City Cast Chicago

The podcast discusses the discrepancy in funding for migrant care in Chicago, the planned strike at Second City Comedy Club, the city's corruption case, and the viral squirrel sensation in Roscoe Village.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated across the country, but his legacy is particularly special to Chicago. In January of 1966, King moved to North Lawndale to work with the Chicago Freedom Movement to raise awareness of dangerous living conditions, housing segregation and discrimination faced by Black Chicagoans. Historian and author Tammy Gibson tells executive producer Simone Alicea about Martin Luther King Jr.’s time in Chicago and the Chicago Freedom Movement’s legacy today. Vote City Cast Chicago as best podcast and Hey Chicago as best newsletter in the Reader’s Best of 2023!Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter. Follow us @citycastchicagoYou can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

Whether for health or environmental reasons, many Chicagoans may be looking to eat less meat and more plant-based foods in 2024. And even though the city is known for hot dogs and Italian beef, Chicago has also been a hub for vegan and vegetarian restaurants for decades. Soul Veg City in Chatham has been serving up vegan soul food for more than 40 years. Owners Lori Seay and Arel Brown talk with executive producer Simone Alicea about their favorite spots in the city and how to start small.Some good news: Name a city snowplowVote City Cast Chicago as best podcast and Hey Chicago as best newsletter in the Reader’s best of 2023!Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter. Follow us @citycastchicagoYou can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246Learn more about the sponsor(s) of this show:Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

Former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan’s corruption trial has been delayed about six months because of a U.S. Supreme Court case out of Northwest Indiana.The case centers on former Portage Mayor James Snyder, who was convicted of bribery in 2021. The judge in Madigan’s case wants to avoid retrial and wait on a decision, which is expected this summer. Executive producer Simone Alicea and producer Michelle Navarro talk about the case’s implications on corruption trials in Chicago and Illinois, dibs protocols in winter storm season, and board games with Chicago roots. Good News: Vote City Cast Chicago as Best Podcast and Hey Chicago as Best Newsletter in the Chicago Reader’s Best of 2023.Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter. Follow us @citycastchicagoYou can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

More than 14,000 migrants are staying at shelters across the city. A recent investigation by Borderless Magazine found that migrants staying at the city's largest shelter described inhumane and unsanitary conditions, leaving them vulnerable to illness. Borderless editorial director Mauricio Peña talks about the living conditions of the Pilsen shelter site and tells producer Michelle Navarro how the city is responding and what’s next for migrants facing new deadlines to leave city shelters. This is the last week to vote City Cast Chicago as best podcast and Hey Chicago as best newsletter in the Reader's Best of 2023.Good News: HotHouse and Haymarket House Present: We Are All RefugeesWant some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter. Follow us @citycastchicagoYou can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

Between a resolution suggesting Chicago could move away from school choice and reports indicating police officers could be removed from schools next fall, the school board seems to be gearing up for big moves in 2024. Chalkbeat Chicago’s Becky Vevea and Block Club Chicago’s Maxwell Evans discuss that along with a bike path coming to the far South Side, schools with “Exemplary” designations, and how postal problems could affect internet service in South Shore. Plus, a couple of good news stories about students and Strugglebeard Bakery.Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter. Follow us @citycastchicagoYou can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246Learn more about the sponsor(s) of this show:Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

 It’s National Trivia Day, so what better way to celebrate than with a little Chicago history quiz. What underwear were first sold in Chicago? When did the city reverse the direction of the river? What were some of Chicago’s biggest snowstorms? Executive producer Simone Alicea hosts as producer Michelle Navarro and newsletter editor Sidney Madden face off on questions about January events in Chicago history.Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter. Follow us @citycastchicagoYou can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246Learn more about the sponsor(s) of this show:Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

There are already so many foods to eat in Chicago, but with the new year comes new spots to try. Host Jacoby Cochran talks with Eater Chicago editor Ashok Selvam to learn more about anticipated openings, the end of the tipped minimum wage, and other industry predictions for 2024.Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter. Follow us @citycastchicagoYou can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

The new year is here, and we have a guide for enjoying Chicago in January to start it off right. Host Jacoby Cochran and executive producer Simone Alicea are here to talk about winter tips, new year's resolutions, Martin Luther King Jr. Day events throughout the city and Chicago Restaurant Week. Check out MLK Day events at Hyde Park Art Center, the  Chicago History museum, and the Museum of Industry and Science plus days of service at Dan Ryan Wood, in Bronzeville, and in North LawndaleWant some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter. Follow us @citycastchicagoYou can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

 It’s been a long week and long year of tough news stories. But now it’s the Friday before New Year’s, and it’s time to party. That makes it a great time to revisit our guide to Chicago’s nightlife with WBEZ audience engagement manager Taylor Faye Nazon from February. They’ve got the best picks for dancing all night, sipping elaborate cocktails, and grabbing late-night eats.Vote City Cast Chicago as Best Podcast and Hey Chicago as Best Newsletter in the Chicago Reader’s Best of 2023.Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter. Follow us @citycastchicagoYou can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE