Chicago owns a lot of vacant land during the current housing crisis. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen discusses the vast city ownership of vacant land during Chicago’s housing crisis with Block Club Chicago reporter and investigative editor Mick Dumke and discovers the Secret History of prewar jazz clarinet player Mezz Mezzrow. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

This week we discuss efforts to bridge the political divide. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen learns about the Crossroads America project from college students Lucas Kult-Banout and Ezekiel Wells, explores the state of climate media with Mike Fourcher, and chats about local food trends in 2023 and into 2024 with Mike Gebert, the editor of Fooditor. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

We head over to Wicker Park to discuss the challenges facing local business owners this past year. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen sits down with four local business owners at Janik’s Cafe in Wicker Park to discuss the challenges of 2023 and how to make 2024 a better year. The panel features Katie Coleman of Mulberry & Me, Scott Weiner of The Fifty/50, Mario Ponce of Takito Kitchen, and Felipa Janik of Janik’s. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.