What is the future of the Chicago Reader? (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen talks to Amber Nettles, the publisher of the Chicago Reader, and Salem Collo-Julin, the paper’s editor in chief, about the dire financial situation of the publication and its future and then discovers the Secret History of the local 1960s garage rock band The Monteras. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative helps protect one of the best natural resources in the world. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen learns about the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative renewal in Congress from Don Jodrey, director of federal relations at the Alliance for the Great Lakes, and then discovers the Secret History of the 1970s counterculture band Yama & The Karma Dusters. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

Mike Stephen highlights a few local conversations from the show in 2024.  See you in 2025! 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.