The Mayor, the Parade & Paul from Beaumont's Fashion Advice

Show Low is getting ready for a huge Fourth of July celebration, and today we welcomed Show Low Mayor John Leech Jr., Show Low Communications Manager Grace Payne, and the Show Low TV team into the studio to preview everything happening this Saturday.

We talked about the Fourth of July Parade, FreedomFest, fireworks (weather permitting), and shared an important reminder about parade chair rumors. Then Paul from Beaumont called in with some patriotic fashion advice for the mayor that had everyone laughing. We also put the City of Show Low to the test in Are You Smarter Than a Redneck: Fourth of July Edition, gave away four Arizona Diamondbacks tickets for Saturday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers, and found out just how much one of our guests knows about Arizona sports.

Thanks for listening to The Morning Brew with Chris Bennett & Best Friends! If you enjoy the show, be sure to follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with a friend.

Transcript

Patriotic Fashion Cold Open

SPEAKER_03 0:01

I need y'all to call the mayor's office. The main red, white, and blue coveralls for the right.

SPEAKER_01 0:07

Oh my gosh. I'd get laughed out of show though, Paul.

SPEAKER_03 0:11

The red, white, and blue coveralls, a belt with a big belt buckle, and that hat and that mustache. That's America. America.

SPEAKER_04 0:19

That was Paul from Beaumont offering a little 4th of July fashion advice to Sholo Mayor John Leach Jr.

Meet The Mayor And The Team

SPEAKER_04 0:25

Hello, best friends. It's me, Chris Bennett, and welcome to another episode of the Morning Brew with Chris Bennett and best friends. We had a jam-packed Wednesday show. Sholo Mayor John Leach Jr., communications manager Grace Payne and Solo TV crew joined us in studio to get everyone ready for Saturday's 4th of July parade, Freedom Fest, and fireworks. Paul from Beaumont called in to see if he was smarter than the city of Sholo. We gave away four diamondback tickets for the Saturday's game against the Brewers, and we discovered one of our guests knows nothing when it comes to Arizona sports. It's a fun one, so buckle up and enjoy the morning brew. Chris Bennett and the Morning Brew. I'm so excited to have some guests in studio and not to be all by Mass anymore. I have Grace Payne from the city of Solo, our

Parade Route And Live Stream Plans

SPEAKER_04 1:20

communications manager, and the mayor of Solo, John Leach Jr., joining me today. Woop woop woop. We're getting ready uh for a big day on Saturday, 4th of July, right?

SPEAKER_02 1:31

And it's gonna be crowded, so have a lot of patience. There's gonna be a lot of people here.

SPEAKER_04 1:35

Yeah, people are already uh lining up, uh, reserving their spots for the parade. Grace, we have a lot going on Saturday. We have the show of parade that you and I get to host the uh the uh the live for. I'm so excited for that. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 1:49

Yep, we get to spend the morning together. We're gonna host the parade, so anyone who doesn't make it out in person, they can jump on the city's YouTube page and watch us host the parade. But the parade kicks off right at nine and it's full. We have 125 beautiful floats.

SPEAKER_04 2:05

Holy moly, this is bigger than last year, right?

SPEAKER_00 2:08

Bigger than last year.

SPEAKER_04 2:09

Heck yeah. And so uh it's gonna start between Owens and White Mountain Road?

SPEAKER_00 2:14

Correct.

SPEAKER_02 2:14

Okay, and that's if you don't know where Owens is, it's a city park. Okay, perfect.

SPEAKER_04 2:20

So that's gonna start at 9 a.m. That's gonna be a lot of fun. Then after at 11 a.m., what happens?

Splash Zone And Freedom Fest Schedule

SPEAKER_00 2:26

That is the splash zone. So immediately following the parade, people can head over to Frontier Fields, and we've got games. The fire department's gonna come by, they're gonna use their big trucks and just spray down the kiddos. So if you need to cool off and you wanna toss the football, toss a frisbee, hang out with your family, it's gonna be fantastic.

SPEAKER_04 2:46

And then three to nine, it's Freedom Fest at Solo High School. Tell me about that.

SPEAKER_00 2:51

Oh, Freedom Fest is gonna be amazing. We have live music from the Heath Clark band, and then we've got food trucks. We have close to a dozen food trucks, so you can bring the family, grab a hamburger, grab some kettle corn, grab a something to drink from Yosipity. It's gonna be amazing. And then there's a whole fun zone for the kids. Um, it's free play if you want to buy a wristband for 10 bucks, and the kiddos can run around, get that energy out, have a good time, and fireworks at nine o'clock.

SPEAKER_04 3:23

Heck yeah, weather permitting.

SPEAKER_00 3:24

Weather permitting, yeah. We're gonna let folks know, you know, we're keeping an eye on the wind, we're staying safe, so bear with us is right, right.

SPEAKER_02 3:32

Safety first. You know, you were you mentioned the uh Heath Clark band. Gotta remember, if you if you live under a rock and you don't know who he is, he was born and raised in Sholow. Yeah. And he's hitting a big in Nashville right now, so it's pretty exciting to have him home.

SPEAKER_04 3:47

It's gonna be awesome. Sho Solo Boy and heading home, yeah, and uh headline in the concert. It's gonna be a lot of fun. I love the 4th of July up here, and uh it's gonna be a lot of fun, best friends.

The Chair Rumor And Parade Culture

SPEAKER_04 3:59

And Grace, uh, what uh you were telling me something about uh some calls you have been getting?

SPEAKER_00 4:04

Yeah, so the biggest question I've gotten this year is actually a new question, and it's folks asking if the city pays anyone to remove chairs. What I wait and let me just put that rumor to rest. No, 100% no. We don't pay anyone to remove chairs. We also do not sell the chairs to the public after the event. So yeah, do not do not bring two bucks, do not ask to buy someone else's chair. I'm sorry to say that none of that is true.

SPEAKER_04 4:35

No buying or selling chairs, and the city is not removing any chairs either. Um, I just love this time of year up here, and it really just highlights what a great community in town we have. Mayor, what's your favorite part of the Fourth of July here in the White Mountains?

SPEAKER_02 4:49

You know, I gotta tell you, Chris, I've been I've been in the parade for as long as I can remember, probably even before I was mayor. But the exciting part to me is all the people. It's really cool to watch all the people, and all the kids are so excited to see the parade. And my wife loves the parade. She absolutely she will not ride in the parade with me. It's not gonna happen. She did a couple years ago, but she wants to watch it. But I love it because just driving through the parade or walking through the parade or riding my horse, just the excitement of all the people. I mean, you're talking 20,000 plus people, and and I know a lot of people escape the heat, but it's even even the locals, how excited we are about watching our parade, which brings you back to the chairs. I look at it as people are excited to watch a little hometown parade. They are. I know they set up a week in advance, and I know a lot of people get frustrated, but I look at it the other way. How excited people are to get a spot to watch the parade. And you guys, and you guys do such a fantastic job calling the parade, so you don't even have to come down here to the parade because you guys, you guys are amazing. You have a good time, and we have a lot of time. And that's what it's about, you know, having a great time.

SPEAKER_00 5:54

There's so much community love. It's awesome.

SPEAKER_04 5:56

I love it. It's that it's happening this Saturday, 4th of July, here in Sholow. Parade starts at 9 o'clock, and then after that, 11 o'clock, it is the splash zone over at Frontier Park. And then uh Freedom Fest from 3

Are You Smarter Than Paul

SPEAKER_04 6:11

to 9 at Sholow High School. Heck yeah.

SPEAKER_03 6:13

Exactly.

SPEAKER_04 6:14

There is a lot happening here on the White Mountains. It's gonna be a great weekend. Woo!

SPEAKER_03 6:19

That's Bob Lloyd! Yeah!

SPEAKER_04 6:24

It's everyone's favorite redneck from Beaumont, Texas. It is Paul from Beaumont. Paul, I have the mayor in studio today. And uh John Leach Jr. and Grace Payne from the city of Sholo. Go ahead and say hi.

SPEAKER_03 6:39

Hey, how you doing, America's mayor? What's going on, Paul? How are you doing, brother? Oh man, just just trying to get through this heat, Bray. Trying to get through this heat.

SPEAKER_02 6:47

My bad.

SPEAKER_04 6:48

We're having a big 4th of July parade here for your birthday, Paul. His birthday's on the 4th of July. He's a Yankee Doodle Dandy. Oh, nice.

SPEAKER_00 6:56

Happy birthday.

SPEAKER_04 6:57

Yeah, we wish you were here. But you can watch uh the whole parade. Uh, Paul will be uh live streaming on City of Sholos Facebook and YouTube page. So you can check us out today.

SPEAKER_03 7:08

You know what? I'm gonna watch it drinking beer. Oh, nice.

SPEAKER_01 7:12

Me too.

SPEAKER_03 7:13

Did you know what? I thought you'd be uh I want to know, but mayor, I've been seeing these things on Facebook, these cobrawls, these red, white, and blue club rolls. It's America 250. I think I think that's what you need to wear.

SPEAKER_02 7:26

You know what? I would, Paul. I would I would try to get it coming today, but you know what, we don't have any in town, so I'm gonna have to pass. It's too late for Amazon.

SPEAKER_01 7:34

No, no, no, Amazon can get it here.

SPEAKER_02 7:36

No, I don't know. I just checked. No, I don't think it's a tractor supply. Don't y'all have a tractor supply? No, they quit selling those.

SPEAKER_03 7:43

Oh, they did. Okay, look, look, look, look, Sholo, I need y'all to call the mayor's office. The main red, white, and blue coveralls for the great.

SPEAKER_01 7:52

Oh my gosh. I'd get laughed out of Sholo, Paul.

SPEAKER_04 7:55

I think that I think that would be awesome. I think are you. Yeah, it's gonna be I do good.

SPEAKER_03 8:02

The red, white, and blue coveralls, a belt with a big belt buckle, and that hat and that mustache. That's America.

SPEAKER_01 8:09

America.

SPEAKER_04 8:11

Hey, uh, Paul, you feeling smart this morning? I just told you what the mayor needed to wear, of course I am. It is now time for Are You Smarter Than a Redneck, Paul from Beaumont versus the City of Sholow? Holy moly, we have Solo TV, Grace Payne with the communications manager of Sholo and the mayor of Sholo. Three against one, Paul from Beaumont. If you guys know the answer, say your name, or actually say Sholo or City. Say City. Okay. Uh, and that's your buzzer. Here we go. Approximately, how many gallons of ice cream are eaten during the 4th of July?

SPEAKER_02 8:50

City.

SPEAKER_04 8:51

City.

SPEAKER_02 8:52

I'd say 100,000 gallons.

SPEAKER_04 8:54

100,000 gallons. Okay. Paul, uh, what's uh your guess? Close us without going over.

SPEAKER_02 9:01

Oh, I went over. He said a hundred thousand?

SPEAKER_04 9:03

He said a hundred thousand. It's it's it's sixty-eight million. Really? Yes, way more. I I eat a hundred thousand gallons myself.

SPEAKER_02 9:17

I don't eat ice cream, so I have much.

SPEAKER_00 9:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 9:25

Go ahead. Go ahead. What did you say?

unknown 9:28

City. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 9:29

All right, here we go. Uh Paul's up one-zero. Uh, in the Nathan's hot dog contest, how many hot dogs did the men's champion eat to win the 2025 Nathan's hot dog eating contest?

SPEAKER_00 9:42

City.

SPEAKER_04 9:43

City.

SPEAKER_00 9:44

32.

SPEAKER_04 9:45

32. We should believe he's gonna go 33. Yeah. What's your guess, Paul?

SPEAKER_03 9:53

I'm gonna say 40 because it was like Yeah, it was 70 and a half.

SPEAKER_04 10:00

70 and a half hot dogs in 10 minutes. Holy moly.

SPEAKER_02 10:04

Paul didn't get it either, though.

SPEAKER_04 10:05

No, he got close. We're playing prices right. He went closest without going over. He's up 2-0. This last question, though, will determine who the winner is. Uh here we go. About how many bald eagles live in the United States? Is it A 50,000, B, 150,000, or C 316,000?

SPEAKER_02 10:28

I'm not a bird watcher. I have no idea.

SPEAKER_04 10:31

Paul. Paul. Hey. Is it A 50,000? No, it's not. Sholo, this is worth a million points. You have a chance to steal. Is it 150,000 or 316,000? How many bald eagles live in the United States? Make Sholo proud.

SPEAKER_02 10:49

I think it's gonna be 316 just because it's an odd number.

SPEAKER_04 10:53

316,000? The city of Sholo came from behind. And they are smarter than a red deck.

SPEAKER_03 11:01

Yee yeah yeah. Sorry, Paul. That's okay. That's okay. I still know how to dress better on America's birthday. Paul, we love you. Thanks for having fun with us this morning. Alrighty. Hey, y'all have a great fourth. Be safe. And uh y'all carry y'all's mirror on for the new coveralls. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 11:22

And have a happy birthday, best friend, if we don't talk to you before then.

SPEAKER_02 11:25

Happy birthday, buddy.

SPEAKER_04 11:27

Uh, thank y'all. We'll do.

Ticket Winner And Arizona Sports Stumpers

SPEAKER_04 11:35

Is this Cordelia?

SPEAKER_00 11:37

Yeah, it's Cordelia.

SPEAKER_04 11:38

Hey, this is Chris Bennett with Q Country 925. You entered your name in the Wheel of Names for Diamondback tickets, and guess what? You won four tickets to uh July 4th game this Saturday, Diamondbacks versus the Miliwake Brewers. How's that bro? Oh yeah, that's awesome! Heck yeah, congratulations.

SPEAKER_03 12:00

Thank you.

SPEAKER_04 12:01

Uh, but before I let you go, will you uh play a fun little game with us uh here? So I have my friend uh Miles uh uh from the City of Solo TV. They'll be broadcasting our Facebook uh uh uh uh our parade on Facebook Live and YouTube Live. I found out he knows nothing about Arizona sports. And so I'm gonna ask him what uh sport a team plays, and you gotta guess whether he's gonna get it right or wrong. Sound good?

SPEAKER_03 12:30

Well, okay.

SPEAKER_04 12:31

Okay. Uh we we had a uh a minor league team in Arizona called the Road Runners. What sport did they play? Do you think he's gonna get it right or wrong?

SPEAKER_00 12:44

Uh he's gonna get it right.

SPEAKER_04 12:46

You think he's gonna get it right? There is a team called uh a minor league team, Roadrunners, and their mascot had uh something in his hand. It was a roadrunner. What sport were the Phoenix Roadrunners?

SPEAKER_05 13:05

Well, do I get a choice? Do I get like a multiple choice thing here?

SPEAKER_04 13:08

Okay, hockey, baseball, basketball, or football? Or soccer.

SPEAKER_05 13:19

Um gosh.

SPEAKER_04 13:26

Five, four, three, two, one.

SPEAKER_05 13:30

It's a minor league. I'm gonna say baseball. Uh no, uh football.

SPEAKER_04 13:34

No, hockey, hockey, hockey, yeah. Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_05 13:38

What an Arizona. What is the what we have no business having hockey here?

SPEAKER_04 13:45

All right, next. Yeah, the coyotes, they they left us. All right. Yeah, they left us.

SPEAKER_01 13:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 13:50

Okay, um let's go. Let's go national. Let's see. Uh how about uh the Red Sox? Red Sox. This is not an Arizona team. What sport do the Red Sox play?

SPEAKER_05 14:05

That I don't.

SPEAKER_04 14:06

What is it? Baseball. There we go. Holy moly, he totally redeemed himself.

SPEAKER_05 14:10

Oh, but you forgot to ask her if I was gonna get it right again.

SPEAKER_04 14:12

Oh, I forgot.

SPEAKER_03 14:15

If you didn't get that right, I didn't know what would happen.

SPEAKER_05 14:18

All right, give it another one. So now she has a good, she can she she does. I I do know something.

SPEAKER_04 14:23

You do know something. Okay, this this is an Arizona team. Is he gonna get this right or wrong? Uh the Phoenix Mercury. What sport does the Phoenix Mercury play? What do you think he uh is he gonna get it right or wrong?

SPEAKER_03 14:35

Uh he better get it right.

SPEAKER_04 14:37

All right, Phoenix Mercury. What sport do they play? It's either basketball, football, baseball, soccer.

SPEAKER_05 14:47

I'm gonna say is it a is it a minor league team?

SPEAKER_04 14:51

I don't want to give you a no, they're pro. They're pro.

SPEAKER_05 14:53

Oh, they're pro?

SPEAKER_04 14:54

They're pro. They are pro. Phoenix Mercury.

SPEAKER_05 15:00

Now I know the Sun the Suns would be basketball. That's pro basketball. Um there can only be one pro basketball team, right?

unknown 15:10

Some seats.

SPEAKER_04 15:12

Some, yeah, yeah, like uh LA, LA has like uh several basketball teams, you know.

SPEAKER_00 15:17

New York has two football teams.

SPEAKER_04 15:19

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 15:21

Okay, this is really difficult. Um it sounds like to me, it sounds like basketball.

SPEAKER_04 15:29

It is basketball. Yes, and I forgot what your answer was, Cordelia. What was women's basketball? Women's basketball.

SPEAKER_03 15:36

I thought you better get it right.

SPEAKER_04 15:37

Oh, yeah, and he got it right. There you go. Congratulations, Miles. You gotta start watch watching some sports, buddy. Well, Cordelia, congratulations. You are going to the Diamondbacks game this Saturday. What station hooked you up?

SPEAKER_03 15:53

Uh, Chief Runchy.

SPEAKER_04 15:54

You know it.

SPEAKER_03 15:56

Thank you.

SPEAKER_04 15:58

Well, that is gonna do it for another episode of the Morning Brew with Chris Bennett

Wrap Up And Listener Thanks

SPEAKER_04 16:02

and best friends. Thanks so much for spending a part of your day with us. We'll be back tomorrow morning with some more Last Funs games and a few surprises. And if you enjoyed today's podcast, please follow the show, leave us a review, and share this episode with another best friend that you think might enjoy our morning brew shenanigans. Until next time, I'm Chris Bennett, and I remind you to be nice to yourself, be nice to others, and don't be jerk. Bye.