What are the impacts of TIF districts on Chicago neighborhoods? (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen gets an update on the impact of TIF districts on Chicago neighborhoods over the past year with Tom Tresser, co-founder of The CivicLab, and then re-airs a conversation with Illinois native Kevin Jakubowski, the screenwriter of the Holiday film 8-Bit Christmas. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

The Damen Silos in the McKinley park neighborhood. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen learns how pollution is impacting McKinley Park from Anthony Moser, board president of Neighbors for Environmental Justice, discusses the creation of the first Green Dining District in Illinois with Ravi Parakkat, Oak Park trustee and founder of Takeout 25, and discovers the Secret History of 1960s soul singer Jo Ann Garrett. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

A view of Kaskaskia, IL. (Photo credit: Illinois Humanities. Used with permission.)

Mike Stephen learns about the fascinating history of Kaskaskia, IL, from Illinois Humanities’ Matt Meacham and then dives into the story of the 1980s-era metal band Witchslayer. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

What happened at The Hideout? (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen talks to local journalist and Streetsblog Chicago editor John Greenfield about his controversial article about the firing of a Hideout employee and then gets a preview of this year’s Goose Island Bourbon Co. Stout line from Josh Noel of the Chicago Tribune. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.