The Rundown | Chicago News

A Democratic member of Congress from Chicago is condemning comments made about Puerto Rico at a rally for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Chicago Bears defensive back Tyrique Stevenson is apologizing to his coaches and teammates for his play during Sunday’s last-second loss to the Commanders. The 60th annual Chicago International Film Festival wrapped up last night.

Scores of Rohingya Muslims in Chicago cast their first ballots as American citizens over the weekend. The city’s Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument won a major preservation industry award. The finalists were announced this morning for Chicago’s top local food honors.

Grammy award-winning rapper Lil Durk is in federal custody Friday after being arrested overnight on federal murder-for-hire charges. Some of Illinois’ nearly 1.6 million student loan borrowers could get relief under rules proposed today by the Biden administration. Families and staff at seven Acero charter schools are fighting to keep the schools open.

Federal prosecutors are using dozens of wiretaps as evidence in the corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. New Chicago school board members say they took the post to do right by kids. The invasive carp haven’t gotten any closer to Chicago in over a decade, and a new study investigated why.

Members of Faculty for Justice in Palestine are demanding University of Chicago leaders reinstate an Arab student who was suspended and evicted from his dorm after his arrest at a pro-Palestinian demonstration. Prosecutors Thursday, played one of about 200 secret recordings in the corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and co-defendant Michael McClain. Major League commissioner Rob Manfred believes the White Sox aren't going anywhere, even if they're sold.

Today the new Chicago Board of Education will be sworn in, after the former board abruptly resigned. Cook County commissioners are advancing a plan to bring some property tax relief to struggling homeowners. In a few minutes, county health officials hope free Naloxone vending machines will help curb fatal overdoses.

A Chicago immigrant rights group says Mayor Brandon Johnson’s decision to reduce services for newly arrived asylum seekers will hurt families. The Illinois Department of Public Health hosted a conference in suburban Naperville this week focusing on health outcomes for communities of color. A top adviser to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is leaving his post, effective immediately.

The Chicago City Council approved a $1.5 billion bond refinancing plan yesterday that budget officials hope will help the city’s budget crunch. Defense attorneys in former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s corruption trial undercut one of the government’s very first witnesses. One of the more than 30 Chicago police officers named in a new federal lawsuit is a disgraced former detective.

The Chicago Board of Education will meet for the first time this week following the resignations of every board member earlier this month. A new report shows there’s been a jump in abortions in Illinois with a virtual doctor’s visit since Roe v. Wade was overturned more than two years ago. RealPage is a software company that the US Department of Justice alleges is enabling illegal rent price-fixing.

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan gets his first chance to make his case to jurors in his federal corruption trial. A national civil rights group has written to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson - about police officers with extremist connections. The Sonya Massey commission is seeking an outside review of the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department.

Chicago will end its separate migrant shelter system by next year, creating a single shelter system for all residents who need it. An Illinois group held a town hall meeting in Springfield over the weekend to imagine what statewide reparations could look like. Chicago drivers may have to start going a little slower.

A WBEZ analysis finds Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s fiscal record is mixed as he approaches his second budget address. Also, Mayor Johnson says he supports lowering the city’s speed limit by 5 miles per hour. The federal corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and a one-time confidante is poised to enter a new phase today.

Illinois cannabis sales continue to grow – but some newer industry players are still trying to catch up. Hundreds of Chicago parents gathered this morning to hear from school board candidates. 
 It will feel like summer this weekend, with temperatures expected to be in the low to high 70s.

Sunday will mark a decade since then-Officer Jason Van Dyke shot Laquan McDonald 16 times. To mark the solemn occasion, The Rundown is bringing you the first episode of “16 Shots,” a podcast series from WBEZ and The Chicago Tribune that explored McDonald’s life, and the way his death changed the city.

A proposal to move a preschool on Chicago’s Southwest Side is causing alarm. CPS students are graduating high school at record rates, but many still don’t finish college. Illinois prison employees staged more than two dozen demonstrations across the state.

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 With Vocalo" is produced by Morgan Ciocca. Follow the series at Vocalo.org.

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 founding member of the comedy troupe The Upright Citizens Brigade and played several small roles in big budget comedies, but he’s perhaps best known for his role as Mike McClintock, the communications director for Vice President Selena Meyer on the HBO series VEEP.Walsh is back in Chicago later this month at the iO Theater for a pair of performances of “Meadows, Walsh & Friends,” a night of long-form improv comedy that also features comedians Tim Meadows, Joe Canale and Brad Morris. Earlier this summer, Rundown host Erin Allen connected with Matt to discuss his career, the Chicago improv scene, and a very unexpected college experience that the two have in common.

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 Card Game from Black America." He explains the game's "diabolical components" and traces the history back to the Pullman Porters, the African-American railcar attendants who helped establish a Black middle class and fuel the Great Migration in the era after the Civil War. “I think Chicago has a strong claim to being the spiritual home of bid whist," Jones said, "in part because the Pullman Porters were headquartered here, and we know the vital role that the Porters played in popularizing the game throughout the country.” 

$44 million will help preserve affordable housing in Uptown, an historic prison in Joliet is ordered empty by today, and Chicago’s International Latino Theater Festival Destinos kicks off today.

On the heels of Hurricane Helene, the Chicago-area will see windy conditions throughout the evening. DuPage County saw a huge jump in people showing up to cast their ballot on its first day of early voting. The Chicago Sky have fired head coach Teresa Weatherspoon.

Emmanuel Gomez is the 23-year-old street artist responsible for designing and creating the artwork for Vocalo’s Summer Finale concert last weekend, including a poster with an “ice cream head” of each performer. In today’s episode, Vocalo’s Nudia Hernandez talks with Gomez, also known as Clue, about his burgeoning career in art, from his start as a graffiti artist, to his mentorship under acclaimed local street artist Sentrock, to his collaborations with the WNDR Museum and the National Museum of Mexican Art.

CPS Chief Pedro Martinez is still on the job. A federal judge in Chicago is weighing whether the notorious leader of the Gangster Disciples should have another chance at freedom. The Banned Book Wagon is coming to the Chicago Public Library's Woodson Regional Library today.

Illinois voters take note: an advisory referendum on the Nov. 5 ballot will ask whether individual earnings above $1 million should be hit with a 3% surcharge, to generate revenue that would go toward property tax relief. A hearing for Larry Hoover, the notorious leader of the Gangster Disciples, wrapped up this afternoon in a federal courtroom in Chicago. Former Chicago Bulls superstar Derrick Rose is retiring.