John Williams

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, longtime Chicago journalist Cate Plys, and political pundit Marj Halperin! This week, the Rascals kick things off breaking down Mayor Brandon Johnson’s ‘flabbergasting’ and ‘maddening’ news conference on Monday where he announced new members of Chicago’s Board of Education. Another destructive hurricane is heading towards Florida. The Rascals talk about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signing legislation earlier this year that erased most references to climate change from state law. Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias revoked the personalized license plates of some drivers who ordered variations of the date “October 7.” Do the Rascals believe the controversial plates should have been revoked? Also, Cate recommends you check out the show by SEB this Friday at Cobra Lounge! SEB is Cate’s daughter’s long-time partner and he’s a tremendous musician. Check out his music here.

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. Bob urges us to keep watering those trees and shrubs.

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

Dr. Victoria Weston, emergency medicine physician, Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, joins John Williams to talk about the difference between an emergency department and an urgent care setting, what we need to know about latest COVID, flu, and RSV vaccines, if it matters what type of COVID vaccine you get, the importance of arm position when checking blood pressure, and Dr. Anthony Fauci’s harrowing experience with West Nile Virus.

Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, joins John Williams to talk about yesterday’s press conference where Mayor Brandon Johnson announced a new school board after the previous board resigned last Friday.

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

Carrie Shepherd, reporter for Axios Chicago, joins John Williams to tell us what we learned from Mayor Brandon Johnson’s press conference today where he appointed six new members to the Chicago Board of Education following last week’s abrupt resignation of the entire board.

Ray Long, the great investigative reporter at the Chicago Tribune, joins John Williams to tell us everything we need to know about the upcoming corruption trial of former Illinois Speaker of the House Mike Madigan.

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

The Chicago Teachers Union is backing 10 candidates in the November 5th election for Chicago School Board. Austin Berg, Vice President of Marketing, Illinois Policy Institute, joins Jon Hansen, in for John Williams, to talk about what would happen if the CTU-backed school board candidates are successful and if they take office what does this mean for Illinois taxpayers.