Her favorite color is green. Not forest green, but money green.  Ilyce Glink has been educating the planet on "smart money moves" for her entire career. In this episode, Lissa & Thom find hope in Ilyce's message on surviving times of recession.  From rising interest rates to the rising retirement age, there's a lifetime of wisdom in this conversation.

These are the lessons learned from investigating innocence.  Paul Ciolino convinced Governor George Ryan to re-think the death penalty in Illinois. Ciolino is a private investigator turned DNA expert who advocates for those wrongly convicted.  In this episode, Lissa & Thom dig into corrupt systems and the high profile cases Paul Ciolino has investigated.  You'll hear about his first hand encounters with Anthony Porter, Amanda Knox, Arturo Gatti, and more.

Raymond Lopez was born to serve his neighbors.  That passion turned real, when he became a Chicago precinct captain at age 18. Now, as the city's 15th Ward alderman, Lopez is so fed up with crime in his hometown he wants to be Mayor.  In this episode, Alderman Lopez tells Lissa & Thom exactly what ignited his frustrations -- and what's going wrong at City Hall.

At the core of the war in Ukraine, is how it reverberates differently throughout Europe. Italy imports 50% of its natural gas from Russia, and faces the threat of having it turned off by Vladimir Putin.  That's only a small piece of this enlightning visit to the chat room.  With Lissa in Rome and Thom in Chicago, we hear how confliction lives in the hearts of the Italians.  Lissa's cousin Daniela is a veteran journalist on the economic beat, and joins our chat room for some straight talk about life and liberty in Europe.

Ray Long, was cub reporter at the Statehouse in Springfield when he first encountered former Speaker of the Illinois House, Michael Madigan, during the 1980s.  Long’s book, The House That Madigan Built, is the definitive account of a machine politician who led a vast patronage army. In this episode, Lissa Druss and Thom Serafin excavate the crisis of ‘trust’ in government.

During this bonus episode, The Crisis Cast goes on location with Garry McCarthy former Chicago Police Superintendant. This conversation asks a critical question.  Is political manipulation of law enforcement driving the increase in violent crime?  A must-hear chat with Lissa Druss and Thom Serafin from the floor of a forum addressing Chicago's crime crisis.

Ambassador Ronald Gidwitz gives us a rare glimpse into the modern European Union.  What were Vladimir Putin's biggest miscalculations when he unleashed war on Ukraine?  Who are the EU players to monitor most closely?  What will Russia inherit by Putin's actions? Lissa Druss and Thom Serafin get the answers to these questions and much more during this conversation with a seasoned U.S. diplomat.

One of the most devastating realities of 'sheltering in place' during COVID times ... was for those whose only shelter was home to violence. During this episode, Lissa Druss & Thom Serafin dig deep on the crisis of domestic violence.  Mutual Ground's Michelle Meyer and Cynthia Kieckhefer of the Batavia Women's Club share stories of the heart break they've witness - and why we must speak out loud about these crimes and abuses.