As a candidate for mayor, Brandon Johnson repeatedly pledged he would not raise property taxes during his first term in office. “I’m not going to raise property taxes. I’m the only person running in this race who made a commitment to that,” he said during a Block Club interview in March 2023. “For my first term, we’re not raising property taxes.” B…

Lou Chukman is seeing one of his most lucrative years on record thanks to a slew of high-profile Chicago trials from former Ald. Ed Burke to El Chapo’s son — and now former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Host - Jon Hansen Reporter - Mack Liederman Read More Here Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Who we are Block Club Ch…

The internet and big-box competitors have put many locally owned costume shops out of business. Fantasy Costumes and Chicago Costume Company say they’ve managed to stay afloat by adapting and offering unique selections. Hosts - Iridian Fierro, Jon Hansen Reporter - Molly DeVore Read More Here Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Wh…

One of the biggest races on the ballot in Chicago this election cycle is the Cook County State’s Attorney race. In the spring, Eileen O’Neill Burke beat her democratic opponent by 1,571 votes - two tenth of a percent. Now, she faces Bob Fioretti, a familiar name in Chicago democratic politics, now a republican. On today’s podcast, Quinn Myers previ…

Federal Defense Attorney Mike Leonard explains what former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan is charged with, and how a recent U.S. Supreme Court Case could make the case more difficult for federal prosecutors. Host - Jon Hansen Guest - Mike Leonard, Leonard Trial Lawyers Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Who we are Block Club…

After Mayor Johnson's combative press conference Monday, Mick Dumke looks back at previous Chicago mayors and their relationship with the press and constituents. Turns out, there's a common thread -- defiance from a Chicago mayor may be a feature and not a bug. Host - Jon Hansen Reporter - Mick Dumke Read More Here Want to donate to our non-profit …

A majority of the city’s aldermen are calling for a hearing into Mayor Brandon Johnson’s handling of the Chicago School Board and Chicago Public Schools after the school board’s members resigned en masse Friday. Host - Jon Hansen Reporter - Quinn Myers Read More Here Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Who we are Block Club Chicag…

Mayor Brandon Johnson announced the six new members at a South Chicago church just three days after the current board announced they would resign. Forty-one alderpeople have signed a letter criticizing how the mayor handled the situation. Read More Here Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Who we are Block Club Chicago is a 501(c)(…

A new Trace analysis shows a decreasing percentage of Chicagoans survive gunfire. Researchers, experts, and community members say access to more lethal weapons and devices that make guns more dangerous are to blame. Host - Jon Hansen Reporter - Rita Oceguera Read More Here Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Who we are Block Club …

Despite weeks of pressure from Mayor Brandon Johnson and the teachers union, the Chicago Board of Education did not remove Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez from his post last week. Reema Amin explains why there's tension between the mayor and CPS chief. Host - Jon Hansen Reporter - Reema Amin Read More Here Want to donate to our non-profit…

Every bird you’ve ever seen— every pigeon at a bus stop, every penguin at the zoo— is a living, breathing dinosaur. Birds are the only group of dinosaurs that survived the mass extinction. A fossil called Archaeopteryx is the earliest known dinosaur that also qualifies as a bird -- and you can see it at the Field Museum. Read More Here Episode Spon…

Residents of an affordable housing building in Lakeview say they’ve felt trapped and unsafe for months as the building’s new management delays repairs to the main elevator. Wheelchair users and others with mobility issues at The Parkway, 712 W. Diversey Parkway, said they’ve had to cancel doctor appointments, miss prescription pickups and struggled…

Why, after almost a century of toiling in obscurity, did Malört experience a cultural and economic renaissance in the 2010s, making it not just a staple at Chicago dive bars but in high-end cocktail lounges and cities around the country? Those questions are all addressed in local writer Josh Noel’s latest book, “Malört: The Redemption of a Revered …

Not everyone has noticed it, but listeners from Beverly To Edgewater have complained recently of a sulfur-like sour smell emanating in Chicago. Kevin Fitzpatrick from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago chimes in on what might be creating the smell. Host - Jon Hansen Guest - Kevin Fitzpatrick Want to donate to our non-pro…

Fifty years after Clemente Community Academy opened with the promise of serving the community, its students are missing critical instruction time because of absent teachers. Host - Jon Hansen Reporter - Mina Bloom 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…

Chicago Public Schools students returned to class last week — amid an excessive heat warning, ongoing student transportation challenges, and growing friction between district leadership, the teachers union, and the mayor’s office. Host - Jon Hansen Reporter - Becky Vevea Read More Here BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO'S FIRST EVER BLOCK PARTY DETAILS! And shouto…

While CTA riders coped with dirty and delayed trains and buses, Carter spent a cumulative total of more than three months in other U.S. cities, Spain, Puerto Rico, New Zealand and Australia from spring 2023 to spring 2024. Host - Jon Hansen Reporter - Manny Ramos Read More Here Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Who we are Block …

ACM’s Thirsty Ears Festival is Chicago’s only classical music street festival! For two days Wilson street between Hermitage and Ravenswood are closed to feature stellar ensembles and soloists performing music from Beethoven to Shostakovich to Reich and everything in between on the main stage. Read More Here Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom…

An eventful final day at the DNC convention. Block Club reporters covered it all. Reporters - Mack Liederman, Alex V Hernandez, Melody Mercado, Colin Boyle, Jamie Nesbitt Golden, 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 deli…

An eventful Day Three of the DNC featured continued protests, a strange incident involving maggots, the pomp inside the United Center and a sit-in following the festivities. Block Club Chicago covers its all. Reporters - Melody Mercado, Colin Boyle, Mack Liederman, Quinn Myers, Ariel Parella, Gwen Ihnat. Read More Here Want to donate to our non-pro…

The DNC is halfway through, and day two featured energy, drama, and some weird stuff too! Our reporters covered it all. Host - Jon Hansen Reporters - Melody Mercado, Colin Boyle, Quinn Myers, Mack Liederman, Madison Savedra 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 ne…

The 2024 Democratic National Convention kicked off in Chicago Monday, after months of preparations and an eventful summer that saw Vice President Kamala Harris abruptly become the party’s nominee as President Joe Biden stepped aside. Here's what part of the day sounded like from Block Club reporters. Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK…

Marques “Merk” Elliston and Cher’Don Reynolds hope to buy the former Strangers Home Missionary Baptist Church and convert it into the Cabrini Art House, an arts and community center. Host - Jon Hansen Reporter - Patrick Filbin Read More Here Ahead of the school year, Block Club is partnering with the organization Open Books to provide 1,600 free bo…

An analysis of city permit data found many street festival producers are submitting permits for crowd sizes significantly lower than what’s being advertised online — but the estimates are used to make safety plans. Host - Jon Hansen Reporter - Melody Mercado Read More Here Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Who we are Block Club …

Dave Matthews’ tour bus emptied its 800-pound septic tank on people taking a cruise 20 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 Worthingto…

Gator trapper Frank Robb said Chance is the “beefiest and bossiest” gator at the Florida gator farm, where he’s been living “a glorious life” since he was caught. Mina Bloom on how Chance changed everything. Host - Jon Hansen Reporter - Mina Bloom Read More Here Buy Block Club Animals Merch! Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Who…

The “mother of synchronized swimming” was once an instructor at Wilbur Wright College. The college’s longtime synchro club is trying to rebuild after losing members during the COVID-19 pandemic. Host - Iridian Fierro Reporter - Molly DeVore Read More Here Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Who we are Block Club Chicago is a 501(c…

For 71 years, piping plovers were missing from Cook County shores. Monty and Rose changed that in 2019, and one organization is working hard to ensure future generations return to Montrose Beach. Host - Jon Hansen Guest - Tamima Itani The Chicago Piping Plovers Organization Block Club Chicago's Piping Plover Coverage Want to donate to our non-profi…

WGN-TV Weather Producer Bill Snyder talks about the historic July 15th tornado outbreak, and why more days like it are likely on the way. Host - Jon Hansen Guest - Bill Snyder 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 …

The former chief financial officer at Loretto Hospital who was at the center of a COVID vaccine scandal in the early days of the pandemic has been charged with defrauding the safety net hospital out of $15 million. Our Kelly Bauer says it was reader tips that started her investigation. Host - Jon Hansen Reporter - Kelly Bauer Block Club Chicago's L…

Another year of Nascar in the books, but the question remains -- is it worth it? Melody Mercado with a recap of what went down Nascar weekend, and how some neighbors, businesses, and community leaders feel about another race next year. Host - Jon Hansen Reporter - Melody Mercado Read More Here Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE W…

Maggie Shea grew up sailing with her family on Lake Michigan on her grandfather’s boat WINDANCER, and quickly fell in love with being on the water and competing. Now, she's getting to represent the USA in the Paris Olympics! Host - Jon Hansen Guest - Maggie Shea Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Who we are Block Club Chicago is …

The Silver Room Block Party and Hyde Park Summer Fest grew from neighborhood parties into popular, community-focused festivals. But the fests got too expensive for organizers, and some wonder if these types of events will return to the South Side. Host - Jon Hansen Reporter - Maxwell Evans Read More Here Maia McDonald's coverage of the final Silver…

So many bikes litter the lake that the Fire Department, the rideshare company and a group of volunteers dubbed the Divvy Fishers Society can barely keep up. Host - Jon Hansen Reporter - Mack Leiderman 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 dedicat…

Tamar Manasseh, founder of Mothers Against Senseless Killing, is considering disbanding the group, which keeps watch over Englewood blocks, after she and fellow organizers were shot at and her pleas for help have been ignored. Host - Jon Hansen Reporter - Jamie Nesbitt Golden Read More Here Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Who …

Eighteen innings of baseball over nine hours in 90-plus-degree weather, with a packed train ride in between? It takes guts, a game plan, at least a few hot dogs and a high tolerance for booze and losing baseball. Host - Jon Hansen Reporter - Mack Liederman Read More Here Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Who we are Block Club Ch…

The so-called “Chicago accent” is one of the city’s greatest exports, alongside Italian beef, deep-dish pizza and up-and-coming sketch comedians. But most associate a particular kind of sound to the average Chicagoan. But there are actually many Chicago accents with different origins, and they span far beyond the North Side climes that soak up a lo…

DIRKSEN FEDERAL COURTHOUSE — Former Ald. Ed Burke, the longest-serving alderman in Chicago history, was sentenced to two years in prison Monday, six months after he was convicted of racketeering and a suite of other crimes committed while he was in office. Federal Defense Attorney Mike Leonard explains what happened. Host - Jon Hansen Reporter - Qu…

When Sophia Catania learned that there would be a massive invasion of cicadas in the Chicago area, she was thrilled. That’s because she turns cicadas into jewelry. In 2020, Catania began taking walks “as a way to stay sane” during the pandemic, she said. Her casual walks soon turned into nature walks while she looked for and observed bugs. One day,…

An ordinance establishing a noise-sensitive zone around a Downtown woman’s clinic passed City Council Wednesday, ending an eight-month battle spearheaded by Ald. Bill Conway (34th). Host- Jon Hansen Reporter - Melody Mercado 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 n…

Six years ago, a small and scrappy group of journalists refused to give up on neighborhood news, and Block Club Chicago was born. But our 6th birthday is not just a celebration of Block Club — it’salso a celebration of reader support. We wouldn’t be here without the generosity of readers like you. Host - Jon Hansen Guest - Shamus Toomey, Stephanie …

Host - Jon Hansen Reporter - Mack Liederman A group of alderpeople want the state to pump the brakes on plans to redesign DuSable Lake Shore Drive and instead find ways to prioritize public transit on the city’s most famous road. Fourteen alderpeople have signed a letter to Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Omer Osman and Chicago Depa…

The nation’s first Black tennis club started on privately owned land needs help repairing its tennis courts, and club members are looking to the public for support. The Chicago Prairie Tennis Club, 3211 S. Ellis Ave., faces a heavy financial lift as four of the courts they’ve been using for decades have fallen into disrepair. Host - Jon Hansen Repo…

For over 120 years, the battle over fans, space and prestige in Chicago — and in the history books — has simmered between the North Side and South Side teams and their supporters. Here’s how it happened. Host - Jon Hansen Guests - Linze Rice, Shamus Toomey Read More Here About Cubs - Sox History Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE…

The backdrop of Andersonville’s Clark Street business corridor may have evolved over the decades, but one anchor on the street has remained steadfast: an unsuspecting neighborhood bar with a large “pickled” herring neon sign hanging over the sidewalk. Simon’s Tavern, 5210 N. Clark St., has been operating for 90 years as of this spring, owner Scott …

The city has 77 community areas -- but no officially recognized neighborhoods. A Chicago Neighborhood Project survey asked residents to define where they live. Project leader Professor Emily Talen joins the Block Club Chicago podcast to explain. Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HERE Who we are Block Club Chicago is a 501(c)(3) nonpr…

The Block Club Chicago Staff offers their summer bucket lists for 2024! 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 of Chicago's diverse neighborhoods. We believe all neighborhoods deserve to be cove…

Queer Fam Pride Jam returns June 2nd for its second annual edition. The LGBTQ+ family-friendly celebration will kick off Pride Month with drag performances, DJ sets, dancing, crafts, face painting, a vendor market and more. Today's episode chats with the organizers of the event. Queer Fam Pride Jam will take place 10 a.m.-1 p.m. June 2 at Millenniu…

Alderpeople voted 34-14 on Wednesday to pass legislation to upend Mayor Brandon Johnson’s plan to phase out ShotSpotter this year. Johnson later said the vote “did nothing.” A majority of alderpeople want CTA President Dorval Carter out -- the Mayor doesn't. Are these two stories a sign of fading City Council support for the Mayor? Host - Jon Hanse…

Two years after busloads of migrant children began arriving in Chicago, many have landed in schools where most don’t speak Spanish. Custodians and kindergarten teachers are taking on the role of translator, but students are still falling behind. Host - Jon Hansen Reporter - Mina Bloom Read More Here Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK …