In this episode, we visit the Terrence J. O'Brien Water Reclamation Plant (WRP), which is part of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Chicago located at Howard and McCormick in Skokie. We speak with KImberly Du Buclet, one of the commissioners of the MWRD, Aruch Poonsapaya, the O'Brien WRP Operations Manager and Patrick Thomas, the public affairs specialist for the MWRD.
In this episode, we hear the story of Yuval Degani, the owner of Dreamtown Realty. Yuval started Dreamtown in 1998 from scratch. Capitalizing on the early internet, he developed a website that was ahead of its time, and helped lead to explosive growth. Now he leads a company with over 400 agents spread out in offices across Chicago and Evanston.
In this episode, we sit down with Ellen Blum Barish. Ellen is a writer, editor and author. Ellen won the 2018 Individual Artistic Excellence Award from the Skokie Arts Commission. She also heads two literary publications. They include Thread, which contains original, long-form essays, and Stitch, a monthly publication featuring 100-word essays.
In this episode, we sit down with Rabbi Sam Feinsmith. Rabbi Sam Feinsmith has been immersed in the world of Jewish contemplative living, learning, and teaching for over fifteen years. Serving as a consultant on a number of cutting-edge projects related to prayer, spirituality, and education, he has conducted Jewish meditation workshops and retreats for young children, teens, and Jewish educators and community leaders. After fourteen years of teaching Jewish mindfulness to teens and educators i…
In this episode, we sit down with Kenneth Mantel. Ken is running for Skokie Park District Commissioner. Ken is a Skevanston resident, father to Walker Elementary School students and a local insurance broker at Mantel Insurance Company. Ken even wrote the Affordable Care Act policies for Illinois from 2014-2018.
In this episode, we sit down with Gretchen Oehlschlager and Alex Gurvich from the Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) department at Northwestern University. CIERA’s mission is to promote research and education in astrophysics through support of independent postdoctoral fellows, advanced graduate and undergraduate research, a vigorous visiting researchers program, and multi-faceted seminars, education, and public outreach programs. Special emphasis is gi…
In this episode, we sit down with Tani Mintz who owns Sharp Edge Crossfit in Evanston. Tani is a longtime friend of mine, a longtime Evanston and Skokie resident, and has an interesting story of how she got to where she is.
In this episode, we sit down with Lauren Grossman from Across the Table. Across The Table is a nonprofit organization that brings together diverse guests for group discussion over delicious food. They break bread, build bridges and connect over a group meal with facilitated conversation with ten-twelve new people whose backgrounds and perspectives are different from their own. They have dynamic, meaningful, topic-focused dialogue, while sharing food and ideas in a relaxed atmosphere.
In this episode, we sit down with Mickey and Liz Natale. Mickey and Liz are father-daughter partners of the barber shop called King Kuts in Skokie. Mickey started the business with his brother Kenny in 1962. Mickey has been working with Liz for many years. Kings Kuts epitomizes the neighborhood, family-owned barber shop. Some would say it’s a community center, or the Cheers of Skokie, where everybody knows your name.
In this episode, we sit down with Annie Coakley. Annie is the executive director of Downtown Evanston, which was created in 1987, and provides marketing and management services to the downtown Evanston, Illinois district and is a 501(c)(6) non-profit corporation for business. Annie Coakley previously worked for the City of Chicago's Department of Planning and Development for over 14 years, managing and coordinating a wide range of programs to attract, retain and support the growth of businesses…
In this episode, we sit down with Jeff Schankerman. Jeff is a local Skevanston resident, and a puzzle solving financial planner. He works with One to One Financial, which is a family owned financial planning firm. Jeff grew up in Indianapolis, and now lives in Skevanston with his wife Nancy, and has two young adult children.
In this episode, we sit down with Rabbi Ari Hart. Rabbi Ari is a local Skevanston resident, and a a true community builder. He leads the Skokie Valley Agudath Synagogue, which is a modern Orthodox Jewish Synagogue in Skokie, Illinois. Rabbi Ari grew up in Evanston, and now lives in Skevanston with his wife Becca, and has two young children.
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Tari Mack. Tari is a transplanted Skevanstonite, and a wizard of the mind. She is a licensed psychologist with a specialty in couples counseling. Tari lives in Skevanston and works in Downtown Evanston.
In this episode, we sit down with Jacob Shapiro. Jacob is the quintessential Skevanstonite, and a true jack of all trades. He is the owner of Vero Design + Build, which is a design and general contracting company based in Chicago. Jacob grew up in Evanston and now lives in Skevanston with his wife Mira and their two kids.
In this episode, we sit down with Aaron Wertheimer. Aaron is a local Skevanston movie star. He is the writer and director of two offbeat comedy feature films: Wedgerino (2015) and Skippers (2018). He also works as a freelance writer and video editor, and has worked in the past as an assistant director, production manager and coordinator on features, shorts, commercials, and at Vice Media. After more than a decade in Brooklyn and Los Angeles, he now lives in Skevanston with his wife Joey and the…
Learn why you'll want to tune into "Inside the Skev," hosted by Aaron Masliansky.