Mike Stephen discusses the work being done to avoid a transit fiscal cliff in Illinois with state representative Kam Buckner (26th) and John Greenfield, editor of Streetsblog Chicago. Then, John Howard Association executive director Jennifer Vollen-Katz discusses new "emergency" rules put in place to regulate communication with those who are incarcerated in state prisons.

Mike Stephen learns about a new way to explore Illinois finances through the Fiscal Futures data hub with UIC professor David Merriman, gets an update on the 100K Project, and discovers the Secret History of Chicago avant-garde jazz musician Henry Threadgill.

Mike Stephen discusses the importance of preserving public housing history with Dr. Lisa Yun Lee, the executive director of the National Public Housing Museum, learns about new music from the Chicago Immigrant Orchestra with band co-director Fareed Haque, and discovers the Secret History of local stadium organist Nancy Faust.

Mike Stephen chats with Injustice Watch senior investigative reporter Maya Dukmasova about a local lab practicing faulty science that resulted in wrongful DUI convictions and then discusses the push to pay student teachers in Illinois with Percy Julian Middle School teacher Ashley Kannan.

Mike Stephen discusses the push for rent stabilization in Illinois with the Lift the Ban campaign coordinator Diego Morales and then learns about XL Fest, a local festival that brings Chicago creatives together, from Creative Cypher founder Troy Pryor.

Mike Stephen talks the art of tea with Max Blessen, owner of Chicagoland's Joy Tea, gets an update on civil rights history in Illinois, and discovers the Secret History of the versatile musician from Chicago Billy Hinton.

Mike Stephen talks with Chicago Reader staff writer Leor Galil about the resurgence of the compact disc, then delves into the history of Chicago before the Great Fire of 1871 with Northwestern University economics professor Louis P. Cain, author of the new book Chicago Before the Fire: An Economic History.

Mike Stephen learns about the important work of Chicago's Urban Growers Collective from herbalism conductor Rev. Kim Crutcher, gets a preview of the Edgewater Music Fest from Garrett Karp, executive director of the Edgewater Chamber of Commerce, and discovers the Secret History of Chicago blues guitarist Jimmy Rogers.

Mike Stephen talks to Roger Day Bain, the author of a new book about growing up in suburban Clarendon Hills called Clarendon Hills Kid and a book about a very non-linear career path entitled Hardly Working: How I Found a Career and Kept My Soul. Then, we learn about the continuing great work of Chicago's Share Our Spare and its quest to find new funding partnerships from executive director Alex Goodfellow.

Mike Stephen learns about the potential impact of the federal government's education funding freeze on Illinois with Chalkbeat Chicago's Samantha Smylie, chats with Kate Fagan about her new music and upcoming Chicago shows, and discovers the Secret History of Chicago guitarist Byron Gregory.