WILL-AM

Weather Realness

Summer isn’t always just hot. From thunderstorms and flash floods, summer can bring a variety of hazards. We talk about what Illinois residents can expect for the months ahead.

The 21st Show

Red Lobster's CEO Damola Adamolekun talks about his personal life experiences, what made the restaurant chain so iconic, and how it plans to make a comeback amid closings nationwide. 

The 21st Show

Economist and sociologist Juliet Schor has spent years documenting how Americans are overworked — but her latest research suggests a solution: shaving one day off the workweek, with no drop in pay or (in many cases) productivity. She outlines these findings in a book, “Four Days a Week: The Life-Changing Solution for Reducing Employee Stress, Improving Well-Being, and Working Smarter.” 

The 21st Show

With Memorial Day this past weekend, summer travel season has begun. But have you seen those gas prices? We’ll talk with Illinois-based travel YouTuber Mark Wolters about where to head this summer — and how to save some money on the way.

The 21st Show

The Grand Illinois Trail aims to connect Northern Illinois by bicycle. It spans more than 500 miles, from Chicago to the Quad Cities and back. And after 30 years of planning, it’s almost done. We’ll talk with Sara Egan of Openlands, which is pushing to get the project across the finish line.

The 21st Show

On what would have been Miles Davis' 94th birthday, The 21st asks family members and musical experts to talk about his childhood in Illinois, his impact on the discussion of race and of course, his legendary musical performances and compositions.

The 21st Show

State lawmakers are in the final days of their spring legislative session — with a Constitutional deadline of May 31. There's a long list of unfinished business. A statehouse reporter breaks it all down on today's program.

The 21st Show

On Memorial Day, we learn about the ongoing work to identify missing soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines from America’s past wars. That includes Illinoisans who’ve finally been accounted for, like Marine Sgt. Robert F. Van Heck of Chicago, killed at age 25 during the Battle of Tarawa in World War II. Plus, we’ll talk about the enduring symbolism and mythology of soldiers thought left behind in Vietnam.

The 21st Show

You've heard of a midlife crisis — but what about one during quarterlife? The years between adolescence and middle ages come with their own challenges. We'll talk with psychotherapist Satya Doyle Byock about what it takes to survive and thrive during this stage of life. Her book is Quarterlife: The Search for Self in Early Adulthood.
 

The 21st Show

In the 1980's, conservatism was on the rise in America, and Democrats were fighting over how best to respond. While the party struggled nationally, here in the Midwest progressives made a populist case that resonated with voters — urban and rural, Black and white.

All this is the subject of a new book by historian Cory Haala: “When Democrats Won the Heartland: Progressive Populism in the Age of Reagan, 1978–1992.”