Podcasts about Berwyn

FITZGERALDS (6615 Roosevelt in Berwyn) is, without a doubt, one of my favorite places to see music and simply hang out. The vibe is always chill, and the bookings are fantastic. Beyond that, the building is historic! FITZGERALDS was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Park Service at the end of last year. In advance of the plaque dedication on May 3, co-owners Will Duncan and Jess King jumped in the car to talk about the storied history of FITZGERALDS, as well as its impact on the local and music communities. Adding the “Carne” to this episode is BABYGOLD BARBECUE, the killer restaurant that’s part of the FITZGERALDS campus. Will and Jess brought a massive sampler of the BABYGOLD menu into the car, and we did our best to make our way through it. Chef Steve Domanik is doing amazing things over in Berwyn… Can’t make it to the plaque dedication? You’ll see it afterward when you go to any upcoming show at FITZGERALDS. See you at the American Music Festival? Car Con Carne sponsored by Easy Automation: easy-automation.net Transform your living space with cutting-edge home automation. Experience seamless control over audio/video, lighting, climate, security, and more. Embrace the future of smart living – your home, your rules. Get a quote by visiting easy-automation.net, or give Dan a call at 630.730.3728 ## Car Con Carne is also sponsored by Ninety Days in the 90s: A Rock N Roll Time Travel Story. It's the ultimate novel about the '90s and Chicago's music scene, written by Andy Frye. Join record store owner Darby on her trip back to 1990s Chicago as she jumps on the Grey Line to time travel back to her carefree twenties, soaking up all the pop culture and rock n roll nostalgia you could ever imagine. To learn more, go to 90daysinthe90s.com or pick it up on Amazon.com or wherever you buy books. ## On Thursday, May 15, join me for a live recording of Car Con Carne at Legit Dogs and Ice in South Elgin - 322 S. Randall Road. Music from Aaron Williams Band, Karen Shook and Derision Cult. Comedy from Chris Bongat. Craft brewer Carson Souza from Obscurity Brewing. It starts at 8:30 pm.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1 - Continuing on reacting to Krasner's comments. Taking it line by line and reacting. Nothing is Philadelphia's fault, it's everything else! 120 - Continuing with Krasner reaction and your calls. 135 - Will we change how food stamps are spent after auditing the department? 155 - We finally get around to playing audio of Alec Baldwin's wife, Hilaria, and her accent switch up?

Mike Stephen sits down with Jess King and Will Duncan, the owners of Fitzgerald's in Berwyn, to learn about the venue's history and impact on Chicago and then gets the lowdown on new music from the local band Falling Stars with guitarist and vocalist Mark Sheehy.

Host Sean Lennon talked to Chicago Independent Pro Wrestler "Generational Treasure" Shaq Jordan on PWE Report.  At Rocket Pro Wrestling he faced Gunner Brave in a No Holds Barred Match “Loser Leaves Rocket Pro Wrestling” at Cupid Carnage last Saturday in Joliet, IL.He will be featured at Black Wrestlers Matter "Don't Call it a Comeback" this Saturday in Berwyn, IL. A Freelance Wrestling graduate has been wrestling for Wrestleleague,  Squared Circle Megastars, and Frontline Pro!Shaq talked about how Pro Wrestling has changed his life for the better while helping him overcome a personal tragedy, As a Freelance Wrestling Graduate it's helped him find success in the business, His Freelance Wrestling debut at Emporium back in November of 2023 in a scramble match on short notice, The “Loser Leaves Rocket Pro Wrestling” match with Gunner Brave, The Freelance Wrestling Academy show “Run The Ropes”,  his match with Connor Hopkins at Fall Brawl Last year for Outer Limits Championship, facing his trainer Shogun Logan, facing Mustapha Ali at Wrestle league last year some of his favorite opponents so far, plus more!Follow him on IG @generxtionxltrexsureFor the Official PWE Shirt shop at -Fightlete/ PWE PWE Report Shirt (prowrestlingtees.com)For Exclusive Pro Wrestling Articles and Updated Results for WWE, NXT, AEW, and Impact WrestlingLike the Facebook Page- / pwepodcast And Support your favorite Independent Wrestlers by buying Shirts and More at https://www.prowrestlingtees.com/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/pro-wrestling-enforcer-podcast--3307124/support.

Mae Berwyn y Tarw wedi arfer cael ei ffordd ei hun, ond mae'r gwartheg wedi cael hen ddigon! Bethan Ellis Owen sy'n adrodd stori gan Anna Lisa Jenaer

Man killed three people, two dogs in Berwyn before shot by police, and more.

Man killed three people, two dogs in Berwyn before shot by police, and more.

Man killed three people, two dogs in Berwyn before shot by police, and more.

Sammy Sosa apologizes for his 'mistakes,' and more.

Sammy Sosa apologizes for his 'mistakes,' and more.

Sammy Sosa apologizes for his 'mistakes,' and more.

On this episode, we talk to students who attended the Journalism Education Association's national convention in Philadelphia, November 7-10. We got their perspective on how they view journalism and why it's important to them, as well as their take on the president-elect calling journalists the enemy.Student Journalists we spoke to:* Sophie Nguyen, Granite Bay High School, California (1:21)* Ghost Taylor, Olathe East High School, Olathe, Kansas (12:38)* Linus Bossardt, Daniel Pearl Magnet High School, Los Angeles (15:29)* Jenny Marquez, Daniel Pearl Magnet High School, Los Angeles (18:29)* Hannah Berk, Pulitzer Center (21:28)* Allesandra Tremulis, Carlmont High School, Carlmont California (23:00)* C.J. Getting, Naperville High, Naperville, Illinois (33:55)* Vivian Kumpf, Delaware Hayes High, Delaware, Ohio (35:41)* Juliana Yao, Conestoga High School, Berwyn, Pennsylvania (39:07)* Anna Herr Lake Central High School, St. John, Indiana (41:57)* Oskar Doepke (44:12), American School in London* Sophia Bateman (47:19), American School in London* Rena Felde (49:18), Redondo Union High School, Los Angeles* Student newspaper tribute (37:19)- The Spoke- Conestoga High, Berwyn, PA- Comet- Lake Central High School, St. John, Indiana- The Dispatch- James Bowie High School, Austin Tx- Eastside- Cherry Hill East, Cherry Hill, NJ- The Nexus- Westview High School, San Diego, CA- The Redwood Bark- Redwood High School, Larkspur, CAAdvisors saluted- Julie Francesconi, Granite Bay High School, Granite Bay, California- Adriana Chavira, Daniel Pearl Magnet High School, Los Angeles- Lindsey Skaggs, Olathe East High School, Olathe, Kansas- Cyndi Hyatt, former advisor, Conestoga High School, Berwyn, Pennsylvania- Kristina Collard, Lake Central High School, St. John, Indiana- Keith Carlson, Naperville High School, Naperville, Illinois- Julianne McLain, Delaware Hayes High School, Delaware, Ohio- Louisa Avery, American School in London, London, England- Justin Raisner, Carlmont High School, Carlmont, CaliforniaAlso saluted- Journalist Kitty Felde- Washington Post reporter, Arelis Hernández- Sophia Bassi, student, Columbia University Articles of note- Why Does Wellness Notify My Parents by Sophie Nguyenhttps://granitebaytoday.org/why-does-wellness-notify-my-parents/- Hidden Narratives, Individual Realities of Student Drug Dealing by Allesandra Tremulishttps://scotscoop.com/hidden-narratives-individual-realities-of-student-drug-dealing/Thank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpodSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

Chris went to Chicago, cussed, and had a gigantic cup of coffee. ALSO: Friendly Music Community in Berwyn, IL. You go 20 minutes outside of Nashville, you're in a field surrounded by Republicans. PLUS: Kris Kristofferson, The Exit/In and a song of the week from Wax Fang!!Wax Fang - "World War II (Part 2)": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51wZem-UwPI Cold Brew Patreon: Patreon.com/ChrisCroftonChannel Nonfiction: Channelnonfiction.comCan Do Cold Brew: Candocoldbrew.com

In this inaugural episode of Spare a Thought, Tom chats with Berwyn Rowlands, Director of the Iris Prize, the world's largest LGBTQ+ short film prize. Together, Berwyn and Tom discuss first cinema memories, delve into the origins of Iris, consider the challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community, and reveal what's in store for the upcoming Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival. The Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival takes place between 8th - 13th October 2024. To buy tickets to the festival, head to: https://irisprize.org/  Follow Iris Film Festival on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irisprize/ Watch trailers and films via their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@irisprize Also, feel free to follow Tom via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparetom/

Ozzie's still partying at Barebottoms in Berwyn. What's he doing now?? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sherman and Tingle call Ozzie, who's still partying in Berwyn to celebrate the Sox historic losing season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sherman and Tingle call Ozzie, who's still partying in Berwyn to celebrate the Sox historic losing season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ozzie's still partying at Barebottoms in Berwyn. What's he doing now?? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Doubling up on guests to return to r/Writers, which is quickly becoming a favorite. Later we go on r/FantasyWriters to discuss if harem plots are problematic or not. Bonus episodes can be found at patreon.com/mostcontroversial

A major chicken restaurant chain is diversifying into a surprising area, a weekend event aimed at lovers of classic cars and the latest on innovation in Chicago.

A major chicken restaurant chain is diversifying into a surprising area, a weekend event aimed at lovers of classic cars and the latest on innovation in Chicago.

A major chicken restaurant chain is diversifying into a surprising area, a weekend event aimed at lovers of classic cars and the latest on innovation in Chicago.

A major chicken restaurant chain is diversifying into a surprising area, a weekend event aimed at lovers of classic cars and the latest on innovation in Chicago.

Pravda Records celebrates 40 years of independent music with PRAVDAFEST at Fitzgerald's in Berwyn (6615 Roosevelt) on August 31. The all-day event spans three stages and includes performances from:  Nathan Graham, Steve Dawson, Diplomats of Solid Sound, The Handcuffs, Ivan Julian with Nick Tremulis, Chris Greene Quartet, Sunshine Boys, The Service, the Slugs, Chamber Strings, Cheer-Accident, Allen Hill, Susan Voelz, Brian Krumm & His Barfly Friends, Rex Daisy, Thrift Store Halo, the Swampland Jewels To preview the event, I'm joined by Susan Voelz, Thymme Jones of Cheer-Accident and Scott Schaefer of Pravda. We talk about Pravda's history and impact while eating fantastic food from the always-enjoyable Honey Butter Fried Chicken (3361 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60618). Special thanks to the team there for the spectacular entrees and desserts; I have loved everything I've ever ordered from their menu. __ Transform your living space with cutting-edge home automation. Experience seamless control over audio/video, lighting, climate, security, and more. Embrace the future of smart living – your home, your rules. Get a quote by visiting Easy-automation.net, or call Dan at 630.730.3728See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yes mate! It's another Trve. Cvlt. Pop! your favourite music podcast. On this weeks show Steve and Gaz round up the best releases from July, starting with 10 bangers from Jack White, Berwyn, Eminem, Remi Wolf, Common and Pete Rock, Gorgon City, Orange Goblin, Childish Gambino, Hatti Vatt & Kessoncoda. Plus there are live reviews from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at Wembley stadium and... Winnebago Deal, in a pub. Range! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

If you grew up in Cicero or Berwyn more than likely you've stopped by La Aduana Bar! Owner, compa Jaime Izaguirre, stops by to tell us about his story. Light one up and enjoy!

This week we took a deep dive into cool new releases from across mainland UK and from Ireland, and did a quick spotlight on new music from the UK Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey! Music this week by: Primal Scream, Sampha, Little Simz, Lava La Rue, Fontaines D.C., SOFT PLAY, Lambrini Girls, Du Blonde, Kynsy, BERWYN, Hana Lili, Master Peace, Afflecks Palace, Phoebe Over, Adult DVD, She Drew The Gun, Intermission, Honeyglaze, LUME, Porter, Käärijä, Joost, Alessandra, Gut Health. Find this week's playlist here. Do try and support artists directly! Touch that dial and tune in live! We're on at CFRC 101.9 FM in Kingston, or on cfrc.ca, Sundays 8 to 9:30 PM! Get in touch with the show for requests, submissions, giving feedback or anything else: email yellowbritroad@gmail.com, Twitter @⁠YellowBritCFRC⁠, IG @⁠yellowbritroad⁠. PS: submissions, cc music@cfrc.ca if you'd like other CFRC DJs to spin your music on their shows as well. Like what we do? Donate to help keep our 101-year old station going!

Welcome back y'all - it's hot our there, come on in and cool down! This week our #OTWEEKLYPODCAST has sounds from Zacari, Rema, Berwyn, and Common & Pete Rock. During #MUSICNEWS we get into Usher's three Super Bowl Halftime Performance Emmy nominations, as well as the class of the 2024 Hollywood Walk of Fame including - Brandy, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Kerry Washington, & Angie Martinez to name a few! In #THEBLACKNESS we talk about what we saw and didn't see from last Saturday's assignation attempt, as well as shine a #QUEENSPOTLIGHT on Missy Elliot for being the first artist who's song has been beamed out and transmitted to VENUS! Follow Us: All Links: https://linktr.ee/otwweekly Instagram/Twitter: @onthewayweekly FB: facebook.com/onthewaypod | Youtube: https://bit.ly/3CWxgPZ Website: instinctent.com/ontheway | www.mochapodcastsnetwork.com/ontheway Sylvee - @sylveejones Kahlil - @kahlilxdaniel | www.kahlildaniel.com | www.facebook.com/kxdmusic Tap in to our latest playlists too! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I am joined by Laura Santoyo. Laura is the owner of Date Nite Beaute, a cosmetics and accessories brand that inspires date night looks. With a passion for the beauty industry for 25 years, Laura was a makeup artist for almost a decade in her 30's helping to put herself through college while working 2 other jobs. Due to COVID, she now works with the manufacturers to curate her own brand of makeup. Date Nite Beaute has received celebrity purchases and Laura is a national sponsor with USOA beauty pageants, as well as featured on WGN DayTime Chicago. Now 4 years later, with a lot of tears and sweat, Laura has opened her own cosmetics & accessories storefront located in Berwyn, IL. Tune in to learn more about her journey! Follow Date Nite Beaute: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/datenitebeaute/ Website: https://datenitebeaute.com/ Follow Werk Mija: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/werkmija/  TikTok: @werkmija Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/werkmija Website: https://www.werkmija.com Buy Me Cafecito (CLICK HERE): Allow me to continue creating content for our comunidad. Your contribution will allow The Werk Mija Podcast to invest in equipment for production and allow us to hire support to help us continue creating content and a safe space in media for Latinas. 

Estás escuchando #JUNTOSRadio: ¿Qué síntomas podría presentar una persona que está teniendo problemas del riñón? ¿Qué estudios pueden evaluar la salud y el estado de nuestros riñones? ¿Cuáles son las recomendaciones para tener unos riñones sanos?        El Dr. Pablo P. Portocarrero, profesor asistente del Departamento de Medicina Interna, Nefrología de Trasplantes, Nefrología e Hipertensión del Centro Médico de la Universidad de Kansas nos responde estas y otras preguntas.    El Dr. Portocarrero estudió en Universidad Científica del Sur; Facultad de Medicina Fernando Cabieses. Lima, Perú. Hizo su residencia en Loyola Medicine, Hospital MacNeal. Berwyn, IL. Obtuvo una beca - Nefrología, Escuela de Medicina McGaw, Universidad Northwestern. Chicago, IL, y una beca - Nefrología de Trasplante, Facultad de Medicina McGaw, Universidad Northwestern. Chicago, IL.     Su área de práctica se centra en pacientes que necesitan un trasplante de riñón o de páncreas. ‘Mi trabajo incluye la evaluación previa al trasplante, la gestión perioperatoria y los cuidados de por vida tras el trasplante. También me ocupo de pacientes que tienen un trasplante combinado de hígado y riñón. Además, tengo especial interés en los trasplantes en la comunidad latina''.     Su Interés en investigación incluye inmunología, inmunosupresión de inducción y mantenimiento, rechazo, biomarcadores de rechazo, terapias novedosas en trasplante, e infecciones virales que afectan a la población trasplantada.     Recursos informativos en español:    NIH  https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/informacion-de-la-salud/enfermedades-rinones/informacion-general/prevencion#:~:text=Coma%20comidas%20saludables%20y%20disminuya,alimentos%20saludables%20para%20su%20cuerpo.    National Kidnay Fundation  https://www.kidney.org/es/atoz/content/%C2%BFqu%C3%A9-puede-hacer-usted-para-proteger-sus-ri%C3%B1ones-y-su-salud-en-general    Facebook: @juntosKS      Instagram: juntos_ks      YouTube: Juntos KS   Twitter: @juntosKS      Página web: http://juntosks.org      Suscríbete en cualquiera de nuestras plataformas de Podcast: Podbean, Spotify, Amazon Music y Apple Podcast - Juntos Radio      Centro JUNTOS Para Mejorar La Salud Latina      4125 Rainbow Blvd. M.S. 1076,      Kansas City, KS 66160       No tenemos los derechos de autor de la música que aparece en este video. Todos los derechos de la música pertenecen a sus respectivos creadores.     

Today I am back with another solo episode! This one is for the entrepreneurs who were debating either dipping their toe into their own physical storefront or even jumping all the way into a traditional commercial space. I had an opportunity to be part of an incubator program in 2023 called the Berwyn Shops where you get to test out the waters at a more affordable and feasible price before jumping in fully to a traditional space. Even for my friends who maybe currently have just opened up their own physical shop, whether full blown on your own, a current Berwyn Shops business or you are a business with a shop at the Batavia boardwalks which is not too far and I know a concept mirrored by the Berwyn Shops, I hope you can take something from this very chatty chismosa talk to make your time with a physical storefront a successful one! Let's talk things to consider when opening up a physical storefront like what is your budget for set up? How are you showcasing your brand physically? What do your store displays look like? How are you going to market a physical location to continuously drive traffic? Multiple streams of revenue to sustain this additional overhead cost? Can you even afford this additional overhead cost? Tune in to hear about my own personal experience plus take notes on some tips and strategies you can implement to improve your own business or to add to your future plan! If you wanted to dive deeper into some of the topics I mentioned or had even more questions in general, head over to @werkmija on instagram to comment on this episode post! We can make this a multiple part series with some Q&A and expand to other topics! Follow Werk Mija: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/werkmija/  TikTok: @werkmija Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/werkmija Website: https://www.werkmija.com Buy Me Cafecito (CLICK HERE): Allow me to continue creating content for our comunidad. Your contribution will allow The Werk Mija Podcast to invest in equipment for production and allow us to hire support to help us continue creating content and a safe space in media for Latinas.   

Alison drops her new collaboration with Dimension, alongside music from Peggy Gou, Charlotte De Witte, John Summit, Fred Again.., Ekali and more!Don't forget to rate & review on all of your favorite podcast apps! Post your comments on twitter @awonderland #RADIOWONDERLANDTracklist:1. RADIO WONDERLAND OPENER2. Dimension, Alison Wonderland – Satellite3. Stutters - Stargazing (with Just A Gent, CARLIE, & Kiss The Moon)4. Fred Again, BERWYN, Gesaffelstein - BerwynGesaffNeighbours5. Kaivon - Lifeline6. John Summit - EAT THE BASS7. syence, juuku - take me to the stars8. Charlotte de Witte – Roar9. Fred Again - Admit It (U Don't Want 2)10. Peggy Gou - 1+1=1111. Papa Khan - Artificial Damnation12. Allen Mock, Lowki - D4013. Ekali & Lizdek - Forget About You14. Billy Xane Guest Mix

Recording from The Pile Bookstore in Berwyn, IL, we're delighted to bring you some fabulous adventures across time and London! Featuring the experiences of six different female authors, we examine this literary pilgrimage through the lens of these extraordinary ladies. Jon brings us some tea time trivialities and there's plenty of fun to be had! Join us, LIVE! 

Collin Oliver - Ripple Effects Episode 183Tracklist:00:00:00 - Double 99 - Ripgroove 00:05:29 - Jeremy Sylvester - C'est Cool  00:11:05 Vincent Caira - Still With Me00:14:27 Ruze - Trip00:17:34 - Mark Knight, Prok & Fitch - Into My Life (Original Mix)00:20:55 Franky Rizardo - Love Seeking (Extended Mix)00:24:10 Mogwaa - Boy00:32:21 Demi Riquísimo - Windows 95 Anthem (Chloé Caillet Remix)00:38:11 - Wheats - Work00:40:40 - Austin Ato - Obsession 00:43:04 - DJ Minx feat. Mr. V - We All Famous (Extended Mix)00:45:55 Antoine Clamaran - Bigger (Original Mix)00:48:44 No Redemption - Giving Me Life with Kaleena Zanders (Original Mix)00:51:12 Sebastian Ingrosso & Steve Angello - Skip (Extended Version)00:52:32 Steve Angello - Rave n Roll (Corey James Extended Remix)00:56:11 mamba - mayonnaise00:00:00 - Fred again.. & Gesaffelstein - BerwynGesaffNeighbours (feat. BERWYN)

Phillip Robbin v. City of Berwyn

What if young people took their collective future into their own hands, cultivated and supported their own candidates, rather than relying on the elders who appear increasingly out-of-touch with their concerns and will inevitably disappoint them?That sounds promising, until you discover the incredibly low voter registration rates among high schoolers arriving at the age that was once considered a major milestone: voting in your first election.Culture warriors have made it so that the simplest civics lesson is contested, reducing that awareness, and many teachers watch their words out of fear of being accused of “indoctrination.” Who really knows what these kids are being taught?Jahnavi Rao knows. At 16, the now 23-year-old Harvard grad founded New Voters, and held her first voter registration drive amongst her fellow high schoolers in Berwyn, PA. Since then, over 300 volunteers have registered more than 80,000 young voters across 39 states, thanks to New Voters. In this conversation, Jahnavi provides insight to a demographic we think we know, but probably don't. It turns out that Gen Zs are more than their characterization as smartphone ostriches, buried in their curated virtual worlds as the real world conspires against them. The kids are alright. And it's their turn to lead. Please share this conversation with the young people in your life. It's an important message. But it's better if they hear it from her.Thanks for listening! Now follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Threads. And please consider becoming a Patreon supporter at www.patreon.com/podcastunreasonable. It's a small price to pay to help keep America from becoming a theocracy, dontchya think?

Happy St Patrick's Day from the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast #652. Arise & Go, Santiago Molina, Corey Purcell, Mary Beth Carty, The Haar, The Gothard Sisters, Emma Langford, Socks in the Frying Pan, Fire In The Glen, The Chieftains, Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer, The Langer's Ball, We Banjo 3, The BorderCollies, Heather Dale, Banshee in the Kitchen, The Celtic Kitchen Party. Santiago Molina, The High Kings, The Bow Tides, Matt McGinn, Poitín, Syr, Marc Gunn, Jesse Ferguson GET CELTIC MUSIC NEWS IN YOUR INBOX The Celtic Music Magazine is a quick and easy way to plug yourself into more great Celtic culture. Enjoy seven weekly news items for Celtic music and culture online. Subscribe now and get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free. VOTE IN THE CELTIC TOP 20 FOR 2024 This is our way of finding the best songs and artists each year. You can vote for as many songs and tunes that inspire you in each episode. Your vote helps me create next year's Best Celtic music of 2024 episode. You have just three weeks to vote this year. Vote Now! You can follow our playlist on Spotify to listen to those top voted tracks as they are added every 2 - 3 weeks. It also makes it easier for you to add these artists to your own playlists. You can also check out our Irish & Celtic Music Videos THIS WEEK IN CELTIC MUSIC 0:17 - Arise & Go “The Dirty Bee: La Grondeuse / Mutt's Favourite / Break Yer Bass Drone / The Dirty Bee” from Meeting Place 5:28 - WELCOME 8:23 - Santiago Molina “Acá y ahora” from Desde un nuevo lugar 11:30 - Corey Purcell “Jock Stuart” from Undaunted 16:14 - Mary Beth Carty “Lake Ainslie to Millburn” from Crossing the Causeway 20:07 - The Haar “Home Boys Home” from Where Old Ghosts Meet 27:26 - The Gothard Sisters “Alaska Set” from Dragonfly 31:01 - Emma Langford “Demon Darling” from Sowing Acorns 34:14 - Socks in the Frying Pan “Ahhhhhhhhh (Live)” from Raw & Ríl (Live) 37:50 - FEEDBACK 44:36 - Fire In The Glen “Big Strong Man” from Cutting Bracken 46:57 - The Chieftains “The Morning Dew” from Bear's Sonic Journals: The Foxhunt  -  Live In San Francisco 1973 50:40 - Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer “Folk Club Song” from Twelve Months & A Day 55:49 - The Langer's Ball “Reel/Jig: The Otter's Holt/Morrison's Jig” from Appetite for Tradition 58:46 - We Banjo 3 “Alive With You” from Open The Road 1:01:38 - The BorderCollies “Carraig Nua” from Sticks and Stones 1:04:55 - Heather Dale “Down By the Salley Gardens” from My Celtic Heart 1:08:10 - Banshee in the Kitchen “Banish Lisa” from The Last Pint  -  Not 1:11:29 - THANKS 1:15:08 - The Celtic Kitchen Party “Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya” from Lobster Tail and Beer 1:19:05 - The High Kings “Paddy's Day” from The Road Not Taken 1:21:52 - The Bow Tides “The Power of Three” from Sailing On 1:26:44 - Matt McGinn “Lig Dúinn” from Behind Every Door // 2023 1:29:24 - Poitín “Mashed Mouse” from One For The Road 1:31:28 - Syr “To Avalon” from Sentinel 1:35:00 - CLOSING 1:37:02 - Marc Gunn with Jesse Ferguson “Molly Malone” from Come Adventure With Me 1:39:39 - CREDITS The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast was produced by Marc Gunn, The Celtfather and our Patrons on Patreon. The show was edited by Mitchell Petersen with Graphics by Miranda Nelson Designs. Visit our website to follow the show. You'll find links to all of the artists played in this episode. Todd Wiley is the editor of the Celtic Music Magazine. Subscribe to get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free. Plus, you'll get 7 weekly news items about what's happening with Celtic music and culture online. Best of all, you will connect with your Celtic heritage. Please tell one friend about this podcast. Word of mouth is the absolute best way to support any creative endeavor. Finally, remember. Reduce, reuse, recycle, and think about how you can make a positive impact on your environment. Promote Celtic culture through music at http://celticmusicpodcast.com/. WELCOME THE IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC PODCAST * Helping you celebrate Celtic culture through music. I am Marc Gunn. This podcast is here to build a diverse Celtic community and help the incredible artists who so generously share their music with you. If you hear music you love, please email artists to let them know you heard them on the Irish and Celtic Music Podcast. Musicians depend on your generosity to keep making music. So please find a way to support them. Buy a CD, Album Pin, Shirt, Digital Download, or join their communities on Patreon. You can find a link to all of the artists in the shownotes, along with show times, when you visit our website at celticmusicpodcast.com. If you are a Celtic musician or in a Celtic band, then please submit your band to be played on the podcast. You don't have to send in music or an EPK. You will get a free eBook called Celtic Musicians Guide to Digital Music and learn how to follow the podcast. It's 100% free. Just email Email follow@bestcelticmusic and of course, listeners can learn how to subscribe to the podcast and get a free music - only episode. At the end of every show, I ask you to vote for your favorite songs and tunes in that show. At the end of the year, I compile your votes into the Celtic Top 20 most - popular tracks of the year. We had some great music and musicians last year. I decided I want to share more music from these incredible artists on our first St Patrick's Day music special. You can listen to our Celtic Top 20 Best of 2023 episode #641 on our website. THANK YOU PATRONS OF THE PODCAST! You are amazing. It is because of your generosity that you get to hear so much great Celtic music each and every week. Your kindness pays for our engineer, graphic designer, Celtic Music Magazine editor, promotion of the podcast, and allows me to buy the music I play here. It also pays for my time creating the show each and every week. As a patron, you get music - only episodes before regular listeners, vote in the Celtic Top 20, stand - alone stories, and you get a private feed to listen to the show.  All that for as little as $1 per episode. A special thanks to our Celtic Legends of the Podcast: Bill Mandeville, Marti Meyers, Brenda, Karen DM Harris, Emma Bartholomew, Dan mcDade, Carol Baril, Miranda Nelson, Nancie Barnett, Kevin Long, Gary R Hook, Lynda MacNeil, Kelly Garrod, Annie Lorkowski, Shawn Cali HERE IS YOUR THREE STEP PLAN TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST Go to our Patreon page. Decide how much you want to pledge every week, $1, $5, $25. Make sure to cap how much you want to spend per month. Keep listening to the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast to celebrate Celtic culture through music. You can become a generous Patron of the Podcast on Patreon at SongHenge.com. TRAVEL WITH CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS Every year, I take a small group of Celtic music fans on the relaxing adventure of a lifetime. Well, that's how most of my Celtic Invasions work anyway. But later this year, I schedule a brand new Celtic Invasion of Scotland's Whisky distilleries. We're gonna travel to Scotland, taste whisky, go for a hike through glorious Scottish countryside, then taste more whisky and do it all over, mixed in with some incredible food and a ton of fun. I need 6 people to make this trip happen. If you're interested in joining the invasion, sign up to our mailing list at http://celticinvasion.com/ #celticmusic #irishmusic #celticmusicpodcast I WANT YOUR FEEDBACK What are you doing today while listening to the podcast? Please email me. I'd love to see a  picture of what you're doing while listening or of a band that you saw recently. Email me at follow@bestcelticmusic. Christopher Fennell replied to my Re: Happy St Patrick's Month Feedback Request:  "Hi Marc, I love your podcast! I'm celebrating the early part of St. Patrick's month by volunteering in the Iditarod race in Alaska. I'll be singing Celtic tunes while taking care of the huskies running for 1,049 frozen miles from Anchorage to Nome. I have dual citizenship with the Republic, as my grandparents immigrated from Roscommon, Dublin, and Limerick. Perhaps I can start a sled - dog team representing the Republic somewhere in the future. Best wishes," Ben Doran replied to my feedback request: "Hello Marc; The weather here in Wisconsin today definitely inspires kilt wear. And weather/whether or not it is nearly this nice on St. Patrick's Day weekend, I'll be kilting it up. And singing with the band Ar Ais Aris (a - rash a - reesh)("Back Again") on Saturday in Berwyn, Il; then Sunday, to Galena, Il; then finish up with our two usual gigs for retirement communities in Rockton, Il and Beloit, WI on Monday. I will (yep) probably color my beard in orange and green for Monday. I think among the many new sounds/new music that I've heard from your podcasts, it would be the band, Larkin, that has my fancy (this week, anyway). No, I don't consider myself fickle, just distracted.  Slainte, Marc!!" woodland folk emailed a photo: "heading to the wood for a fire and a practice,can listen then my friend... Attached is a picture,me and another friend who plays a Welsh harp, stopped to play a little on the river brue ...." Nathanael Stottlemyer emailed: "We're losing Good Celtic Music Hi Marc, It was last year that I started listening to your podcast, and like a mad man I started your podcast at the very beginning. I'm now at the year 2016 and I've loved every episode. There is just one problem. When I look up the bands that I loved and that I want to purchase their music, they're gone. There's no website, no Spotify, no YouTube, sometimes I can't even find their CD's used! And it's a shame, because they're good songs and sometimes, take Young Hunting by Serious Kitchen (Which was in your best of the year podcasts more than once) it's the only Celtic rendition of the song on the internet. I managed to buy the last Tig! Album off the internet, but it's looking bad for some of my other favorites. We're losing years of Celtic music, and it's a shame, especially since I know that the members of Serious Kitchen and others are still around. I don't suppose I'm missing a way to buy these albums. I really hope I am. I don't suppose you could use your amazing Celtfather connections and reach out to some of the people of these bands and see if they'd put on Bandcamp? Or perhaps a huge "Best of the Irish and Celtic Music Podcast" album with some of these lost treasures? They're some of the best music I've heard. Thanks, Nathanael"  

The Heartland POD for Friday, February 23, 2024A flyover from this weeks top heartland stories including:Primary voting is underway in Texas | Kansas Medicaid expansion update | Illinois Gov J.B. Pritzker lays out priorities as a progressive pragmatist | Missouri Democrats filibuster ballot candy | KS Gov Laura Kelly's veto will stand Primary voting is underway in Texashttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/21/julie-johnson-brian-williams-congressional-district-32-colin-allred/BY SEJAL GOVINDARAOFEB. 21, 2024WASHINGTON — In 2018, Rep. Colin Allred flipped Texas' 32nd Congressional District, turning the Dallas-based district into a blue stronghold. Now, as the Democrat vies to unseat U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a crowded field of 10 Democrats is lining up to replace him.Dr. Brian Williams, a trauma surgeon, and State Rep. Julie Johnson, of Farmers Branch, are leading the field in the Democratic primary with their fundraising efforts, each amassing about a million dollars in campaign donations since their campaigns were registered at the beginning of last summer.Ideologically, Williams and Johnson are aligned. They both rank health care a top priority if elected, and have touted their ability to work across the aisle.Johnson, a trial lawyer in her third term in the state House rode the 2019 blue wave to unseat hardline conservative incumbent Matt Rinaldi, by 13 points. Rinaldi now chairs the state GOP. In her three terms, at least 40 of the bills Johnson has co-authored or joint-authored have been signed into law.As a Democrat in the Republican-dominated state Legislature, Johnson has played a lot of defense trying to kill bills she and other progressives deem harmful. Johnson, who is gay, said she and other members of the House's LGBTQ caucus have had success in killing anti-LGBTQ bills by mastering the rules of procedure and “being better at the rules than the other side.” In 2019, she took down a House version of the so-called “Save Chick-fil-A bill” on a rule technicality. The bill was a response to a San Antonio airport kicking out the fast food restaurant over criticism of its religiously affiliated donations to anti-LGBTQ groups. It was revived in another bill and passed into law.If elected, Johnson would be the first openly LGBTQ member of Congress from a Southern state. She's drawn notable endorsements from Beto O'Rourke, Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, EMILY's List, Equality PAC, and several labor unions.Matt Angle, director of Lone Star Project, a Texas group that works to boost Democrats, said Johnson is the frontrunner in the race, but Williams is a formidable challenger.“Make no mistake about it though,” Angle said. “Julie Johnson has a voter base within the district not only from her old district, but also just from years of being an active Democratic activist and a donor and really a couple of just outstanding terms in the legislature.”While he may be new to the Texas political arena, Williams is no stranger to the halls of Congress.Williams was a health policy adviser to U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy — who endorsed him — to help pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in 2022 – the farthest reaching gun safety legislation in decades. The legislation, crafted in the aftermath of the shootings in Uvalde and Buffalo New York, allocated millions of dollars to expand mental health resources, strengthens background checks and tightens the boyfriend loophole. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn was a lead negotiator on the bill with Murphy, and Williams worked closely with Cornyn's office. In his role as a health policy advisor for Murphy, he worked across the aisle with Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana on mental health legislation.Williams also worked with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California to pass federal health care legislation related to pandemic preparedness and reducing health care costs.Williams said his experience as a trauma surgeon — operating on victims of gun violence and women experiencing reproductive health emergencies — has fueled his priorities to fight for gun restrictions and increase access to abortions and other womens' health. Williams added his perspective as a Black doctor seeing racial disparities in health care will resonate with the district's diverse constituency, given that the district is now a majority-minority district with a 37% Hispanic or Latino population, 22% Black population and 8% Asian population.“They're excited that there's someone that looks like them that can represent them in Congress,” Williams said in an interview.As Allred opted to stay neutral in the race to succeed him – Williams said he had pursued his endorsement while Johnson said she had not – the tension between Johnson and Williams has been heating up.Williams has publicly criticized Johnson for a vote she took that would have made some changes and tweaks to the state's Alternatives to Abortions program, which provides information about resources to women seeking the procedure.“I draw contrast between myself and Representative Johnson about how I am the better candidate,” Williams said.Johnson, who is endorsed by Planned Parenthood, said Williams misrepresented the vote, which she said she cast to bring the already-funded program under the scope of the Health and Human Services Commission so it could be subject to public transparency. Her campaign published a fact-check on her website, likening Williams' misrepresentation of her record to “Trumpian-style, false attacks.”Planned Parenthood was critical of the legislation.Johnson said women's health is also a priority for her, and she stands by her record.“Texas leads the nation of uninsured folks, and in maternal mortality, and in infant mortality. Obviously, we're leading the nation in an attack on women's freedom for women's reproductive health, and I've been a champion of a lot of these issues,” she said.Other candidates vying for the open seat in the March 5 primary include businessman Raja Chaudhry, tech entrepreneur Alex Cornwallis, former Dallas City Councilman and real estate broker Kevin Felder and attorney Callie Butcher, who would be the first openly transgender member of Congress if elected.If no candidate gets a majority of the vote, there will be a runoff in May. The winner of the Democratic primary will face off against the winner of the Republican primary in November but is likely to win given that the district is solidly blue.And, from Dallas we go to Houston whereAfter bruising loss in Houston mayoral race, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee faces her toughest reelection yetJackson Lee faces off against Amanda Edwards, her most formidable congressional opponent in three decades.https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/19/sheila-jackson-lee-amanda-edwards-democratic-primary-houston/BY SEJAL GOVINDARAOFEB. 19, 2024In 1994, Sheila Jackson Lee, then a 44-year-old Houston city councilwoman, unseated four-term U.S. Rep. Craig Washington in the Democratic primary, securing a seat she'd come to hold for the next 30 years.This March, former Houston City Councilwoman Amanda Edwards, 42, is hoping to replicate that political upset as she faces off against Jackson Lee in the Democratic primary for Congressional District 18.Jackson Lee, who did not respond to requests for an interview, has only drawn four primary challengers over her 14-term career, all of whom she defeated by landslide margins.She's a household name in her Houston-based district, known for her frequent visibility at constituent graduations, funerals and baby showers.But last year she ran for Houston mayor against then-state Sen. John Whitmire. It was a bruising primary — unfamiliar territory for Jackson Lee — and her campaign was roiled with negative media after audio of her berating her congressional staffers was leaked. She ended up losing the race by 30 points and then immediately announced she was running for reelection to the U.S. House.Amanda Edwards, a former intern in Jackson Lee's office, initially announced she was running for Houston mayor until the congresswoman threw her hat in the ring. At that point, Edwards pivoted — endorsing Jackson Lee as mayor and beginning her own bid for Congress.By the time Jackson Lee announced she was running for her House seat again, Edwards had already gained momentum. In the fourth quarter of last year, Edwards outraised the congresswoman 10 to 1 — $272,000 to Jackson Lee's $23,000.Mark Jones, Baker Institute fellow in political science at Rice University said, “This could be the year that Congresswoman Jackson Lee loses. And given that as a safe, Democratic, seat whoever wins the primary will be headed to Washington in January of 2025”Jackson Lee holds a narrow lead in primary polls, while 16% of voters remain undecided. Edwards, a native Houstonian, said her commitment to public service is propelled by her father's battle with cancer when she was a teenager, where she learned firsthand about the cracks in the health care system and how “policy could be a matter of life and death.” She served as an at-large Houston City Council member from 2016 to 2020, where she represented a constituency of more than 2 million people.In her race to beat Jackson Lee, Edwards has garnered some notable endorsements including the Harris County Young Democrats, and the Harris County chapter of the Texas Coalition of Black Democrats – both of which endorsed Jackson Lee in past races.The Harris County Young Democrats rescinded its endorsement of Jackson Lee in the mayoral race — citing a “zero tolerance policy” for staff abuse.Lenard Polk, Harris County chapter president of the Texas Coalition of Black Democrats, said Jackson Lee's leaked audio tape controversy also factored into the committee's decision to not endorse her. On the recording Jackson Lee berates a staffer for not having a document she was looking for and calls two of her staffers “Goddamn big-ass children, fuckin' idiots who serve no Goddamn purpose.”He said endorsement committee members were still “quite upset” over the tape and it “wasn't a good look” for Jackson Lee. The leaked tape fueled discourse about Jackson Lee's reputation as an unkind boss on Capitol Hill – she regularly makes Washingtonian Magazine's worst of Congress list and her office has high turnover rates.Polk added that voters felt abandoned by Jackson Lee, who jumped into the mayor's race without endorsing someone to take her place, only to file for reelection a day after losing.Jackson Lee's battle to retain her seat is made tougher by 2021 redistricting, because the 18th district now includes more young white professionals who do not have the same level of loyalty to her as longtime district residents.But despite any damage she may have incurred from her mayoral run, Jackson Lee remains a powerful political force in her district.County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, who is backing Jackson Lee, said he doesn't know anyone in local politics with her “energy level,” and that Jackson Lee has secured meaningful federal grants for her district – most recently $20.5 million to Harris County Public Health Department's Uplift Harris Guaranteed Income Pilot project. He also said she has a reputation for being a reliably progressive voice in Congress.Jackson Lee has a long list of powerful endorsements from House Democratic leaders like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Minority Whip Katherine Clarke. She's backed by Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and other members of Texas' Washington delegation including Democratic Reps. Lizzie Fletcher of Houston, Lloyd Doggett of Austin, Henry Cuellar of Laredo and Joaquin Castro of San Antonio.Ellis said Jackson Lee may not be a strong fundraiser but she will benefit from her incumbency advantage.Linda Bell-Robinson, a Houston Democratic precinct chair, said she is fighting for Jackson Lee to retain her seat because seniority in Congress is important and Edwards would be learning the ropes as a freshman if elected.“We need fighters,” she said. “We don't need people trying to learn how to fight on the battlefield. We need people who are already fighting and know how to fight their fight.SEAN: Super interesting race. For my part, I don't have any problem with members of Congress being extremely tough to work for. I have problems with lying, fraud, criminal activity, and squishy voting records. Congresswoman Jackson Lee has 100% ratings from Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, and AFL-CIO. She has a 95% rating from League of Conservation VotersNew estimate predicts Medicaid expansion would serve 152K at no cost to stateA $509M federal incentive would help offset state cost for first eight yearsBY: SHERMAN SMITH - FEBRUARY 22, 2024 4:22 PMhttps://kansasreflector.com/2024/02/22/new-estimate-predicts-medicaid-expansion-would-serve-152k-at-no-cost-to-state/TOPEKA — The Kansas Health Institute on Thursday unveiled its analysis of Gov. Laura Kelly's proposal to expand Medicaid, predicting 152,000 Kansans would enroll in the first year with no additional cost to the state government.The Democratic governor has made passage of Medicaid expansion a top legislative priority this year, following her statewide campaign to promote the policy last fall. But Republican leadership in the Legislature opposes the policy and has blocked hearings on Medicaid expansion for four years.Kansas is one of just 10 states that still haven't expanded Medicaid since President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act in 2010.The state-run version of Medicaid, called KanCare, provides health care services to low-income families, seniors and people with disabilities. Currently, those who earn less than 38% of the federal poverty level are eligible. For a family of four, the annual income limit is $11,400.Under the ACA, also known as Obamacare, the federal government offers to cover 90% of the cost of Medicaid services in exchange for expanding eligibility to 138% of the federal poverty rate. The annual income threshold for a family of four would be $41,400.Kelly's proposal includes a work requirement with exceptions for full-time students, veterans, caregivers, people with partial disabilities, and former foster kids. Her plan also would add a new surcharge for hospitals.KHI predicts the change in income eligibility would result in 151,898 people enrolling in KanCare — 106,450 adults and 45,448 children. Those numbers include 68,236 adults and 16,377 children who are currently uninsured.About 68.9% of the adults are already working at least part-time, according to the KHI analysis. Of the remaining 31.1% KHI determined 19.1% of the unemployed adults have a disability, 16.1% are students and 3.8% are veterans.KHI calculated the cost to the state for expanding Medicaid over the first eight years would be fully offset — mostly because of a $509 million incentive included in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Other savings would come from the federal government picking up more of the tab on existing services, as well as the new surcharge on hospitals. The Kansas Sunflower Foundation on Thursday released findings from surveys that found 68% of Kansas voters, including 51% of Republicans and 83% of small business owners support Medicaid expansion.Steve Baccus, an Ottawa County farmer and former president of Kansas Farm Bureau, said in a news release that expanding Medicaid was about “investing in the well-being of our communities.”Baccus said “Our rural communities are often struggling to keep Main Street open and to continue to offer the necessary services to the surrounding agricultural enterprises. A community that can offer a total health care package has an advantage in maintaining a viable town.”The findings are consistent with a Fort Hays State University poll that was released in October.With budget proposal and fiery address, Pritzker paints himself as progressive pragmatistThursday, February 22, 2024Governor's spending plan advances progressive-backed policies in tight fiscal landscapeBy HANNAH MEISELCapitol News Illinoishmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.comhttps://capitolnewsillinois.com/NEWS/with-budget-proposal-and-fiery-address-pritzker-paints-himself-as-progressive-pragmatistSPRINGFIELD – In delivering his annual State of the State and budget address on Wednesday, Gov. JB Pritzker cast his administration as both progressive and pragmatic – a balance he's worked to strike as his national profile has grown.Some elements of the governor's proposed spending plan, like using $10 million in state funds to eliminate $1 billion worth of Illinoisans' medical debt, are hardline progressive ideas. Others, including a goal to achieve “universal preschool” by 2027, fit in with a more traditional liberal platform.But Pritzker has also defined his success in traditional economic terms, putting particular stock into how New York City-based credit ratings agencies view Illinois' finances, while also positioning Illinois as a hub for emerging technologies like electric vehicles and quantum computing. As Illinois faces an influx of migrants from the southern U.S. border Pritzker has leaned into a leadership style that prioritizes progressive ideals while projecting an image of fiscal responsibility.As he outlined a proposal to add $182 Million toward the state's migrant response, Gov. Pritzker said, “We didn't ask for this manufactured crisis, But we must deal with it all the same.”“Children, pregnant women, and the elderly have been sent here in the dead of night, left far from our designated welcome centers, in freezing temperatures, wearing flip flops and T-shirts,” Pritzker said. “Think about that the next time a politician from Texas wants to lecture you about being a good Christian.”The governor was met with big applause from Democrats in laying out his proposed “Healthcare Consumer Access and Protection Act,” which would, in part, ban “prior authorization” requirements for mental health treatment.Pritzker characterized the practice of prior authorization as a way for insurance companies to deny the care that doctors have prescribed.Pritzker is also proposing spending $10 million in state funds to buy Illinoisans' past-due medical debt that's been sent to collections. Partnering with national nonprofit RIP Medical Debt, which buys debt for pennies on the dollar on the same market that collections agencies purchase the rights to the debts, the governor said Illinois could “relieve nearly $1 billion in medical debt for the first cohort of 340,000 Illinoisans.”The governor spent time noting two key places he said Illinois fails its Black citizens:  maternal mortality and disproportionate rates of homelessness. To combat Black maternal mortality rates, Pritzker proposed helping more community-based reproductive health centers to open, citing Illinois' first freestanding nonprofit birthing center in Berwyn as a model.He said, “Black women in our state are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.” Pritzker proposed spending an additional $50 million on the state's “Home Illinois” program launched in 2021, in part to “attack the root causes of housing insecurity for Black Illinoisans.” He cited a statistic that Black people make up 61 percent of Illinois' homeless population despite only being 14 percent of the state's general population.Additionally, the governor proposed a $1 million pilot program for free diapers for low-income families, as well as a $5 million increased investment in an existing home visit program “for our most vulnerable families” with babies in their first year.His budget also includes $12 million to create a child tax credit for families with children under three with incomes below a certain threshold. Among the successes Pritzker pointed to, perhaps the most salient is his claim that Illinois' new “Smart Start” early childhood program – proposed last year in the governor's second inaugural address – had exceeded its first-year goals.The program aimed to create 5,000 new preschool seats last year, but ended up creating 5,823, Pritzker said – a 15 percent overperformance. “As a result, right now we have over 82,000 publicly-funded preschool classroom seats – the highest number in our state's history. Staying on the Smart Start plan, we will achieve universal preschool by 2027.”Echoing his 2022 election-year call for a temporary pause on the state's 1 percent tax on groceries, Pritzker on Wednesday proposed nixing the grocery tax altogether.He said “It's one more regressive tax we just don't need. If it reduces inflation for families from 4 percent to 3 percent, even if it only puts a few hundred bucks back in families' pockets, it's the right thing to do.”Even while proposing a series of progressive expenditures, the governor also sought to cast himself as a pragmatist when it comes to state finances. The state has seen strong revenue performances in the past few years, But in November, the governor's own economic forecasting office predicted a nearly $900 million deficit in the fiscal year that begins July 1.“Our FY25 budget proposal makes some hard choices,” Pritzker said Wednesday. “I wish we had big surpluses to work with this year to take on every one of the very real challenges we face.”Illinois' once-paltry “rainy day” fund now has $2 billion socked away, the governor noted, and the state has paid off high-interest debt during his five years in office.To mitigate Illinois' previously projected deficit, Pritzker is proposing to more than double the tax rate paid by sportsbooks on profits – a change that would bring in an estimated $200 million annually. He also proposed extending an existing cap on operating losses that businesses can claim on taxes, which could help generate more than $500 million, the governor's office claims.Another revenue generator proposed by the governor: raising $101 million by capping a sales tax credit retailers are allowed to claim. But business groups on Wednesday signaled they'd put up a fight. In his first few months in office in 2019, Pritzker used his fresh political capital to muscle a $15 minimum wage ramp through the legislature – a long-fought-for progressive policy goal – followed closely by a trip to New York City to meet with executives at the influential big three credit ratings agencies.When Pritzker took office, Illinois' credit ratings were hovering around “junk” status after a two-year budget impasse under his predecessor, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner. And though Illinois suffered a final credit downgrade in the early months of COVID, the state has since received nine upgrades.The governor on Wednesday held those upgrades in high regard, saying“My one line in the sand is that I will only sign a budget that is responsibly balanced and that does not diminish or derail the improving credit standing we have achieved for the last five years,”Andrew Adams contributed.Missouri Senate Dems Hold The Line In Ballot Fighthttps://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/20/democrat-filibuster-forces-removal-of-ballot-candy-from-senate-initiative-petition-bill/BY: RUDI KELLER - FEBRUARY 20, 2024 5:15 PM     A Democratic filibuster that stretched more than 20 hours ended this week when Senate Republicans stripped provisions critics derided as “ballot candy” from a proposal to make it harder to pass constitutional amendments proposed by initiative petitions.Ballot candy refers to language designed to trick voters - into thinking the initiative is about ensuring only citizens vote, for instance - when that's totally irrelevant to the question voters are deciding.By an 18-12 vote, with nine Republicans and nine Democrats forming the majority, language that stated non-citizens could not vote on constitutional amendments was removed, as were sections barring foreign governments and political parties from taking sides in Missouri ballot measures.The Senate then, by a voice vote, gave first-round approval to the bill that would require both a statewide majority and a majority vote in five of the state's eight congressional districts to pass future constitutional amendments.The proposal would alter the way Missourians have approved constitutional changes since the first statewide vote on a constitution in 1846.Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo of Independence, a Democrat, said, “All we're asking for is a fair fight. And the Republicans know if it's a fair fight, they lose, which is why they have to pump it full of ballot candy and mislead voters.”Meanwhile, the House spent much of Tuesday morning debating legislation that would make changes to the signature gathering process for initiative petition campaigns.Among numerous provisions, the bill would require signatures be recorded using black or dark ink and that signature gatherers be citizens of the United States, residents of Missouri or physically present in Missouri for at least 30 consecutive days prior to the collection of signatures.Its most sweeping provision grants new authority to the secretary of state and attorney general to review initiative and referendum petitions for compliance with the Missouri Constitution.The effort to make it harder to get on the ballot and harder to pass a constitutional amendment has been a GOP priority for several years. In the past two election cycles, voters have expanded Medicaid coverage and legalized recreational marijuana, circumventing the GOP majority that opposed both. The push to raise the threshold on amendments proposed by initiative has taken on a new urgency for Republicans as abortion-rights supporters move ahead with a signature campaign to make this year's ballot.The results on abortion amendments in other states has Missouri abortion foes anxious about whether they can defend the state's almost total ban in a statewide election. Voters in Ohio last year rejected an effort to increase the majority needed to pass constitutional amendments before voting 57% in favor of abortion rights. And in 2022, Kansas voters defeated an attempt to restrict abortion rights by a landslide vote.Gov. Kelly Keep Kansas GOP In Linehttps://kansasreflector.com/2024/02/20/kansas-house-republicans-fail-to-override-governors-veto-on-massive-tax-reform-bill/Kansas House Republicans fail to override governor's veto on massive tax reform billBY: TIM CARPENTER - FEBRUARY 20, 2024 12:41 PM     TOPEKA — The Republican-led Kansas House failed Tuesday to override Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly ‘s veto of a tax reform bill anchored by implementation of a single, flat state income tax rate of 5.25% in addition to elimination of the state sales tax on groceries and creation of a tax exemption for all Social Security income.The GOP holds supermajorities in the House and Senate, but there was skepticism that both chambers could muster two-thirds majorities necessary to rebuke Kelly given opposition among conservative and moderate Republicans to parts of the three-year, $1.6 billion tax cut favoring the state's most wealthy. Kelly said the decision of House members to sustain her veto was a win for working-class Kansans who would have seen “little relief under this irresponsible flat tax experiment.” The Legislature should move ahead with her proposal for reducing $1 billion in taxes over three years.The governor said “I urge legislators to work together to cut taxes in a way that continues our economic growth and maintains our solid fiscal foundation while benefitting all Kansans, not just those at the top,”.Rep. Tom Sawyer, D-Wichita, said the cost of the tax reform bill could reach $600 million annually when fully implemented, and the plan didn't do enough for the middle class in Kansas. He said a married couple earning $42,000 to $75,000 per year would only see an income tax reduction of about 75 cents.Rep. Trevor Jacobs of Fort Scott was among Republicans who opposed overriding Kelly's veto. He said the flat tax would force the state's working class to carry a larger burden of the state tax load. And the 2024 Legislature had sufficient time to develop an alternative that provided tax relief to all Kansans rather than just a select few.Good thinking! See it's not just Democrats who think KS Gov Laura Kelly knows what she's doing. Welp, that's it for me! From Denver I'm Sean Diller. Stories in today's show appeared first in the Missouri Independent, Kansas Reflector, Texas Tribune, and Capitol News Illinois. Thanks for listening, see you next time.  @TheHeartlandPOD on Twitter and ThreadsCo-HostsAdam Sommer @Adam_Sommer85 (Twitter) @adam_sommer85 (Post)Rachel Parker @msraitchetp (Post) Sean Diller (no social)The Heartland Collective - Sign Up Today!JOIN PATREON FOR MORE - AND JOIN OUR SOCIAL NETWORK!“Change The Conversation”Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium http://www.americanaquarium.com/

The Heartland POD for Friday, February 23, 2024A flyover from this weeks top heartland stories including:Primary voting is underway in Texas | Kansas Medicaid expansion update | Illinois Gov J.B. Pritzker lays out priorities as a progressive pragmatist | Missouri Democrats filibuster ballot candy | KS Gov Laura Kelly's veto will stand Primary voting is underway in Texashttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/21/julie-johnson-brian-williams-congressional-district-32-colin-allred/BY SEJAL GOVINDARAOFEB. 21, 2024WASHINGTON — In 2018, Rep. Colin Allred flipped Texas' 32nd Congressional District, turning the Dallas-based district into a blue stronghold. Now, as the Democrat vies to unseat U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a crowded field of 10 Democrats is lining up to replace him.Dr. Brian Williams, a trauma surgeon, and State Rep. Julie Johnson, of Farmers Branch, are leading the field in the Democratic primary with their fundraising efforts, each amassing about a million dollars in campaign donations since their campaigns were registered at the beginning of last summer.Ideologically, Williams and Johnson are aligned. They both rank health care a top priority if elected, and have touted their ability to work across the aisle.Johnson, a trial lawyer in her third term in the state House rode the 2019 blue wave to unseat hardline conservative incumbent Matt Rinaldi, by 13 points. Rinaldi now chairs the state GOP. In her three terms, at least 40 of the bills Johnson has co-authored or joint-authored have been signed into law.As a Democrat in the Republican-dominated state Legislature, Johnson has played a lot of defense trying to kill bills she and other progressives deem harmful. Johnson, who is gay, said she and other members of the House's LGBTQ caucus have had success in killing anti-LGBTQ bills by mastering the rules of procedure and “being better at the rules than the other side.” In 2019, she took down a House version of the so-called “Save Chick-fil-A bill” on a rule technicality. The bill was a response to a San Antonio airport kicking out the fast food restaurant over criticism of its religiously affiliated donations to anti-LGBTQ groups. It was revived in another bill and passed into law.If elected, Johnson would be the first openly LGBTQ member of Congress from a Southern state. She's drawn notable endorsements from Beto O'Rourke, Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, EMILY's List, Equality PAC, and several labor unions.Matt Angle, director of Lone Star Project, a Texas group that works to boost Democrats, said Johnson is the frontrunner in the race, but Williams is a formidable challenger.“Make no mistake about it though,” Angle said. “Julie Johnson has a voter base within the district not only from her old district, but also just from years of being an active Democratic activist and a donor and really a couple of just outstanding terms in the legislature.”While he may be new to the Texas political arena, Williams is no stranger to the halls of Congress.Williams was a health policy adviser to U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy — who endorsed him — to help pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in 2022 – the farthest reaching gun safety legislation in decades. The legislation, crafted in the aftermath of the shootings in Uvalde and Buffalo New York, allocated millions of dollars to expand mental health resources, strengthens background checks and tightens the boyfriend loophole. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn was a lead negotiator on the bill with Murphy, and Williams worked closely with Cornyn's office. In his role as a health policy advisor for Murphy, he worked across the aisle with Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana on mental health legislation.Williams also worked with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California to pass federal health care legislation related to pandemic preparedness and reducing health care costs.Williams said his experience as a trauma surgeon — operating on victims of gun violence and women experiencing reproductive health emergencies — has fueled his priorities to fight for gun restrictions and increase access to abortions and other womens' health. Williams added his perspective as a Black doctor seeing racial disparities in health care will resonate with the district's diverse constituency, given that the district is now a majority-minority district with a 37% Hispanic or Latino population, 22% Black population and 8% Asian population.“They're excited that there's someone that looks like them that can represent them in Congress,” Williams said in an interview.As Allred opted to stay neutral in the race to succeed him – Williams said he had pursued his endorsement while Johnson said she had not – the tension between Johnson and Williams has been heating up.Williams has publicly criticized Johnson for a vote she took that would have made some changes and tweaks to the state's Alternatives to Abortions program, which provides information about resources to women seeking the procedure.“I draw contrast between myself and Representative Johnson about how I am the better candidate,” Williams said.Johnson, who is endorsed by Planned Parenthood, said Williams misrepresented the vote, which she said she cast to bring the already-funded program under the scope of the Health and Human Services Commission so it could be subject to public transparency. Her campaign published a fact-check on her website, likening Williams' misrepresentation of her record to “Trumpian-style, false attacks.”Planned Parenthood was critical of the legislation.Johnson said women's health is also a priority for her, and she stands by her record.“Texas leads the nation of uninsured folks, and in maternal mortality, and in infant mortality. Obviously, we're leading the nation in an attack on women's freedom for women's reproductive health, and I've been a champion of a lot of these issues,” she said.Other candidates vying for the open seat in the March 5 primary include businessman Raja Chaudhry, tech entrepreneur Alex Cornwallis, former Dallas City Councilman and real estate broker Kevin Felder and attorney Callie Butcher, who would be the first openly transgender member of Congress if elected.If no candidate gets a majority of the vote, there will be a runoff in May. The winner of the Democratic primary will face off against the winner of the Republican primary in November but is likely to win given that the district is solidly blue.And, from Dallas we go to Houston whereAfter bruising loss in Houston mayoral race, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee faces her toughest reelection yetJackson Lee faces off against Amanda Edwards, her most formidable congressional opponent in three decades.https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/19/sheila-jackson-lee-amanda-edwards-democratic-primary-houston/BY SEJAL GOVINDARAOFEB. 19, 2024In 1994, Sheila Jackson Lee, then a 44-year-old Houston city councilwoman, unseated four-term U.S. Rep. Craig Washington in the Democratic primary, securing a seat she'd come to hold for the next 30 years.This March, former Houston City Councilwoman Amanda Edwards, 42, is hoping to replicate that political upset as she faces off against Jackson Lee in the Democratic primary for Congressional District 18.Jackson Lee, who did not respond to requests for an interview, has only drawn four primary challengers over her 14-term career, all of whom she defeated by landslide margins.She's a household name in her Houston-based district, known for her frequent visibility at constituent graduations, funerals and baby showers.But last year she ran for Houston mayor against then-state Sen. John Whitmire. It was a bruising primary — unfamiliar territory for Jackson Lee — and her campaign was roiled with negative media after audio of her berating her congressional staffers was leaked. She ended up losing the race by 30 points and then immediately announced she was running for reelection to the U.S. House.Amanda Edwards, a former intern in Jackson Lee's office, initially announced she was running for Houston mayor until the congresswoman threw her hat in the ring. At that point, Edwards pivoted — endorsing Jackson Lee as mayor and beginning her own bid for Congress.By the time Jackson Lee announced she was running for her House seat again, Edwards had already gained momentum. In the fourth quarter of last year, Edwards outraised the congresswoman 10 to 1 — $272,000 to Jackson Lee's $23,000.Mark Jones, Baker Institute fellow in political science at Rice University said, “This could be the year that Congresswoman Jackson Lee loses. And given that as a safe, Democratic, seat whoever wins the primary will be headed to Washington in January of 2025”Jackson Lee holds a narrow lead in primary polls, while 16% of voters remain undecided. Edwards, a native Houstonian, said her commitment to public service is propelled by her father's battle with cancer when she was a teenager, where she learned firsthand about the cracks in the health care system and how “policy could be a matter of life and death.” She served as an at-large Houston City Council member from 2016 to 2020, where she represented a constituency of more than 2 million people.In her race to beat Jackson Lee, Edwards has garnered some notable endorsements including the Harris County Young Democrats, and the Harris County chapter of the Texas Coalition of Black Democrats – both of which endorsed Jackson Lee in past races.The Harris County Young Democrats rescinded its endorsement of Jackson Lee in the mayoral race — citing a “zero tolerance policy” for staff abuse.Lenard Polk, Harris County chapter president of the Texas Coalition of Black Democrats, said Jackson Lee's leaked audio tape controversy also factored into the committee's decision to not endorse her. On the recording Jackson Lee berates a staffer for not having a document she was looking for and calls two of her staffers “Goddamn big-ass children, fuckin' idiots who serve no Goddamn purpose.”He said endorsement committee members were still “quite upset” over the tape and it “wasn't a good look” for Jackson Lee. The leaked tape fueled discourse about Jackson Lee's reputation as an unkind boss on Capitol Hill – she regularly makes Washingtonian Magazine's worst of Congress list and her office has high turnover rates.Polk added that voters felt abandoned by Jackson Lee, who jumped into the mayor's race without endorsing someone to take her place, only to file for reelection a day after losing.Jackson Lee's battle to retain her seat is made tougher by 2021 redistricting, because the 18th district now includes more young white professionals who do not have the same level of loyalty to her as longtime district residents.But despite any damage she may have incurred from her mayoral run, Jackson Lee remains a powerful political force in her district.County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, who is backing Jackson Lee, said he doesn't know anyone in local politics with her “energy level,” and that Jackson Lee has secured meaningful federal grants for her district – most recently $20.5 million to Harris County Public Health Department's Uplift Harris Guaranteed Income Pilot project. He also said she has a reputation for being a reliably progressive voice in Congress.Jackson Lee has a long list of powerful endorsements from House Democratic leaders like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Minority Whip Katherine Clarke. She's backed by Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and other members of Texas' Washington delegation including Democratic Reps. Lizzie Fletcher of Houston, Lloyd Doggett of Austin, Henry Cuellar of Laredo and Joaquin Castro of San Antonio.Ellis said Jackson Lee may not be a strong fundraiser but she will benefit from her incumbency advantage.Linda Bell-Robinson, a Houston Democratic precinct chair, said she is fighting for Jackson Lee to retain her seat because seniority in Congress is important and Edwards would be learning the ropes as a freshman if elected.“We need fighters,” she said. “We don't need people trying to learn how to fight on the battlefield. We need people who are already fighting and know how to fight their fight.SEAN: Super interesting race. For my part, I don't have any problem with members of Congress being extremely tough to work for. I have problems with lying, fraud, criminal activity, and squishy voting records. Congresswoman Jackson Lee has 100% ratings from Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, and AFL-CIO. She has a 95% rating from League of Conservation VotersNew estimate predicts Medicaid expansion would serve 152K at no cost to stateA $509M federal incentive would help offset state cost for first eight yearsBY: SHERMAN SMITH - FEBRUARY 22, 2024 4:22 PMhttps://kansasreflector.com/2024/02/22/new-estimate-predicts-medicaid-expansion-would-serve-152k-at-no-cost-to-state/TOPEKA — The Kansas Health Institute on Thursday unveiled its analysis of Gov. Laura Kelly's proposal to expand Medicaid, predicting 152,000 Kansans would enroll in the first year with no additional cost to the state government.The Democratic governor has made passage of Medicaid expansion a top legislative priority this year, following her statewide campaign to promote the policy last fall. But Republican leadership in the Legislature opposes the policy and has blocked hearings on Medicaid expansion for four years.Kansas is one of just 10 states that still haven't expanded Medicaid since President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act in 2010.The state-run version of Medicaid, called KanCare, provides health care services to low-income families, seniors and people with disabilities. Currently, those who earn less than 38% of the federal poverty level are eligible. For a family of four, the annual income limit is $11,400.Under the ACA, also known as Obamacare, the federal government offers to cover 90% of the cost of Medicaid services in exchange for expanding eligibility to 138% of the federal poverty rate. The annual income threshold for a family of four would be $41,400.Kelly's proposal includes a work requirement with exceptions for full-time students, veterans, caregivers, people with partial disabilities, and former foster kids. Her plan also would add a new surcharge for hospitals.KHI predicts the change in income eligibility would result in 151,898 people enrolling in KanCare — 106,450 adults and 45,448 children. Those numbers include 68,236 adults and 16,377 children who are currently uninsured.About 68.9% of the adults are already working at least part-time, according to the KHI analysis. Of the remaining 31.1% KHI determined 19.1% of the unemployed adults have a disability, 16.1% are students and 3.8% are veterans.KHI calculated the cost to the state for expanding Medicaid over the first eight years would be fully offset — mostly because of a $509 million incentive included in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Other savings would come from the federal government picking up more of the tab on existing services, as well as the new surcharge on hospitals. The Kansas Sunflower Foundation on Thursday released findings from surveys that found 68% of Kansas voters, including 51% of Republicans and 83% of small business owners support Medicaid expansion.Steve Baccus, an Ottawa County farmer and former president of Kansas Farm Bureau, said in a news release that expanding Medicaid was about “investing in the well-being of our communities.”Baccus said “Our rural communities are often struggling to keep Main Street open and to continue to offer the necessary services to the surrounding agricultural enterprises. A community that can offer a total health care package has an advantage in maintaining a viable town.”The findings are consistent with a Fort Hays State University poll that was released in October.With budget proposal and fiery address, Pritzker paints himself as progressive pragmatistThursday, February 22, 2024Governor's spending plan advances progressive-backed policies in tight fiscal landscapeBy HANNAH MEISELCapitol News Illinoishmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.comhttps://capitolnewsillinois.com/NEWS/with-budget-proposal-and-fiery-address-pritzker-paints-himself-as-progressive-pragmatistSPRINGFIELD – In delivering his annual State of the State and budget address on Wednesday, Gov. JB Pritzker cast his administration as both progressive and pragmatic – a balance he's worked to strike as his national profile has grown.Some elements of the governor's proposed spending plan, like using $10 million in state funds to eliminate $1 billion worth of Illinoisans' medical debt, are hardline progressive ideas. Others, including a goal to achieve “universal preschool” by 2027, fit in with a more traditional liberal platform.But Pritzker has also defined his success in traditional economic terms, putting particular stock into how New York City-based credit ratings agencies view Illinois' finances, while also positioning Illinois as a hub for emerging technologies like electric vehicles and quantum computing. As Illinois faces an influx of migrants from the southern U.S. border Pritzker has leaned into a leadership style that prioritizes progressive ideals while projecting an image of fiscal responsibility.As he outlined a proposal to add $182 Million toward the state's migrant response, Gov. Pritzker said, “We didn't ask for this manufactured crisis, But we must deal with it all the same.”“Children, pregnant women, and the elderly have been sent here in the dead of night, left far from our designated welcome centers, in freezing temperatures, wearing flip flops and T-shirts,” Pritzker said. “Think about that the next time a politician from Texas wants to lecture you about being a good Christian.”The governor was met with big applause from Democrats in laying out his proposed “Healthcare Consumer Access and Protection Act,” which would, in part, ban “prior authorization” requirements for mental health treatment.Pritzker characterized the practice of prior authorization as a way for insurance companies to deny the care that doctors have prescribed.Pritzker is also proposing spending $10 million in state funds to buy Illinoisans' past-due medical debt that's been sent to collections. Partnering with national nonprofit RIP Medical Debt, which buys debt for pennies on the dollar on the same market that collections agencies purchase the rights to the debts, the governor said Illinois could “relieve nearly $1 billion in medical debt for the first cohort of 340,000 Illinoisans.”The governor spent time noting two key places he said Illinois fails its Black citizens:  maternal mortality and disproportionate rates of homelessness. To combat Black maternal mortality rates, Pritzker proposed helping more community-based reproductive health centers to open, citing Illinois' first freestanding nonprofit birthing center in Berwyn as a model.He said, “Black women in our state are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.” Pritzker proposed spending an additional $50 million on the state's “Home Illinois” program launched in 2021, in part to “attack the root causes of housing insecurity for Black Illinoisans.” He cited a statistic that Black people make up 61 percent of Illinois' homeless population despite only being 14 percent of the state's general population.Additionally, the governor proposed a $1 million pilot program for free diapers for low-income families, as well as a $5 million increased investment in an existing home visit program “for our most vulnerable families” with babies in their first year.His budget also includes $12 million to create a child tax credit for families with children under three with incomes below a certain threshold. Among the successes Pritzker pointed to, perhaps the most salient is his claim that Illinois' new “Smart Start” early childhood program – proposed last year in the governor's second inaugural address – had exceeded its first-year goals.The program aimed to create 5,000 new preschool seats last year, but ended up creating 5,823, Pritzker said – a 15 percent overperformance. “As a result, right now we have over 82,000 publicly-funded preschool classroom seats – the highest number in our state's history. Staying on the Smart Start plan, we will achieve universal preschool by 2027.”Echoing his 2022 election-year call for a temporary pause on the state's 1 percent tax on groceries, Pritzker on Wednesday proposed nixing the grocery tax altogether.He said “It's one more regressive tax we just don't need. If it reduces inflation for families from 4 percent to 3 percent, even if it only puts a few hundred bucks back in families' pockets, it's the right thing to do.”Even while proposing a series of progressive expenditures, the governor also sought to cast himself as a pragmatist when it comes to state finances. The state has seen strong revenue performances in the past few years, But in November, the governor's own economic forecasting office predicted a nearly $900 million deficit in the fiscal year that begins July 1.“Our FY25 budget proposal makes some hard choices,” Pritzker said Wednesday. “I wish we had big surpluses to work with this year to take on every one of the very real challenges we face.”Illinois' once-paltry “rainy day” fund now has $2 billion socked away, the governor noted, and the state has paid off high-interest debt during his five years in office.To mitigate Illinois' previously projected deficit, Pritzker is proposing to more than double the tax rate paid by sportsbooks on profits – a change that would bring in an estimated $200 million annually. He also proposed extending an existing cap on operating losses that businesses can claim on taxes, which could help generate more than $500 million, the governor's office claims.Another revenue generator proposed by the governor: raising $101 million by capping a sales tax credit retailers are allowed to claim. But business groups on Wednesday signaled they'd put up a fight. In his first few months in office in 2019, Pritzker used his fresh political capital to muscle a $15 minimum wage ramp through the legislature – a long-fought-for progressive policy goal – followed closely by a trip to New York City to meet with executives at the influential big three credit ratings agencies.When Pritzker took office, Illinois' credit ratings were hovering around “junk” status after a two-year budget impasse under his predecessor, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner. And though Illinois suffered a final credit downgrade in the early months of COVID, the state has since received nine upgrades.The governor on Wednesday held those upgrades in high regard, saying“My one line in the sand is that I will only sign a budget that is responsibly balanced and that does not diminish or derail the improving credit standing we have achieved for the last five years,”Andrew Adams contributed.Missouri Senate Dems Hold The Line In Ballot Fighthttps://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/20/democrat-filibuster-forces-removal-of-ballot-candy-from-senate-initiative-petition-bill/BY: RUDI KELLER - FEBRUARY 20, 2024 5:15 PM     A Democratic filibuster that stretched more than 20 hours ended this week when Senate Republicans stripped provisions critics derided as “ballot candy” from a proposal to make it harder to pass constitutional amendments proposed by initiative petitions.Ballot candy refers to language designed to trick voters - into thinking the initiative is about ensuring only citizens vote, for instance - when that's totally irrelevant to the question voters are deciding.By an 18-12 vote, with nine Republicans and nine Democrats forming the majority, language that stated non-citizens could not vote on constitutional amendments was removed, as were sections barring foreign governments and political parties from taking sides in Missouri ballot measures.The Senate then, by a voice vote, gave first-round approval to the bill that would require both a statewide majority and a majority vote in five of the state's eight congressional districts to pass future constitutional amendments.The proposal would alter the way Missourians have approved constitutional changes since the first statewide vote on a constitution in 1846.Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo of Independence, a Democrat, said, “All we're asking for is a fair fight. And the Republicans know if it's a fair fight, they lose, which is why they have to pump it full of ballot candy and mislead voters.”Meanwhile, the House spent much of Tuesday morning debating legislation that would make changes to the signature gathering process for initiative petition campaigns.Among numerous provisions, the bill would require signatures be recorded using black or dark ink and that signature gatherers be citizens of the United States, residents of Missouri or physically present in Missouri for at least 30 consecutive days prior to the collection of signatures.Its most sweeping provision grants new authority to the secretary of state and attorney general to review initiative and referendum petitions for compliance with the Missouri Constitution.The effort to make it harder to get on the ballot and harder to pass a constitutional amendment has been a GOP priority for several years. In the past two election cycles, voters have expanded Medicaid coverage and legalized recreational marijuana, circumventing the GOP majority that opposed both. The push to raise the threshold on amendments proposed by initiative has taken on a new urgency for Republicans as abortion-rights supporters move ahead with a signature campaign to make this year's ballot.The results on abortion amendments in other states has Missouri abortion foes anxious about whether they can defend the state's almost total ban in a statewide election. Voters in Ohio last year rejected an effort to increase the majority needed to pass constitutional amendments before voting 57% in favor of abortion rights. And in 2022, Kansas voters defeated an attempt to restrict abortion rights by a landslide vote.Gov. Kelly Keep Kansas GOP In Linehttps://kansasreflector.com/2024/02/20/kansas-house-republicans-fail-to-override-governors-veto-on-massive-tax-reform-bill/Kansas House Republicans fail to override governor's veto on massive tax reform billBY: TIM CARPENTER - FEBRUARY 20, 2024 12:41 PM     TOPEKA — The Republican-led Kansas House failed Tuesday to override Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly ‘s veto of a tax reform bill anchored by implementation of a single, flat state income tax rate of 5.25% in addition to elimination of the state sales tax on groceries and creation of a tax exemption for all Social Security income.The GOP holds supermajorities in the House and Senate, but there was skepticism that both chambers could muster two-thirds majorities necessary to rebuke Kelly given opposition among conservative and moderate Republicans to parts of the three-year, $1.6 billion tax cut favoring the state's most wealthy. Kelly said the decision of House members to sustain her veto was a win for working-class Kansans who would have seen “little relief under this irresponsible flat tax experiment.” The Legislature should move ahead with her proposal for reducing $1 billion in taxes over three years.The governor said “I urge legislators to work together to cut taxes in a way that continues our economic growth and maintains our solid fiscal foundation while benefitting all Kansans, not just those at the top,”.Rep. Tom Sawyer, D-Wichita, said the cost of the tax reform bill could reach $600 million annually when fully implemented, and the plan didn't do enough for the middle class in Kansas. He said a married couple earning $42,000 to $75,000 per year would only see an income tax reduction of about 75 cents.Rep. Trevor Jacobs of Fort Scott was among Republicans who opposed overriding Kelly's veto. He said the flat tax would force the state's working class to carry a larger burden of the state tax load. And the 2024 Legislature had sufficient time to develop an alternative that provided tax relief to all Kansans rather than just a select few.Good thinking! See it's not just Democrats who think KS Gov Laura Kelly knows what she's doing. Welp, that's it for me! From Denver I'm Sean Diller. Stories in today's show appeared first in the Missouri Independent, Kansas Reflector, Texas Tribune, and Capitol News Illinois. Thanks for listening, see you next time.  @TheHeartlandPOD on Twitter and ThreadsCo-HostsAdam Sommer @Adam_Sommer85 (Twitter) @adam_sommer85 (Post)Rachel Parker @msraitchetp (Post) Sean Diller (no social)The Heartland Collective - Sign Up Today!JOIN PATREON FOR MORE - AND JOIN OUR SOCIAL NETWORK!“Change The Conversation”Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Singer/songwriter/frontman Tim Kasher has been such a prolic maker of music over the past 25+ years with his bands Cursive and The Good Life and his solo records as his vehicles and conduits of creativity, so busy in fact that he has released a new album almost every year since 2000. Tim traveled from Los Angles to Chicago on Wednesday January 31st 2024 to spill about all of the "hows, why's and what in the world are we doing here" questions in front of great and responsive crowd at historic Fitzgeralds Nightclub in forever sunny Berwyn, just south of Chicago. We talk at good length about growing up in Omaha, The Saddle Creek Records era, which bunk is best on the tour bus (he likes the top), Taco Bell or Del Taco, which is his favorite record he's ever made, God, sportsball, some of his influences and what goes through his mind in the middle of the night. It was a fantastic evening all around for audience and performer and interviewer. One for the ages indeed. 

It's a two hour jumbo sized edition of the show this week as Jerome Cusson is talking to a smorgasbord of guests on the show. First, it's Dave Prazak and Allison Danger talking all about Shimmer, which is forthcoming this Saturday and Sunday afternoon/evening in Berwyn, Illinois. Then Tom Green talks the first ever School of Roc show taking place in LaFayette, Indiana. For those who have never seen the competitors this is a great opportunity to learn about a wonderful project in indy wrestling. Then it's Jake Manning's turn to discuss the Dynamite Kid Kickstarter. If you like supporting indy wrestling, this is the show for you.

Lieutenant David Haynes, a retired police officer who worked on the North Side of the city, makes his weekly visit to the WGN Radio studios and the Bob Sirott Morning Show. Lt. Haynes, who co-authored “The Beat Cop's Guide to Chicago Eats,” reviews Berwyn Chicken Company. Located at 7021 Roosevelt Road in Berwyn, they are known […]

Hunter is back to talk about Bethesda game mods and Fred Durst. For weekly bonus episodes, go to patreon.com/mostcontroversial

Musicians Kieran Kane and Rayna Gellert join Dean to talk about their careers and their show coming up today at Fitzgeralds Nightclubs in Berwyn. For tickets and more visit ticketweb.com/event/sunday-matinee-show-w-kieran-fitzgeralds-nightclub-tickets.

Curtis Johnson joins Wendy Snyder (filling-in for Lisa Dent) to talk about a special music benefit that will be held at Fitzgerald’s in Berwyn on Feb. 12 for Harlem Avenue Lounge owner Kenny Zimmerman, who announced they were abruptly closing due to health issues. Follow The Lisa Dent Show on Twitter:Follow @LisaDentSpeaksFollow @SteveBertrand Follow @kpowell720 […]

COP28, or the 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Climate Change Conference, took place recently in the United Arab Emirates. With representation from nearly every country in the world, COP28 is the most important annual climate summit in the world. This week on Sea Change Radio, we talk with … Continue reading Bob Berwyn of Inside Climate News on COP28 → This article and podcast Bob Berwyn of Inside Climate News on COP28 appeared first on Sea Change Radio.

Looking for a new take on two of your favorite things to eat? Then we highly recommend trying out Deke's Bar-B-Que, which has several locations including their new Cloud Kitchen that opened about one month ago. Derek "Deke" Denmead joined us on the show for a deep dive into how he and his wife met, and eventually established Deke's BBQ. I know that it was wonderful hearing how they began, but even better is the mouth-watering menu options that they offer, including their Brisket Cheesesteak, mac and cheese, cornbread, and so much more!From an established business to new ones--we cover it all, which is why we spoke with Mardel West, the Owner of the brand-new Bangin Grub located inside Liberty One in Center City Philadelphia! Mardel and our hosts pulled back the veil on what it takes to start a business, including advice on how to prepare for financial, technical, and culinary upheavals. Afterwards, we bit into some of Bangin Grub's new menu options, scratch-made sauces, and unique desserts!Lastly, we spoke with Samuel Kennedy, Co-Founder of Culinary Harvest and Berwyn Farmers Market off of the Main LIne. Not only does Samuel share the amazing locally-sourced products, gifts, foods, and more from area small businesses, he works at Birchrun Hills Farm as an expert cheesemaker. The Berwyn Farmers Market offers so much to taste and enjoy, and per Samuel, you can shop for your weekly grocery list and fill your fridge with farm-fresh products weekly. What is even more important, you can build relationships with the farmers and vendors who live, grow, and produce in your community-creating the opportunity to know exactly what goes into what you eat and knowing you're supporting the community!

Brothers Paul and James Macchione talk about what it's like to run the family-owned Flapjack Brewery in Berwyn, Illinois. 1:01 Flapjack Brewery Interview: Flapjack Brewery Co-Owners Paul and Jamie Macchione join Brian and Katherine for a hilarious journey into the world of craft beer. Imagine you're sitting at the table as they share a few pints and plunge headfirst into the brothers' saga, from homebrewing in their garage to running a full-scale brewery. They discuss beer styles and trends, bar food like wood-fired pizza, and their flagship Fantasmo Vanilla Cream Ale. They also get into the science of sour beers, craft beer palates, and how a unique partnership between Flapjack Brewery and the Berwyn, IL Firefighters Local 506 resulted in the firefighter-inspired Bomberos Locos Mexican Lager. 45:42 Beer Myth: Is skunked beer really a thing? Katherine and the crew discuss whether changing temperatures really could ruin your beer, and pull back the curtain on where the idea came from in the first place. 50:53 This Week in Bad Customer Behavior: Katherine shares a hilarious story about bad behavior at the very first beer festival where she ever poured an Exit Strategy Brewing Co. beer, leading to a valuable life lesson about beer fest etiquette. Flapjack Brewery has been serving up food and drinks since opening in Berwyn's Depot District in 2017. Visit Flapjack Brewery's website at https://www.flapjackbrewery.com/  BUY OUR MERCHANDISE on our official website, https://craftybrewerspod.com  If you enjoyed this episode, then please tell at least one friend about the show! And if you're a brewer or know any brewers who would like to share their story on the podcast, then email craftybrewerspod@gmail.com. We're always happy to hear from you! You can also follow Crafty Brewers on Instagram at https://instagram.com/crafty_brewers_pod  In this episode, you'll learn about: craft beer, beer styles, beer trends, the science of sour beers, food and beer pairings, brotherly banter, Fantasmo Vanilla Cream Ale, beer aficionados, wood-fired pizzas, beer festival etiquette, local community beer collaborations, Bomberos Locos Mexican Lager, brewery promotions, local businesses, craft brewery stories, home brewing, the craft beer industry, rotating beers, your craft beer palate, craft beer experience, the brewing process, beer pairings, brewing preferences, and pint glass designs.

What would happen if you grew up in the 1960s alongside the four track Pennsylvania Railroad main line in Berwyn, Pennsylvania?? There'd be a good chance you'd end up becoming a lifelong model railroader and that's exactly what happened to our next guest Ken McCorry. But that's not where the story ends, an American Flyer train set, a short stent in the Navy, a couple of N-scale layouts followed by an introduction to model railroad operations, and the rest is history.  After the switch to HO scale Ken decided to model the Buffalo Line based on an article, he'd read in the Penn Central Railroader magazine. Early retirement at the age of forty-six, allowed for the opportunity to build a specially designed building behind his home that would eventually house a thirty-two-hundred square foot multi-deck layout. This great podcast is the first part of a fascinating story and one we're sure you'll enjoy.  

This week the boys don their tinfoil hats once again, to breakdown the mysterious tale of a UFO story dubbed "The Welsh Roswell", as well as one man's account of his bizarre experiences within the ranks of an extra-terrestrial training program.