Freelance food writer Lisa Shames joins Bob Sirott to talk about the rising popularity of communal dining and people’s personal experiences of dining with strangers. She also shares which restaurants provide this option and a Chicago chef who hosts communal dinners once a month.

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:

‘Puffy Coat Bandits’ Part Of Crime Ring That’s Targeted Downtown Diners For Years, Police Say: After gaining infamy in 2023 for a spree of thefts at North Side restaurants, the pickpockets were caught again at a Downtown Cheesecake Factory. Police believe their crime ring includes at least 10 members.

Chicago’s 1st Pita Inn Coming To Six Corners This Winter: The family-owned Middle Eastern restaurant beloved in the suburbs is part of the redevelopment of the former Sears Auto Center on Cicero Avenue.

Will Changes To ‘Insane’ Summer Camp Registration Process Make It Easier To Sign Up Your Kids?: The first phase of a new Park District initiative includes a map feature and “high demand” icons. Two webinars are scheduled for Tuesday to help parents prepare for registration on April 19 and 20.

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

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 movies to watch this weekend, this year’s Coachella lineup, and the host of the next Tony Awards ceremony. Choose Chicago’s director of corporate communications Isaac Reichman also joins Bob to discuss things to do this weekend, like EXPO CHICAGO, Dozin’ with the Dinos at the Field Museum, and ART on THE MART.

On April 10th, 2026, Steve Grzanich shares today’s potential market drivers:

Greg Hinz of Crain’s Chicago Business joins Bob Sirott to discuss Chicago’s next Mayoral Election and Mayor Johnson’s chances of re-election if he decides to run again. He also shares how Mayor Johnson’s tactics have changed since he was elected and who some other candidates might be.

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 Turns All Public School IDs Into Library Cards To Boost Student Access: Chicago Public Library and CPS announced the expansion of The 81 Club, building on a pilot launched in 2022 to give students access to the library system’s vast collection and databases.

Folk In Andersonville Debuts Cafe Inside Its Vintage Store — With Yemeni Coffee And More: Folk Coffee & Vintage sets itself apart from the half-dozen other coffee shops on Clark Street by brewing Yemeni, Kurdish and other international coffee styles.

25 Things To Do In Chicago This Weekend: Expo Chicago, Clothing Swap And Community Cleanups: YarnCon, the Giordano Dance Company, the Wicker Park Green Fest, a Lao New Year celebration and a Joni Mitchell tribute are also on deck.

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 talk about travel scams involving the war in Iran, an alert from the post office concerning postmark dates, and scams targeting prom. He also shares details about fake rewards points texts, a warning from the Plainfield Police Department, and fake social security email alerts.

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 sentencing of the “Ketamine Queen,” SNL’s upcoming hosts and musical guests, and the premiere of “The Miniature Wife” on Peacock. She also shares details about a movie featuring a new Lady Gaga song, a street unveiling for Bruno Mars, and Ryan Seacrest’s dating requirements.

Brittany Snorgrass, Senior Vice President, Senior Treasury Management Officer & Sales Team Lead – Treasury & Payments Solutions at Associated Bank, joins Steve Grzanich on this week’s Thought Leader segment to break down how merchant services offers payment management solutions for businesses, emerging payment trends, and surcharging finding a fit in business strategy.

They also discuss the upcoming Associated Bank-hosted webinar on April 28th, which will give an overview of credit card surcharging, current trends in the market, and what businesses can expect when transitioning.

On April 9th, 2026, Steve Grzanich shares today’s potential market drivers: