Civic Media Mornings

In the second hour of Civic Media Mornings, the Washington Post just hit the “delete” key on a third of its newsroom, leaving iconic desks like Sports and Books on the cutting room floor.

Jamie and Brian also talk about the road to the 2026 Senate. The 2026 Senate majority is officially a high-stakes game of political Tetris with four states sitting in the “Toss-Up” zone. Democrats are playing defense in Michigan and Georgia—territory Trump took in 2024—while eyeing a potential flip in North Carolina where Roy Cooper is looking like a formidable contender.

Lastly, in a rare win for your wallet, PepsiCo is slashing prices on the “Big Game” essentials like Doritos and Cheetos by nearly 15% just in time for kickoff.

To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow Civic Media on Facebook, X, Instagram and Blue Sky to keep up with all of our shows!

Jamie and Brian are back in the studios for another news filled show! They start with the federal government pulling 700 immigration officers out of Minnesota after local officials agreed to increase cooperation by turning over arrested individuals to federal authorities.

They also discuss how republican lawmakers are moving to dismantle Governor Tony Evers’ creative “400-year” funding maneuver that locked in per-pupil spending increases until the year 2425. The GOP argues that this long-term commitment contributes to rising property taxes and have voted to terminate the annual revenue limit increase starting in 2027.

Georgia’s Fulton County officials have launched a federal court challenge to reclaim roughly 700 boxes of election records recently seized by the FBI. The raid, which included 2020 ballots and tabulator tapes, was part of a criminal probe overseen by a new election integrity unit appointed by Attorney General Pam Bondi. The Muppet Show has returned for a 50th-anniversary special that perfectly captures the chaotic variety-show magic of the original 1970s series.

To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow Civic Media on Facebook, X, Instagram and Blue Sky to keep up with all of our shows!

We discuss Trump’s desire to nationalize elections, his comments come on the heels of another investigation into the 2020 election in Georgia. If he gets his way it would not only go against the Constitution, but it would be a dangerous centralization of power. Meanwhile, Congress was able to pass a spending bill that ended the partial government shutdown after the funding for DHS was moved to a separate upcoming vote. Also, voters will face some constitutional amendments in Wisconsin so we talk about the details with Wisconsin state Senator LaTonya Johnson. 

To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow Civic Media on Facebook, X, Instagram and Blue Sky to keep up with all of our shows!

The Clintons have come forward to have public hearings in Congress over the Epstein files. They are scheduled to appear before Congress later this month. We also sit down with Seth Stern, chief of advocacy at Freedom of the Press Foundation, to talk about the rights of journalists and the message being sent to them after Don Lemon was arrested for videoing a protest in a church. With a Wisconsin Supreme Court seat up for election, we take a look into the money being poured into politics.

To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow Civic Media on Facebook, X, Instagram and Blue Sky to keep up with all of our shows!

Hour 2 of Civic Media Mornings focus toward Wisconsin-specific political and community issues, starting with a fact-check of President Trump’s recent claims alleging that Wisconsin’s voter rolls contain millions more names than eligible residents; state election officials clarify that these figures misleadingly include inactive records, such as those of deceased or relocated individuals, which are kept specifically to prevent fraud. Jamie and Brian also go into national security concerns with a highly classified whistleblower complaint against Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

Wisconsin’s 4th District Representative Gwen Moore joins the program to discuss her push for the state Supreme Court to take up the Bothfeld v. Wisconsin Election Commission case to challenge what she describes as “rigged” congressional maps that disproportionately favor Republicans.

The hour ends by introducing Anson and Avro, two local rescues from Underdog Pet Rescue of Wisconsin who are set to compete in the 2026 Puppy Bowl, with a meet-and-greet event scheduled in Madison this Sunday.

To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow Civic Media on Facebook, X, Instagram and Blue Sky to keep up with all of our shows!

Today’s edition of Civic Media Mornings covers news you may not have heard of. To open the show, Brian and Jamie talk about Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s announcement that all DHS officers in Minneapolis will immediately begin wearing body cameras.

Tragic personal news also leads the headlines as authorities in Tucson investigate the suspected abduction of Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, after blood was discovered in her home.
Closer to home, the University of Wisconsin-Madison has alerted the community to a student who contracted measles after international travel, marking the second case in the state this year.

To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow Civic Media on Facebook, X, Instagram and Blue Sky to keep up with all of our shows!

President of Wisconsin Carry Nik Clark gives his pro-gun perspective on carrying firearms at protests and gun rights, opening up a conversation about Kyle Rittenhouse. Next, John Parker brings updates from Minnesota and explains Tom Homan’s database of protesters. 

To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow Civic Media on Facebook, X, Instagram and Blue Sky to keep up with all of our shows!

The release of the Epstein files reminds us to be thoughtful of victims, we also call for public hearings of the perpetrators. We take a look at the Heritage Foundation’s “marriage camp” idea that calls for families to start early and delay education and work. Wisconsin Rep. Bryan Steil proposes election changes that seem more than questionable. 

To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow Civic Media on Facebook, X, Instagram and Blue Sky to keep up with all of our shows!

President and CEO of Wisconsin Restaurant Association and Wisconsin Restaurant Association Education Foundation Board of Directors Kristine Hillmer joins to discuss the no tax on tips bill. We also take a look at the job market as the economy wavers. Brian and Jamie dive into the news that Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake schools are no longer under federal oversight, a step toward closing the facilities. Closing the show senior producer Frank Gargano hosts a Grammy game show.

To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow Civic Media on Facebook, X, Instagram and Blue Sky to keep up with all of our shows!

Civic Media News Director Chali Pittman joins the show to discuss a recent press conference with Mark Pocan and Christine Neumann Ortiz. This comes as Minnesota recovers from two deadly shootings by ICE agents. With ICE so prevalent, we take a look at what your rights are if you are approached by them. Meanwhile a government shutdown looks to be avoided as President Donald Trump and Democrats strike a deal that would fund the government through September and keeps the door open for Department of Homeland Security budget changes. Also: the search for the next Alice in Dairyland is on!

To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow Civic Media on Facebook, X, Instagram and Blue Sky to keep up with all of our shows!