Take On The Lake

LakeExpo
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Lake of the Ozarks is the most fascinating place in Missouri. From entrepreneurs to community leaders to local heroes, we're interviewing people and taking on issues that are shaping the future of the Lake. It could get spicy. We'll also dive into some wild mystery stories along the way... --Produced by LakeExpo--

  1. 3d ago

    YES or NO? | Missouri's Ballot Breakdown & My Take On Every Issue (Ep 52)

    Note from Nathan -- TWO episodes this week! It's election season and it was "get these out now or don't bother at all." Hope you enjoy... and don't get used to it, haha. ----- Missouri's 2026 ballot is... a lot. When you go vote on Tuesday, Nov. 3, you'll find: Amendments 3, 6, 7 and 8, and Proposition A. That means abortion. The initiative petition process. A new approach to state taxes. County sheriffs. Congressional redistricting. So in this episode of Take On The Lake, I'm breaking down what's actually on the Missouri ballot, what each measure would do, and then giving you my take on each one. The short version of my take? No on 6, Yes on everything else. We spend the most time on two of the biggest fights: Amendment 3 and Amendment 6. Amendment 3 has divided even Missouri's pro-life movement, with some conservatives arguing the proposed restrictions don't go far enough. I explain why I think that's the wrong way to approach the choice voters actually have in front of them. Then there's Amendment 6, which would dramatically change the rules surrounding constitutional amendments that originated through Missouri's initiative petition process. Some conservatives are supporting it. I think they're making a major mistake, and I explain why. We also get into: • Amendment 7 and the proposed Show Me Prosperity Fund • Amendment 8 and Missouri's county sheriffs • Proposition A and Missouri's new congressional map • Why ballot language is so difficult to understand • The problem with political “purity spirals” • Why politics ultimately forces us to choose between the options actually in front of us Agree with me or don't. But before you walk into the voting booth, know what you're voting on. Stay anchored. Stay curious.

  2. 5d ago

    Missouri's Most Controversial Politician? A Candid Convo With Sec. Of State Denny Hoskins | Ep 51

    Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins has had a wild year. He’s been sued repeatedly, caught between conflicting state and federal court orders over Missouri’s congressional maps, and even held in contempt by the Missouri Supreme Court. In this episode, Hoskins joins me to walk through the entire redistricting saga from his perspective: why he waited until the statutory deadline to act, why he initially rejected the referendum petition challenging Missouri’s new congressional map, what happened when different courts ordered him to use different maps, and why he says he was genuinely prepared for the possibility of going to jail. But we go well beyond the court fights. We talk about Hoskins’ path from CPA to statewide office, election integrity, his Christian faith, Amendment 3, divisions within Missouri’s Republican Party, Donald Trump’s impact on the GOP, socialism and the political left, and where conservative politics goes from here. And before he leaves, I give him a parting gift from my personal wardrobe. Whatever you think of Denny Hoskins, he’s been at the center of an extraordinary year in Missouri politics. Here’s his side of the story.

  3. Oct 8

    Inside The $500 Million Oasis! Developers Fred Ross & Todd Schneider Reveal What's Coming | Ep. 50

    This interview is a rare opportunity. And I'm excited for you to hear it. Fred Ross is the extremely successful entrepreneur behind Oasis at Lake of the Ozarks, the half-a-billion-dollar development set to open in 2027 and 2028. And he doesn't sit down for many interviews. I got Fred and his development partner Todd Schneider — the amusement rides specialist who calls himself a "modern day carnie" — to break down some huge details about the development. We talk about the amusement park opening in 2027, the 401-room Marriott resort, indoor water park, restaurants, convention space, boat slips and a lineup of major rides, including two roller coasters and the giant observation wheel that's already changing the Lake skyline. We also get into something I think a lot of people still don't understand about Oasis: there's no admission fee just to get in. Parking is free. Boat slips are free. You can show up, walk around, meet somebody for a drink or dinner, and only pay for the attractions you actually use. Fred talks about his lifelong history at Lake of the Ozarks and why he's putting so much into this project. Todd tells the wild story of going from developing Walmarts to building giant Ferris wheels, including the project that brought together a massive wheel, Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville and the very first LandShark Bar & Grill. We also talk about their bigger bet: that Oasis can help push Lake of the Ozarks toward becoming a true year-round destination. And yes, we finally get the timeline: Amusement park: April 2027. Indoor water park: October 2027. Marriott resort: April 2028. There's a LOT happening across from the Grand Glaize Bridge. Here's what's coming.

  4. Sep 29

    The Woman Who Audits Camden County For Fun... And What She Found | Ep 49 w/ The Watchdog

    Jennie Wall audits Camden County finances for fun. She literally told me spreadsheets help her relax. And she thinks she's found something pretty worrying in the county's bank account. Jennie is the woman behind The Watchdog Report — a short-and-sweet, but densely-packed newsletter she circulates around the Lake area. And she has built her own system for tracking Camden County funds. So I brought her on the show to find out what exactly she's looking for... and what she thinks she's found. I saw the spreadsheet. We talked about the spreadsheet. I translated her finance-speak to real-world terms. Does the Lake's only first-class county have a serious financial problem? And is anyone paying attention?

  5. Sep 9

    From Texas To TikTok To Touring: Ty Myers Is Just 19, And Life Is A Whirlwind | Ep 48

    Ty Myers swung through Lake of the Ozarks and we managed to get him in the Take On The Lake studio for an interview. We talked about his background, his family ranch in Texas (and being homesick), and how he went from "I make videos with a few hundred views" to touring the world. We also sang a little... Ty tells the wild story of the TikTok that changed everything, and how three record labels reached out during a 50-minute drive to Key West. We get into growing up around music, blowing out his knee in high school, writing songs on his own instead of in Nashville writing rooms, and why Willie Nelson, Bill Withers and John Mayer have had such an influence on him. Plus: life on the road at 19, his upcoming Willie Nelson tribute project, why he refuses to use a teleprompter onstage, and what happens when the PA dies but the band doesn't know it. And yes, somehow Ty and I wound up singing Lean On Me together. So I've pretty much made it. This was a fun one. Enjoy.

  6. Aug 27

    Cadillac Just Discovered Lake Of The Ozarks, And They're Going All-In On The Shootout | Ep 47

    The Lake of the Ozarks Shootout is one of those events that makes people ask: “How have I gone my whole life and not known about this?” Apparently, Cadillac is asking that question too. In this quick Shootout-week episode of Take On The Lake, I sat down with Chris Wilson, a Kansas City Cadillac dealer and Lake regular who made it his mission to get the national brand's attention. After literally cold-calling Cadillac executives and bringing them to the Lake, Chris helped convince them that the Shootout and Cadillac were a natural fit. Now they're going all-in. Cadillac has brought 80 Escalades to Lake of the Ozarks for Shootout week, along with displays and experiences at Performance Boat Center and the Oasis at Lakeport. And they're bringing some serious hardware, including a 682-horsepower Escalade V, a rare CT5-V Blackwing and the ultra-exclusive, hand-built Cadillac Celestiq, a car that can run into the $400,000–$600,000 range. Plus, Chris teases one more vehicle coming Saturday that he isn't allowed to reveal yet. Performance meets performance at one of the wildest boating events in the country. Welcome to Shootout week.

  7. Aug 27

    There’s GOLD In The Ozarks… And You’re Walking Right Past It | Mushroom Foraging w/ Mike Snyder | Ep. 46

    There’s gold in these Ozark hills. You’ve probably walked right past it. Not the shiny kind. The delicious kind. The forests of the Ozarks are loaded with wild edible mushrooms, and most of us have absolutely no idea what we’re looking at. Morels get all the fame in Missouri, but they're just the beginning, and actually there are many easier ones to find... if you know what you're looking for. Chanterelles glow gold on the forest floor. Indigo milkies accent the woods with a stunning grey-blue. The chicken of the woods at the base of that oak tree that you hit with the mower every year actually wants to go on the dinner table. An entire world of other edible mushrooms is hiding in plain sight. For this episode of Take On The Lake, I sit down with Mike Snyder, a mushroom forager with 15 years of experience whose obsession with fungi has grown into teaching, guiding and now writing Foraging Mushrooms of the Ozarks, an upcoming field guide from Simon & Schuster. Nerdiness alert: we geek out pretty hard! But there's a lot to learn: • the strange magic of mushroom hunting • why morels are only the beginning • what makes the Ozarks such an incredible place for fungi • how a beginner can start learning what’s edible • and why people who already hunt, hike and fish are surrounded by wild food they simply don’t notice. Yes, Mike and I are both completely addicted to mushroom hunting. (The legal, delicious kind of mushroom addiction.) Mike argues that Missouri is especially blessed with mushrooms that are both excellent edibles and relatively easy to identify. His new book covers how to identify them, where to find them, how to harvest them and even what to do with them in the kitchen. If you spend any time in the woods, this episode may permanently change what you see when you look around. There’s treasure out there. Go find it.

  8. Jul 28

    Elections Ahead! Missouri Amendments 4 & 5 Explained (And Why I Changed My Mind)

    Missouri’s August ballot is confusing. So let’s just talk about it. In this solo episode of Take On The Lake, I break down two of the biggest amendments you’ll see on the August 4th ballot—Amendments 4 and 5—and explain what they actually do. And I try to do it in plain English. Topics include: How citizen initiative petitions work Why Amendment 4 would raise the bar for changing the Constitution The real implications of Amendment 5 and phasing out the income tax Why this issue isn’t as simple as it sounds And yep… I reveal where I land on each one.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
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About

Lake of the Ozarks is the most fascinating place in Missouri. From entrepreneurs to community leaders to local heroes, we're interviewing people and taking on issues that are shaping the future of the Lake. It could get spicy. We'll also dive into some wild mystery stories along the way... --Produced by LakeExpo--

Information

  • Creator
    LakeExpo
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    52
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    Take On The Lake

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