Former “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett is charged with lying about being attacked nearly three years ago outside his Streeterville apartment. The alleged-hate-crime-turned-alleged-hoax was a big deal when it happened, but City Cast’s Simone Alicea and Carrie Shepherd are a little exhausted by the story. They share their fatigue with Chicago Tribune’s Stephanie Casanova, who tells us about a fight over tenant rights in Avalon Park and a heartwarming message from Bronzeville’s “Taco Lady.” They also discuss omicron, booster shots, the resignation of Red Stars coach Rory Dames, and the holiday experiences they’re looking forward to.

Guests:

Stephanie Casanova—Reporter, Chicago Tribune

Carrie Shepherd—Lead Producer, City Cast Chicago

Stories We Talked About:

‘Nobody cares’: NWSL players say U.S. Soccer failed to act on abuse claims against Red Stars coach

A SWAT situation, a fire, no water and heat. And then a building is condemned, and residents are forced from their home days before Thanksgiving.

About 15% of Illinois residents have gotten COVID-19 booster shot, as Omicron enters U.S. and Illinois faces surge

Good News:

She has sold tacos in Bronzeville for 40 years. Her customers keep coming back, say her food is ‘made with love.’

First-Ever ‘Golden Girls’ Festival Slated For North Halsted in Lakeview in April

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We’ve been covering Chicago’s ward remap at City Cast Chicago, but here’s a reminder: The remap process takes place every decade after the census, and it’s meant to reflect changing demographics of the city. Each time, transparency and public input are promised. Then alderpersons gather behind closed doors and negotiate with each other about which boundaries would serve each of them and allow them to be reelected. Dec. 1 — Wednesday — was the deadline for approving a new map. But in the days leading up to it, City Council meetings were canceled, the mayor left town, and the public still hadn’t seen an official map. Without a map approved by at least 41 alderpersons, there’s now a chance voters could have final say on Chicago’s ward boundaries. But politics reporter A.D. Quig explains it’s just a chance and there’s still a lot more negotiating and dealing to come.

Guest: A.D. Quig — Politics reporter, Crain’s Chicago Business

Listen to our past coverage of the census and ward remap:

The push for an Asian American–majority ward

An alternative, independent mapping process

How shifting demographics shift political power

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Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker in August signed into law legislation requiring sex education in K-12 schools to teach about HIV, consent, and the role of technology in sexual health. Pritzker and backers of the bill said it modernizes sex education, but schools and parents can still opt out of the curriculum. On this World AIDS Day, Lead Producer Carrie Shepherd talks to a clinical psychologist from Northwestern University whose expertise includes HIV prevention and sexual and gender minority populations. They discuss what young people today understand about HIV and where there still needs to be more awareness. 

Guest: Kathryn Macapagal — Professor, Northwestern University

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David Plotz, CEO of City Cast and co-host of Slate's "Political Gabfest," is a lifelong Washingtonian who knows the ins and outs of THAT city. But now, in his current role at City Cast, he has to learn about about a slew of new cities that are part of the company's network: Denver, Houston, and, of course, Chicago. So, naturally, he has questions. David asks host Jacoby Cochran and Lead Producer Carrie Shepherd about the “L,” Oprah and Kanye, and, yes, pizza. 

Guest: David Plotz

A little bit of news, y'all:

Giving Tuesday Organizations List: Block Club Chicago, Crain's Chicago Business

Chicago Elite Classic 12/3-12/4

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Chicago's Black population is the lowest it's been since the 1950s. What was once a destination for Black Southerners seeking more opportunity and racial equity is now a city they're fleeing to move to nearby states, like Indiana, but also farther away like Texas, Georgia and Arizona. Chicago Tribune's Will Lee talked to former Chicagoans. Lee explains why they say they’re leaving, and as life-long Chicagoans, he and host Jacoby Cochran talk about their own personal struggles on whether to stay or go. 

Guest: William Lee — Reporter, Chicago Tribune

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As many of us enjoy delicious food over the Thanksgiving holiday, we wanted to take a moment to look back on a story about a Chicagoan working to feed his neighbors. Dion Dawson was asked in 2020 what he wanted to do to help his Englewood community. He responded that he wanted to feed 100 families. Fast forward a year, and Dion's Chicago Dream is running a community fridge that the organization keeps full of fresh produce, and delivering groceries to families from Maywood to Evanston. Dion tells host Jacoby Cochran it was his own food insecurity growing up that made him want to help feed his neighbors and give back to the neighborhood he loves.

Get involved with Dion's Chicago Dream.

**This story was originally published Aug. 9, 2021**

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Last year, the Wabash Arts Corridor commissioned two murals in the South Loop to celebrate the centennial of women’s suffrage. While one mural has been installed, the other has been blocked by a nearby parking lot owner who said it was “too political.” Lead producer Carrie Shepherd visited the site at Wabash and Harrison and has been looking into what happened. She explains what happened and how it fits into Chicago’s larger conversation about the purpose of public monuments and public art. We also hear from the artist behind the blocked mural.

Guests:

Carrie Shepherd — Lead Producer, City Cast Chicago

Dorian Sylvain — Artist

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A group of South Shore neighbors pooled their money to buy and restore a historic vacant apartment building in their neighborhood. Mayor Lori Lightfoot remains on the fence as alders continue to spar over the city’s next ward map. And one Chicagoan may have caught the biggest carp in Illinois at the Humboldt Park lagoon, leaving the rest of us wondering, “Where the hell did this 72-pound behemoth come from?” Block Club Chicago’s Maxwell Evans and Crain’s Chicago Business’ A.D. Quig stop by to talk about these stories and more. Plus, Thanksgiving is next week so we’re talking favorite side dishes and the City Cast Chicago team says what they’re thankful for this year!

Guests:

Maxwell Evans — Hyde Park, Woodlawn, and South Shore reporter, Block Club Chicago

A.D. Quig — Politics and government reporter, Crain's Chicago Business

Stories discussed:

South Shore neighbors restore a historic vacant apartment building

Southeast Sider helps a couple from Indiana stranded in Chicago

Why you should care about the Cook County Assessor’s race

Man catches gigantic carp in Humboldt Park lagoon

The film “Passing,” now streaming on Netflix, is based on Nella Larsen’s 1929 novel of the same name. Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry are two light-skinned Black women who grew up on Chicago’s South Side—just like Larsen. One of the women is “passing” as white while the other is heavily involved with the Harlem community where she now lives. Writer and Larsen scholar Amina Gautier explains how Chicago played an integral role in the author’s life and in the story. 

Guest:

Amina Gautier—Writer and University of Miami Professor

A little bit of news, y'all:

Comment as Chicago Police develop a new gang database, after the old one was found to be riddled with errors and proven to be racially biased

Find a park with ice skating near you

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