AI Massage Robot
365 Amplified
On the podcast this week, we have: An update on the harm reduction clinic proposed for Madison's East Side, as the org that won the contract seemed to say they're pulling out of the project but then said they're not Our thoughts on the murder of Alex Pretti and a rundown of Wisconsin gun laws An interview with State Assembly candidate Juliana Bennett Rob's experience with an AI massage robot, which is a thing he never expected to type or talk about, much less experience Follow the latest news on Madison365.org and watch for Madison365 on Facebook, Bluesky, LinkedIn, Instagram & Threads.
info_outline
Who owns "Freedom"? With Isaia Ben-Ami
365 Amplified
On this week's episode, the team talks through two in-progress stories. First, a bankrupt donation platform owes almost $408,000 to more than 50 nonprofits in Wisconsin. Then, Dane County Executive Melissa Agard has announced a comprehesive review of the County's contracting promise, and we consider why and what that means. Next up, Improve Your Tomorrow has started a Wisconsin chapter to capture students with potential and facing obstacles, and Madison College has opened a new early learning center for the children of students and staff. Finally, Assembly candidate Isaia Ben-Ami joins the...
info_outline
Echoes of Stark Park with Freddie Owens
365 Amplified
On this week's 365 Amplified, we have yet another Sun Prairie schools update, where the former West High School principal now faces charges of failure to report child abuse -- including in a case not previously known. Plus, the Forward Madison Academy was in Minneapolis for a match last weekend, and immigration authorities grabbed the mother of one of the players. The club and soccer community have rallied to the player's aid while his mom remains in custody. Then, former Badger Freddie Owens joins the show to talk about his memoir, Echoes of Stark Park, set to be publised next month. 365...
info_outline
Controversy, conflicts & money magic
365 Amplified
It's a long one today -- we've been off for a couple weeks and have a lot to catch up on! First, Omar talks through a few highlights of the upcoming Martin Luther King, Jr Day celebrations and activities around Madison. Then, Rob has an update from Sun Prairie, where the school district released the results of the investigation into the dean of students who was arrested on 16 charges of child pornography and exploitation in July, and how district administrators responded. We learned that allegations started six months earlier than previously known, and that the first student who made them was...
info_outline
Who Are Wisconsin Schools Really Working For?
365 Amplified
This week on 365 Amplified, Rob Chappell, Omar Waheed, and Stephanie Díaz de León dig into Wisconsin’s latest school district report cards and ask a hard question: who actually benefits from how schools are graded? The conversation explores racial achievement gaps, how DPI weights “economically disadvantaged” students, and why some districts can earn top scores while deep racial disparities remain. The crew also reacts to the newly announced women’s soccer team, Rally Madison, unpacking the name, branding, symbolism, and fan response — plus what it says about women’s sports,...
info_outline
The No Wax Cloud Dancer Edition
365 Amplified
As promised after last week's grammar discussion, Rob talks through the etymology of the word "sincere" and Omar coins a new slang term. All that only after: We get updates on stories we've been following in the Sun Prairie Area School District and the Dane County Department of Human Services.' We look ahead to the CEOs of Tomorrow "Pitch and Launch" event this weekend We note a few local elected officials who announced this week that they're running again Rock County Board Supervisor Genia Stevens joins us to tell us why she's not running again, how Rock County JumpStart is expanding and...
info_outline
It's Bazaar & Gala Season
365 Amplified
In this week’s episode of 365 Amplified, the team dives into a busy stretch of community events, local politics, sports news, and a thoughtful conversation with the leaders of the Urban League of Greater Madison Young Professionals. Highlights Holiday Black Bazaar returns bigger than ever, featuring 50+ Black-owned vendors, performances, and community gathering space at the Hub. Profile: Percy Brown — Omar talks about the new Carey Middle School principal and his winding journey through education and DEI work. Governor’s race update — Mandela Barnes enters; the crew discusses...
info_outline
Will Rodney Rave be Wisconsin's first Native member of Congress?
365 Amplified
On the podcast today, Rob talks through a few news items before chatting with Rodney Rave, who's running for Congress in Wisconsin's Third Congressional District, which covers most of Western Wisconsin. A former Ho-Chunk Nation legislator, Rave could become the first Indigenous person to represent the state in Washington. Today's episode is brought to you by . Support local nonprofit news at . All donations from now until December 31 will be matched!
info_outline
What is community journalism? with Kynala Phillips
365 Amplified
Rob's flying solo today, with a few news updates: a new Congressional candidate in western Wisconsin, an effort to support a beloved local musician who collapsed on stage after a heart attack last week, a recap of Madison College's first-ever trip to the national junior college men's soccer tournament, and a review of "Planets as Stars," the poetry-driven performance we previewed on the podcast last week. Then, he talks to Kynala Phillips, the editor of a new community journalism project at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and an alum of Madison365's internship. Finally, he offers a bit of the...
info_outline
A "cosmic romp" & local news controversy
365 Amplified
On the podcast today, Rob, Stephanie and Omar talk through some local news, including a summit of Milwaukee social justice nonprofits, a snow removal apprenticeship program and the Madison College soccer team's first-ever trip to the national tournament. Then, poet and performer Gina Cornejo joins the show to preview her new production at Theatre LILA, "Planets as Stars," opening this weekend. Then, we have an update on Channel 3000's unethical and erroneous reporting on Urban Triage and consider the larger context of racism and media ethics.
info_outlineHosts: Rob Chappell, Stephanie Díaz de León, and Omar Waheed
Guest: Nate Buescher, UW–Madison freshman and star of Disney Channel’s Electric Bloom
Runtime: 53:38
On this week's podcast, we catch up on a range of news stories from the week, and get acquainted with a new neighbor who's a rising Disney star.
🌟 Leadership Summit Preview
The eighth annual 365 Leadership Summit is just around the corner, happening Monday, November 3, at the Madison Concourse Hotel. Stephanie and Rob preview the lineup:
-
Opening panel “Leadership Unscripted” with Henry Sanders, Dr. Sagashus Livingston, Karen Menendez Coller of Centro Hispano, and Chairman Tehassi Hill of the Oneida Nation.
-
Honoring the 2025 Most Influential Leaders at the evening celebration.
-
Presented by UW Credit Union and other key sponsors.
“It feels like a homecoming,” Stephanie says — a reunion for changemakers across Wisconsin.
Register now at 365LeadershipSummit.org/registration.
🔫 Moms Demand Action at the Capitol
Omar reports from the State Capitol, where Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action held their annual Advocacy Day, pushing for six common-sense gun safety measures:
-
Banning guns on college campuses
-
Universal background checks
-
Extreme risk protection orders (“Red Flag Laws”)
-
Tax-free gun safes
-
Stricter liability for unsafe firearm storage
-
Background checks for gun store employees
Stephanie reminds listeners that “the Second Amendment is not absolute,” and Rob notes that every proposal sounded “pretty sensible.” Read Omar's story here.
📚 Wisconsin Book Festival: Shobha Rao Returns
Omar recaps his interview with novelist Shobha Rao, author of Indian Country, ahead of her Wisconsin Book Festival appearance. The book explores land, memory, and identity through a murder mystery lens. Rao recalls her “healing” time living in Madison as a young adult and her love of Wisconsin's own Laura Ingalls Wilder. Read Omar's story here.
🏫 MMSD’s $507 Million Plan
Madison voters approved a massive school facilities referendum, and the Sherman and Shabazz schools are first in line for new buildings. Omar details plans for larger classrooms, separate libraries, and a 13,500-square-foot gym — all ready by September 2027. Stephanie highlights how basic needs like warmth, air flow, and space “deeply affect how kids learn.” Read Omar's story here.
🥫 SNAP Benefits Suspended
Rob reports troubling news: 700,000 Wisconsinites could lose access to FoodShare (SNAP) benefits starting November 1 due to the federal government shutdown. The panel discusses who’s affected — families, seniors, and the disabled — and pushes back on myths about “lazy” recipients. Read Rob's story here.
🎬 Guest Interview: Nate Buescher, Star of Electric Bloom
Rob chats with Nate Buescher, a freshman at UW–Madison and co-star of Disney’s new teen series Electric Bloom, now streaming on Disney+. Nate shares:
-
How he landed the role after months of auditions
-
Filming in California and the culture shock from Chicago winters to LA
-
His plans to study biology while continuing acting
-
His lifelong passion for storytelling — from Weebles Wobbles commercials at age seven to now being part of Disney’s next big friendship series.
“Even though the show’s for tweens,” Nate says, “my grandma watches it — and she loves it.”
💬 The Question: “What’s Your Ratio?”
In the closing segment, Stephanie poses this week’s question:
“What’s your ratio of pretending to know what’s going on versus actually knowing what’s going on?”
After a wild story about a $88 million jewel heist at the Louvre, the crew confesses to plenty of “confident BSing.” Omar admits he’s “winging it 70% of the time,” while Rob recalls faking his way through a grad seminar, and somehow getting away with it.
🎧 Subscribe & Follow
365 Amplified is produced and edited by Rob Chappell for 365 Media Foundation, a nonprofit local independent media organization based in Madison, Wisconsin.
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and follow Madison365 on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, and Bluesky.