Mike Stephen learns about Illinois’ efforts to combat climate change with the executive director of the Illinois Environmental Council, gets the lowdown on a story about Chicago with the creator of a new podcast called The City, and discovers the Secret History of legendary Chicago Bluesman Otis Rush with local music historian Steve Krakow (aka: Plastic Crimewave).  The local music this week is brought to you by Scamlines. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.

Posted 7 years ago Tagged

Mike Stephen stops by Schurz High School in Avondale to bring us the experience of the Chicago Northside Mini Maker Faire with creator Christina Pei, learns about the #FoldedMap Project from its creator and Englewood artist Tonika Johnson, and chats with Plastic Crimewave (aka Steve Krakow) and learn about 60s soul-rockers The Weaker Sex as part of this week’s Secret History of Chicago Music. The local music this week is powered by The Funs. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.

Posted 7 years ago Tagged

Mike Stephen wonders about video games these days and then chats with Democratic nominee for Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi on how he plans to remove politics from influencing the Assessor’s Office, talks to Olatunji Oboi Reed, founder of Equiticity, about Car2Go’s car sharing pilot that excludes of the south and west sides of Chicago, and calls over to Rome to check in with the editor of Crux, John Allen Jr, about the mercy of Pope Francis. The local music this week is powered by The Claudettes. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.

Posted 7 years ago Tagged

Mike Stephen celebrates the 600th edition of the show by taking the production on the road to The Friendly Tap in Berwyn!  Youth leaders from VOYCE drop by to discuss combatting local educational inequities, Plastic Crimewave (aka Steve Krakow) gives us the Secret History of Chicago blues rocker Cash McCall, and Chicagoland NASA Solar System Ambassador Mark Benson gets us fired up about all things space-related.  Also Mike’s dad, Mike Stephen, Sr., jumps on the mic to chat about a life of activism.  The live local music for the show is brought to you by The Black Oil Brothers! To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.

Posted 7 years ago Tagged