The Block Club Chicago Podcast

Need A Halloween Costume? A Chicago Thrifting Expert Shares Her Secrets

No idea what to be for Halloween?! Costume thrifting expert Shelby Shaper take host Jon Hansen to a South Side Goodwill to get inspired.  Host - Jon Hansen Guest - Shel

The Cubs Win The Latest Round In Their 20-Year Battle With The Rooftops

The Cubs have battled the rooftop owners for well over two decades. A judge's ruling has given the Cubs a win in the final round -- for now. Also, Illinois law is changin

A Billionaire's Squirrel-Feeding Operation Is Driving Neighbors Nuts

One family's nut-feeding operation has continued despite city fines, as neighbors report rat infestations, damage to park property and disruptions to Green City Market.

Are You Good At Obscure Chicago Trivia? Let's Find Out.

Recorded live at the Block Club Chicago Block Party on October 3rd, hosts Jon Hansen and Iridian Fierro asked obscure Chicago trivia questions, and attendees gave it thei

How The Pope's Diagnosis Could Motivate More Lung Cancer Screenings

News of the pope’s lung cancer diagnosis has been a blow to many Chicagoans and Catholics around the world. The news, while tough, could motivate more Chicagoans to get s

Fed Up With A Lack Of Benches At Bus Stops, Chicagoans Install Their Own

Members of a group called the Northwest Neighborhood Alliance acknowledge they didn’t have permission from the city to install the benches, but the local alderperson said

Austin Had No Banks For Years. Then A Credit Union Changed Everything.

When Great Lakes Credit Union moved into the Austin neighborhood, banks soon followed. And now, in what was once a financial desert, investment and infrastructure are sta

Enjoy An Architecture Speed Date During Open House Chicago

Explore one of the largest architecture and urban festivals in the world as Open House Chicago returns to celebrate 16 years of architecture, culture and community. Laure

Why Are So Many People Reluctant To Get Screened For Cancer?

Illinois has a cancer screening problem. One third of adults in the state are behind on colorectal cancer screenings. 30% of women aren’t up to date and screenings for ce

Will 'Broadview Six' Prosecutors Be Disciplined?

The 'Broadview Six' were back in federal court last week, as the prosecutors in their dropped case face potential discipline following alleged misconduct during the grand

What To Know About Chicago's School Board Elections

All 21 members of the Chicago Board of Education are up for election this fall. Chicago voters can cast a ballot for a school board president and a representative from th

From Classroom To Crafting, This CPS Teacher's Side Hustle Finds A Home

A new pop-up boutique in Beverly focused on vintage clothing, accessories and jewelry started as a Chicago Public School teacher’s crafting hobby over twenty years ago. 

He Gives Clothes A Second Life, Though They May Be A Bit 'Freaked Up'

Uncle Greg -- as he is known by family, friends and fans -- has sewing in his blood. Growing up in a family where thrifting was a necessity as much as art, Greg has found

Little Village No Longer Chicago’s Largest Latino Neighborhood

Little Village, one of the city’s most historic Latino neighborhoods, is no longer home to the largest Latino population in Chicago, a new study found. Belmont Cragin is

The 1901 Project Promises A Lot. Neighbors Wonder If They Can Deliver.

Plans for a rooftop park next to the United Center that previously called for a soccer pitch and green space have been scrapped in favor of more parking, but project deve

Dungeons & Dragons Is Having A Moment In Chicago -- With Women

An event by the Chicago Tabletop Game Association catering to women, nonbinary and femme people sold out in five days — proof of the growing appetite among women for the

The Last Minute Push To Stop Illinois' Aid-In-Dying Law

Illinois is set to become the first Midwestern state to allow terminally ill patients to seek life-ending medication from their physicians when the law goes into effect o

Is Living In Chicago Detrimental To Your Health? We Ask Rush Doctors

Does Chicago's noise, extreme temperature changes, allergies and varying sunshine add up to a detriment to its residents' health? You asked these questions, and we got an

This City Mushroom Farm Grows Fungi For Top Chefs — And ‘The Bear’

Four Star Mushrooms on the Near West Side supplies to grocery stores and some of Chicago’s most acclaimed restaurants. Its mushrooms have also appeared on the hit FX seri

The Three Giant Trials Captivating The Country This Summer

On today's Sidebar podcast, federal defense attorney Mike Leonard breaks down three court cases this summer that captivated the country.  Host - Jon Hansen Guest - Mike