Mike Stephen cooks up a couple racks of ribs in his yard. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen learns about Chicago BBQ history from Chicago Tribune food critic Nick Kindelsperger, discusses the impact of youth filmmaking in the city with DeAnna McLeary-Sherman of TrueStar and Eunice Shelley of the Wordsmith’s Writer’s Lab, and discovers the Secret History of the late great folk local folk musician Jim Post. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

A delicious Italian beef from Johnnie’s in Elmwood Park. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen discusses the story of the Italian beef sandwich (and how it’s hard to get a good one outside of Chicagoland) with Los Angeles Times food columnist and Oak Park native Lucas Kwan Peterson, chats about the semi-independence of the Chicago City Council with Geoffrey Cubbage of the Better Government Association, and talks to Jonny Untch about being a local musician and educator. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

Would you help out your neighbor with their utility bill? (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen learns about Community Utility’s neighborly efforts to bring us together through mutual aid from co-founder Anson Tong, previews Palatine’s The Push Puppets’ new music with frontman Erich Specht, and discovers the Secret History of Chicago blues pianist Erwin Helfer. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

This week we explore the trauma of youth gun violence. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen discusses the residual trauma for students impacted by gun violence with Mauricio Pena of Chalkbeat Chicago, learns about the disparities in school discipline in the northwest suburbs from Jennifer Richards of the Chicago Tribune, and explores a new report detailing Illinois Muslims assets and needs with Dr. Joe Hoereth, director of the Institute for Policy and Civic Engagement at UIC. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.