Mike Stephen questions political authenticity on social media, dives into the history of Chicago’s Westside in the face of the proposed police academy with Tiffany Walden creator and editor/chief of TheTriibe.com, learns about endangered buildings in Illinois with the president of Landmarks Illinois, and chats with local reporter Yana Kunichoff about police training for police officers stationed in schools. The local music this week is powered by Ludlow. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.

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.

Mike Stephen chatty chats with: Tracy Siska, Executive Director, Chicago Justice Project; OTL Winter Tavern Tour #6: Tuman’s Tap w/ @ChicagoBars, and; Plastic Crimewave (aka Steve Krakow) about Chicago blues bassist Benny Turner for this week’s edition of The Secret History of Chicago Music Local music this week is powered by The Curls.  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.