The Morning Routine

So much inspiration in this conversation with 3 special SHG Students. 

Today, we had Tatyana Gardner and Teija West in to discuss the Urban Leagues new maternity program! Listen in for all the details. 

This morning, we welcomed Melissa Horn back into the studio to catch up. She's earned a degree and continues to make big waves with the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce. 

Rocki and Lacey had a blast playing the Morning Routine Rewind with their follow stationeer, Tony Boston - who's with you on your drive home everyday on WNNS. 

Listen in for a ton insight on Soujorn! 

This morning, Rocki and Lacey had a great conversation about a new campaign happening downtown to promote activity and economic growth!

We had a great conversation with Jim Kroll about Data Performance! Get more at WNNS.com

Maury was a wild show. This morning, Rocki and Lacey were reminiscing on some of their favorite moments. Including the time when a guest was DEATHLY afraid of olives.... so what did they do??? Bring out a huge jar of olives! 

This was our  first Circle segment with Tara Matheson and we are so luck to have her on board. Listen in for a lot of great insight on how you can save lives just by donating your blood with Impact Life. 

A lot of references going on here. 

Singles are experimenting with a fresh, unfiltered approach to meeting potential partners, and it’s catching attention fast. It’s called “hot take dating” — a style where people lead with their strongest opinions, deepest values, and non‑negotiable deal‑breakers right from the start. Instead of easing slowly into sensitive topics, daters are putting their real selves on the table early, even if it sparks disagreement.  Get the full story in the conversation. 

This morning's conversation was great with Rachel was great! Learn more about her and the Crisis Nursery in the conversation.

Ryans came in to discuss SSGA's monthly business and community sessions. Get more insight in the conversation!

Are these chores too much? Listen and let us know!

Another great conversation about Kayla Graven with IL Dept. of Agriculture. 

Multiple vervet monkeys were recently spotted roaming neighborhoods near O’Fallon Park in St. Louis, puzzling residents and officials. The East African primates have avoided capture, and their origin remains unknown. Experts warn the animals are clever but unpredictable. Once captured, they will be safely relocated to a facility certified to take care of them.

This was Marne's first in for the Circle on WNNS. She's such an asset to the community and getting to know her just confirmed that more. Listen to the conversation and learn about the CEO of The United Way of Central IL. 

The McRib may not contain actual rib meat....

Today was a discussion about what's been going on in the 217, but also what's to come. We welcomed back Ryan McCrady for Circle of Friends and he flooded us with insight. Listen to the conversation for all the important details!

Nicole came on this morning to discuss all of the contesting happening at 217 Foodies and Boozers through the holidays! Listen for the details! 

Hope is one of our generous sponsors for your Holiday Playlist this year. They do so much great work for people who need it in the community, they deserve and need out help! Listen to the conversation for all the details! 

Madeline Boner, a local photographer is using her time to give back to the community this Holiday Season. Coming up this Saturday, December 13th, she will be taking photos with Santa at the Passfield House! All of the proceeds will be going to the Compass For Kids foundation. Get all the details in the conversation! 

This week, Taryn Grant came back in to discuss the Holidays and the upcoming production of The Nutcracker at SYPG, including Rocki in the cast! For all details and Holiday feels, listen in! 

Today Ryan McCrady was in from the SSGA, and discussed important information on the new Data Center coming to Sangamon County. Tune in for the details. 

This morning was great talking to the manger of the IL State Fair, Becky Clark! 

To help people in the 217 with food security, The Salvation Army is holding the "Feed The Need" Food Drive with our sister station WQLZ. Listen in for all the details on how you can be part of the solution!

We spoke with Jeramie Guy, the store director from Hy-Vee Springfield, about the new meal offer they are doing to help fight food insecurity during this time of reduced SNAP benefits. "Let’s share a meal together. This week, every Hy-Vee store with hot food service will offer free kids' meals for children 12 and under, along with $3 hot meals for all other customers. Stop by Monday, Nov. 3 – Friday, Nov. 7, from 4-7 p.m. for a hot meal. Learn more about our ongoing community support efforts: https://ms.spr.ly/6183tGitV"

Enjoy all the great insight brought to us from our friend, RaeAnne Dutz!

Check out the conversation below!

The Morning Routine with Rocki & Lacey was joined by the fantastic Stacey Skrysak from WICS Newschannel 20. Stacey is a local news anchor and storyteller for the community, and she shared some life updates with Rocki & Lacey in regards to her kiddos and the upcoming Halloween. She also shared with us about a special piece she is working on for WICS Newschannel 20 about the children who were lost in the YNOT Chatham tragedy and the conversations she had with their families. If you listen to one bit of the Morning Routine today, make it this one!!

The Morning Routine with Rocki and Lacey was joined by Michael Thomas from Express Employment Professionals for the 10/22/2025 edition of Circle of Friends. We caught up about his work with therapy horses and the current job market in the 217 area and around. We also got his best tips for being a good interviewee-be sure to check all of that out at the podcast below!

This morning, Rocki and Lacey spoke with Josh Flanders of Buzz Bomb Brewing Co. They concentrated on all things Halloween! For all the details, check out the conversation!

The Morning Routine with Rocki and Lacey were joined by Ryan McCrady from the Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance to talk about all of the growth happening in and around the Sangamon County area. Ryan updated us on all of the big thing happening at the new Scheel's Sports Dome, and educated both of us on what potential data centers would bring to the Springfield area.  We're always excited to learn from Ryan!

This morning, Rocki and Lacey spoke with Austin. They got a great update on all things "Vegan Chef Challenge." Listen to the conversation for great updates and tasty menu items!

Today, Lou Bart and CEO Angie Sowle of the YMCA came in to talk about all of the amazing things happening at the Y this fall season. Get all the details in the convo! 

Josh and Ed Carter are so fun to talk to. Get all the info in the conversation on how to get spooked this Halloween season! 

The Morning Routine with Rocki and Lacey was joined by Circle of Friends Ward 5 Alderwoman LaKeisha Purchase. They talked about the recent Friends of the Farmer's Market Dinner, the Mother Road Festival over the previous weekend, and our upcoming collaboration raising funds for the Strong Kids Fund at the YMCA. We had several callers join in the conversation! Listen to all this and more from Lakeisha here.

The Morning Routine with Rocki & Lacey was joined by Scott Dahl, director of tourism for Visit Springfield, for Circle of Friends. Scott came with shirts for the 24th Annual International Route 66 Mother Road Festival and information to boot! We discussed Scott's summer and highlighted the upcoming Diabetes Awareness Month in November. His daughter has type 1 diabetes, which has been a journey for his family to navigate.  We also spent a bit of time highlighting the upcoming Route 66 Mother Road Festival, happening September 26-28, 2025. You can find more information about the Route 66 Mother Road festival here.

The Morning Routine with Rocki and Lacey were joined by the man of visions himself, Ryan McCrady from the Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance. He had a lot to update us on what is growing and changing in the 217 area, including Robin Roberts Stadium, the demolition of the Pillsbury Plant, updated rail lines, and the change in zoning for the new crane company that’s moving into Springfield.   We also spoke at length about the exciting new changes at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport. They are offering early morning and late evening flights to O’Hare, which is a big change in flight schedule, so we are hopeful this will make getting out to business meetings much easier for the Springfield area!  

The one and only Tiffany Mathis-Posey joined the Morning Routine with Rocki & Lacey to speak about her work with the Central Illinois Boys & Girls Club.  

The Morning Routine with Rocki & Lacey were joined by Zach Adams from 1221 Photography and the Illinois Times. They spoke about Zach’s time working in photography, working in Springfield, his work with Illinois Times, and the upcoming 50th anniversary lunch with Illinois times.   We also spoke about mental health, the struggle for men to open up, and the topic of the day, which was “One things that always make me smile is ______.” He was a joy and pleasure to have with us today, and even gifted the 98.7 WNNS studio with some super cool “Your Anxiety is Lying to You” hoodies to wear on our Mental Health Mondays.  

This week was all about self care. Taylor Stevens talked about all the ways she has committed to taking care of herself this year. It was a pretty inspiring conversation. Check it out now!

Rocki & Lacey from the Morning Routine were joined by Deb Martin from the Jared’s Keepers Foundation to discuss suicide prevention in teens, mental health education, advocacy, and their upcoming event, The Healing Plate.   The Healing Plate is a signature fundraising and awareness event that brings together community members, mental health advocates, chefs, and supporters for an evening of culinary inspiration, storytelling, and hope. This year’s event proudly features Chef Alex Belew, winner of Hell’s Kitchen Season 21, who will showcase his culinary talents in support of the foundation’s mission.  Chef Alex will lead a unique dining experience with thoughtfully crafted dishes that symbolize healing, comfort, and resilience. The menu features: Squash Risotto, Confit Shrimp, Fried Herbs Thai salad Mushroom Dusted NY Strip, Truffle Demi, Crispy Potatoes, Cauliflower Puree Sticky Toffee Pudding, Salted Butterscotch, Vanilla Ice Cream The evening includes impactful stories from survivors, advocates, and those affected by teen suicide, aiming to break the stigma surrounding mental health. All proceeds support Jared’s Keepers Foundation programs—such as school presentations, mental health first aid training, and community outreach. The plate symbolizes nourishment and healing. Just as a meal can comfort, conversation and awareness can save lives. This event combines both, inviting people to sit together, share stories, and support change—with world-class dishes prepared by Chef Alex Belew. 

Rocki & Lacey from the Morning Routine were joined by Taryn Grant from the Springfield Youth Performance Group to talk about their upcoming event, Rock the Conservatory on Saturday, September 13, 2025 8 PM. Taryn is a regular guest for Circle of Friends – we caught up with her about her trip to Paris this summer, back to school, and the excitement of having older children.  Rock the Conservatory is a contemporary fusion of live music and dance featuring the Studio Company Members of SYPG and local musicians directed by Sherman native Tommy Sagins.  This exciting performance will feature rock and roll music performed live, with choreography by professional dance artists.  Live shows take place at 8pm and doors open at 7pm.    Tickets are available here. Use code ROCKWITHROCKI  Rock the Conservatory will be held at Grant Conservatory of Music & Dance at 501 W Elliott Avenue, Springfield, IL.  Sponsored by Landmark Automotive Group. 

This morning on the Morning Routine with Rocki & Lacey, they were joined by Ryan McCrady from the Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance for the Circle of Friends. They covered a variety of topics including the Springfield State Fair, horse racing, a variety of fish, and the Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance partnership with CAP 1908 to host new Monthly Business and Community Sessions. Dominic Watson from CAP 1908 will be hosting the first session on Wednesday, September 25th from 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. These sessions are free to attend and will provide entrepreneurs, small business owners, and community members with knowledge, tools, and connections to succeed. Each month will provide insights, resources, and learning opportunities. Upcoming sessions include SSGA101, the basics of site selection, Local & State incentives for business, and marketing on a limited budget.  To learn about about SSGA, go to www.thriveinspi.org.

This morning, Melissa Horn came in to discuss the Springfield Chamber's upcoming Job Fair! Listen in for all the details plus some extra laughs! 

This week, Jenna Broom came back for a great Circle of Friends Segment. Since the Fair is in full swing, we discussed her favorite fair foods and activities. We also discussed her roll with the Levitt Amp music series and broke down this seasons series of events!  Listen in for great details! 

This morning, Rocki spoke with Staff Srgt. Adam Huntoon of the U.S Army.  They have a pretty cool set up during the fair, and it's definitely worth stopping by! Listen for more details!

It was so great welcoming our friend Jim back in the studio for the Circle of Friends.  He's usually a guy who knows what he likes and sticks with it. Recently he's has been trying different things for a new experience, and it sound like he's been enjoying himself. Tune in for laughs and insight!

This morning, Rocki spoke with 3 fantastic representatives from the Springfield Road Runners Club: Carrie, Heather and John. They came in to discuss two upcoming runs the club is putting on. For all details, listen in!