The Rundown | Chicago News

A former downstate cop has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for murdering an unarmed Black woman in her Springfield-area home. Sean Grayson, who is white, fatally shot Sonya Massey in 2024. The Chicago City Council recently passed an ordinance to ban the sale of some hemp-derived products. Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced a campaign to address the dangers of some micromobility vehicles, such as electric bikes and scooters.
 
 Plus, the International Puppet Theater Festival descends upon Chicago every January. This year, the Chicago group Manual Cinema is putting on its production “The Fourth Witch,” which puts a twist on Macbeth.

The group National Nurses United is hosting a candlelight vigil and a rally in Chicago in honor of Alex Pretti, who was shot and killed by federal agents over the weekend in Minneapolis. Pretti was also a nurse at a VA hospital. The state of Illinois is teaming up with a Chicago-based charity to operate the first statewide abortion fund. Second-term Chicago Alderperson Byron Sigcho-Lopez is seeking a spot on the fall ballot for the 4th Congressional District.
 
 Plus, In a west suburban school district, an administrator heard that two of her former students were collateral victims of President Donald Trump’s Chicago-area deportation drive. So, she tried to help.

Elected officials in Minneapolis are warning Chicagoans they should be ready for increased violence and surveillance tactics by federal agents if the city sees another deportation blitz. Chicago's 2026 festival and event lineup is out now, with events starting in May with the Maxwell Street Market and continuing through the end of the year. Bulls forward Matas Buzelis has again been chosen as an NBA Rising Star. 
 
 Plus, three Democrats vying to become Illinois’ next U.S. senator shared a stage in Chicago Monday night. It was the first face-to-face debate between U.S. Reps. Robin Kelly, Raja Krishnamoorthi, and Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton.

The Chicago law firm representing Renee Nicole Good's family has released a statement on the killing of another Minneapolis resident by federal immigration agents over the weekend. Three frontrunners in the Democratic primary election for retiring U.S. Senator Dick Durbin’s seat are sharing a debate stage Monday night at the University of Chicago’s International House. Many of Chicago’s top chefs and restaurateurs gathered Sunday night for the annual Banchet Awards. 
 
 Plus, 40 years ago today, the Chicago Bears won their first and only Super Bowl, permanently cementing the legacy of the ’85 Bears.

A federal judge ruled Friday that President Donald Trump’s administration must keep federal funds flowing to child care subsidies and other social service programs in Illinois and four other Democratic-controlled states. The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights is calling for ICE to end its operations everywhere. The Chicago shelter Harmony House for Cats is hosting its first tuxedo cat soirée Friday night at Burning Bush Brewery in the city’s North Center neighborhood.
 
 Plus, a federal jury called Juan Espinoza Martinez “not guilty” on Thursday. Espinoza Martinez was accused of offering $10,000 for the murder of U.S. Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino in one of the most contentious cases tied to “Operation Midway Blitz.”

The Illinois Department of Human Rights has filed a housing discrimination charge and is investigating the landlord of the South Shore apartment building raided last year by immigration agents. An extreme cold warning will go into effect Thursday night for the Chicago area, with windchills expected to reach 35 degrees below zero in the early morning hours on Friday. The Chicago Public Library announced the grand opening of Legler Regional Library’s food pantry.
 
 Plus, how Operation Midway Blitz has interrupted the plans for one Chicago couple who got arrested and detained last October — just 8 days after getting married.

Federal prosecutors have rested their case against Juan Espinoza Martinez, the Chicago man accused of offering $10,000 for the murder of U.S. Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino. Cook County officials worry more people will get sick as they’re pushed out of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program with eligibility requirements changing on February 1st. Chicago is preparing to host UNESCO’s International Jazz Day in April. 
 
 Plus, more than 170,000 Illinois residents are behind on their student loan payments. People are at risk of having their wages garnished now that the Trump administration plans to restart collections on federal loans in default.

A new report explores what’s behind ongoing enrollment decreases in Chicago Public Schools. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin is denouncing President Trump’s threats to annex Greenland and throwing support to Danish sovereignty. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul says his office has filed more than 50 lawsuits and more than 100 amicus briefs during the first year of President Trump’s second term.
 
 Plus, in January of 1966, Martin Luther King Jr. moved into an apartment in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood with his family. Sixty years later, local playwright Willie Round has written about this pivotal time in King’s fight for fair housing, education and employment in his new play “Lawndale King.”

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has changed his tune on who needs to pay off the remaining debt from the Soldier Field renovation 23 years ago. Former Vice President Kamala Harris spoke at the 40th Annual Interfaith Breakfast in Chicago. Divisions emerged over Gaza in the race for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District.
 
 Plus, the Chicago Bears are entering the second round of the playoffs, and fans aren’t leaving anything to chance. During last weekend’s matchup against the Green Bay Packers, fans shared their superstitions and game-day rituals they rely on.

Child care workers rallied outside the Trump Tower in Chicago’s River North neighborhood to condemn the federal funding freeze for child care programs. The final day to enroll in a federal Affordable Care Act health insurance plan is January 15, but the Illinois state-run marketplace has extended its deadline to the end of the month. Chicago is unveiling a first-of-its-kind support center on the South Side for women returning from incarceration. 
 
 Plus, the Trump administration is using a legal shortcut to make it easier to cut down trees in national forests. Illinois’ Shawnee National Forest, the state’s only national forest, is an early battleground against the increasingly popular tactic to fast track timber sales across the country.

The Supreme Court is allowing a downstate Republican Congressman to sue Illinois for the way it counts mail-in ballots. The U.S. House has passed a spending package to cut $125 million from lead pipe replacement funding. The city of Chicago is set to pay nearly $1 million to settle another police misconduct lawsuit stemming from 2020 protests against the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. 
 Plus, a new exhibit at the Chicago History Museum documents a long tradition of resistance in Chicago's Latino communities. The exhibit is called Aqui en Chicago, and it’s the result of a protest organized by local high school students six years ago.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker says he’s been in meetings with Bears leadership recently about the possibility of keeping the Bears in Illinois as the team mulls a move to Northwest Indiana. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says a teen curfew ordinance set for a vote next week is more “thoughtful” than the one he vetoed last year. The National Weather Service says an extended system of wintry weather could result in several back-to-back opportunities for snowfall. 
 
 Plus, 2026 will bring several big names to Chicago stages. And while Chicago always has a constant hum of performances, there are some big tickets on the horizon.

The state of Illinois has extended the open enrollment deadline for people who buy health insurance through the state-run marketplace to January 31st. Independent bookstore owners in Chicago are sounding the alarm as chain bookseller Barnes & Noble brings its nationwide expansion to the city. Some owners say it’s taking business away from smaller bookstores. A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore nearly $12 million in funding to the Itasca-based American Academy of Pediatrics.
 
 Plus, Soldier Field was in a frenzy Saturday night after the Chicago Bears’ comeback NFC Wild Card win over the Green Bay Packers. Before the game, we caught up with a Bears superfan who’s known as Bear Man.

Illinois could lose $1 billion in federal funding for childcare and other social services, and Attorney General Kwame Raoul is in court with four other Democratic-led states trying to fight the latest funding freeze. Last November, the Trump administration released pending guidance for the Clean Water Act, and the EPA’s impact analysis found that more than 80% of the country’s wetlands would no longer be protected. The Chicago Bears will kick off their NFL post season on Saturday against the Green Bay Packers.
 
 Plus, Wednesday's shooting of an unarmed Minneapolis woman by an immigration enforcement agent is reverberating across the country. The shooting resembles two shootings during the Chicago area’s deportation campaign this past fall.

Illinois U.S. Representative Robin Kelly has announced she intends to file articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shot a woman Wednesday in Minneapolis. Kelly alleges Noem has turned ICE into a rogue force that violates the constitution and tears families apart. A Cook County father is suing Roblox, accusing the popular gaming platform of failing to protect his 9-year-old son from sexual exploitation. Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love says he’s ready to face the Chicago Bears this Saturday after three weeks away to recover from a concussion. 
 
 Plus, the Carl Sandburg poem “Chicago” has been a beloved local anthem for more than a century, but the poem is making the rounds again after a federal judge read it aloud in a court ruling amid the Trump administration’s deportation campaign in the city.

Mayor Brandon Johnson touted figures that show in 2025, fatal shootings were at the lowest level since 1965. Shooting incidents actually dropped by 34 percent from the previous year. For the second year in a row, Chicago Public Schools’ watchdog found a high-profile basketball team fielded players that were fraudulently enrolled in the school. Retiring U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky is endorsing a candidate in the wide-open primary campaign to nominate a potential successor.
 
 Plus, a large mural hung above the main bar for decades at the now-shuttered Berlin nightclub in the Lakeview neighborhood on Chicago's North Side. The artist reflects on the story of how the mural came to be.

Workers at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood are demanding safer practices in providing emergency care. SEIU Healthcare Illinois says workers are unhappy that the hospital understaffs its emergency rooms, resulting in high wait times for patients with urgent needs. The Chicago Bears look to snatch their first playoff win in 15 years when they face the Green Bay Packers on Saturday. The Grant Park Music Festival announced its season lineup, which has a strong focus on American composers.
 
 Plus, New Year's resolutions are in full swing, and many people have committed to Dry January or year-round sobriety. A 2024 Gallup survey shows alcohol consumption is at its lowest point in almost 90 years in the U.S., and it’s leading to a boom in the non-alcoholic drink industry.

Some Illinois lawmakers are calling for accountability after the Trump administration's arrest of deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. A new Northwestern Medicine study found the highest rates of gestational diabetes in American Indian and Alaska Native groups. Chicago Bears Quarterback Williams got a franchise passing record, but he says his focus is on the upcoming playoffs.
 
 Plus, a family fled Ukraine to settle in Illinois, but are now being caught up in the Trump administration’s deportation blitz.

Homicides and opioid deaths dropped in Cook County in 2025, and the news comes as Chicago had its lowest number of homicides in 60 years. One new Illinois law that went into effect at the start of the new year will regulate how employers use artificial intelligence when hiring new workers. Melissa Nunez and Elizabeth Branske were chosen in a raffle out of nearly a thousand couples to receive Cook County’s first marriage license of 2026. 
 
 Plus, in the U.S., Black men who start college are up against a huge deficit of resources when it comes to finishing and getting their degree. In the majority-Black Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side, just one in four who make it to campus graduate within six years. Three generations of Black men with ties to Austin who have helped each other overcome this disparity.

We’re looking back at a story from earlier this month about the best Chicago albums of 2025. Our colleagues at our sister station Vocalo nominated their annual picks for the best in new Chicago music. Chicago has always been an eclectic music town where artists borrow from the city’s traditions of blues, jazz and soul. Some of this year’s best local albums blend the genres and even transcend them.

We’re revisiting a story from the WBEZ/Chicago Sun-Times arts and culture desk, in which our bookish colleagues share some of their favorite new books of 2025. Their recommendations range from a wide breadth of genres, including a novel that explores the complexities of friendship and family as well as a memoir detailing New York City nightlife in the '90s.

In a town full of foodies, Chicago pizzamaker Jonathan Goldsmith’s pies rise to the top at his restaurant, Spacca Napoli, located in Ravenswood on Chicago’s North Side. The eatery spent several years on the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand list and an Italian-based website ranked it among the best pizza in the world in 2023. 
 
 At the beginning of 2025, the restaurant was named the best pizza in town at the local Banchet Awards. Days later, Goldsmith underwent surgery for stomach cancer. As the year wraps up, we checked back in with Goldsmith to see how his recovery is going and took a look back at the restaurant’s journey.

This holiday season, the Evanston Symphony Orchestra hosted a new kind of concert. The so-called “barrier-free” performance was designed for people with disabilities and their loved ones. That includes accessible parking, an ASL interpreter and a sensory-free room where people could retreat if they got overwhelmed. About a hundred attendees of all ages poured into the performance at the Evanston Township High School Auditorium, where volunteers encouraged the audience to participate in a singalong performance and shake jingle bells.

Faith leaders were denied access to pray with detainees at the Broadview ICE facility today. Illinois is part of a multi-state coalition suing the Trump administration for targeting gender affirming care. A holiday-themed pop-up in Humboldt Park takes inspiration from a Puerto Rican Christmas tradition. And Jake Connelly, a 13-year-old from Arlington Heights, is the newest star of the hit Netflix series “Stranger Things." Plus, one Curious City listener wanted to know: What customs associated with Christmas are distinctly Chicago traditions? Well, Curious City goes behind the scenes of one long-time local tradition: "A Christmas Carol" at the Goodman Theatre.

Who is Gregory Bovino? 
 
 For months, the Border Patrol Commander-at-Large led agents through Chicago on an aggressive immigration enforcement campaign, while making sure his noticeably uncovered face was in front of as many cameras as possible.
 
 But there’s very little information online about Bovino’s background, his experience, or his rise to overnight prominence.
 
 So our team went digging – to his hometown in North Carolina, and to California where his Border Patrol career got started.
 
 In “Becoming Bovino,” Sun-Times investigative reporter Lauren FitzPatrick and WBEZ investigative reporter Dan Mihalopoulos sit down with WBEZ’s Patrick Smith to share what they found about Gregory Bovino – from his upbringing, to his efforts to keep himself in the limelight.

The Chicago Bears are the toast of the town after an overtime win Saturday against the Green Bay Packers. The Cook County Clerk’s office has selected the couple who will receive the county’s first marriage license of 2026. Operation North Pole is an annual holiday charity event for children with life-threatening illnesses. It returned for the first time since COVID.
 
 Plus, the biggest life expectancy gap between Chicago neighborhoods is 20 years, from West Garfield Park to the Loop. One of the solutions to closing this gap is playing out in Garfield Park.

The Chicago City Council has approved the revenue portion of a rival, aldermanic-led spending plan that does not include a corporate head tax as Mayor Brandon Johnson wanted. It still requires a second official vote to be fully adopted. The Trump administration said the Chicago Transit Authority’s new security plan “fails to meet the need for immediate, measurable corrective action” and threatened to withhold up to 50 million dollars from the agency. Chicago six-piece soul band Hollyy will play its fifth-annual holiday show at Thalia Hall. 
 
 Plus, a state panel documenting alleged abuses by federal immigration agents held its first meeting. The Illinois Accountability Commission plans to interview witnesses and review bystander videos on social media.

A state commission examining wrongdoing by federal agencies during the so-called “Operation Midway Blitz” is now taking testimony. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says he will do "whatever it takes" to avoid a government shutdown. A coalition of alders advanced a rival budget proposal, and the plan still needs a full council vote. The Chicago Bears will host arch-rivals the Green Bay Packers Saturday night. 
 
 Plus, fans of the novelist Jane Austen celebrated her 250th birthday through a Regency ball – complete with a string quartet, historical snacks, and dancers in gowns stitched from YouTube tutorials.

Chicago's Jewish community continues to mourn the victims of the mass shooting during a Hanukkah celebration in Australia. An Illinois state task force is investigating why violence against women and girls in Chicago is disproportionately high. Chicago officials are urging people to get their vaccines before gathering with friends and family for the holidays. 
 
 Plus, a school on Chicago’s southwest side has long had a club to support students without legal status and to raise money to help them go to college. But this year with immigration enforcement tearing families apart, the club has changed course.

U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino has returned to the Chicago area. Illinois might not be able to generate all the power it needs to meet future demand because coal-fired plants are shutting down and newer, cleaner sources aren’t coming online fast enough. The Chicago Blackhawks are playing in Toronto without star center Conor Bedard due to an upper-body injury.
 
 Plus, a Chicago theater company created its own holiday-inspired version of the “Real Housewives” reality television series: The Real Housewives of the North Pole.

Jewish leaders in Chicago are mourning the lives lost in Australia this weekend, but say they won’t live in fear as Hanukkah celebrations continue this week. Actor and film director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer, were killed in their Los Angeles home yesterday. Some anti-violence advocates want the Chicago Transit Authority to allow violence interruptors to patrol the transit system. Plus, the move-out deadline has passed for the last residents of a Chicago apartment building raided in the fall by federal immigration agents. A judge ordered the troubled South Shore building vacated by last Friday and appointed a manager to secure the property and help residents relocate. Tenants say that “help” was merely a check and a list of phone numbers to call. WBEZ's Esther Yoon-Ji Kang spent some time with one resident as he scrambled to figure out where he goes from here.

Patients in Illinois who are terminally ill will be able to request life-ending medication with a doctor’s prescription starting later next year. A proposed city-wide ban on the sale of hemp products now includes an exception for THC-infused beverages. The National Weather Service says snow is likely Saturday afternoon with evening wind chills near 20 below zero.
 
 Plus, We recently asked people in Illinois prisons this question: “If you could spend one afternoon on the outside with a family member or friend, where would you go and what would you do?" A man named Robert Jernigan wrote us saying he’d take his mother to her church, so he could play music and sing for her. For WBEZ’s statewide journalism project called Prisoncast!, producer and editor Robert Wildeboer packed up a keyboard and drove to Pinckneyville prison in Southern Illinois.

The city of Chicago says warming centers will be available this weekend as bitterly cold temperatures move in. A commission formed in honor of an unarmed Black woman murdered in her Springfield-area home last year has unveiled their 26 “calls to action.” Red Kettle donations for the Salvation Army are down in the Chicago area. 
 
 Plus, the new company that provides health care to nearly 30,000 people in Illinois state prisons has a disturbing track record. Centurion Health took over health care for the Illinois Department of Corrections this summer, after a multi-year deal with a different company fell through. Centurion already serves close to a dozen other state correctional systems – where it’s been accused of ignoring and misdiagnosing patients, leading to serious illness or death. Chicago Sun-Times reporter Kaitlin Washburn has been digging into lawsuits filed by incarcerated people. She sat down with Erin Allen - host of our Prisoncast program – to share what she found.

WBEZ lost power at our studios at Navy Pier today and will return to its usual programming schedule as soon as we can. A group of alderpersons who oppose Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s budget have introduced their own revenue package. Chicagoans can expect more snow going into the weekend.
 
 Plus, the widest “death gap” across neighborhoods of any big city in America is between the Loop and West Garfield Park on Chicago’s West Side. Between these seven stops on the Green Line, how long someone is expected to live plummets by 20 years. WBEZ’s Kristen Schorsch takes us to West Garfield Park where a mom and her son talk about what it’s like to live in the death gap and what they’re trying to do about it.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is revising his proposed and controversial corporate head tax in hopes of shaking a budget stalemate loose. Illinois Gov.JB Pritzker signed into law protections from what he called “unjust actions” taken by federal immigration agents. Top executives at the parent company of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois got hefty raises and multimillion bonuses last year despite a 54 percent drop in net income, according to Crain’s.
 
 Plus, the Chicago-rooted duo The Cool Kids built an impressive hip-hop career with seven albums across two decades and many collaborations. For the first time in three years, the Cool Kids have a new album. Chuck Inglish and Sir Michael Rocks sat down with WBEZ's sister station Vocalo and host Nudia Hernandez to talk about “Hi Top Fade.”

The prospect of a government shutdown over the city’s budget is growing bigger in the city of Chicago. Chicago voters will elect all 21 members of the school board next November but a new poll finds few realize this is happening. Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich celebrated Mass on Sunday in the chapel of Cook County Jail’s maximum-security division.
 
 Plus, December is Nutcracker season. Some local groups are presenting the classic holiday ballet with a twist.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s budget team said that an alternative budget proposal from 26 alders who oppose the mayor’s spending plan is based on faulty projections and regressive fines. Indiana state House lawmakers have passed a new congressional map that now advances to the state Senate, where it is unclear if enough lawmakers will support its final passage. Granite City Works will make steel again next year.
 
 Plus, from the 67-foot-tall Norway spruce in Millennium Park to a dizzying number of “Christmas Carol” variations, Chicago’s most festive season has arrived. WBEZ’s Courtney Kueppers rounded up the best Chicago festivities you can enjoy this holiday season and she joined WBEZ’s Clare Lane to talk about it.

The city of Chicago’s running tab for police misconduct settlements tied to disgraced former police commander Jon Burge grew by $15 million today. As Chicago plunges into extreme cold weather territory, medical professionals urge the public to pay attention to the signs of frostbite. Illinois Congressman Eric Sorensen is calling on Congress to vote soon to extend Obamacare subsidies to keep health care premiums from skyrocketing.
 
 Plus, with federal immigration enforcement bearing down on Chicago, many feared student attendance would plummet, especially in schools serving mostly Latino children. Yesterday we brought you the story of community members stepping up to help out parents who were too afraid to take their kids to school during that time. Today, WBEZ’s Amy Qin and Sarah Karp explain what this year’s attendance numbers really mean.

A majority of Chicago alderpersons are backing an alternate budget plan that would double residents’ garbage collection fee to avoid a new corporate head tax. The Historical Preservation Society of the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party will hold a candlelight vigil and dedication ceremony Wednesday. The Illinois Secretary of State has issued warnings to national rental car companies about federal immigration agents.
 
 Plus, many people feared student attendance at Chicago Public Schools would plummet as federal immigration enforcement escalated this fall. A new analysis by WBEZ shows overall attendance this fall is similar to last year. Chicago Public Schools has turned to the community to help it with the difficult task of getting children to school, when so many parents feel vulnerable outside their homes. WBEZ’s Sarah Karp has the story of one immigrant mother and how that help has made all the difference.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has signed a measure allowing the state to develop its own vaccine guidelines, independent of the federal government. Thousands of Illinoisans could face homelessness once new federal requirements kick in. Capacity has been increased at Christkindlmarket in the Loop.
 
 Plus, we’ll hear from a Chicago protester who says their dismissed charges show Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Gregory Bovino is dishonest.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory until midnight for the Chicago area and until 3 a.m. for northwest Indiana. Healthcare providers are concerned that federal funding cuts could undo some of the gains made against HIV and AIDS. Actor and director Robert Townsend returns to his native Chicago this weekend with a pop-up film and comedy festival. Plus, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and his wife MK recently paid Pope Leo the 14th a visit in Rome, presenting the Chicago-born pontiff with a few Illinois-themed gifts, including a drawing made by a woman incarcerated in a downstate prison. WBEZ’s Mawa Iqbal spoke with the woman on her piece, and how arts and crafts have impacted her life behind bars.

An early winter storm is moving through the Great Lakes region and bringing a chill to Chicago for Thanksgiving. A federal judge called out an immigration enforcement agent for using artificial intelligence to write the narrative of a use-of-force report. The Village of Oak Lawn has agreed to pay more than $800,000 to a man punched by a village police officer during a 2022 traffic stop.
 
 Plus, foot traffic is down in Chicago’s predominantly Latino shopping areas with many would-be customers scared off by Operation Midway Blitz. Although Immigration Customs and Enforcement has ramped down its presence in the area it’s unclear when the crowds will come back. WBEZ’s Michael Puente brings us a report on the state of Chicago’s Latino businesses.

O’Hare Airport is expected to have its busiest Thanksgiving travel season on record. Several state agencies say President Trump’s tariff policies are costing Illinoisans thousands of dollars more this year. HBO is premiering a new documentary tonight that looks at the making of the Super Bowl Shuffle.
 
 Plus, one way the federal government provides affordable housing is by subsidizing rent in buildings owned by private developers. That’s the case at one building complex on Chicago’s South Side, where wealthy out-of-state investors — one of them quite high profile — have collected millions of dollars in rent from the government. But some tenants say conditions there have become deplorable. WBEZ’s Amy Qin brings us that story.

A $5,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest in the shooting death of 14-year-old Armani Floyd Friday night in the loop. The Federal Aviation Administration expects this week’s Thanksgiving holiday travel period to be the busiest in 15 years. This holiday season a consumer watchdog group is warning parents about the rise of children's toys equipped with A-I chatbots.
 
 Plus, one year ago Vanessa Lopez found out her father was being sent back to Mexico after living most of his life in America. His forced departure left her feeling helpless and significantly changed her relationship with her dad. Vanessa wrote about her experience for the Chicago Sun-Times and brings us an audio essay.

A new report in the Sun-Times determines there's not enough affordable housing in many Chicago suburbs. A stretch of milder weather that starts this weekend will taper off after the Thanksgiving holiday. Chicago’s annual tree lighting ceremony is Friday night in Millennium Park.
 
 Plus, The Smashing Pumpkins released “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” 30 years ago. Now, frontman Billy Corgan is celebrating the double album with a symphonic version at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The final sound has been under close wraps. Courtney Kueppers has more on what audiences can expect.

The federal appeals court in Chicago is putting a short-term hold on a judge’s order that tried to release as many as 615 people detained by immigration authorities this year. Chicago’s transgender community and their allies are using this year’s Transgender Day of Remembrance to say “we’re not going anywhere.” Chicago State University just enrolled its largest freshman class in a decade.
 
 Plus, Chicago-area food pantries continue to experience higher need than normal. They’re grappling with issues like state and federal funding cuts, rising grocery prices and the upcoming holiday season. Sun-Times reporter Mariah Rush joined WBEZ’s Lisa Labuz to tell us how food pantries are managing.

Federal terrorism charges have been filed against a suspect who allegedly lit a woman on fire on a Blue Line train Monday night. Some local government leaders say the so-called ICE Free Zones they created during the feds’ immigration enforcement campaign are good tools to have. Governor JB Pritzker paid Pope Leo the 14th a visit in Rome Wednesday.
 
 Plus, Thanksgiving is the ultimate food holiday but some people don’t want to cook. Chicago chefs this year are leaning into options for dining in or picking up to go. Food contributor Ximena Beltran Quan Kiu wrote a story for the Chicago Sun-Times that looks at some more creative options. She joined host Lisa Labuz to talk about her reporting.

Just four people are currently being held in the controversial U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facility in west suburban Broadview, down from nearly 150 two weeks ago. The U.S. House has voted to admonish Democratic Illinois U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia for the way he announced his retirement. A new program allowing Illinois residents to store their driver’s license or state ID in their iPhone Wallet begins Wednesday.
 
 Plus, 150 U.S. Border Patrol agents who rattled Chicago for two months have moved on to North Carolina, but the Trump administration said its deportation blitz here is continuing. The Sun-Times reports a bigger Border Control group could be here by March. Some law enforcement experts say what they’ve seen so far — from tear gas to car chases — has been out of control. WBEZ’s Chip Mitchell brings us a report.

Suburban Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson has declared a civil emergency in the village. Starved Rock State Park will undergo an $18 million improvement project over the next year. The CTA holiday train starts running Black Friday.
 
 Plus, a key city council panel rejected Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s budget proposal today in a rare move, far ahead of the December 31st deadline to pass a plan. Critics say that sends a clear message to the mayor to go back to the drawing board. WBEZ City Hall reporter Mariah Woelfel explains the sticking points, including a controversial tax idea to charge large companies $21 per employee.

21 protesters have been arrested today outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facility in suburban Broadview. Advocates against domestic violence are applauding a move by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson to restore funding for services. 
 
 Plus, a conversation with Chicago theater director Robert Falls about his staging of “Amadeus” at Steppenwolf Theater.