John Williams

Bob Bertog, president of Bertog Landscape Co. in Wheeling and a certified landscape professional with the National Association of Landscape Professionals, joins John Williams to answer all of your lawn and garden questions. We still are below average on moisture so Bob implores you to keep watering those trees and bushes!

Tim Crane, President/CEO, Wintrust, joins John Williams to talk about the upcoming Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival! Tim explains what the festival means for the central business district and how you can spend your entire day enjoying the city. Tim also discusses the health of the banking business and his forecast for Chicago business in 2025.

Alisa Rodriguez, Social Services Director, The Salvation Army, joins John Williams to talk about her journey from working for the city of Chicago to the Salvation Army, how her work for the city has influenced her work with the Salvation Army, why the Red Kettle Program is essential to the work that the Salvation Army […]

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com.

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com.

Cory Suski, professor of natural resources and environmental sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, joins John to talk about co-authoring a new study that shows how pollution is slowing the advance of the invasive silver carp.

Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, joins John Williams to talk about if it’s foul to be a fair-weather fan. If the team you typically root for is bad, is it okay to root for another team? Eric also talks about Mayor Johnson walking back his property tax hike.

Dr. Jeffrey Kopin, Chief Medical Officer for Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, joins John Williams to talk about the obesity crisis around the world, and to share his thoughts on President-elect Trump nominating RFK Jr. to lead the Department of Health & Human Services.

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com.

The great Mr. Fix-It, Lou Manfredini, joins John Williams to tell us the projects we need to be working on this week. Lou explains that now is the time to take outside hoses off, and to shut down your sprinkler system if you have one. Others things on Lou’s to-do list this week: Get your gutters cleaned, […]

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com.

NewsNation Now anchor Connell McShane joins John Williams to talk about the nominees for President-elect Trump’s Cabinet.

Enjoy this edition of “The Best of Speed Jokes.” What was your favorite joke of the week? Keep sending your jokes to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!

U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL 8) joins John Williams to talk about winning his election to represent the 8th congressional district for the 5th time, the impact the economy had on election results across the country, the choices that President-elect Trump is making to fill out his Cabinet, and specifically, his thoughts on Rep. Matt Gaetz being nominated for […]

Author and registered dietician nutritionist Dawn Jackson Blatner joins John Williams to talk about the health benefits of sweet potatoes, her thoughts on ‘superfoods,’ the most common nutrient deficiencies and the food you can eat to prevent those deficiencies. Dawn also answers all of your nutrition questions.

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com.

The Mincing Rascals this week are Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Austin Berg of the Illinois Policy Institute, and longtime Chicago journalist Cate Plys! This week, our small but mighty Rascals start the podcast discussing last week’s election results and the flurry of nominees to fill President-elect Trump’s Cabinet. What do the Rascals make of these controversial choices? […]

Envoy Scott Hurula of the Salvation Army joins John Williams to talk about his work running the Salvation Army kettle campaign, what your donations mean to the army, who typically rings bells for the Salvation Army, and their work helping immigrants who are coming to Chicago. Go to registertoring.com to find out more. Click here to help John […]

Mark Jacob, former editor at the Chicago Tribune & Sun-Times, sometimes Mincing Rascal, and co-author of the new book, ‘Globetrotter:  How Abe Saperstein Shook Up the World of Sports,’ joins John Williams in-studio to talk about why he decided to write about Abe Saperstein, the things that Abe Saperstein did that shook up the world […]

Bob Bertog, president of Bertog Landscape Co. in Wheeling and a certified landscape professional with the National Association of Landscape Professionals, joins John Williams to answer all of your lawn and garden questions. Bob talks about how confused the plants are with unseasonably warm weather and why he recommends getting your leaves off of the grass.

As John Williams said to kickoff his conversation with Roy Spencer from Perma-Seal, “Baby, it’s cold INSIDE.” It’s that time of year and Roy explains why it’s not about how much insulation your home has, but how Perma-Seal addresses the root of the problem. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7069616/7069616_2024-11-12-222716.64kmono.mp3

Dr. Jeffrey Kopin, Chief Medical Officer for Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, joins John Williams to talk about how cannabis can help people suffering from dementia, the importance of working on our balance, why you should get vaccinated for the flu and COVID right now, and his thoughts on a new report that shows about 41 percent of […]

Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, joins John Williams to talk about WGN’s Christmas Movie bracket, his disappointment with the election results, why he believes the election was accurate and fair in both 2024 and 2020, and how the electoral college brings on voter apathy. Eric also tells John why he’s found new teams to […]

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com.

The great Mr. Fix-It, Lou Manfredini, joins John Williams to tell us the projects we need to be working on this week. Lou talks to John about attending the awful Bears game yesterday, the ongoing controversy in Evanston regarding the use of leaf blowers, and to answer all of your home improvement questions. Listen to HouseSmarts Radio on WGN […]

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com.

NewsNation Now anchor Connell McShane joins John Williams to break down the results of the 2024 presidential election and what can we look forward to when President-elect Trump takes office again in January of 2025.

Craig Bolanos, Co-Founder and CEO of Wealth Management Group, joins John to talk about why the markets are continuing to rise, what he reminds investors when the market is high, the potential trade issues in 2025, his reaction to yesterday’s Fed decision, and the economic risks we need to watch moving forward.

Enjoy this edition of “The Best of Speed Jokes.” What was your favorite joke of the week? Keep sending your jokes to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!

Hungry? Thirsty? You’ll be both after listening to John Williams’ conversation with Dawn Bakery, show manager of the Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer and Food Festival. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7064010/7064010_2024-11-07-225310.64kmono.mp3 The festival takes place November 21st – 23rd at Devos Place (303 Monroe Ave NW,Grand Rapids, MI 49503). More info at GrandRapidsWineFestival.com.

Bob Bertog, president of Bertog Landscape Co. in Wheeling and a certified landscape professional with the National Association of Landscape Professionals, joins John Williams to answer all of your lawn and garden questions. How should we preparing our lawns and gardens for winter?

Dr. Amar Pattani, family dentist at Main Street Smiles at 312 W Main Street in Barrington, joins John Williams to answer all of your dental health question. Dr. Pattani tells us if we should be using mouthwash, what you should know about different types of toothpaste, if you should brush before or after flossing, and his thoughts […]

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com.

Project H.O.O.D. construction has reached a milestone, with the foundation poured and the first steel beam, “a massive 20,000-pound symbol of hope and transformation for our community,” lifted into place. As Pastor Corey Brooks says in the video below, “We’re building a building over here, John!” Learn more and find out how you can help […]

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Austin Berg of the Illinois Policy Institute, political pundit Marj Halperin, and longtime Chicago journalist Cate Plys! This week the Rascals start the podcast breaking down the results of the presidential election. What were the surprises and the big takeaways? Locally, the Rascals discuss Chicago’s […]

John Williams shares is thoughts on last night’s election.

John Donovan joins John Williams to tell the story about how he was living the American dream until his drinking spiraled out of control and he hit rock bottom. Then the Salvation Army‘s Harbor Light rehabilitation facility stepped in and eventually saved his life. Click here to help John fill his virtual Red Kettle and help our neighbors […]

Mortgage and real estate expert David Hochberg joins John Williams to talk about what the election results might mean for the housing market and interest rates. David also explains why the average age of first time homebuyers reached an all-time high, and why you don’t need 20% down to buy a home. David hosts “Home Sweet […]

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com.

Dr. Jeffrey Kopin, Chief Medical Officer for Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, joins John Williams to talk about the CDC expanding its COVID vaccine recommendations, James Van Der Beek revealing he has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and to answer all of your medical questions.

Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, joins John Williams to talk about his ‘stress eating’ on this election day, the interesting races happening in our area, his thoughts on the city of Chicago voting for school board members, and when he believes we might know the final results of the presidential election.

Marge Sipla, Speed Jokes spirit animal, cataloger and Member of the Speed Jokes Committee, joins John and the gang to give us her favorite Speed Jokes of October! John shares some of his favorites, too! What was your favorite joke this month? And as always, John brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending […]

Dr. Janice Jackson, CEO, Hope Chicago, joins John Williams in-studio to talk about the mission of Hope Chicago, the impact that they have made in such a short period of time, her belief that education is the best way to disrupt cycles of poverty, the importance of removing the financial burden of college, the biggest motivator […]

The great Mr. Fix-It, Lou Manfredini, joins John Williams to tell us the projects we need to be working on this week. Lou tells us what you should know about your furnace, his thoughts on inexpensive filters, how often we need to be changing our filters, and the best way to clean up leaves in gutters. And […]

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com.

Dava Sobel, preeminent science writer, acclaimed Pulitzer Prize finalist and New York Times bestselling author, joins John Williams to discuss the new book, “The Elements of Marie Curie: How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science.” Dava talks about why she wanted to write about Marie Curie, how women impacted advancements in […]

Vice President Kamala Harris is out with an ad that reminds women that they still have a right to choose in the voting booth. John takes calls and reads texts from listeners who react to the ad.

Enjoy this edition of “The Best of Speed Jokes.” What was your favorite joke of the week? Keep sending your jokes to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!

Hua Momona Foundation president Gary Grube joined John Williams to talk about the Maui Afterglow Ball, how it raises funds for food insecurity among those affected by the Lahaina wildfires in Maui, and who will be performing at the November 9th event at the Sanfilippo Estate in Barrington, IL. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7018035/7018035_2024-11-01-144835.64kmono.mp3

Ben Morrall, President, Voortman Steel Machinery, joins John Williams to talk about the history of their company, when they first came to Monee, Illinois, what their company does and what they manufacture, their big plan for domestic expansion in Monee, why Voortman ended up coming to Monee, how business friendly Monee is to their company, […]

Christi Holston, Board President, Monee Historical Society, joins John Williams to talk about why the Monee Historical Society was started, the unique history of the building that is now the Monee Heritage Center, what we should know about the history of Monee, and why it’s important to tell the stories of Monee.

Chris Collins, head basketball coach at Northwestern, joins John Williams and Dave Eanet to talk about their first exhibition game last night, how much the players prepare for the upcoming season, what his team will be like without the great Boo Buie, who he is most excited about on this year’s squad, the way they used the transfer […]

It’s time once again for our Best of the Midwest feature! Are you trying to come up with some vacation ideas that are only a quick getaway from the Chicago area? Well, John Williams has some great recommendations for your trip! Today, John takes you on a trip down to Dollywood! Josh Sauer, publicist for Dollywood, […]

Author and registered dietician nutritionist Dawn Jackson Blatner tells John if its better to eat before or after you exercise. And since it’s Halloween, Dawn gives us a hack for the best ways you can use Halloween candy, and her acronym for how to tackle a SWEET tooth. And as always, Dawn answers all of your health and […]

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com.

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, longtime Chicago journalist Cate Plys, Brandon Pope, host of ‘On the Block‘ on WCIU, and political pundit Marj Halperin! The Rascals begin the podcast talking about the Chicago School Board elections. How are the Rascals handling their vote for the school board? Eric bemoans […]

'I'm going to dance with it': Bertrand on what he wants you to know about it.

Christina Shutt, Executive Director, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, joins John Williams to talk about the new exhibition “Freedom in Form: Richard Hunt.” Director Shutt tells John about their mission at the library, why telling the story of Illinois is so important, the goal to make history relevant to the modern day public, what […]

Bob Bertog, president of Bertog Landscape Co. in Wheeling and a certified landscape professional with the National Association of Landscape Professionals, joins John Williams to answer all of your lawn and garden questions. Bob says we are still well below normal with precipitation and you need to give trees and shrubs ‘a good drink’ before winter.

Elder law attorney Kerry Peck joins John Williams to answer all your questions about elder law, trusts, wills, and elder abuse. Kerry talks about how difficult it has become for those in the ‘sandwich generation,’ his ongoing work with the Alzheimer’s Association, his thoughts on Vice President’s Kamala Harris’s proposal to expand Medicare to pay for long-term, in-home […]

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com.

Dr. Jeffrey Kopin, Chief Medical Officer for Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, joins John Williams to talk about the CDC lowering the recommended age for adults to get vaccinated against a type of bacteria that causes pneumonia, new guidelines may help reduce the risk of a first-time stroke, the expansion of COVID vaccine recommendations, and why […]

Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, joins John Williams to talk about the exciting World Series games, the amount of money being spent on the Chicago school board elections, his experience early voting, and why he believes Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson needs to give away the campaign contributions he received from rapper Lil Durk. [audio […]

Jane Kirtley, Silha Professor of Media Ethics and Law at the University of Minnesota, joins John Williams to talk about some newspapers not endorsing presidential candidates. Jane calls the decision by papers like the Washington Post to not make an endorsement ‘cowardice.’ Jane believes many of the owners of these newspapers don’t have a clear picture […]

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com.

John Coli, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 727, joins John Williams to talk about Pepsi abruptly closing their bottling plant on the South Side early this morning. John explains how employees found out that the plant was permanently closing, the wages a typical worker at the plant earned, what he’s hearing from his members, and […]

Host Jon Hansen shares his experience with IVF and surrogacy.

The great Mr. Fix-It, Lou Manfredini, joins John to announce that he’ll be staying at WGN for years to come! WGN Radio today announced a contract extension with Lou, the station’s do-it-yourself expert. We are also excited to announce that Lou will be chatting with John every Monday and will answer all of your home improvement questions. What […]

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com.

WGN Radio morning traffic anchor Vikki Kokuzian has spent basically her entire adult life in media. A career that saw stops at FOX 32, WGN TV, and of course WGN Radio, Vikki is officially turning off her microphone. When she wasn’t on screen, or behind a microphone, the West Ridge neighborhood native was an active […]

Jeanne Massey, Executive Director, FairVote MN, joins John Williams to talk about the power and value of ranked-choice voting. Jeanne explains why this method is a more equitable way of voting, and how the current race would play out if we adopted ranked-choice voting.

Enjoy this edition of “The Best of Speed Jokes.” What was your favorite joke of the week? Keep sending your jokes to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!

Author and registered dietician nutritionist Dawn Jackson Blatner joins John Williams to talk about her new Pumpkin Banana Bread recipe and some other fun and healthy ways to use canned pumpkin. And, as always, Dawn answers all of your nutrition questions.

It’s time once again for our Best of the Midwest feature! Are you trying to come up with some vacation ideas that are only a quick getaway from the Chicago area? Well, John Williams has some great recommendations for your trip! Today, we take a quick trip up north and visit with Stephanie Klett, President […]