Bob Sirott

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.

Jake Braund (Portfolio Manager, Wealth Management & Institutional Services at Associated Bank) joins Steve Grzanich in today’s Associated Bank Thought Leader conversation to discuss Jake’s upcoming webinar, “Private Wealth & Investment Outlook Webinar: How to manage risk and capitalize on opportunities in a time of change,” and the overall outlook on the economy and stock markets.

On June 19th, 2025, Steve Grzanich shares today’s potential market drivers:

Anna Davlantes, WGN Radio’s investigative correspondent, joins Bob Sirott to share what happened this week in Chicago history. Stories include the inventing of the vacuum cleaner, the arrival of koalas at the Lincoln Park Zoo, the introduction of the Baby Ruth candy bar, and more.

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:

Wolf & Company’s Restaurant, Cafe And Market — Attached To 606 Trail — Opens Monday: The sprawling spot from the team behind Little Bad Wolf and Gretel will be accessible from The 606 near Western Avenue. It features a dining room, two bars, a butcher shop, grocery store, floral shop and cafe.

New $4 Million City-Funded Grant Program Looks To Spur South, West Side Redevelopment: Ten community groups will be selected for the Wealth Our Way program, which provides funding and coaching to bring their commercial real estate projects to life.

St. Adalbert’s Landmarking Compromise Gets Key Approval After Years-Long Fight In Pilsen: The Pilsen church’s sanctuary won landmark approval, but other buildings on the site were not included, angering some former parishioners. A non-denominational church wants to buy the property.

Lake Effect Brewing’s Avondale Taproom And Beer Garden Opens After Years Of Delays: The brewery raised $115,000 last year to help fund construction and bring it across the finish line.

Karen Conti, Chicago trial attorney, joins Bob Sirott to talk about how a judge decides if someone is entitled to a public defender and what happens if a jury can decide on some charges, but not all of them. She also shares details about the juror who was dismissed from Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial, and if that warrants for a mistrial.