Episodes

In this episode Jim Chapman sits down with Judge Jerry Denton, who is seeking re-election as Denham Springs City Judge Ward 2 & 7. Judge Denton goes into detail about his lifetime in many different roles including as a homicide detective, a city councilman, a city marshal, a current Judge and even a stint early on in his life working both offshore. Judge Denton also gives a glimpse into what it was like to take office as city court judge immediately shortly after the flood of 2016 and the day to...

In this episode Jim Chapman sits down with Steven J. Farber, a candidate for Denham Springs City Judge Ward 2 & 7 about his background, legal career, family and plans should he be elected as Denham Springs City Judge. Steven discusses his education, his work in law enforcement and juvenile justice, and the path that led him to study law and practice in public service roles. He also talks about why he decided to run, the qualities he believes a judge should have, and the kinds of cases the city ...

In this episode Jim Chapman sits down with Denver Blake Ballard, a candidate for Denham Springs City Council about his background as a lifelong resident, homeowner, and public servant, including his work with the DS fire department and his service on the planning and zoning commission. He says that experience taught him to focus on whether proposals follow existing rules and to approach city decisions carefully during a period of new leadership. We also discuss his family’s long history of serv...

In this episode Jim Chapman sits down with Jasper Brock, candidate for district court judge in Division E of the 21st Judicial District. Jasper discusses his life experience including his time in the Navy, his vast legal career and how he feels this experience of over 34 years has prepared him to lead the 21st JDC’s Division E as a Judge. Jasper also discusses why he chose to run, and gives his unique insight on what he feels he could fix in the judicial system should he be elected as Judge. Yo...

In this episode Jim Chapman sits down with Lindon “Lindy” Bennett McGee, candidate for district court judge in Division E of the 21st Judicial District. Lindon discusses her education and legal career, including clerkships, private practice, work in the public defender’s office, and service as a staff attorney for judges. She discusses why she is running for judge, and gives her insight on backlogs in the court system, as well as what she would change in division E and other topics. You can lea...

In this episode Jim Chapman sits down with Brad Cascio, a candidate for the 21st Judicial District Attorney in Livingston Parish, about his background growing up in Hammond, his education at Southeastern Louisiana University, and his path into law at LSU Law School. Brad covers what he has learned in his 13 years as an assistant district attorney in the 21st Judicial after working in private practice highlighting major cases he has handled, his support of strong penalties for violent offenders a...

In this episode Jim Chapman sits down with Sherman Mack, a candidate for the 21st Judicial District Attorney in Livingston Parish, about his background growing up in Holden, his education at Southeastern Louisiana University, and his path into law. Sherman discusses his early legal work, his criminal litigation practice, his previous run for district attorney, and his service in the Louisiana Legislature. Sherman also covers his legislative work on criminal justice issues, including drug laws, v...

In this episode of Local Leaders the Podcast, Jim Chapman sits down with Paije Lopez, founder of non-profit "The ATALopez Foundation to discuss what she is doing in Livingston Parish and surrounding areas to work with those who have been diagnosed with Autism and other disabilities.

Jim Chapman is joined by Captain Calvin Bowden, a 28 Year Veteran of the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office and head of the LPSO ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) Task Force. Captain Calvin discusses the inception of the program, what the program has done for chasing and catching predators and tips that every parent should look for as it relates to bad actors and predators using the internet to reach our children. In addition to his 28 years of service at multiple positions inside the Liv...

In this episode, “Local Leaders” Host Jim Chapman sits down with local Barter Exchange (Itradexchange) owner Dane Arnold as he reflects on the 2016 flood. Dane’s company managed the bartering system of the entire area encompassing Livingston Parish and he discusses how he used is entreprenural spirit to navigate his business, despite flooding personally. In 2016 an unpredictable storm caused unprecedented flooding in Livingston Parish Louisiana and surrounding areas like Baton Rouge. A decade l...

In this episode, “Local Leaders” Host Jim Chapman sits down with local Real Estate Broker Darren James as he reflects on the 2016 flood in Denham Springs. Darren discusses many topics as it related to the impact to his industry including local v/s out of town investors buying flooded and gutted houses, the impact of the market during and after the flood, the impact of rising flood insurance post 2016 and other topics related to the real estate industry. In 2016 an unpredictable storm caused unp...

In this episode, “Local Leaders” Host Jim Chapman sits down with City of Denham Springs Mayor Gerard Landry as he reflects on the 2016 flood in Denham Springs, describing the scale of the rainfall, the widespread damage, and the difficulty of recovery in the weeks that followed. The city had prepared for severe weather and had financial reserves in place, but the disaster still exceeded expectations and left many residents confused about rebuilding and insurance. Mayor Landry shares stories abo...

In this episode, “Local Leaders” Host Jim Chapman sits down with Maurice “Scooter” Keen as he reflects on “Great Flood of 2016” from his perspective, which in Scooter’s case is unique. Scooter at the time was a brand new parish councilman who had physical locations inside the city of Denham Springs. The challenges he and others in Parish Government were unprecedented and the steps taken in the last 10 years to counteract another 2016 type disaster make for one interesting discussion. In 2016 an...

Local Leaders The Podcast #224 In this episode, Jim Chapman sits down with Delia Taylor, Chairwoman of the Livingston Parish Airport District, for an in-depth look at the Livingston Executive Airport — Louisiana’s first new airfield in nearly 40 years. Delia walks us through the current construction progress, the state-of-the-art 4,200-foot runway and supporting facilities designed for corporate jets, private pilots, and emergency services, and how the airport will connect Livingston Parish to t...

In this episode, Jim Chapman sits down with Lizzie Baudoin as she discusses Living IN Parish Magazine. This new addition to Livingston Parish will cover the lifestyle and culture that makes Livingston Parish such a unique place to live, work and play! You can learn more about Living IN Parish Magazine by visiting: https://www.livinginparishmagazine.com Timestamps: 01:36 Meet Lizzie and Her Vision 02:47 The Birth of Living in Parish 06:37 Influences and Inspiration 11:14 Challenges of Launching ...

In this powerful episode, Jim Chapman sits down with Judge Blair Downing Edwards as she discusses her decision to run for the Louisiana Supreme Court. Joining Jim on this episode is also Livingston Parish Assessor Jeff Taylor who provides his insight (and a full endorsement) of Judge Edwards who has been legendary in both her start as a Juvenile Court Judge to her current status on Louisiana’s First Circuit Court of Appeals. You can learn more about Judge Edwards and her candidacy at https://ju...

In this powerful episode, Jim Chapman sits down with Gus LeBaron — a true-blue tradesman turned empire builder — for a raw conversation about how he built his construction business from an unknown start-up to an empire. Gus opens up about his gritty early challenges, the mentors who changed his trajectory, and the hard-won lessons that took him from working IN the trenches to building his thriving business (KOS Drywall & Painting). He breaks down his lessons learned from how to actually find ba...

In this episode, Jim Chapman sits down with Senator Rick Edmonds, the 6th District Senator in Louisiana, who has announced is intention to run for U.S. Congress in Louisiana’s 5th district for a SECOND interview. Senator Edmond’s discusses his early life in Shreveport, highlighting the family values that shaped him and his journey from ministry to politics, spurred by a desire for greater representation after being inspired by Phil Robertson's story. Edmonds shares his thoughts on the specific i...

In this episode, Jim Chapman sits down with Senator Rick Edmonds, the 6th District Senator in Louisiana, who has announced is intention to run for U.S. Congress in Louisiana’s 5th district. Senator Edmond’s discusses his early life in Shreveport, highlighting the family values that shaped him and his journey from ministry to politics, spurred by a desire for greater representation after being inspired by Phil Robertson's story. Edmonds shares his impactful tenure as chairman of the Senate Educat...

In this episode, Jim sits down with Sheriff Jason Ard as they discuss a wide variety of topics including the 2025 Christmas Crusade, the growing results of the ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) Program, the general evolution of the Sheriff’s Office the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office successful fight combating Fentanyl in the parish and the steps the Sheriff has taken to make schools even safer in the Livingston Parish. #sheriffjasonard #livingstonparish #podcast #louisiana #localleade...

In this episode, Jim sits down with Sean Aucoin and Mark Nichols to discuss the healing potential of bioactive peptides in MAKE Wellness Products. Sean shares his recovery story post-shoulder surgery using Make Wellness peptides and Mark joins to discuss how “focused” peptides helped manage his ADHD without side effects. They delve into the benefits of products like Lean, Fit, Hydrated, and Restore for fat loss, muscle recovery, hydration, and sleep improvement as well as an affiliate program th...

Closing in on his eleventh year in office, Denham Springs mayor Gerard Landry isn’t slowing down. He has already announced that he will not be seeking a 4th term as the mayor but that does not mean that his final year will not be an epic one. Throughout his 3 terms, Mayor Landry has seen his entire city covered with water, immediately after he traveled to Washington DC and gave a speech to a packed congress that when I saw it live, absolutely moved me to tears. The Mayor’s city not only came b...

The “Cool Guys” of Cool Kings Heating and Air Join Jim Chapman on this edition of Local Leader the Podcast Cool Kings to discuss HVAC industry changes, the importance of efficiency and maintenance, the benefits of smart thermostats and what you can do to extend the life of your A/C unit. Timestamps 05:47 Understanding AC Repair Challenges 07:14 Exploring Refrigerant Efficiency Changes 11:49 Types of AC Systems Explained 15:50 Common AC Repairs You Should Know 22:42 The Importance of Regular Mai...

In this episode of Local Leaders the Podcast, Jim Chapman sits down with David and Marissa Hofstetter of Restoration 1 of East Baton Rouge to discuss the lesser known facts of storm prep as well as other information to get you ready should disaster strike. Restoration1 on the web: https://restoration1.com/east-baton-rouge Restoration1 on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/R1EBR