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.
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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,...
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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...
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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...
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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!
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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...
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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, Omar Waheed
Guest: Prenicia Clifton
Episode Overview
This week, the team covers the end of SNAP benefits and its impact on Wisconsin families and small businesses, the return of Madison Nonprofit Day, the growing threat of media capture, and a few lighter conversations to close the show — including conspiracy theories they wish were true.
SNAP Benefits Ending
Nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites are about to lose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits as of November 1. Rob, Stephanie, and Omar discuss what this means for food pantries, families, and local economies.
They also highlight that federal workers are unpaid during the shutdown and that the ripple effects extend to small businesses and farmers.
LOUD's New Gallery Space
Omar talks with Oscar Morales, founder of Latinos Organizing for Understanding and Development (LOUD), about opening a new gallery at Next Wave Studios on Madison’s east side. The first artist in residence, La Pistola from Oaxaca, led workshops and connected with Madison’s growing arts scene.
Media Capture and the Importance of Local News
Rob discusses a recent episode of the Question Everything podcast, focusing on “media capture” — when governments or their allies take control of the media.
Starting November 1, every donation to Madison365 will be doubled through the Institute for Nonprofit News’ matching fund.
Donate here → madison365.org/donate
Madison Nonprofit Day Returns
Guest: Prenicia Clifton, organizer of Madison Nonprofit Day, joins to preview the event’s return on Friday, November 7 at TruStage.
She explains that it’s a professional development opportunity for nonprofit professionals, board members, and community leaders — with sessions on funding, collaboration, safety, and leadership transitions.
“Professional development is often the last thing invested in,” Clifton says. “But we need to develop ourselves to serve our communities safely and effectively.”
Highlights include:
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Opening panel with Angela Davis (Madison Community Foundation), Angela Russell (TruStage), Renée Moe (United Way of Dane County), and Shiva Bidar-Sielaff (UW Health)
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Workshops on fundraising, partnership, and succession planning
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Clifton’s keynote on preventing abuse in youth-serving spaces
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Social Impact Happy Hour recognizing local changemakers
🎟️ Register: https://seeinisbelievin.regfox.com/2025-madison-nonprofit-day
Roundtable Question: Conspiracy Theories We Wish Were True
365 Amplified is produced by Rob Chappell for the 365 Media Foundation, a nonprofit local media organization in Madison, Wisconsin. Follow Madison365 on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads.