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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 

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.

Follow Cisco Cotto and Tom Skilling on X

Follow WBBM Newsradio: TikTok | Facebook | Instagram | X

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.

Follow Cisco Cotto and Tom Skilling on X

Follow WBBM Newsradio: TikTok | Facebook | Instagram | X

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.

Follow Cisco Cotto and Tom Skilling on X

Follow WBBM Newsradio: TikTok | Facebook | Instagram | X

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.

Follow Cisco Cotto and Tom Skilling on X

Follow WBBM Newsradio: TikTok | Facebook | Instagram | X

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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Check Out Our Socials! On TikTok & Instagram 

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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Check Out Our Socials! On TikTok & Instagram 

This is an encore presentation of a previous episode from 7/31/23.

Small, indie hot sauce brands are like the new homemade craft beer brewers of recent years. In the last quarter century, the hot sauce market has almost doubled annually, leading to a value of $3 billion in 2022. So why has this obsession with heat gathered so much steam? This week, host Jim Hanke speaks with hot sauce influencer Brian Ambs about current hot sauce culture, as well as High Desert Sauce Company founder Zac Perkins, whose trajectory took him from living on the streets to the biggest stage in sauce: the viral online series Hot Ones.

Follow Brian Ambs on YouTube | Follow High Desert Sauce Co. on Instagram 

Follow WBBM Newsradio: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

This is an encore presentation of a previous episode from 7/31/23.

Small, indie hot sauce brands are like the new homemade craft beer brewers of recent years. In the last quarter century, the hot sauce market has almost doubled annually, leading to a value of $3 billion in 2022. So why has this obsession with heat gathered so much steam? This week, host Jim Hanke speaks with hot sauce influencer Brian Ambs about current hot sauce culture, as well as High Desert Sauce Company founder Zac Perkins, whose trajectory took him from living on the streets to the biggest stage in sauce: the viral online series Hot Ones.

Follow Brian Ambs on YouTube | Follow High Desert Sauce Co. on Instagram 

Follow WBBM Newsradio: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

As we approach a new year, host Jim Hanke welcomes several friends and previous guests of Looped In: Chicago to discuss what to expect in all things Cubs, White Sox, finance and auto news next year. Tune in to hear visits from Danny Parkins of 670 The Score, Jeff Gilbert of Detroit’s WWJ, and WBBM’s Rob Hart and Andy Giersher as they pontificate about their particular topics of focus.

Follow Danny Parkins, Rob Hart, Jeff Gilbert and Andy Giersher on X

As we approach a new year, host Jim Hanke welcomes several friends and previous guests of Looped In: Chicago to discuss what to expect in all things Cubs, White Sox, finance and auto news next year. Tune in to hear visits from Danny Parkins of 670 The Score, Jeff Gilbert of Detroit’s WWJ, and WBBM’s Rob Hart and Andy Giersher as they pontificate about their particular topics of focus.

Follow Danny Parkins, Rob Hart, Jeff Gilbert and Andy Giersher on X

Though bowling has yet to reach official Olympic-level competition, Chicago's connection to the sport is long-held. And last month, a competitor from our area even become the best bowler in the world, as AJ Johnson -- who essentially grew up at Parkside Lanes in Aurora -- took home the gold medal in singles bowling at the Pan Am Games in Santiago, Chile. On today's episode, WBBM sports reporter Rick Gregg sits down with Johnson at Parkside Lanes to discuss his incredible journey from Oswego to the Andes mountains, and why he feels bowling has yet to become an Olympic sport, despite its cultural popularity over the generations.

Follow AJ Johnson on Instagram | Follow Rick Gregg on X

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Though bowling has yet to reach official Olympic-level competition, Chicago's connection to the sport is long-held. And last month, a competitor from our area even become the best bowler in the world, as AJ Johnson -- who essentially grew up at Parkside Lanes in Aurora -- took home the gold medal in singles bowling at the Pan Am Games in Santiago, Chile. On today's episode, WBBM sports reporter Rick Gregg sits down with Johnson at Parkside Lanes to discuss his incredible journey from Oswego to the Andes mountains, and why he feels bowling has yet to become an Olympic sport, despite its cultural popularity over the generations.

Follow AJ Johnson on Instagram | Follow Rick Gregg on X

Follow WBBM Newsradio / WBBM Podcasts

Longtime Chicago sports media personality George Ofman, host of his own podcast -- Tell Me A Story I Don't Know -- has recently turned some of his best interviews over the years with fellow broadcasters, reporters, pro coaches and more into an intriguing new book of the same name. During this second of two episodes this week with Ofman, you'll hear audio from Tell Me A Story featuring conversations with celebrated Cubs play-by-play man Pat Hughes, Blackhawks National Anthem singer Wayne Messmer and sportscaster Peggy Kusinski.

Follow George Ofman on X

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Follow WBBM Newsradio: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Longtime Chicago sports media personality George Ofman, host of his own podcast -- Tell Me A Story I Don't Know -- has recently turned some of his best interviews over the years with fellow broadcasters, reporters, pro coaches and more into an intriguing new book of the same name. During this second of two episodes this week with Ofman, you'll hear audio from Tell Me A Story featuring conversations with celebrated Cubs play-by-play man Pat Hughes, Blackhawks National Anthem singer Wayne Messmer and sportscaster Peggy Kusinski.

Follow George Ofman on X

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Follow WBBM Newsradio: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

This is an encore presentation of a previous Looped In: Chicago episode from July 2023, in honor Veterans Day.

Since 2008 the Chicago hub for Honor Flight -- a nationwide non-profit -- has flown more than 10,000 US veterans to Washington, DC at no cost, in order to pay respect to their bravery and sacrifice. And in recent years, Vietnam veterans (who have notably struggled with various aspects of PTSD) have become Honor Flight's main beneficiaries. On today's episode, we follow a veteran from Oak Lawn and his daughter on their journey with Honor Flight, and learn how the organization is benefitting these military heroes almost 50 years since their service.

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Follow Honor Flight Chicago on Instagram

Follow WBBM Podcasts: Twitter | Instagram
Follow WBBM Newsradio: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

This is an encore presentation of a previous Looped In: Chicago episode from July 2023, in honor Veterans Day.

Since 2008 the Chicago hub for Honor Flight -- a nationwide non-profit -- has flown more than 10,000 US veterans to Washington, DC at no cost, in order to pay respect to their bravery and sacrifice. And in recent years, Vietnam veterans (who have notably struggled with various aspects of PTSD) have become Honor Flight's main beneficiaries. On today's episode, we follow a veteran from Oak Lawn and his daughter on their journey with Honor Flight, and learn how the organization is benefitting these military heroes almost 50 years since their service.

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Follow Honor Flight Chicago on Instagram

Follow WBBM Podcasts: Twitter | Instagram
Follow WBBM Newsradio: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Also in the news: Semi-truck crashes into overpass, raining scrap metal down on Bishop Ford Freeway; Domestic violence, human trafficking survivors to get free cell phones; Late Chicago Bears legend Dick Butkus died after having a stroke and more.

On this second half of a two-part episode, longtime WXRT disc jockey Terri Hemmert chats with WBBM anchor and resident radio-history buff Rob Hart about her 50 years on-air in Chicago, and educating students at Columbia College about how music and civil rights intersect. Be sure to tune into our first episode with Terri, awaiting you in your podcast feed.

Follow Terri Hemmert on Facebook | Follow Rob Hart on Twitter

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Follow WBBM Newsradio: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook