Brothers with Opinions -B.W.O.

Send a text The scoreboard told two stories tonight. On one side, blowout wins, playoff seeds, and a local junior tearing up the field with jaw-dropping numbers. On the other, grocery budgets evaporating overnight, parents driving an hour to unfunded jobs, and food pantries moving four times their usual volume just to keep families fed. We brought both into focus because they’re part of the same community pulse. Our guest, Kari Dean from Jefferson County Community Ministries, walked us throu...

Send a text A small city stares at a big decision, and we pull the lens all the way back. We kick off with Winchester’s casino question—real jobs and tax revenue on one side, addiction risk and culture shifts on the other. Ray joins us with a lived-in blueprint for building something from scratch, from Connecticut studios to Brooklyn shows to a Florida pivot. His story threads the needle of this episode: ambition needs structure, and the rules you set decide who benefits. From there, we tack...

Send a text The night starts with the crackle of hometown football—scores flying in from the Shenandoah Valley, a showdown circled on calendars, and the buzz of a 6'5 playmaker, Christian Dinges suiting up for Handley. We swap streaming notes, argue about strength of schedule, and give flowers to local athletes putting up real numbers. If you love the rhythm of Friday night lights, you’ll feel right at home. Then we pull back the camera. Who gets public memorials and who gets ignored? Why do...

Send a text A guitar at 28. A notebook full of poems. Two losses that changed the shape of a life. We sit down with our friend and musician Justin Garber to trace how Family Tree came to life and why starting “late” can be the best kind of beginning. Justin opens up about writing through grief, turning a grandmother’s wisdom into a narrative ballad, and sequencing an album that actually takes you somewhere—upstream and back again—with bluegrass grit, Americana warmth, and the kind of lines th...

Send a text Ever wonder what makes a community truly special? In this captivating conversation with Brian Pierce Gonzales (BPG), we discover the heart and soul of Winchester through the eyes of someone who chose to make it home 21 years ago. BPG takes us on a journey from his role as a Shenandoah University professor to his position on the Winchester Public School Board and his recent mayoral campaign. With refreshing honesty, he shares why traditional education often fails students an...

Send a text The undefeated 1994 Handley High School football team stands as the last to bring a state championship home to Winchester, Virginia. Thirty years later, running back Trey Kern and wide receiver/safety Danny Westfall join BWO to share what made that legendary squad special. Their championship journey began with heartbreak – a tough loss to Matoaca in the 1993 state semifinals that lit a competitive fire. Built on connections forged since Little League, the '94 team dominated oppon...

Send a text What happens when three record-breaking high school athletes gather to share their journeys? Pure inspiration. Brothers With Opinions welcomes Emeryce Worrell, Rylan Stribling, and Hassan Akanbi – three extraordinary talents from John Handey High School who are redefining athletic excellence in their community and beyond. Emeryce, now attending the prestigious University of Virginia, reveals how she captured five state track championships while simultaneously leading Handl...

Send a text In this engaging episode, we tackle a blend of sports triumphs and pressing social justice themes that resonate with our community. Starting with the recent victory of Handley against EC Glass, we celebrate the achievements of local players like Christian Dinges, showcasing their talent and passion on the court. The thrill of high school basketball serves as a backdrop to crucial discussions about societal issues, particularly the growing influence of figures like Elon Musk. Is it...