OTL #893: The state of local news, The Secret History of the Joy Poppers
Mike Stephen explores The State of Local News 2023 report with Tim Franklin, director of the Medill Local News Initiative, and discovers the Secret History of the 1990s power pop band the Joy Poppers.....
View ArticleOTL #894: Preserving Illinois Black Panther history , The Bronzeville Trail...
Mike Stephen learns about efforts to preserve the history of the Illinois Black Panther Party with Leila Wills, executive director of the Historical Preservation Society of the Illinois Chapter of the...
View ArticleOTL #895: Google and local journalism, A special international Secret History...
Mike Stephen talks to Justin Kerr, publisher of the McKinley Park News, and learns why that local news outlet severed ties with Google and then chats with local music historian Steve Krakow about his...
View ArticleOTL #896: Decaying public housing, A new Holiday short film, New music from...
Mike Stephen discusses the decaying properties of the Chicago Housing Authority with Block Club Chicago investigative editor Mick Dumke, talks to writer Kevin Jakubowski, a Batavia native, about...
View ArticleOTL #897: Local youth climate advocacy, New music from Radio Free Honduras,...
Mike Stephen talks to Oak Park & River Forest High School seniors Kate Wallace and Katie Stabb about their recent experience at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, chats with musician Dan Abu-Absi...
View ArticleOTL #898: The Neighborhood Business Roundtable
Mike Stephen sits down with four local business owners at Janik’s Cafe in Wicker Park to discuss the challenges of 2023 and how to make 2024 a better year. The panel features Katie Coleman of Mulberry...
View ArticleOTL #899: School choice in Chicago, The Secret History of Johnny Drummer
Mike Stephen discusses the future of school choice in Chicago with Reema Amin, reporter at Chalkbeat Chicago, and then learns the Secret History of local bluesman Johnny Drummer. To subscribe to the...
View ArticleOTL #900: Bridging the political divide, The state of climate media, Local...
Mike Stephen learns about the Crossroads America project from college students Lucas Kult-Banout and Ezekiel Wells, explores the state of climate media with Mike Fourcher, and chats about local food...
View ArticleOTL #901: City land and a local housing crisis, The Secret History of Mezz...
Mike Stephen discusses the vast city ownership of vacant land during Chicago’s housing crisis with Block Club Chicago reporter and investigative editor Mick Dumke and discovers the Secret History of...
View ArticleOTL #902: Quality of life in Illinois prisons, The Big Read, Jared Rabin’s...
Mike Stephen explores the quality of life in Illinois prisons with Jennifer Vollen-Katz, the executive director of the John Howard Association, talks with Illinois Humanities executive director...
View ArticleOTL #903: A local journalism crisis, Electric vehicle challenges in Chicago,...
Mike Stephen discusses the local journalism crisis with Illinois Local Journalism Task Force member Mark Jacob, learns about the lack of electric vehicle infrastructure in certain areas of Chicago with...
View ArticleOTL #904: Studying our water, Who is working from home?, Second Glance...
Mike Stephen learns about the latest efforts in studying our local water systems from David Lampert, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology,...
View ArticleOTL #905: Chicago history through signs, The Illinois child tax credit, The...
Mike Stephen discusses the importance of signs in Chicago history with Kelsey McClellan, co-owner of Heart & Bone Signs and co-founder of the Chicago Sign Museum, learns about the Illinois child...
View ArticleOTL #906: The city council on foreign affairs, The top 50 most powerful...
Mike Stephen discusses the history of the Chicago City Council getting involved in foreign affairs with Chicago Magazine contributing editor Ted McClelland, dives into the list of the most powerful...
View ArticleOTL #907: Public money for local sports stadiums?, Cosmic Bull’s new music,...
Mike Stephen discusses the civic issues around local sports teams using public money to build stadiums with civic educator Tom Tresser, chats with Mark Vickery, the frontman of Cosmic Bull, about that...
View ArticleOTL #908: From prison to Ph.D, The challenges of keeping community media afloat
Mike Stephen learns about the incredible story of Dr. Stanley Andrisse, endocrinologist and assistant professor at the Howard University College of Medicine, who was formerly incarcerated and is now a...
View ArticleOTL #909: A new music venue in Forest Park, Dolph Chaney’s new music, The...
Mike Stephen explores Robert’s Westside, a new music venue in Forest Park, and talks to venue founder Donnie Biggins, learns about local musician Dolph Chaney’s new music, and discovers the Secret...
View ArticleOTL #910: The future of journalism, Share Our Spare helping families in...
Mike Stephen discusses the future of journalism at the Northern Illinois Scholastic Press Association conference with Jason Block, multimedia communications teacher at Prospect High School, and learns...
View ArticleOTL #911: Vacant land near local transit, Preserving local history, The...
Mike Stephen learns about the significance of vacant land near local transit hubs from Geoff Smith, executive director of the Institute for Housing Studies at DePaul University, discusses the...
View ArticleOTL #912: Paid Chicago school board members?, HelloBaby’s great work, Mark...
Mike Stephen discusses the possibility of paying Chicago school board members with Becky Vevea, bureau chief of Chalkbeat Chicago, learns about the important work of HelloBaby in the West Woodlawn...
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