Freelancer Samantha Nelson joins Bob Sirott to talk about which Chicago restaurants have specials for St. Patrick’s Day and how she came up with he list. Some places include City Winery, The Gage, Miru, River Roast, and more.

Jen Sabella, the Director of Strategy and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. She provides details on:

Chicago River Swim Returns This September — With 500 More Swimmers: The Sept. 20 race will raise money for ALS research at Northwestern University, as well as swimming education and water safety programming for youth.

How 7 Families Celebrate The South Side Irish Parade, From Breakfast With Politicos To A Backyard Mass: While the parade draws thousands to Western Avenue, hundreds more people spend the day at neighborhood house parties that have been hosted for decades.

Cubs Want Hundreds Of New Parking Spaces Near Wrigley Field: Cubs officials say the additional spaces could reduce parking for fans on neighborhood streets, but residents fear the expansion will bring more gridlock on game days.

Sponsored by Great Lakes Credit Union – Committed to financially empowering local communities. For more info go to GLCU.org.

Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast co-host Michael Piff joins Bob Sirott to talk about the viral video of the McDonald’s CEO taking a bite of their new Big Arch Burger and how that video worked in terms of publicity. He also gives his own review of the burger and how it compares to burgers from other chain restaurants.

Cindy Pearlman Gaber, senior writer for the New York Times and entertainment columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, joins Bob Sirott to talk about Billie Eilish’s movie project, why Nicole Kidman wants to perform in Chicago, and some fun facts about the Oscars. Choose Chicago’s director of corporate communications Isaac Reichman also joins Bob to share details about things to do this weekend, like the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, basketball at the United Center, and “The Lord of the Rings” in concert.

Marianne Murciano, Bob Sirott’s wife and founder of Savvy-Planet, joins Bob to explain what different types of oils are used for, from the kind you use to cook to the ones you use for cosmetics.

Marianne joins Bob for a weekly segment Fridays following the 8:30 am newscast. For more savvy tips, go to Savvy-Planet.Com. Share your own savvy tip: [email protected]. Follow Marianne on Twitter (@marimur), Instagram (@havanagirl), and on Facebook (SirottAndMurciano).

On March 13th, 2026, Steve Grzanich shares today’s potential market drivers:

Ravinia CEO Jeff Haydon joins Bob Sirott to talk about the recent construction at Ravinia and watching out for scams concerning the 2026 season tickets. He also shares this year’s lineup, which includes Paul Simon, Ricky Martin, Miranda Lambert, and Hugh Jackman.

Columnist and film critic Richard Roeper joins Bob Sirott to share a preview of the Oscars, including if he thinks Timothée Chalamet will win for Best Actor and if Chicagoan Amy Madigan has a chance of winning for Best Supporting Actress. He also discusses the likelihood of a presenter or winner making a politically charged speech.

President and CEO of the Better Business Bureau Steve Bernas joins Bob Sirott to share details about storm chaser scams and tax scams where someone reaches out via phone or email pretending to be from the IRS. He also explains what to be cautious of at wedding expos and fake letters from Veterans Affairs.

Quinn Myers, reporter for Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Quinn has details on:

Meet The South Side Irish Parade’s ‘Traffic Cop On 103rd,’ Keeping Marchers And Floats In Line: Bill Letz has helped organize the annual event since 1985. As this year’s parade chair, he heads an all-volunteer committee tasked with ensuring all goes smoothly.

Chicago Irish Rock Band One For The Ditch Is Ready For Its Busiest Week Of The Year: The band plays all year, but it has gigs this month at Martyr’s, Reggies, the Irish American Heritage Center and more. How are St. Patrick’s Day crowds different? “They’re drunker.”

Ukrainian Couple Flee War, Start Fresh With Bloom&Buff Flower Shop In West Town: “I put my soul in every composition,” said owner Olha Sahaidak, who moved with her husband and their two kids to Chicago in 2023 during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Velvet Goldmine Closes Division Street Furniture Store — But Will Reopen With Vintage Clothing: Owner Jon Gorske is shifting the focus of his Ukrainian Village storefront, though he will continue selling vintage furniture in Pilsen.

Sponsored by Great Lakes Credit Union – Committed to financially empowering local communities. For more info go to GLCU.org.