Steve Hallstrom broadcasts live from Grand Rapids, Minnesota, on a heavy-hitting Thursday as the calendar flips to May. Steve dives into a massive federal indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center, alleging a coordinated criminal grift that involved funding the very extremism they claimed to fight. The show also features a sobering look at new FDA acknowledgments regarding COVID-19 vaccine risks for children and an update on the “political” stall of Fargo’s next police chief. Plus, a look at $106 oil, the “low-fire, low-hire” economy, and why the 25th Amendment is being weaponized as a political tool.
Key Moments
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Southern Poverty Law Center Indicted: Steve breaks down an 11-count federal indictment out of Alabama against the SPLC. The Department of Justice alleges the group improperly raised millions of dollars to secretly pay leaders of the Ku Klux Klan and other hate groups for “inside information.” Guest Michael O’Neill of Landmark Legal Foundation calls it a “smart business grift,” where the group allegedly funded extremism just to fundraise off the resulting trouble.
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COVID Vaccine “Profound Revelation”: In the “best thing I heard all day,” Steve plays a clip of Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson discussing an internal FDA memo. Johnson reports that the FDA is reviewing nearly 100 autopsies of children who died following mRNA injections, marking the first time the agency has acknowledged the vaccine killed American children who were at “tremendously low risk” from the virus itself.
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The Iran War “Pickle”: International affairs expert Dr. Tom Ambrosio joins the show to analyze the stalled peace talks. He describes the President as being in a “real pickle,” noting that while the regime’s top leadership was “decapitated,” the Revolutionary Guard Corps is far more resilient than expected, leading to a waiting game of rival naval blockades.
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Fargo’s Chief Search: Steve reports that the application period for Fargo’s permanent police chief has closed with only four applicants. While Interim Chief Travis Stefanowicz is the only local candidate, the City Commission recently defeated a motion to fast-track his hiring, opting instead for a shortened interview process scheduled for early May.
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Economic Red Flags: WTI crude oil surged to $106.50 a barrel as the war in Iran continues to wreak havoc on petroleum markets. Despite this, Steve notes a historic economic anomaly: initial jobless claims hit 189,000—the lowest level since 1969—creating a “low hire, low fire” environment driven by automation.
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The “College Cartel”: Author Robert Bortons discusses his book Woke and Weaponized, arguing that the federal student loan system has allowed Marxist ideology to take over American education. He claims the system is “wildly successful” at undermining individual liberty while failing to teach basic literacy.
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Fentanyl Awareness: New data released on National Fentanyl Awareness Day reveals that 72% of fatal overdoses in Fargo last year were tied to fentanyl. Out of 172 total overdoses in 2025, the drug remains a dominant and deadly factor in the region.
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The Black Licorice Victory: In a follow-up to a listener poll, Steve announces the official results: black licorice defeated red licorice 11 to 9. Despite producer Addison’s research suggesting licorice root can lower testosterone, the audience stayed “old school” in their preferences.