William Kovacic, professor at George Washington University Law School and former chair of the FTC, joins Karen Conti to discuss the lawsuit attempting to block the merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. William talks about how the merger would work, how antitrust laws affect the merger, and why the issue remains before another court even if the federal government approves the merger.

Brandon Grodsky, CEO and founder of B and T Security Solutions, joins Karen Conti to talk about how his firm strengthens security for businesses, schools, and other organizations through planning and training. Brandon discusses how his company helps prevent mass shootings, what to do if there is an active shooter in your workplace, assessing security risks at new locations, when a risk should be taken seriously, the run-hide-fight concept, and two upcoming apps for home and workplace safety.

Ryan Walz, owner and partner of Cobblestone Exteriors, joins Karen Conti to talk about how to avoid contractor scams and how to protect yourself when hiring a contractor. Ryan explains what should be included in the contract to ensure you are protected, whether you should pay in full upfront, six points to follow for a successful remodeling project, the importance of permits and insurance, red flags to watch out for, and what is the concern of having a mechanic’s lien against your property.

Karen Conti, Chicago trial attorney, joins Bob Sirott to talk about why a federal appeals court upheld the ban on semiautomatic weapons and if President Trump can appeal a federal judge’s decision concerning a ten billion dollar lawsuit. She also discusses why states are suing to block the merger of Warner Bros. and Paramount and the new laws that Governor Pritzker signed.

Author Dennis Breo joins Karen Conti to talk about the 60th anniversary of the Richard Speck murders in Chicago, where eight student nurses were killed. Dennis discusses Speck’s family upbringing and relationships, his complicated personality, the crime scene, how one victim, Corazon Amurao, survived, Speck’s defense at trial, how he spent his time in prison, and his jailhouse confession.

To dive deeper into the case and Speck, check out Dennis’ book, ‘The Crime of the Century: Richard Speck and the Murders That Shocked a Nation’.

Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart joins Karen Conti to discuss the Gun Violence Prevention Initiative and how it has helped drastically reduce gun violence since the 2022 Highland Park parade shooting. Eric also talks about Firearm Restraining Orders, what he has done to solve domestic violence issues in Lake County, and law enforcement’s close connection with the community.

Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs joins Karen Conti to discuss the role of Illinois’ Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) program and its impact on people with disabilities. Michael also talks about Illinois’ state-facilitated retirement savings program, the importance of college savings accounts, Operation Purple Heart, and accessing unclaimed funds.

Charles Bosworth, author of ‘Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey?’, joins Karen Conti to talk about the JonBenet Ramsey murder that took place nearly thirty years ago. Charles discusses whether JonBenet’s father, John, was involved in the case, the family’s behavior after her death, who may have sexually abused JonBenet, the questionable ransom note left in the home, why an outside-intruder theory doesn’t seem to work in this case, why her brother, Burke, is not a viable suspect, how bad the crime scene was compromised, and what can be done to find the killer.

Carolyn Shapiro, a constitutional law professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law, joins Karen Conti to talk about this week’s Supreme Court rulings on birthright citizenship and mail-in voting. Carolyn explains birthright citizenship, the arguments made by President Trump’s administration in support of the executive order to end it, and what would need to happen to get rid of it. Then, she discusses states being allowed to count mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day. She also comments on why some people have lost confidence in the Supreme Court.

Lester Munson, a retired lawyer and Sports Illustrated and ESPN author, joins Karen Conti to talk about the latest NBA betting scandal involving former player Malik Beasley. Lester comments on how much blame we should direct toward athletes for placing bets, the consequences of sports betting for athletes, and how to prevent athletes from taking part in it.

Lester also discusses the Supreme Court’s ruling on transgender athletes and why it upheld state bans on transgender girls and women participating in girls’ and women’s sports.