Panelists are:
Paul Wende of Ironworkers Local 63
Rob Fulton of Riggers Local 136
Tom Villanova of Southland Friends of Labor
Andy Rico of IBEW Local 176
Cliff Horowitz of Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates

The broadcast took place in front of an audience at Max & Benny’s restaurant, deli and bakery, 461 Waukegan Road in Northbrook, Illinois.

Panelists are:
<ul>
<li>Paul Wende&nbsp;of&nbsp;<a href="https://iwlocal63.com/">Ironworkers Local 63</a></li>
<li>Rob Fulton&nbsp;of&nbsp;<a href="https://riggerslocal136.com/">Riggers Local 136</a></li>
<li>Tom Villanova&nbsp;of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.southlandfriendsoflabor.com/">Southland Friends of Labor</a></li>
<li>Andy Rico&nbsp;of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ibewlocal176.org/">IBEW Local 176</a></li>
<li>Cliff Horowitz&nbsp;of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.horwitzlaw.com/">Horwitz, Horwitz &amp; Associates</a></li>
</ul>
The broadcast took place in front of an audience at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.maxandbennys.com/">Max &amp; Benny&rsquo;s</a> restaurant, deli and bakery, 461 Waukegan Road in Northbrook, Illinois.

From Heartland Signal and WCPT AM 820 in Chicago, here are full episodes of "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" (weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central), a topical and interactive talk show that focuses on national, state and city politics.  

A veteran Chicago broadcaster, Joan talks to politicians and professors, activists and authors, candidates and correspondents, as well as listeners who call in to share their views on the news of the day. Her goal is to Edify, Entertain and Elect — Democrats, of course.    

Joan Esposito has hosted WCPT's afternoon show since 2019. Prior to that she spent 20 years as a Chicago television anchor and reporter for WGN Channel 9, ABC7 and NBC5, and had a stint as managing partner at media trainer J2SC.  Joan is a long-time member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). 

From Heartland Signal and <a href="https://heartlandsignal.com/wcpt820/">WCPT AM 820</a> in Chicago, here are full episodes of "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" (weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central), a topical and interactive talk show that focuses on national, state and city politics. &nbsp;
A veteran Chicago broadcaster, Joan talks to politicians and professors, activists and authors, candidates and correspondents, as well as listeners who call in to share their views on the news of the day. Her goal is to Edify, Entertain and Elect &mdash; Democrats, of course. &nbsp; &nbsp;
Joan Esposito has hosted WCPT's afternoon show since 2019. Prior to that she spent 20 years as a Chicago television anchor and reporter for WGN Channel 9, ABC7 and NBC5, and had a stint as managing partner at media trainer J2SC. &nbsp;Joan is a long-time member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).&nbsp;

Joan Esposito (Full Episodes)

From Heartland Signal and WCPT AM 820 in Chicago, "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" (weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central) is a topical and interactive talk show that focuses on national, state and city politics. A veteran Chicago broadcaster, Joan talks to politicians and professors, activists and authors, candidates and correspondents, as well as listeners who call in to share their views on the news of the day. Her goal is to Edify, Entertain and Elect — Democrats, of course.    

Joan Esposito has hosted WCPT's afternoon show since 2019. Prior to that she spent 20 years as a Chicago television anchor and reporter for WGN Channel 9, ABC7 and NBC5, and had a stint as managing partner at media trainer J2SC.  Joan is a long-time member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). 

From Heartland Signal and <a href="https://heartlandsignal.com/wcpt820/">WCPT AM 820</a> in Chicago, "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" (weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central) is a topical and interactive talk show that focuses on national, state and city politics. A veteran Chicago broadcaster, Joan talks to politicians and professors, activists and authors, candidates and correspondents, as well as listeners who call in to share their views on the news of the day. Her goal is to Edify, Entertain and Elect &mdash; Democrats, of course. &nbsp; &nbsp;
Joan Esposito has hosted WCPT's afternoon show since 2019. Prior to that she spent 20 years as a Chicago television anchor and reporter for WGN Channel 9, ABC7 and NBC5, and had a stint as managing partner at media trainer J2SC. &nbsp;Joan is a long-time member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).&nbsp;

Joan Esposito: Live, Local & Progressive

WCPT's Fall Labor Panel with co-hosts Thom Hartmann and Richard Chew, October 15, 2025

On today's show
– Chris Fitzsimon, host of the Stories from the States podcast
– Stacy Davis Gates, Chicago Teachers Union president and president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers
 – Gregory Royal Pratt and Laura Rodríguez Presa, investigative reporters for the Chicago Tribune; they are two of the Tribune reporters recently awarded, as Staff of the Chicago Tribune, the 2026 Pulitzer Prize in Local Reporting, and will speak at the 41st annual Printers Row Lit Fest the weekend of September 12-13

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

 

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On today's show &ndash; Chris Fitzsimon, host of the <a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/podcast/stories-states">Stories from the States podcast</a> &ndash; <a href="https://www.aft.org/about/leadership/stacy-davis-gates">Stacy Davis Gates</a>, Chicago Teachers Union president and president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers &nbsp;&ndash; <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/author/gregory-royal-pratt/">Gregory Royal Pratt</a> and <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/author/laura-rodriguez-presa/">Laura Rodr&iacute;guez Presa</a>, investigative reporters for the Chicago Tribune; they are two of the Tribune reporters recently awarded, as Staff of the Chicago Tribune, the <a href="https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/staff-chicago-tribune">2026 Pulitzer Prize in Local Reporting</a>, and will speak at the 41st annual <a href="https://printersrowlitfest.org/">Printers Row Lit Fest</a> the weekend of September 12-13
Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (<a href="http://heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive">heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive</a>).
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Joan Esposito: Live, Local & Progressive | August 21, 2026

Greg Hinz

Dr. Mimi Zieman

Rich Eberwein

On today's show
– Greg Hinz, columnist for Crain's Chicago Business
– Dr. Mimi Zieman, retired OB/GYN, author, and advocate who moved to Atlanta to serve as the director of Family Planning at Emory University Medical School; she also served as chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood Southeast
– Heartland Signal’s Rich Eberwein with three stories you might have missed from our digital newsroom

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

 

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On today's show &ndash; Greg Hinz, columnist for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chicagobusiness.com/staff/ghinz/Greg-Hinz">Crain's Chicago Business</a> &ndash; <a href="https://www.mimiziemanmd.com/">Dr. Mimi Zieman</a>, retired OB/GYN, author, and advocate who moved to Atlanta to serve as the director of Family Planning at Emory University Medical School; she also served as chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood Southeast &ndash; Heartland Signal&rsquo;s <a href="https://heartlandsignal.com/authors/richard-eberwein/">Rich Eberwein</a> with three stories you might have missed from our digital newsroom
Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (<a href="http://heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive">heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive</a>).
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Joan Esposito: Live, Local & Progressive | August 20, 2026

Joan Esposito is joined by Spencer Critchley, author of Patriots of Two Nations and host of the Dastardly Cleverness in the Service of Good podcast. They discuss the complexities of Zionism, the history of the Middle East conflict, and the dangers of binary thinking in political discourse.

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

 

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Joan Esposito is joined by <a href="https://spencercritchley.com/">Spencer Critchley</a>, author of Patriots of Two Nations and host of the&nbsp;<a href="https://dastardlycleverness.com/">Dastardly Cleverness in the Service of Good</a> podcast. They discuss the complexities of Zionism, the history of the Middle East conflict, and the dangers of binary thinking in political discourse.
Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (<a href="http://heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive">heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive</a>).
&nbsp;
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WCPT's Fall Labor Panel with co-hosts Thom Hartmann and Richard Chew, October 15, 2025

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