City Cast Chicago

There is a taco in Chicago for everyone. Host Jacoby Cochran, executive producer Simone Alicea, and producer Michelle Navarro went out on their own taco tours to try some of the best tacos the city has to offer. They pick their favorites, and some of them may surprise you. Jacoby’s List:  Asian Cuisine Express 5 Rabanitos Birrieria Zaragoza Atotonilco  Simone’s List:  Don Bucio’s Taqueria Huarache...

Thousands of migrants and asylum-seekers who have been staying at city shelters are facing potential evictions next week because of a limit on shelter stays imposed by the Johnson administration. The looming deadline is leading to confusion and fear. Executive Producer Simone Alicea and host Jacoby Cochran break down the latest details. Plus, CTA wants your help in transforming 10 blocks of public...

Less than 10% of Chicago’s waste is recycled, according to the city's Streets and Sanitation Department. That’s despite a goal to keep 50% of waste out of landfills by 2025 and as other cities boast even higher rates. Axios’ Monica Eng has been covering the city’s waste management struggles for years. She tells host Jacoby Cochran what’s driving Chicago’s abysmal recycling rates and offers some ti...

Earlier this week as temperatures plummeted, the city activated its emergency operation plan, opening more warming centers and overnight shelters. Harvey World Herald founder Amethyst Davis and Sun-Times education reporter Nader Issa are here to discuss how local organizations are also stepping in to provide more support for unhoused Chicagoans. Plus, we are talking about a Harvey apartment comple...

Feel like everyone you know has been sick lately? It’s not just you: Flu and COVID rates have been up in Chicago since the holidays. Axios reporter Carrie Shepherd talks with host Jacoby Cochran about the latest numbers and public health advice. Plus, they offer tips on where to find soup and other sick day comforts in Chicago. Good News: Big Marsh Park Polar Adventure Days! Want some more City Ca...

It’s a great week for food in Chicago with Restaurant Week 2024 starting Friday. Hundreds of restaurants across the city will feature special tasting menus, giving Chicagoans the chance to try new spots and dishes. It’s also a great time to try foods that were created here in Chicago that you may have not tried yet. Last year, host Jacoby Cochran sat down with Monica Eng and David Hammond, authors...

Chicago Magazine put out a list of 13 predictions for this year. They include the Cubs playoff fate, Madigan’s corruption case outcome, and even who will win the 2024 presidential election. Producer Michelle Navarro and host Jacoby Cochran read the list and share which they agree with, which they aren’t feeling, and make their own 2024 predictions. Plus, tickets for Chicago Theatre Week 2024 are o...

Back in October, the city projected it would spend more than $360 million in 2023 to care for the thousands of asylum-seekers living in Chicago. Now the administration says it only spent $138 million. Why were these figures so different and what does this mean for the Johnson administration’s plan to house migrants in 2024? WTTW’s Heather Cherone is here with receipts to help us make sense of the...

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 M...

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 e...

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 produ...

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 th...

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 ho...

 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 Chica...

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 @citycastch...

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 Indus...

 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...

This year marked a decade since the nation’s largest mass school closure. In 2013, 50 Chicago schools were closed for good, sending shockwaves through the city’s Black and brown neighborhoods. As we look back on big stories from 2023, we’re revisiting this conversation from June with Eve Ewing, author of “Ghosts in the Schoolyard: Racism and School Closings on Chicago’s South Side.” Want some more...

Far South Siders have been pushing for decades to extend the city’s busiest train line. Promises have failed to materialize, but a $2 billion federal grant awarded this year, key City Council approvals, and the announcement of construction finalists make the Red Line extension closer than ever. That makes this one of the most significant stories of 2023. Earlier this summer, host Jacoby Cochran ta...

All eyes have been on Mayor Brandon Johnson since he was elected in April, becoming the first Black man to lead Chicago in 40 years. As we look back on the biggest stories of 2023, we’re revisiting the conversation host Jacoby Cochran had with Johnson as a candidate. Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter.  Follow us @citycastchicago You can...

Former 14th Ward Ald. Ed Burke was found guilty Thursday of racketeering, bribery, and attempted extortion. Host Jacoby Cochran, executive producer Simone Alicea, and producer Michelle Navarro break down the city’s latest corruption trial. They also discuss conditions at the city’s largest migrant shelter in Pilsen, after a 5-year-old child who was living there died this week. Plus, the team share...

With the holidays right around the corner and family and friends coming in to visit, we want to ensure that we are the perfect hosts and guides to showcase everything the city has to offer. Host Jacoby Cochran talks to Mike McMains, owner of his own tour company Tours With Mike to learn how to craft the perfect itinerary for your out-of-town visitors from must-see architecture to rooftop views.  G...

Whether it was a new hot spot, an iconic tasting menu, or a neighborhood gem, host Jacoby Cochran ate a lot of good food in Chicago this year. He talks with The Infatuation Chicago’s Adrian Kane and John Ringor about 2023’s best new restaurants, favorite dishes, and what to look forward to next year. You have just three days to become a founding member of City Cast Chicago to support your favorite...

There is a lot of pressure this time of year to find the perfect gift for all of your loved ones — from parents, to friends, to romantic partners, to the kids in your life. And on top of that, Chicago has so many local shops to choose from. Host Jacoby Cochran, executive producer Simone Alicea, producer Michelle Navarro, and newsletter editor Sidney Madden shared their favorite shops around the ci...

From housing new arrivals to electing a new mayor to some extreme weather events, it was a big year in Chicago news. Executive producer Simone Alicea and host Jacoby Cochran recap what happened and what we expect in 2024. Plus, we discuss some of our favorite episodes of the year. Good News: What Makes Chicago Roller Skaters The Best and Benny the Bull Shows Us Why He’s the GOAT Did you hear? You...