The Rundown | Chicago News

Chicago Public Schools’ inspector general is leaving the district for a new job. The State of Illinois is probably getting a new flag. The bacteria that cause Legionnaires’ disease have been found in the drinking water at the EPA’s regional headquarters in Chicago.

For the first time in five years the Chicago Abortion Fund is scaling back who it can help. Chicago’s civilian police oversight commission is talking about ways to reform traffic stops. New details surrounding the death of Emmett Till are coming out today on the 69th anniversary of Till’s murder.

Imagine dancing your heart out with your bestie like you used to, but still getting home by 10 p.m.That’s the idea behind Earlybirds Club, according to creators (and high school friends) Susie Lee and Laura Baginski. “It’s a dance party for women that starts early and ends early because we all value our sleep,” Baginski said.Lee and Baginski have been selling out Earlybirds Club dance parties since February, and have a handful more scheduled through the end of the year, including a Halloween party at Beauty Bar and a holiday party at Beat Kitchen. They’re also expanding outside of Chicago; they have an event in New York City in November and plans for a party in Los Angeles in January.“We were so overwhelmed and surprised at the reaction,” Lee said. “The first one was just like two idiots throwing a party. And then after that, we were like, there clearly is a need for this.”Lee and Baginski came on the Rundown podcast to explain the idea’s origin story, why it struck a chord with so many, and what’s coming next.This episode was originally published on April 19, 2024. 

Who will be running for Chicago’s first ever school board? The list is basically set. The city’s civilian police oversight held a hearing on traffic stop reform last night. New research shows Chicago’s housing developers are disproportionately white and male.

Chicago has reached record-breaking heat. Democratic Illinois lawmakers are vowing to enact Karina’s Bill, a measure that would require judges to order the confiscation of guns from people who have restraining orders against them. Brookfield Zoo announced that Judy, a 24-year-old bison, has died.

Chicago Public School students started their new school year yesterday in record heat – and are back for more of it today. A national bus tour kicking off in Chicago highlights child and home care workers’ struggles. Hopes that Illinois legislative employees will be allowed to unionize are dwindling.

There was excessive heat, a lack of bus drivers and also normal first day jitters as Chicago Public Schools welcomed thousands of students back to class today. The attorney for former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson is trying to get his client out of jail pre-trial for the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey. The White Sox have lost 100 games this season and it's not even September.

Tera Murray is a “chef instructor” at Silver Fork, a free culinary work-readiness program at the Center on Halsted. The seven-week program helps people in need prepare for future work opportunities in the industry. “One of the students just recently incarcerated, he gave a speech at graduation,” Murray recalled. “And he said, ‘That was the first time that I felt human after coming out of prison.’ That’s the kind of thing where I’m reminded how much I love this kind of work.” Murray tells their story – and the story of Silver Fork – as a part of Vocalo’s Chi Sounds Like series. 

Today is the first day of the fall semester for Chicago Public School students. We hear from one student who got ready for the big day this weekend. Illinois Democrats plan on hitting the road this fall – making sure people in swing states get out to vote. Northwestern University received a grant to create a new center focused on developing robot hands.

Workers started tearing down the Democratic National Convention at the United Center early Friday morning, and at least one expects to be working until 7 p.m. United Auto Workers at the Stellantis plant in Illinois could go on strike as early as mid-October. The Chicago Bears have reportedly traded for defensive end Darrell Taylor from the Seattle Seahawks.

Omar Apollo takes the stage at Northerly Island Friday night not too far from home – the Mexican-American musician hails from Hobart, Ind. – and ahead of his performance he talked with Vocalo’s Nudia Hernandez about his childhood there, how his Mexican-American parents gave him brutally honest feedback about his vocals when he was a teenager, and about the origins of his latest album (and current tour of the same name) “God Said No.” 

What Illinois Democrats thought of Kamala Harris’s energetic speech last night. A young survivor of gun violence from Chicago took the stage on the final night of the DNC. The removal of convention infrastructure will carry on throughout the weekend.

Chicago police are monitoring a march against U.S. military aid to Israel on the last day of the Democratic National Convention. Some downtown store owners say the Democratic National Convention is slowing things down for their businesses. People incarcerated at a crumbling state prison outside Joliet are beginning to get moved out today.

A protest against the war in Gaza drew thousands Wednesday evening. Some delegates staged a sit-in outside of the United Center to call for a Palestinian American to speak at the DNC. Gen Z voters gathered near the United Center yesterday to see how they can help get other young people to the polls this November.

Palestinian advocates are requesting a chance to speak on the mainstage of the Democratic National Convention. The Chicago area added nearly 26,000 manufacturing jobs between January 2021 and January 2024, according to an analysis by WBEZ. The Chicago-based satirical newspaper The Onion is back in print after 11 years as an online-only paper.

Outside of the big speeches every night, what actually happens at the DNC? As it turns out, it’s a convention, filled with delegates hobnobbing, nail technicians issuing Kamala Harris manicures and vendors showing off everything from custom “Yes We Kam” patches to a collection of living, breathing, queen-worshiping bees.
 
 The Rundown podcast visited the DNC and spoke with a whole bunch of attendees who see the DNC in Chicago as a unique opportunity – for all kinds of different reasons.

Dozens of people were arrested during demonstrations supporting Palestine in the West Loop last night. Illinois Democrats highlighted the state’s progressive values during the ceremonial roll call at the DNC. Chicagoans react to the Democratic National Convention after its second day in the city.

Illinois Democrats are excited to hear from former President Barack Obama at the United Center tonight. The Chicago Department of Public Health is advising anyone attending the DNC to stay safe from respiratory illnesses like COVID-19. The Israeli American Council has launched an outdoor art exhibit called “Hostage Square Chicago” in the West Loop.

Illinois Democratic elected officials focused on fighting for working class families on the first night of the Democratic National Convention. Protests on the first day of the DNC were peaceful, though there were some tense moments. Legendary television host Phil Donahue died this week. While working in Chicago during the 1970s and ‘80s, he redefined daytime talk shows for good.

Hear from a protest march underway near the United Center outside the Democratic National Convention. Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said officers this week will avoid confrontation during marches and will not wear riot gear unless people are rioting. Phil Donahue, who created the format of the modern-day talk show and filmed in Chicago from 1974 to 1985, has died. He was 88.

With a big influx of people coming to Chicago for this week’s Democratic National Convention, WBEZ decided it was high time to gather some beautiful reminders of what makes our city so special. In this episode of the Rundown podcast, you’ll hear from three Chicagoans about what they love about this city and its people, including Adeeb Borden, the founder of CEO’s of Color, a non-profit that helps Black and brown teens start their own businesses; chef Diana Dávila, who opened the Logan Square restaurant Mi Tocaya in 2017; and author Jonathan Eig, who won the Pulitzer Prize this year for his biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker says he’s as excited about the Democratic National Convention, which kicks off today, as Trekkies are for Star Trek conventions. Many patients at hospitals near the United Center are planning to see their doctors virtually this week to avoid traffic. The first major DNC protest happened last night, shutting down part of Michigan Avenue for hours without incident.

The Chicago Police Department is unveiling a new helicopter ahead of next week’s Democratic National Convention. A coalition of faith leaders has partnered with Great Lakes Credit Union to open a brick and mortar location in the Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams will make his Soldier Field debut on Saturday as the Bears take on the Bengals in their third preseason game of the year.

WBEZ’s sister station Vocalo takes music submissions from local artists – if the team likes the song, they play it on the radio. When musician Tala Silva sent in her song “Goddess,” Vocalo’s Nudia Hernandez put it in the rotation right away and invited Silva in for an interview.In conversation at Vocalo, Silva described her sound as “very feathery, alternative-bedroom-indie-pop-R&B, I guess, to put it in short.”In this episode of the Rundown podcast, we hear how Silva got into music, how she produces songs in her bedroom studio, and she tells us about her upcoming show in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood on Aug. 17.

More than 20 synagogues in Northern Illinois received emailed bomb threats Thursday, according to Evanston Police. As the Democratic National Convention approaches immigrant rights activists say they will be voicing their demands for legalization next week and beyond. Convention organizers are unveiling a new fossil fuel offset program to lower the event’s carbon footprint.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson will both have a moment in the spotlight during next week's Democratic National Convention. Illinois Democrats at the Illinois State Fair are using new enthusiasm for Kamala Harris in hopes of getting people excited about the rest of the ticket. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s plan to replace the head of the public school system – amid tense contract negotiations – is prompting swift pushback from some in the City Council.

We hear reaction to the news that CPS CEO Pedro Martinez may be on his way out the door. Attorney Ben Crump is working with Sonya Massey’s family on a police reform bill named after her. Illinois Democrats are using new enthusiasm for Kamala Harris to get people excited about the rest of the ticket.

Dozens of Springfield-area residents are calling for an overhaul of the Sangamon County Sheriff’s office a little over a month after Sonya Massey was shot and killed by a former sheriffs’ deputy. Just five days from the start of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, protesters are still still fighting for more space to demonstrate. Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration is laying the groundwork to push out Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez.

The Salt Shed hosted thousands of amateur vocalists last week for an event they called “World’s Largest Karaoke.”“We’re taking some liberties with that title, but we had more than 8,000 people RSVP,” said Mary McKeen, who works on alternative programming at the Salt Shed.McKeen said a little more than 3,000 people showed up at the outdoor event, which was co-hosted by the Empty Bottle. “We were thinking about what we can do together,” said Empty Bottle managing partner Matt Ciarleglio. “Obviously we want to do something music-centric, but something weird and unique and fun that we can kind of break down the genre barriers that music sometimes has. And karaoke seemed like the best thing to do.”In this episode, Rundown podcast producer Justin Bull points a microphone around during the event, talking to performers, hopeful singers and the folks that made this happen.

Springfield community members are urging the Sangamon county board to reform the sheriff’s department. Pro-Palestinian protesters are appealing a decision that denies extending the parade route near the United Center to just one mile in length during next week’s Democratic National Convention. Democratic National Convention organizers have surpassed their goals for hiring minority or women owned businesses.

Chicago police Superintendent Larry Snelling says the police department is prepared to keep neighborhoods safe throughout the Democratic National Convention next week. Six Save-A-Lot grocery stores could reopen across Chicago’s South and West sides this fall after months of delays. Former Illinois Auditor General Bill Holland died this weekend at his home in Seattle.

The head of the Chicago Police Department talks DNC preparedness. Longest-serving Illinois Auditor General Bill Holland dies at 72. A city hotline meant to assist Chicago’s homeless population has been down for over a month… more on what’s causing the stoppage.

A promise from Republican governors to flood Chicago with buses of asylum seekers ahead of the Democratic National Convention has not yet materialized. A federal judge has ordered that most of the people incarcerated at Stateville prison near Joliet be moved to other prisons by the end of next month. Five University of Chicago students have received diplomas that were withheld due to their involvement in pro-Palestinian encampments.

There’s an exhibit on the Near South Side focusing on South Asian artists who have come through and thrived in Chicago. It’s called “What is Seen and Unseen: Mapping South Asian American Art in Chicago.” In this episode, Rundown podcast host Erin Allen talks to curator Shelly Bahl about some of her favorite things that she learned and brought forth into the exhibit.“I’ve always been fascinated by the things that are left out of art history,” Bahl said. “It’s these things to me that really matter.”The exhibit is open through October 26 at the South Asia Institute.  

The City of Chicago has not seen an influx of migrants as Republican governors promised. The city is still working out plans for residents impacted by DNC security restrictions near the United Center. Free vaccinations were administered at the Market Days festival this weekend.

Local and state transportation officials showcased a proposed overhaul of DuSable Lake Shore Drive at the final open house of the “Redefine the Drive” project. A new report shows alarming trends in maternal and infant health on Chicago’s South and West Sides. Chicago’s crosstown classic kicks off this evening.

Godly the Ruler is a Nigerian-born, Chicago-raised musician with an “emo-alternative sound,” one that’s “reminiscent of the early-to-mid-2000s,” according to Vocalo’s Nudia Hernandez, who interviewed the artist ahead of their set at Lollapalooza last weekend.“Charting is in the future for them,” Hernandez said on The Rundown podcast. In this episode, Godly the Ruler, a.k.a. Godwin Oke, talks about playing the festival for the first time and growing up in Chicago. They also offer some advice for other local artists who might be thinking they need to leave the city. “I don't want people to think that you have to leave Chicago to like, become the artist you want to be or whatever,” they said. “You can do that here. People should realize that more. You can do that in Chicago.”

Jewish groups say they’re concerned about protests turning violent during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago later this month. The Sun-Times reported this week that the CTA hasn’t installed a single elevator in five years. The Illinois State Fair is offering gluten-free and vegan food options this year.

A wealthy suburban family backed out on its promise to help hundreds of Chicago students pay for college just weeks before the fall semester, and now some former scholarship program staff are stepping in to help. Illinois residents can now apply for mail ballots for the November presidential election. The Illinois State Fair is underway in Springfield – and some top officials are urging you to try it.

Tributes to Chicago police officer Ella French on the third anniversary of her death in the line of duty. Illinois has a new set of laws on the books protecting reproductive rights. Chicago residents who live near the United Center had an opportunity to ask Chicago leaders about the upcoming Democratic National Convention taking place in their neighborhood.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Lieutenant Gov. Juliana Stratton want the Sangamon County Sheriff to resign. Cook County officials are announcing plans to build a new health center on Chicago’s South Side. The premier of the Chicago Bears’ Hard Knocks documentary proved a treat for fans of football and gymnastics.

Rundown host Erin Allen guides us through a first person account of a fateful day in Chicago history: August 8, 2004, when a celebrity tour bus dumped human waste on an unsuspecting architecture tour boat. Hear from two people who were on the scene: Brett McNeil explains what it was like to be on the boat, including the crowd’s transition from “stunned silence” to “pandemonium.” Angela Rozas O'Toole explains the aftermath, and where this story sits in the Chicago pantheon of stories.

Delegates for the Democratic Party in Illinois say they are excited by Kamala Harris’ VP pick. Friends and family of Sonya Massey gather outside her home Tuesday night for a vigil. It will now be easier for people to get an Illinois state ID upon leaving jail or prison.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he’s excited his friend Tim Walz, a fellow midwestern Democratic governor, is the party’s vice presidential nominee. The Illinois State Board of Education is launching an ad campaign to recruit more teachers statewide. The U.S. Women's Soccer Team – which features two players from the Chicago Red Stars – has secured a spot in the gold medal match at the Paris Olympics.

It’s getting down to the wire for a federal judge to decide exactly where demonstrators can march near the United Center for the Democratic National Convention. Details on how the DNC is promoting Chicago’s neighborhoods to get visitors to explore beyond downtown. Some prominent Illinois Republicans are working to get Kamala Harris elected president.

Three activist groups are still negotiating with the City of Chicago on exactly where they can march near the United Center, just two weeks before the start of the Democratic National Convention. Chicago’s Damen Green Line station is up and running at Damen Ave. and Lake St. more than seven years after the project was first announced. After their loss on Sunday the Chicago White Sox have extended their franchise record losing streak to 20 games.

What started as Trisha Prabhu’s science fair project at Naperville’s Scullen Middle School eventually turned into a finalist at the Google Science Fair, a small business, a deal winner on Shark Tank, and most recently, a winner of a $100,000 grant via The Lonely Hearts Club Funding Challenge. Her company is called ReThink, a “nonintrusive, patented technology that effectively detects and stops online hate before the damage is done.”“I want to try and think about how we can tackle cyberbullying before it happens,” Prabhu said on The Rundown podcast. Prabhu talked to host Erin Allen about her personal experience with cyberbullying and how she hopes young people can employ that age-old advice from our elders – “think before you speak” – but fit it into a very contemporary medium: the internet. 

Illinois tax revenues off to a good start so far, a new firearm safety storage program at dozens of healthcare facilities

The Chicago Office of Police Accountability is investigating a police officer who was caught on video punching and pointing a gun at a man during an arrest. Venezuelans in Chicago are organizing a vigil tonight as tensions escalate back home in the aftermath of President Nicolas Maduro’s self-proclaimed re-election. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says his administration has spent 83% of the city's COVID relief funds.

adan diaz is a 20-year-old Mexican-American singer from Northlake, just outside of Chicago, and he made his Lollapalooza debut the first night of the music festival, just a year after attending the event for the first time.Ahead of his performance, he talked with Vocalo’s Nudia Hernandez about how surreal it was to be on the stage, especially during a prime time slot.“I told the band, just be ready to get there early,” diaz said. “And then I saw the slot, and we literally emailed back like, ‘Is this a mistake?’”Learn more about diaz on his Instagram.