Democratic US Representative of Illinois Brad Schneider says he hopes the death of Hamas leader, Yahya Sinwar, will mark a turning point in the war in Gaza. The Illinois Secretary of State is rolling out DMV kiosks for people to renew license plates, registration and drivers’ licenses the same way you’d get money from an ATM. Time is almost up for Illinois residents to submit a design for a new state flag.
Chicago Public School enrollment is up after years of decline. Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet will open its season tonight with the U.S. premiere of a brand-new show. We talk to Adam Rubin, with the Chicago Architecture Center about this weekend's upcoming Open House Chicago.
WBEZ has confirmed Doctor Erik Mikaitis has been nominated to become the next CEO of Cook County’s public health system. Bally’s Chicago has closed out its first year at the Medinah Temple, and the temporary casino is failing to meet financial expectations. Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton says she wants to keep communication open with people who live near the Central Illinois town of Lincoln - who are upset about plans to close the Logan Correctional Center.
Springfield residents urge state lawmakers to make public transit more accessible during a hearing at the Capitol Tuesday. Early voting for the November election is underway in the Chicago-area. The Chicago International Film Festival kicks off tonight with a new film made by Malcom Washington, the son of Denzel Washington.
Former President and Republican nominee Donald Trump was in Chicago today. Early voting is underway in the Chicago area. Walgreens plans to close about 1,200 locations over the next three years as the drugstore chain seeks to turnaround its struggling U.S. business.
Members of Chicago’s Muslim community gathered for a memorial last night to mark one year since a six-year-old Palestinian-Amercian boy was fatally stabbed in an alleged hate crime. Police regulators in Illinois could make it easier to take badges away from police officers … even before they’ve been convicted of a crime. Temperatures are dropping across the Chicago area tonight.
A researcher at the University of Chicago has been awarded the Nobel Prize in economics. A prayer service will take place tonight for the one-year remembrance of the stabbing death of a Palestinian-American boy. An inspector general’s report sheds new light on the controversial firing four years ago of the principal and assistant principal at Lincoln Park High School on Chicago’s north side.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and other Midwestern governors are blasting former President Donald Trump for sending Covid testing supplies to Russia. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and other Midwestern governors are blasting former President Donald Trump for sending Covid testing supplies to Russia. Cases of congenital – or newborn – syphilis are on the rise in suburban Cook County.
Some Chicago parents say they’re devastated by the Acero charter school’s decision to close seven campuses. Illinois power and gas utilities say they’re ready for the winter. A group of Democratic state lawmakers are hoping to pass gun control legislation when they return to Springfield next month.
The American Red Cross of Illinois wants donations to send to Florida as the state begins to assess the damage from Hurricane Milton. A group of Chicago advocates is in New Orleans today for a hearing in federal court on the future of DACA. Construction crews in suburban Bedford Park have broken ground on a new practice facility for the Chicago Sky.
A lawsuit claims record companies are making money off of Chicago’s gang violence. Elected officials commemorated a Springfield site as a national monument. Northwestern University plans to research how serving time in prison or jail affects risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and more.
Leaders at Cook County’s Forest Preserves are celebrating a long list of accomplishments as they head into budget season. Chicago City Council opponents have delayed a plan to sell $1.5 billion worth of bonds to help boost savings. A new poll from the state’s largest teachers’ union finds roughly 60 percent of Illinois educators are considering leaving the profession.
The City Council will consider approving a bond refinancing plan to help the city save money in the face of a budget gap. A sexual harassment scandal involving a one-time political aide is still haunting former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Chicago Fashion Week kicks off today with a fashion show at the Chicago Cultural Center.
The corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan got underway today. Some Chicago parents are worried about the turmoil within Chicago Public Schools after all seven members of the Board of Education announced their resignations last week. The Chicago Bulls open the preseason tonight in Cleveland against the Cavaliers.
Chicago City Council members are planning to hold a special meeting to dig into the Chicago Public Schools board resignations. One ex-juror will be watching closely as the corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan begins today. A unique computer chess tournament gets underway this morning (TUES) from inside the Cook County Jail.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson came out swinging today as he announced new appointees to the Chicago Board of Education to replace seven people who are resigning. The Jewish organization Hillel is holding a candlelight vigil at Northwestern University tonight to mark one year since the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. The Chicago Bears won their second straight, beating the Carolina Panthers 36-10 at Soldier Field.
Muslim and Jewish leaders in Chicago are worried the Oct. 7 anniversary of the Hamas attack could prompt hate crimes. One Illinois state lawmaker says the leadership turmoil at Chicago Public Schools, following the announcement that the entire school board will resign, will not help the district’s chances of getting more state funding. This year's NASCAR Chicago Street Race generated $128 million in total economic impact.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has confirmed to WBEZ and the Sun-Times that all seven members of the Chicago Board of Education are expected to step down later this month. Some City Council members say they are stunned by today’s mass resignation. Early voting turnout for the November election remains high in Chicago and the collar counties.
"Getting Dressed With Vocalo" is a new series highlighting Chicago musicians who have standout personal styles. Manasseh, a Chicago singer known for his ethereal vocals, is Vocalo’s first featured artist . “You’ll look good when you feel good,” he said. “You shouldn’t skimp on being kind to yourself. If adding a scarf or an extra necklace or another ring equates to you feeling good in that moment, then you’ll leave the house with such a great attitude, and you’ll spread that.” "Getting Dressed W...
Some groups are trying to make Chicago's elected school board race a referendum on the mayor and the Chicago Teachers Union. A new Northwestern Medicine study shows researching long COVID patients could help doctors unlock the key to preventing pulmonary fibrosis. We’ll hear the details next. The Federal Reserve cut interest rates last month… but could they drop further?
Early voting is now open in the City of Chicago. Two city-run shelters have closed their doors this week as the number of migrants arriving from the southern border continues to slow. Chicago Exhibition Weekend – a weekend of art walks, gallery openings and parties – kicks off today.
You’ll still get two newscast episodes every day, with all the latest local news from the WBEZ and Chicago Sun-Times newsrooms. Meanwhile, later this fall, host Erin Allen is moving to WBEZ’s Curious City Podcast (subscribe now!), where she’ll find answers to your questions about Chicago, and continue to bring you stories and conversations about the things happening in this wonderful city.
Prosecutors drop charges against a man convicted of murdering Chicago Police Officer Clifton Lewis. A new report shows a drop in the state's infant mortality rate, but data shows racial disparities persist. A program in CPS that mentors at-risk youth to steer them from gun violence seems to be working.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is again sidestepping questions about the future of leadership at Chicago Public Schools. A federal judge is declining to toss out part of the corruption indictment against former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. A Cook County judge says a man convicted of the 2011 murder of Chicago Police Officer Clifton Lewis will be released from state prison.
Matt Walsh is one of the many comedians who got his start in Chicago, but his roots are deeper than most. “I grew up around the South Side of Chicago around 103rd and Kedzie,” Walsh said on the Rundown podcast. “You know, typical city life, running around, hopping fences, throwing snowballs at each other.” Walsh attended Northern Illinois University and lived in Wrigleyville before trying his hand at improvisation at The Second City on the recommendation of a friend. He went on to become a found...
The longshoreman strike impacting ports out east and south is so far not being felt here in the Chicago area. Local group says the city needs to do more to hold city vendors accountable for environmental impacts. Illinois launches a $5 million marketing campaign to bolster the state’s manufacturing sector.
Students at Illinois State University in downstate Normal are raising concerns for their safety after a shooting over the weekend left one person dead and another person critically injured. Chicago fiction writer Ling Ma and Chicago artist Ebony G. Patterson have won the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship. Lonzo Ball is back in action with the Chicago Bulls.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration says it needs more time to figure out how to close a nearly $1 billion dollar budget gap. Illinois last remaining natural lakeshore just got new protections. Chicago’s Tavern on Rush has reopened in the Gold Coast.
Workers at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago have filed to form a union. One real estate adviser tells WBEZ that with interest rates coming down, he expects a hot housing market in Chicago. The Britpop band Oasis is stopping at Soldier Field in 2025.
Lamont Jones wanted to give his daughter a book about bid whist, his favorite card game, but couldn't find one. So he wrote it himself, with the goal of saving a pastime popular in the Black community from generational indifference. "Bid whist is the ultimate card game," Jones said on the Rundown podcast, "and I believe that if you've not yet experienced bid whist, the world's greatest card game awaits you." In this episode, Jones talks about his book, "The Gist of Bid Whist: The Culturally-Rich...
