The Illinois Tutoring Initiative helps students impacted by the pandemic. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen talks to Chalkbeat Chicago reporter Samantha Smylie and learns how Illinois is turning to tutors to help students, chats with legendary Chicagoan Pemon Rami about creativity and activism, and discovers the Secret History of saxman Clifford Jordan. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

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.

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.