The Block Club Chicago Podcast

Data centers powering artificial intelligence are putting a strain on Lake Michigan and other local water systems, which could lead to water shortages if not addressed, according to a recent report f…

The Austin shop carries on the legacy of its founder, James Cole, who died in 2022. But these days, employees are as likely to fix up Jordans and Uggs as they are leather dress shoes, said his son an…

Patients and staff have reported filthy rooms, broken supplies and a flooded ER at Community First in Portage Park despite the tens of millions in taxpayer grants sent to the for-profit safety-net ho…

When South Siders have a taste for the sweetest summer fruit, they know exactly where to find it: on Kenny The Watermelon Man’s truck at 83rd Street and Stony Island Avenue.

Host - Iridian Fierro

Repor…

As kids go back to school, pediatricians play an important role in helping students get ready for potential illnesses -- including some that have percolated throughout the summer. Pediatricians also …

The Uptown Theatre has sat vacant for 44 of its 100 years. Efforts to reopen it have come and gone. A new effort carries a $190 million price tag, with funding yet to be secured. “Uptown is missing i…

Logan Square farmers market attendees are flocking to a table in the boulevard to have their portrait drawn by Jacob Ryan Reno for $5 — and he’s “bewildered” as to why.

Host - Iridian Fierro

Read More …

For the first time in 98 years, the Chicago River will host an open water swim event early this fall

The event — which was approved by the city after officials denied it a permit last year — takes pla…

In 1979, Mayor Jane Byrne transformed a nine-block stretch of state street into a pedestrian mall. It did not go well. Since then, that example has been used as a cautionary tale against turning stre…

A long-awaited improvement plan for Grant Park calls for the famed park to be extended to the lakefront — with DuSable Lake Shore Drive routed underneath the expanded green space.

That is, if city off…

Why is it so expensive to build affordable housing in Chicago? One recent West Side development clocked in at $884,000 per unit. While the city says it’s working to address red tape that drives up ex…

As her senior year got underway, two of the many people who reached out to Carolina Carchi were teachers she’d had in elementary school.

“You were amazing when I had you, and you are still showing the…

Entrepreneurs and doctors Anosh Ahmed and Sameer Suhail had matching cars, a matching taste for luxury watches and matching condos in Chicago’s Trump Tower.

The two even had similar backstories: They’…

Boeing 737s and Airbus A350s aren’t the only things taking flight at O’Hare Airport.

A quiet patch of green space at O’Hare has been home to a collection of beehives for almost 15 years. In 2011, O’Ha…

Host - Jon Hansen

Reporter - Melody Mercado

One of Chicago’s most influential aldermen, Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. (27th) is stepping down by the end of the month to lead the Chicago Housing Authority — o…

Swarms of flying insects are usually a nuisance. But this summer, Chicagoans are lighting up for a big return of lightning bugs.

The flying beetles known for their bioluminescence are keeping the ligh…

Chicago hospitals have been key to helping more people surviving strokes. Today's episode, sponsored by Rush, explains what signs to watch out for, and how the hospital systems continues to improve o…

Host - Jon Hansen

Reporter - Francia Garcia Hernandez

A group of police district council members is urging city officials to prohibit federal immigration agents from wearing face masks and force them t…

Today's episode is sponsored by Rush.

July is Chicago's sunniest month. But be careful -- it can age our skin and potentially cause skin cancer. Dr. Samantha Venkatesh from Rush with some useful tips …