September 18, 2002, Wednesday, at 6:00 p.m. Gioco's Restaurant, 1312 S. Wabash Avenue, Chicago. Gioco's is an upscale "nouvelle cuisine" eatery in the trendy South Loop district. Once, a long time ago, this was the outskirts of the notorious Levee vice district and badlands. Now it is an exciting collage of evocative restaurants and urban gentrification. Owner Jerry Kleiner and his team credit Rich's book Chicago by Gaslight: A History of the Chicago Netherworld 1880-1920, for inspiring them to open on Wabash, amid the ancient loft buildings, warehouses and former sin-spots of that bygone era. Rich will talk about the Levee and its evolution from redlight district to upscale sophistication. For further information contact John McCartney at 312-455-9612. Cost of the event to be determined.

November 9, 2002, Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Rich will deliver a slide-show presentation to the Northeastern Illinois Historical Council (NEIL), meeting at the Wilmette Historical Museum at 609 Ridge Road in Wilmette, IL. NEIL is a professional association of community historical societies comprising Chicago and its surrounding suburbs. Rich last addressed the group four years ago, when they gathered at the Niles Historical Society (formerly the Cook County Sheriff's Police Headquarters, North) on Milwaukee Avenue. For further information about NEIL or the event, call Rich Lang at 773-725-4293.

November 7, 2002, Thursday, at 7:00 p.m. Discussion and slide show presentation at the Park Ridge Public Library, 20 S. Prospect Avenue, Park Ridge, IL. "Chicago: Aspects of the Notorious." Free to the public. Contact Jena Zalenka at 847-825-3123 for further information.

May 21, 2002, Tuesday, at 7:30 p.m. Regular monthly meeting of the Irving Park Historical Society at the Mount Olive Church, Byron & Grace Streets, Chicago. Slide show and discussion about Chicago crime and history. Contact Carol Szalacha at 773-685-2936 for further details,

May 11, 2002, Saturday, at 11:00 a.m. North Riverside Public Library, 2400 S. Des Plaines Avenue. Slide show and discussion. Contact John Zmola at the North Riverside Library at 708-447-0869 for further details.

May 8, 2002, Wednesday, from 9:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. Radio Appearance: "Extension 720," WGN-AM Rich joins authors Gus Russo and Maurice Possley for a two-hour discussion of Chicago organized crime, its past and present. Journalist Rick Kogan, host of the "Sunday Papers" program fills in as guest host for Milton Rosenberg.

Sunday May 5, Sunday, at 10:00 a.m. Slide show and presentation to the Fourth Lights Sunday Morning Adult Education Group at the Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut Street, Chicago, across the street from Water Tower Place. Contact Jean Kelley at 312-427-2488

April 11, 2002, Tuesday. Berghoff Restaurant, 17 W.Adams Street, Chicago, IL. Lecture and presentation at the regularly scheduled meeting of Hugo's Companions, a scion society of the Baker Street Irregulars. Cocktail hour at 6:00 p.m., dinner at 7:00. Cost: $35.00 at the door. Men only (sorry ladies, the bylaws "mandate" this event!) Phone: 312-427-3170, or "Sir Hugo" (David Humphrey) at 847-441-0314.

March 23, 2002, Saturday, 2:00 p.m. Chicago Public Library Lincoln-Belmont Branch, 1659 W. Melrose Street, Chicago, Illinois. Discussion and slide show presentation: "Exploring Notorious Places in Chicago." For further details phone Melanie Vereecke at: 312-744-0166

March 6, 2002, Wednesday, at 7:00 p.m. Lecture and slide show presentation at the Green Hills Library, 8611 West 103rd Street in Palos Hills, Illinois. Contact Annette Armstrong by e-mail at:

March 3, 2002, Sunday, at 1:30 p.m. Book signing at Widow McCleary's Restaurant (a haunted brewery) 400 E. Margaret St., Thornton, IL. The event runs in conjunction with the "Ghostly Gourmet," hosted by Chicagoland ghost hunter and supernatural tour guide, Richard Crowe. Price per person is $36.00. Phone 708-877-7011 for additional details.

February 21, 2002, Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Book signing and discussion at Barnes & Noble, Village Crossing shopping plaza. 5405 W. Touhy Avenue, Skokie, Il. For further details, call Community Events Manager Bettina Moravolo at 847-329-0412.

January 26, 2002, Saturday, 2:00 p.m. Book signing and discussion at Barnes & Noble, 728 Deerfield Road (at Waukegan Road), Deerfield, Illinois. Contact Candy Spreckman at 847-914-9294 for details.

Francis O'Neill was Chief of Police from 1901 - 1905, and is profiled in "To Serve & Collect," as well as in the Chicago Stories episode.

Chicago's luxurious Edgewater Beach Hotel was the focus of a Chicao Stories segment in December 2001.