Bears Football Season Preview -- What to Watch For

During his decade of pro hockey, former Chicago Blackhawk Daniel Carcillo (nicknamed "Car Bomb" for his aggressive approach on the ice) racked up two Stanley Cup Championships and over 150 fights. But the stat most pressing to Carcillo since his retirement has been the seven diagnosed concussions he sustained as a player, and the hundreds he says that went undiagnosed through his career. Now, Carcillo has made it his mission to push state and federal agencies for funding as well as public access to psilocybin -- generally referred to as "magic mushrooms" -- a natural treatment for the traumatic brain injuries that he says saved his life. This week, during Brain Injury Awareness Month, we hear audio from WBBM reporter Jim Gudas' recent interview with Carcillo, as well as State Senator Rachel Ventura discussing Illinois' approach to this potential treatment with host and producer Jim Hanke.

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Chicagoland is one of the most biodiverse regions in the country. Every year, we witness the migration of hundreds of different varieties of birds soar through our sky. Yet there’s one fowl you won’t fail to see year round: Pigeons.

In this episode, host Arielle Raveney has a conversation about conservation with bird experts, explores the danger of migration season, and how it all begins, and ends, with pigeons. 

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Mentioned in This Episode: The Brookfield Zoo | Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary | The Chicago Ornithological Society 

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See Photos of Birds-Around-Chicago on our TikTok or Instagram 

This is the second of a two-part episode. For part one, scroll back in your podcast feed.

This week, WBBM morning news anchor Cisco Cotto sits down with WGN Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling, who will retire today -- Feb. 28th -- after over four decades with the station, and almost sixty years in broadcasting. During this discussion, Tom recalls some of the biggest weather moments in his career, and how the birth of social media allowed viewers to become weather warriors themselves.

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This week, WBBM morning news anchor Cisco Cotto sits down with WGN Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling, who will retire later this month after over four decades with the station, and almost sixty years in broadcasting. This is the first of a two-part episode, the latter of which will air Wednesday, February 28th to coincide with Tom's final weather report.

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All around Chicago, you can find intricate murals that tell a story or brighten up a neighborhood. With all this art, it's not surprising to discover that spray paint was invented here in the 1940's -- only to be outlawed in the 1990's. So how do new murals emerge, and what is their significance to the city? 

In this episode, host Arielle Raveney sits down with local organization, the Chicago Public Arts Group, and street artists Chris Devins and Mario Mena, to answer these questions.

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Mentioned in the Episode: Chicago Public Arts Group | Chris Devins | Mario Mena | Yollo Calli Youth Outreach 

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This week, host and producer Jim Hanke examines the national interest in Chicago tavern-style pizza -- razor thin, cut to squares and for some, putting traditional deep dish to shame. Author, media personality and pizza expert Steve Dolinsky provides some history on this Windy City mainstay, and Chicago Tribune food critic Louisa Chu discusses three particular spots adding unique spins to tavern-style, and taking that crispy, savory circle to a whole new level.

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On this week's episode, host and producer Jim Hanke previews this weekend's Chicago Auto Show with car enthusiast and WBBM editor Geoff Buchholz and CBS Radio's Jennifer Keiper. 

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This is an encore presentation of a previous episode from 7/24/23.

With “The Bear” creating hype and conversation around Michelin Stars and the food world, we dig in to discover the process behind how a restaurant receives one. We speak with Master Chef Graham Elliot about his experience as a chef and restaurant owner. As well as food journalists Samantha Nelson and Mike Gebert about their opinions on the dining scene in Chicago.

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Graham Elliot: site | Instagram

Samantha Nelson: Linkedin

Mike Gebert: Fooditor

Michelin Star Places in Chicago

On top of the return of the fan-fueled Sox Fest in 2025, and the team's new history-making TV announcer John Schriffen this season, the South Side has been buzzing as of late with talk of a new potential home for the White Sox. Located where Roosevelt Road meets the Chicago River, The 78 is an as-yet-undeveloped site of a former rail and lumber yard, and would bring the team closer to downtown if they allowed their lease to run out at Guaranteed Rate Field in 2029. This week, host and producer Jim Hanke hears from WBBM sports reporter Rick Gregg, Chicago Magazine contributor Bob Reed, and Sox journalist Scott Merkin about the steady stream of excitement that's been building this month for the White Sox faithful.

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This year's annual report on Chicago Public Schools from the Office of Inspector General provided several headline-making findings, including financial woes from missing technology and potential embezzlement. This week, CPS IG Will Fletcher joins host Jim Hanke for a one-on-one discussion about the report, and what can be done in the future to combat and prevent similar issues.

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