The Rundown | Chicago News

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. 

The EPA issues a fuel waiver for four states including Illinois, the union suing the Illinois House Speaker responds to his attempt to dismiss the lawsuit, the Racial Healing Collaborative culminates with art installations in Bronzeville and Chinatown

Newly released 911 calls show the mother of Sonya Massey called police for help with her daughter less than 24 hours before Sonya was shot and killed by a sheriff’s deputy. A Chicago man with a long criminal record is being held in jail on charges that he murdered an off-duty sheriff’s deputy during an attempted robbery. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker may still be a contender to be Vice President Kamala Harris's running mate: a source tells the Sun-Times that Pritzker met virtually with Harris's vetting team twice this week.

Former President Donald Trump’s confrontational interview at the annual convention of the National Association of Black Journalists got mixed reviews. Several Black Chicagoans made their way downtown in hopes of greeting the former president. Plus, local indie artist Adan Diaz is set to perform next to big names in Chicago’s Lollapalooza festival.

Former President Donald Trump had a confrontational conversation with Black journalists in Chicago. Advocates say six more years under Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s unpopular regime could have a long-term impact on cities like Chicago. Lollapalooza kicks off Thursday – along with the threat of severe weather.

Jonathan “Jojo” Alsberry – known by some in the dance community as “the Kevin Bacon of dance” – is taking the reins this year as the lead choreographer of the finale of Dance For Life. The annual Chicago dance showcase features performances from several local companies, including Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater, Giordano Dance Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The Joffrey Ballet, Trinity Irish Dance Company and Visceral Dance Chicago.“I want the work to be a celebration of the beautiful, loving and diverse community that we have in Chicago around dance,” Alsberry said on the Rundown podcast. “There are many, many dance communities we have here and I want to celebrate that.” Dance for Life was originally created in the early 1990s as a fundraiser for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. Today, the organization that puts on the showcase – the Chicago Dance Health Fund – offers healthcare relief to anyone working in Chicago’s dance community.“A lot of people don’t realize that a lot of the dancers don’t have health insurance,” said Michael Anderson, vice president of the Chicago Dance Health Fund board of directors. “So being able to offer them mental health, or co-pays for their doctor visits, or a lead for dental, all those things are really important to keep them healthy or active.” Rundown podcast host Erin Allen sat down with Alsberry and Anderson to talk about this year’s Dance For Life and why the creative process is just as important – if not more so – than the final dance the audience sees.This year’s Dance For Life takes place Aug. 10 at the Auditorium Theater.

Former President Donald Trump will speak at the National Association of Black Journalists convention in Chicago on Wednesday. Many attendees aren’t happy about it. Civil rights leaders, who say the killing of Sonya Massey should prompt sweeping, national police reform. Illinois signs a law strengthening abortion protections the same day Iowa reduces abortion access.

Sonya Massey’s family will be on Chicago’s West Side tonight for a rally hosted by Black clergy leaders. The son of imprisoned Mexican drug kingpin El Chapo Guzman pleaded not guilty today in a Chicago courtroom. WBEZ data analysis shows the number of traffic stops made by the Chicago Police Department has gone down this year.

A listening session meant to heal relations between law enforcement and Black Springfield residents quickly devolved into a screaming match. Chicago police are pulling over fewer drivers than previous years, a new WBEZ data analysis shows. Illinoisans on Medicaid could soon get coverage for things like rental assistance and nutrition counseling.

The U.S. Department of Justice will be in Springfield tonight for a listening session on healing relations between law enforcement and Black communities following the shooting death of Sonya Massey by then-sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson. Insurance plans in Illinois will have to cover pregnancy, postpartum and newborn care from doulas and midwives as part of the state’s so-called “Birth Equity Initiative” signed into law today. The new CTA Damen Green Line station will open August 5th just in time for the Democratic National Convention.

The Sugar Hole is a walk-up, soft-serve ice cream window in Chicago’s Irving Park neighborhood, not exceptionally unique but for one significant factor: the staff are puppets.“That’s gonna be $10,” said Puddles, a blue alien, to his first two customers on a hot Saturday afternoon in July. “And I don’t have arms so can you put it between my eyeballs?”Josh Dihle and Abby Monroe are the husband and wife co-owners of both The Sugar Hole and Color Club, an adjacent arts and events space they opened in 2021. Dihle said they wanted to add some kind of walk-up food window for years, and the idea of staffing one with puppets was mostly inspired by their 2-year-old daughter's puppet-heavy toy bin."One day at dinner we were talking about like, 'Oh, well, The Sugar Hole, what if it was a little puppet hand that came out and took your change or took your money when you paid?' And then my wife Abby was like, 'Oh, well, maybe just: puppets should work there.' And I was like, 'Oh my God, you're right.'"On this episode of the Rundown podcast, host Erin Allen talked with several folks in and around The Sugar Hole – including Dihle, a few ice cream patrons, as well as puppets Puddles and Aurora Bearialis and their human operators Camille Mitchell and Emilie Wingate – to get a grasp of what a puppet ice cream shop is all about."For me personally, I get a big kick out of standing across the street and looking over and seeing this absurd thing occurring that grew out of literally a joke," Dihle added. "I like that moment where you can see something that had lived inside of your head literally abutting with reality, and that people are catching the ball and going with it."The Sugar Hole is open weekends from 3-8pm and is located at 4146 N. Elston Ave.

The U.S. DOJ is looking into the employment history of the police officer who shot and killed Sonya Massey, the Illinois hemp industry tries to work with Republicans and what to do if you see a black bear in Illinois

County officials in Springfield released the autopsy report of Sonya Massey, who was fatally shot by a sheriff’s deputy earlier this month. The autopsy report shows that 36-year-old Massey died from a gunshot wound under her left eye. Student groups in Chicago are reacting to Vice President Kamala Harris' sudden run for the presidential election. Chicago’s largest improv festival, iO Fest, continues this weekend.

Lori Branch, Lady D and VITIGRRL are the Good Girls, a Chicago DJ trio that’s “not good for girls, just good.”They talked to Vocalo’s Nudia Hernandez about their path to becoming DJs, creating the collective and their advice for the next generation.“You do have to find your community,” said Lady D. “You’ve got to find the people who are going to push you, who are going to support you, people who are going to say while you’re practicing, like ‘That didn’t sound good,’ and make you work harder for it.” 

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says the city is preparing for tens of thousands of migrants to arrive on short notice. Illinois celebrates a new quantum technology research campus on the southeast side of Chicago. Federal and local officials outline their security plan for next month’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Chicago officials vow street closures ahead of the Democratic National Convention will not upend daily life for residents. Chicago Public Schools is offering a glimmer of hope to magnet and selective enrollment students who need transportation to school. A new ad on social media and on TV is trying to inform people about Firearm Restraining Orders to help prevent gun suicides and other shootings.

Illinois’ Lieutenant Governor says JB Pritzker should be in the running for Vice President. A new report says crime rates in U.S. cities have returned to pre-pandemic levels. Southside Blooms, a non-profit Englewood flower shop that seeks to employ at-risk youth, has been tasked with making the DNCs floral arrangements.

Chicago Public School officials closed a $500 million budget deficit, in part, by counting on thousands of positions to be vacant for part or all of the school year. Illinois U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky boycotted today’s address by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Congress because of the ongoing crisis in Gaza. People who live in some south suburbs say any changes to public transportation in the region *must* include better accessibility.

DJ and producer Irwin “Chip E.” Eberhart says his contributions to the creation of the House music genre – alongside his crew of Kurt Landrum, Eric Taylor and Joe Smooth – often go unrecognized.“A lot of people make the assumption that House music just accidentally happened, but it didn't,” he told Rundown podcast host Erin Allen. “There was an existing House culture, but there was no genre of House until Kurt Landrum, Joe Smooth, Eric ET Taylor, and myself put together the Jack Trax EP.”“We intentionally created what we felt was a new type of music,” he added. “It’s not just dance music, it’s not just the evolution of disco, but it was an engineered sound. That’s why today, every single track on Jack Trax stands the test of time, because it is the blueprint.” On this episode, Chip E. talked about his early life in Chicago and his path into music production, the creation of the Jack Trax EP and the origins of House, and why he thinks his crew hasn’t gotten its proper due. He also talked about why he loves this genre of music ahead of his headlining performance at Wicker Park Fest on July 28.  

An attorney for Sonya Massey’s family says the U-S Department of Justice is now investigating her death. A new $7 billion dollar investment project is coming to the Near West Side. City officials are preparing for a surge of migrants arriving in Chicago ahead of the DNC.

An attorney for the family of Sonya Massey, a Black woman killed in Springfield by Sean Grayson, a white sheriff's deputy, said the U.S. Department of Justice is now investigating the shooting. Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker did not reject the idea of becoming Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate in his first public appearance since President Joe Biden dropped out of the race for president. More than 10,000 Cook County residents will receive property tax refunds.

Illinois Senator Dick Durbin is singing Governor J.B. Pritzker’s praises but stops short of a vice presidential endorsement. Despite the change at the top of the Democratic ticket – Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is vowing a smooth Democratic National Convention. Body camera footage of Springfield woman Sonya Massey’s death is sending shockwaves throughout the community.

Illinois U.S. Senator Dick Durbin is among several key Democrats to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for president. Voters in Northwest Indiana had mixed reactions to the news that Harris is President Joe Biden’s pick. President Biden’s decision to end his campaign could significantly alter next month’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

House music was born in Chicago 40 years ago. To celebrate the genre’s birthday, the city is celebrating with events all year long. Darlene Jackson – also known as DJ Lady D, who the Chicago Reader named “Best House Music DJ in Chicago” – is on the House Music 40 planning committee and is scheduled to spin some music at Wicker Park Fest July 28. “The roots of House come from disco,” she said on the Rundown podcast. “Frankie Knuckles actually popularized that statement, that House music is disco’s revenge.”Jackson talked to host Erin Allen about the attempted “demolition” of disco in Chicago and the rise of House music, the legend of late House DJ and record producer Frankie Knuckles, and why the genre is having a resurgence.

The majority of Illinois’ Democratic congressional delegation are backing Vice President Kamala Harris as the party’s presidential nominee this fall. Springfield community members are calling for change at a funeral for an unarmed woman shot by police earlier this month. The private foundation The Commonwealth Fund released a healthcare scorecard showing where Illinois excels and has room for improvement.

Cook County prosecutors are dropping the charges against four Northwestern educators who were charged with obstructing police during the pro-Palestinian encampment on the campus in April. Democratic Congressmen Sean Casten and Jesus “Chuy” Garcia are the newest members of Illinois’ congressional delegation to call on President Biden to end his reelection bid. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has come out against federal plans to expand a lakefront disposal site on the Southeast Side.

Oak Park-born musician Kara Jackson is taking the stage at Pitchfork Music Festival for the first time.Vocalo’s Nudia Hernandez spoke with her ahead of her performance, and asked her how she would describe her sound.“While the foundation feels like folk – and I really just write songs mostly with me and my guitar – I think there’s so many other influences that show themselves,” Jackson said. “I’ve loved jazz and R&B and all types of music, so I think those influences definitely bleed out in the music too.” Pitchfork named Jackson’s most recent album one of the 50 best of 2023. She takes the stage at the annual music festival on July 20. On today’s episode, we hear about her early life in Oak Park and her blooming career. 

Illinois Congressman Darin LaHood says the head of the Secret Service needs to resign immediately. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is in hot water with progressive organizers urging him to drop charges against them for a civil disobedience protest for Gaza in April. The state of Illinois is hoping to reduce climate change through capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Illinois Republican Congressman Mike Bost is joining the growing chorus of calls for the head of the Secret Service to either resign or be fired after the assassination attempt against Donald Trump. Northwestern University police arrested and charged four educators earlier this month for allegedly obstructing law enforcement during the pro-Palestinian campus encampment. Chicago-born actor and comedian Bob Newhart has died at age 94.

The Illinois GOP’s incoming chairwoman says it’s time to put aside differences and get to work. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is denying residents experiencing homelessness are being moved because of the DNC. Southeast Side environmentalists have a new report out about cumulative health impacts.

Residents of a shelter on the Magnificent Mile have been evicted to make room for occupants of a tent encampment being cleared ahead of the Democratic National Convention. Illinois’ House Republican leader is confident they’ll win back some seats in Springfield this year. The Chicago-set Hulu TV series “The Bear” received a record-breaking number of Emmy nominations this morning.

Major Taylor was both a world champion American cyclist who once held seven world sprint records and an activist who demanded equal treatment in the face of racist competitors and race organizers. Brenda Dixon, the president of the board for the Major Taylor Trail Keepers, puts Major Taylor on par with Jesse Owens, Arthur Ashe and other trailblazing American sports heroes who “stand on his shoulders without even realizing it.”“He was an activist before his time,” Dixon said of Taylor, who competed around the turn of the 20th century. “Everyone should know who he is.” A cycling and walking trail through Chicago’s South Side bears Major Taylor’s name, and this year’s annual celebration ride in his honor is scheduled for Sept. 7. In this episode, Dixon is joined by Keith Holt, a founding member of the Major Taylor Cycling Club Chicago and a pivotal part of the establishment of the Major Taylor Trail, to tell us Major Taylor’s story and the story of the community through which his trail passes. This episode was originally published on Aug. 16, 2023.

A former congressman from New York shares some tips on how to reach voters in larger cities. Mayor Brandon Johnson is expected to fill a long vacant leadership post in the City Council. Severe storms Monday night left behind severe damage as several tornadoes touch ground throughout the Chicagoland area.

An update on the latest WBEZ reporting from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Chicago’s Police Superintendent is talking up the city’s preparedness for next month’s Democratic National Convention in the wake of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump from a rooftop. Thousands of ComEd customers are still without power and a Northwest Indiana woman was killed during last night's severe weather.

As many as 10 tornadoes were reported in the Chicago area Monday night. Illinois Republicans are reacting to Former President Donald Trump’s selection of J.D. Vance as his running mate. Chicago alderpersons approved more than $11 million to settle allegations of gender and disability discrimination within the Chicago Fire Department.

Following the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, Illinois Republicans showed a united front as they arrived in Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention this week. Demonstrators who plan to march at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next month are prepared for tighter security following the attack on the former president. Some Chicago area schools are considering taking stricter measures to limit cell phone use in schools.

Artist David Lee Csicsko uses bright colors, a dash of cubism and a touch of folk art in his portraits of LGBTQ+ icons like Alvin Ailey, Freddie Mercury, Keith Haring, Josephine Baker, and more."[I'm] trying to sort of make that person as lively as I can make them so that you want to read about them," Csicsko said. "Because the further we get from those people, they can fade away, and I'm trying to keep them alive."An exhibit of Csicsko's work is open through July 27 at the Epiphany Center for the Arts, 201 S. Ashland Ave. It's called “Mr. Fancy Pants: A Celebration of LGBTQ+ Icons.” It features several decades-worth of art made by Csicsko, whose work you may have seen before, at the Belmont CTA station or even on your reusable Mariano's grocery bag. On today's episode, Csicsko tells Rundown podcast host Erin Allen about his young life in Hammond, Indiana, getting inspired as a kid at Chicago's free museums and how his work has evolved over time. "Getting my work out there, and the fact that almost anybody can enjoy it, that to me that's incredibly satisfying and a job I take very seriously," he said. 

Illinois Republicans are rallying around Donald Trump even more after Saturday’s assassination attempt as the RNC gets underway. Chicago hospitals are asking patients to be flexible during the Democratic National Convention next month. Illinois transit leaders are asking state lawmakers for more money.

Bally’s has announced it has secured the financing needed to complete the construction of its permanent Chicago casino and entertainment complex. The State of Illinois’ African Descent-Citizens Reparations Commission will hold its first public hearing Saturday. Rural homelessness is a growing issue nationwide.

Jeremiah Paprocki got his current gig as the voice of Wrigley Field when he was 21 years-old—but you probably wouldn’t guess it from his voice. Now, at 24, Paprocki is breaking into TV with his own late-night show, “Late Nights in Chicago.”
 
 “We really want this show to be as Chicago as possible,” Paprocki said. “We’re looking forward to highlighting the city.”
 
 He talked with Vocalo’s Nudia Hernandez about sports announcing and what inspired him to venture into late night.

The head of the DNC insists Biden is the nominee despite growing calls for him to step aside, Illinois Republicans are on the verge of choosing a new state party chair, and an iconic Chicago-based grocery chain celebrates 50 years

A north suburban congressman is the second congressional Democrat from Illinois to call for President Joe Biden to end his re-election bid. Chicago Public Schools says it has figured out how to close a $500 million budget deficit. Chicago and Illinois leaders are speaking out against the violence over the Fourth of July weekend.

Hollywood icon George Clooney has Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker on a shortlist of potential Democratic replacements for President Joe Biden. Chicago leaders are speaking out against the wave of violence this past Fourth of July weekend. The Ashland bus route could be extended a mile north later this summer.

Kroger and Albertsons have a list of nearly three dozen grocery stores in Illinois they plan to sell ahead of their planned merger. Chicago’s most marginalized students have almost no shot of getting into CPS’ top test-in high schools according to a WBEZ analysis of district data. Health insurance companies in Illinois have to start phasing out the practice of “step therapy,” where an insurer does not cover a treatment prescribed by a doctor until the patient first tries a less expensive option.

Anthony Spaulding was incarcerated at 16 years-old and spent 27 years in prison. When he got out in 2022, the world around him barely resembled the one he remembered. He, too, was a wholly different person than he’d been nearly three decades earlier. 
 
 “I don’t wanna say it was a blessing that I got locked up,” said Spaulding. “But it definitely gave me the time to sit down and reevaluate my life.” 
 
 He spent that time taking classes and developing as an artist under the mentorship of legendary artist Margaret Burroughs. Now, he’s working as a barber and performing his one-man show.
 
 In this episode, host Erin Allen talks to Spaulding about his experience of incarceration and his one-man show “To Cut a Barber’s Hands.”

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is renewing support for President Joe Biden’s re-election bid while also not ruling out his own potential White House run. The City of Chicago’s inspector general says the police department has every right to fire officers who have associated once with a far-right extremist group. Leaders of Pace, the CTA and Metra throw cold water on the idea of a merger.

The remnants of Hurricane Beryl are barreling into the Chicago area. Students at Larry’s Barber College on Chicago’s South Side spent time today learning how to identify and respond to opioid overdoses. White Sox ace pitcher Garrett Crochet will represent the South Siders at next week’s All-Star Game.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson wants more federal help to address gun violence. The city is taking an inventory of this weekend’s NASCAR race, and wondering whether the 4th of July weekend is the best time for it. Chicago tenants are helping each other stay cool with a free AC lending program, at least while supplies last.

A pair of for-profit colleges in the Chicago area have abruptly shut down. The nonprofit HEAL Palestine is working to bring Gazan children to Chicago and other U.S. cities for serious medical care. Invasive jumping worms are likely to begin turning up in your garden beds and making a mess.

Think your lemon meringue pie could win an amateur baking contest? Well, you can put your baking chops to the test at the annual Chicago’s Best Baker Competition on July 20 in Uptown. “Chicago has a lot of baking competitions for people who are professionals,” said Genesis Winter, who started this contest back in 2018. “And so I wanted to do something that was just, you know, [similar to] a county fair. Your mom who's in the kitchen and she makes an amazing cookie and she wants to go show off and get the blue ribbon. That's what we're going for.”Much like a county fair, winners go home with a ribbon and bragging rights. Non-baking attendees can taste what’s on offer in exchange for a donation to Cornerstone Community Outreach, a Chicago homeless shelter run by Winter’s husband, Andrew.In this episode, Rundown podcast host Erin Allen sat down with Winter and last year’s overall winner, Alia Zander (a.k.a. Chicago’s reigning amateur “best baker”) to talk about the origins of the contest and what it looks and feels like to enter (and win).