WGN Radio Senior Digital Strategist and Bracketologist Michael Piff joined John Williams to give an update on our inaugural Chicagoland Christmas Traditions Tournament, sponsored by Treetime Christmas Creations, and breakdown the Final Four, which includes Illumination at the Morton Arboretum, Lake Zurich’s Miracle on Main Street, the Chicago Botanic Garden Lightscape and Holiday Magic at Brookfield Zoo Chicago.

Vote on the Chicagoland Christmas Traditions Tournament for your chance to win a Treetime gift card! A champion will be crowned on November 24th.

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

Michelle Nichols, Director of Public Observing, The Adler Planetarium, joins John Williams to explain why Chicago recently saw one of the most vivid Aurora Borealis displays in decades. Michelle breaks down how solar flares and coronal mass ejections trigger auroras, why this event reached as far south as El Salvador, and why your phone can detect colors your eyes can’t.

NewsNation Now anchor Connell McShane joins John Williams to talk about the latest news stories of the day including the Epstein files, immigration, and how the economy is shifting under the Trump presidency.

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

The 34th annual Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival returns on Saturday, November 22, filling Chicago’s iconic avenue with holiday wonder, glowing lights, and the joyful kickoff to the season. Lifeway Foods will be in full celebration mode, offering delicious samples of Lifeway Kefir during the day. At night, they’ll unveil a sparkling parade float, complete with snowy white trees, a bright red Farmer Cheese sleigh, and bottles of kefir dressed in Santa hats and reindeer antlers. In this week’s Best of the Midwest conversation, John welcomes back Lifeway President Julie Smolyansky, who shares not only the excitements of the parade and Lifeway’s remarkable growth, but also the many ways that kefir supports health. Julia explains the multiple acceptable pronunciations of “kefir,” the science behind probiotic-rich fermented dairy, and why so many doctors now describe the gut as the body’s “first brain,” deeply connected to stress, depression, anxiety, and overall well-being. From Mickey and Minnie leading the procession to Lifeway’s whimsical, glowing float rolling down Michigan Avenue, this year’s Lights Festival promises pure holiday magic and a whole lot of gut-friendly cheer.

Nat and Mikey, two schoolteachers from England, took a bold leap and a year off from their classroom to explore America the slow way… by hitchhiking, canoe, and curiosity. They landed in Denver, made their way to Montana, bought their first-ever canoe, and have been paddling down the Missouri into the Mississippi on their way to the Gulf. They also hope to figure out which of the Dakota’s is their favorite! With no experience and nothing but determination, Nat and Mikey have discovered a country not through headlines but through handshakes, kindness, and the everyday generosity of strangers. As of this recording, they’ve spent 94 days traveling over 2,000 miles. You can follow along with their journey and love letter to the American spirit at natandmikey.wordpress.com.

In this brief but heartfelt segment, John Williams honors his friend and fellow broadcaster Steve Bertrand for his years of service and his extraordinary presence on the airwaves. Bob Kessler also joins in to share memories and pass along well wishes. This segment is a celebration of friendship, craftsmanship, and the unmistakable spark Steve has brought to Chicago radio history. While no one’s life can be summed up in a mere collection of words, John weaves together a heartfelt tribute to his friend who, in retirement, will no doubt be traveling the world and creating lasting memories in no time.

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, Austin Berg, Executive Director of the Chicago Policy Center and author the The Last Ward, and long-time Chicago journalist Cate Plys, publisher of Roseland, Chicago: 1972. The Rascals begin the podcast talking about ‘Operation Midway Blitz’ leaving Chicago. The Rascals discuss the government’s immigration effort and how the last 6 weeks have played out. Now, what’s next? Earlier this week, President Trump posted about crime and vacancies on Chicago’s ‘Miracle Mile’ and called for more troops to be sent in. Do the Rascals believe the president was completely out of line? Both Democrats and Republicans have released thousands of emails from the Jeffrey Epstein estate that include multiple references to Donald Trump. What are the big takeaways from the release of these documents? Dick Durbin and 7 other senators sided with the GOP to end the government shutdown. Eric explains why caving was the wrong move. Austin believes this shutdown proves that the FAA should be privatized. And finally, we are officially not doing red light, yellow light, green light, but somehow there are recommendations!