01. ICE Agents at the Airport: Know Your Rights
02. Women’s History Month: Hospitality’s Huge Gender Pay Gap
03. How AI Can Fix Our Broken Healthcare System
04. The Church Is Using AI to Help Parishioners in Pain
05. Brewery Doubles Down on Free Beer Offer After Trump’s Mueller Post
06. The Diplomatic Skills Every Leader Needs — But No One Teaches
07. Can’t Put Your Phone Down? Simple Ways to Reclaim Your Attention
08. Spring Health Detox: What to Cut First
09. Love Is in the Air: Re-Entering the Dating Pool After 50
10. America’s Loneliness Epidemic: Why Life’s Hardest Moments Push Us Into Isolation
11. Will You Work Past Retirement Age?
12. The Biggest Myths About Healing
13. How to Use Your Body as a Gateway to Higher Consciousness
14. Blocked Chakras, Blocked Health: How Energy Balance Affects Your Body
15. What You Don’t Know About Yoga Could Hurt You
1. ==> ICE Agents at the Airport: Know Your Rights
Federal immigration agents are being deployed to 14 major airports across the country to assist overburdened TSA agents who have been working without pay for weeks due to the partial government shutdown. Details remain sketchy about what the ICE agents will be doing, but Naureen Shah, director of policy and government affairs for immigration at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) says, “This is the exact opposite of what the American people are clamoring for, which are real, enforceable changes to rein in ICE and Border Patrol’s cruel deportation and detention obsession.” As for what this means for travelers, she advises those travelling domestically or internationally to know their rights when doing so. She’ll discuss US citizens’ rights at the airport, residents’ and non-citizens’ rights, and what to do if an agent asks for your phone. Shah also suggests having an attorney’s contact on standby – preferably on an easily accessible piece of paper – which could be useful if passengers feel their rights are being violated. Civil rights advocates caution that as the shutdown continues and ICE deployment begins, travelers could be entering an uncertain legal landscape. The ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project is dedicated to expanding and enforcing the civil liberties and civil rights of immigrants and to combating public and private discrimination against them. To arrange interviews, contact the ACLU media department at (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org
2. ==> Women’s History Month: Hospitality’s Huge Gender Pay Gap
Women make up 53.3% of food service workers and 57.8% of hotel staff, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. They are not, however, getting paid like it. National hospitality job platform OysterLink analyzed earnings data and found a persistent and in some roles widening gender wage gap across hospitality industries. “Hospitality has always had this image of being a place where hustle matters more than background,” says Milos Eric, GM at OysterLink. “And at the entry level, that’s largely true — the gap for dishwashers and fast-food workers is minimal. But the further up the career ladder you go, the wider the gap gets. Women are doing the work of running this industry and not seeing it reflected in their paychecks.” Male bartenders earn significantly more than their female counterparts but even more concerning to Eric is that women earn just 72.8 cents for every dollar their male counterparts make in the same food management role. “You can rationalize some of the front-line differences through tip variability or hours. You can’t rationalize a $17,680-a-year gap between male and female food service managers doing the same job. That’s a structural problem,” he says. Contact Ana Demidova at ana@oysterlink.com
3. ==> How AI Can Fix Our Broken Healthcare System
Dr. Robin Blackstone has spent her career in healthcare as a surgeon, healthcare executive, and former global medical director at Johnson & Johnson. She says artificial intelligence and systems redesign could fundamentally restructure American healthcare, not by replacing clinicians, but by correcting structural failures that science alone cannot solve. Invite her to discuss why she believes that America’s healthcare crisis is not due to a lack of scientific advancement; it is due to misaligned incentives, fragmented data systems, administrative overload, and institutional mistrust. Despite leading the world in biomedical research and spending, the United States ranks near the bottom among developed nations in health outcomes, a gap Dr. Blackstone argues is structural, not scientific. Her new book, “Doctor AI: Reimagining Healthcare, Rebuilding Trust, Delivering Health 4.0.” Contact Johanna Ramos-Boyer at (703) 646-5137 (office); (703) 400-1099 (cell)
4. ==> The Church Is Using AI to Help Parishioners in Pain
America is suffering from a mental health crisis and many are desperate for help but don’t know where to turn or are afraid to be judged. As a growing number of people turn to AI with their deeply personal questions about mental health, relationships, grief, anxiety and spiritual struggles, there’s a new online platform that provides Scriptural guidance on over 100 life topics. Built on June Hunt’s “Keys for Living Library,” the platform is a partnership between Hope for the Heart and Pray.com. Dr. Eric Scalise, a longtime counselor, president of Hope for the Heart and one of the key voices behind the new initiative, can discuss where biblical counseling fits in today’s culture and how technology can serve — not replace — sound, Scripture-centered care. He’ll speak to the mental health crisis, the lingering stigma surrounding mental health that keeps people from seeking treatment and why private access matters. Contact Mark Breta at mark@jonesliterary.com
5. ==> Brewery Doubles Down on Free Beer Offer After Trump’s Mueller Post
Back in January a little brewery in Wisconsin made headlines for offering free beer, all day long, on the day that Donald Trump dies. The Minocqua Brewing Company took some heat for the promotion but stuck to their guns and even offered Trump voodoo dolls that it openly hoped might be able to assist in getting to the day quicker. So, it probably should not be surprising that the brewery did not stay quiet when Trump celebrated the death of former FBI Director, Marine and Purple Heart winner Robet Mueller over the weekend. The brewery posted on social media a message to critics: “Our notorious offer of free beer when ‘he’ dies is still on the table, and for all those who thought that internationally viral post was a little too dark or ‘classless,’ here’s exhibit ‘A’ on what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.” Kirk Bangstad started selling #progressivebeer after being forced to sell his brewpub during the pandemic. He created the Minocqua Brewing Company SuperPAC, which he calls “Dark Money Meant for Good,” and sponsors the weekly Up North Podcast in partnership with Up North News. Contact Kirk Bangstad at kirk@minocquabrewingcompany.com or info@minocquabrewingcompany.com
6. ==> The Diplomatic Skills Every Leader Needs — But No One Teaches
Great leaders aren’t just decisive, they’re deliberate. “In high-stakes rooms where every word carries weight, success depends on skills rarely taught in business school: listening with precision, speaking with intention, and navigating conflict without escalating it,” says author and former diplomat Dianne Olvera. Drawing from real-world diplomacy and leadership experience, this approach reveals how to manage tough conversations, defuse tension, and influence outcomes without overpowering the room. “It’s about knowing when to speak, when to pause, and how to choose language that builds trust instead of resistance,” she says. Dianne is a board-certified educational therapist and the author of “The Power of Connection: Understanding Individual Differences to Uplift and Empower.” She’s also a former diplomat and spy. Contact Dianne Olvera at (805) 779-3558; dolvera@rtirguests.com
7. ==> Can’t Put Your Phone Down? Simple Ways to Reclaim Your Attention
Americans check their phones an average of 90+ times a day. Many admit they feel distracted, anxious, and mentally scattered, but can’t seem to stop scrolling. Author and consciousness teacher Mitra Manesh says this isn’t a willpower problem. It’s an attention crisis, and most of us don’t even realize how deeply it’s shaping our lives. On your show, Mitra explains how constant digital stimulation quietly trains the brain to live in “survival mode,” why even successful people struggle to focus, and how reclaiming attention can restore clarity, calm, and real choice. Drawing from her book “The Attentionist: New Choices for a New World,” she’ll share practical ways people can interrupt distraction patterns and begin leading their lives rather than reacting to them. Contact Mitra Manesh at (310) 807-3031; mmanesh@rtirguests.com
8. ==> Spring Health Detox: What to Cut First
Spring has a way of inspiring a good detox, but before cutting sugar or starting a cleanse, what if the first habit to rethink is caffeine? More than two-thirds of American adults consume caffeine daily, often without considering whether they’re dependent on it. Health researcher and author Norbert Heuser, drawing from over 45 years of study and insights from his book “Coffee Addiction & Caffeinism,” says caffeine doesn’t truly create energy, it often masks withdrawal and disrupts the body’s natural balance. He explains how everyday caffeine use may contribute to anxiety, sleep problems, chronic fatigue, fertility challenges, and reduced gray brain matter while remaining culturally normalized. On your show, Norbert breaks down how caffeine dependency develops, what really happens during withdrawal, and how to reset your nervous system without sacrificing productivity. He also shares realistic strategies and satisfying alternatives for those ready to try a spring caffeine detox. Contact Norbert Heuser at (727) 261-2313; nheuser@rtirguests.com
9. ==> Love Is in the Air: Re-Entering the Dating Pool After 50
For millions of single Americans over 50, Spring brings renewed hope for love. But dating later in life comes with risks many smart, successful women still overlook. Dr. Victoria Vaughn says experience doesn’t always protect against blind spots. In fact, loneliness, optimism, and the belief that “time is short” can make red flags easier to ignore. On-air, she reveals the warning signs mature singles often miss—from fast-forward romance and financial fog to charming manipulators who feel exciting but unstable. She explains why women (and men) sometimes settle after 50, how to spot emotional unavailability early, and why the biggest myth about love later in life may be the most damaging: that there’s only one soulmate. Blending humor with hard-earned insight from her memoir “Oh the Frogs I Kissed Before I Finally Found My Prince,” Dr. Vaughn offers practical, buyer-beware guidance for anyone reentering the dating world this spring. Contact Dr. Victoria Vaughn at (512) 580-8531; vwiesen@rtirguests.com
10. ==> America’s Loneliness Epidemic: Why Life’s Hardest Moments Push Us Into Isolation
America is facing what the U.S. Surgeon General recently called an epidemic of loneliness. Nearly half of adults say they feel isolated at times, and that isolation often deepens during life’s hardest moments: serious illness, caregiving, grief, infertility, or financial uncertainty. Author and loneliness coach Karen Kay Smith asserts these “waiting room seasons” can quietly push people away from the very support they need most. On your show, Smith explains why people often shift into “functioning versus feeling” during crises, how emotional suppression fuels loneliness, and why many struggle to communicate what they truly need. She offers practical, yet life-changing tools listeners can use immediately, including how a simple “breath prayer” can replace pressure-filled spiritual routines, why naming emotions out loud can be more healing than staying strong, and how her “3 C’s” framework—confidence, communication, and community—helps people rebuild connection step by step. Drawing from 15 years caring for her husband during his battle with multiple sclerosis, along with years in women’s ministry and training as a transformational life coach, Smith brings a rare blend of lived experience and practical guidance to conversations about loneliness and connection. She is the author of “Nearsighted: Choosing to See Eating Disorders Differently” and the upcoming “Hope Has a Seat in Every Waiting Room.” Contact Karen Kay Smith at (256) 812-5106; ksmith@rtirguests.com
11. ==> Will You Work Past Retirement Age?
Many Americans worry they are already too far behind to retire comfortably. Tom Loegering explains why so many people end up working longer than planned and why it is rarely too late to change direction. Research from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College shows nearly half of working households risk falling short in retirement, often because they believe missed opportunities cannot be fixed. Loegering is a financial planner, entrepreneur, and author who shows how small adjustments, even later in life, can create meaningful change. He is also the Founder and CEO of Golf Program in Schools, a nonprofit that has helped more than 51,000 students prepare for their futures. Ask him: Why do so many Americans assume it’s too late to fix retirement plans? What’s the biggest mistake people make when working longer feels inevitable? What can people in their 50s or 60s still do today? Contact Tom Loegering at (623) 400-8648; tloegering@rtirguests.com
12. ==> The Biggest Myths About Healing
Healing is not neat, inspiring, or Instagram-ready, and pretending it is leaves people feeling broken. Avonley Lightstone can explain why healing often looks messy, slow, and unresolved, and why lingering pain does not mean failure. She’ll challenge the belief that healing requires closure and reframe progress as something that can happen even when wounds remain. Lightstone speaks from lived experience. After losing her mother in a childhood house fire and facing abandonment soon after, she learned that healing comes in small, honest steps, not sudden breakthroughs. She is the author of “Strength of Scars,” a memoir on resilience and faith, and her story has gained media attention as it moves toward a potential film or television adaptation. Contact Avonley Lightstone at (801) 980-0447; alightstone@rtirguests.com
13. ==> How to Use Your Body as a Gateway to Higher Consciousness
Doreen Mary Bray, who has worked between worlds for over 40 years as a naturopath and mystical guide, carries a radical message: your body isn’t a vehicle you’re trapped in—it’s what your soul longed for and chose. She teaches that souls wait lifetimes for the privilege of embodiment, selecting parents, place, and form to walk on beaches, feel touch, and experience love. In interviews, Bray will reveal how souls choose incarnation and what that means for how we live. She’ll explain why anxiety and depression may be your soul’s language trying to break through and why learning to honor the body as sacred—not fix or transcend it—is the awakening our time demands. Listeners will discover practices for hearing their soul’s voice and understanding embodiment as the miracle it truly is. Doreen Mary Bray is the author of “The Angel and the Avatar.” Contact Doreen Bray at (438) 802-0280; Dbray@rtirguests.com
14. ==> Blocked Chakras, Blocked Health: How Energy Balance Affects Your Body
When symptoms don’t respond to traditional approaches, Marilyn Mercado looks at energy. She explains how emotional stress and unresolved experiences can disrupt the body’s energy centers, often showing up as pain, fatigue, or recurring illness. Mercado helps audiences understand how chakra balance supports physical and emotional health and how simple awareness practices can restore flow. Her perspective offers an intriguing complement to conventional wellness conversations. Marilyn is an energy practitioner and holistic wellness expert specializing in chakra balance and mind-body healing. Contact her at (805) 332-4863; mmercado@rtirguests.com
15. ==> What You Don’t Know About Yoga Could Hurt You
Some people think of yoga as a type of stretching. Others see it as a stress reliever. But Joann Lutz says that’s just the tip of the iceberg of what yoga has to offer. Invite this trauma therapist and yoga expert to reveal the deeper healing secrets of yoga. No matter what your body type or health challenges, Joann says there’s a good chance that doing the right yoga practices will help you live a better life. Unfortunately, people often choose the wrong practice for them. Joann will describe which yoga practices are the best ones for each person and reveal why some popular yoga styles can make your symptoms worse. Joann Lutz has been blending yoga, somatic psychotherapy and neuroscience for more than 20 years. Her new book is “Trauma Healing in the Yoga Zone.” Contact her at jlutz@rtirguests.com; (413) 340-5056