Hour 2 [03/31/2026]: Granite City Steel Revival, Mark Cox Voter Guide, and In Other News Highlights

Marc Cox opens the show with Dan Buck filling in for Kim St. Ange, covering St. Charles County’s heated council meeting and unanimous approval of an ICE cooperation agreement despite anti-ICE protests. Hour 1 shifts to Cardinals early-season optimism and the controversy surrounding Jaden Ivey’s release from the Chicago Bulls for criticizing NBA Pride Month, sparking debate on religious freedom and workplace rights. Hour 2 celebrates the reopening of Granite City Steel’s blast furnace, ties the revival to Trump-era policies, and walks through the April Mark Cox Voter Guide, emphasizing conservative school board races and NEA influence. Hour 3 examines NYC daycare policy with Todd Pyro, Virginia gun law changes with Louis Valdez, and continues discussion of Jaden Ivey’s firing. Hour 4 focuses on St. Charles County property tax debates, featuring Steve Ehlmann defending ICE cooperation, Ryan Wiggins analyzing Florida and Missouri property tax issues, and a detailed look at Proposition RT, showing how it empowers homeowners and limits future assessment hikes. Hashtags: #MarcCoxMorningShow #DanBuck #StCharlesCounty #ICE #JadenIvey #ChicagoBulls #ReligiousFreedom #GraniteCitySteel #MarkCoxVoterGuide #SchoolBoardElections #ToddPyro #LouisValdez #VirginiaGunLaw #PropertyTaxes #PropRT #RyanWiggins #LocalPolitics #TaxPolicy

Marc Cox and Ryan Wiggins dive into property tax issues affecting Missouri voters and parallel policies in Florida. Wiggins explains the mechanics of property tax freezes on homesteads, the challenges of taxing unrealized gains, and why incremental implementation is necessary for local budgets. He warns of potential conflicts with fire, EMS, and school district funding, and critiques proposed sales tax increases as a workaround. The discussion highlights how redistricting momentum and legislative leadership could influence broader tax reforms, while emphasizing the practical impact on homeowners amid rising home values. Hashtags: #PropertyTaxFreeze #MissouriTaxes #FloridaTaxPolicy #RyanWiggins #MarcCoxMorningShow #VoterGuide #SchoolFunding #LocalGovernment

Marc Cox interviews St. Charles County Executive Steve Elman about the recent unanimous council approval of the county’s memorandum of understanding with ICE. Elman explains the agreement’s focus on officer training and streamlined procedures for handling detainers, emphasizing that it’s purely procedural, with no bounty or funding exchange. He addresses the council’s role in approving intergovernmental agreements, recounts the history of prior attempts under past administrations, and stresses law enforcement’s duty to uphold federal and state law. The conversation then shifts to local development, with Elman weighing in on a proposed data center, stressing careful site selection and concern for residential areas and utility impact. Hashtags: #StCharlesCounty #ICEAgreement #SteveElman #287G #PublicSafety #DataCenterConcerns #MarcCoxMorningShow

Marc Cox opens with Todd Pyro explaining why he missed the show, sharing fan shoutouts from Virginia Beach, and critiquing New York City’s plan to offer free daycare up to age 16, highlighting taxpayer costs, Albany’s potential pushback, and private-public alternatives. Next, Louis Valdez joins for “2A Tuesday,” detailing Virginia’s new law banning gun possession for anyone under 21 without adult supervision, the governor of Wyoming vetoing a Second Amendment bill, and recent victories in New York eliminating social media scrutiny from CCW applications. The hour wraps with Chicago Bulls guard Jaden Ivey being waived for publicly condemning NBA Pride Month and discussing his Christian faith, sparking debate over religious freedom, workplace rights, and potential legal action. Hashtags: #ToddPyro #NYCChildcare #LouisValdez #2ATuesday #VirginiaGunBan #WyomingGunRights #JadenIvey #ChicagoBulls #ReligiousFreedom #MarcCoxMorningShow

Marc Cox hosts Louis Valdez, Florida State Director for Gun Owners of America, for the weekly “2A Tuesday” segment. They dissect Virginia’s new gun restrictions, Wyoming’s legislative battles, and the broader erosion of Second Amendment protections nationwide. Valdez explains how law-abiding citizens are targeted by overreaching laws while criminals remain unaffected, highlights recent legal victories in New York regarding social media requirements for gun permits, and urges listeners to support grassroots gun rights advocacy. The discussion blends legal strategy, state-by-state comparisons, and a strong pro-Second Amendment perspective. Hashtags: #2ATuesday #LouisValdez #GunOwnersOfAmerica #SecondAmendment #VirginiaGunLaws #WyomingGunRights #MarcCoxMorningShow

Marc Cox riffs on Todd Piro’s absence while sharing listener shout-outs and humorous intro stories before pivoting to policy discussion. They cover New York City’s new initiative offering free daycare for city employees, weighing the benefits for working families against practical concerns over cost, funding, and long-term sustainability. Todd critiques blanket government giveaways, advocating for private-public partnerships and targeted subsidies instead. The segment blends humor, listener engagement, and a sharp look at daycare policy and government overreach. Hashtags: #ToddPiro #FoxAndFriends #DaycarePolicy #NewYorkCity #PrivatePublicPartnerships #MarcCoxMorningShow #ListenerShoutouts

Marc Cox celebrates the reopening of Granite City Steel’s blast furnace, tying the revival to Trump-era policies and sharing a personal story about working in the steel industry that shaped his work ethic. He then dives into the April Mark Cox Voter Guide, emphasizing the importance of conservative voices in local school board elections, explaining NEA influence, and providing tools for voters to hold candidates accountable. The hour wraps with lighter “In Other News” stories, including a Southwest Airlines seating dispute, a Maryland Chick-fil-A encouraging phone-free family meals, and Passover-friendly Coca-Cola bottles. Hashtags: #GraniteCitySteel #TrumpEra #SteelIndustry #MarkCoxVoterGuide #SchoolBoardElections #NEA #ConservativeVoices #InOtherNews #ChickFilA #Passover #MarcCoxMorningShow

Marc Cox opens the show with Dan Buck filling in for Kim St. Ange, recounting a heated St. Charles County Council meeting where anti-ICE protesters opposed a new law enforcement cooperation agreement that ultimately passed unanimously 7–0. The hour shifts to Cardinals early-season optimism and a surprise Edgar Renteria autograph before “The Buck Stops Here” spotlights controversy surrounding Jaden Ivey’s reported release from the Chicago Bulls following faith-based criticism of LGBTQ Pride messaging, sparking debate over religious freedom and free speech in professional sports. The hour wraps with outrage over Providence officials calling for removal of a mural honoring a murdered Ukrainian immigrant, with Cox and Buck questioning political double standards and cultural priorities. Hashtags: #MarcCoxMorningShow #DanBuck #StCharlesCounty #ICE #ImmigrationPolicy #JadenIvey #ChicagoBulls #ReligiousFreedom #Providence #MuralControversy #FreeSpeech

Marc Cox and Dan Buck dive into a heated debate after Jaden Ivey is reportedly released by the Chicago Bulls following social media comments criticizing LGBTQ Pride messaging based on his Christian beliefs. The hosts outline Ivey’s connection to St. Louis through his mother, Niele Ivey of University of Notre Dame women's basketball, while arguing the move raises questions about free speech, religious expression, and double standards in the National Basketball Association. They compare the situation to past player discipline, reference Colin Kaepernick, and suggest a potential legal challenge, framing the decision as a broader cultural flashpoint over faith, politics, and professional sports. Hashtags: #TheBuckStopsHere #DanBuck #JadenIvey #ChicagoBulls #NBA #ReligiousFreedom #FreeSpeech #LGBTQDebate #SportsControversy #MarcCoxMorningShow

Marc Cox opens the show celebrating Illinois’ dramatic March Madness comeback and highlights standout performances, while criticizing nationwide “No Kings” protests as the actions of a vocal anti-Trump minority. Hour 1 also examines Kim St. Onge’s “Kim on a Whim” segment on AI, robotics, and autonomous vehicles, including companies like RobotLAB and Waymo, alongside economic and community concerns over proposed Missouri data centers and a successful BackStoppers fundraiser in Washington, Missouri. Hour 2 features Hans von Spakovsky analyzing voter ID disputes and previewing the Supreme Court’s birthright citizenship case, with Nicole Murray reporting on oil price surges linked to Middle East tensions, Eli Lilly’s $2.75B AI-driven drug deal, Mistral’s $830M AI data center financing, PS5 and PS5 Pro price increases, and the emergence of self-driving traffic lights. Hour 3 focuses on Fort Zumwalt school board candidate Mark Pratt addressing low voter turnout and NEA endorsements, Dan Buck dissecting Charles Barkley’s March Madness immigration comments, and Kim on a Whim reviewing Drusky’s viral parody of Erica Kirk, all while previewing Amendment 3 and local fire and EMS ballot issues. Hour 4 features Kathryn Wagner from Her Health Her Future outlining the campaign to overturn Missouri’s 2024 Amendment 3 and educate voters for November, Tom Ackerman breaking down March Madness matchups—including Michigan vs. Arizona and Illinois vs. Yukon—celebrating Cardinals rookie J.J. Weatherholt’s historic first two MLB games, and assessing the St. Louis Blues’ playoff push, and St. Charles County Councilman Joe Brazel discussing the ICE Memorandum of Understanding to streamline officer processing, advocating for moving school board elections to November, and emphasizing voter engagement with the Missouri Voter Guide. Hashtags: #MarcCox #IllinoisBasketball #MarchMadnessComeback #NoKingsProtests #DonaldTrump #KimOnAWhim #AI #Robotics #Waymo #RobotLAB #MissouriDataCenters #BackStoppers #VoterID #BirthrightCitizenship #OilPrices #EliLilly #PS5 #FortZumwalt #SchoolBoard #DanBuck #CharlesBarkley #EricaKirk #Amendment3 #HerHealthHerFuture #ProLifeMovement #StLouisCardinals #JJWeatherholt #StLouisBlues #StCharlesCounty #JoeBrazel #VoterGuide