You're listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for October 2, 2026.

We open with a story we think captures the American spirit: when storms grounded Marine One and Air Force One, President Trump got in the car and made the long drive from Denton, Texas, to Durant, Oklahoma, so a packed crowd wouldn't be left waiting in the rain. We talk about why that "get in the car, we're going" mentality matters, and about the difference between adapting to the world as it is and trying to control it.

In the Top 3 You Need to Know, first-time jobless claims fell to 197,000, the lowest level since 1969, and we ask why that isn't a bigger story. A Department of Energy employee from Washington state was arrested for allegedly trying to help the Houthis in Yemen improve their communications and build explosives. And the DOJ announced another round of arrests for illegal voting, including foreign nationals in Minnesota, bringing September's total to 50 nationwide.

After the break, we take on a heavier subject: a culture that seems to have lost the ability to process emotions, and the tragic stories that follow. We also share comedian Jimmy Carr's suggestion to say "I'm sad and worried" rather than defining yourself by a diagnosis.

Then it's American Mamas, where Teri Netterville joins us to weigh in on the Cornell 7 case and what the text messages and the public narrative say about it.

Next, the House has passed permanent daylight saving time, and President Trump wants the Senate to finish the job. Senator Tom Cotton is standing in the way over dark winter mornings. We debate the concerns, the health arguments for permanent standard time, and one far-fetched solution: a fifth time zone.

In Digging Deep, Gallup asked Americans which professions they consider the most and least courageous. We share the results, from first responders to politicians, and argue over where journalists, nurses, and business leaders belong.

We also discuss the Portland Trail Blazers firing their new 29-year-old play-by-play broadcaster over posts he wrote at age 15, and whether that's sound business or surrender to mob rule.

In Say What, we hear a politician with nothing to say, then Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed's answer on connecting with Black voters.

It's Fake News Friday, and we test our own instincts on real news, fake news, and really fake news. The headlines include the Fly Dubai hijacking, Iran urging American voters to vote Democrat, ID rules in Seattle, and a pet rescue's policy on adopting kittens.

We close with a Moment of Whoa: a Leawood, Kansas, police officer follows a loyal dog back to its home and finds the owner on the floor, unable to get up.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.