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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Illinois and 20 other states are suing the Trump administration to block a rule that could make some government and nonprofit employees no longer eligible for student loan forgiveness. Students and staff are celebrating the opening of a new facility at the Philip J. Rock Center and School in west suburban Glen Ellyn. It’s a major-league-high three Gold Glove winners this year for the Cubs. Margaret Burroughs is well known as the founder of the DuSable Museum. But perhaps lesser known is her deca...
A measure that would allow citizens to sue Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents now awaits the governor’s signature. A bill to let people who are terminally ill end their own lives medically has cleared the Illinois legislature. Illinois lawmakers passed an energy bill last night that will strengthen the reliability of the electrical grid. Plus, horror writers gathered at the University of Chicago’s Divinity School recently to discuss the ways they approach the genre. It was part of the Am...
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker made a plea to federal immigration agents to leave children alone over Halloween. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was in Gary, Indiana today and denied any American citizens are getting caught up in immigration enforcement operations despite numerous confirmed reports of such incidents. Graduation rates in Illinois have reached a 15-year high while other measures for high school students are lagging behind. Plus, federal immigration agents were out in force duri...
Former sheriff's deputy Sean Grayson has been found guilty of one count of second degree murder in the killing of Sonya Massey. Gov. JB Pritzker has declared what he’s calling an “agricultural trade crisis” in Illinois – and he’s signed an executive order he says will mitigate it. Chicago Blackhawks phenom Connor Bedard got the first hat trick of his NHL career on Tuesday. Plus, we hear from WBEZ reporter Mawa Iqbal outside the courthouse in downstate Peoria, where she’s been following the trial...
A federal judge is ordering Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, a leader of the Trump administration’s Chicago deportation blitz, to appear in her courtroom every evening over the next week. The murder case of a white former sheriff’s deputy accused of killing Springfield-area resident Sonya Massey is now before a jury. Chicago has been dethroned as the rattiest city in the country. The Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago is currently overflowing with Yoko Ono artwork. It’s all part of a m...
A former downstate sheriff’s deputy charged with murdering Springfield-area resident Sonya Massey last year took the witness stand. Hundreds of Illinois political candidates lined up early this morning to get their names on next year’s primary ballot. Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams says the team is having trouble capitalizing on key moments. Plus, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in west suburban Broadview has become a place where religious leaders say immigrants l...
Federal immigration enforcement disrupted schools across Chicago’s North and near Northwest Side today with at least eight schools cancelling activities or keeping students inside after reports of agents in the area. A new investigation from the Sun-Times shows more than a dozen Chicago city council members got campaign contributions from a political action committee whose leaders include landlord Corey Oliver. Lollapalooza is telling Chicago City Council members that it generated more impact fo...
This episode details Illinois Governor Pritzker's executive order on immigration abuses and a confrontation between federal agents and protesters in Little Village. It also covers the tragic death of Illinois gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey's son and family members, alongside a lawsuit against new Indiana voting laws. The main feature highlights 'Notes for Peace,' a program where grieving families create original songs with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to memorialize loved ones lost to gun violence, following one mother's journey from concept to concert.
Opening statements began today in the murder trial of a former sheriff’s deputy charged with killing Springfield-resident Sonya Massey last year. Lawyers for Gangster Disciple co-founder Larry Hoover are seeking clemency from Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. The Chicago Fire are back in the Major League Soccer playoffs tonight for the first time in eight years. Plus, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson sat down with WBEZ city hall reporter Mariah Woelfel to discuss the new taxes that prop up his $16.6 billi...
Workers from the Environmental Protection Agency’s regional office in Chicago have started receiving furlough notices amid the government shutdown. Chicago budget hearings are underway and part of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposal to close the deficit includes taxing large corporations with a $21 fee per employee each month. Plus, a former top U.S. Homeland Security official is keeping an eye on President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement campaign in Chicago and he doesn’t like what he’s see...
The City of Chicago and eight other local governments are suing the Trump Administration over restrictions placed on federal emergency grants. Places of worship continue to be on high alert as federal immigration enforcement escalates in the Chicago area. Jury selection has begun in the first-degree murder trial of a former Illinois sheriff's deputy in the death of Sonya Massey. Plus, we learned last week that the Chicago Housing Authority paid approximately $22 million to three companies with c...
The Rundown reports on 11 arrests outside a Broadview ICE facility and the NAACP's rally against federal troops in Black communities. Illinois universities face drops in international student enrollment amid stricter Trump administration policies. The episode also highlights Chicagoans' innovative efforts, like "Whistlemania" neighborhood patrols, to resist aggressive federal immigration agents.
A federal appeals court in Chicago is refusing to undo a lower court's order blocking President Trump's deployment of National Guard troops within Illinois. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s newly unveiled budget relies on reinstating the city corporate head tax, a new social media tax, and a record, $1 billion dollar TIF surplus to close a massive budget gap. Loyola University and the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary honored the life of Jean Dolores Schmidt today. Plus, the one-time street gang...
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker expresses concerns over aggressive federal immigration enforcement in Chicago, suggesting judicial intervention may be necessary after a dangerous chase and use of tear gas. Separately, 14 Democratic governors have launched a public health alliance to address issues typically handled by the federal government, while medical professionals debunk claims linking Tylenol to autism. The episode also features a detailed account of a South Shore immigration raid where a resident sheltered a mother and daughter, revealing the raid's planning and lasting impact.
A car crash involving federal immigration agents late this morning in Chicago’s East Side neighborhood led to agents deploying tear gas after a large crowd gathered in protest of the agents. O’Hare and Midway International have joined a growing list of airports across the country that are refusing to play a Department of Homeland Security video. The Promontory, a South Side music venue and event space, is closing after New Year’s Eve. Plus, take a listen to what you can expect from a supersized ...
The mayor in west suburban Broadview has removed a designated “protest safety zone” from outside the local U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility. Immigration advocates say networks of volunteers are documenting what’s actually happening on the ground in and around Chicago. A Northwestern University professor is one of three people awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics. Plus: After an immigration raid on a South Shore building two weeks ago that resulted in 37 arrests, federal official...
This episode examines the ongoing federal immigration enforcement actions and National Guard deployments in Portland, Chicago, and Texas. It details the pushback from local officials, legal challenges, and the differing responses to federal intervention, including Governor Abbott's support in Texas and the escalation of protests with federal presence. The discussion highlights the significant political and social impacts on these cities and states.
Gov. JB Pritzker went on Jimmy Kimmel’s show last night to ridicule the Trump administration’s claim “horrible violence” was savaging the streets of Chicago. At least three demonstrators have been arrested today at a protest outside the ICE facility in suburban Broadview. The Cubs head back to Milwaukee Saturday for a deciding game five. Plus, Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt died at 106-years-old. We hear from those who were changed by the nun’s joy.
U.S. District Judge April Perry is weighing whether to block the deployment of National Guard units to Illinois. The Village of Broadview says about three dozen National Guard troops are at the local ICE facility. Vice President JD Vance is expected to visit Indiana Friday for a second time in recent months as the White House continues to push for redistricting. Plus, a deadly smash-and-grab in downtown Chicago is raising questions about the best way to reduce crime in the city. WBEZ’s Anna Savc...
This episode covers Illinois Governor Pritzker and Mayor Johnson's strong responses to President Trump's social media attacks and the mayor's new "ICE-free zones" initiative. It also features updates on the environmentally complex demolition of the Damen silos and celebrates local artist Tonika Lewis-Johnson's MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship. Finally, it delves into the Curious City investigation revealing the surprising history behind the unincorporated Mount Greenwood Cemetery, a unique "hole" on Chicago's map.
This episode of The Rundown covers the arrival of the Texas National Guard in Illinois for immigration operations, met with Governor Pritzker's resistance and accusations of ICE collaboration with a local business. It highlights a bitter Senate hearing dispute between Dick Durbin and Pam Bondi over the deployment's rationale. Additionally, the episode details increased Cook County traffic enforcement, the University of Illinois marching band's Macy's Parade selection, and Broadview's criminal investigations into aggressive ICE actions.
The Rundown discusses Illinois' lawsuit against President Trump over National Guard deployment and Chicago's new "ICE-free zones" policy. It also includes an update on the Cubs' series against the Brewers. The episode's main feature is an interview with actress Elizabeth McGovern, who talks about starring in and writing "Ava: The Secret Conversations," reflecting on women's experiences in Hollywood and the finale of "Downton Abbey."
The Rundown reports on Chicago's halt of the historic Damen Silos demolition due to dust concerns and former House Speaker Michael Madigan's rejected appeal to avoid prison. The episode also examines Chicago transit agencies' progress in reducing their fiscal shortfall and previews a new documentary about comedian John Candy's impact. Concluding, arts reporter Mike Davis interviews Chicago-born jazz singer Kurt Elling about his exciting new role as Hermes in the Broadway production of Hadestown.
Chicago advocates say calls from immigrants seeking deportation legal support have skyrocketed since Operation Midway Blitz started last month. Public defenders and legal aid groups are pushing to bar arrests by ICE officers at Cook County courthouses. The federal government has placed a restriction on all private drone activity around the Chicago area. The Trump administration is cancelling $7.6 billion in grants that supported hundreds of clean energy projects in Illinois and 15 other states. ...
Illinois Democrats in Congress are condemning the federal government shutdown and are demanding funding to save health care subsidies that are set to expire leading to soaring insurance costs. A Chicago non-profit that helps patients find abortion care expects to field more calls from Wisconsin after Wisconsin Planned Parenthood paused abortion services today. A new study from Rush University Children’s Hospital and the Cook County Medical Examiner reveals some common causes of Sudden Infant Dea...
President Donald Trump told hundreds of the country’s top military officials today that he spoke to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about using “dangerous cities as training grounds” for the military. A small Mexican grocery store in Cicero is pivoting to grocery deliveries as immigration operations continue in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. A WBEZ analysis of federal data for H-1-B visa applications shows which employers in Chicago could be impacted by an executive order that Presiden...
A top U.S. Border Patrol official tells WBEZ that immigration agents are arresting people based on how they look. Federal criminal charges have been filed against four people detained during protests Saturday outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in suburban Broadview. And, Latino activists are calling for an end to the targeting of day laborers at Home Depot stores in the Chicago area. Plus, a Black woman-owned grocery store celebrated its opening this past weekend. WBEZ...
Chicago is home to people and cultures from all over the world — including a large Kurdish community. The story of how they came to America is an epic one, a story of bloody genocide, of freedom fighters, of sacrifice and above all… perseverance. All month, we’ve been hearing from host and reporter Rose Gilbert from Nashville Public Radio in a series called “The Country in Our Hearts.” It’s focused on the story of one Kurdish family and their generations-long fight to exist. This is the final ep...
Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson is accusing Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents of “making war on my community.” Four Chicago alderpersons voted against a symbolic resolution to apologize to Black residents for slavery. Republican Darren Bailey formally announced his gubernatorial campaign yesterday during a tour of the state. Plus, Chicago youth organizations brought together a group of teens last week to talk about what they are feeling and thinking as federal immigration agents contin...
Illinois abortion-rights advocates and providers are preparing for an influx of patients from Wisconsin. At 29 years old, Walter “Red” Burnett is now the city’s youngest alderperson. The first satellite designed at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign was deployed to space Wednesday. Plus, The fifth solo project from Chicago musician Jeff Tweedy comes out Friday. We hear how “Twilight Override” feels both familiar and pushes his sound in fresh directions.
