Mike Stephen goes inside a new occult gallery in Logan Square called Covet Oddities and chats with owners Ben and Erica Santine, learns about the limitations of the Freedom of Information Act in Illinois with Better Government Association financial policy analyst Sophia Van Pelt, and highlights the great work of La Casa Norte‘s Hope for Homes Day initiative with executive director Jose Munoz. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

Mike Stephen explores the impending “TIF Cliff” and its ramifications for Chicago with civic educator Tom Tresser, discusses the state of local civic life, and gets the lowdown on the expansion of HelloBaby on the South Side of the city with founder Debbie Frisch and Leva Family Foundation president Craig Leva. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

City Hall isn’t enforcing environmental regulations for city contracts. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen talks to Neighbors for Environmental Justice board president Anthony Moser about how local politics and a lack of enforcement are impacting Chicago’s environmental policies and then discovers the Secret History of 1970s Chicago country rockers JD, Foster, and Eastman. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

We explore issues of the Chicago Housing Authority this week. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen learns how the Chicago Housing Authority allows for nefarious deeds on some of its vacant properties from Block Club Chicago investigative editor and reporter Mick Dumke, celebrates 90 years of Andersonville’s Simon’s Tavern, and chats with local musician Brett Ratner about his new instrumental rock. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.