The John Howell Show Podcast

No Florida politician has ever been elected president. Can Ron DeSantis break the "Florida Man" political curse? John Howell is joined by Charles Mahtesian, Politico's Senior Politics Editor, to discuss his announcement on Twitter & potential challenges he may face on the campaign trail.

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John Howell welcomes Frank Manzo IV, M.P.P., Economist at the nonpartisan Illinois Economic Policy Institute, to discuss the fourth anniversary of the Rebuild Illinois law and how it's been a success thus far by modernizing neglected infrastructure and providing jobs to the state.

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• Tania Haigh, founder of KIDS TOO, joins the show to discuss the troubling report on sexual abuse in the IL Catholic church and how her organization is working to protect kids.

• ABC’s Alex Stone says Walmart has promised to stop selling something pretty surprising.

• Todd Powell, co-founder of Vacations by Rail, talks about traveling by railroad this Memorial Day weekend and beyond.

• Plus, Charles Lipson shares his memories of the late Robert Zimmer, and John discusses the impact of traffic on the city.

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Northwestern University's plan to replace Ryan Field with a sports and entertainment complex is causing quite a stir with Evanston residents. John Howell welcomes Bob Reed, Writer for Chicago Magazine, to discuss the pros and cons of having a venue that can seat more people than both the United Center & Allstate arena placed in the middle of a residential area.

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John Howell is joined by Mike Emanuel, Fox News Chief Washington Correspondent, to discuss the biggest national political stories of the week. They chat about the eminent approach to the debt ceiling deadline, public ethics concerns pertaining to Supreme Court Justices & Republican donors leaning towards a candidate. 

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• Andy Field, ABC News Washington, has the story of the teen accused of deliberately driving a u-haul into a building near the White House. 

• The BBB’s Steve Bernas has everything we need to know about ticket scams, especially with Taylor Swift’s Chicago shows right around the corner. 

• Andrea Darlas, Host of Show and Tell on WLS, joins John to recap the Trial of Socrates event last night at the Harris Theatre. 

• Plus, ABC’s Jason Nathanson has the good news: AM radio is safe in Ford vehicles…for now.

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U.S. Surgeon General is calling for immediate action by tech companies and lawmakers to protect adolescent mental health on social media. John Howell is joined by Derricke Dennis, ABC News New York, to explain the effects of excessive social media usage and harmful content particularly on younger audiences. 

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John Howell welcomes Joshua Zeitz, contributing writer at Politico Magazine & author of Lincoln's God: How Faith Transformed a President and a Nation. They discuss Lincoln's spiritual journey and how it led to him courting and encouraging political engagement from churches during the Civil War.

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• Ret. Chief Tom Weitzel from Riverside shares his thoughts on home detention and what police chiefs look for in an officer. 

• Jason Knowles from the ABC 7 I-team gives us a preview of his investigation into where plastic bags end up when you drop them off for recycling. 

• John LaGiglia, Chicago Firefighter and Veteran, joins the show to discuss the Patrick William Roche Foundation and the “One Pill Can Kill” event for parents and children tomorrow evening. 

• Plus, John discusses the unfortunate incidents with pedestrians ending up in fights and the “wolf pack” mentality of it all.

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John Howell welcomes Sir John Dempsey, WLS Golf Commissioner Emeritus. Dempsey shares his thoughts on the PGA Championship's best moments and Brooks Koepka's outstanding performance. Meanwhile, Howell pleads for him to install a landline.

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