New School Board Map, Your Chicago ‘Icks,’ and Rooftops vs. Patios
While the scheduled end of the spring legislative session has come and gone, Illinois lawmakers have until July 1 to approve a district map for Chicago’s new elected school board, which will be on the November 2024 ballot. This process has drawn a lot of criticism from parents and advocates who argue the proposed maps don’t accurately reflect CPS demographics. Lead producer and map enthusiast Simone Alicea joins host Jacoby Cochran to break down the latest coming out of Springfield. Plus, we are listening to some of your “Chicago Icks” and debating which are better: Rooftops or patios? (Take Our Hey Chicago Survey!)
Make sure you check out our Best Alfresco Dining Spots at our Hey Chicago newsletter. Subscribe now for the latest in news and events!
Follow us @citycastchicago
You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE
Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Stay connected to City Cast Chicago and get ready to join the local conversation.
Latest Episodes
What Are Mental Health Courts? Plus, United Center Tax Break and Obama Center Gentrification
Mental health courts have proliferated in Illinois, but how effective are they? Grace Hauck with the Illinois Answers Project joins Justi...

Churches Build Housing, Maxwell Street’s Loss, and It’s Patio Season!
Lawmakers in Springfield are considering legislation that would make it easier for churches to build multifamily housing on land they own...

The DNC in Chicago ... Again?! Plus, Best Late-Night Bites
DNC officials are wrapping up a three-day visit as the city is a finalist to host the 2028 and 2032 conventions. We talked with contribut...

Are Chicago’s Scooters Safe? Plus, How Bad Will Mosquito Season Be?
Are more regulations coming to the city’s scooters and ebikes? Following several fatal accidents involving minors, lawmakers have propose...

A Rare, All Good News Episode
What sets Chicago brick apart? Why are bald eagles returning to Chicago? What would you wait in line for? City Cast Chicago contributors...

Why Is Mayor Johnson In Springfield? Plus, Chicago's First Baby Eagles in a Century
Why did Mayor Brandon Johnson go to Springfield? Will state police actually investigate the killing of Silverio Villegas González by ICE...

What Chicago Kids Want Us to Know
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! Earlier this year, we visited the Carole Robertson Center for Learning at their Albany Park site to talk...

Will Chicago Hospitals Resume Trans Youth Healthcare? Plus, What is the RIFL Act?
In April, a federal judge ruled the Trump administration could not cut Medicare and Medicaid funding to hospitals providing gender-affirm...

Immigrant Families Facing Evictions. Plus, CPS Manages May Day
A new report shines light on how immigrant families in Chicago continue to suffer months after the height of Operation Midway Blitz. Many...

Your Guide to May 2026 in Chicago
May flowers are blooming all around us as summertime Chicago is on the horizon. We’ve got your guide to what’s happening in Chicago this...


