Watts Happening Podcast

Hosted by Watts Group

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Episodes

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Enjoy captivating interviews with characters from the Eastern Iowa Corridor as Gary Watts sits down with local business leaders, accomplished athletes, industry experts, and more! Watts Happening Music Intro Composed by Ace Jones ( www.AceJonesMusic.com )

Listen to episodes

60 recent

October 21, 202628 min

Ep 80 | Sheriff Brad Kunkel | Johnson County Jail Bond

Returning guest Sheriff Brad Kunkel joins us to discuss one of the most critical local issues on the ballot this election cycle: the Johnson County Jail Bond. With the $94.5 million general obligation bond heading to a vote on November 3rd, Sheriff Kunkel breaks down why this facility is desperately needed to address aging infrastructure, ensure safety, and better serve both staff and those in custody. Tune in to learn why local leadership is urging a "Yes" vote on November 3rd and what this project means for the future of Johnson County. Learn more about the project and view stats, reports, and tax impacts: www.JohnsonCountyJailBond.com #JohnsonCounty #SheriffBradKunkel #VoteYes #JohnsonCountyJailBond #LocalNews #IowaCity #WattsHappening #Election2026

June 16, 20261 hr 17 min

Ep 79 | Bill Hoeft | Local Author of "When The Father Comes Out To Meet Us"

What does it mean to live a life of purpose? Today, we welcome local author Bill Hoeft to the show to explore that very question. Building on the success of his previous work, "Live Like Line, Love Like Ellyn," Bill joins us to discuss his newest book, "When the Father Comes Out to Meet Us." Together, Bill and Gary navigate the twists and turns of Bill's life journey and the central themes of faith and legacy that anchor his writing. You could learn more about Bill and find his books by visiting his Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.co.jp/stores/BILL-HOEFT/author/B0H1387ZV9?language=en&ref=ap_rdr&shoppingPortalEnabled=true More places to find Watts Happening! iTunes ➡️ https://apple.co/3VuJ3NV Spotify ➡️ https://spoti.fi/3Q2T2ZH Website ➡️ www.wattsgroupiowa.com/podcast #WattsHappening #BillHoeft #WhenTheFatherComesOutToMeetUs #Faith #AuthorInterview #Podcast

June 3, 202644 min

Ep 78 | Charlie Becker | Big Announcement at Camp Courageous!

Charlie returns to the podcast with a big announcement.. Camp Courageous’ most ambitious project to-date – a brand new, state of the art facility - the Pictured Rocks Camper Cabin! Fundraising has now begun for this fantastic new project! Check out this new episode of the podcast for more details or visit Camp Courageous’ website to make a donation today. www.campcourageous.org More places to find Watts Happening! iTunes ➡️ https://apple.co/3VuJ3NV Spotify ➡️ https://spoti.fi/3Q2T2ZH Website ➡️ www.wattsgroupiowa.com/podcast #WattsHappeningt #iowa #corridor #easterniowa #cedarrapids #marion #solon #tiffin #iowacity #coralville #northliberty #campcourageous #fundraising

May 5, 202640 min

Ep 77 | Bennett Stirtz | Iowa Hawkeye Basketball Star

Bennett Stirtz has had an incredibly successful and unique college basketball career. From being recruited by Ben McCollum while in high school to now preparing for the NBA draft, join us for an inside look at his impressive path as a collegiate athlete. Whether you're a die-hard Hawkeye fan or just love a good story of grit and discipline, this is an interview you won't want to miss! More places to find Watts Happening! iTunes ➡️ https://apple.co/3VuJ3NV Spotify ➡️ https://spoti.fi/3Q2T2ZH Website ➡️ www.wattsgroupiowa.com/podcast #WattsHappeningt #BennettStirtz #IowaBasketball #NBADraft #BenMcCollum #Hawkeyes #CollegeBasketball #HawkeyeSports #iowa #corridor #easterniowa #cedarrapids #marion #solon #tiffin #iowacity #coralville #northliberty #iowahawkeyes #hawkeyebasketball

March 10, 20261 hr 12 min

Ep 76 | Matt Bissonnette | SEAL Team Six | Author | Executive Producer

A member of the raid that took down Osama Bin Laden with 13 tours of duty on SEAL Team Six - to the center of a legal storm targeted at him by the government he risked his life to protect. You won’t believe the story of this true American hero. It is our great honor to have Matt Bissonnette join us on this special episode of the Watts Happening Podcast. For years after his retirement, Matt sought the quiet life of a reserved veteran, sharing his experiences under the pseudonym Mark Owen to protect his identity while honoring his teammates. But the transition home wasn't the "quiet life" he expected. Despite his service, Matt faced unprecedented scrutiny and legal backlash from the government regarding his accounts—a battle he is still navigating today. Now, in only his second video interview since revealing his identity last year on the Shawn Ryan Show, Matt joins us to discuss the side of the story the headlines missed. Matt Bissonnette’s third book “No Easy Way” is coming soon - preorders available now. Learn more at www.mattbissonnette.com #SEALTeam6 #NavySEALs #SpecialOperations #Tier1 #VeteranStories #DEVGRU #MattBissonnette #MarkOwen #NoEasyDay #NoEasyWay #WattsHappeningPodcast #ShawnRyan #ShawnRyanShow

January 6, 20261 hr 12 min

Ep 75 | Jon Kerstetter | Combat Physician | Author of "Crossings: A Doctor-Soldier's Story"

With three tours in Iraq as a combat physician and countless lives saved in the process, Jon’s story is truly one of bravery and selflessness. Join us on this new episode of the podcast as Jon Kerstetter shares his astonishing journey - one full of incredible transitions: from an impoverished upbringing on an Oneida reservation to becoming a flight surgeon and a combat physician with our armed forces in Iraq! Learn even more by checking out Jon’s memoir, “Crossings: A Doctor-Soldier’s Story”, available now! #iowacity #IowaPodcast #JonKerstetter #VeteranStories #CombatDoctor #FlightSurgeon #SoldierPhysician

December 23, 202559 min

Ep 74 | Coach Ben McCollum | Iowa Men's Basketball | Head Coach

The new Head Coach of Hawkeye Men's Basketball, Ben McCollum, joins us on the podcast for a great conversation on Leadership, Competition, and all things Iowa sports! Coach McCollum currently holds a 10-2 record during his first season with the Hawks. Before coming to Iowa, McCollum built a reputation as one of the most successful coaches in collegiate basketball - spending one year leading Drake University’s team to a school-record 31 wins and an NCAA Tournament appearance. Prior to this, he also served as Head Coach of Northwest Missouri State for 15 seasons, where he won four NCAA Division II National Championships! 🏆🏆🏆🏆 More places to find Watts Happening! iTunes ➡️ https://apple.co/3VuJ3NV Spotify ➡️ https://spoti.fi/3Q2T2ZH Website ➡️ www.wattsgroupiowa.com/podcast #iowa #corridor #easterniowa #cedarrapids #marion #solon #tiffin #iowacity #coralville #northliberty #podcast #local #podcasts #podcasting #iowahawkeyes #hawkeyesports #hawkeyebasketball #iowamensbasketball #collegebasketball #coaching #benmccollum

November 11, 202556 min

Ep 73 | Nancy Bird | Greater Iowa City, Inc | President & CEO

With over 1,000 members in Johnson County, Greater Iowa City, Inc is a network of business and public sector leaders who collaborate to support local companies, guide investment, and grow a resilient economy. Recently, Greater Iowa City led the campaign to support the Local Option Sales Tax for five communities in Johnson County. This vote was passed in all of these communities, which will provide an additional $22 million in annual funding to the county! Check out this great conversation between Gary and Greater Iowa City’s President & CEO, Nancy Bird, to learn more about the economic health of Johnson County! Learn more about Greater Iowa City, Inc ➡️www.greateriowacity.com #iowa #corridor #easterniowa #cedarrapids #marion #solon #tiffin #iowacity #coralville #northliberty #podcast #local #podcasts #podcasting #greateriowacity #localoptionssalestax #economicresilience #johnsoncountyiowa #johnsoncounty

July 15, 202553 min

Ep 72 | Eric Hanson & Clare Duffy | Hosts of The Morning Scramble on z102.9

You may hear this power duo on The Morning Scramble every weekday from 6-10 AM, but do you know about Eric’s background in drama and speech? Clare’s first introduction into radio? How about how much of their morning show is scripted vs improv?? Learn these details and more on this new episode of the Watts Happening Podcast! #iowa #corridor #easterniowa #cedarrapids #marion #solon #tiffin #iowacity #coralville #northliberty #podcast #local #podcasts #podcasting #localradio #todayshitmusic #z1029 #morningscramble #radio #radiodj #locallyowned #locallyownedradio

July 1, 202556 min

Ep 71 | Dustin Elsbury | Regina's Head Football Coach

This fall will be Dustin Elsbury’s second season as Regina’s Head Football Coach. This is in addition to his roles as a PE Teacher, Head Strength & Speed Coach, and Track Coach for the school. Check out this new episode of the podcast to hear how Coach Elsbury is adapting to his role at Regina, a deep dive into his background as an athlete and leader, his goals for the 2025 football season, and much more! You can also find a video version of this episode on Watts Group's YouTube page! #iowa #corridor #easterniowa #iowacity #coralville #northliberty #podcast #tiffin #local #podcasts #podcasting #highschoolfootball #regina #football #footballcoach #highschoolfootballcoach #reginahighschool #reginafootball