WBEZ News

Alongside the Chicago Sun-Times, we’re gathering your questions about all things money and finances.
 
 Then each week, we bring you answers from the people who know best.
 
 This week, we got this question from Linda in suburban Oak Forest.
 
 She says: "In October 2025 my IRA will be free of early withdrawal penalties. I had $50-thousand dollars in there for 10 years and only earned $13-thousand dollars. I felt I was used by my financial adviser and do not want him to advise me of what to do with the money now. But I don't know what I want to do with it. CD ladders? High interest savings account?"
 
 To help find the right next steps for Linda, we called up an expert.
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Congress has signed off on the Trump administration’s plan to claw back $9 billion dollars in previously allocated funds. 
 
 That includes 1-billion dollars in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which supports NPR, PBS and their member stations – including WBEZ.
 
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Chicago-based housewares company YouCopia is facing steep financial pressure due to higher tariffs on imports from China. 
 
 Lauren Greenwood is president of YouCopia. She joins us now to discuss what this has meant for her business. 
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Chicago dance and variety production The Fly Honey Show is hosting its grand finale this month with a series of performances. Co-founder Erin Kilmurray sat down with Vocalo to discuss the creative side of a grand finale. HOST: DIXON

Federal drinking water rules require public officials across the country to tell customers when their homes are connected to lead pipes. Of the 10 cities with the most lead service lines, only Chicago has confirmed it has not finished sending out notices. As of last week, and 8 months past a federal deadline, the city has only notified 7 percent of impacted Chicagoans. Lead is a toxic metal. Exposure is linked to developmental delays and behavioral issues. HOST: DIXON

Alongside the Chicago Sun-Times, we’re gathering your questions about all things money and finances.
 
 Then each week, we bring you answers from the people who know best.
 
 This week, we got this question from Sheri in Skokie.
 
 She asks: “I’m recently retired and want to move my money out of my 403b because they don’t offer many sustainable options for investing. What’s your advice on where to place my IRA - With great options for sustainability without many/any fees?”
 
 To find out, we called up an expert
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Secondhand store owners in Chicago say they’re seeing a significant increase in shoppers.
 
 That could be driven by higher prices in the wake of President Trump’s trade war. 
 
 Shoppers are also considering the environmental impact of shopping secondhand. 
 
 Sun-Times contributor Olivia Dimmer joins us now to tell us more about what she found after speaking with secondhand and consignment shop owners *and* customers.
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The Color Purple is coming to Chicago. The musical version of the 1982 Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Alice Walker, will be on stage at the Goodman for the first time. 
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Alongside the Chicago Sun-Times, we’re gathering your questions about all things money and finances.
 
 This week, we got this question from Ben in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood.
 
 He asks: “How do people move from short-term savings, plus a 401k, to mid-term savings for unclear goals? I'd like to start investing toward a house beyond a normal savings account, and I'm not sure where to start.”
 
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This is WBEZ. The “World’s Largest Karaoke” party returns to Chicago this evening for a second year. The event, hosted by the Salt Shed on the Near North Side, features thousands of aspiring amateur vocalists.
 
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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson made headlines recently when he issued the first veto by a mayor in nearly 20 years, on an ordinance to create snap curfews for kids. 
 
 But a look at Chicago’s long list of historic vetoes reveals the power wasn’t always such a novelty. 
 
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In Illinois, Medicaid is a lifeline for one in four people who are low income or have a disability.
 
 This public program pays for everything from seniors in nursing homes to mothers and their newborns. 
 
 It also pays for children who are dependent on medical technology to live at home instead of in an institution.
 
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A bill that could help bring pilot programs for overdose prevention sites to Illinois didn’t pass during the recent legislative session.
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Senate Republicans in Washington have been hashing out the details of a major legislative package.
 
 President Trump’s proposed tax cuts and spending priorities could mean big changes for Illinois – including large cuts to people on Medicaid and food stamps.
 
 Here to tell us about what this bill could mean for folks here is Tina Sfondeles – the national politics reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times.
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The officer who officials say accidentally shot and killed his partner earlier this month had more than a dozen misconduct complaints against him in just three-and-a-half years on the force.
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Chicago has more lead service lines than any place in the country. 
 
 Although the dangerous lead pipes were banned in 1986, the city laid down a significant number before the ban took effect. 
 
 A recent federal rule mandated that water systems across the country finish replacing all their lead pipes in about two decades. 
 
 But an investigation by WBEZ, Grist and Inside Climate News found Chicago’s plan could take 30 years longer.
 
 Here to tell us more is Keerti Gopal from Inside Climate News and WBEZ’s Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco.
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The Chicago band Daisychain is having a big summer with the release of their debut album – “All in a Name” and heading out on tour.
 
 To make the album, the band teamed up with a producer who is a veteran of projects with Prince, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Tool.
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For nearly 50 years, Links Hall has been a cornerstone of Chicago’s dance scene. After this weekend, it will close for good. 
 
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Hundreds of police personnel, friends and family gathered to pay their respects to Officer Krystal Rivera today at her funeral. 
 
 Rivera lost her life earlier this month when her own partner accidentally shot her during a foot chase, police say. 
 
 WBEZ’s Anna Savchenko reports from the Living Word Christian Center in Forest Park. 
 
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The Trump administration is looking to defund the Legal Services Corporation. 
 
 That organization allocates federal money to non-profit legal providers. 
 
 Cuts to its budget could mean less legal representation for victims of domestic violence and veterans.
 
 HOST: DIXON

The Trump administration is looking to defund the Legal Services Corporation. 
 
 That organization allocates federal money to non-profit legal providers. 
 
 Cuts to its budget could mean less legal representation for victims of domestic violence and veterans.
 
 HOST: DIXON

Juan Hernandez was just a teenager when he went away to prison.
 
 He was in his 30s before he earned his high school diploma.
 
 To get there, he had to fight through wait lists, denials and administrative barriers.
 
 And he’s not the only one. 
 
 In Illinois, thousands of men and women have been unable to access education in prison because of the length of their sentence.
 
 Reporter Charlotte West from Open Campus brings you Juan’s story.
 
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Actor Amy Morton is instantly recognizable, even if you don't know her name. She plays Sergeant Trudy Platt in NBC’s Chicago P.D., and she’s been in a lot of movies. After eight years away, Morton is returning to her creative home at Steppenwolf Theatre to perform in the play You Will Get Sick.
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For some people, this month’s Pride celebrations come with mixed feelings. President Donald Trump has issued a series of executive orders targeting transgender and non-binary people.
 
 He’s also ramped up his aggressive mass deportation campaign.
 
 So for transgender migrants seeking asylum in the United States, life has become even more dangerous and unpredictable.
 
 WBEZ’s Adriana Cardona Maguigad met up with a transgender woman from Venezuela who's facing that uncertainty. HOST: DIXON

Since his election as the first American Pope, Pope Leo The Fourteenth has been public about his Chicago roots.
 
 But less is known about his political views – particularly when it comes to local issues.
 
 Well we now have a glimpse into what the pope thinks about one major Illinois law passed nearly 15 years ago.
 
 HOST: LARA

Alongside the Chicago Sun-Times, we’re gathering your questions about all things money and finances.
 
 Then each week, we bring you answers from the people who know best.
 
 This week, we got this question from Todd in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood:
 
 He says, “The biggest scam is the lack of security of so many organizations we use on a daily basis. How can we really protect our information?”
 HOST: LANE

Illinois lawmakers are trying to rein in a new way to pay for college and training programs. 
 
 They’re called income share agreements, or ISA’s: a student gets the cost of tuition paid in exchange for a cut of their future income. 
 
 Supporters say they can be a good alternative to high-interest private loans.
 
 But critics liken them to indentured servitude.
 
 HOST: LANE

Starting Saturday, all outdoor public pools in Chicago will be open every day this summer for the first time since before the pandemic. 
 
 But the pools will close before summer ends … when the city can be hit with extreme heat. 
 
 It’s been a slow climb back to a seven-day schedule for the Chicago Park District. 
 
 Chicago Sun-Times reporters Brett Chase and Lauren FitzPatrick analyzed the pool schedules in recent years and also looked at the role pools play in offering relief from the heat.
 
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Earlier this year, PBS premiered a new documentary about the world-renowned chef Edna Lewis. 
 
 A local screening at the University of Chicago revealed how much Lewis has influenced Chicago’s Black chefs. 
 
 HOST: LANE

Juan Hernandez was a teenager when he was sentenced to prison. He was 32 when he finally completed his high school education.

Vacant offices across Chicago’s downtown are being converted to apartments. 
 
 Developers and city officials hope the conversions will transform downtown into a full-fledged neighborhood.
 
 Here to catch us up on this is Abby Miller, who covers real estate development for the Chicago Sun Times. 
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Dozens of Chicago skaters, unicyclers, and rollerbladers have been spending some Thursday nights grooving …. in an old TJ Maxx. 
 The next South Loop “Skate Rave” will take place this Thursday. 
 WBEZ contributor Anita Li brings us this report from a recent skate.
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The federal Head Start program for low-income children has been under attack by the Trump administration.
 
 Funding is uncertain under the president’s proposed Year One budget.
 
 This includes money to nurture the littlest learners — infants and toddlers up to three years old.
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A sea of protesters took over downtown streets on Saturday afternoon for Chicago’s No Kings protest against the Trump administration. 
 
 Tens of thousands of people participated in the peaceful event.
 
 They all expressed different reasons for being there. 
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Alongside the Chicago Sun-Times, we’re gathering your questions about all things money and finances.
 
 Then each week, we bring you answers from the people who know best.
 
 This week, we got a question from John in Rogers Park.
 HOST: DIXON

Prisoncast 6/6

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Prisoncast 1/6

When kids pass through the school house doors they are supposed to feel safe and welcomed.
 
 That’s not what happened to one Black girl at a mostly white Chicago public school.
 
 Her story played out as the district has struggled to tackle a rising number of complaints of racism and other forms of discrimination.
 
 WBEZ’s Sarah Karp tells us how the girl’s mother is responding.
 HOST: LARA

Approximately ten percent of babies nationwide are born prematurely and some families end up in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or NIC-U.
 
 But as complications and emergencies arise during birth … for the non-birthing parent, there isn’t much support. 
 
 WBEZ’s Araceli Gomez-Aldana reports on a local dad’s group that is hoping to change the misconception about what dads want and need during the birth process. 
 HOST: DIXON

Governor J-B Pritzker is on Capitol Hill today testifying on behalf of Illinois’ sanctuary law before a Congressional oversight committee. 
 
 The Democratic billionaire has retained a powerful D-C lawyer to prepare for what’s going to be a high-profile appearance.
 
 Chicago Sun Times reporter Tina Sfondeles is there.
 
 She says Pritzker – who is seen as a potential Presidential candidate in 20-28 – can’t afford any missteps. 
 
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Just in time for summer, Chicago’s home for so-called “outsider art” has reopened after a multi- million-dollar renovation and expansion. 
 
 WBEZ’s Courtney Kueppers took a trip to the newly reimagined Intuit Art Museum in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood and has this story. HOST: DIXON

President Donald Trump has stripped many immigrants of the temporary protections that have allowed them to live and work legally in the United States.
 
 Now, many immigrants from countries like Haiti and Venezuela have a tough decision to make: live in the U.S. illegally and risk deportation, or go back to countries that continue to face political unrest and violence. 
 
 WBEZ’s Adriana Cardona Maguigad has the story of one teacher facing that tough choice. HOST: DIXON

Chicago attracted more than 55 million visitors last year (2024). 
 
 That was up almost 7 (6.5) percent from the year before ... but it's still behind the city's pre-pandemic levels. 
 
 Kristen Reynolds – the new president and CEO of Choose Chicago – spoke with WBEZ host Clare Lane about this summer’s inbound travel forecast. 
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Chicago homicide numbers keep heading down.
 
 So far this year, the city has recorded nearly 30 percent fewer murders than during the same period last year.
 
 And the city’s so-called safety gap has narrowed.
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A new book reclaims the narrative of Dr. Edith Farnsworth, the Plano patron of Mies van der Rohe. HOST: DIXON

The decade-long criminal pursuit of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan finally comes down to this.
 
 On Friday, a man once regarded as the state’s most powerful politician will be sentenced for multiple corruption convictions.
 
 If Madigan gets a long prison term, could his next step be to seek relief from President Trump?
 HOST: MELBA

Alongside the Chicago Sun-Times, we’re gathering your questions about all things money and finances.
 
 Then each week, we bring you answers from the people who know best.
 
 This week, we heard from Dan in Irving Park, who recently got scammed.
 HOST: DIXON