Looped In: Chicago

During prohibition, Swedish immigrant Carl Jeppson sold his homemade wormwood liquor door-to-door in the Andersonville neighborhood, skirting anti-alcohol laws by presenting it as medicinal. 90 years later, Malört has a brash reputation but remains a cornerstone of almost every Chicago liquor cabinet. On today's episode, we get to the bottom of the bottle, by going to the top of the Malört dynasty...

The Chicago Public Library celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. Along with this birthday comes an increased debate about banned books and what subjects, genres and authors children that should have access to in school or public libraries. On today's show, podcast producer and host Jim Hanke speaks with WBBM reporter Brandon Ison and Chicago Public Library Commissioner Chris Brown about a ne...

Naperville? Waukegan? Arlington Heights? Or stay at the hallowed halls of Solider Field? On this first episode of Looped In: Chicago, podcast producer and host Jim Hanke talks with WBBM reporter Terry Keshner and 670 TheScore's Chris Emma about where the football team could migrate to and what's making them second guess their landing pad. ----- Follow Terry Keshner on Twitter | Follow Chris Emma o...

First publicly released in November 2022, ChatGPT has since taken over the conversation -- almost literally -- about artificial intelligence. Powered by AI, the chatbot is a natural language processing tool that allows for human-like conversations, and the completion of written tasks based on prompts from real people. And while this technology is still relatively new to the average consumer, the w...

Since it’s 4/20, we wanted to re-release our previous episode about cannabis and social equity for the day. So sit back, relax, and get your snacks ready for a chill time as we explore Illinois’s regulations, taxes, dispensaries and more in this episode. Please note: There are some items that have changed since this original podcast release back in December. Check out our sources below for updated...

The clock is ticking for the city of Chicago to replace all lead pipes that deliver drinking water. That deadline is over five decades away, but residents can still feel overwhelmed with how to advocate for their own safety. On today's episode, we speak with representatives from the Alliance for The Great Lakes, the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, and water innovation hub Curren...

Listener discretion advised due to language --- Each year, Chicago mentorship organization BUILD hosts an inspiring event bringing youth from under-resourced neighborhoods together with area business, media and thought leaders, who have lived a similar experience. On this week's episode, we hear from BUILD's staff about their mission and recent expansion, as well as those who have benefitted from...

The Gilded Age was a time in America for railroads, industrial booms and, of course, secret societies. In this special Saint Patrick’s Day episode, we follow the story of the Clan Na Gaels in Chicago during the 1880’s and how a handful of Irishman got the holiday celebrations canceled.  This episode includes a story told by the author of the book "Blood Runs Green: The Murder That Transfixed Gilde...

In a special Friday release, we look at the Gilded Age of Chicago where one of the first celebrations of St. Patty's Day didn't happen due to secret societies, a murder and violent protests. Make sure to subscribe to Courier Pigeon so you don't miss this special episode.

Between the advent of radio and film, but before the television revolution, comic books became a popular way to transport kids to different worlds, without leaving home. But what about beyond the page? In this episode of Courier Pigeon, we are exploring Black stories in comics. We sat down with cartoonists, historians and more to see what representation truly means.  ------------ Sources Used: Roa...

Whether it’s a huge heavy metal band touring the world, or a local rapper setting up a small, BYOB show, whatever cash artists take home plays a significant role in their ability to continue creating. In our second episode of a two-part series on unconventional performance venues, host Mai Martinez explores ways in which these spaces give Chicagoans different opportunities to monetize their talent...

For every long-standing theater or music club in Chicago, there’s an independent venue in an unexpected place: your neighborhood plant shop, a century-old church, or even someone’s living room. Taking on a more do-it-yourself approach allows particular artists to make their mark by having a more direct relationship with longtime fans, while also introducing themselves to new audiences. This week,...

In Chicago, with every heavy snowfall comes something even heavier: The debate on dibs. While no laws on the books protect your automobile's spot on the street, it's a respected tradition for many that spans generations. For others, it seems ridiculous to respect a chair, a crib, a piano or anything else taking up prime real estate in a city already rife with parking issues. This week on Courier P...

Following states like Colorado and Washington, Illinois passed its own Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act almost three years ago, permitting that the drug can be sold and taxed similarly to alcohol. But hurdles such as financing and ensuring social equity remain, so diverse dispensary owners can be on similar footing. This week on Courier Pigeon, we examine the hurdles of Illinois' marijuana legaliti...

On this week's Courier Pigeon, Planned Parenthood of Illinois and the ACLU of Illinois helps us track the affects of Roe v. Wade being overturned this past summer and what's next for abortions rights across the Midwest. ---- More information on our sources: Brigid Leahy: Planned Parenthood Ashley Gray: Center for Reproductive Rights  Ameri Klafeta: ACLU of Illinois  Sources Used: University of Col...

In this episode of Courier Pigeon: a professor guides us through the top races for this years Illinois midterm elections and we learn more about the impact of workers rights. ---- More information on our sources: Stephen Maynard-Caliendo: Twitter & YouTube Joe Bowen: Workers Rights Campaign , Insta , Twitter Kathi Griffin: Twitter Sources Used: National Low Income Housing Coalition ABC7 News T...

In the final installment of our Spooky Series we learn about some of Chicago's most famous haunted neighborhoods and attractions. We talk with Chicago historian Adam Selzer for some insight along with a paranormal team and someone who watches over a famous cemetery. ---- More information on our sources: Adam Selzer: Mysterious Chicago Jensen Allen: Graceland Cemetery  Sources Used: Atlas Obscura ...

In the first episode of our Spooky Series, we uncover the truths behind fear and how it's a very subjective experience from the minds of a sociologist and haunted house reviewer. --------- More information on our sources: Margee Kerr: Sociologist & Author   Kris Zahrobsky: Haunted House Reviewer  Sources Used: Smithsonian Magazine Haunted House Association    REJournals —----- Courier Pigeon i...

While we take a week off, you can listen to one of Audacy's newest mini-series, "The Homestretch." It’s the lead up to Nov. 8 midterm elections and stakes are higher than ever. The podcast is a political primer on important topics that you might have questions about, and our podcast team hits it out of the park so you're more than informed once you head to the polls. The episode featured has guest...

Courier Pigeon is taking this week off in order to transform into our spooky forms. Our mini series for the rest of October examines the questions: why do we like to be scared? Are ghosts real? Why are so many places haunted?  To help us investigate, we tap in experts like Chicago's own Adam Selzer, sociologist Dr. Margee Keer and more. Make sure to check back next week Thursday for the first cree...

We heard about universal income thanks to Andrew Yang, but what exactly is it and who's had success with that sort of program? This week on Courier Pigeon, we explore a current program in Chicago, how it's done outside of the country, plus one that proved successful on the west coast.

On this week's Courier Pigeon, we discuss the continuous water system issue in south suburban Dixmoor and the Village President talks with us about how they plan to move forward in the face of adversity. --------- Courier Pigeon is a new podcast from WBBM that will highlight trending topics affecting Chicagoans and beyond. Want us to cover a topic you think needs more attention? Tweet at us @WBBMP...

In this episode we unravel President Biden's new student loan debt forgiveness plan and how it will effect families in the short and long term. You'll hear from a current graduate student about the stressors of debt, a financial aid advisor informs us about how important it is to disseminate accurate information, and the President of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators...

Chicago is known for being a "union town." Although, do you ever think of your local barista becoming part of one? This episode of WBBM's InDepth, we dive deep into local coffee shops and their unionization efforts, successes, failures and uncertainty for workers rights. Along with the different degrees of acceptance from their workplaces.

On this week's episode of InDepth, we discuss the current uptick in violence on the CTA trains and buses, equitable transportation, and new solutions to a long standing problem.