Longtime Radio Personality Marv Luten interviews guests, shares community updates, National and Local sports and more.
The Marv in the Morning Podcast is a production of O’Quinn Media. For guest or sponsorship opportunities, email tracy@oquinnmarketing.com or marvinthemorning53@gmail.com
— Automated Transcript —
**Introduction**
Welcome to The Marv In The Morning podcast. Now, here’s Marv.
**Welcome and Sponsors**
Welcome again, my friends, to another episode of The Marv In The Morning podcast, on the Fort Not Lost In The Woods Podcast site. Brought to you by Paul’s Furniture, Shelter Insurance Agent Dave Howlett of Richland, St. Robert Auto Supply, STR Glass of St. Robert, Seger Toyota, The Pulaski County Health Center, VFW Post 3168 of Lacway, TK’s Pizza, Bales Construction, and the Bank of Crocker.
We have made it to the fourth month of the year where the April showers bring May flowers. Don’t know about all the showers. It’s been a pretty dry early part of the spring, but the flowers are already in bloom and the grass is growing. By the time this podcast drops and we had to expedite things this time due to Spring Break vacations and scheduling of guests, but I’m pretty sure I will have already mowed my lawn and dug up a few of the gardens for Mama and her planting season.
Try to wait until at least April before I fire up the lawn mowers for the actual taking down of the green grass, but I harken back to last year when we had a very wet spring and remember I was cutting the lawn in March, and I’m positive that was not the first time cutting the grass prior to April. Another thing I remember from last year and the spring rains, my wife’s garden.
We have four raised gardens and several large pots that grow veggies, and they all did very well. Well, except for the green beans, okra, and peppers. We had more zucchini, squash, and tomatoes than we’ve had in years past. But the other veggies she grows were somewhat limited. I have no idea what’s in the garden until it’s coming up, but I do know there is lettuce and spinach already starting to show. And my gut is telling me some wilted lettuce is around the corner, one of my favorite table fares from the garden.
**Good Friday and Easter**
Well, today is Good Friday, and for Christians around the world, it’s the day the Romans nailed Jesus to the cross where he died, but not for long. He rose on the third day, which is Easter Sunday, and the celebrations take place all over the world.
In 2026, the Pascal Full Moon will appear on March 28th, placing Easter Sunday immediately after March 29th. So the first Sunday after the 29th is this Sunday, April 5th. Such an early Easter happens only a few times in a century, and the next time one of the comparable timings not expected until 2038. So, get your Easter bonnets, dyed eggs, and of course, the chocolates ready.
So what does your family cook for Easter Sunday dinner? When I was growing up, it was turkey for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and ham for Easter. Since those days, we have had a few alterations. Turkey still reigns supreme in November. We flip-flop on Christmas doing either turkey or ham, and usually on Easter, it’s a ham.
I do remember one Easter, the weather was so nice, and we had several people coming over, and while we did have a ham, I told them I was going to grill something. And if they wanted to bring some meat, feel free to do so, I’ll toss it on the grill. My niece’s boyfriend at the time brought over a rabbit to cook on the grill. I told him he was a sick human being, making me cook the Easter Bunny on Easter Sunday. But with a little garlic butter and celery seed for the basting, it turned out pretty good. We just didn’t tell the kids in attendance what they were eating. We told them it was a small deformed chicken.
**Guest Interview: Social Media**
Today on the podcast, we are tearing apart social media with a former colleague of mine at the radio station as Steve Law drops by again for an interesting conversation. He’s next.
**Shelter Insurance**
Shelter Insurance. Pickup truck, sports car, motorcycle, minivan, townhouse, two-story, farmhouse, fixer-upper. What you drive and where you live is different for everyone. So it’s important to have insurance that fits your needs and is just right for you. At Shelter Insurance, we understand that, which is why our agents help you design a comprehensive auto, home, and life insurance plan. Insurance that fits just right. For a free insurance review for auto, home, life, farm, or business insurance, see me, Dave Howlett, your Shelter Insurance Agent in Richland.
**Bales Construction**
When you’ve been in business since 1939, and when you do the math, that’s 85 years, you’re doing something right. Bales Construction in Waynesville has been doing things right for a long time, and that continues today. Bales Construction has rapidly grown from being Pulaski and neighboring county’s top residential builder to one of Missouri’s largest commercial general contractors. Today, they specialize in construction of educational and healthcare facilities, but their excellence in building does not stop there, completing an extensive number of projects such as banking, retail, industrial, civil, multi-family, food service, hospitality, transportation, and municipal projects. Their offices in Waynesville and Springfield, Missouri allows Bales Construction to cover a large portion of Central and Southwest Missouri. Explore their website and see what Bales can build for you.
**WIC**
WIC is here to help your growing family thrive. WIC has a supplemental nutrition program providing healthy foods, free nutrition education, and community referrals. If you are pregnant or have a child under the age of five, you or your child may be eligible for WIC. With a card to use at the store and more fruit and vegetable dollars, it’s a great time to be on WIC. Call the Pulaski County Health Center at 573-774-3115 to learn more. That’s 573-774-3115. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
**Marv:** On the podcast again this week, we have another returning guest, Steve Law, a former colleague at the radio station. Reason I got Steve back, a couple of reasons. First off,
**Steve:** You’re hurting for guests.
**Marv:** You took the words right out of my mouth. You know, back when I was doing the radio, um, I couldn’t get sometimes the conservation agents to come in on a Saturday because of their schedule. They were busy, so what I always, I always would get a ringer, and that would be Dave Howlett.
**Steve:** Yeah.
**Marv:** Yeah. And Dave was supposed to be here, but Dave’s had other things to do, so.
**Steve:** So I’m, I’m even below the rung of Dave Howlett on your list.
**Marv:** Yeah, you’re just, yeah, well.
**Steve:** That’s that’s good to know.
**Marv:** Yeah, that’s, well, that’s not a bad place to be anyway, at least on the podcast. And the other reason is, um, the last time you were here, got some nice comments.
**Steve:** Really?
**Marv:** Yeah. They apparently enjoyed the banter.
**Steve:** Okay.
**Marv:** Back and forth, uh, a couple of radio jocks that were just basically killing time.
**Steve:** ‘Bout enough.
**Marv:** Yeah, and talking about a bunch of BS, and that’s what we’re going to try and do today. You, uh, first off, live in Rolla.
**Steve:** I do.
**Marv:** And you have been to the St. Pat’s celebration at the University of Missouri, Rolla for many, many years. Is that the newest T, uh, the newest sweatshirt?
**Steve:** I have the new sweatshirt on right now today, since it’s we’re recording this on Saint Patrick’s Day. I’ve got the 118th annual Best Ever Saint, Saint Pat sweatshirt. I thought, I thought I’d get it this year because it actually has Pat on it, so.
**Marv:** Was it, uh, the best ever?
**Steve:** It was the best I all year long. This was the best one of the year.
**Marv:** Oh, the year though. Very good. Caught me for a moment there.
**Steve:** I I won’t, I won’t, yeah. No, it was, it was fantastic. I, the weather was absolutely perfect.
**Marv:** Oh yeah.
**Steve:** The parade was great. Um, you know, we went actually, uh, my wife Siri and I went to the coronation the night before, and that was really nice too. They did a nice job. They, uh, coronated, you know, they coronate the queens and and the court and all that stuff and they, uh, the honorary St. Pat’s people for that are volunteers through the, um, community. They always nominate a couple of them. And it was a great ceremony, and then on Saturday, like I said, the the street was painted green, the weather was beautiful. Um, lots of great times. And then, uh, my wife and I took our dog Satchmo with us, because he comes to the parade. And we went down to the food truck area and they had a Grateful Dead tribute band with some of the boys from the area playing, and that was good. And then we went to, uh, public house and and, uh, enjoyed some, uh, beverages and some food, and it was a good time. But the weather was absolutely gorgeous. I actually got a little sunburn on my head, so.
**Marv:** Yeah, and that was one of the nice things. Uh, I attended a football game over in Crocker, the first ever football game ever held in Crocker, uh, with a semi-pro team, uh, the Missouri Generals. I was I was impressed with them, the the hitting. Man, I’ll tell you what. These kids, and they’re not kids anymore.
**Steve:** No.
**Marv:** Now they’re in their 20s and 30s, still playing the game they love, but they are blasting people. And I mean, there were some vicious.
**Steve:** Legal hits.
**Marv:** Legal hits. But I mean, there were some what we used to call in the biz slobber knockers.
**Steve:** Oh yes, definitely. They well, they’re in the prime of their life too, so that that helps.
**Marv:** Yeah. And yeah, and there was a nice crowd over there, and they’re doing it again. Um, I think they got several Saturdays in a row that they are hosting. You just check their Facebook page if you want to watch, uh, some eight-man, uh, football, because it’s it’s pretty interesting. Uh, so, back to, uh, St. Pat’s there. Was there a good crowd up in Rolla?
**Steve:** Oh my gosh, yes. Yeah, huge crowd, a lot of people. Uh, just had, you know, of course, all the students, a lot of or most of the students show up, and you’ve got the community and things. But alumni, a lot of people, a lot of alumni come into town for the weekend, and it’s a big weekend for that. Actually, the night before, my wife and I went out to eat at D’Trapani’s and and and there was a big crowd there as well. And you know, just, yeah, the the crowd was lively. They were well behaved. Not a lot of problems. And the weather, again, the weather couldn’t have been more beautiful. It was in the 70s. It was absolutely perfect.
**Marv:** College town.
**Steve:** Yeah.
**Marv:** Party town.
**Steve:** Yeah.
**Marv:** Well behaved.
**Steve:** Yes.
**Marv:** Well, you don’t see, you don’t hear about that too often, do you?
**Steve:** Oh, the times they are a changing.
**Marv:** Well, at least at least they are up in Rolla. Of course, you know, you don’t have, you don’t have the craziness as you do down in Florida and.
**Steve:** No.
**Marv:** Um, what’s what was the one popular place down in Texas?
**Steve:** Cancun. Oh, oh Corpus, Corpus Christi?
**Marv:** Yeah. Yeah, Corpus Christi and, uh, is it Padre Island?
**Steve:** Oh yes, yes, yes, yes.
**Marv:** Where a lot of a lot of them go to party, and of course, um, things get a little out of hand.
**Steve:** Well, when I lived in San Antonio in the early 2000s, that was a destination in the spring as well because you weren’t on the beach, but you were down south. And so for all the people that were having cabin fever up in the north and stuff, San Antonio got inundated with people at the end of March as well. Yeah.
**Marv:** Yeah, and of course, San Antonio is is a party town to begin with.
**Steve:** Oh, sure. Sure.
**Marv:** A lot of good music comes out of San Antonio.
**Steve:** Oh yeah. Oh the Tejano and Tex-Mex music and all that stuff. It’s it’s a great community. By the way, I’ve I’ve said that a million times. One of the best big cities in the United States, if not the most beautiful.
**Marv:** One of the things we did not get a chance to talk about last time you were on the show. We wanted to, but we just kind of ran out of time, is social media.
**Steve:** Okay.
**Marv:** And what it is doing to our society. I blame social media on a lot of the lack of communication. It’s
**Steve:** Yeah.
**Marv:** Led Zeppelin did a song Communication Breakdown, and that could be the theme, uh, for anytime you want to talk about social media. Just play the Zeppelin song Communication Breakdown because that’s what it has done.
**Steve:** Yeah, it’s given people a platform to do what they want to do. And I don’t know. I mean, we’ve I’ve talked, we’ve talked about this in previous broadcasts. When something first comes up in its purest form, it’s a great thing. And then through the years, manipulation and and and people, you know, manipulate it and use it in ways that are maybe not as good as they were originally. You know, I first, I’m on the only thing I’m really on is the book face. That’s I’m not on anything else. And the only reason I joined that was when my, uh, father died, he was the principal of our high school. When he passed away in 2008, a friend of mine sent me a bunch of clips that he printed out of he mentioned it on the book face. And all these people giving my dad really nice mentions. So I went on there, thinking, you know, I’ll go on there and I will, I’ll thank these people. It’ll be wonderful. And it’s a nice way to reconnect. I’ve I’ve reconnected with a lot of people through the years. Um, when we’ve had our high school reunions, we’ve had, you know, the little pages where you can sign up and that kind of stuff. And it’s wonderful for that. And then through the years, I started, you know, it’s it it went from, hey, how you doing to then all of a sudden, there was a, uh, time frame, a certain era where everybody was checking in because you could check in. So they were checking in at the gym. You know, like I needed to know that my friend from 1984 was going to the gym. But that’s what they wanted to do. And then, then the big thing was, let’s put pictures up of our kid going to school for the first day holding a chalkboard. And I’m like, okay, that’s interesting. But that’s what And that’s what it’s for, there for. It’s innocent stuff. I I have no problem with those kind of things. So then one year, I think it was 2018 or 2019. I decided, um, that I was going to go on and and wish people happy birthday every day. So for 365 days, I went on there and typed in, hey, happy birth anniversary to you. Hey, happy birthday, birth anniversary, because it’s a birth anniversary. By the way, you only have one birthday.
**Marv:** That’s right.
**Steve:** Yeah. That’s English English language. Anyway, I did that for a year, and then I didn’t do it the next year, and nothing changed. So I was like, okay, I’m not really affecting a change. Yes, it’s kind of nice to do these things. And it is. It’s a great way for people to communicate and stuff. And then in the 2020 area, in 2016, 2020, it started getting political. And it feels like now it just feels like it’s a platform for people. And that’s what they want to do. I don’t, but I’ve I’ve, honestly, stopped going on the book face on a regular basis. You know, if I get a message that somebody sent me a a a a message or something, I’ll go on and look at it. And occasionally, you know, if I have something that I need to look up on, you know, I’ll go there. But I I people that are on there 24/11, just, I’m I’m like, you know what? I’m 60 years old. I don’t want to spend my time on the internet. I want to spend my time out in the world. And the people that are on there 24/11, I’m like, where’s your life? I’m sorry, but where’s your life?
**Marv:** Well, that is what’s has happened to, uh, a lot of our high school, and I I talk about this because this was my job as a sports director and, you know, doing high school games and watching the kids play, and it’s like, well, we can’t get anybody to come out and, you know, come out for sports because everybody’s doodling around on their phone.
**Steve:** Yes.
**Marv:** On social media.
**Steve:** I I actually I’m my phone’s doing a text right now, so I apologize, but it but yeah, they’re on their phone doing social media 20 It’s just crazy. And you can’t you can’t you can’t tell them not to, you know.
**Marv:** No.
**Steve:** No.
**Marv:** But there has I mean, there doesn’t have to be, but one would think they would have something else to do with their lives except spend it on their phone or on their computer.
**Steve:** You know what’s sad too is that 90% not 90 a lot of people that are on there all the time. They’re not even posting things of their own. They’re like cutting and pasting. You know, they they find a meme about something that they believe politically, or something they believe socially, and and they just put that on their book face page and they think, oh, I’m making a difference. Oh, to who? Who are you making I mean, if it makes them feel better, that’s fine. I I stopped doing it, uh, about six months into the COVID thing. You know, cuz in the COVID area, in the COVID, you know, like March of 2020, everybody started doing the complaints about, do we wear a mask? Should we get vaccinated? Whose fault is this? What do we call it? What are we doing here? Blah blah blah. And everybody had their opinion. And I I got sucked into it because you get into those wormholes. And about August of 2020, I finally said, you know what? This is making me miserable. And and and I think that was a great epiphany for me because I at that moment, I went cold turkey and got off of social media. I just stopped in August of 2020 for almost seven, eight months. And man, my whole demeanor just changed. I stopped being bitter at people. I stopped complaining to people about this, that, and the other thing. And it’s that thing we talked about before, negativity feeding negativity, feeding negativity. If you’re on there for the right reasons, and if you’re on there for the pure reasons, it’s a good thing to have social media. If you’re on there to do nothing but find mean things to say about mean about other people and or or or or yell at other people who are saying mean things about the people you, it it’s you’re you’re on there for the wrong reasons. And what you’re doing is you’re hurting yourself mentally and physically.
**Marv:** And I think that is the one thing where you just said that you felt a lot better.
**Steve:** Oh yeah.
**Marv:** Once you were off.
**Steve:** Oh yeah.
**Marv:** Of this. And I think a lot of other people, we you wouldn’t have, um, I don’t want to call it negativity, but, um, the poison. Okay. And that’s what it is getting to when you start when this first first came out, I saw people, uh, people would hand me this their phones and say, look at this is what she or he said about that. I said, who cares? You know, okay, that’s that’s their opinion. My old boss, Clay Howlett, when I got into radio, told me, he goes, keep your opinions to yourself because nobody cares about your opinions. And I have I have stayed with that all my life. My wife is on but you need to get on Facebook and connect with your friends. I said, I have a phone. Okay, I can connect with my friends cuz I want to talk to them. I don’t want to sit there and push buttons and comment and all this other crap that is going on on social media because I’m like you. I don’t want to get hooked up in it. And where I live anyway, I don’t get cell service, so.
**Steve:** Well yeah, that helps too.
**Marv:** Yeah, of course, yeah.
**Steve:** My mom and dad, this was in 1986. I was stationed in Germany, and my mom and dad came over to visit, and my mom wanted to visit her relatives in Germany, in a little town called Ulm. And so she went through some channels with her family and stuff like that, found their address, wrote them, they wrote back, we got all the things, we they flew over there, we rented a vehicle, they got a map, we found the city, we drove to their place, they gave us directions. We didn’t use GPS to get there. She didn’t use social media to connect with them. She didn’t do. And it you can do these things. You know, people forget that before 19 1990s, that’s how you got together. Is you communicated through letters and phones and, you know, that kind of stuff. And now.
**Marv:** Face to face.
**Steve:** Yeah, and and now it’s everything has to be, you know, when we’re driving somewhere, it it it’s like all of a sudden, when we get into the town, we have to put the GPS on to find a place instead of going, okay, what’s the address and where’s the map? It it’s convenient. Yes, and it does help it, it does save time, but there are other ways to do it as well. And if you just stop, I mean, obviously these people from 2000 on have never lived without a computer in their hands. So that’s how they live their lives. Just like before that, nobody had a computer in their hands, and that’s how they live their lives. You get through it, but when you start using it or when it starts being a, I don’t know, main line for you where you can’t even breathe without that thing, then it’s becoming a problem.
**Marv:** Well, then you have this all over the, uh, news, uh, how many minutes a day.
**Steve:** Mhm.
**Marv:** Our teenagers are spending on that phone.
**Steve:** Oh yeah.
**Marv:** Or on their basically on their phones because your phone is your new PC.
**Steve:** It is, it is. And that’s what they do. And and and, you know, I don’t blame them. I don’t blame society. I don’t blame anybody. It’s just that I’ve decided personally to not be on the social media stuff as much as other people are. I just I can’t. I have too much time. I don’t have enough time left in my life to not be living. And so I’m going out and living.
**Marv:** Well, I don’t blame you. And that’s a lot of people need to do that, especially some of the young ones who are tuning into this podcast. You know, put down the phone.
**Steve:** Off the phone. Yeah.
**Marv:** Yeah. Put down the phone, get out there and start enjoying life, not by looking at your your smartphone. We’re going to take a break and we’ll be right back with Steve Law.
**Seger Toyota**
Seger Toyota. Hey truck lovers, Toyota St. Buck’s on Trucks event is on, and right now at your number one voted dealer, Seger Toyota of St. Robert, we have new Tacomas with as low as 1.99% APR. And if you want big truck energy, 26 Tundra Gas models get 2.99% APR for 72 months and $2,000 to FBS cash. But here’s where we’re different. Every new Seger Toyota comes with a lifetime engine warranty, and the first four years are 50,000 miles of regular maintenance. That’s at no charge, with no surprises, no gimmicks, and no funny business. Only big trucks with big savings. Seger Toyota of St. Robert, next to Walmart and at Seger Toyota.net. Sparks 33126 with pre-credits, terms $500 to FBS cash on select models.
**Bank of Crocker**
Since 1911, The Bank of Crocker has served the greater Pulaski County area. This year marks their 115th year. How do you last that long? Well, by giving their customers cutting-edge banking services with a hometown flair. You can do your banking from anywhere in the world with their convenient online banking. At the big banks, you’re just another number. At The Bank of Crocker, they know your name, maybe some of your family, and might even know the name of the dog sitting next to you in the drive-in facility. It’s called the personal touch, which is why they’re celebrating their 115th year as your hometown bank. And there’s four locations for your convenience in Crocker, Richland, Waynesville, and St. Robert. The Bank of Crocker. Remember, FDIC and Equal Housing Lender.
**Marv:** Well, let’s do a little sports. The Major League Baseball season is now well underway with all 32 teams in action somewhere across the nation. St. Louis Cardinals started their season at home in late March with Tampa, then hosting the Mets before taking their first road trip of the season, which begins today as we drop this week’s episode into Detroit and a weekend series with the Tigers. The 2026 NFL season will kick off Wednesday, September 9th, 2026, in Seattle, featuring the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks, according to reports from The Athletic and whbld.com. This rare Wednesday opener is due to a week one international game in Melbourne, Australia, when the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams hook up on Thursday, September the 10th. Now, who the Seahawks will play on that Wednesday is not known. Will not be known until the NFL releases their schedule, which is coming up next month. We do know who Kansas City will play at home and on the road, but the dates, times, and networks will not be confirmed until May. The Chiefs will host the 49ers, Indianapolis, New England, Arizona, and the Jets along with their AFC West games against Denver, the Raiders, and Chargers. The Chiefs will also travel to their conference rivals and will also be on the road to Buffalo, Cincinnati, Seattle, the L.A. Rams, Miami, and Atlanta. This schedule looks pretty brutal for a team that finished 6 and 11 last year. Patrick Mahomes is rehabbing his knee injury as we approach the end of March. A video popped up on Mahomes throwing the ball in regular quarterback rhythm, and the Chiefs Kingdom erupted on Mahomes’s progress. Now, let’s hope they don’t throw him into the fire too early, but Mahomes insisted when he was injured late last year that he would be ready. We’ll be back with a wrap after this.
**St. Robert Auto Supply**
Your NAPA Auto Parts store, St. Robert Auto Supply, has everything you need for your vehicle and more when you need it. NAPA brand oil and anti-freeze, windshield wipers, and vehicle accessories. Plus tools and equipment for all your projects. From car covers and flashlights to car wash, air fresheners, sunshades, and glass and tire cleaner. You’ll find it all at your NAPA Auto Parts store, St. Robert Auto Supply, just off Missouri Avenue. And get the good stuff seven days a week.
**STR Glass**
In these days of texting and emails, words, phrases, and names are shortened to letters. It doesn’t change anything, it just makes things easier. That’s the case of STR Glass, a St. Robert establishment since the ’60s. Still the same great service when it comes to auto glass, windows, shower doors, and anything to do with glass. And when it comes to fixing chips in your windshield to prevent cracking, there’s none better. They’re still in the same location on VFW Memorial Drive and still have the same phone number 336-4122. They’ve just shortened their name from St. Robert Glass to STR Glass, but will never shorten their services to you, the customer.
**Conclusion**
Again, this is a bit of a short inversion of the episode this week due to vacations and the like. Thanks to my sponsors, Shelter Insurance Agent Dave Howlett of Richland, St. Robert Auto Supply, Seger Toyota, The Pulaski County Health Center, STR Glass of St. Robert, VFW Post 3168 of Lacway, TK’s Pizza, Bales Construction, The Bank of Crocker, and Paul’s Furniture. Thanks to my producer, Tracy, and to you, my podcast faithful, for letting me be a small part of your lives, albeit, for a short period of time each week. If you’re enjoying The Marv In The Morning podcast, we invite you to leave a review on whatever app you’re listening on. We would also love for you to share the episode with family and friends on your social media accounts. Be sure to follow our podcast on Facebook, on The Marv In The Morning podcast page, and you’re also invited to join us on Facebook on the Fort Not Lost In The Woods Podcast group. This podcast is a production of O’Quinn Media. Join me next week as we talk turkey with the spring turkey season about to explode and visit with the president of the Clay Holla Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. One of the most successful chapters in the state. Until then, later.