WGN Radio legend Kathy O’Malley and longtime WGN producer Beth Swierk join John Williams to talk about the life of Judy Markey, who passed away this morning at 82. Kathy tells John about how Judy chose to die, and Beth and Kathy reflect on the legacy of ‘The Kathy & Judy Show.’

John Williams, Mary Van De Velde, and WGN listeners share their thoughts on losing one of the girlfriends.

Connell McShane, anchor of ‘NewsNation Live with Connell McShane,’ joins John Williams to reflect on the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and to share his thoughts on covering the attack as a young reporter in New York.

Journalist Tom Junod joins John Williams to talk about the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and his piece on ‘The Falling Man‘ in Esquire from September 2003.

Enjoy this edition of “The Best of Speed Jokes.” What was your favorite joke of the week? Keep sending your jokes to [email protected]!

Harold Redman, CEO, ECHO, tells John about the the innovative new products they recently introduced at their Power-On-Athon event. Harold also talks about how business has been going, some of the other great products they sell, where you can find their products, why they are proud of being a Chicago-area business and the work they do providing support for the community.

Author and registered dietician nutritionist Dawn Jackson Blatner joins John Williams to talk about when kids should be aware of good nutrition and exercise, three great snacks for watching football this season, and why a well-stocked freezer is important when trying to eat healthy. What are Dawn’s freezer staples?

It’s time once again for our Best of the Midwest feature for 2026! Are you trying to come up with some quick getaway ideas that are only a short trip from the Chicago area? Well, John Williams has some great recommendations for your trip! Today, we head toward the beautiful fall colors in Wisconsin and visit with Mindy Simons, Executive Director, Hayward Lakes Visitors and Convention Bureau! Mindy tells us where Hayward Lakes is located in Wisconsin, the great recreational opportunities in Hayward Lakes, what makes Hayward Lakes unique for fall fishing, the types of fish you can expect to catch, the best way to see all the fall colors, where you can stay when you visit, the festivals that are coming up, and why it’s the perfect place to relax and enjoy fall. Cozy Cabin vibes all the way!

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to [email protected].

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Steve Bertrand, host of the Steve Bertrand on Books podcast and proprietor of Steve Bertrand Travel, and award-winning journalist and political pundit Marj Halperin. The Rascals begin the podcast talking about Michigan’s controversial win over Western Michigan over the weekend. As a Michigan alum, Eric feels bad for Western Michigan, but doesn’t think this game will matter much by the end of the year. Next, the Rascals share their recollections of 9/11 and the days after the attack. Are the Rascals surprised that there hasn’t been another similar attack on our homeland? Speaking of 9/11, the Rascals discuss recent comments made by President Trump about what he was doing on 9/11. The Rascals also break down how the media has been covering Trump and his weekend full of Truth Social posts. The Rascals wonder how the GOP can defend someone so unserious. Last week, a mistrial was declared in the Lindsay Clancy case. How would the Rascals have voted if they were on the jury? Marj wrote an op-ed in the Tribune about how badly our healthcare system is broken. Locally, the future owner of the Chicago White Sox unveiled plans for a new South Loop stadium that includes the redevelopment of Amtrak facilities. What do the Rascals think of this new plan that has residents in Bridgeport very concerned. Finally, it’s time for red light, yellow light, green light. What are the Rascals recommending (or not recommending) this week?

Dr. Selwyn Rogers joins John Williams to discuss his book, ‘Healing the Gun Violence Epidemic:
Ending Violence, Rebuilding Communities, and a Trauma Surgeon’s Vision for Restoring Hope.’ Dr. Rogers tells John about the work he does at the hospital, what the scene is like when trauma patients come in, what’s going on with gun violence on the streets of Chicago, the effort to combat violence, if he’s ever angry when he’s doing his work, how he connects with the victims of violence that he treats, and why he believes gun violence is not a problem that can be solved by punishment.