WKXL - New Hampshire Talk Radio

It's Friday, which means the Friday Fun Bunch is in the WKXL Studios! Ken Cail interviews Tom Raffio, President & CEO of Northeast Delta Dental and Kitty Rae the OFFICIAL “Flick Chick."

WKXL Spotlight returns with a look inside an industry that not too many people know much about: Health Insurance. Thomas Poeck is a local, licensed, Health and Medicare Insurance Broker who joins us today to simplify an incredibly complex topic that everyone in the United States needs to know more about. Is insurance talk exciting? We begin the episode by asking Thomas that very question!

In addition to the informative discussion about being a Broker in the world of health and medicare insurance, Thomas also explains some of the options available to people when choosing life insurance. Then, to close out the episode, Thomas talks a little bit about his prior career as a professional NHL hockey player! This is a WKXL Spotlight edition that puts the excitement in insurance talk!

There is college football, NFL, and NBA action going on all around us. Sometimes the NHL talk falls into the back seat. But not today! The Bruins get the lion's share of attention during the show today as we break down their 4-1 victory over Buffalo. As a heads up, we do start today's episode of The Sports Machine with Slim off with a bit of NCAA football and NFL draft discussion. Did Caleb Williams hurt his draft stock by not playing in USC's game against Louisville last night? Slim is shouting from the rooftops: YES! YES! YES!

A potpourri program on Thursday as we discussed the arrival of the Harlem Globetrotters in New Hampshire, the top baby names of 2023, and the recent passing of two icons in their fields. Tuesday we lost former U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, former owner of the Milwaukee Bucks and one of the founders of the Kohls Department store chain, Herb Kohl. Kohl was 88. Also on Tuesday, comedian Tommy SMothers died at 86 following a battle with cancer. Tom along with his brother Dick, made up one of the most controversial TV tandems of all time back in the late 1960's.

This week on Facing the Future, we looked back on budget and economic policy in 2023, which was mostly about avoiding crises, and where things stand heading into 2024.

Our discussion featured a panel of Concord Coalition experts, including policy director Tori Gorman, chief economist Steve Robinson, national field director Phil Smith, deputy director Chris Colligan, and media and policy intern Kyle Duffy.

The Sports Machine with Slim has you covered on the New England sports scene. The Bruins get back on the ice tonight in Buffalo. Then they get a couple of days off before beginning a stretch of 10 games in 17 days! They have lost 4 in a row. Tonight is the time to turn things in the right direction!

The Celtics take on the Pistons on Thursday night. The Pistons have lost an NBA record 28 games in a row! You read that correctly. The Pistons have lost 28 games in a row. Good luck to them as they take on a ridiculously stacked Boston Celtics squad looking to build upon their NBA best record.

The Pats play at Buffalo this coming weekend. Buffalo has won 3 in a row and is looking to keep their hopes of winning the division alive. The Pats will do their best to help Coach Belichick avoid setting the record for most losses all time by an NFL coach.

All of this and more today on The Sports Machine with Slim!

Emmy award winner Marc Murai dropped by to chat about what he’s up to lately and brought a guest with him: Andrew Pinard of the Hatbox Theatre. I was interested to discuss his attempt to purchase the Ioka theatre in Exeter NH and what the final result was of the attempted purchase. I also wanted to pick his brain about two of his productions that took place in the Hatbox, “Barnum” and “1776”. “Barnum” won several awards the year it was staged and “1776” was a herculean lift since the cast alone called for 24 men! Each performance was wall to wall people! Andrew gave us a little more info on the impending closure of the Hatbox and all 3 of us discuss the impact that will have of the local economy, artists, playwrights, etc.

Wednesday's show featured a pair of authors. Dr. Stephen Lesk, a practicing board certified psychiatrist for almost four decades has just released a new book entitiled "Footprints of Schizophrenia". Also with us Wednesday was writer Jon Clinch whose new piece of historical fiction is "The General and Julia", a novel that focuses on General Grant's efforts to write his memoir to provide for his family before his death in 1885. Did he make it?

You'll have to read the book or, listen to our interview.

Tuesday morning's show kicked off with an admission from Slim: He was totally wrong about the Patriots! Slim had predicted that the New England Patriots would get crushed by the Denver Broncos on Christmas Eve. As we all know, that turned out to be a horrible take.....

The Sports Machine with Slim is not afraid to admit when it is wrong. And we aren't afraid to let you hear about it when we are right! The Boston Celtics are going to win the NBA title this year. The SF 49ers are going to win it all in the NFL. These predictions are still valid and Slim is still clinging to them. Hear all of this and more today on NHTalkRadio.com

A laundry list of items discussed on the day after Christmas but most urgent is the story of Concord native Ryan Zwick. The 22-year old Zwick needs a new heart. He recently underwent a five hour operation as he was unable to breathe properly after reportedly contracting a Covid-related infection. Any help would be much appreciated by the Zwick family. Zwick’s mother, Karen, is a Special Education teacher at Concord High School.