Pumpkins, politics & a rising Disney star

Hosts: Rob Chappell, Stephanie Díaz de León, and Omar Waheed Guest: Nate Buescher, UW–Madison freshman and star of Disney Channel's Electric Bloom Runtime: 53:38 On this week's podcast, we catch up on a range of news stories from the week, and get acquainted with a new neighbor who's a rising Disney star. 🌟 Leadership Summit Preview The eighth annual 365 Leadership Summit is just around the corner, happening Monday, November 3, at the Madison Concourse Hotel. Stephanie and Rob preview the lineup: Opening panel "Leadership Unscripted" with Henry Sanders, Dr. Sagashus Livingston, Karen Menendez Coller of Centro Hispano, and Chairman Tehassi Hill of the Oneida Nation. Honoring the 2025 Most Influential Leaders at the evening celebration. Presented by UW Credit Union and other key sponsors. "It feels like a homecoming," Stephanie says — a reunion for changemakers across Wisconsin. Register now at 365LeadershipSummit.org/registration. 🔫 Moms Demand Action at the Capitol Omar reports from the State Capitol, where Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action held their annual Advocacy Day, pushing for six common-sense gun safety measures: Banning guns on college campuses Universal background checks Extreme risk protection orders ("Red Flag Laws") Tax-free gun safes Stricter liability for unsafe firearm storage Background checks for gun store employees Stephanie reminds listeners that "the Second Amendment is not absolute," and Rob notes that every proposal sounded "pretty sensible." Read Omar's story here. 📚 Wisconsin Book Festival: Shobha Rao Returns Omar recaps his interview with novelist Shobha Rao, author of Indian Country, ahead of her Wisconsin Book Festival appearance. The book explores land, memory, and identity through a murder mystery lens. Rao recalls her "healing" time living in Madison as a young adult and her love of Wisconsin's own Laura Ingalls Wilder. Read Omar's story here. 🏫 MMSD's $507 Million Plan Madison voters approved a massive school facilities referendum, and the Sherman and Shabazz schools are first in line for new buildings. Omar details plans for larger classrooms, separate libraries, and a 13,500-square-foot gym — all ready by September 2027. Stephanie highlights how basic needs like warmth, air flow, and space "deeply affect how kids learn." Read Omar's story here. 🥫 SNAP Benefits Suspended Rob reports troubling news: 700,000 Wisconsinites could lose access to FoodShare (SNAP) benefits starting November 1 due to the federal government shutdown. The panel discusses who's affected — families, seniors, and the disabled — and pushes back on myths about "lazy" recipients. Read Rob's story here. 🎬 Guest Interview: Nate Buescher, Star of Electric Bloom Rob chats with Nate Buescher, a freshman at UW–Madison and co-star of Disney's new teen series Electric Bloom, now streaming on Disney+. Nate shares: How he landed the role after months of auditions Filming in California and the culture shock from Chicago winters to LA His plans to study biology while continuing acting His lifelong passion for storytelling — from Weebles Wobbles commercials at age seven to now being part of Disney's next big friendship series. "Even though the show's for tweens," Nate says, "my grandma watches it — and she loves it." 💬 The Question: "What's Your Ratio?" In the closing segment, Stephanie poses this week's question: "What's your ratio of pretending to know what's going on versus actually knowing what's going on?" After a wild story about a $88 million jewel heist at the Louvre, the crew confesses to plenty of "confident BSing." Omar admits he's "winging it 70% of the time," while Rob recalls faking his way through a grad seminar, and somehow getting away with it. 🎧 Subscribe & Follow 365 Amplified is produced and edited by Rob Chappell for 365 Media Foundation, a nonprofit local independent media organization based in Madison, Wisconsin. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and follow Madison365 on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, and Bluesky.