Coach houses are going to be all the rage!

Mike Stephen learns about a new city ordinance legalizing coach houses with Chicago Cityscape founder & CEO Steven Vance, discusses the impact of COVID-19 in state prisons with Illinois Prison Project executive director Jennifer Soble, and explores the pandemic’s impact on housing with Geoff Smith of the Institute for Housing Studies at DePaul University. And in the OTL Wrap Party segment, Mike and Producer Collin reflect on the show and offer some takeaways. The local pandemic tunez come from Phillip Otto. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page or RSS feed.

Exploring disinvestment on Madison Street in East Garfield Park.

Mike Stephen discusses the legacy of local disinvestment in East Garfield Park with Mick Dumke of ProPublica Illinois, talks with Ai-jen Poo, co-founder of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, about domestic workers rights, and learns the Secret History of local drummer Dave Tough. And in the OTL Wrap Party segment, Mike and Producer Collin reflect on the show and remember the humble origins of Nate Silver when he was a guest on OTL thirteen years ago. The local pandemic tunez come from The Cheap Soap. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page or RSS feed.

Voting is cool!

Mike Stephen learns about what it’s like to get out the vote with Janelle Rau-Clauson, chats about NewCity’s special “Best of Chicago” issue with guest co-editor Scoop Jackson, and gets some tips on enjoying winter during a pandemic from the Chicago Reader‘s John Greenfield. And in the OTL Wrap Party segment, Mike and Producer Collin reflect on the show and Mike makes plans to visit Collin’s house to see his fire table. The local pandemic tunez come from Blue Spring. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page or RSS feed.

So much Illinois love!

Mike Stephen discusses the possibility of downstate Illinois seceding from Chicago with Ted McClelland of Chicago Magazine, learns about a new book called Bullets for Dead Hoods that gives us a look into local mobsters of the 1930s from curator John Corbett, and reviews an analysis of how the state has spent COVID-19 funds with ProPublica Illinois‘ Ash Ngu.  And in the OTL Wrap Party segment, Mike and Producer Collin reflect on the show and discuss the need to be better about bridging the divide between northern and southern Illinois. The local pandemic tunez come from Away Team Forever. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page or RSS feed.