Explore every episode of the podcast Penny For Your Thoughts

Jim Dey hosts Penny. Today’s guest is Ray Long, retired Chicago Tribune investigative reporter, discussing politics in Chicago and the State of Illinois. Hour two is a Penny open line with Jim Dey and Ed Bond.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny. University of Illinois professor Sheldon Jacobsen joins the conversation in the second hour.

Brian Barnhart hosts a Penny open line, Kay Greene from C-U Ballet talks about The Little Mermaid coming to The Virginia Theater on May 1st and 2nd.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny and previews, The Last Dance, the final Ebertfest with festival director Nate Kohn, actor Samantha Smart, co-writer and director Luke Boyce and Chaz Ebert. Maestro Ian Hobson joins Brian in the second hour to promote Sinfonia Da Camera: American Spring coming to Krannert Center on Saturday, April 18, 2026.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny. En-Chi Lin and Amanda Ramey from CU Tango talk about this week’s CU Tango Music Festival. Jan Seeley joins Brian to talk about the Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend.

Brian Barnhart hosts a Penny open line and welcomes John Currey, music director at Central High School, to promote a fundraiser and the 57th Annual Central Jazz Festival. News-Gazette columnist Peggy Prichard joins Brian for open-line conversation in the second hour.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny. Larry Fredrickson and John Peeler discuss the Whey Jennings benefit for veterans on April 11th. Sharla Jolly has an update on Coaches vs Cancer and Mike Haile discusses the end of CBS News and the start of Fox News on WDWS.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny with Dave Leake discussing the NASA Artimis II mission. Jim Dey from The News-Gazette joins Brian for an open line in the second hour.

Brian Barnhart hosts a Penny open line and Ginger Mills from the Cunningham Children’s Home talks about the Festival of Quilts on Friday and Saturday, April 10 and 11.

Brian Barnhart hosts a Penny open line and Sue and Tom Grey after Sue’s recent retirement as CEO of United Way of Champaign County.

Brian Barnhart and Loren Tate host Monday Morning Quarterbacks after the Illinois loss to Uconn in the Final Four. Dr. Ed Hightower, a former NCAA basketball official, joins the conversation in hour two.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny. Dr. Joe Thomas from the Urbana Theological Seminary discusses Good Friday and Easter. Tim Brando from Fox Sports looks at the Illini in the Final Four. Open line calls from Indianapolis around the Final Four.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny. Illini Final Four conversation for most of the program. Randy Rosenbaum, chief judge of the 6th Circuit, joins Brian to discuss Law Day on May 1st.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny. Jerry Hester, former Illini player and broadcaster, joins Brian to talk Final Four Basketball. Rachael Dallas from Crisis Nursery discusses activities around Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Brian Barnhart is in Final Four week on Penny. Bruce Weber, the last Illinois coach to take the team to the Final Four, joins Brian in the first hour. Dee Brown, from the 2005 team, joins Brian in the second hour.

Brian Barnhart and Loren Tate host Monday Morning Quarterbacks with former Illini Mike LaTulip as The Illini get ready to go to The Final Four.

Brian Barnhart hosts the show live from Houston, Texas after last night’s dramatic Illini win over Houston. Brian recaps the game and takes your calls/texts in hour #1. Hour #2 was a “Flashback Friday” with the topic of “fancy’ restaurants.

Brian Barnhart hosts the show live from Houston, Texas ahead of the Illini’s sweet 16 game tonight. Former Illini Doug Altenberger visits in hour #1 to talk about tonight’s context and Jan Seely stops by the studio in hour #2 to talk about the upcoming Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend.

Brian Barnhart hosts the show live from Houston with open lines both hours. Perry Morris and Will Best from the Champaign County Historical Museum stop by in hour #1 to talk about a clothing sale collaboration with Kuhn’s as a museum fundraiser then, in hour #2, Dan Marker (Hickory Point Bank) and Rush Record (Champaign County CASA) talk about Child Abuse Awareness Month in April and how you can contribute. Start seeing pinwheels!

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny. Today a conversation with former Judge Mike Carroll.

Brian Barnhart and Loren Tate host Monday Morning Quarterbacks. Former Illini Trent Meacham discusses Illinois basketball and the NCAA Tournament. Mike Koon joins the conversation to discuss the Illini Women’s win in the NCAA Tournament.

Brian Barnhart hosts an open line for hour #1 from Greenville, South Carolina (including game highlights from last night's victory) then the News-Gazette's Jim Dey stops by for hour #2 to discuss the elections and the Middle East.

Brian Barnhart hosts the show live from Greenville, South Carolina for tonight’s NCAA basketball game. Guests include the News-Gazette’s Scott Richey on tonight’s game, Michael Evans on the upcoming “Illini Get Pickled” event to benefit Cunningham Children’s Home, and Beth Brotherton, Communications Director for Greenville (and former Champaign resident).

In hour #1, Brian talks to attorney and former city council member Tom Bruno about voting and the elections then, in hour #2, Max Armstrong talks about his colleague Orion Samuelson, then we check in with Delia Jervier, executive director of the Illinois Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.

Brian Barnhart spend two hours with Judge Robert Steigmann discussing primary elections, voting, the SAVE Act and more.

Brian Barnhart and Loren Tate host Monday Morning Quarterbacks. They discuss the Illinois loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament and look ahead to the NCAA game vs Penn on Thursday. Mike Koon joins the conversation to discuss the woman’s draw in the NCAA.

Dave Leake sits in for Brian Barnhart while Brian gets ready to broadcast the Big Ten tournament game. In hour #1 we talk Parkland College and their 60th anniversary celebration with President Pamela Lau, Vice-President Stephanie Stuart and Foundation Exec Director Danielle Wilberg, then, in hour #2, meteorologist Steve Hilberg stops by to talk about rainfall, severe weather and hail stones.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny. Sanford Hess, candidate for County Executive in Champaign, joins Brian to discuss his campaign. Deon Thomas, Brian’s partner on Illinois Basketball broadcasts, talks about the Big Ten Tournament.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny. Mark Brown from Experience C-U, with Parker Arnholdt and Andrew Ziegler from State Farm Center discuss plans for the IHSA boy’s basketball tournament. Michelle Jett, candidate for Champaign County Executive, joins Brian to talk about the primary election. In the second hour, Lee Hall from the WDWS staff talks about the IHSA basketball tournament. Brayden and Tyler Henry, the twins from Unity Basketball, talk about playing at State Farm Center in the tournament tomorrow.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny. Jason Marry, Expert Bracketologist for Illinois Men’s Basketball, discusses where Illinois is headed in the NCAA tournament.

Brian Barnhart and Loren Tate host Monday Morning Quarterbacks with Mike LaTulip. Brian, Loren and Mike discuss the Illini win over Maryland and look ahead to the Big Ten Tournament.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny. Josh Johnson, executive director of communications, Gibson Area Hospital & Health Services, discusses the new services available in Urbana, Illinois. Marilyn Whelan talks about life experiences in rural Champaign County.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny. Sharla Jolly and Craig Pessman have an update on the Coaches vs Cancer, Kickin’ Cancer event coming April 15th. Nathan Chaplin, Douglas County Sheriff, joins Brian to discuss his reelection campaign.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny. Julia Rietz, Champaign County States Attorney, answers listener questions. Jeff McCausland, CBS military analyst, discusses current events in the Iran conflict. Open line conversation about the Illinois vs Oregon basketball game.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny for Your Thoughts. Scott Turner, US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and former Illini football player, joins Brian to discuss his recent trip to Champaign for the Trump administration. Jim Dey joins Brian for an open line in the second hour.

Brian Barnhart and Loren Tate host Monday Morning Quarterbacks after the Illini basketball loss to Michigan.

Brian Barnhart has a fun Penny today. The show starts with a Penny open line. Then Flashback Friday your favorite memories of The Assembly Hall, aka State Farm Center.

Brian Barnhart with a Penny open line and a visit with Maestro Ian Hobson, to promote Sinfonia da Camera for an all-Rachmaninoff evening featuring two emotionally charged masterworks, both famously known as "Rach 3" coming Saturday, February 28, 2026, to The Krannert Center.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny. Tony Bruno, president of Champaign Unit 4 Schools, and Dr. Geovanny Ponce, the incoming superintendent of schools, join Brian in the first hour. The Hickory Point Bank impact segment includes Steve Tock and Charlie Osbourn from Hickory Point Bank with Chad Hoffman and Rachel Voss from Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County.

Brian Barnhart hosts a Penny open line.

Brian Barnhart and Loren Tate host Monday Morning Quarterbacks after the Illini basketball tour of Los Angeles.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny with Champaign Mayor, Deb Frank-Feinen

Scott Beatty visits with Grammy and JUNO award winner Natalie MacMaster. She and her husband, Donnell Leahy, will bring a team of some of the world's top Celtic musicians to the Krannert Center for energetic and joyous performance on Mar. 3.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny. Former Governor Pat Quinn discusses his income tax-property tax proposal. Scott Beatty visits with Grammy and Canadian JUNO award winner Natalie MacMaster. She and her husband will bring some of the world's top Celtic musicians to the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts for a high-energy performance on Tuesday, March 3.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny. Today, Ray Elliott announces a remembrance and flag dedication ceremony that will be held from 4–6 pm. Feb. 21 at Urbana VFW Post 630 for Urbana High School graduate and Marine Cpl. Richard L. “Dick” Pittman. Scott Richey checks in from Los Angeles to preview the Illini vs USC basketball game. In the second hour Brian interviews Joe Tanner, former NASA astronaut, on his career with NASA and his induction into the NASA Astronaut Hall of Fame.

Brian Barnhart hosts a Penny open line. Ted Dabrowski and Carrie Mendoza, Republican candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, join Brian in the second hour.

Brian Barnhart and Loren Tate host Monday Morning Quarterbacks. Bruce Weber, BTN basketball analyst and former Illinois basketball coach, joined the conversation in the second hour.

Brian Barnhart hosts a Penny open line. Adam Sherwinski, meteorologist at WCIA Channel 3, is Brian’s guest in the second hour.

Brian Barnhart hosts a very busy, action-packed, Penny open line. Jayne DeLuce, President & CEO of Experience Champaign-Urbana, checks in with news of events coming to town this spring.

Brian Barnhart hosts Penny. David Woods, former News-Gazette sports writer, discusses his current projects, including the Illinois women’s track team being #1 in the country and the 2026 Winter Olympics. Local pastor Hub Burnett joins Brian in the second hour.