City Cast Chicago

A tweet by 20th Ward Ald. Jeanette Taylor went viral last week. Taylor tweeted: “I first applied for an affordable housing voucher in 1993….Today in 2022 I finally got a letter telling me I made it to the top of the waiting list. I have no words.” Taylor talks to host Jacoby Cochran about how she thinks the Chicago Housing Authority is failing people in Chicago looking for affordable housing and what needs to change. Taylor’s Accountable Housing and Transparency Ordinance How to apply for CHA housing Some good news: Pride Arts Summer Film Fest Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

Every song has a story — that’s the idea behind Karaoke Storytellers. Performers get up, tell a story, and then sing a song related to that story. The event is hosted by host Jacoby Cochran. At the April event, we heard stories about finding love, finding yourself, and finding your home. Today, we’re telling you some of those stories. The next Karaoke Storytellers is on June 19 at Schuba's Tavern. Check back here for a chance to win tickets! Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

Yesterday, we explored the history of disinvestment and displacement at Cabrini-Green, Chicago’s infamous public housing complex on the Near North Side. The city began demolishing the high-rises in the 1990s, and the last one went down in 2011. But former Cabrini-Green residents are still fighting for what the city promised them: a chance to return to their community. Host Jacoby Cochran led a panel in January with journalists who investigated these broken promises, local historians, and others connected with Cabrini-Green to talk about where the community is now. This episode was originally published Feb. 1, 2022. Guests: Carol Steele — Cabrini-Green resident and public housing advocate Charles Price — Housing activist and former resident liaison at Cabrini-Green Alejandra Cancino — Reporter, “Cabrini-Green: A History of Broken Promises” This panel was put on in partnership with the Better Government Association. You can find the full conversation on their website. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm

Last week, City Council approved the plans for a Bally’s Casino at the old Tribune publishing site in River West. The location at Chicago and Halsted is a couple blocks away from Cabrini-Green, a public housing development where thousands of residents were displaced beginning in the late 1990s. Promises were made that Black residents would be able to return with access to new homes, jobs, and opportunities. Most of those promises were broken. Host Jacoby Cochran looks back on the history of Cabrini-Green public housing with reporter Natalie Moore and talks to former resident J.R. Fleming. This episode was originally published on Jan. 27, 2022. Read the Better Government Associations series, "Cabrini-Green, A History of Broken Promises." Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

After 30 years, residents in the 1st Congressional District are preparing to elect a new Representative. Bobby Rush —co-founder of the Illinois Black Panther Party, a Chicago alderman, Civil Rights activist, and only politician to ever beat Barack Obama in an election — announced earlier this year he’s retiring. The 1st District stretches from the near South Side south to Bourbannais, and it’s long been a center of Black and Democratic political power. That means the next leader is inheriting a powerful history, but also faces challenges around economic development, housing, and public safety. Host Jacoby Cochran and The Triibe’s Tonia Hill meet up in Bronzeville to talk about the race, and the trouble of standing out when 17 Democrats and 4 Republicans are on the ballot. Early voting begins in Chicago Tuesday. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

Earlier this week, after 19 children and 2 adults were gunned down at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott responded, “I hate to say this — there are more people that are shot every weekend in Chicago than there are in schools in Texas.” This repugnant, racist, and unempathetic response was met with quick scrutiny. Co-hosts of the movement building podcast AirGo, Damon Williams and Daniel Kisslinger join host Jacoby Cochran to offer their own criticisms of using Chicago as a political scapegoat for politicians unwilling to offer common sense solutions to gun violence. The trio also break down Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s 10 p.m. curfew for minors, the environmental justice fight to end “sacrifice zones,” and we’ve got some more book-themed good news you definitely want to stick around for! Want to know more about AirGo? The hosts recommend these episodes: Damon: Angela Davis Daniel: The Abolition Suite Vol. 2: Mariame Kaba Some Good News: South Side Book Fair Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

The El Milagro tortilla brand is strong in Chicago. You can find it in almost every grocery store, and you can often see people line up around the block of El Milagro factories, waiting to get hot, fresh tortillas. But in recent months, we all paid a little more attention to the workers in those factories as they became more vocal on calling out unsafe work conditions and low pay. Host Jacoby Cochran talks to Pedro Manzanares, a 52 year old who’s been working at El Milagro for 18 years, and City Bureau reporter Sarah Conway about labor organizing in food production companies across Chicago. A little bit of news: Early voting has been moved again, now to Tuesday, May 31. Check out our episode with the Chicago Board of Elections for everything you need to know about primary voting. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

In 1961, Abraham Bolden became the first Black Secret Service agent to serve on a presidential detail. Bolden says when he left Chicago and moved to D.C., it was like going from “heaven to hell,” and he faced constant racism from other agents. He says he also heard other agents say they wouldn’t protect President John F. Kennedy if there was an assassination attempt on his life because of Kennedy’s work on integration. Bolden spoke up, but ended up setting off a 50-year fight for justice. From his Auburn Gresham home, the 87-year-old tells host Jacoby Cochran what happened and how he got clemency from President Joe Biden last month. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

City Cast host Jacoby Cochran recently joined the podcast Album ReBrews to drink beers from Funkytown Brewery and talk about Saba’s latest release Few Good Things. Jacoby and hosts Sarah Beidatsch and Zac Emry dissect songs from the album and discuss how they connect to the artist’s Chicago roots, especially in Austin on the city’s West Side. A little bit of news: The Daily Line talks ward remap at Hideout Wednesday Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

Early voting in the June primary begins Thursday in Chicago, and is already underway elsewhere in the state. There are six candidates running on the Republican ballot, and there’s already some big money being pumped into the race. WTTW’s Amanda Vinicky tells host Jacoby Cochran more about the people and issues shaping the race, including the big question of whether candidates are too conservative or not conservative enough. Some Good News: Jacoby on Album ReBrews Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm

This week, Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill requiring all firearms, gun kits, and 3D-printed guns to have a visible serial number, effectively banning “ghost guns,” while alderpeople got their questions and complaints in about the future Chicago casino. Host Jacoby Cochran breaks down these stories and more with Crain’s Chicago Business reporter Corli Jay and The Daily Line editor and City Hall reporter Alex Nitkin. Stories This Week: Lightfoot pushing for Friday vote on casino Illinois becomes first Midwest state to ban 'ghost guns' City Council committee votes down 'Water For All' ordinance How Morgan Park High School's 2022 basball season was nearly washed away The South Side is getting a facility to turn food waste into natural gas Chicago Full Moon Jam Equiticity May Ride Series: The Musicality of North Lawndale Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

Whether your summer plans include sitting on the beach, taking a road trip, flying, or just staying home — you might be looking for something good to read. “Nerdette” host Greta Johnsen — who’s already read about 50 books so far this year — is here with her summer reading recommendations. She says they all fall into the theme of being transported somewhere, from a residential school for deaf children to 1920s New York to an African safari to a more ghostly Chicago. Greta's List: True Biz by Sara Novic Trust by Hernan Diaz The Lioness by Chris Bohjalian When We Fell Apart by Soon Wiley This Thing Between us by Gus Moreno: What’s on your summer reading list? Let us know at [email protected] or (773) 780-0246 Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

This week, Mayor Lori Lightfoot signed an executive order authorizing police to immediately enforce a 10 p.m. curfew for Chicago minors, who also aren't allowed in Millennium Park past 6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday without a “responsible adult.” This is Lightfoot’s response to the death of 16-year-old Seandell Holliday, who was shot and killed near the Bean over the weekend. The mayor says these measures will help curb violence downtown, but research in other cities shows that curfews have little effect. How do young Chicagoans feel about being kept out of the city’s “jewel” of a park? Host Jacoby Cochran speaks with Assata Lewis, a restorative justice coordinator with youth violence prevention group GoodKids MadCity. She tells us this curfew will do little to reduce violence, indiscriminately criminalizes Chicago’s teens, and ignores alternative solutions like GKMC’s proposed Peace Book ordinance. A little bit of news: You can get another round of free at-home COVID tests in the mail at covid.gov/tests. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

After nearly 30 years at the helm, Joyce Kenner is retiring as principal of Whitney Young high school. The CPS selective enrollment school is routinely ranked among the top in the country, and you probably know some of their alumni like Michelle Obama. As the school year winds to a close, Kenner talks with host Jacoby Cochran at the school’s West Loop campus about her legacy, the culture she sought to build for students, and the role of selective enrollment schools in a district marked by inequities. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

Mayoral candidate Willie Wilson most recently made headlines as the giver of free gas, but have you wondered where he gets his giveaway money? The story starts with a global, but Chicago-based company: McDonald’s. Wilson started as a custodian at a McDonald’s in 1970, moving up to manager, and eventually franchise owner, setting the stage for him to make his fortune. Even though not every McDonald’s franchise owner had the same success as Wilson, the company did try to entrench itself in Black America beginning in the late ’60s by offering franchise ownership. But those opportunities had strings attached and allowed the company to create a narrative about its involvement in civil rights that veers from the truth, according to historian Marcia Chatelain. Chatelain is a Chicago native and author of “Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America,” which won a 2021 Pulitzer Prize in History. She tells Jacoby how McDonald’s did it. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

The 2022 Bears schedule is now official, which means plenty of fans will be booking their flights across the country. But what's the best trip for every Chicago sports team? Jacoby Cochran was invited on CHGO Sports' latest episode of THE Chicago Sports Podcast to share his dream destinations. Subscribe to THE Chicago Sports Podcast at CHGO

City Cast producer Simone Alicea is in the host chair this week to dig into some top stories around Chicago. She’s joined by two of the hosts of one of her favorite podcasts, “Hello from the Magic Tavern,” an improvised comedy chat show set in a fantasy world. Arnie Niekamp plays a fictional version of himself who fell through a magical portal in Chicago, and Matt Young plays his wizard co-host. Some of the stories they get into this week are the big names on the new advisory board at The Second City and the return of iO after it was previously announced it was permanently closing. Also, new fish at the Shedd, COVID numbers back on the rise, and Simone, Arnie, and Matt’s moments of joy. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District was redrawn last year to include more of Chicago’s Northwest Side, including gentrifying neighborhoods like Logan Square and Avondale and longtime Latinx areas like Hermosa and Belmont Cragin, to western suburbs including Wheaton and Glen Ellyn. Two Democratic candidates have some name recognition as current office holders: Gilbert Villegas is 36th Ward alderman, and Delia Ramirez is the 4th District state representative. We talk to WBEZ politics reporter Mariah Woelfel about the issues each candidate is focusing on and what she’s hearing from voters ahead of the June 28 primary. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

Mayor Lori Lightfoot has tapped Bally’s to be the first and only casino operator in Chicago. The decision still needs full City Council approval. The Bally brand actually started here in Chicago 90 years ago as part of a company called Lion Manufacturing, and they created an early pinball game called Ballyhoo. The company expanded to slot machines, arcade games, and eventually even amusement parks and gyms (remember Bally’s Total Fitness?) Host Jacoby Cochran talks to Tommy Henry from the Chicago History Podcast about Bally’s start here, and its significant role in gaming. There's a community town hall at 7 p.m. Thursday at the UIC Isadore and Sadie Dorin Forum. It will also be livestreamed, Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

The reigning WNBA Champion Chicago Sky began the 2022 season last Friday at home against the LA Sparks. Like most of the WNBA, the Sky are not yet at full strength with last season’s Finals MVP Kahleah Copper still playing overseas. The Sky were in a position to win the game but lost 98-91 in overtime. Don’t worry though it’s just one game with a long road ahead. Host Jacoby Cochran sat down with CHGO Sky Podcast co-host Janice Scurio to review the offseason and preview the 2022 season. And of course we ask Janice, can the Sky become the first back-to-back WNBA Champs in twenty years? Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

Chicago Public Schools’ enrollment has dropped by more than 100,000 students in the last twenty years. And in Chicago, fewer students mean less money for a school. While the median school will see an increase of about $80,000 dollars next year, the 2022-2023 budget proposal has 40% of schools losing an average of $220,000 dollars, mostly in Black and brown neighborhoods. Despite cuts, district CEO Pedro Martinez calls this budget, “CPS’s most equitable ever,” claiming many schools will see investments in new teachers, smaller class sizes, and more support staff. As some parents, principals, and teachers say these cuts continue a vicious cycle of disinvestment in neighborhood schools, we sit down with Pedro Martinez to address ongoing concerns. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

Earlier this week, a leaked draft opinion from the Supreme Court’s conservative majority signaled the end of Roe v. Wade. Even as Illinois has strengthened its access to abortion care, Chicago’s reproductive justice activists are scared of what the impending decision will mean for women here and across the country. Block Club Chicago reporter covering Logan Square, Humboldt Park and Avondale Mina Bloom, and WBEZ criminal justice reporter Patrick Smith join host Jacoby Cochran to react to that big news, as well as Bally’s getting closer to operating the city’s first casino, recent fires at homeless encampments in Avondale and Uptown, and Friday’s season opener at Wintrust Arena for the the reigning WNBA champion Chicago Sky. Other stories discussed: New research detects the most likely criminal ‘crews’ inside CPD Logan Square farmers market opens Sunday Jacoby will be on the Album Rebrews podcast to review Saba's latest album "Few Good Things" Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

Gospel music has roots in southern spirituals during slavery and migrated north during the Great Migration in the early 1900s. Chicago has staked its claim as the birthplace of modern gospel thanks to Bronzeville’s Pilgrim Baptist Church and Thomas Dorsey, its choir director for 50 years. In the 1930s, Dorsey blended the style and chords of blues music with the praise and worship of traditional gospel hymns, and iconic singers like Mahalia Jackson took the sound global. We talk with writer and producer Stacy Robinson about the new WTTW documentary “Birth of Gospel” and Chicago’s place in music history. It will premiere Friday at 8 p.m. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

Reproductive rights activists in Chicago are kicking into high gear after a draft majority opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court was leaked this week. In the opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito, the court’s conservative majority signals it will soon overturn Roe v. Wade. Chicago Abortion Fund head Megan Jeyifo says activists have been sounding the alarm and preparing for this for years. Even though Illinois has laws on the books to protect the right to get an abortion if/when Roe is overturned, Jeyifo tells host Jacoby Cochran how her organization is gearing up to help more people, especially those seeking abortion care from other states. Chicago Abortion Fund-A-Thon For more ways to support reproductive justice in Illinois, check out our daily newsletter. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

Lucy Westlake isn’t walking at graduation this spring with her class at Naperville North High School. That’s because the 18 year old is preparing to be the youngest American woman to summit Mount Everest. She graduated early last fall, and she previously broke the world record for youngest female to climb to the highest points in all 50 states. She’s also climbed the highest points on four of the seven continents. Westlake called City Cast producer Simone Alicea from a Mount Everest base camp. Lucy’s GoFundMe Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

Early voting in Illinois’ primaries begins in just a few weeks. After getting a new voter registration card in the mail, a City Cast listener reached out to us with several voting questions. Producer Simone Alicea, a Chicago transplant, also had questions about how to vote here. That’s why we reached out to Max Bever with the Chicago Board of Elections. He tells us everything you need to know about voting, including deadlines, what’s on the ballot, and all things vote-by-mail after the state expanded access to mail-in voting during the pandemic. The primary is June 28. Check your voter registration in Chicago and Illinois, and read our primary guide. Plus, we still want to know: What's something that's normal in Chicago that's weird elsewhere? Tell us in a voicemail at (773) 780-0246, and we might use it on the pod! Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

This week, the Chicago Reader and its former co-owner ended a month-long stalemate that threatened the future of the beloved alt-weekly. Len Goodman, and three allied board members, agreed to step down, clearing the way for the Reader to transition to a nonprofit structure. Two of the paper's writers, Kelly Garcia and Katie Prout, explain what why there's been an impasse for the last five months and what the future of the Reader is. They also discuss with host Jacoby Cochran a controversial metal scrapper in Pilsen, a new study on the rise of carjacking, and Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s $12.5 million transit relief plan. And, make sure you stick around until the end, where our moments of joy will leave you smiling from ear to ear! TELL US! What's a Chicago thing that is weird to people outside Chicago? Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246 or email us: [email protected] Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm

This week, five of Chicago’s selective enrollment high schools ranked among the county’s top 100 high schools, according to U.S. News and World Report. But until recently, Chicago Public Schools had its own ranking system: the School Quality Rating Policy. It rated individual schools’ quality from best-performing (Level 1) to needing the most support (Level 3). But after critics said the system punished low-rated schools for factors outside of their control, the Chicago Board of Education voted Wednesday to direct CPS to create a new accountability system. WBEZ education reporter Sarah Karp is here to break it down. A little bit of news: City Council approved Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s $12.5 million plan to give away free gas cards and CTA passes to eligible Chicagoans. Here’s where to apply. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

When you live in a big city like Chicago, it can be really easy to forget just how much nature is available to us. Cook County has more than 70,000 acres of forest preserves. Our wetlands, prairies, woodlands, and savannas are home to hundreds of native plants and animals. Conservationists and organizers are working year-round to preserve these spaces and educate residents. As Chicago gets its spring colors — and the birds, butterflies, and river otters reemerge — we talk to someone whose passion is getting people outside and protecting those lands for the future. Brenda Elmore of Friends of the Forest Preserves tells Jacoby about how she got into the outdoors and why she wants to educate others. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

**UPDATE** The Graduate Employees' Organization tweeted late Monday night that the strike was suspended. The podcast is updated to include that news. Statement from UIC about a tentative agreement After a year without a new labor contract, the graduate student union at the University of Illinois Chicago went on strike last week. Bargaining continues around wage increases, student fees, healthcare costs, and more. On Monday, the union sent a letter to Gov. JB Pritzker warning the standoff with the UIC administration will do “serious long-term damage to our students’ learning and to the university’s reputation.” The momentum around labor organizing is not just picking up on campus. Workers are fighting for better conditions across industries, from corporations like Amazon and Starbucks to smaller, local companies like tortillerías. We talk to Jeff Schuhrke, a labor historian and professor at UIC, about the importance of this moment. Schuhrke also did his graduate work at the university and was once part of the Graduate Employees' Organization that’s on strike. Some good news: Zine Club Chicago Online: Poetry Zines Edition Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

A month ago, Nicole Lee was appointed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot to finish the term of former 11th Ward Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson, following his conviction for tax fraud. An alderperson’s responsibilities include voting on legislation, constituent services, allocating resources to the ward, and more. Lee is a third-generation Chinatown resident, Whitney Young alumna, and she most recently led community engagement at United Airlines. Lee is Chicago’s first Chinese American alderperson, in a city where Asian Americans are the fastest growing ethnic group. Her appointment comes at a critical time as the ward remapping process continues. The two proposed maps each redraw the 11th ward as the city’s first Asian American–majority ward. We visited Ald. Lee at her Bridgeport office ahead of her first full City Council meeting Wednesday. Some Good News: ChiTeen Lit Fest 2022 Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

After a judge struck down the federal mask mandate on planes and public transit, Gov. Pritzker revoked the state’s mask policy on buses and trains. Soon after, CTA, Metra, and Amtrak, along with rideshare companies and airlines began moving to mask-optional policies. Harvey World Herald founder Amethyst Davis and Block Club Chicago’s Jamie Nesbitt Golden join us and tell us why they are keeping their masks on for the time being. We also discuss weekend plans across the city, our favorite cookout dishes, and the proliferation of security cameras in both Harvey and Chicago. Share this episode with just one friend and help us grow the City Cast Chicago network! Stories discussed this week: Patti LaBell's Mac and Cheese CPD's use of license plate cameras Bronzeville trail campaign kickoff Check out The Other Art Fair Chicago April 21-24 in Fulton Market. AND! Get 30% off The Other Art Fair with the Code: CITYCAST (One word) Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

“Unplugging” opens in theaters this weekend in Chicago and suburbs. Eva Longoria and Matt Walsh star as a married couple who leave Chicago for a rural, getaway meant to be a digital detox. But things take a turn. City Cast Chicago host Jacoby Cochran sat down with Walsh and co-producer Brad Morris to talk about the creation of the movie and what it really means to be unplugged from a world run by technology. They also discuss Walsh and Morris’ Chicago upbringing and how their time on the improv scene here shaped their careers. Check out The Other Art Fair Chicago April 21-24 in Fulton Market. AND! Get 30% off The Other Art Fair with the Code: CITYCAST (One word) Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

The Illinois Lottery as we know it today with Pick 3, Pick 4, and Mega Millions games has its roots in a 19th century parlor game known as “Policy.” Brought to Chicago in the 1880s, Policy was popularized in South and West side communities and sold as an opportunity to change families' lives. Sound familiar? In fact, during the height of play in the 1930s and '40s, more than $20 million annually flowed through nearly 4,500 Policy locations. The “Policy Kings,” as they were called, became the Robin Hoods of the neighborhood, helping build businesses and wealth in otherwise disinvested areas. Host Jacoby Cochran talks to the Chicago History Museum’s Charles Bethea and local tour guide Beatrice Hardy about how Policy was integral to the development of Bronzeville, Chicago’s Black Metropolis. Check out The Other Art Fair Chicago April 21-24 in Fulton Market. AND! Get 30% off The Other Art Fair with the Code: CITYCAST (One word) Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

Oprah Winfrey—aka “The Queen of Talk”—covered everything from veganism to the L.A. Riots to Dr. Phil (yeah, she had some misses, too) over 25 years of her classic talk show, which started here in Chicago in 1986. “Oprahdemics,” a Radiotopia from PRX podcast that digs into the enormous cultural impact of Oprah’s talk show, digs into the icon as a cultural syllabus. Host Jacoby Cochran sits down with historians and co-hosts Dr. Kellie Carter Jackson and Dr. Leah Wright-Rigueur to talk about some of the Oprah show’s most iconic moments, and which ones didn’t age so well. Check out The Other Art Fair Chicago April 21-24 in Fulton Market. AND! Get 30% off The Other Art Fair with the Code: CITYCAST (One word) Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

Friday, April 15, would have been Harold Washington’s 100th birthday, and centennial celebrations continue this week. More than 30 years after his death, Chicago’s first Black mayor is still lauded as the leader who rocked the Democratic machine that had reigned supreme at City Hall. In addition to galvanizing Black voters in 1983, he built a coalition of Latinx, LGBTQ, and progressive white Chicagoans. Journalist Laura Washington (no relation) worked in Mayor Washington’s office. She tells Jacoby what made the former mayor so magnetic, unifying, and special. We also look ahead as candidates, including incumbent Lori Lightfoot, gear up for another mayoral campaign to see what Washington’s legacy can tell us about today. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

Earlier this week a man opened fire on a New York City subway train shooting 10 people and injuring 13 more. This tragedy, alongside four recent incidents of violence on or near CTA trains and buses, has renewed conversations about safety on public transit. Today, City Cast Chicago Host Jacoby Cochran is joined by the Chicago Tribune’s Stephanie Casanova and The Marshall Project’s Ghazala Irshad to look back on this story and others. We also discuss rising price of groceries, the Bulls’ playoff matchup against the reigning NBA champs, and these cute, colorful birdhouses in Roscoe Village. Come hang out with us at Karaoke Storytellers this Sunday! Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the show starts at 7 p.m. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

City Council members have a lot of meetings. But how many of the full council, committee, and subcommittee meetings do they actually attend? WBEZ, The Daily Line, and Crain’s Chicago Business analyzed records from 526 meetings between May 2019 and December 2021, charting our alders’ attendance. The highest attendance rate was 93%, and the lowest was 54%. Guess which of those rates belonged to freshman alders and which were from Council veterans. WBEZ’s Claudia Morell and The Daily Line’s Erin Hegarty break down the numbers with City Cast Chicago Host Jacoby Cochran and discuss if they will have any impact on next year’s election cycle. Here's where you can check your alder's score. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

In Ukrainian culture, “pysanky” is a centuries-old form of decorating eggs. In fact, it predates Easter itself. Using eggs, beeswax, and dyes, artists "write" colorful and elaborate art works embedded with deep meaning. When celebrating a wedding, moving to a new home, or simply praying for good fortune, Ukrainians are likely to receive a few pysanky eggs from family and friends. City Cast Chicago Host Jacoby Cochran talks with Anna Chychula, a Ukrainian-American artist, about the history of pysanky and how the celebration of this cultural tradition during the Easter season brings the community together as war between Ukraine and Russia continues. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

The temperatures are rising, spring is here and baseball is back! The White Sox (2-1) have their home opener today against the Seattle Mariners. They beat the Tigers in Detroit in the first series this season. The Cubs (2-1) also won at Wrigley Field against the Milwaukee Brewers in their opening series. But despite the similar starts, the two teams couldn’t be more different this season. The North Side Cubbies are in rebuild mode, while the South Side sluggers are chasing championship dreams. Here to talk about the crosstown rivals with City Cast Chicago Host Jacoby Cochran are WBEZ’s Cheryl Raye Stout and Herb Lawrence of the new CHGO White Sox Podcast. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

Chicago and Las Vegas have emerged as top candidates to potentially host the Democratic National Convention in 2024. Chicago most recently hosted the convention in 1996, when Bill Clinton became the presidential nominee. And the city hosted several party conventions before that, including the 1968 DNC marked by police riots in Grant Park and the Republican National Convention of 1860, where Abraham Lincoln was named the presidential nominee. On the other hand, the 2024 DNC would be Vegas’ first. Jacoby talks with City Cast Las Vegas Host Dayvid Figler about whether either city is a fit. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Leave us a voicemail: (773) 780-0246

The city announced that nearly 4000 E-Scooters are returning to streets next month. Divvy, Lime, Superpedestrian and Spin are the providers responsible for a safe, smooth, and equitable rollout. Speaking of rollout, a new casino is coming to Chicago, and community meetings were held this week in the South Loop and River West. There's also a new bill in the Illinois House that, if passed, would require life rings along the lakefront, plus a new reimbursement program for Chicagoans buying security cameras. City Cast Chicago Host Jacoby Cochran catches up on these stories and more with CBS Morning Reporter Marissa Parra and CW Chicago TV Host Brandon Pope. And we’ve got some great moments of joy, including Karaoke Storytellers, Art on the Mart (which starts tomorrow), and Pope’s new WCIU and Block Club Chicago TV show, “On The Block.” And don't miss Marissa's story about the friendship between a trash collector and a 3-year-old in South Loop! You can catch Jacoby's 2020 Snap Judgment episode here. For more of the latest happenings in Chicago, sign up for our daily newsletter right here on our website: chicago.citycast.fm Follow us on Twitter! @CityCastChicago Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

For ten years, Evanston writer Peter Baker had been working on his first novel, and he was eager to get it out into the world. So he wasn’t skeptical when he received an email from his agent in the fall of 2020 requesting a copy of his manuscript as a Microsoft Word file. He sent it along. Then he got a call from his agent asking why he'd sent his novel to him. That's right, Baker had been scammed by “The Spine Collector,” as the FBI has called him. "The Spine Collector" is allegedly a 29-year-old in London who attempted to con writers, including well-known authors like Margaret Atwood and Anthony Doerr, into sending him their unpublished manuscripts. Baker talks with City Cast Chicago Host Jacoby Cochran about what happened when he inadvertently sent his debut novel to the “Spine Collector," and how that event affected him as a writer. Baker's novel, PLANES, will be released May 31. Some Good News: Art EXPO is back at Navy Pier's Festival Hall starting tonight. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

The Obama Presidential Center isn’t the only major development hoping to call Jackson Park home. For years, Tiger Woods’ design firm TGR Design has proposed a PGA-caliber golf course on the South Side. The proposed 18-hole course would combine the Jackson Park and South Shore golf courses, complete with new facilities, practice holes, and a $30 million underpass at 67th and South Shore Drive. But it could also mean the loss of affordable greens, removal of trees, and potential destruction of the South Shore Nature Sanctuary as it currently exists. We talk with Tracy Raoul, Chairperson of Jackson Park Golf Association, Emily Dupree, the Hyde Park resident behind the Twitter profile Save Our Sanctuary. Rendering of course from TGR Designs Full statement from Chicago Park District: "As the City’s leading greening stewards, the Chicago Park District is committed to preserving and expanding the city’s parkland and tree population within our 8800-acre footprint. Our commitment is underscored by the fact that we plant 3000 trees annually and converted nearly 1100 acres of underutilized space to valuable parkland over the past decade. These investments improve our communities and greatly contribute to the lives of children and families throughout our city. As with any capital endeavor that requires the removal of trees, the District is committed to replacing each tree as part of the project scope. The Jackson Park/ South Shore document released is a draft proposal and any references related to reducing the tree count has not been considered or approved by the Park District, and therefore should not be considered a finalized plan.” It's the last day to let us know what you think of our daily newsletter, and enter to win a $100 Visa gift card! You can find the survey here. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

During a public safety press conference Monday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced efforts to invest in the development and expansion of block clubs citywide. Lightfoot’s idea is that stronger block clubs will contribute to neighborhood security and morale. For a century, Chicago has had an enduring, complicated, and nostalgic relationship with these small volunteer-based community groups. They began to assist African-Americans moving to Chicago from the South, but they’ve also been used to foster white solidarity in support of segregation. Block clubs have also led beautification efforts, and block parties across Chicago neighborhoods. City Cast Chicago Host Jacoby Cochran talks with Dr. Amanda Seligman, author of Chicago’s Block Clubs: How Neighbors Shape The City, about the history of these clubs. Some Good News: Steppers' Night at eta Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

In 2018, three guards brutally beat Larry Earvin at Western Illinois Correctional Center, where Earvin was incarcerated. He died weeks later. One of the guards pleaded guilty, and the other two are on trial right now in Springfield. Earvin’s death was the beginning of WBEZ’s investigation into Illinois prisons, which is explored in this season of the podcast, “Motive.” City Cast Chicago's Jacoby Cochran talks to reporter and host Shannon Heffernan about what she uncovered, and what she hopes listeners will take away when talking about incarceration and punishment. Public meetings for Chicago casino finalists Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter (and if you've been reading it for a while, it's not too late to take the survey, and enter to win a $100 Visa gift card in the process!): chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

This week, South Side Weekly’s Chima Ikoro and freelance journalist and professor Arionne Nettles break down the big stories of the week and the ones that need more hype, plus offer their moments of joy. We highlight the new season of WBEZ's podcast “Motive” investigating abuse in rural Illinois prisons, discuss the death of two Black transgender women, and reflect on separate incidents of police violence during the summer of 2020 and how recently obtained photos and videos challenge CPD’s official narratives. Chima and Arionne leave us with some poetic and sweet moments of joy! Check back on Monday when WBEZ reporter and Motive host Shannon Heffernan joins us. Take our newsletter survey and you could win $100 Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-024

This week, Mayor Lori Lightfoot asserted the Christopher Columbus statue would eventually return to Grant Park. The city removed the statue in July 2020, a week after police clashed with protesters demanding its removal. While the Mayor has placed the blame on “vigilantes who attacked officers,” the Chicago Reader and South Side Weekly report that newly-obtained images reveal that police officers indiscriminately arrested and attacked protesters. Now, one of the police officers who was struck a protester is facing termination, despite the objections of CPD Superintendent David Brown. The Reader’s Jim Daley walks us through what happened back in 2020, and what's next. News: The city could have its new Inspector General. Listen to Jacoby's interview with former IG Joe Ferguson who retired last October. Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246

Actor Chris Perfetti wasn’t a big basketball fan growing up. But he was a big Steppenwolf Theatre fan. So when he got the chance to star in the world premiere of “King James” at the famous Lincoln Park theater, he took it. The play is only partly about LeBron James and basketball; it’s more about friendship and the way sports help forge bonds. Perfetti also stars as Jacob in the hit ABC sitcom “Abbott Elementary,” and talks with City Cast Chicago Host Jacoby Cochran about working on the play and the show. "King James" is running through April 10. Find out more and get tickets at Steppenwolf.org. Some Good News: The National Museum of Mexican Art's exhibit “Frida Kahlo, Her Photos” opens on Friday. If you read our newsletter, make sure you head on over to chicago.citycast.fm/survey to give us your feedback and help make the newsletter even better (and be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card)! Not familiar with the newsletter? Check it out and sign up for those awesome daily emails at chicago.citycast.fm/newsletter You can also follow us on Twitter @CityCastChicago

Recreational weed has been available in Illinois since 2020. Meanwhile, in Texas, a Democratic gubernatorial challenger is pushing to legalize cannabis while the Republican incumbent resists the idea. That may sound familiar to Illinois voters. Gov. JB Pritzker ran on legalizing marijuana four years ago, and while the rollout has been rocky, he’s counting it as a big win heading into this year’s election. City Cast Houston’s Lisa Gray and City Cast Chicago’s Jacoby Cochran talk about the status of legal weed in both states, and Jacoby offers his tips on what Texas should watch out for as they inch toward legalization. It’s a crossover episode! Some good news: Chicago Trans Visibility Pageant Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246