WBEZ News

It’s a growing trend across Chicago… dozens of people lining up outside local bakeries before they open.
 
 Several city bakeries are going viral online, but the response from customers at times can be overwhelming for these businesses.
 
 WBEZ contributor Maggie Hennessy braved some of these long lines and is here now to share how it went.
 HOST: LABUZ

We hear from Melissa Bell, CEO of Chicago Public Media, on how the Trump executive order targeting NPR funding will impact WBEZ. HOST: Melba Lara; REPORTER: Noah Jennings

A Glock handgun stolen from a Chicago police gun buyback was used in several violent crimes. HOST: Lisa Labuz; REPORTERS: Tom Schuba and Patrick Smith

Sister Helen Prejean, the famed anti-death penalty activist and author of 'Dead Man Walking,' visits a book club at Cook County Jail. HOST: Melba Lara; REPORTER: Lisa Kurian Philip

The play, At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen, tells the story of a drag performer in rural Georgia who dies of complications from HIV. HOST: Mary Dixon; REPORTER: Mike Davis

Chicago’s City Council is grappling with how to address large gatherings of teens that can turn violent – also known as teen takeovers. HOST: Mary Dixon; REPORTER: Mariah Woelfel

Chicago musician Dreamer Isioma conjures a unique sonic universe on the new album Star Crossed Lover. 
 
 Before setting off on a North American tour, the artist stopped by Vocalo’s studios to talk about the years-long project and their influences. 
 HOST: LARA

On his first day in office one-hundred days ago, President Donald Trump revoked the decades-old executive order that required federal agencies to incorporate environmental justice into their missions.
 
 It was the first step in Trump's mission to dismantle environmental justice programs across the country.
 
 Here to break down the local significance of some of Trump's environmental decisions in his first one-hundred days is WBEZ climate reporter Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco.
 HOST: LARA

It's National Poetry Month and we are highlighting some Chicago-area winners of the Pulitzer Center’s Fighting Words Poetry Contest. 
 
 
 It’s open to students in Kindergarten through 12th grade from around the world. It invites young people to write original poems, inspired by a news article.
 
 
 Piper Sobel is a freshman at Naperville Central High School. Her poem placed third last year in the Information and Artificial Intelligence category. Sobel was inspired by how AI cannot fully understand human emotions. She talked with WBEZ’s Araceli Gómez-Aldana.
 HOST: DIXON

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is speaking in New Hampshire this weekend.
 
 The dinner put on by New Hampshire Democrats is one in a series of events around the country Pritzker’s attending that are helping fuel speculation – will he run for Governor again? Run for president? Both? Neither?
 
 He’s still not saying – but these events could give us clues.
 
 WBEZ’s Alex Degman tells us more.
 HOST: LARA

These are uncertain times for non-profits. 
 
 Many rely on federal funding that’s being threatened by President Donald Trump.
 
 Kelly Anoe is president of the Legacy Foundation - which supports nonprofits in Northwest Indiana.
 
 She says the cuts are already having a negative impact on the region – but there is some hope.
 
 HOST: PUENTE

The perpetrator of one of the worst mass shootings in Illinois history will spend the rest of his life in prison.
 
 Robert Crimo the third was given seven life sentences for murdering seven people and wounding dozens more during the Highland Park 4th of July parade in 2022.
 
 That sentence was handed down this morning.
 
 WBEZ’s Anna Savchenko joins me from the Lake County courthouse in Waukegan.
 HOST: LARA

Expo Chicago is back at Navy Pier for its 12th edition. 
 
 The Midwest’s biggest art festival kicked off last night (THUR) with art from more than 36 countries on display. 
 
 WBEZ arts and culture reporter Courtney Kueppers was at opening night, and she joins me now. 
 HOST: DIXON

Illinois universities are quietly withdrawing from a fellowship aimed at diversifying the state’s college teaching force.
 
 Trump officials have threatened to sue campuses that take part. 
 
 Caught in the middle are students who have relied on the program to pursue PhDs and careers in higher education. 
 
 WBEZ’s Lisa Philip reports.
 
 HOST: LARA

The end of a political era is here.
 
 Five-term Democratic U.S. Senator Dick Durbin has decided he will not be seeking re-election next year.
 
 In an Illinois exclusive, Durbin spoke with WBEZ’s own Dave McKinney to break the news that is sure to set off a major contest to succeed him.
 HOST: LARA

A new book that catalogs soul music in Illinois from 1960 to 1990 has hit the shelves.
 
 Put together by local record label The Numero Group, “Soul Music of Illinois” features over 700 pages of soul artists, albums and labels that came from Illinois.
 
 Here to talk about how this book came to be is WBEZ contributor Tal Rosenberg.
 
 HOST: LARA

The Chicago quartet Third Coast Percussion has worked with everyone from classical music legend Philip Glass to dancemaker Twyla Tharp. 
 
 To celebrate their 20th anniversary, the group made a new album called Standard Stoppages that features several prominent composers.
 
 WBEZ arts reporter Courtney Kueppers recently sat down with Third Coast’s David Skidmore to walk through the project … Starting with a track by the electronic musician, JLin 
 HOST: DIXON

Since taking office, Dick Durbin will go down as one of the state’s most influential congressional figures.
 
 But the Illinois Democrat was also a master of the floor-speech zinger.
 
 Now that Durbin has announced his retirement, WBEZ’s Dave McKinney looks back at some of the senator’s more memorable stem-winders.
 HOST: DIXON

Stand-up comedian, director, host, and former Hyde Park resident W. Kamau Bell is back on the road and back in Chicago. 
 
 The Emmy-Award winner is bringing his new stand-up show, Who’s With Me?, to the Den Theater in Wicker Park this Friday and Saturday. 
 
 His show uses comedy to address this moment in history - and like his other work, he’s not shying away from politics.
 HOST: LABUZ

Lawndale Christian Legal Center offers an alternative to prison and helped Shaq Wilson rebuild his life. Now, a new West Side building will support 20 men. HOST: Lisa Labuz; REPORTER: Esther Yoon-Ji Kang

It’s National Black Maternal Health Week – a period dedicated to raising awareness about the disparities in Black Maternal Health. 
 
 Black women are TWO times more likely to experience a pregnancy-related death in Illinois compared to white women.
 
 The infant mortality rate among infants born to Black women is nearly three times that of infants born to white, Hispanic and Asian women. 
 
 WBEZ’s Araceli Gomez-Aldana brings us the story of one Black soon-to-be mother who is navigating the gaps in care in Chicago.
 HOST: LARA

Pope Francis has died at age 88.
 
 In the coming days he will be laid to rest, but after that the College of Cardinals will gather to determine who will be the next pope, in a process called the “conclave.”
 
 Here to explain the next steps, and share some of the Chicago connections, is Sun-Times reporter Lauren FitzPatrick.
 
 HOST: LARA

The state of Illinois says close to 40 percent of people released from prison in Illinois return within three years.
 
 But one Chicago man went through a program 14 years ago that he says kept him out of prison.
 
 Shaq Wilson’s success is part of the reason the program is now expanding. 
 
 WBEZ’s Esther Yoon-Ji Kang has his story from Chicago’s West Side.

Chicago drummer Gustavo Cortiñas has always tackled big topics in his music. 
 
 Just in time for Earth Day, he has a new album. It’s called “The Crisis Knows No Borders.” On it, he confronts the issue of climate change. 
 
 WBEZ contributor Hannah Edgar reports.
 
 HOST: DIXON

The reason we have not been able to solve the gun violence crisis in Chicago and across the country is because we have been fundamentally misunderstanding the problem.
 
 That’s according to a new book by University of Chicago economist Jens Ludwig (yens LUD-wig).
 
 He talked with the Sun-Times’ Andy Grimm about what really drives most shootings and what we could do to prevent them.
 HOST: DIXON

The Chicago Blackhawks and Bulls both saw their seasons come to an end this week, with both teams missing the playoffs yet again.
 
 WBEZ producer Noah Jennings sat down with sports contributor Cheryl Raye-Stout to break down how their seasons went, and look at what the future holds.
 That was WBEZ sports contributor Cheryl Raye-Stout speaking with afternoon producer Noah Jennings.
 HOST: PUENTE

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch has taken campaign money from individuals and interest groups that could benefit from his decision-making in Springfield — including contributions from lobbyists, businesses and unions.
 
 The Hillside Democrat also has a charity that’s gotten backing from some of the same interests, though with less transparency regarding who his charity has gotten its money from, records show.
 
 Welch helped launch Black Excellence in Bleu last year as a tax-exempt 501(c)(4) not-for-profit organization. HOST: PUENTE

A Chicago woman from Venezuela says her partner was deported to a maximum security prison in El Salvador. 
 
 She recognized him in a video shared on social media that showed the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, on a tour of the prison. 
 
 Last month the Trump administration flew more than 230 migrants to El Salvador. The government claims the men are gang members and a threat to national security.
 
 WBEZ’s Adriana Cardona Maguigad joins me now to tell us more about this case.
 HOST: DIXON/LABUZ

It's National Poetry Month and we are highlighting some Chicago-area winners of the Pulitzer Center’s Fighting Words Poetry Contest. 
 
 
 That contest is open to students in Kindergarten through 12th grade from around the world. It invites young people to write original poems, inspired by a news article.
 
 
 Fiona Jin is a senior at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire. Her poem was a finalist in this contest in 2023. 
 HOST: DIXON

A nearly three-year surge in Chicago robberies is over.
 
 That’s according to a WBEZ analysis of city crime data.
 
 Our reporter, Chip Mitchell, crunched the numbers and joins us now.
 HOST: LARA

The Trump administration has terminated the legal immigration status of more than 1000 international students in recent days.
 
 That’s according to the national publication, Inside Higher Ed.
 
 Students at multiple universities across Illinois have been affected. 
 
 It’s leaving educators unsure of who is going to be targeted next and how to protect them. 
 WBEZ’s Lisa Kurian Philip reports. HOST: DIXON

A new series from the Sun-Times is examining random attacks in downtown Chicago involving suspects with histories of severe mental illness.
 
 Stephanie Zimmermann is one of the reporters behind the series and she joins me now to share some of her findings.
 
 HOST: LARA

If you’re frustrated with the growing number of restaurants requiring a deposit to make a reservation, you may want to direct your ire to your fellow diners. 
 
 Fed up with careless cancellations, restaurant owners are blowing the whistle on bad restaurant reservation etiquette. 
 
 Food and Drink contributor Maggie Hennessy spoke with WBEZ host Lisa Labuz about how restaurants are cracking down on flaky diners.

Ever since President Trump announced his Liberation Day tariffs, Chicago's small businesses have been trying to figure out what to do next.
 
 WBEZ’s Esther Yoon-Ji Kang has the story of two local business owners who are stocking up... and trying to stay optimistic despite all the uncertainty. 
 HOST: DIXON

The Trump administration has abruptly ended $175 million in federal grants by the National Endowment for the Humanities. 
 
 This cut in funding will have ripple effects for programs across the country. 
 
 WBEZ Arts and Cultures reporter Mike Davis joins me to discuss what this means for Illinois. 
 
 HOST: LABUZ

The band Free Range started as a bedroom project of Chicago musicians Sofia Jensen and Jack Henry. 
 
 The band just released its sophomore album, Lost & Found. The album showcases confident songwriting and a fully-formed sound from a group on the rise. 
 
 Jensen and Henry sat down with WBEZ arts contributor Andrew Meriwether to talk about three highlights from the album. 
 HOST: DIXON

The sixth and final promised Save-A-Lot store has opened in Chicago’s West Lawn neighborhood. We’ll bring you up to speed on the years-long process to open the stores, and discuss what comes next. HOST: Melba Lara; REPORTER: Noah Jennings

Chicago is among many US cities facing a decline in tourism from Canada. 
 
 Travel companies in Canada are reporting massive losses in revenues as bookings to U-S cities drop off. 
 
 Joining me now with more details is Al Qanun, the owner of Toronto-based coach operator Comfort Tour Canada. 
 
 HOST: DIXON Producer: Cianna Greaves

Academy Award-nominated winning actor Michael Shannon is making his directorial debut with his highly anticipated movie Eric La Rue … the story follows a mother trying to cope in the aftermath of devastating violence. 
 
 The film, like Shannon, has roots in Chicago’s storefront theater scene. 
 
 WBEZ Arts and Culture reporter Courtney Kueppers spoke with WBEZ’s Lisa Labuz about the film. 
 HOST: DIXON

At the University of Illinois Chicago, students who grew up speaking Spanish can take classes to learn how to read and write in the language — and how to use it on the job. 
 
 But the courses are at risk under a new plan by administrators to cut costs.
 
 W-B-E-Z’s Lisa Kurian Philip reports.
 HOST: DIXON

A Chicago gynecologist is in the East African nation of Uganda [you-GAHN-duh] on a Fulbright Scholarship. 
 
 It’s a longstanding international exchange program that connects Americans to the world.
 
 
 
 Now the doctor is seeing firsthand how the president’s efforts to slash government spending are changing how the world sees Americans. 
 
 The doctor reached out to WBEZ’s Anna Savchenko.
 
 HOST: DIXON

Over the last two decades, Chicago police have taken in 35 thousand weapons at gun buybacks. And sometimes, the guns taken into police possession… go missing. HOST: Melba Lara; REPORTERS: Casey Toner and Tom Schuba

A new study finds that Illinois homeowners on average paid almost $1,000 more on their home insurance in 2024 than they did three years ago. We’ll break down the numbers. HOST: CLARE LANE; REPORTER: NOAH JENNINGS

Twenty years ago, when many of Chicago’s public housing apartments were being torn down after years of neglect, some former residents rallied to preserve one building.
 
 That eventually became the National Public Housing Museum. Its exhibits span decades and cover cities across the U-S.
 
 The museum opens its doors tomorrow (Fri).
 
 While people in Chicago might be familiar with the disinvestment, decaying buildings, and gang violence in the projects - the museum tells a different story about public housing.
 
 Its mission is to highlight the voices of the residents and the sense of community that many experienced.
 
 WBEZ’s Esther Yoon-Ji Kang brings us some of their stories. 
 HOST: DIXON

Chicago finished the first quarter of the year with 96 murders.
 
 That’s down more than 15 percent from the first three months of last year.
 
 New Orleans-based data analyst Jeff Asher closely follows crime numbers in Chicago and other U.S. cities.
 
 He spoke with WBEZ’s Chip Mitchell.
 HOST: DIXON

It now moves to a group of 700-plus elected CTU representatives who will decide whether to recommend that all members ratify it.
 
 CTU President Stacy Davis Gates said it's a big contract, tackling a range of issues from pay to class size to sports to housing for students. 
 WBEZ’s Sarah Karp reports.
 HOST: DIXON

An exhibit at the Field Museum explores Chicago’s African fashion scene through clothing inspired by objects in the museum's collections. 
 
 Connecting Threads: Africa Fashion in Chicago highlights the work of local designers and the stories that inspire them.
 
 WBEZ producer Cianna Greaves spoke to Ghanaian-born designer Jennifer Akese-Burney – one of the artists featured in the exhibit – about the growing popularity of African designs 
 HOST: DIXON

A new book from former Chicago Sun-Times reporter Thomas Maier explores the life of America’s first World War 2 spy.
 
 Ernest Cuneo was a former NFL player turned secret agent.
 
 In the book the “The Invisible Spy”, Maier (mayer) writes about a cross-country trip Cuneo (KHOO-nee-yo) took with James Bond author Ian Fleming.
 
 Including a stop here in Chicago.
 
 An excerpt from the book is in today’s Sun-Times. 
 
 Thomas Maier joins me now.
 HOST: PUENTE

Illinois prisons punish people who get convicted of crimes.
 
 But the state Constitution says criminal penalties should also be “restoring” them to “useful citizenship.” 
 
 WBEZ’s Prisoncast project asked hundreds of folks locked up in Illinois how they think about rehabilitation in prison.
 
 We partnered with incarcerated journalists, who interviewed other men inside the Kewanee Life Skills Reentry Center about what’s helped them rehabilitate while they’re locked up.
 HOST: PUENTE

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