There is a plan to reform prisons in Illinois. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen discusses a plan to address inhumane living conditions in Illinois correctional facilities with Jennifer Vollen-Katz, the executive director of the John Howard Association of Illinois, and learns the story of the Chicago avant-garde band The Devil Bell Hippies. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

Mike Stephen learns about the broken promises of Cabrini-Green from Better Government Association senior investigative reporter Alejandra Cancino and then gets an update on the response of state correctional facilities to the COVID-19 pandemic from Jennifer Vollen-Katz, executive director of the John Howard Association of Illinois. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

This week we take a look at housing instability in the wake of the pandemic. (Photo Credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen discusses the pandemic’s affect on housing instability with Michelle Layser of the University of Illinois, talks to the John Howard Association of Illinois‘ Jennifer Vollen-Katz about how prisons are beginning to open up to more oversight, and finds out how Burning Bush Brewery has survived the pandemic so far from owner Brent Raska. And in the OTL Wrap Party, Mike and Producer Collin recap the show, offer some takeaways, and offer words of encouragement for one another’s March Madness brackets. The local music this week comes from Cranes & Mirrors. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

Pondering how COVID-19 will impact buildings.

Mike Stephen learns about the ongoing story of a proposed memorial to victims of police torture with Logan Jaffe of ProPublica Illinois, discusses how sustainable buildings are impacted by the pandemic with Connor Jansen of the Illinois Green Alliance, and explores how COVID-19 is affecting prisons with Jennifer Vollen-Katz of the John Howard Association of Illinois. And in the OTL Wrap Party segment, Mike and Producer Collin continue the discussion about buildings and the pandemic. Also, Collin reports that there is decent mask-wearing happening in northern Michigan. The local phase four music comes from the new Bloodshot Records compilation Pandemophenia. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.