Common Thread - Episode 12.1 (Will Cleveland)

About this episode

The episode features an insightful and humorous interview with journalist Will Cleveland, discussing his career and experiences in journalism and community advocacy.

Episode 12, part 1 features an interview with Will Cleveland, who is well known in the Rochester area for his work as a journalist with the Democrat & Chronicle , his role with the Police Accountability Board, and his detailed and prolific writing on the regional beer scene and craft breweries. Will is as affable as he is outspoken. Consequently, this interview is humorous and insightful. The discussion kicks off with a light-hearted examination of drop ceilings, which serves as a metaphorical (and literal) backdrop for exploring deeper themes of nostalgia and memory. As the conversation unfolds, Will recounts his journey into journalism, emphasizing the influence of his father, who instilled in him the value of being well-informed and engaged with the community. Throughout the episode, Will elaborates on his tenure at the Democrat & Chronicle, as well as his high school newspaper and newspapers in Montana and Ithaca. He details the challenges and successes he encountered while covering breaking news stories, including an account of a notorious triple homicide in Rochester, which required him to quickly mobilize and report on a rapidly evolving situation. The episode…

People in this episode

Guest: Will Cleveland

Topics covered

• journalism
• craft breweries
• community engagement
• police accountability
• nostalgia

Keywords

• Rochester
• Democrat & Chronicle
• Police Accountability Board
• beer scene
• craft breweries

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Mind of Magnus, Dialed In

Places: Rochester, Montana, Ithaca, ROCHESTER, ITALY

More episodes of Common Thread

• Common Thread - Episode 17 (Colleen Butterfield) · March 21, 2026 · 1h 21m
• Common Thread - Episode 16 (Chad Posick) · February 7, 2026 · 1h 27m
• Common Thread - Episode 15 (Knifetwister Records - Raph Copeland) · January 24, 2026 · 1h 16m
• Common Thread - Episode 14 (2025 In Review) · January 14, 2026 · 1h 13m
• Common Thread - Episode 13.2 (Greg Bennick) · December 17, 2025 · 33 min
• Common Thread - Episode 13.1 (Greg Bennick) · December 10, 2025 · 52 min