WBEZ News

Chicago disco-funk artist Ric Wilson has a personal style inspired by vintage, disco and his international travels. 
 
 He’s toured with such acts as Chromeo [crow-ME-oh] and the Black Pumas. 
 
 Wilson is gearing up to release a new EP this year. But first he sat down with our sister station Vocalo for their Getting Dressed series.
 
 HOST: LABUZ

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson told Congress today [WED] that the city’s sanctuary status helps reduce crime – not exacerbate it. REPORTERS: Tessa Weinberg and Mariah Woelfel; HOST: Clare Lane

As movie and TV production season kicks into high gear, City Hall has fewer ambassadors to seal future deals. REPORTER: Courtney Kueppers; HOST: Mary Dixon

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson plans to keep it cool, calm and collected at what’s expected to be an aggressive Congressional hearing on the city’s sanctuary status. REPORTERS: Tessa Weinberg and Mariah Woelfel; HOST: Mary Dixon

We talk to a legal scholar about how local universities are -- and should be -- responding to Trump's attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion. REPORTER: Lisa Kurian Philip; HOST: Melba Lara

President Donald Trump is ending the temporary protected status or TPS for Venezuelans soon.
 
 That program has allowed them to work legally and shielded them from deportation.
 
 Now, many Venezuelans in Chicago are trying to figure out a plan for what’s next. REPORTER: Adriana Cardona-Maguigad; HOST: Mary Dixon

A haunting new exhibit is bringing contemporary art inside an old Chicago mansion. REPORTER: Courtney Kueppers; HOST: Melba Lara

The man accused in the Highland Park 4th of July mass shooting shocked the northern suburbs today (MON) by pleading guilty to murdering seven people and attempting to kill dozens more. REPORTER: Anna Savchenko; HOST: Melba Lara

Rica Arepa opened a third location just last year. A young couple owns the restaurants and now employs 24 people. But business is way down because President Trump has made many Venezuelans scared to eat out. The owners themselves could face deportation as soon as September. If their business collapses, the impact will extend far beyond their family. REPORTER: Chip Mitchell; HOST: Mary Dixon

A Plainfield man has been found guilty of stabbing his Palestinian American tenant and killing her 6-year-old son in what authorities have called a hate crime. REPORTER: Anna Savchenko; HOST: Clare Lane

The U.S. Constitution gives federal law authority over conflicting state law, but state lawmakers have some means to push back. REPORTER: Mawa Iqbal; HOST: Mary Dixon

Guitarist Tom Morello is known for his work with Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, but he’s taking on a new venture now… in the theater. REPORTER: Noah Jennings; HOST: Lisa Labuz

Chicago’s new school board will confront some big questions over the next month. REPORTER: Sarah Karp; HOST: Clare Lane

The story of a single mom who has been struggling to find an affordable place to live is emblematic of a growing rental affordability crisis outlined in a WBEZ data analysis. REPORTER: Amy Qin; HOST: Mary Dixon

The teenage winner of a local juried art show talks about what inspires her today, from Instagram art to anime. REPORTER: Cianna Greaves; HOST: Mary Dixon

It’s been more than two weeks since Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago paused gender care surgeries. Now families are speaking out about what it all means for their lives. REPORTER: Kristen Schorsch; HOST: Mary Dixon

We’ll preview some of the key races on the ballot in tomorrow’s primary elections in the Chicago suburbs. Reporter: Violet Miller; Host: Melba Lara

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries shares his plan to save American democracy. Reporter: Mary Dixon; Host: Mary Dixon

A letter from the U-S Department of Education is threatening programs for diverse college students across the Chicago area.
 
 But higher education experts say it is not legal.
 
 They’re calling on universities to stand up for their efforts to be inclusive to all students.
 
 WBEZ’s Lisa Kurian Philip reports.
 
 HOST: DIXON

A judge has temporarily blocked the Trump Administration’s efforts to shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. To discuss how closing that agency could affect Illinoisans – and what can be done locally – WBEZ’s Esther Yoon-Ji Kang sits down with Horacio Mendez. He leads the Woodstock Institute, which is an organization focused on consumer financial protection. HOST: LANE

If you're tired of spending hours mindlessly scrolling through your smartphone…you may want to try your hand at crafting. 
 
 Classes and workshops where people can learn to create are growing in popularity as Chicagoans look for ways to avoid phone fatigue and meet new people. 
 
 WBEZ’s arts and culture team has put together a beginner's guide to crafting in Chicago. 
 
 Digital producer Esther Bergdahl spoke with our Lisa Labuz about why now is a great time to consider crafting. 
 HOST: DIXON

Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker formally made his pitch for the next state budget in his annual address to state lawmakers today.
 
 Joining us now to talk about the budget plan is WBEZ statehouse reporter Alex Degman.
 HOST: LANE

He and the state legislature have a big task – tackling a multi-billion dollar deficit before the end of this fiscal year while trying to find enough money to pay for critical needs and services.
 
 WBEZ’s Alex Degman talked with Ralph Martire, executive director of the non-profit Center for Tax and Budget Accountability.
 That was Ralph Martire, executive director of the non-profit Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, speaking with WBEZ’s Alex Degman. HOST: LARA

A judge has temporarily blocked the Trump Administration’s efforts to shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 
 
 To discuss how closing that agency could affect Illinoisans – and what can be done locally – WBEZ’s Esther Yoon-Ji Kang sits down with Horacio Mendez.
 
 He leads the Woodstock Institute, which is an organization focused on consumer financial protection. 
 HOST: LANE

In the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020, Black-owned businesses across the country saw a big bump in support from consumers.
 
 But some local Black-owned businesses say that support has since tapered off, which – when mixed with the impacts of COVID and inflation – has left them struggling.
 
 One of those businesses is Underground Bookstore in Chicago’s Calumet Heights neighborhood. 
 
 The small shop has its regulars who spend the day reading all the books their hearts desire, but it’s been on the verge of closing on several occasions.
 
 Sun-Times reporter Mariah Rush and WBEZ producer Noah Jennings visited the store to hear from its 30-plus-year owner Yoel Ahmechshadye on 2020’s impact.
 HOST: LANE

And those changes have some Chicago theater and dance groups scrambling.
 
 WBEZ theater reporter Mike Davis talked to some arts leaders around town. He joins us. 
 HOST: DIXON

Frida Kahlo’s image has been circulated through pop culture … but telling the true story of her life and pain meant playwright and actor Vanessa Severo needed to look inward. 
 
 Severo wrote and stars in "Frida …A Self Portrait," a play about the renowned Mexican painter. 
 
 It’s being performed at Writer’s Theater in north suburban Glencoe.
 
 WBEZ’s Araceli Gomez-Aldana spoke to Severo about what it takes to get into a character she feels a kinship with. 
 HOST: DIXON

Higher education is one of the most effective ways to prevent people in prison from returning. 
 
 Yet just seven out of Illinois’ 26 prisons provide access to college classes.
 
 Legislation to restore state financial aid for incarcerated students could change that – and prove especially crucial if federal funding is pulled. 
 
 WBEZ’s Lisa Kurian Philip reports.
 HOST: DIXON

The five Great Lakes represent the largest freshwater ecosystem in the world.
 
 They’re also a source of drinking water for about 10 percent of the country’s population.
 
 But one of the largest initiatives that supports conservation efforts across the Great Lakes and the seven states it borders may be at risk. That comes as the Trump administration looks to cut climate and environmental justice programs.
 
 I’m joined now by WBEZ climate reporter Juanpablo Ramirez- Franco to break down what this means.
 HOST: LANE

Now that the jury has made its decision on the fate of ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan – they are free to discuss their role in his historic corruption trial.
 
 WBEZ’s Dave McKinney brings us the story of Timothy Nessner – the jury foreman who signed off on Madigan’s landmark guilty verdict.
 Chicago Sun-Times reporter Emmanuel Camarillo contributed to this report.
 
 HOST: LANE

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan was found guilty of wire fraud and bribery. 
 
 But they also found him not guilty on other charges – and couldn’t agree on a verdict on the remaining.
 
 WBEZ’s Illinois politics reporter Dave McKinney has covered this trial from start to finish. 
 
 He joins me now.
 HOST: LARA

Harold Pinter’s classic drama Betrayal is a love triangle told in reverse. 
 
 It opens this month in Chicago at the Goodman Theatre.
 
 In a twist on the staging, the play stars three actors in their 50s and 60s, including Oscar winner Helen Hunt. 
 
 WBEZ’s Mike Davis has more. HOST: DIXON

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan left the courthouse smiling even though a federal jury found him guilty of conspiracy, bribery, and wire fraud.
 
 WBEZ’s Dave McKinney reports.
 HOST: DIXON

Some pandemic trends came and went. 
 
 But here’s one that stuck: Japanese comics known as manga [MAHN-guh], and the animated series they’re often adapted into. 
 
 WBEZ’s Anna Savchenko tells us why the art forms are so popular, and how they are helping young people make connections in a digital world. 
 HOST: DIXON

When babies and toddlers are not meeting developmental milestones or are disabled, they are supposed to get free in-home visits from a professional.
 
 It is a critical time that can change their trajectory. 
 
 But in Illinois, too many children are falling through the cracks, especially post-pandemic.
 
 WBEZ’s Sarah Karp explains. 
 HOST: LABUZ

The Trump administration has been making sweeping changes to staffing across the federal government, including at the Environmental Protection Agency.
 
 Last week more than 160 employees who work on environmental justice issues at the EPA were put on paid administrative leave. 
 
 This includes staff in the Chicago office, which oversees most of the Midwest and the Great Lakes.
 
 Chicago Sun Times reporter Brett Chase joins me now to discuss some of the changes at EPA and how that might affect some programs in the region
 HOST: LANE

My Brightest Diamond and the Chicago-based sextet Eighth Blackbird are two Midwest musical projects that defy categorization. 
 
 This week, they join forces at the Athenaeum Center [ATH-uh-NAY-um] in Lake View for a concert…about love. 
 
 WBEZ contributor Hannah Edgar reports. HOST: DIXON

Four years ago, Governor JB Pritzker signed landmark climate legislation.
 
 It committed Illinois to some of the most ambitious climate goals in the Midwest - from putting more electric vehicles on the road to phasing out fossil fuels by 2050. 
 
 But Illinois is not meeting its goals to make that deadline.
 
 WBEZ’s climate change reporter… Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco has the story.
 HOST: DIXON

Changes to federal transportation funding being pushed by President Donald Trump’s administration could be devastating to Illinois transit.
 
 That’s according to reporting by the Sun-Times David Struett.
 
 He reports, the new head of the U.S. Department of Transportation is ordering his department to prioritize communities with higher marriage and birth rates.
 
 That could put Illinois nearly last in line for federal transit funding.
 
 David joins me now to explain.
 
 HOST: PUENTE

President Trump’s administration is suing Chicago, Cook County and Illinois officials over so-called sanctuary policies.
 
 The Justice Department is claiming in federal court that officials including Mayor Brandon Johnson, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Governor JB Pritzker are interfering with immigration enforcement.
 
 WBEZ’s Chip Mitchell has been talking with legal experts about the suit and its prospects. He joins us now.
 
 HOST: LARA

Singer-songwriter Neko Case is a singular voice in music. 
 
 Across 11 albums, she has crafted a canon of songs that are sharp, haunting and vulnerable. 
 
 Case has written a new memoir titled “The Harder I Fight, the More I Love You.” 
 
 In it, she talks openly about her isolated childhood and the long journey of becoming a musician — including her formative Chicago years. 
 
 She joined WBEZ’s Lisa Labuz to discuss the ups and downs of her time in the music industry.
 HOST: DIXON

For many immigrants in the Chicago area, the fear of being detained by law enforcement is already affecting their health. 
 
 Hundreds of immigrants are skipping appointments and leaving prescriptions at the pharmacy since Republican President Donald Trump returned to office.
 
 WBEZ’s Kristen Schorsch takes you inside a free clinic to show you the chilling effect.

An ornately displayed tooth at the Art Institute of Chicago was thought to have belonged to Saint John the Baptist.
 
 But that’s not the case. Researchers at Oxford University concluded that the tooth in question is from a different time and could not belong to the prophet. 
 
 Chicago Sun Times reporter Robert Herguth did some digging on this revelation and shared his findings with WBEZ host Lisa Labuz.
 HOST: DIXON

Students with undocumented parents are weighing whether or not to fill out the FAFSA, the free application for federal student aid. 
 
 Submitting the form unlocks help paying for college…
 
 But it requires sharing detailed personal information about their parents. 
 
 And there are heightened concerns over what the Trump administration might do with this information.
 
 WBEZ’s Lisa Kurian Philip reports. 
 HOST: DIXON

President Donald Trump is touting the arrests of thousands of immigrants who he says are dangerous criminals who must be deported.
 
 But Chicago attorneys say the reality on the ground is different 
 
 They say agents are picking up innocent immigrants…often without the required warrant. 
 
 WBEZ immigration reporter Adriana Cardona Maguigad has more….
 HOST: DIXON

The Chicago pizzeria Spacca Napoli has been a fixture of the Ravenswood neighborhood for nearly 20 years. 
 
 Recently, it was recognized by Chicago’s culinary community as the best pizza in town. 
 
 Just days after accepting the prize, its owner Jonathan Goldsmith prepared to undergo surgery to remove stomach cancer. 
 
 WBEZ Courtney Kueppers visited Goldsmith the day before his operation. 
 HOST: DIXON

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson will spend the next few months chipping away at progressive policies on the environment, public safety, and hemp regulation. 
 
 That’s according to a first look at Johnson’s legislative calendar for the first quarter of this year.
 
 But the policy agenda does NOT include any big or new revenue streams Johnson has been promising. 
 
 WBEZ’s Tessa Weinberg reports. 
 HOST: DIXON

How does music speak to times of crisis? University of Chicago professor Steve Rings posed the question to clarinetist Stephen Williamson, violinist Danny Jin, and cellist John Sharp of the Chicago Symphony. In response, they perform Olivier Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time with pianist Umi Garrett at 3 p.m. this Sunday at the University of Chicago’s Mandel Hall. WBEZ contributor Hannah Edgar reports.
 HOST: LANE

Thursday, Sean Harden will preside as president over the first monthly meeting of the new partly-elected Chicago Board of Education. 
 
 It’s a turbulent time. The teachers contract is unresolved, a budget crisis is looming, the federal government is wreaking havoc and the head of the school district will be terminated in June. 
 
 WBEZ’s Sarah Karp sat down with Harden, a relative unknown, to learn more about him and his plans. 
 HOST: LARA

The federal racketeering conspiracy case against former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and co-defendant Michael McClain is now in the jury’s hands.
 
 Federal prosecutors aggressively made their closing arguments today (WED) - even giving the ex-speaker a nickname – Mike “Milquetoast” Madigan.
 
 Here to take us inside the intense courtroom scene is WBEZ’s Illinois politics reporter Dave McKinney.
 HOST: LARA