Host Stu welcomes Jessica Adams Baker to discuss the urgent grassroots movement opposing the development of massive data centers across Ohio. Jessica details how her activism began when local officials in Mount Orb, Ohio, signed NDAs regarding the sale of 1,200 acres for a proposed 2,000-megawatt facility—a power request far exceeding traditional hyperscale data centers. The conversation highlights the lack of government transparency, the use of emergency legislation to push projects through, and the environmental concerns, including massive water use from aquifers like the Great Miami River Aquifer. Stu shares parallel concerns from Piqua, where a Meta data center is planned, emphasizing the potential impact on local groundwater and geological fault lines. Jessica provides a critical call to action for listeners to support the Ohio constitutional amendment petition to prohibit data centers over 25 megawatts, urging people to visit www.conserveohio.com to volunteer or sign. The episode also includes discussions on severe weather preparedness, GMRS radios, and a dose of artificial intelligence and Southern-themed humor.

Welcome to My World, Live, Laugh, and Whatever! This week, we navigate some hectic weather (and emergency prep tips, including GMRS radios) before diving deep into the world of local government and civic engagement.

Host Stu welcomes special guest Quentin (a.k.a. Santa) for a thought-provoking conversation on:

• Local Government Transparency: A discussion on the difficulties citizen watchdogs face when changes like ORC 966 subsection D keep economic development projects confidential.
• The Leadership Deficit: Analyzing the need for qualified officials and training, including the surprising value of "empathy training" and Boy Scout Advanced Leadership Training.
• Civic Engagement Solutions: We explore the concept of the Piqua Government Academy—how programs like this boost community involvement by educating residents on city departments, from police and fire to water and power systems, and preparing them for boards and commissions.

Plus, we break the tension with a round of AI-generated funnies!

Tune in for the unfiltered truth, good conversation, and a few laughs.

Catch the show live every Wednesday at eight p.m. on the Trim Radio Network, or watch the video on YouTube and Rumble.

Host Stu welcomes guests Barry Blankenship (Trenton) and Quentin Kidd (Wilmington) to dive into the controversy surrounding data center development in Ohio. The discussion exposes a "playbook" allegedly used by developers and public bodies to conceal critical information—such as power demand, water usage, and tax structure—from the public. This strategy often involves using Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), avoiding public records, and limiting documentation, which guests argue challenges Ohio's Public Records and Open Meetings laws (Sunshine Law).

Barry and Quentin share specific local examples of the lack of transparency, including contested rezoning, planning commission meetings held without public participation, and the impact of poor land use planning on neighboring communities and homeowners. Stu adds his local perspective on the infrastructure challenges—such as water tables, power requirements, and utility costs—facing Piqua. The episode closes by discussing citizen-led petition drives, legislative efforts to ban NDAs, and calls for a statewide pause on data center projects to enforce greater accountability. Stu also shares a personal update on his weekend experience with food poisoning and an April Fool's prank involving the University of Findlay arch.

In this edition of My World Live Laff Whatever, the host welcomes Paul Lambert (Hilliard, OH), Barry Blankenship, and Quentin ("Santa") for a candid discussion about the rapid influx of large-scale data centers into Ohio communities like Piqua, Sydney, and Wilmington. Paul, who has experience with three operational Amazon data centers in Hilliard, addresses community fears, stating the centers aren't particularly noisy and generate virtually no traffic once built, while noting concerns over fire safety access restrictions imposed by Amazon. The panel focuses heavily on the controversy surrounding Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), arguing that the practice of keeping financial and site details confidential should be challenged by local governments seeking full disclosure. They stress that NDAs do not override open records laws. They also examine the enormous resource demands, including water consumption from aquifers and rivers for cooling, and massive power generation needs. The central advice for local officials is to be a "hard-nosed negotiator" and use leverage to secure concessions—such as fire trucks or school buses—before granting approval. The episode also covers spring weather safety, including tornado and hail preparedness, and the benefits of GMRS radios for emergency communication.