The Missouri legislature just passed a bill that bans antisemitic speech in public schools and colleges/universities across the state. They keep forgetting Orwell's writings weren't supposed to be a playbook.

Here's why the bill is awful, and how their justification for it makes zero sense. 

In this episode, I sit down with Chris Sanders, the Program Director at Lighthouse Mission. Chris went to prison 7 times before his life completely changed.

This is a raw one. Chris shares his story of failure, redemption, faith, and second chances.

Topics:

What it’s really like getting out of prison
How Lighthouse Mission works
Why structure (no phone, no car) matters
The moment that changed Chris’s life forever

If you enjoy stories like this, share it with someone who needs to hear it.

—
Lake of the Ozarks
️ Take On The Lake by LakeExpo

Got a guest idea? Message us on Facebook @TakeontheLake

In this episode of Take on the Lake, I had Osage Beach Mayor Michael Harmison in studio to talk about the biggest issues facing the city right now.

We discuss the proposed mall redevelopment, how the city evaluates tax incentives, and why the project has become one of the most talked-about developments at Lake of the Ozarks.

We also talked about everyone's favorite topic: the long-running sewer odor issue. Plus, new housing projects coming to the area, parks improvements, airport questions, and whether all growth is good growth.

Topics include:

• The Bass Pro / mall redevelopment proposal

• How TIF incentives work

• Sewer system improvements

• New housing developments

• Parks and recreation upgrades

• Airport discussions

• A potential sports and events complex

• The future growth of Osage Beach

Subscribe for more conversations about the future of Lake of the Ozarks.

Justin shares his incredible journey from arriving at Lake of the Ozarks with just $300, a cat, and a pregnant wife to becoming a Lake of the Ozarks Shootout Hall of Fame member and owner of one of the most iconic names in power-boating.

In This Episode:

- How Justin launched Waves and Wheels from a Chevy Astro van

- The legendary all-nighter that changed everything

- Building the Iron Man boat that put custom marine work on the map

- Surviving the 2008 recession by pivoting and innovating

- The stories behind Bluave Audio and Boardwalk Marina

- Acquiring Doug Wright Powerboats and the vision for its future

- Native Ridge development - bringing luxury motor coach resort living to Lake of the Ozarks

- Real advice for young people starting out: "Be passionate, work hard, and do what you say you're gonna do"

Key Takeaways:

- Why Lake of the Ozarks is the perfect place for the American dream

- How to build lasting success through dedication and integrity

- The importance of team, family, and community

Doug Wright Powerboats: dougwrightpowerboats.com

In this solo episode, I talk about the biggest stories to come across our LakeExpo news desk so far this year. And there's already a LOT!

We'll dive into the Outlet Mall Rescue Plan, and unpack:

• What developers have revealed so far (Bass Pro!)

• How much they plan to spend 

• What they're asking from the City of Osage Beach

It's already shaping up to be a fascinating year at Lake of the Ozarks... let's dive in!

Welcome to Season 2 -- aka year two -- of Take On The Lake! We're starting this year off with a bang... specifically, hundreds of missing flashbangs.

In his first year on the job, Edgar discovered missing flashbangs, non-functional AR-15s, weak ballistic vests, unsecured firearms, and IT systems so broken the office lost dispatch for an entire week. In this episode, we talk through what he found, what he fixed, and what still keeps him up at night.

Topics include:

• Why hundreds of flashbangs were unaccounted for

• How deputies were issued rifles they didn’t trust to fire

• Why some ballistic vests wouldn’t stop a 9mm round

• Rebuilding firearms security, armories, and inventory systems from scratch

• The financial reality of running a full jail — and why it’s a losing deal for counties

• Mental health, burnout, and why suicide is the #1 killer of law enforcement

• Drug trafficking at scale in Camden County — and what’s changed

• The real workload behind 18,000+ calls per year with limited road deputies

• Why visible patrols still matter — and how zoning deputies is reducing crime

• And by the end of the episode I finally realize who is Chris's doppelganger (a certain heavily memed VP)

This is a rare, candid look at what happens when leadership actually audits the system — and starts fixing it.

I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.

(NOTE: Apparently the first version of this was too quiet -- my apologies! New version has been uploaded with better audio balance.)

From Elf and Jim Carrey’s Grinch to Rudolph trauma, Hallmark “cheap love,” and subscription service rage—this one’s pure Christmas chaos.

Paradise, Tucker’s Shuckers, Frankie & Louie’s, Neon Taco, Malted Monkey… the list goes on.

So how does a guy go from buying a worn-out lake bar in 2007 as a new college grad, to becoming one of the Lake's most prolific restauranteurs who is now developing one of the largest entertainment complexes the Lake has ever seen?

In this interview, George reveals...

• How he stupidly (but brilliantly) bought Paradise at age 23 ("I think it was stupidity... but it worked out!")

• That moment when his bartender fell through the floor and he thought "What have I gotten myself into?"

• Why Malted Monkey exists (hint: kids throwing rocks at Tucker’s)

• The scramble to buy Beavers at the Dam at a steal of a price

• The story behind the name “Neon Taco”

• Behind-the-scenes of the giant new project by Bagnell Dam and how it was almost built out of bamboo

• What the Lake still needs to become a year-round community

• Oasis, trails, airports, housing, and the future of the Strip

And why he can't seem to quit buying and building stuff at the Lake (he says he's done after this big one, but I'm not sure he even believes himself).

AND… I share the story of the lion that once lived on the Strip. Yes. Real lion.

When I first started this podcast, I put George Tucker on my interview list. I knew it was a good idea, and I know you'll agree.

Is Missouri Conservation actually helping… or just getting in the way?

Guest: Brady Ford — managing broker for the Matt Ford Real Estate Team and a hardcore hunter who’s guided trips for elk, antelope, bear, whitetail and more from Missouri to Idaho to New Zealand.

Topics:

• Growing up hunting the woods around Lake of the Ozarks

• Guiding black bear hunts in remote Idaho where the nearest gas station is 90 miles away

• Bowhunting antelope at 75 yards on the windswept plains of Colorado

• Chasing elk at 13,000 feet in New Mexico (and waking up with one next to you)

• Free-range red stag and mountain goat in New Zealand

Then we get spicy:

• Why Missouri has so many deer — and what that actually costs us

• The thousands of deer-related crashes every year and the real-world impact on families

• Mountain lions, bears, and what happens when we shut down predator seasons

• Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), feeding bans, and whether the science matches the rules

• Why rifle season is so short — and so badly timed — for most everyday hunters

• Youth season timing vs. regular firearms season and how that affects the rut

• Whether MDC is too focused on “trophy management” and not focused enough on real-life consequences

Brady also breaks down:

• Calling strategies: rattling, grunts, the “wheeze,” and not over-pressuring your stand

• Food plots in Ozark rock country and why nutrition matters for antler size

• Buck-to-doe ratios and why “more does” isn’t always better

Plus: I reveal the wildest thing I've ever found on my property — two locked bucks who died mid-fight, still tangled together years later.

If you love deer hunting, have strong opinions about MDC, or just like hearing stories about chasing animals on mountains you can barely breathe on… don't miss this one.

Shana Aubuschon has seen a lot during her time at Share the Harvest Food Pantry. From elderly folks on a fixed income who only take the canned goods (they leave the fresh veggies for the younger families) to food bank hoppers, they serve 600 families every month, right here in Camden County.

Shana took a moment away from a busy time at the food pantry — with seasonal layoffs, holiday surges, and SNAP on pause — to talk about how Share the Harvest works, why local generosity and volunteering makes a world of difference, and how their food pantry rescues a million pounds of groceries a year from local grocery stores: that's food that would have been thrown in the dumpster.

(Note: since recording, SNAP benefits have been reinstated. But the point remains: federal solutions are no way to care for local communities.)

We talk about the stadium subsidy bill (and why he voted no on the Chiefs & Royals stadiums), a huge step toward commercial air service at Lake of the Ozarks, and a push to make it harder to rewrite Missouri’s constitution.

Plus: ADA lawsuit shakedowns, senior pension reform, and fixing the state’s mental-health backlog (county jails are filled with mental health inmates that the state can't handle.)

This is a full-throttle look at Missouri politics and how it actually hits home at the Lake.

Topics:

• Chiefs & Royals stadium subsidies

• Redistricting and Initiative Petition reform

• Paid leave, minimum wage, and Prop A round two

• The future of the Osage Beach airport ✈️

• Local school policy & open enrollment

• Predatory ADA website lawsuits

• Pension relief for seniors

• Jails, mental health, and county budgets

• Growth vs. charm at the Lake

Guest: Rep. Jeff Vernetti (Missouri House, Camden County)

Host: Nathan Bechtold | Take on the Lake (powered by LakeExpo)

Listen anywhere you get podcasts

▶️ Watch full video on YouTube

Emily (Blair) Mensendiek is part of that legacy: her family started Blair Cedar, Ozarkland, and Blair’s Landing — some of the most iconic local businesses at the Lake. Now, she’s turned her energy toward something new: the arts.

From orchestral performances to kids’ theater, Emily’s helping champion and grow a creative community at the Lake. In this episode, we talk about the roots of her family’s impact, how she and her husband are carrying it forward through Evergreen, and what a thriving arts scene could mean for the future of the Lake of the Ozarks.

It's called Argosy: they make super-high-end, custom shelving and workstations specifically for audio recording studios. And it's all made right here at the Lake.

Here's one testimonial: "Argosy is the Rolls Royce of studio styling" - Jon Anderson; YES

James Rericha is the new owner/CEO of Argosy... but he's been involved in quite a few other businesses at the Lake too.

In this free-ranging conversation (as per usual), we talk about the Lake's lost manufacturing segment, the perils of private equity takeovers, and what many business-owners at the Lake aren't doing but should be.

This is definitely part-one of a conversation that is to be continued...

www.argosyconsole.com

www.r.vet

#lakeoftheozarks #business #recording #manufacturing #entrepreneurship

Episode thumbnail courtesy Argosy

We talk mission, products boaters actually use, how they train blind employees for factory work, and the surprisingly awesome sport of beep baseball.

Guests: Kevin Thomas & Steve Kish (LHB Industries)

Learn more: lhbindustries.com

Key highlights

• Why LHB exists: tackling ~75% unemployment among blind/visually impaired folks

• Products boaters need: Falcon air horns (multi-size, refillable trumpets), vinyl mender & fiberglass patch for quick repairs

• Household staples: Dust-Off electronic duster, wipes, HyperClean plant-based screen cleaner

• Where to buy: Walmart/Sam’s/Costco (Dust-Off), Walmart.com (horns), Amazon (RapidFix/Tear Mender/Vinyl Mender), Berg’s at the Lake (wipes/cleaner)

• Mission reinvestment: mobile vision clinics, SOAR life-skills, Space Camp for blind kids, support for beep baseball

• Factory: St. Louis (Maryland Heights), domestic suppliers, adapted lines, high QC

The Magic Dragon Trail System is under construction, and it'll result in 70 miles of trails at the Lake that could some day connect with Missouri's famous Katy Trail.

Behind it all is the Community Foundation of the Lake (CFL). For this episode, CFL President Stacy Pyrtle and I talk about... well, money! The CFL does a LOT more than you probably realize, and she makes a strong pitch for why you ought to open a fund/foundation through them.

We also preview the upcoming Champagne Campaign -- an always-memorable evening of giving (tickets are still available!)

You will learn a lot in this episode, guaranteed. Or your money back...

Here's where to find CFL, learn about starting a fund of your own, and buy tickets to the Champagne Campaign: https://www.communityfoundationofthelake.org/

#lakeoftheozarks #charity #outdoors #hiking #biking #investment

In this episode, we talk about Charlie’s life, their friendship, and what hope remains for a country roiled with the effects of an ideology Charlie so passionately battled.

Bill will be visiting the Lake of the Ozarks for the Camden County Republican Club’s Patriot Dinner on Saturday, Oct. 18. Get tickets at ccrclub.com.

Find Bill’s full schedule for his Missouri statewide tour at Liberty Link Missouri PAC’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554055814018

#charliekirk #billfederer #politics #conservatism

But it does. CADV serves hundreds of people every year in the Lake area who are victims of domestic violence. In this sobering interview, Sheree and Michelle Cook talk about the reality and pervasiveness of domestic violence in our community... and how it hides in plain sight.

We also talk about one of the best charity events of the year: the CADV Brunch.

Episode art: portion of a painting created for CADV by Ivy Zeller, a budding young artist in the Lake community.

#lakeoftheozarks #charity #domesticviolence #cadv

Now a partner at Van Chevy/Cadillac/Subaru in KC, Chris brought his unique experience to Lake of the Ozarks when he discovered it thanks to "that video" in 2020 (you know the one).

He's joined the Shootout Board and is helping guide that organization, and he also leveraged his Cadillac connections to bring a huge win to this year's Shootout events.

In this episode we talk about that, but we also discuss the unique problems in the Lake of the Ozarks' economy... especially seasonal business and entry-level housing. Turns out, we're both pretty bullish on the Lake, and Chris has some thoughts on the way forward.

www.vankc.com

www.lakeoftheozarksshootout.com

#lakeoftheozarks #economy #housing #shootout #boating #tourism

Now, Mayo is coming to the Lake of the Ozarks.

In a dramatic announcement last month, Lake Regional Health System announced they would be joining the exclusive Mayo Clinic Care Network. That means when you get treatment at Lake Regional, the medical staff have Mayo Clinic resources behind them. This is a pretty exclusive deal -- there's only one other medical system in Missouri with this kind of connection.

I sat down for a short interview with Mark Larson of Mayo Clinic and Kevin McRoberts of Lake Regional, right after the announcement at Lake Regional Hospital, and they helped unpack exactly why this is such interesting news for healthcare at the Lake. (Pardon the audio quality, we had a pretty minimal setup!)

#lakeoftheozarks #mayoclinic #lakeregional #healthcare #missouri #medicine

People are already noticing some of the upgrades, and they're really just getting started... room overhauls, golf cartpaths, there's a lot on the horizon and we got a sneak peek in this episode.

"We will run anywhere from 16 to 25%. So a full quarter of our population will qualify under what's called the McKinney Bento Act," HDE Principal Christie Moulder shared.

Moulder also shared a fact many people probably don't know: the school has no budget for things like field trips. Those are paid for by the Parent-Teacher Organization, commonly known as the PTO.

The Hurricane Deck Elementary PTO pays for everything from field trips to field days to playground equipment and fun community events, to help bolster kids' education. And a new golf tournament coming up this weekend will help fund the PTO's continued efforts.

The Birdies & Books Golf Tournament is set for Sunday, Aug. 10, at Indian Rock Golf Course. It's a 4-person scramble, with a shotgun start at 9am. $320 for a four-person team, and the money raised will help HDE kids have things like field trips and field days.

Want to register? Learn more on Facebook. Or contact: 

Lori Whitten at 816-804-3673 or lwhitten@camdentonschools.org

or

Kathy Brown 619-312-5520. kathy@lakeexpo.com

But what happens when the guys who are constantly changing the rules get the rug yanked out from under them?

Well, one thing is that my guest Sandy Waggett and I can't help but smile.

So yes, there's some schadenfreude in this episode. But we also talk about how AI (when ChatGPT dropped onto the stage in late-2022) not only changed the game for Google, it also gave normal folks — and celebrity types — a massive opportunity.

Sandy — founder/owner of MSW Interactive Designs — is an expert in helping people capitalize on the opportunities afforded by AI: in fact, she'll be presenting to a group of elite business coaches later this summer on exactly how to do it.

We got to her first, and you're going to find this conversation fascinating. And yes, ChatGPT made this episode thumbnail and I love it.

#ai #google #chatgpt #business #lakeoftheozarks

That song propelled Edwin around the world, and now having toured for 30 years, he still sings it everywhere he performs. Edwin will be opening for Train at Ozarks Amphitheather — at Lake of the Ozarks — on Aug. 1, so we convinced him to come on the podcast!

We talk about one of his major concert mistakes, how music is changing, his lesser-known role in his band, and what group he's always avoided... because he knows he would fanboy them to death if he ever met the lead-singer in person.

#edwinmccain #lovesongs #lakeoftheozarks #music #takeonthelake #1990s #90s

A woodcarver for decades, her claim to fame is standing in the Shakespeare Globe Theatre. She helped carve the incredibly ornate capitals in the two giant "Pillars of Hercules" that hold the theater's main roof beam and stand on either side of the stage.

Now Mary lives at the Lake of the Ozarks and runs an online and in-person woodcarving school, called Mary May's School of Traditional Woodcarving. She even has a one-day woodcarving event for novices, coming up soon.

In this fascinating and free-ranging interview, we talk about the dying practice of apprenticeship (and the oversaturation of formal education), the irreplaceable richness of creating things with your own hands, and what to do about a culture that values efficiency over beauty.

We also praise the merits of Play-Dough.

Learn more at marymaycarving.com

Check out photos of the Globe Theater at shakespearesglobe.com

#lakeoftheozarks #woodcarving #building #shakespeare #globetheater

Episode thumbnail: Jens Naehler, Creative Commons License (via Flickr)

For boaters, it's the moment when you've been coving out and you go to start the engine, and it just clicks. You're miles from home, and along comes Chris Stockton, a Marine and a licensed towboat captain. Chris's company Upstream Towing Co. is one of the main towing partners for XTow, LakeExpo's "worry-free boating" club.

But sometimes you're a Marine, and you look up and realize, "I'm not the man I need to be. I need help." That's where FOCUS Marines Foundation meets military members who are ready for a change. Steve Benefield serves with FOCUS, and as a Marine, Steve came back from deployment a changed man. "I lost my smile," he said. After more than a decade, Steve's smile is back, thanks to the transformative week he spent with FOCUS.

In this episode, we talk boating, boat-towing, and boat-rentals (Steve's main business). But then we dive deep into what makes — and breaks — a person, and how FOCUS Marines Foundation has helped more than 1,000 people come out of the fog of war.

For more info on the show's topics, visit:

-LakeXTow.com

-UpstreamTowing.com

-FocusMarines.org

#lakeoftheozarks #focusmarinesfoundation #upstreamtowing 

Chaos. Spicy chaos.

In this hangry roundtable episode, we dish on our favorite Lake of the Ozarks food trucks, most memorable meals, and which restaurants we think are underrated.

Plus, we debate the proper way to pronounce “birria” and “beignet,” and explain why grouper fingers deserve more respect.

It’s a rowdy, food-filled episode you don’t want to miss!

#TakeOnTheLake #LakeoftheOzarks #FoodTrucks #LakeEats #RoundtableTalk #Hangry

Jeff Pfitzer — Lake of the Ozarks Lifestyle & Pftizer Media — is obsessed with figuring out the rules of the social media game and helping small business owners hack them, to turn-up the profits. And do it without getting hooked on social media.

I've known Jeff for a couple years now, and since he had me on in the early days of his TikTok channel, I decided it was time to bring him onto TOTL.

We also learn about his secret past identity as a very famous MLB mascot! Plus I talk about Tolkien, because I can't help myself, and we take a quick philosophical dive.

-

Pfind Pfitzer & Lake of the Ozarks Lifestyle on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

We talk business, fun things to do at the Lake, and the incredible process of creating an escape room.

We talked about the mad scramble to get a waterpark open, the hilarious horror stories that come with it, and the new changes coming to SuperSplash this year. But most importantly, we dove into David’s bigger mission — running a business that’s intentionally Christian, from how they treat guests to how they raise up their team of ambassadors.

This episode is a ride — and a refreshing one.

*LISTENER NOTE* -- We recorded this episode on-site, in the midst of SuperSplash's scramble to open. AND it was a terribly windy day! So you'll hear equipment running in the background, and the wind whipping the curtains on the cabana where we sat. It's admittedly not the best sound quality, but it's very *real life*. I hope it doesn't bother you too much, and you can enjoy the interview!

We talk about why the Minimum Wage might actually be evil, whether AI is just digital Frankenstein, and yes — we even go there, with robot girlfriends. A fun, fast-paced convo that’ll get your brain cooking, and is guaranteed controversial!

From antique signs to vintage tools, Cody has a gift for seeing value in what most people overlook. We talked about the Davis Baskets sign he and his wife Emily lovingly restored, why old things are worth saving, and what they teach us about life at Lake of the Ozarks — past and present.

There’s a little echo in the audio-quality from the on-site interview, but this one’ll echo in your heart long after it’s over.

Make sure you check out the photos of Cody's barn-full-of-treasures at LakeExpo.com and on our Facebook Page, Facebook.com/TakeOnTheLake.

In this episode, Marshall's son John Flippo shares stories of growing up at the Lake, life with a square-dancing dad, and we talk about how things have changed over the years.

We close out with a rare treat: an original song Marshall recorded in 1980 with the Lee Mace Ozark Opry band. This one’s full of old-school Lake nostalgia.

#TakeOnTheLake #ChefJohnBuchanan #LakeOfTheOzarks #Tiramisu #KitchenChaos #Foodies

We sat down with Lake Ozark Police Chief James Boren to talk about what’s changed at the Lake, summer wild times on the Strip, and hosting a camera crew for Ozark Law. We also dove into issues like police officer pay and body cameras — plus, we talked about his other job: worship leader at a local church!

Take On The Lake is produced by LakeExpo, the leading digital media company and news/events source for Lake of the Ozarks.

Subscribe for more stories from the heart of Missouri!

#LakeOfTheOzarks #TakeOnTheLake #JamesBoren #OzarkLaw #PoliceChief #LakeLife

But in our interview with freshman State Rep. Jeff Vernetti (R-123), we talked about some surprisingly good progress on important legislative issues that affect all of Missouri as well as Lake of the Ozarks.

Trigger Warning: We put the minimum wage on blast pretty hard. Delicate ears will be offended.

Every single judge wanted him, but only Adam Levine had a spot left on his team. The dude's just 17 but his voice has GRIT.

We got the chance to interview this budding star. We talked about the show (of course), his favorite country artists, where he's landing gigs (spoiler: he's coming to Lake of the Ozarks), writing love songs, his spiritual journey, and how he calmed his nerves for that amazing audition... through prayers and pushups.

We'll be diving into fascinating stories, interviewing intriguing people, and facing controversial issues that are shaping Lake of the Ozarks. In this short intro episode, host Nathan Bechtold explains the "why," and shares his background.