OTL: Episode #480- Local criminal justice stories of importance, The Secret History of guitarist Snake Boy Johnson, Clearing up common Chicago parking confusion

Mike Stephen talks with:   Chicago Sun-Times staff reporter Mick Dumke about criminal justice and some of the other important issues he wrote about in 2015;   Plastic Crimewave (aka Steve Krakow) about Luther “Snake Boy” Johnson for this week’s “Winter Blues” edition of The Secret History of Chicago Music; and   The Expired Meter blogger The Parking Ticket Geek about where you can and can’t park in the city in the winter months.   Meanwhile, “Santa Claus” calls in and nearly derails the show!   This week’s local music is provided by The Fource.   OTL host Mike Stephen III introduces his son Mike Stephen IV to his old friend and radio show guest Santa Claus.   To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.

OTL: Episode #464- The Parking Ticket Geek on local traffic issues, The Secret History of Chicago’s Brevity, Retiring baby boomers’ impact on Chicago architecture

Mike Stephen talks with:   The Expired Meter blogger The Parking Ticket Geek about new traffic patterns in Chicago and a recent red light camera lawsuit;   Plastic Crimewave (aka Steve Krakow) about ambitious early-’70s proto power poppers Brevity for this week’s edition of The Secret History of Chicago Music; and   Chicago Architecture Foundation Senior Director of Program Strategy Michael Wood about how retiring baby boomers are impacting Chicago architecture and infrastructure as detailed in the upcoming Design Dialogues: Tick Tick Boom talk.   Meanwhile, we discover that Chicago is the friendliest US city for tourists… at least according to Twitter.   This week’s local music is provided by The Tarts.   OTL host Mike Stephen III explains the new Chicago traffic patterns to Mike Stephen IV. Don’t drive angry!   To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.

OTL: Episode #455- Why Chicago won’t go bankrupt, Urban Sketchers Chicago, Fighting residential parking permits

Mike Stephen talks with:   Roosevelt Institute fellow and ReFund America Project director Saqib Bhatti about his In these Times piece “Why Chicago Won’t Go Bankrupt—And Detroit Didn’t Have To;”   Urban Sketchers Chicago co-administrator Wes Douglas for a preview of his organization’s seminar next weekend; and   The Expired Meter blogger The Parking Ticket Geek about “How To Avoid & Beat Residential Permit Parking Tickets.”   This week’s local music is provided by Armitage.   Outside the Loop host Mike Stephen shows off one of his many City of Chicago parking tickets. [circa September 2013]   To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.

OTL: Episode #440- Abolishing the Red Light Cameras, The latest from The Parking Ticket Geek, The story of local Bluesman Big Moose Walker

TO HEAR THE SHOW, PRESS THE “PLAY” BUTTON AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST… (broadcasting on the “Big Moose” radio station WGN-AM 720) New daddy Mike Stephen learns about the movement to abolish the red light cameras in Chicago, discusses transportation issues with the Parking Ticket Geek, and gets the story of local Bluesman Big Moose Walker.   Don Bransford–  Committee member of Citizens to Abolish Red Light Cameras The red light cameras are a pain for Chicago drivers.  We learn why a group of Chicagoans is working to get all of them removed from city streets.       The Parking Ticket Geek– OTL’s Official Parking Correspondent and Blogger at The Expired Meter We get an update on some important local transportation topics from the one and only Parking Ticket Geek.   The Secret History of Chicago Music– Local music historian and artist Plastic Crimewave (aka: Steve Krakow) profiles 20th century Blues musician Big Moose Walker in this week’s Chicago Reader.  He gives us the lowdown on his musical contribution to Chicago.         OTL #440 local music provided by Archie Powell and The Exports…