce walk you through the season with Dublin's Theater Supervisor, Joe Bishara, as this episode is absolutely jam-packed. The City, the Abbey, and our audiences are so fortunate to have earned a reputation where playwrights, directors and performers want to come to us to debut their work. There are performances now through the fall for families, kids and adults. Joe also discusses his holistic vision, how he plots out a full season and his longer-range goals to bring even more educational and immersive experiences to the Abbey. If you listen long enough, you just might hear him bust out some fantastic Josh Groban melodies, too!

Each Dublin City Council member brings their own perspective, strengths and goals to the job.  We're fortunate and so are our residents to have member, Andy Keeler, watching many things including our tax dollars and local creativity!  Andy is a certified financial planner and by nature a goal-setting planner.  And yet, he's a master woodworker and furniture maker.  His works are on display in his office, his home and at Council chambers.   He shares equal passions with Lindsay and Bruce on being a careful steward of taxpayer dollars and explains how those dollars are effectively spent and leveraged for the greater good.  Bridge Park is a great example of this!   You'll also hear more about his passion for the arts and his quote 'mind-blowing 2.0 version of Metro Center!'    Plus, in our rapid-fire segment, if a buttoned-up financial guy, like Andy, won the lottery, could he then make a silly financial purchase?   Find out!

Be honest, have you thrown one of those plastic clamshell containers for strawberries or blackberries in your recycle bin?  That's a recycling no-no, and that's why this episode is so timely.  April is Earth Month, and as our residents know and practice themselves, Dublin is becoming greener and more sustainable every day.  But it's always important to review and update the do's and don'ts of recycling because things evolve constantly, and that's a great thing!  Our partners at SWACO (Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio) help us and all of Central Ohio do that in multiple ways: educational programs in schools, tours of the Franklin County Sanitary Landfill, business partnerships and grants for which your organization can apply for possible financial assistance.  As Lindsay and Bruce discovered, the landfill has a 'shelf life,’ and it's up to us to extend it.  You'll find out how and more about one of our most popular events annually - Sustainable Saturday - where you can bring in everything from documents to hazardous waste to unused pills, and we'll make sure they're disposed of safely and properly. 

Those are the words of City Manager Megan O'Callaghan from the 2024 State of The City address .    You can absolutely take her word for it, but you can also hear from many people who joined Megan that night to explain how and why:  City Council members, City executives in public safety, economic development, transportation, sustainability, finance, and parks and recreation plus residents who also voiced their opinions.   Local students and volunteers joined, too, and discussed why Dublin is so special to them.  You'll also hear from our thriving business community and business partners who've called Dublin home for decades.   To paraphrase Mayor Amorose Groomes, a city is a simple calculation of population and area, but an exceptional community is one of connected people.   That's Dublin and that, too, is the state of our great City!

To be a global city of choice, Dublin constantly listens to residents, employs city staff with world-class expertise and coalesces outside leaders who also help us evolve and grow.   All of these entities came together recently for one of Dublin City Council's goals to 'Realize the Metro Center Revitalization Vision'.     Lindsay and Bruce lead the conversation with our panelists who shared insights on mixed-use development trends, walkable communities and shifting employment demographics.   Our thanks to the Embassy Suites Dublin for hosting this event and allowing us to 'plug-in' to their audio system and create another on the road podcast episode.   Metro Center was a ground-breaking development and with a dynamic refresh, it will once again be a 21st century destination to work, live, play, stay and enjoy! 

Do you know how Dublin funds our pristine parks, the Recreation Center, our miles upon miles of paved paths and so many more world class amenities?   Yes, it's by collecting taxes but there's way more to this story than you may know.  Thankfully, we have the City's Direction of Taxation, Tammy Lehnert, to walk us through the details.  For example, the difference between income taxes and property taxes, what's the most common question people have about their taxes and maybe most importantly, what's the most common mistake people make when filing them?   Plus, did you know we fund and provide our tremendous services with an income tax rate that's lower than many of our neighboring cities?    You'll also find Tammy to be not just an authoritative voice but a most welcoming one;  she and her team want your calls, emails and in-person inquiries at City Hall if you have questions.  Plus, she drops knowledge bombs on the history of taxation in America and gives a shout-out to a local high school math teacher who likely helped pave the way to her great career with the City of Dublin!

When newly sworn in Mayor (for a second time) Chris Amorose Groomes was 8 years old, she'd ride her bike down Sawmill Road to Tuller Fruit Farm for a delicious apple fritter on Saturday mornings.   She'd see maybe 10 or 12 cars on the long ride as Sawmill, then, was just a two-lane road.  Today, we know how busy Sawmill is and Home Depot now stands on the fruit farm property.    It's that kind of history and institutional knowledge she brings to the job along with her years on City Council. But the Mayor's family also has a steadfast dedication to City service, and it's instilled in her: her mother founded the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, helped write the original charter for the City and her father served as Dublin's Vice Mayor.    Mayor Amorose Groomes talks about that plus her vision to keep Dublin on the path for global leadership in sustainability, fiber to the home, quality of life and transportation. (hint: we're in the running for a possible major upgrade to Amtrak train service)   

Did you know Dublin has a wildlife expert who can answer your questions on everything from plants that deer love and hate to how a skunk smell gets in your house or car?   She's Dublin's Nature Education Coordinator, Barbara Ray, and her work comes from a natural and passionate place.  Barbara first started 'rescuing' tarantulas as a kid and grew up loving the outdoors and all animals.  She later led a horse breeding program in the Cleveland area, then came to work at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and fortunately, for us, that led to her coming to the City of Dublin.  Barbara does so much from hosting classes and school groups to speaking to residents about all things nature and animals.   Speaking of which, Barbara, Lindsay and Bruce explain a new city ordinance amendment regarding wild animals, what you need to know about the current deer mating season, plus some myth-busting on what really works if your pet gets sprayed by a skunk.  (hint:  toothpaste) 

Call it planning mixed with some luck as we drop this episode on the very week when we see a wintry mix of precipitation, school delays and our Dublin city crews on the job making sure our roads, bridges and walking paths stay clear and safe.   The person leading that charge is Dublin's Public Service Director, Jay Anderson, who joins Lindsay and Bruce to talk about plans for winter 2024.     Jay has been with the City nearly 30 years and discusses a wide range of services under his purview:  curb-to-curb snow removal, park maintenance and leaf collection just to name a few.   Jay answers the question that pops up every fall - should you mulch, collect or leave your autumn leaves on the ground?   Plus, now that winter is here, listen for his number one tip for residents to help city crews clear the streets of snow.  And if that's not enough, yes, artificial intelligence has come to snow predictions!    We also want to give a shout-out to all of our listeners as this episode kicks off Season 3 of Link Ahead.   We couldn't do this podcast without YOU!  

2023 encompassed Season 2 of Link Ahead and when we look back at the year of two dozen episodes and guests, it was as varied as you can get:  from World Series champ Kent Mercker and 10TV's Dom Tiberi, (both Dublin residents) to leaders from just about every sector of government talking about our tremendous city services and amenities.   Plus, who could forget Lindsay's co-hosting duties streetside from Dublin, *Ireland* at the St. Patrick's Day parade there!  We'd also be remiss if we didn't mention the reigning podcast queen, Alison LeRoy, our Director of Events.  In June of 2022 and 2023, Alison has come on the show to officially announce our July 4th entertainment at Coffman Stadium.  Those episodes get more downloads than any others, thousands in fact!   We're so proud of all these episodes as they highlight the people, places, leaders, and vision that make Dublin so special.   So, whether you're at home in front of the Christmas tree or in the car heading to see family and friends, take a listen to the greatest podcast hits of 2023 from Season 2 of Link Ahead!      

Who says you can't come home again? Not Jeremiah Gracia! In October, our City announced Jeremiah had accepted the position of Director of Economic Development. He brings nearly two decades of economic and business development experience, relationships throughout the region, plus two degrees from his alma mater, Bowling Green State University. Engrained in that experience are the nine years (2011-2020) Jeremiah spent here, on the City of Dublin's economic development team. He then moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan to lead its economic development efforts. Jeremiah is absolutely ecstatic to be back and talks with Lindsay and Bruce about his vision for Dublin and how we can build dynamic public and private partnerships locally, statewide and regionally. Plus, if you have an idea for Jeremiah, you can always email him or, as you'll hear, meet up on a specific basketball court!

Want to sport your ugliest Christmas sweater and see if it competes with, well, other ugly ones?   Come grab a favorite beverage and enjoy Holly Days in Historic Dublin throughout much of December.     Or, just enjoy the tradition while seeing your friends and neighbors at Dublin's annual Coffman Park tree lighting!   Everything kicks off this week across our city and there's seriously a great event (or several!) happening just about every night from now through December.   Here to talk about it with Lindsay and Bruce are Sharon Adamak with the Historic Dublin Business Association and Lauren Kocsis from Crawford Hoying.    We've teed up your holiday season with this episode.  Now come out and enjoy it ALL!

Veterans Day is Saturday, Nov. 11, and we're so proud to welcome U.S. Navy veteran and Dublin Veterans Committee member, Steve Dickman, to Link Ahead.  Steve shares with Lindsay and Bruce the fascinating and demanding lifestyle of serving our country on a Navy submarine.  And how's this for serendipity?  He's an Ohioan who served aboard the USS Toledo!  Steve's public service didn't end there.  His grandmother was a public school teacher, and when his active-duty military service ended, she encouraged him to keep serving the public.   So, he continues to today as an educator; first as a teacher and now an assistant high school principal.  Steve and his daughter have also raised some philanthropic dollars by running, and he shares one of his favorite running routes in Dublin that you may like to run, walk or bike, too.  We're honored to have Steve on this episode to pay tribute to the service of all veterans, not just on Veterans Day, but every day!

Did you know you can ask our great city to study traffic and speeds in your neighborhood?   You can also get trained to use a speed laser and even go on a ride-along with Dublin police to see how speeds are enforced.   It's a serious topic because speed is a leading factor in all types of crashes from fender benders to fatalities.  The City's Director of Transportation & Mobility, Jeannie Willis, talks to Lindsay and Bruce about the science and data behind traffic, speed and the engineering that goes into all of it.  Plus, we're launching a new campaign called 'Slow Down Dublin' and resident feedback and participation will be key factors in its effectiveness.   Listen in and join this effort to make our streets even safer for all of us!

You may scratch your head after hearing Dublin Public Services Administrator, Michael Darling, say our recycling numbers are going down. That’s why context is so important on just about anything, right?  Don't worry, Dublin still outpaces Ohio and the nation when it comes to recycle rates but overall, we're recycling less because packaging is getting lighter and lighter.  It's a tonage thing and a good thing.   This episode is super topical, too, as Lindsay, Bruce and Michael discuss the upcoming and ever so popular, Document Destruction day, which is now Sustainable Saturday! On October 14, you can bring everything from sensitive documents to old towels and sheets to be properly disposed of. Last year, you also kept more than 68,000 pounds of pumpkins out of the landfill by composting those gourds. Let's do it again this year as that effort begins soon, too. If all of this isn't incentive enough to recycle and compost even more, Michael shares some pretty big numbers on how all of these efforts create jobs and revenue!  

Dublin's Director of Engineering, Paul Hammersmith, is often at the center of it all: big projects with potentially enormous residential impact so he's always lending a careful eye and ear to how residents feel.  He’s been to countless community meetings, armed with data, expertise and plenty of information to share. He views citizen input as just that - valuable input from an engaged public - as to how a city should grow and prosper. That's why so many residents know him by name - because he's spent decades serving, listening and, in his words, trying to master the craft of engineering in Dublin along with the communications surrounding it. Paul has been here for every roundabout that's been built, the completion of Emerald Parkway, the Dublin Link and Bridge Park, just to name a few big projects. He talks with Lindsay and Bruce about more big projects on the way and recruiting the next generation of great engineers to join our team.  

This is NOT your dad's arcade.  Think popular video games like Minecraft and Valorant on blazing fast computers, modern headsets, lush chairs (you could take a nap in) and certified coaches who welcome all levels of players!   That's the Respawn Lounge inside the Dublin Community Recreation Center.   Parents, we have activities covering a wide swath of ages from eight years old on up to high schoolers:  drop-in hours on Sundays, Fortnite Fridays, league play and so much more.    Your kids aren't just playing with others in Hilliard or New Albany although that's perfectly fine.  They're testing their skills against others around the world.  And did we mention college students these days are getting scholarship money for their esports prowess?   The Ohio State University has an entire esports program in fact!   Plus, as you'll hear from Dublin's Director of Recreation Services, Tracey Gee, and Recreation Program Supervisor, Phil Gross, Dublin has even bigger gaming plans for the future!    

How do you start a conversation with a sports legend who's interviewed everyone from Michael Jordan to Jack Nicklaus and virtually every Buckeye football player and coach over the last 40 years? Actually, it's pretty easy; Lindsay and Bruce start with the calendar because it's FOOTBALL SEASON! 10TV's Dom Tiberi goes in-depth on the 2023-'24 Buckeyes plus talks about the pressures of NIL and what could be two super conferences in college football. Dom talks about his favorites OSU-Michigan games and his favorite stadiums to visit outside Ohio. Many people also know the Tiberi family suffered an unimaginable loss 10 years ago.  Dom and Terri's daughter, Maria, died in a distracted driving accident. Since then, they've dedicated themselves to spreading a message of awareness and love about the dangers of distracted driving. When the Tiberi family does get some down time, they spend it at the beach and yet, Dom is adamant about not getting in the ocean. (Our podcast title gives you a hint). Dom is also passionate about his home in Dublin, where his grandkids are now growing up, too. And in typical fashion for a busy broadcaster, Dom recalls how he was covering a sports story when Terri bought their first house in Dublin!

Sure, Dublin's Field of Corn snags the Facebook and Instagram posts but did you know our great city has 70 public works of art? Get the scoop on the newest artwork – the Boat in the Field. Another one currently getting a lot of attention sits right outside Cameron Mitchell's newest restaurant in Bridge Park, Valentina's. That tremendous work was created by a local couple, but artists worldwide submit their ideas to be part of our arts scene. The person who manages it all is Dublin's Public Art Manager, Dr. Ava Truman Morgan. She also talks with Bruce and Lindsay about that entire process;  how does an idea eventually become a public painting, sculpture or in the case of Valentina's, a striking 3,400 piece ceramic tile column? Plus, Ava talks up all the bands for Sundays at Scioto which kicks-off August 27 with the Reaganomics. Those concerts are free but you want to get there early!

Dublin, Ohio's Ian Montgomery had a momentous phone call to make; some 3,560 miles away to his mother in Dublin, Ireland. He was flat-out giddy to share the news, that he was named the 2023 Honorary Chair of the Dublin Irish Festival.  It's been quite the journey the last 20 years for Ian, and he shares it all with Lindsay and Bruce in this episode. Ian was on the beat 10 years as a police officer in Ireland when he happened to meet an American woman there. Fast forward to present day, they're married with 4 kids, live in our great city and he owns Fado Pub and Kitchen in Bridge Park. Hollywood couldn't script this, right?  A Dublin to Dublin life, owner of an Irish pub and now honorary leader of the largest three-day Irish festival in the world.   And yes, his mom is very, very proud!

The most robust high speed fiber optic network Dublin residents have ever seen -- or had access to - is coming starting next year!    The City's Chief Information Officer, Doug McCollough, joins Lindsay and Bruce for a wide-ranging discussion on the when, where, and why.   You'll hear about the three-year build phase and why the city is investing in fiber optics.   (Hint: it blows away wireless connectivity!) Plus, as with any project in Dublin, we talk about citizen input.  Doug has been hosting meetings, coffees and lunches for years with residents.  He's heard your comments, both positive and negative, and certainly wants those conversations to continue now that this project is about to launch.