July 2022 - The John Krol Show

July 28, 2022

Jim Campagna, radio veteran, enthusiast of life

The man, the myth, the legend. Jim Campagna is one of my (perhaps unsung) heroes who made it possible for the long-running Good Morning Pittsfield radio show on WTBR to continue through long stretches during election cycles. However, some may not know that broadcasting is Jim’s professional background and he DJ’ed at various stations, including WNAW/WMNB in North Adams when I met him. Somehow we managed quite successfully with a station (WTBR) that was essentially a hotbox in the summer months, regularly hitting 90 degrees, no wireless, and equipment that seemed to be hanging by a string. But it was fun, and we helped save the station that is today situated in more comfortable (perhaps air-conditioned) confines. Jim was a big part of that. Today, JIm and his wife, Kim, are regular cow bell ringing loyalists at Pittsfield Suns games, and you may find them crushing it in Karaoke at venues in the Berkshires. Afterall, that’s where Jim took Kim on their first date, impressing her with his Jim Morrison-like vocals. We also cover the present and future of Wahconah Park, a trade for a Ken Griffey rookie card, the Berkshire Black Bears, Kevin Costner baseball movies, Val Kilmer, attributes of a television anchor, the art of a decent interview, his wedding in the Crane Room at the Berkshire Museum and more. I hope you’ll enjoy my conversation with Jim Campagna. — Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-krol/support

July 28, 2022

Podcast: Charles Harrigan, personal trainer

The “absolute favorite thing in the world” for Charles Harrigan to do is make people stronger, as he tells us on The John Krol Podcast. And at 5 a.m. every weekday morning, he shows his commitment by holding boot campers accountable to doing just that – making them stronger. And he has many loyal athletes who have been doing it for years with him finding their fittest selves. It all started for Charles after a back injury made it impossible for him to go back to his career in construction, and instead, he went back to school to become a certified Personal Fitness Trainer in 2009. Or, maybe his tenacity was forged even earlier when he spent some years of his childhood in third world living conditions in the British Virgin Islands, saying he has “good memories of being broke.” Charles is a father, a motivator and a positive force in our community. In this episode, we cover his approach to personal training, the benefits and drawbacks of particular sports and activities, his Instagram handle “acidjester,” playing Xbox, how he never ended up with a.desk job, his love of Pittsfield and more. I hope you’ll enjoy my conversation with Charles Harrigan. — Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-krol/support

July 17, 2022

#43 – Danielle Munn, owner, Witch Slapped

Ep43 of The John Krol Podcast: The exchange of positive energy. That’s the vision Danielle Munn has for her retail space, which has already become a bit of a downtown hub. Witch Slapped is intended with the desire to create “nothing but healing.” With a dedicated “healing room” and a workshop space, independent practitioners are being encouraged to reach out to Danielle to offer their services in her space. Sure, you can purchase crystals, moonstone necklaces and dreamcatchers (among other items at the store), but Danielle sees her store as a gathering space for conversations, ideas and building community. We also cover Danielle’s remarkable journey following the sudden death of her spouse, living in a mobile home at the top of a mountain in New Hampshire, outsmarting the women’s leggings market to get back on her feet financially, and finding a loyal partner (Gary, who happened to be from Pittsfield) and starting a wonderful new household in the Berkshires. It didn’t happen by accident. We cover Danielle’s work to manifest her vision through “goal digging” and consistent visualization, and the tenacity to shift from survival mode to thriving. Oh, by the way, Danielle and Gary have eight kids living with them, and each of them contribute to Witch Slapped in their own way. This a wonderful story of love, perseverance and love. I hope you’ll enjoy my conversations with Danielle Munn, owner of Witch Slapped. — Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-krol/support

July 14, 2022

Tariq Pinkston on The John Krol Podcast

Ep42 of The John Krol Podcast: The innovative splice of intuition and fitness fundamentals is how Tariq Pinkston is carving his path to raising the vibration in the world around him. Growing up as an empath, or “feeler,” as he was known in his family, was not always easy. However, Earthly angels, like his Mother, helped Tariq along the way and he’s found his place in a focus on the mind, body and soul – calling himself a Wholistic Fitness Trainer (yes, the added ‘W’ is purposeful). We cover a lot of ground in this episode, including: the power of gratitude, frequency, vibration and energy, subconscious self-affirmations, chakras, meditation (this episode even includes an abbreviated guided meditation), being heart-centered, parenthood, overcoming childhood trauma, the destructive nature of holding grudges, and more. I hope you’ll enjoy my conversation with Tariq Pinkston! — Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-krol/support

July 3, 2022

#41 – Mike Daly, It’s Pittsfield Tonight, world class drummer, musician, community advocate

When Mike Daly puts his attention and focus on something, he’s all in…as in 15 hours a day for 10 years straight, all in, as he did playing drums on his path to record for top bands and labels. Mike’s journey to It’s Pittsfield Tonight was a remarkable and winding road, from the foster system, to times living without a home in Pittsfield and in Florida, to the tumultuous world of being a heavy and death metal drummer. Saying he felt like he was in “survival mode” from the age of 11, Mike found himself in his craft. We explore his work ethic and his rise and setbacks in the music industry, his surprising transition to success in sales, marriage and divorce, and coming back to Pittsfield. We also discuss his complicated relationship with his late father. The two reconciled two decades ago and were very close until his father passed recently. It’s Pittsfield Tonight started out as a variety show and evolved as Mike found that advocating on key issues resonated with many people in the community.

I truly enjoyed my conversation with Mike, and I hope you will, too.

July 2, 2022

#36 – Ty Allan Jackson, author, motivational speaker, financial literacy advocate, powerhouse

Inspiration personified. Ty Allan Jackson’s relentless optimism and grit was molded into his soul growing up in the Bronx, during an electric era of scary excitement. “I wouldn’t trade my childhood for anything in the world,” Ty says about his youth in the Bronx, when hip-hop was conceived, the Yankees were rock stars, and he followed his loving mother’s footsteps (and bookshelf) as a “ferocious reader.” It would be decades later when he found his true calling when he discovered that there was no published book to adequately support his son’s entrepreneurial spirit. This, following an auspicious opening of his lemonade stand at the corner of Dexter and Elm Street.

Just as the Bronx forged his core, he credits the Berkshires and Pittsfield for facilitating his success as an author, calling it a “magical” place. “What you do here makes a difference.”

We cover a lot of territory in this conversation, including: Ty’s professional career before becoming an author, working in sales, the early days of hip-hop culture in the Bronx, the world champion Bronx Bombers (Ty can still name the starting lineup of the ’77 squad), his early reading, beginning with Native Son by Richard Wright, getting rejected by every single publishing company and then self-publishing, the remarkable lack of financial literacy in U.S. public schools (and how is this possible?), Read or Else, Noelle Santos and The Lit. Bar, organic reach with Instagram Reels, effectively utilizing social media to convert volume to sales, creating the mindset needed to consistently create content, receiving a doctorate from Mass. College of Liberal Arts, taking the leap from a stable corporate job to an independent author, and much more.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with Ty Allan Jackson.

July 2, 2022

#40 – Jill Sweet, RN, Public Health Nurse, Certified Child Safety Passenger Technician

The challenges for health care workers over the past three years have been well-documented. For public health nurses, the pandemic presented an entirely new level of responsibilities in, often, uncharted territory. Jill Sweet served as both a school nurse and the Public Health Nurse for Tri-Town Health and the Southern Berkshire Public Health Collaborative during these years. Our conversation includes a look back at some of the policies that worked and some that didn’t, as well as a variety of other public health issues, including: Lyme disease and tick-borne illnesses, food safety and the health of our senior citizens. In addition, Jill is a certified Child Safety Passenger Technician ushering in a program that helps families ensure carseats are installed properly. Further, the Southern Berkshire Public Health Collaborative has a large supply of grant-funded carseats that are free for families that our income-eligible.