Regional Media Podcast Network

Illinois 74 District Representative Brad Fritts joined us this morning. Brad checks in the second Monday of each month providing the latest out of Springfield and other issues important to North Western Illinois.

In between general assembly and veto sessions Brad is out listening to constituent concerns and shares what he has heard when he stops in.

Henry and Stark County Health Departments and First Choice Healthcare Clinics are highlighting several October health services. RaeAnn Tucker says Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a reminder for women to practice monthly self-exams and schedule clinical exams and mammograms. First Choice clinics in Kewanee and Toulon also offer women’s health and family planning services, including Pap smears, pregnancy testing, and contraceptive options. The clinics have extended a 50-dollar cash General Health and Thyroid Panel blood test special through October, with appointments required. A community outreach event is also set for October 30th from 10 AM to noon at the Co...

The YWCA of The Sauk Valley, a partner agency with both The United Way of Whiteside and Lee Counties is a vital contributor to our communities. The tasks and resources they provide sometimes goes unnoticed. Each Friday, one or two of the dedicated staff members join us on the radio right around 8:30.

Today a familiar name and voice was with us, Jessica Spohn, and she introduced us to Aleisha Cole, who has been with The Y for 5 years.

Crime Stoppers get together generally on the first Monday of the month at The Coliseum in Sterling to discuss and review crime and reports from Whiteside County. The following Friday, Sheriff Booker stops by WSDR, right around 7:30 to share their findings. And as usual other topics might pop into that conversation with The Sheriff.

Katie Laleman from the Henry County Farm Bureau joined Wake Up Tri-Counties to discuss the organization’s upcoming programs and reminded farmers and motorists to prioritize safety during the busy harvest season. Katie Laleman says drivers should allow extra travel time and pass farm machinery only when it’s clearly safe.

Farm Bureau’s Bushels for Hunger grain drive is underway through year’s end, supporting River Bend Food Bank and local pantries. Since 2010, the effort has raised more than $350,000, helping provide nearly 1.8 million meals.

Upcoming events include Cram the Cab at Geneseo Fareway on November...

Sauk Talk, news and information from Sauk Valley Community College, the first Friday of every month. We visit with various departments and staff through out the year to get a broad perspective on courses and programs available. The most frequent carrier of information is Jim Grot. This time around we discussed an open house on campus coming up next week, a little on The Impact Program and a few other events happening.

Friday at the Movies with Sean returns on the Hog Country Radio Network, as regional film critic Sean Kernan reviews The Social Reckoning. The film stars Mikey Madison and Jeremy Allen White in a story tied to Facebook, whistleblowing, and the Wall Street Journal series that exposed concerns over Meta’s algorithms. Kernan says the subject is important and worthy of a major film, but the execution falls short. His main criticism centers on Aaron Sorkin’s writing and direction, saying the characters sound too similar and the style overwhelms the story. His verdict: The Social Reckoning is not recomm...

The Sterling Police Department is proud to announce that our Detectives Division will be hosting a Winter Gear Drive benefiting the April House Children's Advocacy Center. We’ll be collecting new youth winter gear in sizes 3T and up to help local children stay warm this winter. We are accepting: Gloves Scarves Boots Coats Hats Monetary donations are also appreciated!   The event will take place on Friday, October 23rd, from 8:00 AM–12:00 PM at the Sterling Police Department, 212 3rd Ave — South Parking Lot. Andrew Stutzke WQAD will also be making an appearance!

Nathan Jacobs, Recreational Services Director for The City of Morrison joined us this morning with 2 great fall events coming  up in Morrison. The Morrison Tombstone Tee-Off Glow Tournament coming up Saturday, October 17th, followed by The Nightmare on High St. 3K Run/Walk. Both events are fun for the whole family.

Go to www.quickscores.com/morrisonsports to get registered for one or both!

Keri not only shared important campaign information with us, we also talked about the  Coin Campaign, We are working on the annual campaign and like every year, we ask school children in Whiteside to bring in change to support UW campaign. We raise thousands with pennies every year. Will Hand out almost 200 coin cans, at 16 schools. We also talked about some "Dine United" dates coming up as well.

Galva city leaders are moving ahead on several community projects following Monday night’s council meeting. Mayor Rich Volkert says the city observed a moment of silence for former councilman and longtime firefighter Doug Anderson, who died recently at age 91. The council also approved a $25,000 sale of a former Chevrolet building to James Steinke, also known as Cleen Rock One, of Kewanee, who plans to create a shop and art studio. Galva is investing $171,000 in Well Four upgrades, expected to prevent higher repair costs without raising water rates. Residents are also reminded cemetery decorations must be removed by October 11th...

OSF HealthCare is urging Tri-County residents to use caution when buying prescription medications online. Samantha Ruggs says many online pharmacies skip critical safeguards, including licensed prescriptions, pharmacist review, and state licensing. She warns that prices that seem too low, foreign-based sellers, or sites that redirect payment can be red flags. Ruggs points to safe.pharmacy and BeSafeRx as tools to verify legitimacy. The warning comes amid concerns over counterfeit drugs, including fake Ozempic products that can closely resemble the real medication. OSF also reminds the community its Blessing of the Pets is Wednesday, October 7th, at 12:30 PM.

Sterling Mayor Diana Merdian and City Manager Scott Shumard found the station at the new location this morning. of course, not much of a challenge for them. 

The Mayor and Scott are gracious enough to stop in the morning after city council meeting, which at times can go late the night before. Today up for information was some infrastructure projects, some on going, some underway and some down the road. We also talked about the citizen survey that will be available on the city website, as the questionable intersection concerns get a closer look. Plus more.

The Kewanee Park District has begun work on a major expansion and renovation of the Baker Park clubhouse, following a recent groundbreaking ceremony. Andy Dwyer of the Kewanee Park District discussed the project and other park improvements during a recent Wake Up Tri-Counties morning show interview.

The approximately $4 million project will renovate the existing 19th Hole clubhouse and add new recreational and community spaces. Plans include a multi-use simulator for golf and other activities, an expanded pro shop, renovated restaurant space, and a new banquet area for community events, parties, weddings, golf outings, and other gatherings.

RaeAnn Tucker joined Wake Up Tri-Counties with updates from the Henry and Stark County Health Department and First Choice Healthcare. Mental Illness Awareness Week runs October 4th through 10th, highlighting local counseling, therapy, and medication management services for children and adults. The department is also promoting free Better Birth Outcomes support for expectant parents and families with babies under six months old. Get Covered Illinois Navigators will be at several local events in October to help residents review health insurance options. First Choice Healthcare has also extended its $50 general health and thyroid lab special through October. Call 309-852-5272...

Film critic Sean Kernan spotlights Diggers this week on Friday at the Movies across the Hog Country Radio Network. The film stars Tom Cruise as Digger Rockwell, a billionaire oil baron facing the fallout from a massive economic and environmental disaster tied to his drilling empire. Kernan calls the movie loud, messy, strange, and fascinating, comparing its climate-change satire to Dr. Strangelove. He says Cruise delivers one of the strongest performances of his career, with enough force to enter the Oscar conversation. Kernan also teases a major twist audiences won’t see coming.

Tony checked in by phone this morning ahead of a busy day on the road. We talked about the 3rd anniversary of the cashless bail in Illinois courts known as The Safe T Act. And a few new taxes, possible AI legislation and more.

OSF HealthCare is wrapping up its United Way campaign after a pie-in-the-face fundraiser brought in more than $800, with hopes of topping $3,000 locally. Upcoming events include a blood drive Thursday, October 1st, from 7 AM to 5 PM in the hospital’s East-West Conference Room, with registration available at bloodcenter.org. OSF will also host a Blessing of the Pets on Wednesday, October 7th, at 12:30 PM near the main entrance, alongside Humane Society adoptable pets from 11 AM to 1 PM. OSF also reminds families to limit screen time, especially one hour before bedtime.

Wake Up Tri-Counties RaeAnn Talks Suicide Prevention, Emergency Preparedness Month, Food Safety Month, Contraception Day, and Lyme Disease. Henry and Stark County health officials are highlighting several September awareness efforts aimed at keeping families safe and informed. RaeAnn Tucker says Suicide Prevention Month is a reminder that help is available anytime through the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The departments are also promoting Emergency Preparedness Month, urging residents to build a plan, make a kit, and stay alert. Food Safety Month focuses on clean, separate, cook, and chill practices to prevent illness. First Choice Healthcare is also recognizing World Contraception...

This morning Tessa Brubacker with Crisis Services at The Y and Brayden Everly, with The Domestic Violence Program joined us to talk about The Girls Summit coming up in October, along with Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Brian Melton, Morrison City Administrator is a welcome edition to the WSDR monthly interview calendar. This morning we discussed the IDOT Route 30 upcoming project that will affect traffic thru Morrison when the plan gets going. From Jackson St West to 78, the bumpy passage thru the area will receive much needed attention. Brian also mentioned the new city utility payment option now available online.

Kewanee Public Library is gearing up for a busy fall, led by its annual art show. Artwork submissions will be accepted beginning September 28th, with opening night set for October 8th at 6 p.m. The show welcomes photography, painting, sketching, sculpture, needle arts, and more, with entries open to students in seventh grade through adults. Children can also take part in a nonjudged kids’ art exhibit upstairs.

Other upcoming programs include storytime Tuesdays on YouTube and Thursdays in-house, a property tax presentation September 29th at 10 AM, and a Halloween open house October 24th. The library will be cl...

Friday at the Movies with Sean returns this week on the Hog Country Radio Network, featuring Regional Media film critic Sean Kernan and his review of Prime Time, starring Robert Pattinson.

The film takes audiences behind the scenes of the controversial television series To Catch a Predator, the NBC program hosted by Chris Hansen that became both a cultural phenomenon and, eventually, a source of significant controversy.

The series centered on confronting men who had allegedly communicated online with children and arranged to meet them at homes staged for the television program. The confrontations became s...

On CGH About Your Health, we were joined by Amanda Blaine, Executive Director of the CGH Health Foundation, and Delicious Designs event Co-Chair Lindsey Pistole.

For the past 13 years, the CGH Health Foundation has hosted Delicious Designs, which is a virtual event, including an auction and dessert auction that typically supports breast health services for the women of the Sauk Valley. As we have done for the last five years, we are also funding our Dementia Project to help raise awareness about this awful disease and to continue to improve services in our area.

During...

Flu shots are now available through First Choice Healthcare Clinics in Kewanee and Toulon, according to RaeAnn Tucker with the Henry and Stark County Health Departments. Vaccinations are offered for adults and children six months and older, with adult shots available weekdays from 8 to 4 by appointment or walk-in. Children’s flu shots require an appointment. The vaccine is no cost with Medicare or insurance; the cash price is $60. Tucker also highlighted fall respiratory virus guidance, World Lung Day reminders, and upcoming Get Covered Illinois Navigator events in Kewanee to help residents review health insurance options. More information is available at...

Bishop Hill Ag Days returns this Saturday and Sunday from 10 to 4, offering a free, family-friendly look at 19th-century harvest life. Todd Dedecker says rain is forcing some layout changes, with several activities moving to higher, drier ground. Steve’s Mobile Petting Zoo will relocate behind the Blacksmith Shop area, while vendors are expected near the Colony Store, with a street closure planned. Visitors can enjoy pioneer demonstrations, food, music from Coffee Creek, Nordic dancing, museum activities, and people movers around town. Updated locations will be posted by the Bishop Hill Heritage Association. Volunteers are also needed Thursday at 10 at th...

Henry County Farm Bureau is spotlighting National Farm Safety and Health Week, September 21st through 25th, with reminders for both farmers and drivers as harvest season approaches. Katie Laliman says nearly 200 driver’s education students recently took part in a Share the Road program at the Cambridge fairgrounds, learning how to safely navigate around large farm equipment. A similar program is planned next week at Geneseo High School. The Farm Bureau is also judging FFA farm safety displays in Cambridge, Galva, Geneseo, and Kewanee while selecting winners for FFA jacket scholarships. A market outlook seminar is set for November 12th...

Samantha Rux from OSF HealthCare joined Wake Up Tri-Counties to talk about the upcoming Blood Drive, Feast of Saint Francis, Blessing of the Pets, vaccines, and chronic illness prevention. OSF HealthCare St. Luke is heading into a busy fall season with community events and health reminders. The hospital’s October blood drive is set for Thursday, October 1st, from 7 AM to 5 PM in the East West Conference Room, with registration available through bloodcenter.org. OSF will also mark the Feast of St. Francis on Wednesday, October 7th, welcoming the Henry County Humane Society from 11 AM to 1 PM. A community pe...

A new Wake Up Tri-County interview spotlighted concerns over pilot health and aviation safety. Dr. Sal Giorgianni, senior science advisor for Men’s Health Network, discussed research showing flight crews may face elevated cancer risks from repeated radiation exposure at cruising altitude. He also warned that pilots may delay medical care out of fear that a diagnosis could threaten their careers. Giorgianni said FAA medical certification rules need modernization, with better communication between physicians and aviation examiners. He emphasized that safety improves when pilots are encouraged to seek preventive care early, rather than hide symptoms until conditions become more se...

Former Congressman and U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Francis Rooney joined Ken Peel on Wake Up Tri-County to discuss U.S. foreign policy, NATO, Ukraine, tariffs, China, Iran, Venezuela, and the Vatican. Rooney criticized the Trump administration’s approach to global alliances, saying it has strained relations with Europe and raised questions about NATO’s future. On Ukraine, he said Europe must show long-term resolve if it hopes to pressure Russia toward a settlement. Rooney also questioned the effectiveness of tariffs and called diplomacy essential in Iran and other hot spots. He also praised Pope Leo’s leader...

The rising cost of health care was the focus of a recent Wake Up Tri-Counties interview with Phil Kerpen, president of American Commitment and principal of Unleash Prosperity. Host Ken Peel spoke with Kerpen about an article examining the role of hospital consolidation and nonprofit tax-exempt status in driving health care costs. Kerpen said there are multiple factors contributing to rising health care expenses, including insurance companies, government policies, and pharmaceutical costs, but argued that hospital costs deserve greater attention.

According to Kerpen, hospital prices have been one of the fastest-rising components of inflation over the past...

Phil Kerpen, President of American Commitment, joined Ken Peel on Wake Up Tri-County to discuss Medicare drug pricing and recent declines in prescription costs. Kerpen argued the reported 3.1 percent drop in drug prices is tied to Trump-era competition policies, not the Inflation Reduction Act. He criticized federal price controls, saying they may discourage drug development, especially cancer research. Kerpen also urged patients to compare cash prices with insurance prices at the pharmacy, noting some prescriptions may cost less without insurance processing. He said broader direct-to-consumer sales and international trade pressure could further affect drug prices.

Jill from The YWCA of The Sauk Valley joined us for Friday. We reflected on The United Way Awards and Campaign Kick Off, and the recognition The Y received. And of course we talked about the services available thru their many programs.

RaeAnn Tucker from the Henry and Stark County Health Departments and First Choice Healthcare Clinics joined Wake Up Tri-Counties to talk about sexual health awareness, Septic Smart Week, the lab special, outreach events, and insurance navigators. The Henry and Stark County Health Departments and First Choice Healthcare Clinics are bringing their “12 Communities, 12 Months” outreach event to Annawan today. Residents can stop by the Purple Onion Restaurant at 311 West Front Street from 10 until noon for free blood pressure checks, health information, giveaways, medication disposal, and help from a Get Covered Illinois Insurance Navigator.

The Health Department says the goal...

Sheriff Booker stops in once a month with the Crimestopper Report. Luckily this month not much to report. The Sheriff did discuss some concerns in the county and the state due to The Safety Act.

“Friday at the Movies with Sean” spotlights a surprising new entry in the Resident Evil franchise, now in theaters. Regional media film critic Sean Kernan says longtime skeptics may find plenty to enjoy this time around. Directed by Zack Cregger, known for Weapons and Barbarian, the reboot leans into survival horror while adding sharp humor and fast-paced action. Austin Abrams stars as an outsider pulled into chaos in Raccoon City, where a zombie outbreak unleashes grotesque new monsters. Kernan says the film is scary, funny, and unexpectedly entertaining — even for non-gamers.

Denise talked about some changes at the center, and some of the services provided by the center.