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 the impact of discrimination on local housing. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen talks to Donna Sack, vice president and chief program officer of the Naper Settlement, about a new project called Unvarnished that documents the impacts of housing discrimination and then chats with local jazz saxman Chris Greene about his upcoming gig and his band’s music. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

This week we discuss training the next generation of journalists. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen discusses the importance of training the next generation of journalists with Jason Block, multimedia communications teacher at Prospect High School, learns about local jazz saxman Shawn Maxwell’s new music, and discovers the Secret History of Chicago Blues harmonica legend Billy Branch. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

Open Books is expanding. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen learns about the new expansion of Chicago literacy nonprofit Open Books from executive director Eric Johnson, learns how ChicagoJazz.com is back in full swing and delivering new local music coverage from founder Mike Jeffers, and discovers new local tunes from musician Daniel Gunderson. And Mike pays tribute to the late great radio host Lin Brehmer of WXRT-FM. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.