A Four Star Podcast (Chicago, but Better)

Fox 32 Chicago
  • 5.0 (1)
  • News Commentary
  • Updated Weekly

A Four Star Podcast is a new series from FOX Chicago built on a simple idea: our city’s biggest challenges shouldn't just be endless points of debate—they’re problems with practical, attainable solutions. Named for the stars on our municipal flag, the show acts as a filter for the usual civic noise. We're moving past the "Chicago politics" headlines to focus on the actual quality of life issues that affect us every day. Whether it's the reliability of the CTA, the safety of our streets, the health of our business climate, or the reality of the housing market, we’re looking at the nuts and bolts of how this city really functions. Our goal is common-sense progress over political gridlock. By sitting down with technical experts, boots-on-the-ground advocates, and industry insiders—the voices you don’t always see in the local news cycle—we’re deconstructing the hurdles that keep Chicago from reaching its full potential. We aren’t just here to point out what’s broken; we’re talking to the people who know how to fix it. This is a blueprint for a more functional, ambitious, and better Chicago.

Episodes

  1. Jul 20

    How City Hall handcuffs Chicago PD

    Larry Snelling is stepping down after nearly three years as Chicago Police Superintendent. In this episode of A Four Star Podcast with Grant Horne, former top cop Garry McCarthy looks back at Snelling’s tenure, what he got right, where he may have been constrained, and what his departure says about the relationship between CPD and City Hall. McCarthy argues that the DNC response may be Snelling’s clearest success. He compares it with the crowd-control strategy used during the 2012 NATO Summit and explains why visible, front-line leadership matters. But there are also tougher questions. Was Snelling increasingly boxed in by Mayor Brandon Johnson and City Hall? Why did he become less visible in the final months of his tenure? And were the mayor and superintendent ever truly on the same page about crime, policing, and public safety? The conversation also covers Snelling’s South Side roots, his long career inside CPD, the debate over car stops and the federal consent decree, and the strengths and limits of promoting a department insider. Finally, McCarthy explains how Chicago chooses its next superintendent and what the city should be looking for: leadership, street experience, political independence, community trust, and a clear plan for reducing crime. Wearing the Badge - Jason Moran EP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYie9mI2JhE 00:00 Snelling, Johnson and Competing Visions 00:52 Why Running CPD Is So Difficult 01:42 When Chicago Abandoned Data-Driven Policing 05:14 Assessing Larry Snelling’s Tenure 07:07 Crime Statistics Versus Fear of Crime 09:17 Was City Hall Silencing Snelling? 11:18 How Superintendents Maintain Independence 13:41 Snelling’s Biggest Success: The DNC 16:27 Leading CPD From the Front 18:47 Lessons From Riots and 9/11 22:22 What Else Did Snelling Accomplish? 23:47 Snelling’s South Side Connection 30:04 The Advantages of a CPD Lifer 33:22 Snelling, Car Stops and the Consent Decree 38:56 How Chicago Selects a Superintendent 43:18 What Comes Next for Larry Snelling? 45:13 What CPD Needs in Its Next Leader 47:57 When Politics Removes Police Technology 52:30 Solving Cold Cases and Identifying Victims A Four Star Podcast is new every Tuesday morning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    How City Hall handcuffs Chicago PD

  2. Jul 14

    Is the Chicago Housing Market Finally Cooling Off

    Is the Chicago housing market finally cooling off, or is it just taking a summer break? And how will the city's controversial new Protecting Renters Ordinance actually impact the tenants it claims to help? Whether you're navigating 6-7% interest rates, wondering if a 100-year-old historic bungalow is a massive money pit, or trying to understand complex local tenant laws, the Windy City's real estate landscape is shifting fast. In this episode of A Four Star Podcast, Grant Horne sits down with Philip Schwartz, a veteran real estate broker with @properties and active local housing provider, to unpack the realities facing Chicago buyers, sellers, and renters today. We kick off with a hyper-local market update, breaking down why life milestones—not just fluctuating rates—are driving transaction volumes across Chicago's most competitive neighborhoods. Then, we dissect the Johnson administration's proposed Protecting Renters Ordinance. Philip reveals how strict new application fee caps, "just cause" eviction clauses, and rent control debates could unintentionally backfire, squeezing mom-and-pop landlords and reducing housing quality for the very renters the policy aims to protect. Finally, we dive into a practical masterclass on Chicago's iconic architectural staples. Learn why 100-year-old bungalows and multi-flats face severe basement flooding risks, how to manage drastic second-floor temperature swings, and why you should never ignore a home inspection report. Mentioned Links & Resources: Find Philip Schwartz on @properties: https://www.atproperties.com Chicago Realty Pro Landing Page: https://www.chicagorealtypro.com Side Street Bar Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7YM2wQQ3-Q Chapters 0:00 Market Snapshot & Pricing Trends 1:25 Hyper-Local Chicago Real Estate 3:08 The Summer Listing Myth Debunked 5:46 Navigating 6-7% Interest Rates 8:31 Budgeting vs. Purchasing Power 11:09 Chicago's Hottest Neighborhoods 12:44 The Protecting Renters Ordinance 18:19 Business Impact on Landlords 22:44 The Truth About Application Fees 29:12 The Just Cause Eviction Dilemma 32:00 The Rent Control Debate 45:30 Chicago Bungalow Maintenance 50:52 Fixing Temperature Disparities 51:38 Upgrading Old Electrical Systems 54:31 Multi-Flats vs. Worker Cottages 1:01:32 Chicago's Basement Pub Culture Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Is the Chicago Housing Market Finally Cooling Off

  3. Jul 7

    The Cannabis Business Is Brutal

    Illinois’ $1.5 billion regulated cannabis market is easy to misunderstand. From the outside, it can look like a simple retail story. But behind the counter is a much bigger conversation about business, policy, taxes, compliance, social equity, and the future of a still-evolving industry. Tiffany Ingram, Executive Director of the Cannabis Business Association of Illinois, joins us to explain how Illinois built one of the country’s most ambitious regulated markets and why running these businesses is far more challenging than many people realize. Illinois was the first state to legalize and launch a fully regulated commercial adult-use cannabis market through the legislature. That gave lawmakers the chance to build a system with specific goals around social equity, community reinvestment, licensing, expungement, and addressing some of the damage caused by decades of enforcement policy. But that history also shaped everything that followed: limited licenses, heavy oversight, multiple regulatory agencies, high taxes, special lending programs, and one of the most closely watched business environments in the state. In this episode, Tiffany explains why she calls Illinois operators “super entrepreneurs,” how compliance costs can make or break independent businesses, why taxes remain one of the industry’s biggest pressure points, and how recent legislation could provide some relief. We also get into the fight over intoxicating hemp products, federal rescheduling, medical access, social equity promises, and what the next version of Illinois’ regulated market might look like. https://www.cbail.org/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/cannabizil/ https://x.com/CannabizIL 00:00 No Safety Net 00:35 Tiffany Ingram Joins the Show 00:50 From the Novel to the Mundane 03:45 Why Illinois Built It Differently 08:29 Social Equity by Design 14:23 Did Illinois Keep Its Promise? 19:22 Super Entrepreneurs, Thin Margins 29:44 Taxes, Security, and Relief 39:03 The Hemp Loophole Fight 49:44 Federal Rescheduling and the Future 55:58 The Next Frontier for Access Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    The Cannabis Business Is Brutal

  4. Jun 30

    You're not actually stealing from Jeff Bezos

    When a neighborhood store closes, the argument usually starts fast. Activists blame corporate greed. Retailers point to theft. Residents are left with fewer places to buy groceries, fill prescriptions or pick up the basics. In this episode of FOX Chicago's A Four Star Podcast, we talk with Robert Karr, President and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, about the pressures facing brick-and-mortar retail in Chicago and across Illinois. The conversation starts with the recent Walgreens closing in Chatham, then opens up into a larger discussion about shoplifting, organized retail crime, pharmacy reimbursement, property taxes, government mandates, municipal grocery stores and the complicated math behind keeping stores open in underserved neighborhoods. Karr argues that retail theft is not a victimless crime. Every stolen item affects sales tax revenue, store employees, managers, local governments and the neighborhoods that depend on those stores. He also explains why some large retailers may no longer be willing to subsidize underperforming locations the way they once did. Later, we turn focus to part of a viral conversation featuring Hasan Piker about whether stealing from major corporations can be justified as a political or social statement. Karr calls that thinking uninformed and dangerous, arguing that it ignores the real-world consequences for workers, customers and communities. The episode closes with a second retail voice: Our host's dad, a retired retail manager and district manager who spent decades dealing with shrinkage, store safety, employee theft, customer service and the brutal bottom-line reality of whether a store survives. History lesson: Retail theft used to be treated largely as a store-level management problem. Shrinkage, employee theft, customer shoplifting and loss prevention were part of the basic retail math. But in recent years, organized retail crime, online resale markets, changing prosecution policies and political fights over store closures have turned it into a much bigger civic issue. In Chicago, that means the future of retail is not just about shopping. It is about neighborhood stability, public safety, tax revenue and whether basic services can remain within reach. Illinois Retail Merchants Association: https://irma.org/ Illinois Organized Retail Crime Association: https://ilorca.org/ 00:00 Cold open: Retail theft, politics and store closures 00:59 Who is Robert Karr? 01:22 Brick-and-mortar temperature check 03:54 Walgreens, Chatham and the politics of store closures 10:23 Why pharmacies are under pressure 12:25 Should cities run grocery stores? 17:45 Illinois, Chicago and the cost of doing business 21:18 How local government affects retail 23:14 Why retail theft is not victimless 24:27 Prosecution, cash bail and the pendulum swing 28:01 What organized retail crime looks like inside a store 30:27 How theft changes the shopping experience 32:37 Could stores become pickup windows? 34:51 The human cost for managers and employees 37:31 Stealing as political signaling 41:21 Robert Karr responds to Hasan Piker's viral shoplifting argument 44:06 Can young consumers be educated on retail theft? 46:42 Illinois’ Organized Retail Crime Act 49:19 Technology, enforcement and the future of retail security 50:12 Where to follow the issue 51:19 A second retail expert: Grant’s dad 53:24 Shrinkage from a store manager’s perspective 56:25 Why customer service prevents theft 57:23 The rise of undercover loss prevention 58:19 Managing stores in high-theft neighborhoods 01:02:40 Why stores actually close 01:04:14 When subsidizing problem stores stops making sense 01:06:18 Prosecuting every shoplifter 01:07:27 Advice for today’s retail managers 01:08:20 Family photos, old stores and disposable cameras A Four Star Podcast is new every Tuesday morning at 6. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    You're not actually stealing from Jeff Bezos

  5. Jun 30

    The Ultimate Backyard Secret for Stressed City Parents

    Why are American cities losing families at greater rates than any other demographic? According to Alicia Pederson, known online as the Courtyard Urbanist, the answer isn't a lack of desire for city living - it’s a catastrophic design failure. In this episode of FOX Chicago's A Four Star Podcast, we sit down with Pederson to dismantle the standard, developer-driven housing templates that dominate modern American cities. A "recovering academic" with a PhD in Renaissance Literature, Pederson bridges the gap between 16th-century Italian urban design and 21st-century Chicago zoning policy. She introduces us to the "Goldilocks" density of the European perimeter block: mid-rise, wall-to-wall housing structures built around a secured, shared interior green courtyard. It is an architectural strategy that effectively brings "the big house with a yard" right into the city center. We dive deep into the daily mechanics of urban parenting, exploring why massive apartment complexes with "double-loaded corridors" isolate families and cut children off from safe outdoor spaces. Pederson contrasts these "disgusting" designs with the "Point Access Block" or single-stair layout, which eliminates long dark hallways and guarantees dual-aspect apartments with windows on both sides—allowing parents to actually watch and hear their kids playing outside while making dinner. Finally, we look at the exact policy changes required to unlock this housing renaissance in Chicago. From the massive implications of single-stair reform in Governor Pritzker’s Build Act to the "boring" local zoning restrictions like front and side setback requirements that actively outlaw community-centric architecture, Alicia outlines a beautiful, high-density future for major redevelopments like Lincoln Yards and The 78. More from Alicia Pederson: https://x.com/UrbanCourtyard https://courtyardurbanist.com/ A Four Star Podcast is all-new Tuesday mornings at 6AM! CHAPTERS 00:00 Cold Open: A European Inspiration for Family Density 00:31 Welcome Alicia Pederson, The Courtyard Urbanist 01:18 The Housing Crisis: Why Cities are Losing Families 02:41 Defining Courtyard Urbanism (It's Not a Courtyard Marriott) 05:04 The Flaw of the American "Double-Loaded Corridor" 08:38 Hidden Costs: Parking, Egress, and Over-Regulated Elevators 10:25 The Drowning Hazard: Why Building Pools Instead of Yards Fails Parents 11:36 The Mom’s Perspective: The Mental Health Burden of Arranging Playdates 15:43 The Isolation Paradox: Shared Spaces for Single Parents and Adults 17:05 From Renaissance Literature to Urban Advocacy: Alicia’s Journey 20:56 Dual-Aspect Living: Making Apartments That "Live Like a House" 22:15 Lessons from a 16th-Century Florentine Palazzo 26:07 The Build Act: Will Pritzker’s Legislation Legalize Better Buildings? 27:59 The Inglewood Proposal & The Nightmare of Chicago Setback Laws 31:07 The "Greystone Legacy" and Boston’s North End Architecture 34:25 19th-Century Light Regulations: How Scandinavia Solved the Geometry 35:55 Scaling Up: Micro-Tear Downs vs. Mega Projects Like The 78 and Lincoln Yards 37:52 The Deep Floor Plate Problem: Converting Commercial Buildings to Homes 40:04 The Rise of the Live-Work Neighborhood & The Death of the Office Tower 41:57 The Modern Dual-Income Household vs. The 1950s Suburban Commute 43:34 What is a "Texas Donut"? Disguising Car Dependency 46:37 Pastoral Friction: What 16th-Century Writers Can Teach 21st-Century Chicago 49:52 Millennial Revival: Catching Up to European Standards 52:45 The Magic Wand: Two Codes Alicia Would Wipe Out Tomorrow 55:30 Outro: Where to Find the Courtyard Urbanist Online Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    The Ultimate Backyard Secret for Stressed City Parents

  6. Jun 30

    How Democratic Socialists Captured City Hall

    When the Mayor of a major American city responds to the flight of its largest taxpayers with a laughing “Bye,” it isn’t just a viral clip. It’s a mission statement. For decades, blue city politics was defined by moderate Democrats and corporate compromise. But in 2026, the "machine" has been rebuilt. In this episode, Grant is joined by Austin Berg, Executive Director of Chicago Policy for the Illinois Policy Institute, to look past the rhetoric and into the new mechanics of municipal power. They discuss the "dossier" of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) members who have moved from outside the gates to the levers of executive power. From the "tax the rich" performance of NYC’s Zohran Mamdani to the institutional capture of Chicago’s administrative agencies, they explore what happens when "the dog catches the car" and activists actually have to deliver results. Connect with Austin Berg: Substack: https://www.thelastward.org/ X: https://x.com/Austin__Berg Writing & Research: https://www.illinoispolicy.org/author/aberg/ 00:00 Cold Open: The Dog Catches the Car 00:58 Introduction: Austin Berg and the DSA Influence 02:30 Video Analysis: Mamdani’s "Terror Tax" and Griffin’s Response 05:45 Results vs. Intentions: The Seattle Starbucks Boycott 09:45 The Wealth Tax Illusion: Why US Cities aren't European Democracies 11:40 The Resilience of New York vs. the Exit of Ken Griffin 14:40 Learning Hard Lessons: Lessons from the California Wealth Tax 15:50 Patient Zero: How Bernie Sanders 2016 Transformed the DSA 18:30 The Municipal Strategy: Why Local Elections are Easy to Sway 20:45 Tactics of the Vanguard: Obstruct, Appoint, and Primary 22:45 Follow the Money: The Role of Government Sector Unions 26:15 Chicago’s Squad: Performative Policy vs. Ward Service 29:40 The Public Safety Debate: ShotSpotter and Ideological Litmus Tests 32:50 Economic Stagnation: Head Taxes and Millionaire Surcharges 35:50 Personnel is Policy: The Infiltration of Appointed Leadership 40:45 Cops are Pigs: Activist Rhetoric vs. Professional Governance 44:30 Is the Vibe Shifting? Lessons from San Francisco’s Rebound 48:30 The Solution: Why Chicago Needs a City Charter 50:20 Being "Long" on Chicago: Man-made Problems and Man-made Solutions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    How Democratic Socialists Captured City Hall

  7. Jun 30

    A glow up for the Chicago Transit Authority

    Better transit. Safer streets. Smarter Chicago. This is A Four Star Podcast. In the premiere edition of A Four Star Podcast, we dive into the nuts and bolts of urban survival in a city that often feels like it's working against its residents. Our thesis is simple: identifying the specific civic gears that are stuck and finding the practical, sometimes "guerrilla" solutions to grease them. We start with John Greenfield (Streetsblog Chicago) to discuss the "El Hygiene" crisis. From the "Halloween Miracle" that saved transit funding to the tactical urbanism of using hot dog cartoons to stop smokers on the Blue Line, we explore how to restore the CTA to its status as a world-class utility. Next, realtor Philip Schwartz pulls back the curtain on a bizarre spring real estate market that is punishing buyers. We analyze the BUILD Act and the legislative friction surrounding ADUs, alongside a warning for bungalow owners: your traditionally "dry" neighborhood is changing, and it might cost you $20,000 to stay above water. Finally, former CPD Superintendent Garry McCarthy joins us for a heated look at Senate Bill 3564. As Springfield looks to restrict facial recognition technology, McCarthy argues that we are legislating away the very tools that solve modern murders, leading to a "hand-shy" police force and a decline in public safety. Chapters 00:00 Cold Open 01:24 The CTA: The Quality of Life Value 05:28 Chicago Transit's Halloween Miracle 08:53 Be More Like Paris 10:38 Poodle Noodles & Politics 15:28 El Hygiene 101 17:58 The D.C. Blueprint 24:03 Guerrilla Urbanism to Stop Train Smoking 34:33 Road Diets 40:13 The Waymo Pace Car 50:28 Digging into the BUILD Act 56:53 The One-Stairwell Debate 01:03:38 Big Prices: Resetting the Market 01:10:08 How Sellers Put Pressure on Buyers 01:18:23 The Wealth Gap 01:30:38 Chicago's Basement Flooding Realities 01:34:13 Why Cops Need Facial Recognition Tech 01:39:53 Legislators Getting in the Way of Safety 01:47:38 The Ferguson Effect in Chicago 01:54:33 Final Watch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    A glow up for the Chicago Transit Authority

  8. Jun 30

    Build More, Fight Less

    Why is it so hard to build housing in Chicago? David Lapidus, a member of the pro-housing Chicago Growth Project, joins A Four Star Podcast for a practical, ground-level conversation about the rules, politics and economics that shape what gets built, what doesn’t and why Chicago’s housing debate is no longer just a niche urbanist argument. David is also a member of the pro-housing Abundant Housing Illinois and Strong Towns Chicago organizations, but in this conversation only represents his personal views and not the views of these two organizations or Chicago Growth Project. At the center of the conversation is the fight between YIMBYism and NIMBYism. YIMBY means “Yes In My Backyard,” a pro-housing view that argues cities need more homes, more density and fewer artificial barriers to building. NIMBY means “Not In My Backyard,” the familiar neighborhood resistance to new development, especially when it means more units, taller buildings, less parking or visible change on a block. Lapidus has spent 15 years developing multifamily housing in Chicago, which means this conversation is not theoretical. We get into what makes projects pencil out, why rehab work has become harder, how labor shortages affect quality and cost, and why new construction can sometimes make more sense than fixing what is already there. From there, the conversation turns to Chicago’s unique political bottleneck: aldermanic prerogative. David explains how one alder can effectively stop a zoning change in one ward, why neighborhood opposition carries so much influence, and how Chicago often functions like "50 different cities within one city" instead of one coherent housing market. We also dig into the Affordable Requirements Ordinance, public versus private development, prevailing wage rules, soft costs, environmental requirements, elevator mandates, building codes, fire safety, and the uncomfortable question underneath all of it: when do good intentions become rules that stop homes from being built? The conversation eventually widens into politics. David argues housing is no longer a traditionally left-versus-right issue. It cuts across Democrats, Republicans, developers, renters, environmentalists and neighborhood activists alike. The real divide, he says, is between those who believe we can grow the pie and those who believe everyone is fighting over the same limited pieces. New episodes of A Four Star Podcast drop Tuesday mornings at 6AM. https://abundanthousingillinois.org/ https://www.eventbrite.com/e/keep-families-in-the-city-building-neighborhoods-for-lifelong-chicagoans-tickets-1992152874876 https://chicagogrowthproject.org/ https://www.strongtownschicago.org/ 00:00 Cold open 00:40 Meet David Lapidus 01:58 What stops Chicago from building 08:11 The rehab problem 11:13 How much density makes sense? 16:16 The aldermanic veto 24:19 Why alders are hard to move 33:14 Is YIMBY gaining ground? 41:08 Private, public, or both? 45:40 Affordable housing math 55:36 When rules beat results 01:00:19 Codes, stairs and dead projects 01:10:26 Build more, fight less 01:14:26 Can housing change politics? 01:28:57 Where to plug in Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Build More, Fight Less

  9. Jun 23

    The danger of being a Chicago cyclist

    Riley O’Neil’s death hit Chicago’s safe-streets community especially hard. He was not just a cyclist. He was a CDOT planner who worked on making streets safer before he was killed while biking in Bridgeport. In this episode of A Four Star Podcast, Grant Horne talks with John Greenfield of Streetsblog Chicago about Riley’s life, his work, and what his death says about the way Chicago designs, debates, and prioritizes its streets. But Riley’s story is only the beginning. The conversation widens into a bigger look at Chicago transportation: the limits of paint-only bike lanes, the politics of protected infrastructure, the fight over parking and curb space, new express bus lane proposals, e-bike legislation, and what the CTA needs from its new leadership. Greenfield also shares his impressions from visiting the Obama Presidential Center site as the city prepares for its opening, and what that major South Side destination could mean for transit, biking, walking, tourism, and neighborhood access. It is a conversation about bikes, buses, trains, traffic, and development. More than that, it is about whether Chicago can build a transportation system that is safer, faster, more reliable, and more humane. From Riley’s legacy to the future of the CTA, this episode asks a simple question with complicated answers: how should Chicago move? https://x.com/streetsblogchi https://bsky.app/profile/chi.streetsblog.org https://chi.streetsblog.org/ 00:00 Coming up: Riley and Chicago’s streets 00:25 John Greenfield joins the show 02:30 Riley O’Neil’s story 07:30 A safe-streets planner killed biking 12:30 Dooring, bike lanes, and street design 18:30 Paint versus protection 24:30 Memorial rides and policy pressure 30:00 The broader transportation fight 34:00 Express bus lanes 40:00 Chicago’s e-bike debate 46:00 A new leader for CTA 53:00 What riders need now 59:00 Visiting the Obama Center 1:06:00 Transit, access, and the South Side 1:12:00 How Chicago should move Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    The danger of being a Chicago cyclist

  10. Jun 16

    Raise Hell, Then Leave: The Lightfoot Legacy

    Lori Lightfoot stormed into City Hall with a historic mandate, a reformer’s promise, and a landslide victory that seemed to signal a new era in Chicago politics. Four years later, she became the first Chicago mayor in decades to lose reelection. In this special vacation-week episode of A Four Star Podcast, Grant is on break, so we’re sharing his April 2024 interview with Chicago Tribune reporter Gregory Royal Pratt, author of The City Is Up for Grabs: How Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Led and Lost a City in Crisis. The conversation originally aired as part of the Fox 32 feature Raise Hell, Then Leave: The Lightfoot Legacy. Pratt walks through Lightfoot’s rise, her reformer image, her fractured relationships inside City Hall, her complicated approach to policing, her COVID-era leadership, and the political instincts that made her both unforgettable and isolated. It’s a look back at one of the strangest, sharpest, most consequential mayoral terms in modern Chicago history, and what Lightfoot’s legacy looks like now as Brandon Johnson faces his own political headwinds. 00:00 Raise Hell, Then Leave 01:08 Greg Royal Pratt on Lightfoot 01:33 The Mini Mayor 02:41 Lori the Reformer 05:38 The Landslide 07:48 The Fighter in City Hall 10:01 Lightfoot, Police, and Trust 14:38 Police Reform’s Missed Opportunity 16:34 Lightfoot and COVID 19:02 A Leader Alone 20:32 Covering Lori Lightfoot 22:36 Is There a Legacy? 24:27 Brandon Johnson and Lightfoot’s View Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Raise Hell, Then Leave: The Lightfoot Legacy

  11. Jun 9

    Chicago killed ShotSpotter. The argument still lives.

    Chicago ended ShotSpotter. Then came the studies, the headlines, the political victory laps, and a much bigger question: What did the data actually prove? On this episode of FOX Chicago's A Four Star Podcast, Grant Horne is joined by Richard Day, journalist with A City That Works, for a deeper look at Chicago’s ongoing fight over gunshot detection technology, police response times, public safety data, and the way city leaders and media outlets interpret numbers when the politics are already loaded. The conversation centers on a recent report that some used to argue Mayor Brandon Johnson was right to cancel ShotSpotter. But Richard explains why the study may not answer the question many people think it answers - especially if it measures non-shooting 911 response times while leaving out the core concern: how police respond when gunfire actually happens. Grant and Richard also dig into the bigger debate behind the technology: whether Chicago wants police rapidly responding to gunfire in high-violence neighborhoods at all, whether ShotSpotter was used properly by CPD, and what should replace it if the city believes the system was flawed. Along the way, they discuss dispatch clog, seasonality, media framing, the Adam Toledo case, violence interrupters, proactive policing, underreported crime, the Ferguson effect, Chicago’s open data problems, and why the city’s fiscal crisis and public safety crisis may be more connected than people want to admit. This is not a simple “ShotSpotter good” or “ShotSpotter bad” conversation. It’s about what Chicago knows, what it doesn’t know, and what happens when public safety policy gets built on partial evidence. A Four Star Podcast - Chicago, but better. A new episode Tuesday mornings at 6AM. Get it on YouTube or your favorite podcatcher. A City That Works Substack: https://citythatworks.substack.com/ Richard Day on X: https://x.com/richsday Chapters 00:00 The media is bad at math 03:20 What City Hall claimed 06:24 Catching shooters or saving victims? 10:25 Should police respond fast? 12:19 Dispatch clog and alert accuracy 16:05 Response times and misleading conclusions 20:16 Seasonality and crime drops 23:31 Underreported crime 26:19 Police pullback 28:25 Ideology and crime coverage 33:13 Technology and policing costs 37:03 Replacing ShotSpotter 38:54 Adam Toledo and civil rights 43:34 Violence interrupters 45:37 Mayor Johnson and data 47:00 Chicago’s open data problem 49:14 Violence and pensions 50:47 A City That Works Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Chicago killed ShotSpotter. The argument still lives.

  12. Jun 2

    When the mob becomes the norm

    Former Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy says Chicago needs to stop calling them “teen takeovers.” To him, that language softens what is actually happening: mob actions. Criminal behavior. Disorder that can include shootings, assaults, weapons arrests, property damage, attacks on police, and large crowds taking over public spaces. In this episode of A Four Star Podcast, McCarthy joins FOX Chicago's Grant Horne for a blunt conversation about summer policing in Chicago, downtown chaos, the fear of crime, and why he believes city leaders, the justice system, parents, and police all have a role in restoring accountability. The conversation begins with Memorial Day weekend and the familiar start of Chicago’s summer crime concerns, then expands into a deeper debate over public safety, quality-of-life enforcement, curfews, social media-fueled gatherings, police deployment, officer morale, and whether the city is giving police the tools and support they need. McCarthy also explains why he believes fear of crime is about more than crime stats. It is what people feel walking to the train, visiting downtown, going to the lakefront, or seeing disorder go unchecked. He draws on his experience in New York, Newark, and Chicago to argue that the small things matter because unchecked disorder can send a message that the big things will be tolerated too. This is a conversation about language, leadership, policing, accountability, and whether Chicago can keep its summers from becoming an annual stress test for the city. A Four Star Podcast is new every Tuesday morning at 6AM. 00:00 - Summer policing begins01:17 - “Teen takeover” or mob action?02:54 - Fear of crime04:49 - Quality-of-life policing07:59 - Accountability and excuses09:17 - History and hard conversations11:40 - Policing across racial lines14:47 - Naming the problem16:29 - Police under pressure18:14 - Victims and public safety19:19 - Judges and accountability21:12 - What officers face22:40 - The Adam Toledo case25:10 - When police stop engaging27:35 - Moving cops downtown28:35 - Task forces vs. districts30:52 - Policing the beaches32:04 - Social media and flash mobs34:15 - Should parents be cited?36:39 - Teaching no accountability39:04 - Defining fear of crime41:23 - The squeegee men43:32 - D.C.’s curfew response45:43 - Could Chicago pass new laws?46:22 - Guns, politics, and moderation49:43 - Beyond the police50:37 - What McCarthy would change52:04 - Politics inside policing54:00 - McCarthy’s CPD record55:04 - Closing thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    When the mob becomes the norm
  • 12 Episodes

About

A Four Star Podcast is a new series from FOX Chicago built on a simple idea: our city’s biggest challenges shouldn't just be endless points of debate—they’re problems with practical, attainable solutions. Named for the stars on our municipal flag, the show acts as a filter for the usual civic noise. We're moving past the "Chicago politics" headlines to focus on the actual quality of life issues that affect us every day. Whether it's the reliability of the CTA, the safety of our streets, the health of our business climate, or the reality of the housing market, we’re looking at the nuts and bolts of how this city really functions. Our goal is common-sense progress over political gridlock. By sitting down with technical experts, boots-on-the-ground advocates, and industry insiders—the voices you don’t always see in the local news cycle—we’re deconstructing the hurdles that keep Chicago from reaching its full potential. We aren’t just here to point out what’s broken; we’re talking to the people who know how to fix it. This is a blueprint for a more functional, ambitious, and better Chicago.

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