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.

Some Chicago organizations are helping immigrants who are arriving in Chicago. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen talks to Cristina De La Rosa, executive director of Chicago’s Erie Neighborhood House, and learns how that organization helps immigrants arriving to Chicago and then discovers the Secret History of the 1970s Chicago soul group The Kelderons. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.