Will politics continue to get worse? What will be the fate of Martha McSally? What is the future of news? That's REAL news. Welcome to the politics issue of On the Grid! Now that the dust has settled on the 2018 election, we have Jim Small with Arizona Mirror to take a look back and a look forward. Jim has a long history of covering politics in Arizona, particularly at the state legislature. He spent more than a decade at the Capitol Times and was executive director of the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting. He now leads the state’s newest news organization Arizona Mirror, which focuses on public policy and how it affects YOU. Political junkies won't want to miss this one!

The creators of the Phoenix Film Festival have something new up their sleeves and it is the inaugural Peoria Film Fest Oct. 19-21, at Harkins Arrowhead 18. The festival will include a curated collection of films ranging from full-length features and documentaries to shorts. The drama “What They Had” will kick off the festival, written and directed by Elizabeth Chomko, and starring Hilary Swank, Michael Shannon, Robert Forster, Blythe Danner, Taissa Farmiga and Josh Lucas. Listen to Episode 26 of the podcast and come on a filmic journey with us led by Executive Director Jason Carney and see how the Valley has made it on the map with a well-respected film festival and a community of cinephiles and filmmakers living their passion.

The #RedforEd movement rode a wave to the doorsteps of the Arizona Capitol with a falling crest resulting a budget approved by state lawmakers and Gov. Doug Ducey giving teachers a pay raise of about 20 percent by 2020. The movement won over broad support and the sea of red was a sight to see. But with a big election looming, what is next for public education in Arizona? Will their voice continue to be heard among all the other voices? Well, in our 25th episode of On The Grid, we have Allegra Fullerton on the show to fill us in. She’s with Arizona Save Our Schools, a local nonpartisan grassroots organization that has a big hand in the movement here in our state.

Valley resident Myrlin Hepworth has built his career on words, words that eventually evolved into hip-hop. The work of this poet and musician has been featured on NPR and after the release of two mixtapes, he just launched his first album called Remember Why on April 15. A new music video is due out June 1. But another side of his lifestyle is as a youth advocate and teaching artist, working with thousands of kids sharing his poetry, his experience as a Chicano and as a human. In episode 24 of On The Grid, we sit down with Myrlin and discuss art, the creative process and giving back.

Podcast lovers, this is the episode of On the Grid for you!

In episode 23, we explore four local podcasts that make their subject matter the Valley of the Sun and all things in it. Consider this recording a podcast about podcasts. The meta episode if you will! Actually, the Valley is home to many cool podcasts, but unfortunately, we only had an hour to feature a few of the best. So … Sit back, relax and learn about all the things the following podcasts have to offer: Limited Engagement, Hoot N Review, The PHX podcast and Starving Artists PHX. Podcasters unite!

The March 5 deadline President Donald Trump set to essentially end the DACA program has come and gone. And little has changed. But that doesn’t mean DACA recipients are in any less limbo than before. So for our third and final episode of our DACA series, we have Phoenix immigration lawyer Juliana Manzanarez on the show. She shares her insights on what the law says about DACA recipients under today’s circumstances and what the future may hold for immigration under the Trump administration.

At the young age of 21, Patrick Morales was elected to the Tempe Elementary School District Governing Board with a desire to change the status quo. But entering politics isn’t the only way to make a difference. He is also an activist for immigrant rights and our guest for the second installment of our three-part series on DACA. Like our previous guest, Morales is on the forefront of the movement to reform immigration in Arizona. And, now 25, he is running for re-election this year. But it is a delicate balance – fighting for immigration rights while operating within the world of politics. Take a listen to what it’s like trying to make a difference in seemingly divergent landscapes.

Wishing deportation on an immigrant is really easy if you’ve never actually spoken to one. This sentiment comes from Karina Ruiz, Arizona Dream Act Coalition president. She instead urges people to learn about those who were brought to this country by no choice of their own. You may be surprised to learn she had no interested in being uprooted from her friends in Mexico City, where she grew up. Ruiz is our first On the Grid guest in a series of episodes about immigration and DACA. The mercury on this issue is bubbling and a movement supporting immigrants’ rights is afoot. But after a week of failed immigration talks in Congress, the movement remains in limbo. But Ruiz is one of its leaders in Arizona, and says she'll never give up on the movement. Her story is powerful. If you’ve never gotten to know a DACA recipient, this episode is a great opportunity to do so.

Cult film phenomenon The Room has become so influential that James Franco made a movie about it called The Disaster Artist which opens nation-wide next Friday. Tommy Wiseau's "so bad it's good" movie stars Phoenix resident and host of On the Grid Philip Haldiman. Well, for this episode of the podcast the tables are turned. Producer Chris Ayers interviews Haldiman about his experiences in The Room and his thoughts on The Disaster Artists. Cult film lovers won't want to miss this.

Kimber Lanning might be the quintessential On the Grid guest. She’s spent most of her life in the Valley and from a young age she started contributing to the character of our metropolitan area. At 15, her first job was Zia Records, and at 19, she opened local independent record store Stinkweeds, later opened venue/art gallery Modified Arts and then formed nonprofit Local First. And she is our guest for the 18th episode of On the Grid. Come with us on her journey from music to economic development. You’d be surprised to learn how flawlessly connected these things are. Oh, and we have an announcement about the rescued Wurth House.