Through four generations and nearly 100 years, Oberweis Dairy has been an Illinois giant of industry. From brick-and-mortar ice cream shops to direct-to-consumer milk delivery (which saw record profits during the pandemic), their brand gained enough traction for Jim Oberweis -- grandson of its founder -- to make political headway in the state senate. But last week, the company revealed a series of missteps that have led to potential layoffs and a request for bankruptcy protection. On this week's episode, reporter Robert Channick -- who has been covering these developments for the Chicago Tribune -- joins host and producer Jim Hanke to discuss how the Oberweis story turned sour.

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The results are in, and they're staggering: about 4% of Illinois's population is living with a gambling addiction. With a new Casino and the rise in online sports betting, local mental health facilities are seeing a rise in clients seeking help for problem gambling. So how does this fun, recreational activity become an addiction?

In today's episode, host Arielle Raveney sits down with a problem gambling counselor to discuss the signs and science behind it, and hears the story of how one man was able to recover.

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Problem Gambling Online Resources: NICASA | Are You Really Winning?

Problem Gambling Hotlines: 1-800-GAMBLER | 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline)

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Record Store Day is this coming Saturday, April 20th – a national event intended to celebrate your local neighborhood music merchant. Along with several guests this week, host and producer Jim Hanke examines just some of Chicago's many ties to the record industry, past and present, as well as why physical media like vinyl still matters in 2024.

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This is an encore presentation of a previous episode from 9/13/23.

In 2022, Illinois had the third largest rate of non-fatal overdoses in the country, and many are pointing to the distribution of Narcan – a nasal spray that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose and save lives – as a major reason. Lighthouse Recovery, a treatment facility in suburban St. Charles, recently became the first in Kane County to establish a free, unmonitored Narcan vending machine, available 24/7. On today’s episode, Lighthouse Clinical Director Nathan Lanthrum joins host Jim Hanke to educate listeners on Narcan and how he’s seen drug addiction increase in suburban areas. Plus, WBBM reporter Lisa Fielding provides what she learned about the opioid epidemic from her multi-part series for the station, titled Generation Heroin, which you can listen to here.

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Putting ketchup on a hot dog: In Chicago, it can get you shunned by strangers or disowned by family. But why? And will a gutsy new viral campaign from Heinz -- with interactive displays giving out free ketchup in front of longtime sausage strongholds like the Wiener's Circle -- sway anyone who's still on the fence? This week, host and producer Jim Hanke welcomes food writer David Hammond to discuss the history of the Chicago hot dog, and why ketchup has become such a divisive condiment along the way.

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This year marks the 20th anniversary of roller derby returning to where it was born: Chicago. But this fast-paced, gender-inclusive sport has had a long, contentious history -- even in it's hometown. So what is roller derby? And why does it not get the same level of recognition as others?

In this episode, host Arielle Raveney sits in on a practice with the team, Chicago-Style, to learn more about the sport and speaks with Elizabeth Gomez, one of the women responsible for bringing Roller Derby home.

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Mentioned in the Episode: Windy City Rollers | Chicago-Style | The WFTDA

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This spring, countless cicadas will arrive en masse, in a way that we haven't seen in over 200 years, and that we won't see again until 2245. But beyond their buzzing mating call, did you know that they're perfectly edible? Joining host/producer Jim Hanke this week are University of Illinois Extension educator and Good Growing podcast host Ken Johnson (to discuss the science behind this historic horticultural event) and chef Joseph Yoon of Brooklyn Bugs, who educates listeners on how cicadas can be best collected, prepped, cooked and served.

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Relying weekly on one’s local food pantry for groceries, personal items and more can already be a stressful existence. But now, a myriad of factors are contributing to additional pressure being felt from all sides of the city, as unprecedented demand has led to stretched resources and frayed patience. For example, Nourishing Hope (formerly known as Lakeview Pantry) saw an increase of over 20k first-time clients last year alone, and inflation, an unexpected population increase and a reduction to federal stimulus packages post-lockdown may push that number even higher moving forward. This week, Chicago Tribune reporter Kate Armanini and Nourishing Hope CEO Kellie O'Connell join host/producer Jim Hanke to unpack this growing issue, and how pantries are trying to go beyond food, to feed the soul.

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