Podcasts about Block Club Chicago

It has been two years since Mayor Brandon Johnson ended the city's contract with the gunshot detection company Sound Thinking, also known as ShotSpotter, to the chagrin of some alders. City Hall has kept the door open for a replacement, and two alders have begun testing new options. We discussed SplitSec AI with Chicago Public Media's Arionne Nettles and Block Club Chicago's Melody Mercado. Plus, Illinois toll roads are increasing prices for the first time in 15 years, BTS is headed to Soldier Field, and the crosstown classic delivered just that.  Good News: Remembering How They Moved: A Live Activation Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our daily newsletter.  Follow us @citycastchicago You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246 Learn more about the sponsors of this Aug. 21 episode: Visit Bloomington TimeLine Theatre Become a member of City Cast Chicago. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

The owners of multiple South Side funeral homes are under a microscope after state officials discovered they had been mismanaging human remains. Last week, officials and police discovered dozens of decaying bodies at the South Chicago Chapel. We break down the details with Block Club Chicago's Maxwell Evans and WBEZ's Dan Mihalopoulos. Plus, the recently shuttered Aspira charter network is trying to sell its publicly funded school building, and the Chicago Fire are hoping to extend their August win streak. Good News: Hegewisch Farmers Market & Edgewater Monday Market Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our daily newsletter.  Follow us @citycastchicago You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246 Learn more about the sponsors of this Aug. 14 episode: Paramount Theatre Become a member of City Cast Chicago. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson moves to further regulate data centers, Governor J. B. Pritzker signs a law allowing rideshare drivers to unionize, while the shocking discovery of dozens of decomposing bodies at a South Side funeral home raises calls for more government oversight. We dig into those stories and more in our Weekly News Recap.GUESTS: Nick Blumberg, WTTW News correspondentMaxwell Evans, Block Club Chicago reporter  Dan Mihalopoulos, WBEZ investigative reporter  For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop. 

Shamus Toomey, Editor in Chief and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Shamus has details on: Uncle Remus Founder Celebrates 100th Birthday With West Side Giveaway, Foundation Launch: Gus Rickette Sr. was born in Mississippi in 1926. After moving to Chicago as a teenager, Rickette worked his […]

Jen Sabella, the Director of Strategy and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Wendy Snyder (in for Bob Sirott) to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. She provides details on: Back To School With Block Club: Learn how you can help to provide books to CPS students. Congress Theater Rave Goes Viral — But Alderman Says […]

Shamus Toomey, Editor in Chief and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Shamus has details on: State, City Sue South Side Vegetable Oil Plant Over ‘Foul Odors,' Pollution: Pullman Innovations in South Deering — already the subject of a class-action suit filed by fed-up neighbors — has […]

Quinn Myers, reporter for Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Quinn has details on: Thousands Of Books Are Piling Up In Chicago Libraries Due To Staffing Shortage: The backlog has librarians scrambling to find space and keep track of books in the system. Library workers say it's a ripple […]

Shamus Toomey, Editor in Chief and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Shamus has details on: Riot Fest Offering Free Tickets To Douglass Park Neighbors Thursday: Riot Fest is hosting a ticketing and job hiring event Thursday in Little Village, where neighbors who live near Douglass Park […]

Jen Sabella, the Director of Strategy and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. She provides details on: Boat Marooned At North Avenue Beach Finally Back On The Water 2 Weeks After Getting Stuck In Sand: The boat “Sea No Evil” washed ashore July 19 after being abandoned […]

Michael Liptrot, reporter for Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Michael has details on: Got An Old Laptop Or Broken Phone? This West Side Nonprofit Will Give It New Life: Fresh Supply has opened e-waste hubs in Austin and Garfield Park to collect and refurbish discarded electronic devices for […]

Shamus Toomey, Editor in Chief and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Shamus has details on: More Than 300 Apartments Coming To Former Mag Mile Office Building As Work Gets Underway: The project at 500 N. Michigan Ave. is slated to be complete in early 2027, bringing […]

Quinn Myers, reporter for Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Quinn has details on: Chicago's Infamous Rat Problem Won't Go Away Under Current Plan, Audit Finds: The city's Bureau of Rodent Control is overly focused on responding to individual rat complaints instead of addressing their “root causes,” according to […]

Michael Liptrot, reporter for Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Michael has details on: As 7 Save A Lot Stores Close, South And West Siders Increasingly Worry About Grocery Options: The seven South and West side grocery stores closed Saturday after their operator fell into financial distress. Now, neighbors […]

Seven Save-A-Lot grocery stores across the South and West Sides could close their doors as early as Saturday if Yellow Banana, the company that owns and operates them, can't find new funding. Block Club Chicago's Atavia Reed is here with the latest. Plus, WBEZ's Kristen Schorsch joins us to detail the ongoing legal battles surrounding the recently shuttered West Suburban Hospital and provide a temperature check on Chicago's struggling safety net hospitals. Good News: 5th Annual Words of Wonder Literary Festival!, Roots: “The Brunch Experience”  Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our daily newsletter.  Follow us @citycastchicago You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246 Learn more about the sponsors of this July 24 episode: Visit Bloomington Become a member of City Cast Chicago. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

Shamus Toomey, Editor in Chief and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Shamus has details on: Jeff Fest Is No More. It's The Chicago Italian Beef Fest Now: After 25 years, Jefferson Park's namesake festival has rebranded to focus on Italian beef sandwiches. The fest is July […]

Quinn Myers, reporter for Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Quinn has details on: A Sliver Of Land Along The Kennedy Expressway Has Been Reborn As A Native Prairie: Bucktown neighbor Ian Kibbe's guerilla garden is flourishing on an IDOT-managed piece of land along the highway. He hopes to […]

Shamus Toomey, Editor in Chief and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Shamus has details on: 7 Save A Lot Stores on South, West Sides Could Close In Days As Owners Face ‘Financial Headwinds': City officials, Yellow Banana, Save A Lot and other financial partners are “discussing […]

Jen Sabella, the Director of Strategy and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. She provides details on: Chicago's ‘Concrete Beach' Is Going Viral On Social Media. Here's Why Locals Love It: The internet is roasting Chicagoans for their love of the “concrete beach.” Despite the flak, some […]

Chicago gets a one-two punch with another heat wave combined with dangerous air quality. A North Side Trader Joe's becomes the first of the grocery chain's Illinois locations to unionize. And the Shedd Aquarium agrees to take in abandoned beluga whales from a closed marine park in Canada. In the Loop breaks down those stories and more in the Weekly News Recap.GUESTS: Carrie Shepherd, Axios Chicago reporter Quinn Myers, Block Club Chicago reporter covering Wicker Park, West Town & Bucktown Bob Herguth, Chicago Sun-Times investigative reporterFor a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop. 

Shamus Toomey, Editor in Chief and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Shamus has details on: Chicago To Honor Folk Legend John Prine With 5-Day Festival  “Souvenirs” will run Oct. 7-11 and include concerts, film screenings, tours and more at various venues across the city. Portillo's Opening […]

Roughly 100,000 Americans are waiting for a kidney transplant, and the times to be matched with a donor can approach a decade. On today's Block Club Chicago podcast, sponsored by Rush, Dr. Aneesha Shetty explains everything you need to know to become a donor -- and shares the personal reason she works in this field.  Host - Jon Hansen Guest - Aneesha Shetty, MD, MPH READ MORE ABOUT BECOMING A DONOR HERE Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HEREWho we areBlock Club Chicago is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization dedicated to delivering reliable, relevant and nonpartisan coverage of Chicago's diverse neighborhoods. We believe all neighborhoods deserve to be covered in a meaningful way.We amplify positive stories, cover development and local school council meetings and serve as watchdogs in neighborhoods often ostracized by traditional news media.Ground-level coverageOur neighborhood-based reporters don't parachute in once to cover a story. They are in the neighborhoods they cover every day building relationships over time with neighbors. We believe this ground-level approach not only builds community but leads to a more accurate portrayal of a neighborhood.Stories that matter to you — every daySince our launch seven years ago, we've published more than 30,000 stories from the neighborhoods, covered hundreds of community meetings and send daily and neighborhood newsletters to more than 150,000 Chicagoans. We've built this loyalty by proving to folks we are not only covering their neighborhoods, we are a part of them. Some of us have internalized the national media's narrative of a broken Chicago. We aim to change that by celebrating our neighborhoods and chronicling the resilience of the people who fight every day to make Chicago a better place for all.

Quinn Myers, reporter for Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Quinn has details on: Chicago Daily News Building Is Now Officially A Landmark: The landmark status will allow the building's owner to apply for city incentives for rehabilitation projects. Bronzeville Residents Want Answers After Nat King Cole Mural Removed: […]

Jen Sabella, the Director of Strategy and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. She provides details on: 42 Parks On South, West Sides Getting Improved Air Conditioning To Help Battle Heat Waves: The park fieldhouses set to get additional or improved air conditioning systems were chosen using […]

Shamus Toomey, Editor in Chief and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Shamus has details on: After Years Of Stopped Trains And Congestion, City To Improve Problematic Edgebrook Intersection: Transportation officials are seeking input on how to improve the area around the Edgebrook Metra Station. One option: […]

Quinn Myers, reporter for Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Quinn has details on: Finally, Chicago Is Getting A Cat Tour Of Its Own In Lincoln Square: Cat tours have taken off in other cities, with hundreds of people gathering to spot cats in windows and on patios. The […]

Shamus Toomey, Editor in Chief and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Shamus has details on: Jesse White Tumblers Stun Judges On ‘America's Got Talent,' Even Simon Cowell: The youth tumbling team started by former Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White impressed the judges on the reality […]

Jen Sabella, the Director of Strategy and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. She provides details on: Did You Know You Can Camp In The Cook County Forest Preserves?: Five campgrounds — all a short drive from the city — opened in 2015 but are still somewhat […]

Mike Stephen gets an update on the secrecy around a plan to buy back the city's parking meters from Block Club Chicago's Mick Dumke and learns about a new series of live local performances that explore the history of the Untied States from co-producers Cheryl Corley and Lucy Smith.

Quinn Myers, reporter for Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Quinn has details on: Taste Of Chicago Starts Wednesday. Here's A Sneak Peek Of What To Eat: The food fest returns to its mid-summer slot next week with more than 100 vendors serving everything from arroz con gandules to […]

Shamus Toomey, Editor in Chief and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Shamus has details on: Tom Skilling Improvises His Way Through Cameo On ‘The Bear': Chicago's favorite weatherman said he thoroughly enjoyed making an appearance on the show's penultimate episode — in which he was given […]

After a violent weekend with eight killed and 40 injured, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson joins calls for the creation of a new Department of Gun Violence Reduction. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court strikes down Hawaii's restrictive gun law. And embattled U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros announces plans to review the work of a “Broadview Six” prosecutor going back to 2007. In the Loop breaks down those stories and more.GUESTS: Paris Schutz, NBC 5 political and investigative reporterMaxwell Evans, Block Club Chicago reporter Violet Miller, Chicago Sun-Times general assignment reporter Alma Campos, Chicago Sun-Times immigration reporterFor a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Shamus Toomey, Editor in Chief and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Shamus has details on: 1st Phase Of $580 Million Woodlawn Central Development Gets Key City Approval: The Plan Commission approved Apostolic Church of God's proposal to redevelop 8 acres into a “cultural complex.” The first […]

Segment 1: Tom Gimbel, job expert and founder of LaSalle Network, joins John to explain what employers should consider when hiring young workers on top of what they accomplished at an internship. Tom also talks about why so many young people are living with their parents. Segment 2: Philippe Weiss, President, Seyfarth at Work, joins John to talk about […]

Shamus Toomey, Editor in Chief and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Wendy Snyder (in for Bob Sirott) to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Shamus has details on: Jim's Original Could Stay In Maxwell Street Area ‘For Years' Under New Deal With UIC: The beloved hot dog stand still plans to move to Pilsen, but […]

Shamus Toomey, Editor in Chief and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Shamus has details on: Springsteen, Bono, Stevie Wonder, Christina Aguilera To Perform At Obama Center Opening: Jennifer Hudson, The Roots, Common, Eddie Vedder and John Legend will also feature in Thursday's festivities in Woodlawn. Chicago's […]

Jen Sabella, the Director of Strategy and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. She provides details on: Food Delivery Robots Coming To South Side After Alderman Approves Program's Expansion: Ald. William Hall is bringing the robots to portions of Chatham, Englewood and Greater Grand Crossing, saying his […]

Maple Walker, Director of Development and Engagement at Block Club Chicago, joins Jon Hansen to talk about the Together We Build: West Side workforce development and career fair. The all-day event will include professional headshots, a professional attire closet, resume reviews, and mock interviews. Plus, more than 30 community partner organizations will join to share information on apprenticeships […]

Walgreens has shuttered two more South Side locations, including the Chatham location, after closing five in 2025. Ald. William Hall (6th) wants to launch the city's first-ever Office of Pharmacy Access to create publicly owned alternatives. Block Club Chicago's Atavia Reed and WBEZ's Sarah Karp are here with details. Plus, we're recapping Chicago Public Schools Supt. Macquline King's congressional testimony in Washington this week.  Good News: Movies In The Parks, Chicago Music Legacy Tour, Simeon's First Play in Decade Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our daily newsletter.  Follow us @citycastchicago You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246 Learn more about the sponsors of this Friday, June 12 episode: Visit Bloomington Friends of San Damiano Become a member of City Cast Chicago. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

​The public plaza will be at 2550 N. Milwaukee Avenue near the Logan Square monument. BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO reports most of the people living on and near the plaza construction site have left. ​Some of the remaining homeless people are getting help from 35th Ward staff who will bring their belongings to a nearby church. Some people living at the Logan Square encampment say they are choosing not to move into city-run shelters because of safety reasons.

Shamus Toomey, Editor in Chief and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Shamus has details on: Blocked Access To Northerly Island During Some Concerts Has Neighbors Fuming: Events like this Saturday's Red Bull Spin Off and last weekend's Beyond Wonderland have left much of the island's beach […]

Michael Liptrot, reporter for Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Michael has details on: Historic Jefferson Park Firehouse Could Be Turned Into Salon Suite For Local Businesses: A developer is proposing turning the first floor of the vacant 120-year-old firehouse into a beauty and wellness space housing 15 businesses. […]

Shamus Toomey, Editor in Chief and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Shamus has details on: Foundry Park In Line For $200 Million In Public Funding At Former Lincoln Yards Site: The sprawling development is set to bring more than 3,000 housing units, a riverwalk and parks […]

Jen Sabella, the Director of Strategy and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. She provides details on: Chicago's Outdoor Pools Will Open A Week Earlier This Summer: Neighborhood pools open June 19. The pools, along with Humboldt Park Beach and more than 200 water features, will be […]

ICE agents sparked chaos in Chicago's Albany Park neighborhood, crashing into a woman's car and threatening residents as they chased and detained a man. Media outlets got a preview of the Obama Presidential Center campus. Developers break ground on a $7-billion project around the United Center. In the Loop breaks down those stories and more in the Weekly News Recap with WBEZ senior statehouse reporter Mawa Iqbal, Chicago Tribune government reporter A.D. Quig and Block Club Chicago reporter Quinn Myers. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Michael Liptrot, reporter for Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Michael has details on: A Free Yard Sale? Ravenswood Neighbors Giving Away Housewares And More This Weekend: The Front Yard Free-Cycle drew over 1,000 attendees last year. It takes place Saturday throughout the neighborhood. Garfield Park Getting New Little […]

This week on the Queer News podcast, Anna shares the joy for compiling our first Chicagoland lesbian business directory. We're also talking all about the nationwide campaign Seven Days In June: HEALTH IS PRIMARY. In politics, Pattie Gonia Sued By Patagonia, and a Federal Judge in DC Blocked Trump's Plan To Move Trans Women Into Men's Prisons. In culture and entertainment, we roundup Chicago Pride Month Events, and Edgewater Dedicates Street to LGBTQ+ Activist Lori Cannon. Want to support this podcast?

City Council reached a near-unanimous decision to pause the subminimum wage hike for tipped workers this week. When they voted to free the subminimum wage hike back in March, Mayor Brandon Johnson ultimately vetoed their decision. Johnson confirmed this week he will accept this compromise and not pursue another veto. WBEZ's Susie An and Block Club Chicago's Madison Savedra are here to discuss why this ordinance is being reversed just three years in. Plus, Illinois is getting millions for lead pipe removal, and changes are coming to Ravenwood's popular Del Sur Bakery.  Good News: South West Side Zine Library Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our daily newsletter.  Follow us @citycastchicago You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246 Learn more about the sponsors of this Friday, May 22 episode: Enjoy Illinois Broadway In Chicago - Spamalot Newberry Library Become a member of City Cast Chicago. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

The Mincing Rascals this week are Jon Hansen of WGN Radio and Block Club Chicago, Eric Zorn, publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Chicago journalist Cate Plys, publisher of Roseland, Chicago: 1972, and award-winning journalist and political pundit Marj Halperin. This week, the Rascals start the podcast talking about the feud between Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor Pritzker over the Bears stadium and other issues in […]

The Mincing Rascals this week are Jon Hansen of WGN Radio and Block Club Chicago, Eric Zorn, publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Chicago journalist Cate Plys, publisher of Roseland, Chicago: 1972, and award-winning journalist and political pundit Marj Halperin. This week, the Rascals start the podcast talking about the feud between Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor Pritzker over the Bears stadium and other issues in […]

Chicago's Cinco de Mayo parade is cancelled for a second year due to immigration enforcement fears. IBM announces a new innovation center at the Quantum and Microelectronics Park on Chicago's South Side, pledging hundreds of jobs for City College graduates. Meanwhile, in Springfield, the Illinois legislature is finalizing its game plan to keep the Chicago Bears in Illinois. In the Loop breaks down those stories and more with Block Club Chicago reporter Mack Liederman, Chicago Sun-Times reporter Mary Norkol and Alex Nitkin, Illinois Answers Project government finance and accountability reporter. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.