Bob Bertog, president of Bertog Landscape Co. in Wheeling and a certified landscape professional with the National Association of Landscape Professionals, joins John Williams to answer all of your lawn and garden questions. We still are below average on moisture so Bob implores you to keep watering those trees and bushes!

Tim Crane, President/CEO, Wintrust, joins John Williams to talk about the upcoming Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival! Tim explains what the festival means for the central business district and how you can spend your entire day enjoying the city. Tim also discusses the health of the banking business and his forecast for Chicago business in 2025.

Alisa Rodriguez, Social Services Director, The Salvation Army, joins John Williams to talk about her journey from working for the city of Chicago to the Salvation Army, how her work for the city has influenced her work with the Salvation Army, why the Red Kettle Program is essential to the work that the Salvation Army does, and how the Salvation Army helps people during times of crisis.

Click here to help John fill his virtual Red Kettle and help our neighbors in need this holiday season!

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

Cory Suski, professor of natural resources and environmental sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, joins John to talk about co-authoring a new study that shows how pollution is slowing the advance of the invasive silver carp.

Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, joins John Williams to talk about if it’s foul to be a fair-weather fan. If the team you typically root for is bad, is it okay to root for another team? Eric also talks about Mayor Johnson walking back his property tax hike.

Dr. Jeffrey Kopin, Chief Medical Officer for Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, joins John Williams to talk about the obesity crisis around the world, and to share his thoughts on President-elect Trump nominating RFK Jr. to lead the Department of Health & Human Services.

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

The great Mr. Fix-It, Lou Manfredini, joins John Williams to tell us the projects we need to be working on this week. Lou explains that now is the time to take outside hoses off, and to shut down your sprinkler system if you have one. Others things on Lou’s to-do list this week: Get your gutters cleaned, apply winterizing fertilizer, and clean the screen on your dishwasher.

Listen to HouseSmarts Radio on WGN each Saturday morning at 6 am.

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