This morning we’re honored to sit down with a true Lorain legend: Tony Giardini.Tony has spent over 40 years as a top-tier attorney and driven force behind Lorain’s economic Main Street Lorain Development/ Lorain Growth. As partner at Giardini, Poplar & Mason, he’s spearheaded transformative commercial real-estate projects—most notably the Lighthouse Village shopping center, the Harborwalk residential community on the Black River, and the iconic Shipyards Event Center in the old industrial shipyard.But Tony’s impact extends well beyond property. A longtime member and former chair of the Lorain County Democratic Party and the Board of Elections, he’s been a steady voice in civic leadership since at least 1997. He’s also active on Main Street initiatives, championing downtown revitalization and urging public-private investment to boost local growth.Whether drafting contracts, fighting for fair elections, or raising a glass to a stronger Lorain, Tony’s blend of legal prowess, entrepreneurial spirit, and community heart is what makes today’s bar talk one for the books

We’ve got a very special guest in the house—someone who’s been shaking up the system, asking the questions most are too scared to. She’s a fierce journalist, a fearless truth-teller, and the founder of Mean Street News… please welcome Katty Beyer to the mic!Katty’s been on the front lines of some of the most important grassroots stories in Ohio—digging into injustice, exposing corruption, and giving voice to those who’ve been silenced for too long. And tonight, she’s here to talk with us about the Ohio 4 case, the power of independent journalism, and what it takes to bring truth to light.

Today’s guest is someone whose life has been deeply shaped by one of Ohio’s most controversial criminal cases. Amber Smith was just a child when her mother, Nancy Smith, was accused and later wrongfully convicted of crimes that shook the community of Lorain to its core. While much has been said about the case from the legal side, we rarely hear the story of what it was like to grow up as the daughter of the accused—and what it means to live with that legacy. Amber joins us today not only as a witness to history but as a woman with her own voice, her own truth, and her own fight for justice. This is not just a story about a wrongful conviction—it’s a story about endurance, motherhood, and reclaiming identity.