Ray LaHood, former GOP member of Congress and the U.S. Secretary of Transportation under President Barack Obama, joins John Williams to talk about a bipartisan effort to to remove the influence of lawmakers in the redrawing of state legislative boundaries. LaHood says that the Illinois legislative map is ‘an embarrassment’ and ‘an outrageous abuse of one party rule.’ Ray also tells John why he thinks it would be an uphill climb for his son, U.S. Rep Darin LaHood, to win a statewide election.

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

Dr. Jeffrey Kopin, Chief Medical Officer for Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, joins John Williams to talk about Northwestern Memorial Hospital being named one of the best hospitals in the U.S., Cubs great Ryne Sandberg losing his battle to prostate cancer, what we should know about prostate cancer, and a new study that shows being physically active can improve cognitive performance in people at risk for dementia.

Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, joins John Williams to talk about the death of Cubs great Ryne Sandberg, the recent layoffs at the Chicago Tribune, why Substack isn’t necessarily a good replacement for news, and to share his thoughts on Jesse Jackson Jr. possibly making another run for congress.

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

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

Tom Appel, Publisher, Consumer Guide Automotive and host of the Consumer Guide Car Stuff podcast, joins John Williams to talk about why manufacturers are kicking the can on so many projects right now, the latest on the impact of tariffs, what’s happening with the EV market, why Tesla is still hurting, and how a trade deal with Japan will impact the auto industry.

NewsNation Now anchor Connell McShane joins John Williams to talk about the ‘Epstein-inspired’ week, Jerome Powell fact-checking Donald Trump yesterday during a visit to the Fed yesterday, if the thinks the Epstein story goes away, the job that Speaker Mike Johnson has been doing, and if President Trump will eventually be damaged by the Epstein story.

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

It’s time once again for our Best of the Midwest feature! Are you trying to come up with some vacation ideas that are only a quick getaway from the Chicago area? Well, John Williams has some great recommendations for your trip! Today, we head west to the great Mississippi River and chat with Emily Stier, Group Travel and Marketing, Riverboat Twilight! Emily tells John where the cruises depart from, what the Riverboat is like and how many passengers the boat can accommodate, how long the trips typically last, what you can eat and drink on your trip, and why the cruise is the perfect place to relax, unplug, and unwind while taking in beautiful scenery.