Patti Vasquez is joined by Joanna Whaley, 2026 Democratic candidate for Michigan state representative, District 2; she is seeking to become the first transgender woman elected to the Michigan House.

Whaley discussed her campaign for Michigan’s State House, emphasizing utility costs, health care access, environmental concerns, and constituent presence as central issues. Here is a brief summary of the conversation:
- Residents consistently raise utility bills as a concern; Joanna proposed a three-to-five-year statewide utility rate moratorium, restructuring the Michigan Public Service Commission, restricting utility campaign donations, and ending monopoly-utility marketing.
- She supports pursuing single-payer health care in Michigan because high premiums and deductibles are causing residents to forgo care.
- She linked refinery pollution, fuel prices, tariffs, and manufacturing pressures to household and local economic strain.

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Patti Vasquez is joined by Jackie Mader, journalist at The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit newsroom covering issues of inequality and innovation in education. The discussion examined how school device use expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing concerns about its effects on learning, behavior, and transparency.

Here is a brief summary of the conversation:
- Schools’ one-to-one device programs expanded during the pandemic and continued after students returned to classrooms.
- Device policies, filters, monitoring software, and restrictions vary widely among districts, allowing students to access games, videos, and shared documents during class.
- Research is still unclear about how much academic screen time is effective; one district found distracted screen use represented 31 lost instructional days.
- Educators commonly connect challenging behavior to excessive home screen use, while research also points to impacts on executive function and missed playtime; poverty and other stressors are additional factors.
- Parents, teachers, and students are raising concerns at school board meetings and asking districts to measure device use and review the research.

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Patti Vasquez is joined by Heidi Stevens, nationally syndicated columnist, director of External Affairs at the TMW Center for Early Learning and Public Health, and fellowship coach at The OpEd Project. Stevens discussed her writing, marathon training, community advocacy, and recent work on family secrets and public anxiety.

Here is a brief summary of the conversation:
- Stevens compared writing and running as disciplines that require showing up consistently despite difficulty.
- She is training for the Chicago Marathon (October 11) and is running to support Nourishing Hope Chicago, which provides food, mental health and social services.
- The conversation also addressed climate change and warnings that artificial intelligence could threaten human life.
- Stevens said industry warnings about AI need more context and concrete guidance about what people and lawmakers should do. 
- She talked as well about B.K. Jackson's "Relative Strangers," an anthology about family secrets revealed through DNA testing, adoption records, and other discoveries. It was the topic of a recent Stevens column.
- The discussion emphasized that these experiences are common, emotionally complex, and potentially less isolating when people share their stories.

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Patti Vasquez is joined in studio by Ruth Scifo, chair of the Democratic Party of McHenry County, and Mary Mahady, president of the McHenry County Democratic Women.

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Patti Vasquez is joined by Fred Wellman, veteran, entrepreneur, and 2026 candidate for Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District.

Wellman talked about his campaign and his priorities for addressing health care access, affordability, tariffs, labor protections, infrastructure, and accountability for elected officials abusing their office. He says the central framework of his campaign is costs, corruption, and chaos. 

He described his military and veterans-advocacy background and his decision to run for Congress. He also discussed the legal dispute over Missouri’s congressional map and its impact on his campaign and voters. 

Driving It Home with Patti Vasquez" weekdays from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/driving-it-home).

 

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Patti Vasquez is joined by Mark Boyko, Democratic representative serving the 90th House District of Missouri and 2026 candidate for re-election. Boyko explained the legal and political dispute over Missouri’s mid-cycle congressional redistricting and amendments on the November ballot.

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Patti Vasquez and guest co-host Ken Mejia-Beal are joined in studio by Kirk Bangstad, CEO and founder of Minocqua Brewing Company and the Minocqua Marketplace.

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Patti Vasquez and guest co-host Ken Mejia-Beal are joined by Jax West, founder and president of Friends Who March. The discussion focused on organizing a rapid-response protest during Donald Trump's planned visit to DuPage County.

Here is a brief summary of the conversation:
- West is coordinating with Friends Who March, Team Blue Page, Illinois Handmaids, and the Bloomingdale Township Democratic Organization.
- Participants are expected to gather on public sidewalks, bring signs, remain peaceful, and follow all laws.
- Updates will be shared through the participating organizations' Facebook pages 
- The discussion emphasized safety in numbers, support for first-time protesters, and the importance of voting in addition to attending demonstrations.

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Patti Vasquez is joined in studio by Geoff Curtis, Chicago-based author of "Embracing Your Own Purgatory." Curtis discussed how losing a long-held job can destabilize professional identity and how self-reflection can help people navigate career change.

Here is a brief summary of the conversation:
- Curtis’s role became redundant after his company was acquired, leading to depression and a realization that work had defined his identity for 30 years.
- He described professional identity as “armor” that provided comfort while also shielding him from emotions and relationships.
- He emphasized that job loss, industry change, and AI may require people to rethink how closely they tie self-worth to employment.
- Curtis advised people to ask who they are outside work, identify their values and purpose, and allow time for self-discovery during transitions.

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Patti Vasquez is joined by Jessica Huang, playwright of “The Birth of the Pill,” having its world premiere at TimeLine Theatre through October 4th.

Here is a brief summary of the conversation:
- Timeline Theatre commissioned the play after pursuing the project for more than a decade.
- Jessica described it as a play that is "in conversation" with Jonathan Eig’s "Birth of the Pill" book, rather than a direct adaptation of it.
- Research and collaboration with Eig, Puerto Rican community members, historians, and Jessica’s husband shaped the portrayal of Puerto Rican women who were coerced into early pill trials.
- The play examines how the pill expanded women’s ability to pursue education, careers, pleasure, and control over parenthood.
- Jessica said the production reflects the vulnerability of reproductive rights after the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision, while remaining funny, intimate, and accessible.
- The Chicago production runs through October 4 at Timeline Theatre’s new Uptown location.

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