Sidewalk Talks

Music Reframed: SBSO’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” with Maestro Fouad Fakhouri

On Saturday, September 28th at 7:30 p.m., the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra (SBSO) continues its 90th Season with Music Reframed: Pictures at an Exhibition at the historic Temple Theatre in downtown Saginaw. This ambitious program pairs one of the most celebrated orchestral works of all time with bold contemporary compositions performed by their creators. The evening culminates in Modest Mussorgsky’s iconic Pictures at an Exhibition, a vivid and dramatic orchestral masterpiece that has captivated audiences for more than a century. Featured guest artist Kebra-Seyoun Charles will perform their concerto Nightlife, following its recent world premiere at Carnegie Hall with the American Composers Orchestra. The concert will also feature the Michigan premiere of Trance, an original composition by SBSO Music Director Fouad Fakhouri. The single-movement work recreates the driving momentum and “beat drop” characteristics of EDM, building from bold heroic gestures to percussive propulsion led by tambourine and taiko drum, before culminating in powerful brass and rhythmic accents across the orchestra. Rooted in Fakhouri’s personal memories of youthful summers spent immersed in trance music, the piece channels joy, energy, and celebration. Fouad Fakhouri joins us in this episode of Sidewalk Talks to chat about the concert, being a conductor, the power of conflict and collaboration in both life and in music, and more.  Timestamps:  00:00 Welcome and Concert Details 00:27 Maestro Travel Story 01:35 Why This Program Works 02:32 Pictures at an Exhibition Explained 04:53 Projected Art and Community Focus 06:20 Keeping Classical Music Alive 09:27 Ravel Orchestration Choices 11:45 Conducting Mindset and Audience Energy 15:20 Reframing the Score from the Piano Original 18:39 Introducing Nightlife Double Bass Feature 20:28 Nightlife Journey Concerto 21:40 Meeting Kera and Saginaw Fit 22:38 Double Bass in Treble 23:06 Composer Soloist Dynamic 25:21 Creative Tension and Conflict 27:27 Socratic Disagreement and Growth 29:48 Trance Origins and Rave Days 31:45 Detroit Techno Roots 33:44 Orchestrating EDM Energy 36:09 Live Music Syncs Us 40:22 Tickets and Final Thanks

Local Journalism Matters with Justin Engel

In his first-ever podcast appearance, MLive journalist Justin Engel talks about his history and work in local journalism. The conversation centers on defining journalism and discusses misinformation, clickbait, and AI-generated content, and argues for news literacy and reading beyond headlines and comment sections. Justin and Phil emphasize the value of strong local media in the Great Lakes Bay Region, explain why journalism isn’t free and needs subscriptions to survive, and describe how reporting broadened Justin’s perspective by exposing him to different communities across the county. They close with advice to young aspiring journalists to follow the calling, adapt to changing formats, and keep learning—even when it means stepping outside comfort zones. 00:00 First Podcast EVER 00:36 Movie Podcasts & First Theater Memory  01:57 Why Star Wars Hit So Hard 03:24 Favorite Films: Aliens, Almost Famous & the Power of a Great Scene 04:51 Zodiac and Why Journalism Matters in the Real World 06:21 Becoming a Journalist: Early Writing, High School Paper & Grandma’s Tip 10:37 College to Career: Delta, SVSU, and Joining The Saginaw News 13:05 What Is Journalism? Verification, Sources, and Getting It Right 16:23 Context vs. Social Media Narratives  19:58 Scanner Traffic, Clickbait, and How Misinformation Spreads 22:56 AI-Generated News & Clickbait: Why It Looks Real 23:36 News Literacy 101: Verifying Sources in the AI Era 24:57 Why Local Journalism Still Matters (and What Reporters Actually Do) 30:03 Support Local News: Paywalls, Sharing vs. Stealing, and Sustainability 34:38 How Reporting Changes You: Seeing Your Community Through Others’ Eyes 38:12 Story Advocate Mindset: Curiosity, Craft, and Saginaw’s Storytelling Legacy 42:33 Advice for Future Journalists: Follow the Calling & Learn the Business Side 45:21 New Formats, On-Scene Video, and Final Thanks

On the Road (and Back Again) with Jessica Shepherd

From Saginaw to living to an RV and back again! In this episode of Sidewalk Talks, Jessica Shepherd discusses her background in broadcasting and journalism, selling most of her belongings to travel full-time in an RV for about two and a half years, and work-camping around the country. She talks about life on the road and why she and her partner, Mark, chose to return home to Saginaw. 00:00 Mic Check & Meet Jessica Shepherd  01:05 Writing Love Letters to Saginaw  03:13 How She Got Into Journalism: WSGW, MLive & Mentors 06:02 Why She Left Saginaw: Career Moves to Grand Rapids & Kalamazoo 07:38 Selling Everything to Live in an RV: Downsizing & Marie Kondo Mode 09:11 How Van Life Became Real: Travel, Belonging & Not Feeling at Home 12:04 Workamping Adventures: Campgrounds, Christmas Trees & National Parks 14:36 Favorite Stops & Big Nature: Grand Tetons, Grand Canyon & Photography 18:11 When the Adventure Felt Like Limbo: Disorientation, Work Challenges & Choosing Saginaw 27:48 Choosing Your Good and Bad: The ‘Grass Is Greener’ Reality 28:44 Saginaw’s Energy: The ‘Something in the Dirt and Water’ Feeling 29:59 Genuine Friendliness & Community Grit (No Pretending) 33:21 Why They Moved Back: Home, Real Estate, and the RV Transition 35:16 One Last Hurrah: Beet Harvest Work-Camping After Buying the House 36:38 Coming Home Hits Different: Love Letters, Old Town, and What’s New 39:20 Get Out and Experience Saginaw: Food, Volunteering, and Finding Your People 43:00 Stop Waiting to Be ‘Served’ a Community: Social Media vs Showing Up 44:53 Quick-Fire RV Life Q&A: Tanks, Shells, Snacks, and Road Trip Anthems 51:17 Final Advice: RV Life Won’t Fix You—Run Toward Something + Welcome Back

Old World Pizzeria: From Fermentation and Rabbit Farming to New York-Style Slices in Saginaw

In this episode of Sidewalk Talks, Eric Shevchenko talks about bringing New York-style pizza to Saginaw with Old World Pizzeria. He talks about the power of food as a way to keep people connected, preserve culture, evoke emotion, and be a vehicle for creativity.  Eric explains how pizza became his focus, including a 48-hour research trip to New York eating slices and revisiting favorites. Shevcenko talks about  his obsessive experimentation with dough fermentation and hydration, creative menu, and OWP’s burnt Basque-style cheesecake.  Eric recounts earlier experiences in Northern California, including raising rabbits for high-end restaurants near Napa and spending time around fine-dining creativity. He shares why he returned to Saginaw to care for his mother, his hopes for local food culture and security, and stories of customers traveling hours, crying, and calling the shop after a cheese slice. They also cover Eric’s appearance on the Netflix survival series Outlast in Alaska and hints of future projects for Old World Pizzeria. 00:00 Ergonomic Chair Shenanigans & Mystery Knobs 00:40 The Tinned Fish Obsession  03:10 From Preservation Food Co. to Fermentation Roots 04:44 Old World Pizzeria: Going All-In on New York-Style Pizza 05:39 48 Hours in NYC: Slice-Crawling for the Perfect Dough 07:06 Creative Specials, Flop Ingredients & the ‘Burnt’ Cheesecake 08:51 Pizza Origin Story: Midwest Shops, Skateboarding & San Francisco 11:08 Food Memories, Dementia, and Why Comfort Food Matters 13:58 Rabbit Farming to Fine Dining: Supplying Top Bay Area Kitchens 18:27 Fine Dining Creativity, Old Town Food Scene & Pizza as a Vessel 23:18 When a Cheese Slice Makes People Cry: Nailing the NY Balance 25:49 Handling Haters: Taste Is Subjective  26:06 Why Come Back to Saginaw? Family, Roots & the “Vortex” 26:46 From Rabbit Farm to Pizza Shop (and Rumors of Another Location) 27:24 Old World Pizzeria 101: Price, Ingredients & “Clean” Pizza 28:28 Behind the Counter: 5AM Dough, Desserts & Cookie Experiments 30:01 Slice Culture: Fast Takeout, Choose-Your-Adventure & Hours 31:15 Brother Chad’s Return: Nashville to Home Again 32:29 Most Memorable Meals: Fine Dining vs. The People You’re With 34:14 Netflix Survival Show ‘Outlast’: Getting Cast & Alaska Reality 36:55 Cameras, Panic Attacks & What It Takes to Survive 39:43 Ratings, Reality TV Frustrations & On-Camera Lessons 44:53 Rapid Fire Pizza Takes + What’s Next for Old World (Wrap-Up)

Ja'Maiya Ryan is Fashionable

Ja'Maiya Ryan is a Saginaw-based designer and she just released a new collection! In this episode of Sidewalk Talks, she talks about design, her history, and her love of not only designing, but creating accessible and beautiful accessories.  00:00 Celebrating the Win: The Iconic Happy Tears Photo 00:21 Behind the Scenes: Finding the Right Fashion Program 00:32 Hands-On Craft: Tools, Techniques, and Industry Collabs 01:02 From Concept to Collection: The Millie’s Patent-Pending Journey 01:12 Why It Matters: A Design Close to the Heart