Four-Star Stories

The Felonious Adventures of a Chicago Mole - Chapter 4

Just because you’re in federal prison doesn’t mean you can’t still do real estate deals. John Thomas found a way. One potential partner was a fellow inmate. That partner,

The Felonious Adventures of a Chicago Mole - Chapter 3

In June of 2010, a federal judge gave John Thomas a second chance. He had admitted his guilt in a billboard leasing scam in New York City and worked as an informant for t

The Felonious Adventures of a Chicago Mole - Chapter 2

In 2000, John Thomas needed a fresh start. With a new name and the FBI on his trail, he moved from New York to Chicago and founded a real estate business. But Thomas also

The Felonious Adventures of a Chicago Mole - Chapter 1

John Thomas has great stories, lots of them. Like when the Rolling Stones sang him Happy Birthday at the Lone Star Café in New York City, where he worked as a bouncer, or

The Felonious Adventures of a Chicago Mole

John Thomas helped convict a Chicago alderman and a key fundraiser to former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. But there’s a lot more to his story, which includes lots of real estat

Bronzeville - Chapter 3: "A New Black Experience"

In this episode, we examine Bronzeville’s multiple transformation plans in the era following the demolition of the towering public housing projects. Reporter Dennis Rodki

Bronzeville - Chapter 2: "Displacing Fear"

As the residential construction boom revitalizes Bronzeville, reporter Dennis Rodkin explores why the growth of commercial amenities hasn’t kept up. Plus, what does displ

Bronzeville - Chapter 1: "Unapologetically African-American"

For a century. Bronzeville suffered at the hands of Chicago’s long history of disinvestment and segregation. Dennis Rodkin uses the lens of real estate to report on wheth

Four-Star Stories: Bronzeville trailer

Crain’s Audio Studio presents compelling Chicago stories that will deepen your understanding of the city, its people, and the key issues it faces. Four-Star Stories kic