City Cast Chicago
Chicago’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
Episodes
November 21, 2025 • 36 mins
Earlier this week, the City Council Finance Committee voted 25-10 to reject the mayor’s budget proposal. Alders pushed back on a corporate head tax and borrowing for police settlements. The mayor said he would veto increases to garbage fees and grocery or property taxes. So what's next as the deadline to pass a budget draws closer? We ask The Tribune’s Jake Sheridan and WBEZ’s Mike Davis. Plus, five years after nationwide calls to ...
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November 20, 2025 • 29 mins
Since Operation Midway Blitz began in September, we have covered dozens of protests, hundreds of detainments, and growing violence from the federal government. But for unhoused Chicagoans detained by agents, what happens when there are no cameras and little record of their disappearance? The Chicago Reader’s Katie Prout has been working to track how many unhoused Chicagoans have been detained and what the city is doing to provide m...
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November 19, 2025 • 29 mins
We know Chicago is a food city, but what made dining here so special this year? The Infatuation’s Adrian Kane tells host Jacoby Cochran her favorite meal of the year, new restaurants that have become her favorites, and predictions for what dining in Chicago might look like in 2026.
Good News: You Can Grow Here exhibit (+35 Thanksgiving pie specials and 70 restaurants offering holiday meals)
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November 18, 2025 • 34 mins
Alders rejected Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposal to reinstate Chicago’s corporate head tax to raise roughly $100 million annually. Chicago previously had a head tax from 1973-2014, when then-Mayor Emanuel eliminated it. Now the proposal to reverse course remains one of the biggest hurdles to passing next year’s $16.6 billion budget. We’re discussing the support and opposition in the City Council. Plus, National Guard troops may be ...
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November 17, 2025 • 39 mins
The Chicago Board of Education recently voted to keep Chicago High School for the Arts open after talks of closing the public fine arts school. At the same time, the decision was made to close the public charter school EPIC Academy. Chalkbeat’s Bureau Chief Becky Vevea talks with host Jacoby Cochran about how the decision was made and what it means to close a school.
Good News: 12 x 12 Art Exhibition
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November 14, 2025 • 33 mins
Six people arrested while protesting outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Broadview processing facility were in federal court this week. They have all pleaded not guilty to federal conspiracy charges. We are discussing these and other ongoing legal challenges with The Trace’s Rita Oceguera and Suntimes’ Elvia Malagon. Plus, what’s next for the hotly debated affordable healthcare subsidies now that the government shutdown...
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November 13, 2025 • 34 mins
If you think New York and LA are the country’s only fashion hubs, think again. Local designers like Ron Louis have been repping Chicago on the street and on the runway. Louis sits down with host Jacoby Cochran to talk about the hallmarks of Chicago’s style, how he came to fashion, and some of the designers and shops he loves in the city.
Good News: Frankie Knuckles Festival & Supply Locale
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November 12, 2025 • 31 mins
In the last few weeks, we have talked about some iconic Chicago staples, whether it's a deep dive into the world of Vienna Beef or a shout-out to a 50-year-old sub sandwich. That got us thinking about all the other iconic Chicago sammies. Axios reporter Monica Eng and host Jacoby Cochran linked up earlier this year to rank eight Chicago sandwiches. From the sweetsteak to the jibarito to the Italian beef, which one is No. 1?
Good N...
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November 11, 2025 • 35 mins
After a weekend of raids across Little Village, federal agents gathered for a photo op Monday morning at the Bean in Millennium Park. Block Club Chicago reported that agents were seen joking about the operations that have gripped Chicago for two months. Plus, we are discussing how the government shutdown and the first snow of the season are combining to cause increased airport delays and Mr. Submarine's 50th anniversary ad campaign...
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November 10, 2025 • 28 mins
Millions across the state are still waiting for November SNAP benefits to be paid out as the government shutdown continues. Beyond this current crisis, others remain anxious about their future eligibility for food assistance once the federal government's new stricter work reporting requirements go into effect next year. All the while, Chicago’s food assistance organizations, food banks, and mutual aid groups are bracing for the ine...
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November 7, 2025 • 38 mins
Earlier this week, we broke down some of the major line items in the $1.5 billion transit bill. However, we did not answer whether or not CTA and Metra fares were still planned to go up, given that the Regional Transportation Authority officials announced weeks ago that the expected 10% fare hikes were not contingent upon the final bill. We ask Block Club Chicago’s Manny Ramos and Quinn Myers what we should expect at the farebox. P...
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November 6, 2025 • 33 mins
Earlier this year, Anna Lee Ackerman attempted the CTA ‘L’ Challenge, documenting her entire journey on TikTok. The goal is to ride every CTA train line and hit every ‘L’ stop as fast as possible. Host Jacoby Cochran sat down with Anna as she was planning her trip to ask why it’s worth doing, and to get her definitive (and possibly spicy) ranking of the city’s train lines.
Good News: Asian American Jazz Festival
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November 5, 2025 • 27 mins
For over 100 years, Vienna Beef has been almost synonymous with the Chicago Hot Dog. But how did this hot dog company with roots all the way back to the 1893 World’s Fair grow to one of Chicago’s most recognizable brands and logos? We put City Cast Chicago’s resident hot dog experts, social media manager Rick Homuth and newsletter editor Emmi Mack, on the case.
Good News: Pueblo Market, Big Kids Show
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November 4, 2025 • 26 mins
We have known all year that regional transit agencies were headed towards a fiscal cliff, so it only makes sense that lawmakers finally passed a transit funding bill in the middle of the night last Friday. As the $1.5 billion package heads to the Governor’s desk, we’re looking at what made it in the final bill. Plus, we’re discussing where to find food support and free events around the city.
Good News: Coffee and Kamehameha Wave
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November 3, 2025 • 28 mins
And just like that, it’s November. Producer Michelle Navarro is here with ways to help your neighbors. Executive producer Simone Alicea says now’s the time to learn to navigate the pedway. And host Jacoby Cochran is warning you to gear up for Christmas music.
If you're new here, welcome! We’ve put together a starter pack for you, with episodes and articles to welcome you to the City Cast Chicago community.
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October 31, 2025 • 38 mins
The loss of federal food assistance due to the government shutdown will affect nearly 2 million Illinoisans. Gov. JB Pritzker is directing $20 million to help close the gap, but Sun-Times reporter Tina Sfondeles explains that’s only a fraction of the need. She talks with executive producer Simone Alicea and Alex Nitkin with the Illinois Answers Project about what’s next. Plus, they discuss the charges facing local political candida...
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October 30, 2025 • 23 mins
Since the beginning of “Operation Midway Blitz,” Chicago neighborhoods have remained on high alert, afraid that immigration officials could arrest community members at any moment. This has made it especially difficult for people who work in public, such as construction workers, day laborers, and street vendors. Producer Michelle Navarro recently attended a street vendor crawl in Back of the Yards to talk with Chicagoans committed ...
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October 29, 2025 • 28 mins
Halloween is Friday, and for some of us, the best place to find a last-minute costume is one of the city’s vintage or thrift shops. And Chicago’s got no shortage of options, whether you’re looking for designer steals, great bargains, or selling your clothes. For Hey Chicago Newsletter editor Emmi Mack, this isn’t just a hobby but a way of life, as she grew up hanging out at vintage stores with her friends and working at the old Bel...
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October 28, 2025 • 29 mins
Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino has been ordered to testify in federal court this week as ICE continues to ignore court orders and tear gassed more Chicago neighborhoods over the weekend. Executive producer Simone Alicea and host Jacoby Cochran have the latest. Plus, Chicago’s number of tenant unions is growing as frustrations about renter protections and housing prices mount.
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October 27, 2025 • 30 mins
Three years ago, the first buses from Texas carrying migrants and asylum-seekers came to Chicago. More than 51,000 have arrived since then. With immigration agents now roaming the city, we’re checking in on where those new arrivals are now. Host Jacoby Cochran talks with Borderless magazine’s Mauricio Peña, Diane Bou Khalil, and Katrina Pham, along with Block Club Chicago’s Madison Savedra.
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