We hear from a teacher of the year about his thoughts on education in 2023. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen sits down with Dr. Tyrone Williams, the Gilder Lehrman Illinois History Teacher of the Year and history teacher at Oak Park and River Forest High School, learns about supplying musicians with cool merch from Deb Sonzo and Jamie Riani, co-owners of Music Graphics Chicago, and gets an update on TIF districts in Chicago from Tom Tresser of the TIF Illumination Project. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

This week we explore compliance with a law regulating punishment in local schools. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen talks to Chalkbeat Chicago reporter Samantha Smylie about Chicago Public Schools’ compliance with a state law dealing with punishment in schools, learns about the next chapter of the historic Pickwick Theater in Park Ridge from Mike Jeffers, founder of Chicago Jazz Magazine and venue & programming consultant, and gets the lowdown on a local organization that empowers youth with media and storytelling skills called True Star Media from production team member Christopher Lockridge. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

Some City Council committees haven’t been meeting regularly. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen discusses the lack of Chicago City Council committee meetings with Block Club Chicago editor and reporter Mick Dumke, learns about connecting local artists to one another through Paint the City from co-founders Barrett Keithley and Missy Perkins, and gets the lowdown on local bluesman Nigel Mack’s new album. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed

This week we learn about a unique Juneteenth celebration. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen talks to Ted Williams, the creator of the musical 1619: The Journey of a People, about the impact of the show’s story, learns about the lack of an official onboarding process for newly-elected alderpeople from Dave Glowacz, staff reporter at Inside Chicago Government, and gets the lowdown on new walking tours highlighting local LGBTQ+ history from Mike McMains, founder of Tours With Mike. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.