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In one bite-sized episode every weekday, we'll keep you informed, tickled, geeked, and pondering on Chicago's news, culture and people. Each episode starts with a quick news roundup from the WBEZ newsroom, followed by a deep-dive into one of the biggest or most curious stories from our city. The Rundown podcast is a one-stop-shop for all things Chicago.
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New analysis shows the Illinois governor’s budget office expects fewer revenue dollars for the next fiscal year. A new HIV center in Edgewater hopes to be a resource for the thousands of people living with HIV in Chicago. Chicago has been selected to host next year’s UNESCO’s International Jazz Day. Plus, WBEZ’s data intern Ashley Soriano looked in…
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Illinois plans to sue the Trump administration again. Chicago's former cultural commissioner was in town today urging local arts leaders to think big when it comes to advocacy in the Trump era. And, an innovative public defender's office is now open on Chicago’s far south side. Plus, WBEZ’s Dave McKinney reports on whether Governor Pritzker should …
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Democratic Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is offering DEI advice to businesses, nonprofits and educators by encouraging noncompliance with Trump administration demands. Illinois now has a new state law to protect victims of domestic violence; Karina’s Law took effect on Mother’s Day and mandates judges to order the removal of guns from peopl…
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Pope Leo is the first American pope in the history of the Catholic Church. Born in Chicago, Pope Leo the 14th is being honored at the most revered place in Chicago -- Portillo's. Despite celebrations around the election of Pope Leo – there are some groups asking questions. WBEZ's Anna Savchenko checked in with Chicago Catholics to get their reactio…
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The Catholic Church has a new pope and he has local roots. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said the election is a "historic moment” for the Chicago-area native. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson wrote on X: “Everything dope, including the Pope, comes from Chicago!”Plus, a new exhibition on display at Wrightwood 659 in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood is a…
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Barricades outside Trump International Hotel and Tower have finally come down. The roll out of Real IDs for travel kicked off smoothly today. Senior drivers may be able to wait a few more years before being required to take a driving test to renew their license. Plus, our former colleague and Rundown host Adora Namigadde filed one last report on pr…
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Illinois state Senator Laura Fine is running for US Representative Schakowsky's seat. US Representative Robin Kelly has entered the race to replace Senator Durbin in 2027. Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias says people should make sure they need a REAL ID before trying to get one. Plus, Vocalo’s Morgan Ciocca asked Chicago musician Chill…
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Attorneys general in 19 states, including Illinois, are challenging cuts to the U.S. Health and Human Services agency. Longtime U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky announced she is not seeking re-election. The Chicago Blackhawks have the second-best odds to win the top pick in tonight’s NHL Draft Lottery.Plus, WBEZ’s Mike Davis reports from New York at the Br…
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Former Illinois Governor George Ryan has died. The non-profit organization that oversees WBEZ is bracing for a possible financial hit from President Trump’s latest executive order. Jeppson’s Malört has something new for Chicagoans.
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Thousands of people in Chicago joined in a May Day rally in opposition to President Donald Trump’s attacks on immigrants and workers. Fallen Illinois law enforcement officers were honored in Springfield yesterday. Landmarks Illinois announced this year’s list of the state’s most endangered historic places.…
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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said the next leader of the CTA will need to beef up staffing at the agency and help create more express bus lanes to speed up service. Police say the driver of a car that barreled through a building used for a popular after-school camp in central Illinois may have had a medical emergency. Illinois organizations are se…
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Chicago this past month saw fewer murders than any April in more than six decades. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle pushes transit consolidation in Springfield. Major protests are expected around the country on this May Day, pushing back against the “billionaire takeover of the federal government.”…
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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is in Springfield pitching state lawmakers to fund budget items from what he calls a “modest” wish list. Former Pitchfork music festival founder and jazz-drummer Mike Reed announced that he’s backing the new Sound and Gravity Fest this fall. Chemistry teacher Victor Gomez from North West suburban East Leyden High Schoo…
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A key city council panel is set to vote today on a revised curfew proposal that some say raises significant constitutional questions. Hundreds attended yesterday’s funeral for a fallen Chicago firefighter. An international student forced to leave Chicago for India this month says his legal immigration status has been restored but that he likely won…
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Hundreds of people paid their last respects at the funeral for Chicago Fire Department Captain David Meyer. North suburban Highland Park will have two memorials for the victims of the 2022 mass shooting. The city of Chicago has joined more than two dozen unions, non-profit groups and several cities filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration …
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The latest in ongoing negotiations over a curfew proposal aimed at addressing “teen takeovers.” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson heads to Springfield this week, but the governor isn’t sure what the state can offer. Governor Pritzker spoke out in support of Illinois student loan borrowers yesterday.
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Chicago Bears President Kevin Warren has sent a letter to the new head of the Chicago Park District expressing the team's concerns over the condition of Soldier Field. A man who was convicted and then pardoned for assaulting an officer and a cameraman in the January 6th riots is now on trial in Springfield for the murder of a woman from north subur…
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A Palestinian and Israeli duo is visiting Chicago this week to try and rally international support for a peaceful resolution to the war in Gaza. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is on a lobbying trip to Springfield this week. A new study from Northwestern University finds singing provides a range of benefits to older adults – some with neurocognitive …
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Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is endorsing his governing partner Juliana Stratton in her run for U.S. Senate. EXPO Chicago is underway at Navy Pier. A judge in New York has ordered the Art Institute of Chicago to return a 1916 drawing stolen during the Holocaust.
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The Chicago Board of Education approved the teachers contract last night and altered this year's budget to pay for it. Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering says no sentence can erase the pain of the massacre her town suffered. More than 100 Jewish professors at Northwestern University are calling on federal officials to stop threatening academic free…
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Robert Crimo III will spend the rest of his life in prison. Illinois has confirmed its first case of measles of the year. The first round of the NFL Draft kicks off tonight.
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The race is now on to replace Dick Durbin, Illinois’ soon-to-be-retiring senior U.S. senator. The Illinois Governor is reevaluating the state’s relationship with El Salvador. Dozens of victims of the Highland Park mass shooting in 2022 delivered their impact statements in court yesterday, detailing how they are still reeling from the tragedy.…
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Democratic Illinois Senator Dick Durbin tells WBEZ in an Illinois exclusive that he will not seek re-election in 2026. Testimony is continuing in the sentencing hearing of Robert Crimo the Third — the man who pleaded guilty to the July 4th Highland Park Parade in 2022. Riot Fest announced its 20th anniversary lineup, including Green Day, Blink-182 …
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Chicago schools chief Pedro Martinez is headed to the east coast after being fired in December. A sentencing hearing for the man who pleaded guilty last month to killing seven people and injuring dozens more at the Highland Park 4th of July parade in 2022 will get underway this morning. Students at Northeastern Illinois University rallied yesterday…
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A member of the politically prominent Jackson family stands to profit from a state of Illinois program. Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias kicked off a campaign aimed at raising awareness of the dangers of distracted driving. A 26-year-old liberal influencer named Kat Abughazaleh outraised incumbent U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky in …
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Catholics are reflecting on Pope Francis’ legacy upon the news of his death. The family of an teenager with autism is suing Chicago Public Schools for an alleged sexual assault at a north side high school. Chicago residents could see service cuts as the city works to address some serious budget woes.…
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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says the city of Chicago is mourning the death of the “People’s Pope.” Some piping plovers are back at Montrose Beach. Plus, Johnson’s launching a taskforce to address the city’s severe budget woes.
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We’ll hear about a charity created by Illinois’ House Speaker that is accepting donations from interests that stand to benefit from his actions in Springfield. Incarceration has long-lasting effects on young people as they grow into adults, according to a study out of Northwestern University. Most Illinois residents think public higher ed in the st…
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A new coalition says neighborhood street festivals in Chicago are struggling to survive. As the Trump administration continues to make changes to the Social Security system – some Illinois residents say they’re worried about accessing their benefits. Plus, Illinois Democratic politicians say the party needs to focus on kitchen table issues in order…
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A report from Northwestern University points to an initiative as part of the reason why shootings are down in Chicago. Questions continue swirling around U.S. Senator Dick Durbin’s plans as other Illinois Democrats consider their own futures. Northwestern students and professors are calling on their leaders to defend the university against Presiden…
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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said a proposal that would give Chicago Police sole discretion to implement immediate curfews for kids needs “deeper vetting.” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said public safety is under attack under Donald Trump’s administration. Chicago’s Links Hall announced that it will close its doors for good after its current season.…
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Those who’ve been convicted of a crime for participating in the January 6th insurrection can no longer work for the city of Chicago. A nearly three-year upswing in Chicago robberies has ended. Dozens of Chicago History Museum employees and supporters of the local ASFCME union protested at the museum yesterday.…
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Illinois educators are unsure of how to protect their students as the Trump administration has cancelled hundreds of student visas. Some Illinois Democrats are growing impatient with Senator Dick Durbin. Plus, the Chicago Blackhawks season is over.
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Former President Joe Biden is using Chicago as a venue to hit his GOP successor, President Donald Trump, on Social Security cutbacks. A Chicago city council member plans to push for a vote today on his stalled ordinance to create an 8 p.m. curfew for kids in the city’s downtown area. Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker says he’s committed to protecting …
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Former President Joe Biden is in Chicago. Governor Pritzker’s office is shelling out millions of taxpayer dollars to Illinois’ film and TV industry. Plus, Portillo’s launched its breakfast menu today.
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Some parents are breathing a sign of relief now that the teachers union has approved a new contract with the Chicago Public Schools. WBEZ has tips for how to best protect your financial investments during uncertain economic times. A dark humorist from Madison delivers a new play that blends stand-up comedy and drama.…
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The Chicago Teachers Union contract has been ratified with nearly unanimous support. Registration for Chicago Park District summer camps has begun. Piping plovers have returned to Montrose Beach.
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Some crime survivors held a healing vigil on Chicago’s West Side this weekend. Tariff uncertainty is impacting Illinois farmers ahead of a new planting season. The Chicago Comics and Entertainment Expo filled McCormick Place over the weekend.
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Introducing WBEZ's latest podcast series, Making: Stories Without End. Host Natalie Moore takes you on a journey to learn about daytime soap operas and their broad reach on television. From the early radio days in the 1930s through the invention of TV to streaming, this way of telling immersive stories has endured. There are intergenerational famil…
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A Chicago City Council committee voted to reject a 1.25 million dollar settlement for the family of Dexter Reed, who was shot dead by police officers last year. Cook County Health is trying to increase awareness of H-I-V prevention, testing, and services. Plus, tomorrow is national record store day.
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Members of Chicago’s arts community are calling on Mayor Brandon Johnson to address issues within the city’s cultural affairs department. Public health officials are closely watching measles outbreaks locally as the highly contagious virus circulates in the U.S. New research from Northwestern University explains why some people’s brains become deep…
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Homeowners in Cook County who struggle the most with big property tax hikes could soon get a thousand dollars. The Illinois Supreme Court will not consider a lawsuit over what Republicans call unconstitutional political maps. Plus, Third Coast Percussion, is celebrating its 20th year with a new album out tomorrow.…
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Northwestern faculty say the Trump Administration’s pause on federal funding could devastate research there. A new lawsuit aims to prevent Northwestern from cooperating with a Congressional investigation. Illinois State Board responds to the Trump threat to pull funding if diversity, equity and inclusion programs aren't eliminated.…
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The police officer charged with murdering Sonya Massey in Springfield is getting his trial moved. President Trump has reportedly frozen nearly $800 million in federal funding for Northwestern University. Cook County residents who struggle with big property tax hikes might get a one-time payment of $1,000 dollars.…
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A group of former Northwestern football players is settling a series of lawsuits against the university, which alleged hazing and abusive behavior on the team. A top economic official in Chicago is warning about possible shellshocks from President Trump’s tariffs. The Chicago Bears are back on the field.…
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Early findings suggest that Cook County’s guaranteed income pilot program helped provide economic stability for thousands of residents. How a U.S. Supreme Court order affects teacher training programs in Illinois. Democrats in Springfield are hoping to crack down on so-called “crime-free” housing laws.…
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A Chicago man is in police custody in connection with multiple sex crimes against female victims on the city’s North West Side. Blustery snow showers are expected to continue across the Chicago area into the evening as temperatures are expected to tumble into the mid-20s tonight. Registration for Chicago Park District summer camps begins Monday Apr…
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Thousands of Chicagoans took to the streets this weekend (SAT) to protest the way the Trump administration is running the country. Medical students at Northwestern University are urging their teaching hospital to resume surgeries for transgender youth. A Chicago OBGYN is on a Fulbright scholarship in Uganda. Now that Washington has frozen her fundi…
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Parts of the Midwest and South are facing the possibility of torrential rains and life-threatening flash floods. Illinois’ Attorney General is once again battling President Donald Trump – this time over election law. Plus, Wrigleyville is alive once again.
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Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul likely isn’t going to take any action against hospitals in Chicago that have stopped gender care surgeries. Democratic attorneys general in 19 states – including Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan – are suing over President Donald Trump’s attempt to reshape elections across the U.S. The Chicago Cubs will play in …
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