Stay ConnectedChicago’s daily news podcast, fresh every weekday morning. Host Jacoby Cochran brings you timely conversations with news and culture makers; activists and artists; bus drivers and students; those who love and hate this place. City Cast Chicago is a smart and delightful new way to connect with the city we share. Learn more and subscribe to our newsletter at chicago.citycast.fm.
Named Best Podcast by Chicago Reader 2022
Chicago Public Schools start the new school year on Monday, Aug. 22. Earlier this month, the district announced its COVID protocols for the upcoming school year. They include recommended masking, free weekly testing, some quarantining guidelines, and a test-to-stay program for unvaccinated students. Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady tells us why students and parents should be confident returning to the classroom.
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Monkeypox is a public health emergency in Illinois. There are more than 600 cases reported in Chicago. The person leading the response to monkeypox and all public health issues is Dr. Allison Arwady. Host Jacoby Cochran talks to the public health commissioner about what we need to know to protect ourselves against the virus, and why messaging is so important to prevent the spread.
More on Monkeypox (MPV)
More resources from the city about monkeypox
Some Good News:
Jacoby hosts The Moth on Tuesday, Aug. 16
Jacoby is a guest on Axios Chicago's Office Hours on Friday, Aug. 19
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Chicago Police say they’re adding more officers to CTA trains across the city after recent violence. A Mississippi grand jury declined to indict Carolyn Bryant Donham, the woman in the Emmett Till murder case. Plus, controversy over a death in police custody, and gas prices are on the way down. Host Jacoby Cochran talks to Sylvia Snowden, host of CAN TV's Political Forum, and Angel Idowu, WTTW’s arts correspondent, about all that and more.
Some Good News:
NABJ-Chicago wins chapter of the year
The TRiiBE’s Morgan Johnson’s newsletter
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We‘re a month away from the end of our Summer Bucket List Challenge. Host Jacoby Cochran and lead producer Carrie Shepherd discuss who, uh, poorly they're doing at hitting all the spots. Plus, participants Annie A. and Dea B. tell City Cast where they've visited this summer, and how the list has exposed them to more of Chicago.
Check out who's winning the Bucket List Challenge!
Some Good News:
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The Bud Billiken Parade is turning 93 this weekend. It’s the largest Black parade in the country. Host Jacoby Cochran talks to Shermann “Dilla” Thomas about the history of the Bud, and Shkunna Stewart from Bring Out the Talent Dance Co. about her family’s history of dancing in the parade.
Some Good News:
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The Illinois State Fair kicks off on Thursday. It’s meant to highlight the importance of agriculture in Illinois, but it’s also where politicians schmooze with voters and other members of their party. Host Jacoby Cochran talks to politics reporter Amanda Vinicky on what to expect, especially since we’re just a few months out from the election.
Some Good News:
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The Disney+ series “Ms. Marvel” tells the story of a 16-year-old Muslim girl, Kamala Khan, from Jersey City who suddenly gains superpowers. The show explores everything from Avenger fandom to Khan’s Pakistani heritage, even diving deep into the real-life Partition of India in 1947. Host Jacoby Cochran talks to a poet and screenwriter who has artistic ties to Chicago, Fatimah Asghar, about writing for Ms. Marvel, representation in the MCU, and more.
Chicago Park District Fall Programs Registration
4th Ward Community Meeting about Proposed Dispensary
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Across the U.S., big cities, including Chicago, are facing a small schools crisis as enrollment drops. Chalkbeat is out with a new story. ICE is finding new ways to target undocumented immigrants in Chicago. A new report from Block Club Chicago and Injustice Watch finds that Chicago police stop thousands more Black drivers in traffic stops than they report. Host Jacoby Cochran chats with Becky Vevea, bureau chief of Chalkbeat Chicago, and Alma Campos, immigration editor for South Side Weekly, about all that, plus some good news from a sales tax holiday to South Side Weekly’s literature issue.
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From the indie flick “I Love My Dad” to Jordan Peele’s blockbuster “Nope,” there are a lot of films to check out in theaters right now. Host Jacoby Cochran chats with film critic Reggie Ponder about some of the films playing in and around Chicago this weekend.
Update: An earlier version of this podcast misidentified one of the actor's roles in "I Love My Dad."
Films and Showtimes:
Pioneers of Queer Cinema at Gene Siskel Film Center
Fresh Hell at Music Box Theatre
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When Joe Bergantino and Ricky Gonzalez put an offer on a new house in January, the Rogers Park couple wrote the owner a letter, promising to keep the house’s funky aesthetic. The house is what’s known to many North Siders as the “Candyland House” or “Barbie House” for its pink, yellow, teal, and white striped exterior. That color scheme extends to the interior, too. Bergantino and Gonzalez have been renovating the house mostly on their own and documenting the process on their Instagram feed, Homos With Hammers. They gave City Cast Chicago’s Carrie Shepherd a tour of the house and explained why it’s important to show others that you can DIY renovate on a budget.
Some Good News:
THERE'S STILL TIME TO DO THE SUMMER BUCKET LIST CHALLENGE
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