The Crossroads Suncast is a podcast produced by PMG Studios in cooperation with WPSD-TV and The Paducah Sun. The show explores both local news and national issues, and sheds light on the stories that shape America's crossroads.

The Crossroads Suncast is available on major podcast platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

This week's episode of the Crossroads Suncast ends season three and kicks off 2026 with a look at the major changes coming to local news.

Former WPSD Sports Director Jeff Bidwell reflects on the changes he's bringing as News Director — and how journalism is shifting more broadly in the 21st century.

The episode is available on all major podcast platforms, YouTube, and at PaducahSun.com and WPSDLocal6.com.

This week's episode of the Crossroads Suncast explores the dynamics of a deeply red state with a two-term democrat as governor. From faith to luck to cultural heritage — analysts walk through the factors behind the rise of Steve and Andy Beshear.

This episode features CNN commentator Scott Jennings, Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams, Murray State University professor Brian Clardy, and long-time Kentucky journalists Linda Blackford and Al Cross.

The episode is available on all major podcast platforms, YouTube, and at PaducahSun.com and WPSDLocal6.com.

This week's episode of the Crossroads Suncast focuses on a recent hearing exploring new evidence in the murder of Jessica Currin. The episode moves through the changing testimony of key witnesses, and the potential impact of police interrogation techniques on the case.

The episode is available on all major podcast platforms, YouTube, and at PaducahSun.com and WPSDLocal6.com.

While American pop culture has undergone dramatic shifts throughout its history, one staple remains relatively unchanged: Charles Schulz's “Peanuts” comic strip. The property celebrates its 75th anniversary this year — and the joy it has created for millions across many mediums.

Robert Pope — a cartoonist with an impressive pedigree who currently works on the “Peanuts” franchise — discussed with the Crossroads Suncast the enduring and universal appeal of Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the gang.

Putting pencil to paper on a daily basis for its licensed characters, Pope closely understands "Peanuts" in his role with Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates out of Santa Rosa, California. He strives to preserve the “magical” quality of the creations of Schulz, also known by his nickname “Sparky.”

“Typically, what I do is children's books, graphic novels, illustrations for development deals, things that go in theme parks like Cedar Fair, which just recently merged with Six Flags,” Pope said. “Instead of trying to build something from the ground up, we're extrapolating a lot of things that either were created and written while Sparky was alive, or things that were in process later in his life.”

Pope said at the heart of the “Peanuts” franchise are the singular sensibilities of Schulz. Schulz Creative Associates, Sparky’s family and many of his living collaborators ensure the original vision is unaltered.

Conversely, Pope said other longstanding properties he’s worked on, such as Bugs Bunny, Scooby-Doo and Batman, have had “many fathers over many years of development.”

“You’ve had lots of hands on those characters. Those teams allow people to feel very comfortable trying to put their own stamp on those,” Pope said. “It would just be a very foolhardy thing to try to take it upon yourself to elaborate on 'Peanuts.'"

Pope said the responsibility of maintaining Schulz’s legacy can be “petrifying,” especially considering how renowned Schulz is among other artists.

“Most of the cartooning community has a great deal of reverence and respect for the body of work that this man did for half a century, actually more,” Pope said. “It's the sort of thing that is approached extremely carefully and thoughtfully.”

Pope said the goal of Schulz’s designs is balancing a natural exuberance with the fine details of the drawing. He said the craft is highly involved yet must appear effortless, all of which originated in the newspaper medium.

Pope elaborated that Schulz incorporated fundamental artistic tenants— Picasso esque aspect, cubing logic, proportioning, staging, negative space— in a subtle but sophisticated way. His intention was to “attract attention with the use of white space,” creating a timelessly compelling visual allure in the process.

Pope mentioned the substantial measures he’s taken to mirror Schulz’s style, like acquiring his preferred utensil for inking — the Esterbrook 914 radio nib pen — long after its manufacturer was defunct. While he aims for authenticity, Pope said “there’s absolutely no replicating the original or those decades of technique.”

“These graphic shapes, they're all masterfully designed to move the eye across those four panels,” Pope said. “It's a joyful expression… you are still actually very much laboring, sweating bullets to make it good. It is an interesting contradiction of terms.”

Beside the aesthetic, Pope said readers are still drawn to “Peanuts” for the colorful personalities of its prominently featured characters, akin to a “children’s play.”

He said the comic strip initially was based on Schulz’s childhood experiences with bullying, following the “cruelty that children extend to each other.” However, Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Peppermint Patty and others evolved into multi-faceted individuals that kept audiences invested.

As the gang dealt with Charlie’s neurotic tendencies, Pope said the tone transformed into bold, surreal and inexplicably funny snapshots of mundanity. He said that creative swing rendered scenarios with every newspaper issue that were consistently fresh— and even groundbreaking.

“Those characters have many dimensions. They can be at times extremely loving, extremely kind, but also, they have their own motivations,” Pope said. “When Snoopy stopped sleeping in the doghouse and climbed up on top of the doghouse, most of Schultz's peers had no idea how to react to this. Sparky did some of these things in a way that was very unconscious and sometimes very conscious.”

“People who look at a ‘Peanuts’ collection or watch a ‘Peanuts’ special have no idea how revelatory these characters were when they cracked the code,” Pope added. He highlighted the social mores “Peanuts” navigated, such as Peppermint Patty protesting the school dress code to wear shorts as a girl.

Pope said the “Peanuts” cast became so well-rounded that audiences “loved and worried about these characters as if they lived and breathed like their own children.” Despite all the zany antics, Pope said animation often is not the illusion of life but a reflection of life itself.

With 75 years of laughter and resonance, he expects “Peanuts” to carry on as a beloved institution of American culture and artistry.

“Sparky's personal opinion was that time alone defined whether or not something was multi-generational. If 100 years from now, you're staring at it in a museum or it's still part of popular culture, then it's art,” Pope said. “To draw characters that people worry and care about is a wonderful thing, and I very much look forward to continuing to do it as long as I can.”

This week on the Crossroads Suncast, political commentator Scott Jennings, Secretary of State Michael Adams, former Attorney General Daniel Cameron, and a range of experts reflect on the unique nature of the GOP in Kentucky.

The episode explores why Kentucky Republicans consistently break from the national MAGA movement on issues like trade, the budget, and foreign policy, and how the retirement of Sen. Mitch McConnell could shape the future of the party.

The episode is available on all major podcast platforms, YouTube, and at PaducahSun.com and WPSDLocal6.com.

This week on the Crossroads Suncast, University of Tennessee at Martin Chancellor Yancy Freeman and Murray State University President Ron Patterson discuss the barriers they faced as first generation students and how those experiences shaped them into the leaders they are today.

Freeman and Patterson also dig into the role of artificial intelligence in education, what it means to treat students as customers, and how they work to make the four year degree valuable in a society focused on instant gratification.

The episode is available on all major podcast platforms, YouTube, and at PaducahSun.com and WPSDLocal6.com.

This week's episode of the Crossroads Suncast takes a comprehensive look at the roots of federal food aid programs in the United States, the political issues driving the current crisis, and new rules changing SNAP eligibility moving forward.

The episode is available on all major podcast platforms, YouTube, and at PaducahSun.com and WPSDLocal6.com.

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