NBC 5's Mike Berman joins to talk about the Lions shocking playoff loss, the next step in the Bears coaching search, and he makes his picks for next week’s NFC and AFC Championship games.

Mark Glennon from Wirepoints.org joins Ray and Nick to talk about the beginning of President Trump's second term and how his policies on immigration and the economy will affect Illinois and the resistance he will face from the progressive agendas of Brandon Johnson and J.B. Pritzker.

Salena Zito, political reporter for The Washington Examiner, joins Ray and Nick to discuss her time covering the political career of President Trump, his attempted assassination, and the side of Trump that the public often doesn't see.

Joe Chura, president and co-founder of Go Brewing, joins Ray and Nick to talk about the "Dry January" phenomenon and why more and more beer lovers are turning to Non-Alcoholic offerings that deliver great taste without the guilt.

WLS-AM program director Stephanie joins Ray and Nick to share her rundown of what's happening around town and give you ideas for how to make the most of your weekend. Mommy/Daughter Skate at Robert Crowne Center (EVANSTON)  https://www.cityofevanston.org/government/departments/parks-recreation-community-services/robert-crown-center 18 Yrs & Up: $10 17 Yrs, and Under: $6 Skate Rental: $4 2.  Brunch at https://crepas-culichi.com/  (OAK PARK) Brunch is walk-ins only.Brunch Hours are: Mon – Thurs 10AM – 3:50PM, Fri – Sun 9AM – 3:50PM Crepas Culichi is a Mexican and French inspired restaurant featuring vintage aesthetics, gleaming chandeliers and cozy accents. It's giving Bridgerton.  @crepasculichi 3. Bedrotting and watching: Night Bitch on Hulu- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=918prRymA-U

Radio legend Max Armstrong joins Ray and Nick to talk about the ongoing devastation from the Los Angeles wildfires and the continuing challenge of managing water so fire departments can effectively put fires out.

Austin Richardson joins Ray and Nick to talk about PBR's Unleash The Beast returning to Rosemont, his rise in the ranks of professional bull riding, and how he handles life on the road chasing his dream.

In addition to the human toll from the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles, many animals will be stranded and looking for a new home. Susanna Wickham, CEO of PAWS Chicago joins Ray Stevens to share how you can support PAWS as they prepare for an influx of animals from California.

Ted Dabrowski from Wirepoints.org joins Ray and Nick to talk about why big companies are reticent to investing big money in Chicago, mainly due to a widening pension shortfall and inability to preserve public safety.

Tudor Dixon, host of the Tudor Dixon Podcast, joins Ray and Nick to talk about the rampant failures of California's democrat-led government and how their major mistakes around water management have left firefighters in the lurch as they battle devastating wildfires.

In honor of the men and women who step up every day to protect us, DuPage Co. Sheriff James Mendrick joins Ray and Nick to talk about the daily challenges that law enforcement faces both on the job and at home and why every day is a good day to recognize them.

NewsNation contributor Lt. General Richard Y. Newton, USAF (Ret) joins Ray Stevens to look at the aftermath of the New Year's Day terrorist attack in New Orleans and discuss how it's an indicator of Iran's continued support of global terror and why the Trump administration will usher in a new foreign strategy that can put American national security at the forefront.

Lawyer and author Gordon G. Chang joins Ray Stevens for an in-depth analysis of China's plans for 2025. As Chang sees it, the U.S. is unprepared for what China has in store for the future and standing up to Xi Jinping is paramount for the incoming Trump administration.

Hannah Schmid from the Illinois Policy Center joins Ray and Nick to talk about Illinois' woeful literacy scores in schools and the five strategies that we can use from Colorado schools to turn the trend around.

Energy analyst Phill Flynn joins Ray Stevens to look at President Biden's 11th-hour ban on drilling across 625 million acres of coastal and offshore waters, the challenges facing President Trump's undoing of the ban, and the general hypocrisy of Biden's alleged "green" policies.

NBC 5's Mike Berman joins to talk about the Bears last second win over the Packers, the punt return trickery that helped them do it, and why Caleb Williams rookie season should be considered an overall success.

John Ullyot, Fmr. Deputy Assistant to President Trump, joins Ray and Nick to recap the speedy re-election of Speaker Mike Johnson and how a unified front for the GOP sets up President Trump's 2025 legislative agenda.

Dylan Sharkey from the Illinois Policy Institute joins Ray and Nick to look at the overwhelming popularity of holiday scratch-off lottery tickets and how the tax money that has been earmarked for schools and the Special Olympics could be diverted by politicians.

Brenda Hafera from The Heritage Foundation joins The Ray Stevens Show to talk about the unfortunate decline in patriotism across the country, the forces influencing people to lose faith in their country, and how we can change this trend in 2025.

The wonderful Fr. Terry Keehan joins Ray and Nick to reflect on the Christmas season and why it remains such an important time to be thankful and closes with a special Christmas prayer for WLS listeners

Chris Plante, host of the Chris Plante Show, joins Ray and Nick to talk about why the mainstream news media has continued to ignore stories of takeovers by the notorious Venezuelan gang Tren De Aragua and the gaslighting of those who are trying to expose the truth.

David Steinman, consumer advocate and investigative journalist, joins Ray and Nick to look at some of the food additives that could be banned from use by the FDA and the impact that they can have on our health.

Shannon Adcock from Awake Illinois joins the Ray Stevens Show to talk about the recent report that President Biden's Department of Education has spent extravagant amounts of public money on DEI initiatives in schools to push the administration's social agenda.

During his 1st press conference following the election, President Trump discussed how Tik Tok helped his campaign amongst younger voters. Economic guru Stephen Moore joins Ray and Nick to talk about the pros and cons of keeping the popular social media app intact for U.S. users and how to make sure national security remains a top priority.

Joel and Amy Bender join Ray and Nick to talk about their fantastic, learning focused store Minder Benders Puzzles and Games in Whiting, IN and why they want to help families put down screens this holiday season.

Mark Glennon from Wirepoints.org joins The Ray Stevens Show to talk about the newly minted 2025 budget for Chicago and some of the massive tax and fee increases that made the final cut.

This week on Berman on the Bears, NBC 5's Mike Berman joins to talk about the Bears tough Monday Night Football test at the Vikings, the position group the Bears most need to improve in the offseason, and a breakdown of the Lions loss to the Bills in a shootout.

Paul Vallas joins Ray and Nick to talk about his latest piece for Chicago Contrarian, which outlines the feckless, divisive, and overall unproductive leadership of Mayor Brandon Johnson and why Chicagoans are feeling an overwhelming sense of regret.

John Ullyot, former Deputy Assistant to President Trump, joins The Ray Stevens Show to discuss the settlement that ABC News will now pay after "This Week" host George Stephanopoulos claimed Trump was "liable for rape" during an interview with Rep. Nancy Mace.

As Governor Pritzker doubles down on his decision to keep Illinois a so-called "sanctuary city", DuPage Co. Sheriff joins Ray and Nick to talk about the massive problems it has caused for his department and why this policy, coupled with the SAFE-T Act, is doing little to keep Illinois residents safe. Listen to Ramblin Ray weekdays, 6a-9a on wlsam.com or any time on your favorite podcast app.

Brian Barnhart, voice of the Fighting Illini on WLS, join Nick and Ray to talk about the big win against Wisconsin, how they're preparing to take on the top ranked Tennessee Volunteers, and whether young talent on the team may head to the NBA sooner than expected. Listen to Ramblin Ray weekdays, 6a-9a on wlsam.com or any time on your favorite podcast app.

David Hochberg of Team Hochberg joins Ray and Nick to explain why the median price of rent across the country is starting to mellow and why Chicago needs to promote more real estate development to expand economic growth and prosperity.

Dylan Sharkey, assistant editor at Illinois Policy Institute, joins Ray and Nick to detail the 11 new tax and fee hikes that Mayor Johnson hopes to include in his 2025 budget, including new or higher taxes on property, streaming services, and shopping bags.

Joe Chura, Founder and President of Go Brewing in Naperville, joins Nick and Ray to share how his idea for a totally non-alcoholic brewery became a rapidly expanding business and why Go Brewing has become a great choice who want to cut out alcohol or just cut back.

Chris Plante, host of The Chris Plante Show, joins Ray and Nick to talk about alleged murderer Luigi Mangione, the cult of personality surrounding him, and why his apparent attitude toward the healthcare system is only a cover for Left-leaning hatred of success.

15th Ward Alderman Ray Lopez joins Ray and Nick to talk about meeting incoming border czar Tom Homan and why it is imperative that city officials work with Homan on deporting dangerous criminals and preventing more illegal immigration.

Jim Wojdyla joins Ray and Nick to unveil a special Christmas display featuring a fan-recreated version of Homer Simpson’s iconic pink car, affectionately called the "Junkola."  This one-of-a-kind exhibit will only be on display for the month of December, offering fans of the show a unique photo-op filled with a decorated Christmas tree, life-size cutouts of the Simpsons family in festive holiday outfits, and of course, the famous vehicle.

Energy analyst Phil Flynn joins Ray and Nick to look at the dropping price of gas across the nation and why Illinois remains one of the priciest states for fuel despite the lowest national average in 3 years.

Cully Stimson, Senior Legal Fellow at The Heritage Foundation, joins Ray and Nick to talk about the nomination of former Florida Attorney General Pam Bodni as U.S. Attorney General and why her record as a working prosecutor puts her a cut above her predecessors.

NBC 5 Chicago's Mike Berman joins Ray and Nick to talk about the Bears lifeless performance against the 49’ers and why it doesn’t help Thomas Brown’s cause, the bleak outlook for the rest of the season, and Ryan Poles’ future as GM.

Former Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol Chris Clem joins Ray and Nick to talk about his time working with incoming border czar Tom Homan and how he will contend with resistance from Democrat mayors and governors over the issue of deporting illegal immigrants.

Julie Bauke, Chief Career Happiness Officer at The Bauke Group, joins Ray and Nick to talk about the age gap in the work force and how to navigate working for a boss significantly younger than you. As Julie explains, maintaining a respect for wisdom and experience while balancing a younger boss' new ideas can create a better work environment.

Shannon Adcock of Awake Illinois joins Ray and Nick to talk about the current debate happening at the Supreme Court over controversial "gender affirming care" and how she feels that this type of medical intervention is tantamount to child abuse.

Mark Lukas from PAWS Chicago joins Ray and Nick for Day 2 of the 12 Strays of Christmas! Today we highlight Saluki, an adorable and playful kitten looking for her forever home, and two great PAWS events coming up where you too can find a furry friend to join your family.

Broadcast legend Max Armstrong joins Ray and Nick to share his expertise on Christmas trees and why there could be a serious shortage this year for anyone looking to buy a real tree.

Christmas officially arrives at WLS 890 thanks to the wonderfully talented Vernon Hills H.S. Chamber Choir led by Jeremy Little. They sing four Christmas favorites for Ray and Nick and even take a stab at the iconic WLS-AM jingle.

As inflation continues to hurt the budgets of millions across the nation, unpaid credit card debt is starting to creep upward. David Hochberg from Homeside Financial joins Ray to talk about why this debt is dangerous for so many and what you can do to get out from under debt.

Former Des Plaines Police Chief Bill Kushner joins Ray Stevens to talk about the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City and the questions surrounding the killer's motives and whether this was a random killing or the work of a professional.

Voice of the Fighting Illini Brian Barnhart joins Ray to talk about the Illini's impressive football season, Coach Bielema's commitment to developing local talent, and how men's basketball coach Brad Underwood has the team off to a strong start for the 2024-2025 season.

Charles Lipson, Professor Emeritus at University of Chicago, joins Ray to explain his view of why the Democrat Party learned little from their defeat in the 2024 Election and why VP Harris' botched interviews and commitment to identity politics spelled doom for her campaign.