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
The municipal election has felt very long. Because it has been very long. When none of the nine candidates received more than 51 percent of the vote on Feb. 28, there were two candidates left in Tuesday’s runoff. And one of those wasn’t Mayor Lori Lightfoot, the first time in 40 years an incumbent Chicago mayor wasn’t reelected. Now, Chicago prepares for the new Mayor Brandon Johnson. Host Jacoby Cochran, lead producer Carrie Shepherd, and producer Simone Alicea break down the results.
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It’s election day! So by tonight, we may know who will be leading the country’s third-largest city as voters cast their ballots in the runoff elections for mayor and City Council. But between voter turnout, back-to-back (-to-back-to-back) trips to the polls, and the timing of our elections, the City Cast Chicago team is wondering if election season needs a rebranding. We also discuss the ongoing rebranding of Northerly Island and check in on Copi a year after it got its new name!
You can vote until 7 p.m. tonight! Check with the Chicago Board of Elections for your voter information and the polling places in your ward!
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Artificial intelligence is being talked about a lot right now, from fabricating pictures of the Pope, to creating original trippy paintings, to writing whole term papers. ChatGPT is an AI tool that, when prompted with questions or requests, responds with text that looks like it was written by a human. Lead producer Carrie Shepherd, producer Simone Alicea, and host Jacoby Cochran have heard the buzz and are putting ChatGPT through their very own Chicago quiz. And trust us, some of the results may surprise you!
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Both mayoral candidates have touted their education bona fides ahead of Tuesday’s runoff election. But what are their plans for the future of Chicago Public Schools and how are they different? WBEZ City Hall reporter Mariah Woelfel and Triibe digital news editor Jim Daley join host Jacoby Cochran to look through the details. We also check in on the new police oversight commission’s efforts to search for a new police superintendent and make the department more transparent, and dive deeper into Paul Vallas’ history of implementing charter schools in districts across the country and his plan to rehire retired Chicago Police officers. Stick around to the end for some good news and your next opportunity to catch Jacoby live at Good Evening with Pat Whalen!
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Baseball is back in Chicago. The Cubs open their season at Wrigley Field today against the Milwaukee Brewers, and the White Sox are on the road in Houston before returning to Guaranteed Rate Field Monday. Before it was called Guaranteed Rate, Sox Park had many names. But for 80 years, it was called Comiskey Park. A new documentary looks back at the Sox’s final season at that park. Co-director Matt Flesch talks to host Jacoby Cochran about his love for the team, and why he started this project.
Watch “Last Comiskey” free on YouTube.
Some News:
Block Club's election donor database
Bar for Bar: A Celebration of Lyricism & Poetry
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Democrats have run Chicago for decades, and the lead-up to the mayoral runoff on April 4 has often been about proving allegiance to the Democratic Party. Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson and his supporters call former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas a Republican. Vallas denies that and says he’s a lifelong Dem. So what’s it like to be a Republican in Chicago? Lenny Sklaney is president of the Chicago Young Republicans and he tells host Jacoby Cochran it can sometimes feel lonely in Chicago’s political landscape.
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Following the heat-exposure deaths of three seniors last year in Rogers Park, the state Senate passed a bill requiring air conditioning at state-funded affordable housing. That’s just one of many bills lawmakers have voted on so far this legislative session. Host Jacoby Cochran, lead producer Carrie Shepherd, and producer Simone Alicea are talking all things Springfield…and spring, as flowers and the city’s art scene begin to bloom.
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Voters will choose Chicago’s new mayor next Tuesday, April 4. On the ballot are former CPS head Paul Vallas and former CPS teacher and union organizer Brandon Johnson. Johnson is currently Cook County Board Commissioner for the 1st District, which stretches from the city’s West Side to suburban Maywood. When campaign season began, very few had Johnson as a major candidate. Now he is hoping to become the first Black man to lead Chicago in 40 years. The commissioner lives with his family in Austin, but lead producer Carrie Shepherd and host Jacoby Cochran recently met up with him for an interview at Principle Barbers in North Lawndale.
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As summer festival lineups emerge, some Douglass Park neighbors are still protesting Riot Fest’s expected appearance on the West Side in September. Meanwhile, a packed summer schedule means Grant Park will only be open about four days this summer. Host Jacoby Cochran is joined by Tribune music writer Britt Julious and Kelly Garcia with Injustice Watch to talk about what they love about summer fests and some of the problems they pose. They also talk about smog in Chicago, allegations of inhumane treatment at Cook County’s juvenile detention center, and some gooooood news to get you through.
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While the Chicago flag is seen everywhere from buildings to tattoos, Illinois’ state flag is less well-known. That’s probably because it’s just not very good, says “Good Flag, Bad Flag” author Ted Kaye. State lawmakers are exploring a flag redesign in hopes more people will fly it. While those recommendations wouldn’t come until next year, Kaye tells host Jacoby Cochran why we should care what our flag looks like and what makes a good one.
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