Freelancer Samantha Nelson joins Bob Sirott to share some of Chicago’s best hotel restaurants, including Hotel Zachary, Viceroy Chicago, and the Kimpton Gray Hotel. She also has a preview of this summer’s food and drink festivals, like the Chicago Taco & Tequila Festival, Inferno Fest, and the Taste of Polonia.

Marianne Murciano, Bob Sirott’s wife and founder of Savvy-Planet, joins Bob this morning to share how you can talk to someone who is attached to their phone.

Marianne joins Bob for a weekly segment 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).

Dean Richards, entertainment reporter for WGN, joins Bob Sirott to provide the latest news in entertainment. Bob and Dean talk about the 50th anniversary of “Jaws” and Ringo Starr’s comments about his son’s firing from The Who. They also share details about things to do this weekend and Dean’s movie reviews.

Shamus Toomey, Editor in Chief and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Shamus has details on:

River Concert Series Creator’s Next Act: A Musical Floating Parade: With the help of a $5,000 city grant, musician Ben Kinsinger and friends are organizing a July 19 show that will have bands perform on floating stages along the North Branch of the Chicago River.

Sidetrack Could Become The First Gay Bar In An American Airport: The iconic Lakeview bar is teaming up with restaurateur Germán González to bid for a specialty bar spot at O’Hare International Airport.

Open Books’ New Mobile Bookstore Is Rolling Out To West, South Sides: The books-on-wheels program will serve South and West side neighborhoods, bringing the nonprofit’s literacy programs to more neighbors.

On June 20th, 2025, Steve Grzanich shares today’s potential market drivers:

Columnist and film critic Richard Roeper joins Bob Sirott to talk about FanDuel’s extra charge for Illinois customers to offset the state’s sports betting tax and his impressions of Bally’s temporary casino. He also shares details about the idea of a union for Uber drivers and Chicago’s new slogan.

For additional insight on the betting industry, check out Roeper’s book: Bet the House: How I Gambled Over a Grand a Day for 30 Days on Sports, Poker, and Games of Chance

Jon Hansen, host and executive producer of the Block Club Chicago Podcast, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Jon has details on:

New Red Line Stations At Bryn Mawr, Berwyn, Argyle And Lawrence Opening Soon: The four new stations will officially open in late July, CTA officials said. The Lawrence and Berwyn stations have been closed since 2021 as part of a massive rebuild of the Red Line’s north branch.

Smoking On CTA Trains Is ‘Pervasive’ — And It’s Time For A Crackdown, Alderman Says: Downtown Ald. Bill Conway (34th), who has been rumored to have mayoral ambitions, is trying to tackle CTA’s long-running smoking problem as state lawmakers sort out its dire financial woes.

Ex-Loretto Hospital Exec Stole $300 Million Through COVID Testing Scams: Prosecutors: Former Loretto COO Anosh Ahmed took personal data about Loretto patients and used it to submit fake COVID-19 testing claims, trying to get $900 million from the government, prosecutors say.

Dean Richards, entertainment reporter for WGN, joins Bob Sirott to provide the latest news in entertainment. Bob and Dean share details about the Bruce Springsteen biopic trailer, the death of Lou Christie, and Sabrina Carpenter’s opinion on phones at concerts. They also talk about the cast of Marvel’s “Ironheart” at the Griffin Museum of Science & Industry, as well as Dean’s interview with Brad Garrett.

President and CEO of the Better Business Bureau Steve Bernas joins Bob Sirott to talk about fake robo calls offering deals for TV, phone, and internet providers, the most popular summer scams, and a fake AT&T notification. He also shares details about a scam phone call that could surprise pet owners, as well as people who say they need help paying for a funeral.

Vice President of Lending for Team Hochberg at Homeside Financial and host of WGN’s “Home Sweet Home Chicago” David Hochberg joins Bob Sirott to discuss just how much gas prices impact the economy as well as the pros and cons of using your home equity line of credit. David hosts “Home Sweet Home Chicago” on Saturdays from 10am to 1pm on WGN Radio. You can call him at 855-56-David, or check out the Team Hochberg website.