The Block Club Chicago Podcast

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 he supports the effort. Host - Iridian Fierro Reporter - Quinn Myers Read More Here Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Who we are Block Club Chicago is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization dedicated to deliv...

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 starting to move into the community. On today's podcast, how GLCU members from all over Chicagoland have contributed to Chicago's West Side, and how you can join them.  Host - Jon Hansen Guests - Steve Bugg, GLCU. Deborah Thurmo...

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. Lauren Bakos joins the pod with a preview! Open House Chicago Host - Jon Hansen Guest - Lauren Bakos   Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Who we are Block Club Chicago is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization...

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 cervical cancer, and 1 in 4 women aren’t getting screened regularly for breast cancer.  And shockingly, only 6% of high risk Illinois adults are getting screened for lung cancer. On today’s podcast, sponsored by Rush, Dr. Lisa...

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 jury process.  And the U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan bill aimed to 'fix college sports', five years after NIL payments were permitted -- upending the status quo.  Host - Jon Hansen Guests - Mike Leonard, Patrick Dolan...

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 their district. Today's podcast gives you the lay of the land with a month till the election.  Host - Jon Hansen Guest - Makiya Seminera   Chicago School Board Voter Guide 2026 Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CL...

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.  Beverly resident Melissa Matthews opened her pop-up boutique, Adorned By M, on Aug. 29 at 10045 S. Western Ave. The storefront features a mix of primarily vintage items including clothing, hats, accessories and jewelry. ...

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 a rejuvenated love for needle thread after years of putting that skillset away. On today's podcast, we join Greg on a journey to Goodwill, where he finds materials and inspiration! Host - Jon Hansen Guest - Uncle Greg MORE ON GOO...

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 now home to the largest Latino population with nearly 58,000 people, compared to 56,000 people in Little Village, according to the study by the Great Cities Institute at the University of Illinois Chicago. Host - Iridian Fierro Re...

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 developers assure a new park remains in the works for the area. Are neighbors convinced? Host - Jon Hansen Reporter - Michael Liptrot Read More Here Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Who we are Block Club Chicago i...

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 roleplaying game. Host - Iridian Fierro Read More Here Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Who we are Block Club Chicago is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization dedicated to delivering reliable, relevant and n...

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 on Saturday. There's a last minute push to stop the law before it starts.  Host - Jon Hansen Guests - Mike Leonard, Patrick Dolan Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Who we are Block Club Chicago is a 501(c)(...

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 answers from Rush doctors! Host - Jon Hansen Guests -  Alana Kirby, MD, PhD, Neurologist Lauren Kelly, AuD, Audiologist Christopher Greb, MD, Allergist Linna Gali, MD, Dermatologist Lauren Cordes, DO, Family Medicine Jon Tuetin...

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 series. Host - Iridian Fierro Guest - Joe Weber, Four Star co-founder and president Read More Here Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Who we are Block Club Chicago is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization dedicate...

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 Leonard, Leonard Trial Lawyers Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Who we are Block Club Chicago is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization dedicated to delivering reliable, relevant and nonpartisan coverage...

Today's podcast focuses on Mayor Brandon Johnson's chances of re-election. Block Club Editor Mick Dumke and host Jon Hansen suggest many people are too quick to dismiss the possibility that he wins again.  Host - Jon Hansen Guest - Mick Dumke, Block Club Editor Read More Here Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Who we are Block Club Chicago is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news orga...

Over 300,000 Chicago public school students started classes again this week. In Illinois, there are over 1.8 million students.   Each one of those kids is going back to school in what most experts say is an era that is tougher than any time period in recent history.   On today's podcast, sponsored by Meridian Psychiatric Partners, some help for parents.  Host - Jon Hansen Guests - D...

EcoShip, which began in 2021 and operates out of an Avondale storage space, collects packaging materials and provides them to local business owners for free reuse. The nonprofit’s leaders encourage folks to save their packaging and pay them forward instead of throwing them into the landfill. Host - Jon Hansen Guest - EcoShip founder and CEO Aleksandra Plewa Read More Here Want to donate to our non...

Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill on Friday that allows more Chicago homeowners to access financial relief for flood damage locally while many communities in the state cleaned up from damaging storms. With the November election less than three months away, the state’s response to natural disasters has become part of Republican Darren Bailey’s campaign for governor. Host - Jon Hansen Reporter - Ben Sz...

Patrick Dolan joins the Block Club Chicago Podcast for our biweekly 'Sidebar' episode. Patrick lays out the protections -- or lack thereof -- for thousands Chicago workers who are often mis-classifed and mistreated on the job.  Host - Jon Hansen Guest - Patrick Dolan Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Who we are Block Club Chicago is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization dedic...

DONATE TO BACK TO SCHOOL WITH BLOCK CLUB There’s no doubt that Chicago has a literacy problem. About 43% of CPS students grades 3-8 met the state’s reading proficiency benchmarks in 2025. But like so many things in Chicago, a lot depends on the zip code. Open Books Director of Education Paula Santos discusses how all of us can become a part of the solution.  Host - Jon Hansen Guest - Paula Santos...

Dave Matthews’ tour bus emptied its 800-pound septic tank on people taking a cruise 22 years ago this week. One boat passenger thinks the band has paid an unfair price for its driver’s error, but gets why Chicagoans won’t forget. And some people think that the incident actually helped the Chicago River. Host - Jon Hansen Reporter - Clint Worthington Read More Here Want to donate to our non-profit...

Lincoln Square neighbors will be able enjoy a day of cat videos followed by a street tour showcasing the neighborhood’s feline friends this August.  “Caturday” in Lincoln Square will kick off 12:30 p.m. Aug. 8 with a screening of CatVideoFest 2026 at the Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave., followed by the first-ever Lincoln Square Cat Tour through the neighborhood from 3-5 p.m. Host - Iridian Fier...

Australian true crime podcaster Jack Laurence joins Sidebar to discuss the American justice system from the outside looking in.  Host - Jon Hansen Guests - Jack Laurence, Mike Leonard, Patrick Dolan Listen To One Minute Remaining Patrick Dolan, Employment Lawyer Mike Leonard, Federal Defense Attorney Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Who we are Block Club Chicago is a 501(c)(3)...

The fight over the future of renters’ rights in Chicago is heating up, as supporters of a proposal put forth by Mayor Brandon Johnson are blasting a competing measure as the “Chicago landlord’s big, beautiful bill.” Meanwhile, four Logan Square residents have filed the first lawsuit linked to the city’s tenants right pilot program, accusing their a landlord, his realtor and a brokerage company of...