Bob Sirott

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

Francis Parker School Expansion Plan Approved By City Council Despite Opposition From Locals: The approved plan — which some neighbors have been fighting for years — allows the private school to demolish a 15-unit residential structure on Belden Avenue and replace it with an academic building.

Armitage County Fair Puts Chicago Twist On Downstate Tradition: La Luz And Sun Ra will perform at the event with 14 other musical acts. Hosted by comedian Maggie Winters, the two-day fest will also include a giardiniera-eating contest and a JB Pritzker lookalike contest for babies.

Chicago’s Hosting Another Cat Tour — This Time It’s Halloween-Themed: After a successful debut in Lincoln Square, another cat tour is coming to Bowmanville in October. Registration is open through Sept. 30.

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

President and CEO of the Better Business Bureau Steve Bernas joins Bob Sirott to discuss recent instances of check washing, a bank impersonation scheme, and why a local couple’s tax refund is delayed. He also shares details about a scam involving MyChart and why you should research contractors as fall arrives.

Jennifer Kentos, Senior Vice President and Commercial Banking Relationship Manager at Associated Bank, joins Steve Grzanich to explain how artificial intelligence is fueling a new wave of sophisticated scams targeting businesses and consumers alike. She shares practical tips for spotting fraud, why slowing down and verifying requests is critical, and how companies can strengthen internal controls to protect themselves from costly AI-driven threats.

On September 24th, 2026, Steve Grzanich shares today’s potential market drivers:

Roz Varon, retired traffic anchor at ABC 7 Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the memories of her late daughter and how she helps to raise money for the Sara Janz Take Your Shot Memorial Scholarship. She also talks about her event tonight at the Des Plaines Theatre, Stars for Sara, and the acts that will perform at it.

Bob Sirott is a proud member of the 16-inch Softball Hall of Fame. Despite his hall of fame status, he’s still active in the sport he loves to this day. Sirott would be the first to admit, though, that he can’t swing it like he used to. While searching for ways to improve his offensive output, he landed at Wrigley Field. Sirott asked Matt Shaw, a super utility player for the Chicago Cubs, for tips to fix his swing.

Sirott is also searching for the perfect gift for Pope Leo after the idea of a 16-inch softball was given to him recently.

Dr. Aileen Marty, Infectious Disease Specialist and Professor at Florida International University, joins Bob Sirott to talk about the latest health news. Dr. Marty discusses why people are having stronger reactions to this year’s flu vaccines and the differences between them.

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:

Ford City Mall Development, Francis Parker Expansion, Other Projects OK’d By Key City Panel: Despite pushback from some neighbors, Ford City Mall is slated to become an industrial campus, while the private Francis Parker school is set to add an educational building. A Northwestern Medicine hospital tower was also advanced.

Lincoln Park’s Historic Homes Are Disappearing. A New Program Wants To Tell Their Stories: The Chicago Historic Plaque pilot will help document the stories of historic homes and build neighborhood pride as preservation advocates grapple with the loss of old buildings.

After More Than A Century, Tiffany Windows At Historic Chicago Church Are Glowing Again: Four of the 12 monumental sanctuary windows at Second Presbyterian Church have been restored, giving visitors a clearer look at the craftsmanship hidden beneath decades of grime.

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

Anna Davlantes, WGN Radio’s investigative correspondent, joins Bob Sirott to share what happened this week in Chicago history. Stories include Jerry Springer’s arrival to the city, the death of songwriter Steve Goodman, the debut of the Mold-A-Rama, and more.

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 the skit that Rosie O’Donnell was told not to do and an upcoming movie starring Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep. She also shares details about the many Chicago connections to Hallmark’s Christmas movies and and announcement from Taylor Swift.