Pat Brady - Reclaiming the Republican message
The Crisis Cast
This is a conversation about political identity with a voice of reason no matter what side of the aisle you call home. In this episode, we're joined by , the former chair of the Illinois Republican Party. While Lissa Druss is on assignment, Thom Serafin digs into the Trump impact on Republican identity. Brady shares his journey from federal prosecutor to pure political junkie. Plus you're hear the issues that persist in Republican messaging and the names that appear to be the emerging leaders. Learn about this week's Crisis Cast hero:
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Ben Szalinski - The Beltway vs. Springfield
The Crisis Cast
We start the year with a deep dive on the price of division. Join Lissa & Thom as they visit the heart of the Statehouse with of Capitol News Illinois. During this episode, we'll troubleshoot the the Land of Lincoln's federal funding gaps and if property tax reform can save the day. We'll cover the buzz on AI and energy policy. Plus, you'll hear why Szalinski thinks you'd be proud of Illinois' legislators. This week's Crisis Cast hero is creator of the solar panels that mimic sunflowers.
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Kevin Matthews - Broken Mary's Roadie
The Crisis Cast
For decades, millions of Kev-Heads were charmed by the characters and sonic genius created on the radio. Today, Kev is traveling the world as a roadie for a broken statue of the Virgin Mary. In this episode of the Crisis Cast, Lissa & Thom celebrate Christmas with a behind-the-scenes conversation about the "" that Matthews found next to a flower shop dumpster. You'll hear why Kevin insisted the statue remains "broken" — and how his spiritual transformation is now speaking to a new audience, without a microphone.
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Jarrett Payton - I Wake Up to Give Back
The Crisis Cast
Service to others runs deep in the Payton family DNA. There's a global reminder of that before every Super Bowl, when one NFL humanitarian is bestowed with the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. In this episode of the Crisis Cast, WGN-TV's talks about the life lessons he learned from his father, and the vision he has for his own legacy. Lissa & Thom dive into Jarrett's obsession with watching game film, Ben Johnson's much-needed honesty, and JP's predictions for a Bears' playoff run. It's not like we're hungry. It's only been 40 years since the Bears won a Super Bowl. ...
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Craig Volden - The Art of Lawmaking
The Crisis Cast
Put on your safety belts for a conversation about grading governance. In this episode, Lissa & Thom welcome , Co-Director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking at the University of Virginia. This discussion dives head first into the importance of civic engagement, the implications of term limits, and the perceptions of Illinois politics. Plus, you'll hear what the data says about who are Illinois' most effective lawmakers. This week's Crisis Cast Hero: Sharon McMahon. Read her story of medical debt relief .
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FLASHBACK: Frank Main - The Long Tail of Justice
The Crisis Cast
Pulitzer prize-winner Frank Main has been covering criminal justice in Chicago since 1998. Readers of the Sun-Times are drawn to his work for heeding the journalism mantra "inflict the comfortable, and comfort the afflicted." In this episode of The Crisis Cast, we travel back to a discussion with Lissa & Thom about COVID's lasting impact on crime in upper Midwest cities like Minneapolis, Chicago, Detroit. They also examine two behaviors that began surging in the early 2020s at alarming rates: car-jacking and police retirements. This conversation was originally...
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Gratitude Is Great Medicine
The Crisis Cast
We're celebrating Thanksgiving week with a conversation about the power of human relations. In this episode, Lissa reflects on how the recent passing of her mom revealed her treasured and growing extended family. Thom provides some comic relief in sharing famous last words. Plus, we'll relive and rewind to the gratitude we've found in our guests' personal stories.
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Bonnie Jordan - The Rock For The Most Vulnerable
The Crisis Cast
There's a remarkable place in Glen Ellyn known both affectionately and functionally as . Born out of Illinois law 50 years ago, to serve deafblind students — the has a brand-new home. In this episode of the Crisis Cast, The Rock's executive director shares the compelling stories of the families and students who receive their life-changing services and education. You'll hear how the German measles epidemic of the mid-1960s drastically changed the lives of many Illinois families. Plus, Bonnie shares her path from spelling champ to passionate educator and what she...
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FLASHBACK: Nick Kass - Question Everything
The Crisis Cast
For more than 30 years Nick Kass was guiding intelligence at the highest levels of U.S. government -- from the Department of State to the CIA, and the White House. Nick's mantra is simple: question everything. Based in Bucharest, this Chicago native is now Senior Fellow for European Affairs at the . Thanks to Nick's life's journey full of questions -- he's in our chat room with a lifetime full of answers for Lissa & Thom. Nick Kass is an award-winning analyst, reporter, and intelligence expert, and policy manager. Join this fascinating ride through diplomacy, from...
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Sylvie Légère - Dialogue Without Labels
The Crisis Cast
Sylvie Légère, co-founder and CEO of the , joins our chat room to share her journey empowering women through civic engagement and policy conversations. As the Policy Circle celebrates a decade of community service around the globe, Sylvie shares insights on the importance of abandoning labels for meaningful discourse. Plus, you'll hear why disengagement is the crisis she fears most.
info_outline"For god's sake, take cover!" Those are the five words that catapulted Bill Kurtis into his illustrious career in journalism. His reporting has quite literally saved lives.
During this episode, Lissa & Thom unpack six decades of the news media evolution, as documented in Kurtis' book Whirlwind. This conversation takes you behind the scenes of Bill's work covering two legendary trials: the Chicago Seven and the Charles Manson murders.
Plus, you'll hear why Kurtis thinks the current news climate is driving a new breed of brighter and bolder truth-telling journalists.