John Williams

John Williams starts the show sharing Ellen DeGeneres’s response to critics online of her socializing with President George W. Bush at the Dallas Cowboys game. Then, Medline Spokesman Jesse Greenberg responds to yesterday’s interview with Waukegan Representative Rita Mayfield, who said the sterilization plant is to blame for the lymphoma diagnoses in her district. Debt Relief Lawyer Rae Kaplan then explains whether a parent or student should apply for student loans. Finally, two contestants of the South Side Pitch, an […]

John Williams wants to know what type of input the Chicago Zoning Committee is asking for on marijuana sales when it meets with community members this week. Listeners call in with how they imagine a pot store will look. Then, Chicago Tribune Columnist Phil Rosenthal explains where people can find the Chicago Cubs on TV. Some listeners text in their indignation towards that. Representative Rita Mayfield (60th-Waukegan) describes two House bills that will require sterilization plants like Sterigenics to be […]

ABC News Correspondent Michelle Franzen advises that you do your holiday shopping early due to a December 15 deadline for Chinese import tariffs. For the full list of items affected by the 15% levy, click here.

Representative Rita Mayfield (60th-Waukegan) joins John Williams to explain the legislation that will require plants like Sterigenics to be voted into a community. Her own bill, HB3888 requires hospitals to phase out the use of ethylene oxide to sterilize materials.

Chicago Tribune Columnist Phil Rosenthal joins John Williams to explain where the Cubs games are now going on TV and why their broadcasts were sold in the first place.

John Williams starts the week with an observation from the weekend about the rules of the road, and listeners give their own. Then, to talk about all the reasons why Chicago is the best, Condé Nast Traveler Contributing Editor Mark Ellwood joins John. Listeners also give their thoughts on the Bears’ loss to the Raiders in London. And John still wants to hear the other side of the story in the upcoming Chicago Teachers Union strike.

Condé Nast Traveler Contributing Editor Mark Ellwood joins John Williams to talk about all the qualities that got Chicago voted to number one city for its third year in a row. In so doing, he highlights the contrast from neighborhood to neighborhood in this city alone.

John replays a part of his conversation with ICE Chicago field office director Robert Guadian from earlier this week. The Mincing Rascals convene to talk about the future for Chicago teachers, the Museum of Science and Industry’s new name, and other local stories. Plus, a cameo from Judy Pielach and the weekly VibeScore segment.

John Williams starts the show listing some of Governor J.B. Pritzker’s personal funding to Illinois. Then, John invites Humanities Scholar Clay Jenkinson on to talk about the current state of affairs, some of which he’ll address in “Teddy Saves America” next Saturday, the 12th, at the Elgin Community College Blizzard Theatre. And John welcomes ICE Chicago Director Robert Guadian to explain what exactly it is that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement does, and what happened to the people arrested in […]

ICE Chicago Director Robert Guadian joins John Williams to describe exactly what Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents do, and why he got into the business to begin with.  And he explains what a raid actually is, and what happened at Route 66 Pizza last month.  

Humanities Scholar Clay Jenkinson talks to John Williams about all the ways President Theodore Roosevelt would have tried to change the country for the better, its diet included. You can see Clay as Teddy Roosevelt next Saturday on stage at the Elgin Community College Blizzard Theatre in Teddy Saves America!

John Williams invites Chicago Teachers Union Organizer and Former CPS Special Education Teacher Jhoanna Maldonado to explain why there will be a strike this month. Most listeners rebut the purpose of the strike. Then, Dallas Observer Reporter Stephen Young describes the feeling in Dallas after former police officer Amber Guyger was convicted of murder and sentenced to 10 years in prison for killing her neighbor. John opens the phone lines then to hear why listeners like or miss Illinois, to […]

ABC News Entertainment Correspondent Jason Nathanson joins John Williams gives his review of “Joker,” which has received mixed reviews from the Chicago Tribune to Chicago Sun-Times, to WGN-TV. Jason describes some of the shocking themes and artistic choices of the movie, which is a spin-off of Batman, out tonight.  

Dallas Observer Reporter Stephen Young joins John Williams to explain why Amber Guyger was convicted of murder instead of manslaughter in the shooting death of Botham Jean. Though the former police officer’s defense was the “mistake of fact,” she received a sentence of 10 years.

Former Special Ed Teacher Jhoanna Maldonado and Chicago Teachers Union Representative Jhoanna Maldonado joins John Williams to explain the purposes of the upcoming strike. She also shares why teachers believe they need more than a 16% raise over five years.