On today's show:

– “Out Chicago” host Scott Duff and film critic Rebecca Ford with their regular look at current TV and movies
– Joseph Hurka, lecturer in English at Tufts University and author of the award-winning memoir “Fields of Light: A Son Remembers His Heroic Father”

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's show:
– Mayra Macias, independent candidate for 4th Congressional District of Illinois, where she is vying to replace Rep. Jesús Chuy Garcia, who is retiring
– Tom Villanova, retired president of the Chicago and Cook County Building and Construction Trades Council, ahead of the Southland Friends of Labor 17th Annual Jobs Breakfast, Monday, March 2, at Sprinkler Fitters Local 281, in Alsip, Illinois. Learn more: https://www.southlandfriendsoflabor.com.
– Rick Smith, host of “The Rick Smith Show,” weekdays from 5:00 to 6:00 a.m. Central on WCPT
– Heartland Signal’s Rich Eberwein with three stories you might have missed from our digital newsroom
– WCPT’s Doris Davenport, who will be hosting five radio shows in March for Problem Gambling Awareness Month; tune in Sundays March 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's show:
– Jonathan Alter, contributing editor of the Washington Monthly, former senior editor and columnist at Newsweek, filmmaker, journalist, political analyst, and the publisher of the Substack “Old Goats with Jonathan Alter.“ His latest pieces for Washington Monthly are “After Censoring CBS, Trump Will Go For CNN” and “The Worst President Ever”
– Pat Hynes, 2026 candidate for Cook County assessor
– Margaret Croke, Illinois state representative and 2026 candidate for Illinois comptroller
– William Muck, professor of political science at North Central College

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the fourth anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Joan devotes much of the show to coverage Ukraine and the war. Her guests are:
– Tamar Jacoby, director of the New Ukraine Project at the Progressive Policy Institute and contributor to Washington Monthly; her latest article is “Ukraine: Requiem for a Citizen Soldier”
– Lydia Tkaczuk, president of the Ukrainian National Museum of Chicago, and Oleh John Skubiak, president of Pobratymy Foundation (one of the largest charitable foundations devoted to the development of Ukrainian scouting) and member/sponsor of the Ukrainian National Museum
– U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL), co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Ukraine Caucus
– Joel Ostrow, professor of political science at Benedictine University (Visit UA Medic Wish List)

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's show
– Kendall Scudder, chair of the Texas Democratic Party
– Holly Kim, Lake County treasurer and candidate for Illinois comptroller
– Max Bever, director of Public Information for the Chicago Board of Elections
– Mark Jacob and Jennifer Schulze with our regular media segment

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's show:
– Chris Fitzsimon, host of the Stories from the States podcast
– Juliet Jeske, founder of Decoding Fox News, a crowd-funded media project
– Chicago Ald. Matt O’Shea (19th Ward)

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's show
– Army Maj. Gen. Randy Manner (Ret.), former acting vice chair of the National Guard Bureau, and member of National Security Leaders for America (NSL4A)
– Margaret Donovan, attorney at Koskoff Koskoff and Bieder, visiting clinical lecturer in law at Yale Law School, former assistant United States attorney for the District of Connecticut, Army veteran and former captain in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps
– David Hogg, gun control activist and former vice chair of the Democratic National Committee; he is the keynote speaker at the DuPage Democrats 2026 Gala, Sunday, February 22nd
– Heartland Signal’s Rich Eberwein with three stories you might have missed from our digital

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's show:
– David Layman, former Providence, Rhode Island, news anchor, managing editor, and political commentator for RIPBS
– Aaron Kleinman, head of research at Heartland Signal
– Spencer Critchley, author of Patriots of Two Nations and host of the Dastardly Cleverness in the Service of Good podcast

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's show
– Thom Serafin remembers Rev. Jesse Jackson 
– Greg Palast remembers Rev. Jesse Jackson 
– Stephanie Zimmermann, award-winning watchdogs and consumer investigations reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times
– Ezra Levin, co-executive director of Indivisible 
– Bruce Rheins, former CBS Los Angeles deputy bureau chief

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's show
– Stephanie Kifowit, Illinois state representative and 2026 candidate for Illinois state comptroller
– Paul Glastris, editor-in-chief of the Washington Monthly; his latest article is “Let the Affordability Bidding War Begin: Democrats have a stronger hand. They should raise their bets”
– Marjorie Hershey, political science professor at Indiana University Bloomington

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.