OTL: Episode #516- Is Riot Fest a good thing?, More government transparency hurdles, The Secret History of Hamid Drake

Mike Stephen talks with:   Concerned Citizens of Riot Fest in Douglas Park co-founder Sharaya Tindal about her organization’s concerns about the annual music festival in their neighborhood;   Chicago Justice Project executive director Tracy Siska about filing suit against the Chicago Emergency Management and Communications office for more government transparency; and   Plastic Crimewave (aka Steve Krakow) about world-renowned drummer Hamid Drake for this week’s edition of The Secret History of Chicago Music.   Meanwhile, we discuss real estate prices around CTA stops.   This week’s local music is provided by Law of Keanu.   OTL host Mike Stephen wraps up his pre-show vocal exercises in a seventh floor radio studio in the Tribune Tower.   To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.

OTL: Episode #512- Turning the Page Chicago, Saving the monarch butterfly, The Secret History of The Sunshine Sequence

Mike Stephen talks with:   Turning the Page Chicago managing director Kylia Kummer about engaging families with public schools to ensure a high-quality public education;   Keller Science Action Center at the The Field Museum social science coordinator Alexis Winter about “A Monarch’s View of the City” and the conservation efforts to save this important pollinator; and   Plastic Crimewave (aka Steve Krakow) about 1960s all-girl garage band The Sunshine Sequence for this week’s edition of The Secret History of Chicago Music.   Meanwhile, we discuss the fact that O’Hare International Airport is really stepping up its food game.   This week’s local music is provided music provided by Jaime Rojo.   WGN Radio host John Williams bumps into OTL host Mike Stephen at O’Hare International Airport… but they did not dine at The Publican. [photo circa August 3, 2011]   To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.

OTL: Episode #506- City Council oversight from Project Six, Re-imagining city garages, The Secret History of Off Broadway

Mike Stephen talks with:   former Chicago Legislative Inspector General Faisal Khan about Project Six, a new independent organization created to provide City Council oversight;   Future Firm architects and partners Ann Lui and Craig Reschke about their “Rebel Garages” plan to remake our city alleys into places of commerce and meeting spaces; and   Plastic Crimewave (aka Steve Krakow) power poppers Off Broadway for this week’s edition of The Secret History of Chicago Music.   Meanwhile, we celebrate the new “towing bill of rights” recently passed by the Chicago City Council.   This week’s local music is provided music provided by James Rawson.   OTL producer Andy Hermann and host Mike Stephen re-imagine Mike’s East Village rebel garage for a special show taping in 2014.   To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.

OTL: Episode #504- A journalist’s Chicago taco journey, Anne Elizabeth Moore wins a house in Detroit, The Secret History of John Gilmore

Mike Stephen talks with:   Chicago Tribune writer Nick Kindelsperger at La Lagartija Taqueria about his monthlong taco-eating journey and why and how Chicago is a taco town;   author and cultural critic Anne Elizabeth Moore about her new book Threadbare: Clothes, Sex & Trafficking and how she won a house Detroit via the Write A House program; and   Plastic Crimewave (aka Steve Krakow) about Sun Ra saxophonist John Gilmore for this week’s edition of The Secret History of Chicago Music.   Meanwhile, we update the House Bill 5902 (aka Speech Rights of Student Journalists Act) story from OTL #499, and we actually side with Mayor Rahm Emanuel… when WTTW’s Paris Schutz broke the “off-the-record” journalism rule!   This week’s local music is provided music provided by Early Autumn Station.   Chicago Tribune writer Nick Kindelsperger and OTL host Mike Stephen talk tacos at La Lagartija Taqueria. #mikelovestacos   To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.