Curious City

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Chicago Teens Open Up About Race Stereotypes And Dating Mar 31, 2022

Show notes

Students from different racial and ethnic backgrounds may go to the same high school, but this doesn’t guarantee they won’t cling to stereotypes about one another. That became painfully clear a few months ago when a student at Chicago’s Lincoln Park High School made a video asking classmates what race they wouldn’t date and why. Most of the answers were offensive, with many kids laughing and talking comfortably about how people of other races smell — all of it right in the school hallways with other students watching. That video was made public and got a lot of attention. But this kind of thing happens pretty regularly. Curious City reporter Adriana Cardona-Maguigad and WBEZ education reporter Susie An teamed up to talk to Chicago area teens about race and relationships and what they think schools should do to help kids move beyond stereotypes.

What Happens When A Pothole Damages Your Car Mar 24, 2022

Show notes

Chicago’s streets are covered in asphalt and the city pays out a lot of money to drivers whose cars have been damaged by the poor condition of our roads. So why does Chicago use a material like asphalt, which requires so much repair, to pave its streets? And is there any recourse when your car gets damaged from hitting a pothole? Find out in this week’s episode.

A Quest To Find Chicago’s ‘Lizard Mound’ Mar 17, 2022

Show notes

A Curious City fan asked us about an odd detail on an old Chicago map. Was it really a Native American burial mound? Producer Jesse Dukes went on a quest to find the answer.

The History Behind Chicago's Free Theater Mar 10, 2022

Show notes

The Free Theater was an ensemble group that put on non-traditional, avant-garde theatrical productions in Chicago from 1968 to 1974. Like its name suggests, the shows were free and no auditions were required. Productions took on the politics of the time. Curious City reporter Adriana Cardona-Maguigad digs into the group’s history and looks at what low cost and accessible theater looks like nowadays in Chicago.

Do real people win WBEZ pledge drive giveaways? Mar 03, 2022

Show notes

One Curious City listener was skeptical about whether real people actually win WBEZ’s pledge drive giveaways. They do. But there’s a little more to that answer. Plus, an economist who studies fundraising explains why people give money during pledge drives in the first place.

Chicago's Old Morton Salt Warehouse Becomes A Music Venue Feb 24, 2022

Show notes

Chicago has budgeted about 18 million dollars for salt for the winter 2022. And the city gets all that salt from one vendor: Morton Salt. Now, the company’s iconic warehouse is getting transformed into a multi-use development, including a music venue called “The Salt Shed.” In this episode historian Paul Durica traces the history of Chicago’s salt industry and tells us how some of that history will be preserved in the new concert space.

An Aldi closes and a Chicago neighborhood is reeling from the impact Feb 17, 2022

Show notes

Last year the Garfield Park Aldi closed after 30 years, leaving thousands of West Siders without a nearby grocery store where they can buy affordable, fresh produce or other staples. Now, the City of Chicago is considering purchasing the Aldi property to ensure it remains a grocery store. WBEZ reporter Linda Lutton and Curious City intern Asia Singleton head to the West Side neighborhood to find how the store’s closing is impacting residents — and what they’re doing about it.

The Origins of Chicago’s Rivalry With New York Feb 10, 2022

Show notes

Chicago’s got a new ad campaign the city hopes will showcase Chicago’s influence around the globe. It reminded us of a question we answered about the origins of Chicago’s rivalry with New York. We actually took the answer to the stage and presented it as a live show in 2018 at the Museum of Science and Industry, with actors impersonating New York and Chicago. In this episode you’ll hear that performance and learn how the bid to host the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition stoked Chicago’s rivalry with New York.

People Who Quit Their Jobs During COVID Share Their Stories Feb 03, 2022

Show notes

By now you’ve probably pretty familiar with that term the “Great Resignation.” We asked our listeners why they quit their jobs and how they’re doing now. We heard from more than a hundred people who talked about burnout, stress and toxic workplaces. And we heard a lot about the fear and risk that comes with quitting a job you know. In this episode we share some of those stories.

What Is Life Like In Chicago-Area Trailer Parks? Jan 27, 2022

Show notes

Chicagoans call lots of places home. We live in two-flats, three-flats, bungalows and skyscrapers. And hundreds of households live in Chicago’s only trailer park, Harbor Point Estates. Beyond the city’s borders, there’s another 18,000 mobile homes in our metro area. Reporter Linda Lutton set out to answer a question about what life is like in Chicagoland mobile home communities, as told by residents themselves.

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