Cement City: Episode 9 | No Indictments

Summary

Family Lore | Cement City: Episode 9 “No Indictments”

Air date: November 6, 2024
Host: Jean Marie Laskas (with Erin Anderson and the Cement City team)

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Episode Overview

This episode of Cement City unfolds on election day in Donora (“Dinora”), a town caught between its colorful local politics and a slate of candidates shadowed by scandal. The story zeroes in on a primary question: what happens when a council front-runner is under indictment, and does it really matter to the voters? The narrative moves from the early morning hustle at polling places, through campaign banter, deep personal rivalries, voting strategies both legitimate and sketchy, to a surprising outcome — a long-shot win, and, above all, a lesson on losing with dignity.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Election Day Atmosphere & Characters

• The team is on the ground before sunrise as Yancey Taylor (indicted council candidate) and his small crew prepare for a cold, rainy, tension-filled election day.
• The ground-level view captures a cast of intensely loyal campaigners, family members, and political hopefuls, each wrestling with uncertainty, hope, or cynicism.

Notable Quote

• Yancey Taylor, brisk and upbeat in spite of his circumstances:

  “You wanna do great things for your talented community, you gotta be here from dawn to dusk. I’m ready.” (02:22)

2. Local Politics: Scandal, Denial, and the Elephant in the Room

• The town is abuzz: Yancey, despite being indicted for allegedly scamming a woman out of her life savings, is expected to win by many—no one mentions the charges aloud.
• Mayor-elect Jim McDonough steers clear of the topic, focusing instead on Ed Parkett (“the Parquett,” his real rival in his eyes), and refers to Yancey's issues as "hearsay."
• The narrative exposes how deeply normalized scandal and rumor have become in Donora politics, with allegations of buying votes and ethics violations swirling, but hardly causing a ripple among voters or candidates.

Notable Quote

• Jim McDonough on candidate scandals:

  “I have no idea what he’s done or what they say he’s done. It’s not my forte.” (10:47)

3. Underdog Story: Ed Parkett’s “No Indictments” Campaign

• Ed Parkett, a young, dogged insurance salesman with an old-school trench coat and briefcase, runs as an outsider on a simple but pointed platform—“No Indictments.”
• He uses a quirky but controversial voting strategy: instructing supporters to write him in up to four times on the ballot, stretching the limit of how votes “should” count.
• Family ties and support are key. The extended Vianski family, “everywhere” in Donora, canvasses in support of Ed, aiding his campaign’s underdog energy.

Notable Quote

• Ed Parkett on his indictment-free status:

  “The no indictments one here, that really scares him. He’s facing 10 years in state prison... I would leave the state if I was him.” (23:17)

4. Grassroots Campaigns & Creative Voting Tactics

• The episode demystifies the voting system’s quirks: “plunking” (voting only for your preferred candidates instead of using all available votes) and Ed’s multi-write-in approach.
• This pushes against the envelope of fair play and highlights how local tradition sometimes blurs with undermining the system.
• Heated real-time debate occurs between candidates about the legitimacy of these tactics; McDonough is especially contemptuous of Ed's methods, invoking the values of “honesty and integrity.”

Memorable Exchange

• Jim McDonough, venting about Ed’s four-vote strategy:

  “Didn’t he just say he’s running on honesty and integrity? And then you said, ‘well, if I can get one person and steal four votes off of one person...’” (38:35)

5. The Results: Shock, Disbelief, and Grace in Defeat

• Election results defy expectations: Ed Parkett wins a council seat, outpacing Yancey Taylor, the presumed favorite.
• The team observes stunned reactions—some disbelief, suspicions of meddling, and a town reeling from surprise.
• Yancey, who built his reputation as a winner, models surprising dignity, calming supporters and conceding defeat with quiet authority.

Notable Quote

• Yancey Taylor, on facing defeat gracefully:

  “You win some, you lose some... Nothing you can do. Hey. My life's gonna go on. And I hope this new council is able to work together and get things done... I'm going to relax with my little girls.” (59:25)

6. Broader Reflections: Democracy, Community, and Cheating (or Not?)

• The episode raises the essential question: In a town where strategy, allegations, and outright indictment don’t disqualify, what does it actually take not to get elected?
• Reflections about local governance, resilience, and small-town democracy close out the action, with a sense of unresolved ambivalence about justice and due process.

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Notable Quotes & Moments by Timestamp

• On the weather and local dedication:

  “This is the type of weather I love... You wanna do great things for your talented community, you gotta be here from dawn to dusk.” — Yancey Taylor (02:15–02:22)

• The mayor-elect evades the indicted candidate issue:

  “I have no idea what he’s done or what they say he’s done. It’s not my forte.” — Jim McDonough (10:47)

• Ed Parkett’s brand in a nutshell:

  “No indictments.” (15:36)

• Old-school political advice:

  “Just vote for me and her. Okay, that’s called plunking... You have 100 more votes than anybody else because they didn’t get the other ones.” — Cindy Brice (41:03)

• Calling out hypocrisy:

  “Didn’t he just say he’s running on honesty and integrity? And then you said, ‘well, if I can get one person and steal four votes off of one person...’” — Jim McDonough (38:35)

• Yancey on loss:

  “You win some, you lose some. Nothing you can do. Hey, my life's gonna go on... I'm going to relax with my little girls.” — Yancey Taylor (59:25)

• Reflections on town politics:

  “I mean, honestly, it sounds like half the candidates are cheating or half cheating, but nobody cares if they’re cheating or maybe they’re not cheating because everybody does it and they let you do it.” — Jean Marie Laskas (51:03)

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Important Timestamps

• Campaign morning at the church / Yancey’s team: (1:26–4:50)
• Mayor-elect McDonough interview / skirting scandal: (6:42–10:47)
• Ed’s cousin Dana and the Vianski family support: (13:19–15:36)
• Ed’s voting strategy & Parkett's platform: (23:17–26:30)
• Delving into local voting culture ("plunking"): (41:03–42:57)
• Final results at the Legion: (52:13–60:06)
• Yancey’s concession and reflections: (56:23–60:53)

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Episode Tone and Style

The tone is wry, deeply observational, and affectionate but unflinching. The hosts and producers bring listeners face-to-face with Donora’s intertwining of drama, tradition, and resilience. Dialogue is sharp, brisk, and often darkly funny—even as it reckons with the town’s messy political realities.

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Conclusion

No Indictments is as much a study of character and place as it is of electoral process—a front-row seat to small-town American democracy, complete with its foibles, workarounds, and stubborn personalities. The episode’s legacy is seeing how dignity, community, and pride can persist—and sometimes even triumph—in the messiest of circumstances.

Transcript

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[Interviewer/Reporter]

Can you talk into this real quick?

Oh, yeah, I think Yancy's putting signs up. It's about 7:06am and we are at the Emanuel Baptist Church on 2nd and Castner, and Yancy's here in his silver SUV and he's pulling signs out of the back of it. And there's a woman with a Yancey Taylor T shirt stationed in front of the door.

[Alltrails Narrator]

Thanks, Marie.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

I'm Jean Marie Laskas and this is Cement City, Chapter nine, no Indictments.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Hey there.

[Yancey Taylor]

How you doing?

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Great. How are you doing?

[Guido]

Great.

[Yancey Taylor]

Beautiful morning.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Is that what you call it?

[Yancey Taylor]

Yeah. I love the cold.

[Sarah Shawley]

This is a beautiful morning.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

I'm gonna grab icicles. See, my brain is frozen.

[Yancey Taylor]

I love this. This is the type of weather I love. Love the cold. I love it. This is what it's about.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

You're out here early, huh?

[Yancey Taylor]

Yeah, yeah, I always come out. I hang out all day. That's what you gotta do. You wanna do great things for your talented community. You gotta be here from dawn to dust. I'm ready.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

It's November 7, 2017, the general election. This is the big one, and it's a very different election from the last one we covered back in May, the primary. The best way to understand it is like a game of musical chairs or maybe an episode of Survivor. One person's leaving the island. It's just a question of who.

[Yancey Taylor]

You ready? All right, sir, I'll see you in like 10, 15 minutes. All right, Nice seeing you, ladies.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

And by the way, yes, Yancy Taylor is still in the race. Although I can't help but notice that his campaign team seems smaller than it was last time around. So far, it's just this one shivering woman in a Yancy Taylor for Dinora Council T shirt. She's got a pull over, top of her hoodie.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I'm sorry, what is your name again?

[Sarah Shawley]

Sarah.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Sarah.

[Janie Ackerman]

Did we.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I don't think we've met.

[Sarah Shawley]

Yeah, you guys know my kids.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Oh, you're Sashali.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Yes.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I didn't recognize you with your hood on. And without your children frozen.

[Sarah Shawley]

And they're in bed still.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Oh my God.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

So this is Sarah Shawley, Cameron's mom. He's our friend with a tooth. The killer teddy bear who loves bingo and baseball.

[Kiara]

That's true. I play four sports right now.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Cameron's the baby of the family. He's a sports person.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

So you've been playing since you were three years old? Mm.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Then there's Kiara. She's this emo kid in a hoodie.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I'm the music person in the family.

Are you the sister?

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

She's in middle school. She's the music person.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I like, play guitar and mountain dulcimer and stuff. And I listen to a lot of Shawn Mendes and other people that people don't really know. Like, why don't we. And Jacob Sartorius.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Anyway, we love this woman's kids.

[Yancey Taylor]

Wow.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

What is your.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

What are you doing out here?

[Sarah Shawley]

Campaigning for Yancy. Making sure we get the votes.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Wow, you are tried and true.

[Sarah Shawley]

Yeah, gotta do what I gotta do.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

So how did you get involved with the campaign?

[Sarah Shawley]

Yancy is good friends with my father in law, so I got volunteered.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

By this point, we've kind of gotten used to the fact that Yancy's still running for a seat on council, but it's definitely taken some doing. We started to see his campaign signs popping up a few weeks ago, and at the time it was kind of a shock. I mean, a lot's happened since the primary, but here he is. I guess he's going for it and I guess he still has his base.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

How do you think he's gonna do?

[Sarah Shawley]

I'm hoping he does. Good I'm hoping he wins, but only time will tell.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

There's Jamie. Hello, people.

[Sarah Shawley]

You're up at early and Early Bird. I'm number one on my precinct. Isn't that wonderful?

[Interviewer/Reporter]

That's the first sticker I've seen. Yeah.

[Sarah Shawley]

How about that? I am absolutely number one, and I am already freezing. Hi.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Hi.

[Sarah Shawley]

How are you? Cold.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Huh? Huh?

[Sarah Shawley]

You're absolutely right. Oh, you in that thing.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

This is Janie Ackerman, Cindy's friend. The one with a talking parrot who loves spaghetti.

[Janie Ackerman]

Hi.

[Sarah Shawley]

Good morning. Don't forget to vote.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

She's not a huge fan of the microphone, but she's a good support.

[Sarah Shawley]

Oh, good grief. Yeah.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Janie came in fourth in the primary. Yancey led the ticket. He blew everyone out of the water. Then it was Cindy brice, then Mike McDowell, then Janie. It was a clean sweep, just like they wanted. And it was supposed to be a done deal in Dinora. Whoever wins in the primary goes all the way. But then all hell broke loose. Yancey got indicted for scamming a woman out of her life savings and telling her that Mafia was going to get her. Ed Parquette wriggled his way onto the ballot for some kind of Republican write in loophole. And here's where we find ourselves. With five candidates running for four open seats on council and the crowd favorite facing multiple felony charges, which is the one thing no one seems to be mentioning. I don't know.

[Sarah Shawley]

I don't know what's going to happen. I don't. That's the way I feel. That's just me. That's just the way I am. I've been this way ever since May. So maybe, you know, maybe I'll win. Maybe I'll lose. I got my fingers crossed. That's it. That's just it.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Good luck.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Here you are, dear.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

That's a gripper to open bottles.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

How you feeling?

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

I feel great. How about you? Gripper for you. Here's a gripper for you. Okay.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I always need one of those and never have one.

[Jimmy Coulter]

Take two.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

They're small.

[Kiara]

Thank you.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

You sure? Because we don't want you to run out.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

We're inside the vestibule at the Catholic church, Our lady of the Valley. It's crammed with campaign workers handing out flyers. Or in Jim McDonough's case, grippers like you open a pickle jar with. He's explaining that to voters as they walk in.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Okay, can you please read the slogan?

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

Let's get a grip on Donora. Vote McDonough for mayor.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Pretty much.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

It's a good one. Jim's got this calm, almost priestly vibe, handing out his grippers like communion wafers. It's like nothing in the world could ruin his day now.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Yeah, sure.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

And I'm happy for Jim. He's basically mayor elect. His race is uncontested, but his calmness is stressing me out.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Are we allowed to talk about like other candidates?

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

You're allowed to talk about anything you want.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I know, but I don't know if it's like taboo.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Yeah, I'm hedging here and I hate that I'm hedging, but it's hard to know how to approach this. I want to know where Jim stands on the whole Yancey situation. I mean he was backing Yancy in the primary. Yancey was part of the whole plan. Clean sweep on council and yeah, a lot's happened since the primary.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I worry about who's going to get on council.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

Am I?

[Interviewer/Reporter]

No, no. Who is going to?

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

Oh, I think the only fight there is as of right now it looks like the parquet and I don't think he's. I don't feel he's a strong candidate and I don't feel he would be good on council and I've told him

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

that to be clear, by the parquette, Jim means Ed, the guy with the briefcase. Ed dog bites dog. Parkette.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

We've had words before about. He makes it very personal and I do not want personal and I will expose that immediately if I see it.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Jim's not exactly a fan of the Parkette. Noted. Like he said, they've had words before.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

Remember, keep personality out. Dinora.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

First, your personality.

[Mike McDowell]

Second.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Honestly, they were hardly words. We were there and it didn't seem like such a big deal. So I'm confused about where he's going with this.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

I don't think it's a wise choice for Ed. I really don't. He's too young and he's too personal. That's it. That's the essence of it.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

It's actually kind of fascinating the way Jim's talking. It's like the only candidate in question Here is the 20 something year old insurance agent in the page boy haircut who's out to bring down the town vandal.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

So the only way for Ed to

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

get in,

[Interviewer/Reporter]

he'd have to bump off one of those four.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

The way it looks is he would have to be Janie Ackerman. That's your two lowest vote getters that are in the race.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

No matter how I pitch the ball to him, Jim's not swinging. He doesn't even mention Yancy. He won't even say his name. He's just so stuck on Ed.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

Okay, so we'll see. I've yet to see him today, but I'll have my cordial. Hello, Good luck. Hope the best for you. And let Dinora speak.

[Jimmy Coulter]

That's it.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

Cause at the end of the day, you can have all the opinions you want about me, Yancy, Ed Parquett, Janie Ackerman, Cindy brice, or Mike McDowell. It's what the people want, and I'll abide by it.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Well, that's sort of also the elephant in the room with the auntie. And I mean, he is indicted. I mean, people are still gonna be able to vote for him.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

You think people will make the decision? They do. I mean, it's so elusive, the whole question of it all. Who knows? Who knows? I have no idea what is or isn't with him. And I'm not going to waste valuable time digging up docket sheets to find out what is true or not. I'm more of the. Unless I'm involved, I really have no say in this. This is nothing more than hearsay. Like us talking right now. I have no idea. And that's what I'll tell you. I have no idea what he's done or what they say he's done. It's not my forte.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

I'm not sure what to say to Jim here, so I just nod along and let him keep talking about how it's nothing more than hearsay. I don't challenge him. I don't mention the state Attorney General or the mugshot or the TV news. I'm at a loss. I'm just so surprised to hear him talk like this. But at some point in the conversation, it occurs to me that maybe I shouldn't be surprised. Maybe I've been tiptoeing around the wrong question entirely. Will the indicted guy get on council? I thought everyone else was tiptoeing, but maybe they're not. It seems like there's just this unspoken assumption that, yes, Yancy Taylor is going to get a seat on Donorborough Council, indictment be damned. And everyone knows it. Everyone from Cameron with the tooth's mom, Sarah, to the mayor elect.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Have a good day.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Of course, a few years from now, Erin and I will look back on this moment and find it almost adorable how naive we were. But to be fair, this was a more innocent time orgy.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Talking about Yancy.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Yeah.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

So the mayor, Jim, the to be mayor, is talking about Yancy, and His. Yeah, he's gonna probably win.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Why wouldn't he?

[Interviewer/Reporter]

So, like, I mean, this indicted guy will be on city council till, I guess he goes to jail.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

I mean, everybody thinks he's going to jail, don't they?

[Interviewer/Reporter]

You know what I mean? It's just the only thing we know is from what we read in the newspaper. But that's part of it, too.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

It was like.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

What Jim was saying is like, well, nobody knows the story.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Nobody knows.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Like, that's really a Dinora

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

kind of thing.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

That's true. But I was just thinking, I mean, in the way that it's like, oh, the Access Hollywood tapes come out and, oh, he's going down and whatever. Then he, you know, like, what are the. Like, what does it take to not get elected these days?

I know.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Yeah.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

That's like the Norris Access Hollywood tape.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Can't believe we have this freaking rain. It's 11 o'.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Clock.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

It's been raining all morning. We've been driving around town looking for Ed. Ed who's suddenly relevant. Ed, who's now, against all odds, at the center of this election.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Hello. Beautiful day to vote, isn't it?

[Jimmy Coulter]

It's a beautiful day.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

We're at the polling place on 8th Street. We pulled over when we saw this woman holding a pink umbrella and a campaign sign. Edward Parkett for Genoa Borough Council.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Where is Ed? We've been trying to find him today.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Ed?

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

He was here about an hour ago.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Oh, he was so around to the polls.

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

Yes. Yes. He's going around to the polls.

[Sarah Shawley]

Yeah.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Cool.

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

Yes.

[Alltrails Narrator]

Sorry.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Oh, that's okay.

So you're on Ed's campaign tv.

[Sarah Shawley]

Yes.

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

Yeah. And rain or shine.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Yeah.

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

We're here hanging out for Edward and I'm his cousin.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

How are you? What is your name?

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

Dana Vianski Roberts.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Why do we know that name? We've met some bianskies.

[Alltrails Narrator]

Let's see.

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

My sister's the mayor's wife.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Oh, geez.

And you're one of the many sisters that's gonna start with Dee.

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

I am.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I'm Nicole.

We haven't met.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Of course. The Vienskis. Good Lord, the Vienskis. The Vienskis are everywhere. Wait, so you're the youngest?

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

Next to the youngest.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Next to the youngest.

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

My name's Dana.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

So let's review. This is Dana. She's Deanne's sister. Dan's the mayor's wife. Also known as the Smog Queen. Deanne was our first Vjanski. Then there's Debbie, who we met up at Darla's place. At a party in a converted chicken coop. There's also Doreen over at Marty's Pizza. She's the youngest. And there's another sister we haven't met. And of course there are the brothers, Donald and David. And I think that's it. But it might not be. But this one is definitely Dana. She's out here in the rain with these little gold crosses dangling from her earlobes, talking up her cousin Edward.

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

Yeah, and he's very smart.

[Alltrails Narrator]

Very smart.

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

Yeah.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

How old is Ed?

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

He's quite young.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

53.

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

He's in his 20s.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

I mean, isn't that sort of remarkable

[Interviewer/Reporter]

that a 20 year old kid wants

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

to do run for council?

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I think it's amazing.

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

I don't know a whole lot of people that would want to be in council, you know.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Does Ed talk about like, what, what

[Interviewer/Reporter]

he would do if he got on council?

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Yeah, I got.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Well, okay. Oh, look at you inside your coat. You just happen to have a platform.

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

Yeah.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

So apparently Ed has a platform. I don't know that we got that yet. Like an official printed platform.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Thank you.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

It's a bulleted list of 13 items laid out on an 8 and a half by 11 inch sheet, single spaced. A lot of it's stuff we've already heard him talk about. Crime control, fiscal discipline. Scanning down the page, none of this is very sexy. Good. Internal controls on spending, for example. But then I get to item number 10 on the platform. It's two words, no indictments. That's an actual item on Ed's platform. And I have to say it's a good brand. It's short and snappy. You could put it on a T shirt.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

How do you think he's going to do?

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

I think that he needs be to get more. Meeting the people. He needs to have more meetings with the people. That's where he lacks and needs.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

So Dana seems to be having a hard time knowing how to answer this question. And I get it. Thinking back when Ed lost in the primary, Aaron and I were sad, but

[Interviewer/Reporter]

getting fifth is like, what was his last name?

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

But we weren't really surprised.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Is that Barket? Okay, I'm rooting for him.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Ed had a lot stacked against him. He was so much younger than everybody else. Running without a team. This lone wolf just learning how to put himself out there.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I love that he had ideas, but

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

that wasn't the half of it. We'd later talk to Ed about what it was like running in the primary. Getting his name on the ballot was easy. All he needed was 10 signatures. Which he got from some of his insurance clients and relatives, probably some of his many cousins whose names I'll start with D. And what's the next thing you do?

[Edward Parkett]

Well, then they misspelled my name on the ballot.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

That's when things got tricky. Oopsie.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

How'd they spell it?

[Edward Parkett]

They put it with a B instead of a P. I thought they'd mess up the ending. They didn't.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

All right.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Ed Barkett, according to the ballot.

[Edward Parkett]

That's what they put on the ballot. And I had to go around and tell all the poll workers, look, you have to correct these people. And I don't know how many votes I might have lost over that.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

That stinks.

[Edward Parkett]

We never know what led up to that, whether it was intentional or not.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

You think some little bugger would have done that?

[Edward Parkett]

Oh, possibly.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Do you think it would be someone specific who didn't want you on?

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Like the Russians? Maybe it was the Russians.

[Edward Parkett]

I don't think so. My mother's Russian. I don't think they'd bother me.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Um, it's hard to say how Ed's gonna do here. He's definitely a little green. But you know what? Ed wants this. He really, really wants this. And he's ambitious. He has aspirations. He sees his seat on council as a stepping stone. It could lead to bigger things, maybe state senate someday, so who knows? Ed clearly has his supporters.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

His mom is your cousin Cheryl.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

We don't know.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I don't think so.

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

And I have some awesome ideas for the town of Donor.

[Alltrails Narrator]

Okay.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Okay.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Why don't we move?

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

So I have some awesome ideas? So.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Okay, step over here so we're not in the way.

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

I'm going to give my ideas to Edward and converse about the ideas that God has placed in me to do for Donora.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Yeah. This is so interesting.

Thank you so much. Well, I'm sure we're running. And thanks for this, too.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Now we.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Now we have all this, and we'll find it.

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

Yeah.

[Sarah Shawley]

All right.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Well, we're good.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

All right. Hey there, Cindy.

[Janie Ackerman]

You need anything? A coffee, A hot cocoa?

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

Oh, Cindy, she's got swings.

[Sarah Shawley]

She serves the people a ding dong.

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

Come back at 4 o'. Clock. I'll see you girls.

[Janie Ackerman]

Okay, I'll see you.

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

Cindy's really good.

[Jim Anderson]

Yeah.

[Janie Ackerman]

I'm gonna make sandwiches for Janie's workers in a little bit. I'll make them one more round with the hot stuff, and then I'm gonna go back and make some sandwiches for lunch.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

And you're bringing those around.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

What are you seeing up at the other poles slow.

[Janie Ackerman]

Yeah, just this rain is gonna be a killer. Yeah.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

We've been everywhere but the.

[Sarah Shawley]

What?

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I asked you. Sorry, we gotta go.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Oh, nothing. We're done here. We're blocking the entrance. We head to our car to continue our search for Edward.

[Janie Ackerman]

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[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

It's lunchtime. We're on our way to Andrey's Deli for some food, but we just spotted Ed in front of the Crow Club. We're getting out of our car and Ed's getting into his and we're trying to catch him. And we're also trying not to drown Aaron's microphone. We'll spend most of the day trying not to drown Aaron's microphone. We duck under the Crow Club marquee that reads Hravatsky Dom Bowling.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Can we stand under this thing?

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

We don't know how to pronounce it, but we looked it up. It means Croatian Center Bowling. You were just coming in here to

[Interviewer/Reporter]

check on this place or check on it?

[Edward Parkett]

Yeah, I already voted a while ago, but I've been going around checking the different places.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

What are you thinking?

[Edward Parkett]

Things look good this time. After everything that's happened with a certain rival.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Who's your main rival?

[Edward Parkett]

Well, Yancy. Of course. And he's done more stuff since then. He's done some trouble down the sewage board. Oh, yes. Oh, one second here.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Ed's fumbling for his phone, and I can't help but notice his ringtone.

[Edward Parkett]

Hello, Dana.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

It's classic. It's part of his whole vibe. The trench coat, the briefcase, the whole. Insurance salesman. Get up.

[Edward Parkett]

Yeah, they're up here now.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Like, I'm not exactly sure how to say this, but sometimes it feels almost like he's an actor in a play about an insurance salesman.

[Edward Parkett]

Thank you.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

From another era.

[Edward Parkett]

I know.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Like this time, he told us about his strategy for sweetening the deal with new clients.

[Edward Parkett]

Okay.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

How he'll meet them at the home.

[Edward Parkett]

Yeah.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Bring them a treat. Some candy, maybe a pumpkin pie.

[Edward Parkett]

Sounds good. Hey, are you and you and you and Rose enjoying the wine?

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

It is a guy who knows how to sweeten the deal.

[Edward Parkett]

Go ahead and crack it open. Okay. Very good. I appreciate your support. Thank you. Thank you. Bye. You talked to my cousin Dana down at 8th street, huh?

[Interviewer/Reporter]

We just did, yeah.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

She was.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

It was probably perfect. She gave us one of these.

[Edward Parkett]

Yeah. Platform. I'll tell you, the no indictments one here, that really scares him. He's facing 10 years in state prison. I would leave the state if I was him. I wouldn't be sitting here running for counsel. I don't know.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

You think it's gonna affect the way people vote?

[Edward Parkett]

Oh, absolutely. I've heard several people say they're not voting for. For him after this. And even if he gets on, they keep delaying his trial. Now, it's scheduled for January.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

And what do you think that will be like?

[Edward Parkett]

Well, personally, I'm hoping for a quick guilty plea. Get one or two years instead of 10 and just him be off the council in case I don't get on so I can get in. At that point,

[Interviewer/Reporter]

do you think that that's your. That's your best shot at getting on council?

[Edward Parkett]

I'm thinking my best chance is the election here. But if that doesn't work out, that's my next option. So he goes to jail. I'll just make some arrangements with people on council and get a motion to get appointed if need be.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

This is a side of Ed I've never seen before. He's got this whole chess master thing going on, like he's four steps ahead of everyone else, moving his bishop into place.

[Edward Parkett]

We have a town van to launch.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Unfortunately, Ed's an underdog, but I guess that's the thing about underdogs. You should never Underestimate an underdog. Especially one with a briefcase full of mugshots. Or alleged mugshots.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Hey, I have a question. I notice you go to all the city council meetings, borough council meetings, but

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

now you always bring that briefcase, don't you?

[Guido]

Yes.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

What's in that briefcase?

[Edward Parkett]

It's my work computer and a notebook. Okay, so somebody wants a quote afterward, and I have had that happen.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Oh, really?

[Edward Parkett]

Yeah.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

So they may want to buy some insurance from you.

[Edward Parkett]

Yes, absolutely. Unfortunately, Farmer's does not cover a municipality. I tried.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

So that's what's in the briefcase?

[Interviewer/Reporter]

That's what's in the briefcase.

[Jimmy Coulter]

That's what's in the briefcase.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Except I'm not convinced that's all that's in the briefcase. It's definitely not, if you listen to our friend Jimmy Coulter at Andre's Deli, who, rumor has it, has some of his own secrets in his briefcase. Metaphorically speaking. I swear, keeping up with all the scandals in this town is like a full time job. It's like a game of whack a mole. You get caught up on one and another one rears its little head.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Are we allowed inside this place?

[Edward Parkett]

Most likely yes. But we'll walk in separately so they don't blame me. In case it's not a good idea,

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

we walk into the Crow Club separately. We need a few minutes to warm up.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I know. I'm so cold.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

And I need to use the ladies room. It's where we met with Donnie and Deanne for that first interview. Over beers and little plastic cups. I'm happy to report it's still well stocked with Aquanet.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Hey, Beau.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Good, how are you?

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Aaron beats me outside and runs into Beau. He's that college kid who sits next to Ed at the council meetings. They're thick as thieves, these two.

[Edward Parkett]

Sneaking back to town to vote.

[Beau]

Yeah, sneaking the vote.

[Edward Parkett]

So remember how to do it. Click Parquette once and then write it. Then write in three times after that. Okay, thank you.

[Beau]

Make sure you vote for Peter stuff. Yeah, give him a vote.

[Edward Parkett]

All right, dad.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Wait, so what, you can actually do multiple votes like that?

[Edward Parkett]

Well, you can vote for one person four times. You click their name and then click Write in three times after. And write them in three times. Three more times. Everybody gets four votes, but you don't have to go for four different people. You can give all four votes to one person.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I had not even thought of that. That's crazy, huh?

[Edward Parkett]

A cousin of mine came up with it and it's actually how I got on the Republican ballot.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

So yeah, that is smart.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

In a few minutes, I'll walk back outside and Erin will walk me through Ed's strategy. Click Parquette once and then write it in three times. And we'll both ponder it for a moment, and we'll both think, huh, Is that a thing? Then we'll head across the street for lunch at Andre's Deli. We told Beau, the college kid, we'd meet him.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Andre's?

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

He's already standing at the counter when we arrive, flipping through a service manual for a 1964 Buick and getting the scoop from his buddy Jimmy. Jimmy B. Colter, proprietor of Andre's Deli. Jimmy with an ie. Also known as Mr. Coulter, council vice President, or that criminal right there, depending on who you ask.

[Jimmy Coulter]

This here, hold on.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Put the chips and the lemonade into one.

[Jimmy Coulter]

Coming into a different order.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

It's been a while since we last saw Jimmy Coulter. He doesn't look great. Like, maybe he's lost some weight. He seems a little off. His bright blue eyes just aren't as sparkly, which. Fair enough. A lot's happening in Coulter's world.

[Jimmy Coulter]

Cheese fries and who orders?

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Like, for example, those ethics violations Cindy told us about. Six ethics violations tied to his position on council. He was in the paper. The investigation's been dragging on for months.

[Jimmy Coulter]

Okay, the cheese. The cheese fries. How about the potato chips? No, that goes with the one made. Okay.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Then there were these other rumors about some even deeper. He stepped into things that other people have been telling me, stick around for a while.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

He's going. He's going to the big house things.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

I'm not quite sure what to do

[Interviewer/Reporter]

with our friend in the truck.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Your friend in the truck?

[Jimmy Coulter]

Oh, God.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Hold on.

[Jimmy Coulter]

9, 6, 7, 7. 19. So, what are you girls up to? Besides no good following you around, not to fall here. Been out the polls today while they're voting?

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Yeah, we've been. We made a complete round.

[Jimmy Coulter]

Oh, hey, you gotta make some type of rounds, huh? So what else is going on, buddy?

[Beau]

What you been busy with?

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Oh, God.

[Jimmy Coulter]

I'll tell you what, man. They don't want to admit to nothing, man.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

They.

[Jimmy Coulter]

They're all bunch of crooks and they know it. Yeah, how about I told Mary he's nothing but a thief. I told him the truth.

[Beau]

I missed that.

[Jimmy Coulter]

I told him the truth. He didn't like it, but I told him the truth. I'm gonna tell you something. They'll have this borough in bankruptcy within two years.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

At this point, Colter's leaning over the counter in that familiar crouch over The Laffy Taffy and the bucket of Slim Jims. And he's got that look in his eyes. You can see a flash of it, how much he's enjoying this.

[Jimmy Coulter]

I lay it out to him. I don't care. What am I gonna do? I'm just telling them the truth. Yancey was. After I told Yancey, I said, yancey,

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

he starts going on about Yancy and the sewage board. Then Cindy Brice, and she's telling people

[Jimmy Coulter]

she's there for the calling.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Then he's back on Yancy again. Then back to the mayor.

[Jimmy Coulter]

They thought that he was a joke. They didn't want a thing to do with him.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Beau's resting his elbow on the counter, nodding along, throwing in affirmations. Get the feeling these two do this a lot.

[Jimmy Coulter]

So what? Lies. See what I mean by starting lies already? Like you said, where. Where people, if they do this to their own town, what else is going on? So, you know, I sit there and I tell them I'm glad I got two more meetings, and that's it. Oh, I got to get back here. I know. I got to check on my man back here.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

What do you want?

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Coulter walks back to the deli counter to slap some chili on a burger. I'm standing here watching him. I just find this guy totally fascinating. And if he really is in as much trouble as people say he is, his strategy is pretty interesting. All offense go in the attack. It's like he's on a team of one, throwing as many punches as he can in every direction.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

You gonna be around tonight after the election?

[Beau]

I think I have class at 2, but should be around.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

What do you think's gonna happen?

[Beau]

I think Yancey's gonna win. You know, he has overwhelming support, but he also has a lot of opposition if he does, because he just recently had his. Was it arraignment he had that stayed until January. That's the third time it was delayed.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

But what do people say about him? Like, I mean, they're voting for him, and what do you hear?

[Beau]

Guy says, you know, yes, it's basically the same. But then again, he has a lot of friends downtown, Duke's Cafe, that sort of thing. You know that he buys his votes

[Interviewer/Reporter]

and you know that he what?

[Beau]

That he gets votes and he has their support, you know, so money talks. You gotta remember he has 500 grand he stole from people.

[Yancey Taylor]

And

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

for the record, we've looked into this, and there's no evidence that Yancy's been out there buying anyone's votes down at Duke's. Cafe or anywhere else. And this 500 grand figure Beau's throwing around, it's actually 159 grand, which is not insignificant, but it also hasn't been proven. At this point, it's still just an allegation.

[Beau]

I really don't know too much about Yancy. You know, I don't like to say too much. You remember in a Bronx tally, there was the one kid, some guy owed him a five bucks. He chased him all the way down the street. And the wise guy says to him, for five bucks, he's out of your life. You know, what are you gonna chase five bucks for? Yeah, it's a sunk cost. Like I said, I know just as much as him and probably a little bit more. If you'd ever like for me to sing, I'm ready.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I would like for you to sing.

[Lowe's Narrator]

See you later.

[Beau]

Up my number. All right, Jim.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

I've never seen a Bronx Tale. Later I'll go home and watch it. Trying to get into Bo's head. I get the sense he watches a lot of Daero movies.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

My grandmother's sick. I gotta get out of here. I'll talk to you later.

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

I can't.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

I gotta go do something. Where's my money? Dead. When I catch you, you piece of. Say, come here.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

And as for Jimmy Coulter, what Beau doesn't know, what none of us knows, is that less than a month from now, a bunch of state troopers will come and raid Coulter's deli. They'll execute a search warrant and charge him with several felony counts related to food stamp fraud. Basically alleging that he's been cashing out people's food stamp cards and pocketing some for himself. So Yancey's not the only one in trouble with the law. Or about to be.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

Look at it this way.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

It costs you $20 to get rid of him, right?

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

He's never gonna bother you again. He's never gonna ask you for money again. He's out of your life for $20.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

You got off cheap. Forget it.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

And as a reminder, Coulter's a sitting council member. He lost re election in the primary. He's on his way out. So if Yancy does end up getting on council, I guess it's just a one for one deal. You're getting your indicted guy for your soon to be indicted guy. It's basically a wash. We can come back.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Yeah, let's.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Let's sort through everything, all right?

[Interviewer/Reporter]

We'll talk to you later on, okay?

[Jimmy Coulter]

Okay, we'll be here.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Yup.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

See ya.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Okay. Honey,

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[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

Thank you for voting, McDonough.

[Janie Ackerman]

For me,

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

it's after 7:00'. Clock. The polls close at 8. We're back at Our lady of the Valley, the Vestibule, and I would just like to take a moment to comment on the size of the Our lady of the Valley Vestibule.

[Edward Parkett]

Edward Parkett for council.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

In a word, it's small. Really, really small. We're all crammed in here, and you've got Giant Jim and Giant Ed. I mean, these guys are big. Ed's six' three and Jim's even taller. They're standing across from each other, greeting voters, facing each other like two heavyweights sizing each other up. And one of them is wearing a lot of cologne. How's it going?

[Edward Parkett]

A little bit better now. Went home and got warm, had dinner.

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

Good deal.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

So how you feeling about it all?

[Edward Parkett]

I'm hopeful. This time it's up to the people to make the right choice. I hope they're taking all factors into consideration.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Which are?

[Edward Parkett]

Which are sense of economics, some financial accountability, honesty, integrity, things of that nature.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

It's hard to describe the look on Jim's face here. It's somewhere between an eye roll and a death stare. It's the look of a man thinking he's too young and he's too personal. That's it. That's the essence of it.

[Edward Parkett]

Member park head for council four times? Yeah, I think we're good there. Yeah, Della's my second cousin. She already has the instructions four times and tell him to check the name once and then write in three times. After that, instead of going for four different people, give one person all four votes. That way you won't get four Votes for that.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

One person was only allowed one vote,

[Edward Parkett]

but they've been clicking the name and then hitting write in three times and writing in three times.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

You don't get four votes, you get one vote for that.

[Edward Parkett]

It worked with the Republican write ins in the spring, actually.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

How many Republican write ins did you get?

[Edward Parkett]

50. And a lot of them came that way. They were writing me in four times

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

a day pace like 10 people write you in four times each and you got 40 votes out of that.

[Edward Parkett]

Essentially.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

This is exactly the point where Jim's look turns into a full on death stare. He starts pacing in circles, then ducks into the corner over by the pierogi freezer. His wife Ann just trying to calm him down, like she doesn't want him to make a scene.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

At what point do you think that there's nothing wrong with getting more than one vote from one person? At what point do you think this is? Not only do you think it's legitimate, but you think that that is. Didn't he just say he's running on honesty and integrity? How could you think that? When you listen to it, you just sit there and want to go, what is wrong with you? You just said you're running on honesty and integrity. And then you said, well, if I can get one person and steal four votes off of one person, that's not

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

the way this works.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I don't think he knows any better.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

He doesn't.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

But God damn, he's running for.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

I've never seen Jim work up like this. He's usually so above it all. And I feel for him. I mean, I'll be honest, I wasn't really paying much attention to Ed's whole four vote strategy beyond that little huh moment Aaron and I had before lunch. But the more I think about it, the more it does seem kind of anti democratic. Like maybe it's not that far afield from filling out absentee ballots for dead people. At the same time, I am a little surprised by Jim's level of outrage here given how nonchalant he seemed when I brought up the whole Yancey situation. And yeah, I get innocent until proven guilty and all, but these are some pretty serious charges. I'm not sure what to make of the disconnect. Jim's just so focused on Ed. Never Ed. Anyone but Ed.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

Hey, thank you for voting.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Thank you.

So much

longer.

[Janie Ackerman]

Okay, See, as far as the Parkette kid goes.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

A few minutes later, we're sitting with Cindy inside the church hall. This is the first time all day we've been able to pin her down, what with all the Twinkie delivery. We're getting the rundown on where she thinks this is all headed, given the turnout and the rain and the whole Ed factor.

[Janie Ackerman]

So Even if those 50 Republicans come and vote for him, no one else did. Except if they change their mind. Now, with Yancy in the mix since Yancy got in trouble, those people who originally voted for Yancey might come out for Parkette.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Why would they not come out for Janie?

[Janie Ackerman]

Well, I would hope they would.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Or you.

[Janie Ackerman]

Well, me.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

But see, Cindy doesn't have anything to worry about as far as her seat goes. She and Mike McDowell are basically shoo ins. And she doesn't seem all that concerned about Yancy one way or the other. She's mostly just worried about her friend Janie, the parrot lady.

[Janie Ackerman]

I don't know. It's a free for all. I hope she gets it, because me, like, if you heard earlier, I was just telling people, just vote for me and her. Okay, that's called plunking. All right? Even though you have four choices, you only do two, so you cancel out two votes for the other people. So you're two votes ahead of them. So if they only plunk for you.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

So you were talking to people about plunking for you.

[Janie Ackerman]

Of course.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Everyone talks about plunking.

[Janie Ackerman]

That's what you do. Yeah, that's the thing. Well, see, Tony. Well, one of our former politicians, Mr. Menendez, that was. He was famous for that. He was famous for telling people, just vote for me. Don't vote for anyone else, just vote for me. All right, so if 100 people just voted for him, he has 100 more votes than anybody else. Get it? Because they didn't get him.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Yeah.

[Janie Ackerman]

So even if someone went in and voted for four, but 50 people voted for one, you're 50 people ahead, no matter how you look at it.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Do you think it's possible? Well, I'll give you a little insider scoop here. Ed was explaining that.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

So this might be the first time maybe ever, that we know something Cindy doesn't know. At least I think we do. I tell her about Ed's scheme and she clearly does not approve. Although it's hard to tell if she thinks it's wrong or if she wishes she'd thought of it first. Either way, from where I sit, Ed's 4 votes strategy doesn't sound all that dissimilar to plunking. Maybe just like plunking on steroids. I've never heard of plunking, by the way, but it sounds like a dinar tradition. Which makes you wonder, does anyone in this town just vote the normal way? Like, what is up with this place?

[Interviewer/Reporter]

We'll see you in a little bit. Right.

[Edward Parkett]

That's so horrible.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

What?

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Which?

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

Chivalry. I always tell you, I know chivalry's dead, but let's not put a knife in its back when I'm around.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

All right?

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

I can hold the door for you.

[Edward Parkett]

You two going home for the night?

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Heck, no. Are you kidding? It's just getting to the good part.

[Edward Parkett]

Now, see, it'll take a few days for everything to be counted.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

I know. They'll have it back tonight.

[Edward Parkett]

Yeah, but the official certified count, it

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

won't be close enough. It'll be there.

[Edward Parkett]

Yeah, we'll see.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

What are you gonna do? Like, to celebrate or whatever. Wait for the things to come in or.

[Edward Parkett]

I stayed up last time till midnight. Dinora was the last town to report.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

You're gonna go home and, like, chill out again?

[Edward Parkett]

Yeah. Get some rest.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Cool.

[Edward Parkett]

Prowling around this town all day.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

What's that?

[Edward Parkett]

Been prowling around here all day.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Well, good luck, everybody.

[Edward Parkett]

Thank you.

[Yancey Taylor]

Y.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

We'll see you later. Bye.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

We're at the Crow Club. We came to wait for the election results, and we ran into this.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Holy crap. Okay, this opens up a whole.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Oh, look, Quida, it's league night at the Duck Bin Lanes.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Uh.

[Jim Anderson]

Oh, they're here.

[Jimmy Coulter]

They're here.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Are you in the league?

[Jim Anderson]

Oh, God. We've been in the league. Yeah.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

This is Jim Anderson.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

He didn't call me and tell me he's.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

He's the guy we met with Guido at the bar when we first got to town.

[Jim Anderson]

You want a bowl? Seriously, you want a bowl?

[Sarah Shawley]

I do.

[Jim Anderson]

Well.

[Edward Parkett]

And you?

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

I want a lot.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

I should mention Jim's our neighbor. Soon after we met him, we found out he lives two doors down from our house in Cement City.

[Jim Anderson]

I didn't know I was supposed to call you.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

We've been over for coffee with his wife, Peggy. We've talked about his kids and his grandkids and what books we're reading. We've heard all his dirty jokes.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Is that we were up at the poll at your. At your polling place, thinking maybe you

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

were going to show up and vote.

[Jim Anderson]

You know, I forgot. I honest to God forgot to vote. And I feel terrible because we have a strong selection of candidates in this town. I can't believe. With the one. Yancey Taylor, who's in the primary, and he won, then it was exposed that he bilked a woman out of 120 grand. And he has the balls to run anyway. And if he wins, I'm definitely leaving town. Got signs up all over the place.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I think he might win.

[Jim Anderson]

Oh, God, that's frightening. That is.

[Yancey Taylor]

That's frightening.

[Jim Anderson]

You know, you would think with the high intellectual capacity, the people in this town, they'd know better. We've got some deep thinkers. Deep thinkers.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

It's Jim's turn to bowl. He grabs the ball and holds it in the palm of his hand. It's small like a shot put ball. This isn't regular bowling. In Duck Pin, the pins are short and fat and fly like ducks. If you hurl a ball at them with just the right spin, you get three tries. At the end of the lanes, there are pin boys, actual children, perched above the pins, dodging the stray ones and then jumping down to set them up again. We've never seen this in action before. These Duckpin leaguers are very into what they do. There's a competition here and it's just gearing up. They're picking teams, sizing each other up, making their own predictions. There's a reason people remember league night at the Duck Pin Lanes but forget to vote.

[Jim Anderson]

So what you two girls been doing?

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Talking about you, mostly. What have you been doing?

[Yancey Taylor]

This?

[Jim Anderson]

No. Quit touching.

[Yancey Taylor]

Quit touching my thigh.

[Jim Anderson]

Well, it's bitch being a chick magnet. It really is, you know.

[Guido]

Hey, that's all you need.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Guido's here, too. Guido's always at the Crow Club, every time we come. In fact, in all the time we'll spend in Genora, we'll only once ever see Guido anywhere but the Crow Club.

[Mike McDowell]

Club.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

We'll see him at church, at the annual fish fry. He's the delivery guy. He does it every year.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I'm telling you, Guido really looks like

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

he knows what he's doing.

[Jim Anderson]

Come here and kiss me.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

Come here.

[Jim Anderson]

Give me a kiss.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Seeing Jim and Guido back together, it feels like a reunion. It's like we're circling back to where we started when we we first got here. Before we even knew there was an election. Before we even knew there were council meetings and coups and rap sheets and briefcases. Back when we were first standing there awkwardly outside the American Croatian Citizens Club, wondering if we should open the door.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Hey, I'm admiring your technique. You're really in the zone up there. What are you thinking?

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

Or what?

[Guido]

If I take my off of my mark for a split second, I don't have a chance.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

You take your eye off. What?

[Guido]

That I have a mark? See them arrows up there?

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Yeah.

[Guido]

I. I pick a mark and that's where I want the ball to go.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Is it a different mark depending on the frame?

[Guido]

It depends. I try like hell.

[Jimmy Coulter]

Not all the time.

[Guido]

Time, apparently. Have you seen me bowl?

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Yeah, but then you, like, you have

[Interviewer/Reporter]

a certain number of steps you take. Like is. It seems like it's the same.

[Guido]

Have you seen me? I'm all the way back. I go up, I take a bunny hop. I don't know why, but I can't change it now. I take a little hop in the middle.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

I see the hop.

[Guido]

I know. I don't know. Maybe I got that from the Flintstones. Remember Barney Rubble? You should take a little hop when he used to bull. I don't know.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

But you knew.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

You remind me of Barney Rubble.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Now that you say this.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Do people tell you that?

[Edward Parkett]

No.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I love Barney.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Aaron and I leave Jim and Guido to their game and head upstairs to wait for the polls to close. We sit down at the bar to eat a five dollar pizza and catch the final round of Jeopardy. But mostly I'm just sitting here, preparing myself to get back out there. Which, now that we've had a little break from it all, is starting to feel really out there. I'm picturing Wally the Constable waiting outside with his van and his shackles for transporting prisoners, ready to load up the ballot boxes. People will be starting to crowd around the door now, waiting for them to post the tapes like they're waiting for the second coming. I'm getting exhausted just thinking about it. I'm half tempted to just stay here and bowl.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

My man, Steve.

[Sarah Shawley]

Where's our election results?

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

How's it going?

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

I cannot answer that, Steve.

[Sarah Shawley]

This is it. This is like. This is like history.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Oh, my.

[Sarah Shawley]

Okay, I can't see this high.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

See, here we are. We're standing outside with Deanne. People are huddled around the door. She's scanning the tapes. Donnie's out here, too. We're all holding our breath, waiting to find out which way this thing's gonna go.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Okay, okay.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Tell me, who's gonna get voted off the island.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Yancy Taylor, 18.

[Jim Anderson]

Cindy Brice, 47.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Erin's up front in the thick of things. I'm standing back from it all, getting some distance. I'm just thinking how much simpler this was last time around. In the primary, you had your good guys and your bad guys. You just had to figure out who was who or which was what. At least that's how it felt, right?

[Jim Anderson]

In 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 for Parkut.

[Edward Parkett]

Wow.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

But now I don't know how to feel.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Okay.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

No.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Yancy Taylor, eight.

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

Okay.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

I mean, honestly, it sounds like half the candidates are cheating or half cheating, but nobody cares if they're cheating or maybe they're not cheating because everybody does it and they let you do it. I mean, Mr. Menendez, whoever that is, was famous for it. And anyway, is it even cheating if you don't realize it's cheating and you're not even trying to hide it? Because, hey, it worked in the primary.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

[Guido]

For Edward Parkett.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

And then, of course, you've got Yancey. It's hard to know what to do with Yancy. If I'm honest with myself, part of me can't help but root for him, despite the headlines. What's that about? It's like I just keep wanting to forget. Yeah, I guess this is democracy at work.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

They're low. Really low.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

It's like this is what it's come to.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Yeah.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

So we're tallying right now, but I'll let you know. I'll let you know. Here, give me a minute.

[Yancey Taylor]

Bye.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

What do you hear? What do you.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

What are the numbers on Yancy?

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

I don't know.

[Guido]

They're lower.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

Lower than we thought.

[Mike McDowell]

Wow.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Twenty minutes later, we're down at the Legion, where Yancy told us he'd be his victory party. Mike McDow's here, sitting at the bar with some friends. Rock and Sleep, and a few other guys, but there's no sign of Yancy.

[Edward Parkett]

Good.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

How about you?

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Good.

[Jimmy Coulter]

You got any good news for me?

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

See you again.

[Mike McDowell]

How the polls turn out.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

We were hoping you would know.

[Mike McDowell]

I don't know anything yet. I want to be surprised.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

No results yet for you guys?

[Edward Parkett]

No.

[Mike McDowell]

No, I haven't heard anything.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Mike's been flying under the radar all day. He seems to like it that way. He's not one to blow his own horn. We already know we won. It's just the fourth seat that's still in question. But I'm not going to tell him. He wants to be surprised.

[Jimmy Coulter]

Yeah.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I'm so curious to know how it went.

[Mike McDowell]

Important.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

The more we get to know Mike, the more I'll come to appreciate what an asset he is to this council. A godsend, really. He's solid. He's not one to get caught up in the drama. He's a guy in sensible shoes, a common sense guy. A guy sitting here talking about the school board. There's this teacher strike. It's a mess. No one else is talking about the

[Mike McDowell]

school board now we got the teachers out on strike. Our kids ain't in school. That's ridiculous. You know what I mean? You know, if you have people in positions that are supposed to look after your money and.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

What do you mean you're.

[Mike McDowell]

You have a $84 million project?

[Guido]

Are you joking or you serious?

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Wow.

[Jimmy Coulter]

Yeah.

[Guido]

She said he lost.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

See you Saturday, buddy.

[Mike McDowell]

No, he didn't.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

See you Saturday.

[Mike McDowell]

No way. Yo, what's up, man? No, you didn't. No, you couldn't have lost.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Ain't no way.

[Mike McDowell]

There's no way, man. There's no way. Let's wait for the final. Let's. Let's wait for the final. You know, it's early yet, man. No, I wouldn't. I wouldn't trust anything he says.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

No way.

[Mike McDowell]

There's no way. There's no way. There's no way.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

No way.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

I'm trying to put myself in Mike's shoes here. He's on the phone with Yancy, his friend who he imagined sitting next to on that platform. His friend who blew everyone out of the water the last time around. His friend who's apparently telling him in no uncertain terms that he lost.

[Mike McDowell]

All right, come on down.

[Guido]

All right.

[Mike McDowell]

All right.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

I can see how Mike could think. It's impossible. There's no way he could have lost.

[Mike McDowell]

There's no way that he could have lost. It's almost impossible.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Except I think there's very possibly a way that Yancey could have lost.

[Mike McDowell]

It's. I wouldn't trust anything, you know, wait till the final count comes down. You know what I mean? Before you concede or whatever the final vote is. Yeah, exactly. You don't listen, you know, people.

[Guido]

Propaganda is highly prevalent in the area.

[Mike McDowell]

Yancy lets things like that get to it. There's no way that he could have lost. None whatsoever.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Aaron and I pull ourselves away and let Mike and his friends have their space to talk about how there's no way Yancy could have lost. None whatsoever. Yancy's supposed to come down here. This is his victory party. Someone ordered food. We're all waiting around, glancing at the door, and I'm just thinking, if Yancy did lose, this is going to be ugly.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I think he's embarrassed in front of his friends more than anything. If he actually lost.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Pretty soon a half hour's gone by.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I don't know what to think.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

The food's getting cold. We're starting to wonder if he's even going to show, which, honestly, it would be understandable if he didn't you gotta wonder how he's gonna take this, how he's gonna handle it publicly. He's either gonna be devastated or angry or it's not gonna compute at all. Losing is hard for anyone, but for Yancy, Nancy's a winner. It's his brand. And then just as we're about to leave, Yancy walks in.

[Yancey Taylor]

Yeah, I did. I swear to you. I swear to you, dude, rock every precinct I lost.

[Edward Parkett]

Swear.

[Yancey Taylor]

Yeah, I promise. We just checked them on the board. Listen, I lost every precinct.

[Beau]

They messed with them battles.

[Edward Parkett]

I'll believe that.

[Yancey Taylor]

I'll believe that, Mike. It happened, Mike. It happened. Happened. But, you know, I want to thank. Hey, I'm glad that you know all the voters, you know, whoever won, I hope they do what's right for Dinor and continue.

[Jimmy Coulter]

Good.

[Yancey Taylor]

That's all. Now, I lost the state championship, so it's part of it. So keep your head up, keep moving. Yes, we got.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Yancey's standing with his back to the bar. His friends are gathered around him, arguing with him, pleading with him in various states of denial. Yancy's towering over them with this look on his face. It's hard to describe. It's like he's at peace with the world, with himself, with his fate. None of this is what I expected. I'm standing here watching it almost in freeze frame. I swear, it feels like a Renaissance painting of Jesus at the Last Supper. All these desperate people, and the guy at the center has a job to do.

[Yancey Taylor]

It's part of voting. I won the primary. I lost the general.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

This just keeps going on and on. Yancey's friends are all riled up. They're just not having it. Somebody must have messed with the ballots. Maybe there should be a recount, but Yancy's not giving in. He's taking control of the situation. He's calming them all down. He's assuring them all that it's going to be okay. Assuring them all that. Yes, in fact, he did lose the election, and it's still going to be okay.

[Yancey Taylor]

You got a rod.

[Lowe's Narrator]

This life goes.

[Yancey Taylor]

Boy, don't be asleep. If I was going to win, I was going to be in. If I wasn't, I'm out. Then new four people get in, you know, hey, that's part of it. You can't be mad. The town decided to go a different direction. That's.

[Guido]

That's their vote kicking you off the Sewage Authority, too?

[Yancey Taylor]

No, they can't.

[Edward Parkett]

Okay?

[Yancey Taylor]

I'm on there for five years.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Okay.

[Yancey Taylor]

Yep, yep, yep. Here's what it is, man. Part of it. I'm tired. I'm glad it's over.

[Jim McDonough (Mayor Elect)]

I'm tired.

[Yancey Taylor]

I'm tired. No, that's part of it. I'm thankful for. All you guys are supporters. Hey, everybody. I'm very thankful. You know what I mean?

[Jim Anderson]

Please.

[Yancey Taylor]

It happens. Somebody had to win, Rock. I was shocked myself. Yeah.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

So Guterres got in?

[Yancey Taylor]

No, not Guterres.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Parquette, Edward, Eddie.

[Yancey Taylor]

Yeah.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Yeah.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

I can't believe that either.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

I can't either. I can't.

[Mike McDowell]

I can't believe that he come out of nowhere and won.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

When the final count's said and done, Ed will outdo Yancey by over 100 votes even without the extra write ins. Come January, when the new council's sworn in, Ed will be there with his right hand raised in the air. We'll be there to see it. He'll take a seat behind his own nameplate next to Mayor McDonough with his nameplate. He will not be the change Jim was banking on.

[Yancey Taylor]

You win something, you lose something. Nothing you can do. Hey. Hey. My life gonna go on. And I hope this new council is able to work together, together and get things done. You got great candidates. You know, they. You got great people. They did well. They deserve it. You know, you got to move on. I'm going to. I'm going to relax with my little girls. You win some, you lose some. You guys know that. You know, you can't. Congratulations. Cindy, Janie, Mike, Edward. Porkette. They did a hell of a job, man. Great people. Great people. I'm going to bed. I'm tired. You guys tired? I'm gonna get some to eat. Did you guys get some to eat?

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Yeah, we did. Thank you.

[Dana Vianski Roberts]

Thanks.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Yeah.

[Yancey Taylor]

Flight.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Well, it's like a championship, right? You know the feeling of winning and losing. We stick around and have a beer with Yancy. Mike puts another song in the jukebox and we raise a glass to his win. We have another round of wings and talk about basketball and the school board and the sewage board and what this new council is going to do when they finally convene. They've got a big task ahead of them. But if I come away with nothing else from this day, it's this image of Yancy Taylor walking through that door with his head held high, facing up to the truth, showing us all how it's done, how to lose with dignity. He's anything but a sore loser. Yancey's a leader. You'll follow him anywhere. Yancy's nothing if not a leader. I feel bad but

[Interviewer/Reporter]

it's just also, though, there is the elephant in the

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

room that never gets mentioned.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Yeah, it's a little hard, but it still feels.

I feel sad. I do, too. But then again, if you won.

[Janie Ackerman]

I don't know.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

You know, I don't. I don't. I just don't know what to do with Yancy.

[Janie Ackerman]

Ed.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Oh, jeez. I can't believe Ed's in.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

That's a shocker to me. Yes, it's just a shocker.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I can't wait to go to a council meeting with Edward.

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

Cement City was written and produced by Erin Anderson and me, Jean Marie Laskas for Odyssey with Cement City Productions. Our story editor is Michael Benoit. Sound design and engineering for Cement City is by Mike Woolley. Production assistance by Kyra Witkin. Research and fact checking by Tim Maddox Our credits music is by Donora Cement City is an Odyssey original podcast from executive producers Jenna Weiss Berman, Leah Rees Dennis and Maddy Sprung Keyser. To learn more about our series, follow us on Instagram, Facebook and ximentcity productions or visit our [e-mail].

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Sam.

[Kiara]

I try to compete But I just qualify before I even begin Something that I broach Something that I'll try best not to go for the win I'm a long way to hold steadily But I know how to hold your hand

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

in the few feet if no one.

[Kiara]

I'm back again.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

How was your game?

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Good.

[Kiara]

We won by 2 0.

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

Good job. No, you didn't.

[Kiara]

And I just got an mvp. You did, because I was beast out there.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Cause you were what?

[Kiara]

I was beast out there.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

A beast.

Nathan said you guys lost 2 0.

[Kiara]

Oh, I forgot.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I forgot. You forgot you lost?

[Kiara]

I forgot I lost. Well, at least I was still in.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Yeah.

[Alltrails Narrator]

It is not hard to destroy a college.

[Sarah Shawley]

Last season, the podcast Campus Files brought you stories of fraternity drug rings, stolen

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

body parts, campus cults, and more.

[Blinds.com Narrator]

And now Campus Files is back for another season.

[Beau]

There's a guy screaming into his phone. He's like, I just saw Charlie Kirk

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

get assassinated right in front of me. Every week is a new episode and a new story.

[Beau]

It was so chaotic, it's almost like

[Jean Marie Laskas (Narrator/Producer)]

a university under siege.

[Alltrails Narrator]

Listen to and follow Campus Files, available

[Aaron (Co-narrator/Producer)]

now wherever you get your podcasts.