Midday with Maria Shilaos

Midday with Maria Shilaos Full Show October 31st, 2025

As the federal government shutdown stretches on, millions of families who rely on SNAP benefits are left in the lurch, unsure if their benefits will continue past today. Even with two rulings earlier, saying that the federal government must use contingency funds to keep SNAP food aid payments going during the shutdown, many families have so many questions. All this uncertainty has created stress on the 42 million Americans who rely on food assistance programs, including 86-thousand families here in Utah. And those families with children... under even more stress. This poses some questions: how do you talk to your kids about this ongoing situation? If you lose SNAP benefits -- and may have less food on the table -- how do you talk about that with your kids? Malinda Frietag, Senior Clinical Director at The Children's Center Utah, joins Maria Shilaos to discuss how young children have been feeling the stress from their parents over the past month, and why it's important to talk to them and reassure them.

October 31st, 2025

October 31st, 2025

Midday with Maria Shilaos Full Show October 30th, 2025

October 30th, 2025

October 30th, 2025

October 30th, 2025

Midday with Maria Shilaos Full Show October 29th, 2025

There's just a few days left until Halloween and while the weather in Utah is warming back up a bit, cold and flu season is still on the way. Dr. Richard Ferguson, President-Black Physicians of Utah, joins Maria Shilaos to talk through some of the things parents can do to protect their children and others from getting sick ahead of Halloween festivities -- and the holidays in general.

A decision by the Salt Lake County Council to close county-run daycare facilities has sparked some serious outrage and concern today. Many say the decision leaves parents in the lurch, many saying that finding a new daycare before the county-run ones close at the end of the year is impossible in today's world. But county leaders who support the closures say it's simply a financial decision, one they hope will help prevent a proposed 20% property tax increase in the county. In this deep-dive, host Maria Shilaos examines the issue from all sides. To provide the "for" argument, she speaks with Salt Lake County Councilmember Laurie Stringham. For the "against" side of the argument, she hears from another Salt Lake County Councilmember, Jiro Johnson. Maria takes it one step further, getting to the heart of the story with a parent whose children would be affected by the closure, Cristina Llamas. Llamas also brings up concerns with how the closures could affect the community in which she lives.

October 29th, 2025

October 29th, 2025

October 29th, 2025

Midday with Maria Shilaos Full Show October 28th, 2025

October 28th, 2025

October 28th, 2025

October 28th, 2025

Midday with Maria Shilaos Full Show October 27th, 2025

Health Matters on Midday, where we dig into health topics you might be curious about. As the days get shorter and the nights get longer, many people find themselves in a funk (Maria Shilaos herself included). For people who crave the sun, the cold darkness of winter can lead to things like seasonal depression. But -- as with major depressive disorder -- hope is not lost. And there are things people can do throughout the winter season to find joy and hope. Gregory Noel, LMFT is the Clinical Director at Two Brothas Counseling in Ogden. He's also a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. He joins Maria Shilaos to break down why seasonal depression affects some people so much and shares tips on how people can find joy without having to wait until the warm months of summer come again.