Mike Stephen talks to food journalist Mike Gebert about his new book that chronicles the history of Chicago dining, previews a Valentine’s Day show from the Sideshow Villains with band leader Dante Ingram, and discusses the work of the local nonprofit A Boy and His Dream with founder Sunny Akhigbe. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

We learn about ways to help those less fortunate in Chicago during this Holiday season. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen learns about a local initiative called Home for the Holidays that helps those less fortunate this Holiday season from founder Chef Ora Thompson, gets a preview of a local King Crimson tribute band show from band leader Eric Butler, and discovers the Secret History of local actor and musician Charles E. Gerber. AND…come out to Fitzgerald’s at 6615 W. Roosevelt Rd. in Berwyn on Saturday, November 22, at 3:00 p.m. for the Outside the Loop 1,000th episode taping! It’s a FREE event, but you need to RSVP using this link. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

Mike Stephen gets warm and cozy with: OTL listener CJ and Chris the bartender of Guthries Tavern for the first installment of the OTL’s 2018 Winter Tavern Tour; Shamus Toomey, editor-in-chief, Block Club Chicago, and Jill Doub, senior director of public engagement for Peggy Notebart Nature Museum, about the Chicago Volunteer Expo. This week’s local music is powered by Black Road. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.

OTL: #580- The Color of Law, The Secret History of Royal Flairs, Inside the OPRF Food Pantry

Mike Stephen talks with:   Richard Rothstein, author of The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America;   Plastic Crimewave (aka Steve Krakow) about 60’s garage rockers Royal Flairs for this week’s edition of The Secret History of Chicago Music, and;   Michele Zurakowski, Executive Director of the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry.   This week’s local music is provided by Montrose Man.  Mike stops by the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry to discuss the power of volunteerism 365 with Michele Zurakowski.  To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.