City Cast Chicago

Fans are hoping this is the year for a Chicago Sky championship. The team’s roster is stacked with veterans like two-time MVP forward Candace Parker and rookies like point guard Shyla Heal from Australia’s professional basketball league. Sportswriter Chris Pennant covers the WNBA. He gives us a preview of the Sky’s season in the context of the league’s 25th anniversary. Guest: Chris Pennant, Contributor, The Next and WAAR (@kwandarykitten) Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm

Chicago is a theater town, but live stage productions have been virtually wiped out for more than a year. Theater critic Kerry Reid breaks down the ways artists have adapted, how theaters are emerging from the pandemic, and how the city’s theater scene may be permanently affected. Guest: Kerry Reid, Theater and Dance Editor, Chicago Reader (@kerryreid) Here are some of the projects and theaters Kerry mentions: The Neo-Futurist Theater (@theneofuturists) Interrobang’s “The Spin” (@interrobangtheatreproject) Northlight’s “Lettin’ the Good Times Roll” (@NorthlightThtr) Follow us on twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm

Chicago has more lead water service lines than any other American city. Lori Lightfoot is the first mayor to promise to remove the pipes, but seven months after announcing a plan, WBEZ’s Monica Eng reports no progress has been made. Eng has been following problems with lead in the city’s water for years. She breaks down how Chicago got to this point. Guest: Monica Eng, Curious City Reporter, WBEZ (@monicaeng) Learn more about the city’s lead pipe removal programs: https://www.leadsafechicago.org/lead-service-line-replacement We love to shout out local businesses, and we want to hear your recommendations. Tell us about a place you love — a restaurant, a store, even a park — and we might mention them on the show. Send us an email at [email protected] with the name of the place, where it's located, and why you love it. (But please, only send us places you love to frequent as a customer, not a business you own or work at.) Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm

This week, the city announced $60 million in grant funding to reignite Chicago’s arts scene after the pandemic. Chicago Tribune critic Chris Jones says it’s one of the largest infusions of cash from the city that he’s seen. Jones also broke the news this week that many laid-off staff at The Second City may not get their jobs back when the iconic comedy theater opens back up. Jones tells us why these moves are significant for Chicago’s arts community. Guest: Chris Jones, Chief Theater Critic, Chicago Tribune (@ChrisJonesTrib) Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm

The 12th season of Chicago’s Asian Pop-Up Cinema is underway. The fest is online and outdoors at the Lincoln Yards Drive-in. Unfortunately, the screenings of Oscar-nominee “Minari” are sold out. But there’s plenty left to see. We talk with founder Sophia Wong Boccio about which films she’s looking forward to and why the festival is important to her. Guest: Sophia Wong Boccio, Founder/Executive Director, Asian Pop-Up Cinema (@asianpopupcinema) Films mentioned: My Missing Valentine Ready O/R Knot Fanfare Where to buy tickets: asianpopupcinema.org/12boxoffice Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm

Jacoby heads to Chicago’s Loop after the jury in the Derek Chauvin murder trial delivers the guilty verdict. Local activists talk about what the verdict means and how significant this decision was. We also hear from Frank Chapman, who has spent decades fighting for police accountability; and Arionne Nettles, a journalism professor at Northwestern University who recently wrote about police killings. Follow us on twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: citycast.fm/chicago

There’s more to cannabis-infused food than just gummy bears and brownies. Manny Mendoza is a Culinary Institute of America-trained chef who runs Herbal Notes, a company that creates pop-up dining experiences in Chicago and California. His infused dishes run the gamut from brunch to tapas to a very special frozen chocolate milk. Mendoza explains how he’s created a business and lifestyle that combines his love of food and weed. Guest: Manny Mendoza, Chef/Owner, Herbal Notes (@herbalnotes) Follow us on twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: citycast.fm/chicago

David Axelrod may have been born in New York, but he very much identifies as a Chicagoan. After arriving at the University of Chicago as a student nearly 50 years ago, the long-time political strategist and one-time chief adviser to Barack Obama advisor is still here. Axelrod and Jacoby talk politics, idealism, and what makes Chicago great. Plus, we hear some of your “Weak-Ass Takes.” Read on for how to submit your own. Guest: David Axelrod-- Founding Director, Institute of Politics, University of Chicago; Host, The Axe Files How to send us your Weak-Ass Takes: Use Voice Memo, Voice Recorder or another app to record yourself giving your unpopular opinion. Please also include your name and neighborhood. Email us the audio file at [email protected] Keep listening to hear if we feature your take on a future episode! Follow us on twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: citycast.fm/chicago

The teachers union has reached a deal with Chicago Public Schools for high schoolers to return to class Monday. It comes after tense negotiations this week. Meanwhile, the debate over creating an elected Chicago school board is heating up in Springfield, with competing proposals emerging. Jacoby breaks down the politics with two education reporters. Guests: Sarah Karp, Education Reporter, WBEZ (@SSKedreporter) Samantha Smylie, State Education Reporter, Chalkbeat Chicago (@sammie_smylie) Follow us on twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: citycast.fm/chicago

How can Chicagoans actually hold police accountable? That’s the question two coalitions are trying to tackle in their proposed “People’s Ordinance.” It would create a new civilian oversight body with broad policy-making powers. Frank Chapman has been working on this issue for decades. He tells Jacoby how this proposal is a step toward a more just policing system. Guest: Frank Chapman, Field Organizer, Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (@CAARPRNOW) What you can do: At 10 a.m. Saturday, CAARPR will be hosting virtual briefing on the ordinance. You can find more information on their Facebook page. Follow us on twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: citycast.fm/chicago

Donald Lassere started this week as the new head of the Chicago History Museum. It's a homecoming for the native South Sider, who most recently led the Muhammed Ali Center in Louisville. Lassere reflects on his youth in Chicago, including being run out of Marquette Park because he was Black, and what he's excited to return to in Chicago (hint: Harold's). Lassere also tells Jacoby he wants to make sure the 165-year-old museum tells the stories of all of Chicago’s neighborhoods. Follow us on twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: citycast.fm/chicago

High school students in Chicago Public Schools are supposed to go back to in-person learning next week. The wave also includes the return of another group of K-8 students. Last week, we heard from a mom who’s choosing to keep her young kids in remote learning. Today, Jacoby talks to a dad who was eager to get his son back in the classroom about how in-person learning is going so far. Guest: Ryan Griffin, CPS Parent Follow us on twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: citycast.fm/chicago

After Adam Toledo was shot and killed by Chicago Police, some city officials painted a picture of the 13 year old as lost, alone, and drawn to gang life out of desperation. Toledo’s mother pushed backed on that narrative, saying Adam lived with his family and was not alone. But the police shooting has created a narrow view of Toledo's Southwest Side neighborhood. We visit Little Village with Katya Nuques, executive director of Enlace Chicago, to learn more about the neighborhood’s history and discuss how the community is responding to the shooting. Guest: Katya Nuques, Executive Director, Enlace Chicago (@EnlaceChicago) Follow us on twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: citycast.fm/chicago

***We have a new segment, and we need your help! Read after the description for more details.*** Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Gov. JB Pritzker seem to be at odds lately. The two Democrats are going in different directions on reopening bars and restaurants. They’re clashing over education. They couldn’t even decide on a joint press conference location when the vice president was in town this week. Is this all just political theater or are there real tensions here? Jacoby breaks it down with two journalists: one watching Springfield and the other watching City Hall. Guests: Amanda Vinicky, Correspondent, WTTW Channel 11 (@AmandaVinicky) Alex Nitkin, Editor and City Hall reporter, The Daily Line (@AlexNitkin) Now, for something new. We want to hear your Weak-Ass Takes! At the end of the episode, the City Cast Chicago team shares some of their unpopular opinions, and we want to hear yours. Record your take via voice memo and send to [email protected]. Be sure to say your name and your neighborhood. Others may hear it on an upcoming episode! (Don't be shy...some of us don't like Marvel movies, either.) Follow us on twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: citycast.fm/chicago

It’s been about a month since K-8 students in Chicago Public Schools began returning to in-person learning on hybrid schedules. As CPS and the Chicago Teachers Union spar over the impending return of high schoolers, Jacoby talks with with one mom about why she’s keeping her young kids home, even though she has the option to send them back to the classroom. Guest: Anastasia Chapital, CPS Parent Follow us on twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: citycast.fm/chicago

A judge’s decision is expected any day now to determine the future of a metal scrapping facility on the Southeast Side. Neighborhood activists say it will increase pollution in an area already laden with industry. They’re asking the city to deny a final permit, calling it an example of environmental racism. To see what that really means, Jacoby walks the neighborhood with Gina Ramirez, a lifetime Southeast Sider trying to stop the metal shredder. Guest: Gina Ramirez, Midwest Outreach Manager, National Resources Defense Council (@GinaRamirez311) Follow us on twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: citycast.fm/chicago

Chicago is entering a third surge of coronavirus cases. But things had been looking up, with more businesses reopening and more people getting vaccinated. A year into a pandemic, and with what can feel like conflicting information, how do you help people make good public health decisions? Jacoby talks with nurse Katherine Buaron, who’s been fielding questions from patients. Guest: Katherine Buaron, Community Health Nurse, Rush University Medical Center Follow us on twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: citycast.fm/chicago

Chicago’s public monuments have been a flashpoint in the fight against systemic racism. Last July, protesters tried to topple a statue of Christopher Columbus in Grant Park. Mayor Lori Lightfoot responded by unceremoniously removing the statue in the middle of the night. The city also created a committee to review the Columbus statue and 40 other Chicago monuments. Though it was formed months ago, the committee has its first public meeting on Wednesday. Jennifer Scott is a co-chair of the the Chicago Monuments Project. She talks with Jacoby about their work so far. Guest: Jennifer Scott, Co-Chair, Chicago Monuments Project How to participate: A link to the livestream will be posted here: bit.ly/3sUZndm To send a written comment or sign up to make live comments email [email protected]. Written comments are due by 10 a.m. Monday. Follow us on twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: citycast.fm/chicago

The Derek Chauvin trial got underway this week in Minneapolis. The former police officer has been charged with the murder of George Floyd last May. Floyd’s killing sparked worldwide rallies and protests calling for accountability for police abuse. That’s not new for Chicago. The police department has been under a consent decree since 2019 after the Department of Justice issued a scathing report that found that the CPD regularly used excessive force and racist tactics. This week, two reports revealed the department is behind on reforms and recommendations. We break this all down with Washington Post reporter Kim Bellware, who’s covering the Chauvin trial in Minneapolis, and WBEZ criminal justice reporter Patrick Smith. Guests: Kim Bellware, reporter, Washington Post (@bellwak) Patrick Smith, criminal justice reporter, WBEZ (@pksmid) Follow us on twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: citycast.fm/chicago

It’s opening day for baseball season! The White Sox start out on the road tonight against the LA Angels, while the Cubs take on the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field. As baseball fans eagerly look ahead to a more “normal” season, we’re looking back at a pivotal moment in MLB history. Joan Niesen is the host of the new podcast Crushed. The show explores the 1998 home run race between the St. Louis Cardinals’ Mark McGwire and the Cubs’ Sammy Sosa, and the fallout after fans learned the stars and many other players had been using steroids. Jacoby talks to Niesen about how that summer both captivated and disappointed a generation of baseball fans. Guest: Joan Nieson, Host, Crushed (@JoanNiesen) Opening day schedule: https://bit.ly/2PF2OGl Follow us on twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: citycast.fm/chicago

Over the last two decades, 51 women, most of whom were Black, were killed in Chicago in similar ways. Most of their deaths have never been solved. And their stories have been underreported or incomplete. Samantha Latson is a student journalist who has been sharing some of the stories from these women’s lives. As part of a class at Roosevelt University, Latson and other students created the website Unforgotten51.com. She tells Jacoby more about the project. Guest: Samantha Latson, journalism student, Roosevelt University (@smanthalatson) Follow us on twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: citycast.fm/chicago

On Monday, we talked to one of the advocates behind a bill that would prohibit Illinois landlords from rejecting tenants based on their source of income, such as Section 8 housing vouchers and other subsidies. Evelyn Sanguinetti from Hope Fair Housing Center called concerns over Section 8 a “dogwhistle to let others know that people of color will be moving in next to you.” Paul Arena from the Illinois Rental Property Owners Association says he's "disappointed" Sanguinetti portrayed the group's opposition to the bill as racist. Arena explains why his group opposes the bill. Guest: Paul Arena, Director of Legislative Affairs, Illinois Rental Property Owners Association Follow us on twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: citycast.fm/chicago [More possible notes]

The rent is due this week. But hundreds of thousands people in Illinois remain out of work due to the pandemic. Even though Gov. JB Pritzker has again extended the state’s eviction moratorium until April 3, landlords can still reject prospective tenants for having an “unstable” source of income. And the pandemic has made many industries unstable. Jacoby talks with housing rights advocate, and former Republican Lieutenant Governor Evelyn Sanguinetti, about new legislation that would prohibit source-of-income discrimination. Guests: Evelyn Sanguinetti, Executive Director, HOPE Fair Housing Center Follow us on twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: citycast.fm/chicago

Loretto Hospital went from administering Chicago’s first COVID-19 vaccine last December to being cut off from the city’s supply in scandal. Hospital officials are investigating whether a top executive was funneling vaccine doses to ineligible people at Trump tower, a luxury watch shop, and a Gold Coast steakhouse. Now, the exec has resigned, and West Siders in the hospital’s neighborhood are feeling left in the lurch. Jacoby talks with Block Club Chicago’s Kelly Bauer, who initially broke the Loretto story, and The Triibe’s Matt Harvey, who’s been out talking to people in Austin. Guests: Kelly Bauer, Breaking News Editor, Block Club Chicago (@BauerJournalism) Matt Harvey, Reporter, The Triibe (@MatttheMajor) Follow us on twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: citycast.fm/chicago

As the nation reels from another mass shooting, some Chicago reporters are doing more nuanced coverage around gun violence. The city’s name is often invoked in national conversations about gun violence and control. But shootings here — like the one in Park Manor that left two people dead and 13 others injured last week — don’t always make prominent lists of “mass shootings.” Jacoby talks with Lakeidra Chavis of The Trace about why that is and how to grieve for gun violence victims near and far. Guest: Lakeidra Chavis, Reporter, The Trace (@lakeidrachavis) Follow us on twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: citycast.fm/chicago

Chicago’s neighborhoods are full of house museums — former homes turned into cultural centers celebrating art and history. But leaders of these cultural hubs are worried the city could make it harder to operate in residential areas. On Tuesday, member’s of city council’s zoning committee will consider an ordinance that would require house museums to ask for zoning or special use permits. The proposal comes as several groups seek to establish such museums honoring some of Chicago’s Black icons, such as Emmett Till, Muddy Waters, and Phyllis Wheatley. Jacoby talks with a cultural leader pushing back against the ordinance. Guests: Peter Vega, Executive Director of the Chicago Cultural Alliance (@PeterVega @chicagocultural); Abby Schnable, Sports Editor at the Loyola Phoenix Follow us on twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: citycast.fm/chicago

Illinois colleges could be going back to in-person learning in the fall. That’s just one of the news stories from this week. Jacoby sits down with two of his students at University of Illinois at Chicago to discuss in-person learning, the murders in Atlanta of eight people, including six women of Asian descent, and their hopes and fears for what comes when the pandemic ends. This is our Week in Review: Student Edition Guests: Onyinye Udeogu and Jaron Cano Follow us on twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: citycast.fm/chicago

It’s St. Paddy’s Day again. Remember last year, when local officials warned Chicagoans not to party this week, and they did anyway? Less than a week later, Governor JB Pritzker put Illinois under a stay at home order. A year on, in a city longing for normalcy, mayor Lori Lightfoot surprised us all by dyeing the Chicago River its iconic green after all. We admire its neon glow and wonder – how much has changed? It’s the inaugural episode of City Cast Chicago! Guests: Simone Alicea, Producer, City Cast Chicago; Michael Roper, Owner, Hopleaf

Chicago’s daily news podcast, fresh every weekday morning. Host Jacoby Cochran brings you timely conversations with news and culture makers; activists and artists; bus drivers and students; those who love and hate this place. City Cast Chicago is a smart and delightful new way to connect with the city we share. Learn more and subscribe to our newsletter at chicago.citycast.fm.