Best Vallás Podcasts (2024)

1
Paul Vallas - CPS In Turmoil 31:33

22d ago31:33

31:33

On Friday October 4th mass resignations from the CPS school board rocked Chicago's political landscape. Then on Monday October 7th, Mayor Brandon Johnson's made a quick turnaround to appoint new board members. During this episode of the Crisis Cast municipal finance expert Paul Vallas joins Lissa & Thom to offer perspective and a dose of reality on…

1
Hermene Hartman - Facing Darkness & Light 38:24

2h ago38:24

38:24

For her entire life Hermene Hartman has been driven to stand up and stand out. Dr. Hartman's career began during the Civil Rights Movement, when she collaborated with Reverand Jesse Jackson at Operation Bread Basket. During this episode, Lissa & Thom chat with Hermene about how she channeled her activism into publishing as a media entrepreneur. Dr.…

1
Rod McCulloch - The Harsh Reality 33:55

7d ago33:55

33:55

In the last gasp before election day 2024, we're pulling back the curtain on political polling. Once again we welcome Rod McCulloch of Victory Research to our Crisis Cast chat room. We'll hear what's changed in polling over the long haul, and what's different about each of the last 3 Presidential elections. You'll learn about how pollsters deal wit…

1
Hwaet a Movie 4 - Grendel (2007) 2:08:33

8d ago2:08:33

2:08:33

Hwæt a Movie returns with the Beowulf film you didn’t know you needed to see: SYFY’s Grendel. Released at the start of 2007, ahead of Beowulf: Prince of the Geats and Robert Zemeckis’s Beowulf, Grendel rides the wave of Beowulf-mania that was sweeping nation back then. Or perhaps it started the craze? And while you might think based on the title th…

1
Crisis Cast Flashback: Paul Ciolino "Emptying Death Row" 36:24

14d ago36:24

36:24

This week, we revisit a powerful conversation from Season 3 of The Crisis Cast. Listen in on the lessons learned from his forensic consortium. Our guest, Paul Ciolino, convinced Governor George Ryan to rethink the death penalty in Illinois. Ciolino is a private investigator turned DNA expert who advocates for those wrongly convicted. In this episod…

1
G.H. Merritt - Pushing For A NEW Illinois 33:09

1M ago33:09

33:09

We’ve talked a lot about candidates on the 2024 ballot, but voters in seven Illinois counties are voting this fall on whether they’d like to become their own state. 23 counties have already said, "yes." During this episode, Thom Serafin talks with G.H. Merritt, the Chairman of NEW Illinois. Merritt says this is not a divide between Democrats and Re…

1
Episode 39c - Valla-Ljot's Saga (Judgments) 1:35:00

1M ago1:35:00

1:35:00

It's time to put Valla-Ljot's Saga on trial. How will this brief story that's less than a single Hrafnkel hold up under scrutiny? Is there enough violence for a proper round of Best Bloodshed and Body Count? With only a few nicknames, how will John stretch his section out to the usual length? What kind of surprise reveal does John drop on Andy at t…

1
Anthony Beale - ShotSpotter Shutdown 33:55

1M ago33:55

33:55

At midnight, Monday September 23rd — ShotSpotter, the gun detection technology in place for more than six years in the city of Chicago was shut down as the contract expired. The city council voted to extend the contract, but Mayor Brandon Johnson exercised his veto power. During this episode, Lissa & Thom are joined by Chicago's 9th Ward Alderman A…

1
Crisis Cast Flashback: Paul Kendrick "Candidate Camp" 30:46

2M ago30:46

30:46

Time travel can be enlightening. During this trip through our show archives, we go back to the heals of the 2022 midterm elections. Paul Kendrick is the Executive Director of Rust Belt Rising, a grass roots grooming organization for Democrats. Their mission is training candidates and their organizations to connect with working families. During this…

1
Crisis Cast Whiteboard: Debates & Debacles 20:48

2M ago20:48

20:48

Here's a conversation that is both predictive and reflective on the potency of debates. Lissa Druss & Thom Serafin are in our chat room examine the stakes for Kamala Harris and Donald Trump in what may be their only Presidential debate. We'll ask the question, "Is the Commission on Presidential Debates obsolete?" Plus, how often has a single debate…

1
Austin Berg - The "NEW" Chicago Way 37:05

2M ago37:05

37:05

It's time to hear from a voice dedicated to writing Illinois' comeback story. Austin Berg has lived all over the Land of Lincoln, and is one of our state's most compelling change agents. During this episode, Lissa Druss and Thom Serafin get to the heart of how Austin engages action on governance issues, as VP of Marketing for the Illinois Policy In…

1
Episode 39b - Valla-Ljot's Saga (chapters 6-9) 1:29:06

2M ago1:29:06

1:29:06

We’re back, and not a moment too soon! After the pot-stirring life and unceremonious death of Halli Troublemaker at the hands (and axe) of Valla-Ljöt Ljotolfsson, Halli’s older brother Hrolf Jaw retaliated by having Ljöt’s nephew Thorvard killed by a squad of murderers at a market. Now the whole valley’s on edge, waiting to see whether a carefully-…

1
Episode 39a - Valla-Ljot's Saga (chapters 1-5) 1:35:46

2M ago1:35:46

1:35:46

While we may have finished Svarfdaela Saga, we're not done with the most tumultuous valley of medieval Iceland just yet. In this episode, we pick up with the next generation. The lead actors in this little drama are Halli, the grandson of Karl the Red, and Ljot (aka Valla-Ljot), the son of Ljotolf the godi. And though the tensions between Karl and …

1
Forrest Claypool - The Daley Show 37:54

3M ago37:54

37:54

During any crisis, the "cool" heads prevail. In this episode we'll cover some Chicago's most daunting and outrageous challenges -- like an airport bulldozed in the middle of the night. Forrest Claypool has held the highest leadership post at three of the most critical municipal institutions: the park district, the public schools, and the Chicago Tr…

1
Rick Pearson – Chicago's Image On The Line 30:12

3M ago30:12

30:12

During this episode, Lissa Druss and Thom Serafin lean in on one particular question. "What will the nationwide narrative on Chicago be following the 2024 Democratic National Convention?" To get some answers, there's no better source than Rick Pearson, Chief Political Writer for the Chicago Tribune. Our conversation examines DNC conventions from th…

1
Crisis Cast Whiteboard - Walz, Jobs, and the L-G-D-F 16:10

3M ago16:10

16:10

Lissa & Thom have a ton on their mind. What's the Fed's next move on interest rates? How much fear has been stoked by the jobs report? What's Governor Tim Walz all about? That's a ton to process, but we'll cover it all in rapid fire. Plus, a Crisis Cast primer on the state of Illinois' L-G-D-F. Gather round for a Crisis Cast Whiteboard on the issue…

1
Hwaet a Movie - Episode 3 - Beowulf and Grendel 2:03:32

3M ago2:03:32

2:03:32

It's time for the third installment of our side project known as Hwaet a Movie! In this episode, we give the Saga Thing treatment to the 2005 Canadian-Icelandic film Beowulf and Grendel. If you haven't seen it yet, do yourself a favor and watch it (even if our review might not cast it in the brightest light). The film stars Gerard Butler as Beowulf…

1
Eddie Johnson & Garry McCarthy – ShotSpotter and The Secret Service 44:15

3M ago44:15

44:15

Here comes some rare enlightenment from two of Chicago's former police superintendents, in the same conversation. Thom Serafin welcomes Eddie Johnson & Garry McCarthy to share what everyone is missing about reducing crime in Chicago. They also reveal the statistics on the ShotSpotter systems that get buried in politics. Plus, you'll hear a real tim…

1
Saga Short 12 - The Tale of Thorleif Earl's Poet 1:42:03

4M ago1:42:03

1:42:03

Though Svarfdaela Saga itself is behind us, the story of the inhabitants of the Tumultuous Valley continues. In this episode, we follow Thorleif Asgeirsson, one of Klaufi's killers and the brother of Yngvild. As you'll discover, Thorleif has that independent spirit that Icelanders carry with them into the courts of Norwegian rulers. He's also got a…

1
Richard Porter - Live from Republican Nat'l Convention 23:02

4M ago23:02

23:02

In this special edition of the Crisis Cast, Lissa Druss & Thom Serafin take us to Milwaukee and the floor of the RNC. Their guest is Richard Porter, a national committeeman for the Republican Party of Illinois. Porter joined us moments after it was announced Ohio Senator J.D. Vance would be joining the Republican ticket as Donald Trump's running ma…

1
Ray Long - Madigan, Burke, and Colliding Courts 26:42

4M ago26:42

26:42

Lissa Druss is on assignment this week. Meanwhile, Thom Serafin digs into the trials and sentences of some key political figures like Mike Madigan and Ed Burke. Some of this lead straight to an intersection with the Chief Justice John Roberts' Supreme Court. Once again, we welcome Ray Long investigative reporter for the Chicago Tribune. The two-tim…

1
Saga Brief 26 - The Post-Classical or Rogue Sagas: Interview with Dr. Rebecca Merkelbach 1:18:29

4M ago1:18:29

1:18:29

Join us for an in-depth interview with Dr. Rebecca Merkelbach, Assistant Professor of Old Norse-Icelandic Studies at the University of Tübingen, Germany. Her latest book, Story, World and Character in the Late Íslendingasögur: Rogue Sagas, offers a fresh perspective on the often overlooked "post-classical" sagas. We delve into the complex and fasci…

1
Ray Long - A Debate At Helm's Deep 32:02

4M ago32:02

32:02

The firestorm that has engulfed 2024's first Presidential debate is still burning. We needed a cool head in the room, to consider the aftermath of President Joe Biden's performance vs. former President Donald Trump. That calming voice, came in the form of the Chicago Tribune's Ray Long. During this episode, Lissa & Thom work through the complicatio…

1
Crisis Cast Flashback - Kelly Richmond Pope "Discovering Your Strength" 22:35

4M ago22:35

22:35

Severe and sudden loss is how Kelly Richmond Pope realized her inner strength. As an educator and entrepreneur, she has uncovered the truths inside fiscal fraud. Her day job is teaching accounting forensics at DePaul University - but she is also the award-winning director of the documentary All The Queen's Horses. The film tells the story of the la…

1
Episode 38h - Svarfdaela Saga (Judgments) 1:39:15

4M ago1:39:15

1:39:15

After 7 exciting episodes (they were exciting, right?), we're finally ready to put Svarfdaela Saga on trial. As usual, we drag the text to the Saga Thing and review it through our judgment categories: Best Bloodshed Body Count Nicknames Notable Witticisms Outlawry Thingmen Final Ratings How does Svarfdaela Saga stack up against the 30+ other sagas …

1
Steve Cochran – Finding Your Megaphone 36:51

5M ago36:51

36:51

The traditional broadcast world has endured a seismic shift or two – or ten. Steve Cochran has been in front of a microphone and up and down the dial for all of it. For the better part of three decades he's been a fixture on Chicago radio. That includes audio brands like WLUP, WMVP, WIND, WLS, and more than 16 years on WGN. During this episode of t…

1
Crisis Cast Flashback: Aurelia Pucinski - Smarter Than The Boss 35:14

5M ago35:14

35:14

From retail politics to sitting on the judicial bench, Aurelia Pucinski's life in public service is brimming with wisdom. This Crisis Cast flashback offers a fascinating glimpse into our legal system from a discussion that took place just a week prior to the now infamous 2020 election. Judge Pucinski references her presence on the ballot, and her s…

1
Episode 38g - Svarfdaela Saga (chapters 22-27) 1:39:00

5M ago1:39:00

1:39:00

This is it. We've reached the end of Svarfdaela Saga. In this episode, we discuss the aftermath of Karl the Red's death. Will Ljotolf step up and retake control of the valley? Or will a new contender emerge to challenge his authority? And what becomes of Skidi and Yngvild? The answers may shock you. Seriously. This is a tough one for a number of re…

1
Sgt. Allen Lynch – Unimaginable Heroism 26:56

5M ago26:56

26:56

Allen Lynch spent his childhood in Chicago's south suburbs with fond memories of walks to his grandmother's house in Roseland. Lynch was often bullied, and at age 18, to test his strength he enlisted in the U.S. Army. That was 1964, and one year later the United States had troops on the ground in Vietnam. In 1966, Sgt. Allen Lynch began a tour of s…

1
Crisis Cast Whiteboard – Debating the Biden-Trump Debate(s) 28:03

5M ago28:03

28:03

Two presidential debates between Joe Biden and Donald Trump are on the books. The first will be June 27th at CNN studios in Atlanta. It will have a unique nod to Chicago, because it will take place without an audience on a television set. That was the case in 1960, when WBBM-TV hosted John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon for the first-ever televised d…

1
Crisis Cast Flashback: Sheila Bedi - Driving Toward Justice 31:40

6M ago31:40

31:40

The timing of this conversation left us pondering pathways to change. It was the spring of 2021, and occurred during the days surrounding the verdict in the killing of George Floyd, and the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Chicagoan Adam Toledo. Renowned civil rights attorney Sheila Bedi joined Lissa and Thom to discuss her work surrounding the Chicag…

1
Shia Kapos - What Is A Progressive? 30:31

6M ago30:31

30:31

During this episode, a critical look at Illinois’ strategic players with reporter Shia Kapos, author of Politico’s morning newsletter: the Illinois Playbook. Shia offers up her definition of the city's new brand progressive politics. Lissa & Thom dig in on how she sees the City of Chicago responding to a summer full of global visitors. Plus, we get…

1
Heroics In The Face Of Terror 36:58

6M ago36:58

36:58

During this episode, we’ll share the story behind a new film that documents the terrorist attack on Israel on October 7th, 2023. The documentary is called #NOVA, and it reveals the massacre of hundreds of psy-trance music enthusiasts at a festival on 10/7. Lissa Druss & Thom Serafin are in our chat room to hear the personal story of first responder…

1
Episode 38f - Svarfdaela Saga (chapters 18-21) 1:26:15

6M ago1:26:15

1:26:15

In this episode, things come to a head between the factions of Thorstein the Tumultuous and Ljotolf the godi (quite literally). Listen in and find out what happens as Karl the Red learns about the death of his best friend and the whole valley is thrown into chaos. We're in the heart of the saga now and things are getting real juicy. Join in on the …

1
Crisis Cast Whiteboard: Are The Bears Bluffing? 23:12

6M ago23:12

23:12

Bears President Kevin Warren and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson gathered us all together for a presser on their "Dome By The Lake" on Wednesday. This struck our Crisis Cast crew as an odd rollout. Why was it shoe-horned into a space just prior to the NFL draft? During this episode of the Crisis Cast, Lissa Druss & Thom Serafin ask the question – "Ar…

1
Crisis Cast Flashback - War in Ukraine Through Italy's Eyes 23:08

6M ago23:08

23:08

Just two months into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we had a fascinating conversation with Lissa's cousin, Daniela. She's a veteran journalist on the economic beat, based in Rome. Daniela gave us an early lesson in how the war reverberates very differently across Europe. At that point, Italians were caught in the middle, particularly because 50% …

1
Mitch Rosen - Scoring The Radio Game 40:25

7M ago40:25

40:25

For more than two decades, veteran radio programmer Mitch Rosen has led Audacy's WSCR. "The Score" is Chicago's leading destination for sports talk. During this episode of the Crisis Cast, Thom Serafin finally gets his job interview to join "The Score" lineup of personalities. Lissa Druss stops Thom from pitching 10 hours of daily Sox talk on the C…

1
Episode 38e - Svarfdaela Saga (chapters 14b-17) 1:30:22

7M ago1:30:22

1:30:22

In this episode, Klaufi rescues his friend Karl the Red from a terrible Viking called Atli. But don't get too excited about Klaufi becoming the hero of this saga. He also kills a whole bunch of people, causes general havoc, and even gets married by dubious means. We also get to see him in full berserker mode, which can be fun (if viewed from a dist…

1
Frank Calabrese - The NEW Neighborhood Divide 21:39

7M ago21:39

21:39

While the March '24 primary revealed a disappointing truth in voter participation – it reinforced a shift in ideology within Chicago's neighborhoods and some collar suburbs. Research and public policy analyst Frank Calabrese returns to the Crisis Cast to share what his maps predict about voter trends. During this episode, Lissa Druss & Thom Serafin…

1
Crisis Cast Flashback - Youth Mental Health Crisis 26:23

7M ago26:23

26:23

In the spring of 2021, Lissa & Thom introduced us to a foursome of teens from Naperville Central High School on a mission. They saw their peers suffering through depression, and took action. Through a support group called Beyond Charity – they went on a mission to stop the stigmas associated with mental illness. During this episode of the Crisis Ca…

1
David Haugh - Take Me "Where" To The Ballgame 36:52

7M ago36:52

36:52

As the 2024 major league baseball season opens, Lissa & Thom take a look at the crisis facing the Chicago White Sox. We have one of the coolest heads in the room join us for a conversation about where the South Siders might call home. David Haugh has been the co-host of the morning show on WSCR since 2018. Known for his deep reporting and wise writ…

1
Episode 38d - Svarfdaela Saga (chapters 10-14a) 1:12:43

7M ago1:12:43

1:12:43

With the Big Lacuna now behind us, we embark onto a new adventure in what may or may not be (but probably is) a new saga. Is this the same Thorstein we've come to grow and love? Or is it a different man altogether? In the end, it doesn't matter much because Thorstein shifts into the background as new characters take center stage, like Karl the Red,…

1
Craig Wall - Fighting For Trust 37:16

8M ago37:16

37:16

Once again, we dive into Lissa & Thom's roots in journalism to further explore the challenges of 21st century newsrooms. During this this episode, the Crisis Cast probes a guide to being tenacious, but fair with ABC7's political reporter Craig Wall. With more than 25 years of covering Chicago news and politics, Wall shares how the exponential numbe…

1
Ray Long - Mining The Minds of Madigan 38:28

8M ago38:28

38:28

Chicago Tribune investigative reporter Ray Long makes a return visit to the Crisis Cast to prep Lissa & Thom for the upcoming trial of former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan. During this episode we take a deeper dive into the "minds" that surrounded Madigan, and his unparalleled career in state government. Long also unpacks the recent sentencin…

1
Episode 38c - Svarfdaela Saga (The Big Lacuna) 45:35

8M ago45:35

45:35

In this episode, we find ourselves navigating the murky depths of the massive gap in Svarfdæla saga that we call "The Big Lacuna." What happened to Thorstein Thorgnirsson when he left Sweden? Why is he feuding with someone named Ljotolf in Iceland? How did he get to Iceland? Is that even the same Thorstein or is it Thorstein's son or maybe his gran…

1
A Conversation With Clayton Harris III - Candidate For Cook County State's Attorney 31:24

8M ago31:24

31:24

Block Club Chicago's Quinn Myers interviews Clayton Harris III, on why he thinks he should be Cook County's next State's Attorney.By Clayton Harris III, Jon Hansen, Quinn Myers

1
A Conversation With Eileen O'Neill Burke - Candidate For Cook County State's Attorney 27:06

8M ago27:06

27:06

Block Club Chicago's Quinn Myers interviews Eileen O'Neill Burke, on why she thinks she should be Cook County's next State's Attorney.By Eileen O'Neill Burke, Jon Hansen, Quinn Myers

1
Crisis Cast flashback: Carol Moseley Braun 26:06

8M ago26:06

26:06

We celebrate the first week of Women's History Month by revisiting a conversation with the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Senate. Carol Moseley Braun was also the first woman to represent Illinois as a U.S. senator. Three years ago, the Chicago native visited with Lissa Druss & Thom Serafin the morning after attending the inauguration of Pre…

1
Shamus Toomey - Defining Journalism's Future 38:10

8M ago38:10

38:10

On so many episodes, we've explored and dissected the peril of shrinking local news rooms. This conversation will feel different. Shamus Toomey is among the defining innovators in the growth of journalism. As publisher and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, Shamus has forged the unthinkable – a team of reporters that has tripled in size since Novemb…

1
David Hochberg - The Credit Utilization Crisis 28:46

9M ago28:46

28:46

In part two of our dialogue with David Hochberg, we confront the reality that is plaguing America. We are reaching 70% capacity on credit utilization. As Hochberg puts it, "We are running out of room to spend on stuff we don't need, with money we don't have." During this episode of the Crisis Cast, Lissa & Thom continue their conversation about the…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Vallás Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide