WBEZ News

Prosecutors are close to wrapping up their side of the story in the federal racketeering conspiracy trial of ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan and co-defendant Michael McClain.
 
 Some of the key pieces of evidence involve secretly-recorded conversations both had about a parcel of land in Chicago’s Chinatown. 
 
 The deal they were trying to make is an important snapshot of the bigger criminal enterprise the government says Madigan led.
 
 WBEZ’s Dave McKinney takes us there.
 HOST: DIXON

In a city with many theater companies, Chicago’s oldest Latino theater is one of a few groups performing shows in Spanish. 
 
 Aguijón [ah-ghee-HOHN] Theater is celebrating its 35th birthday with a Latin-Caribbean retelling of a Greek tragedy. 
 
 The production showcases Aguijón’s dedication to removing the language barrier for Spanish-speaking audiences *and* performers.
 
 WBEZ contributor Anita Li has the story.
 HOST: DIXON

Madigan and co-defendant Michael McClain is getting close to resting.
 
 After more than nine weeks, jurors have heard a litany of schemes from which Madigan allegedly profited both financially and politically.
 
 Here to tell us where this trial now stands is WBEZ’s Dave McKinney.
 
 Good afternoon, Dave. This trial began in early October, and you’ve been there every day. Bring us up to speed on where things are at right now.
 HOST: LARA

You’ve likely heard about how expensive college has gotten. 
 
 Maybe you’re putting a huge chunk of your paycheck towards student loan payments. 
 
 Or you’re wondering how you’ll afford to send your kids to college.
 
 What you may not know is the problem is especially bad here in Illinois.
 
 But now, a group of politicians and advocates in the state have a pretty revolutionary plan to change that. 
 
 WBEZ’s Lisa Kurian Philip breaks it down how it would work.
 HOST: DIXON

Chicago’s documentary scene has had a great year. 
 
 Local film festivals, like Doc TEN, drew big audiences. And Midwest movies won major awards. But will anyone get to see these films?
 
 WBEZ’s Mike Davis traced the path of one documentary. 
 
 HOST: DIXON

Add up the Nutcrackers and Scrooges alone, and you’ll get about a dozen. 
 
 WBEZ arts reporter Courtney Kueppers joined host Lisa Labuz to sort through the options
 HOST: DIXON

After months of work and warnings, Dec. 6 is the day that city officials pledged to clear Humboldt Park of all tents and homeless people.
 
 The vast park on the Near Northwest Side has been home to Chicago’s largest tent city.
 
 It's one of many encampments that have gone up in Chicago in recent years.
 
 Since summer, city officials and advocates have been connecting people there with housing.
 
 Now they say - housing or not - everyone sleeping at the park has got to go.
 
 WBEZ’s Chip Mitchell has been reporting on the encampment and joins me now from the Humboldt Park neighborhood.
 
 HOST: LANE

Basketball leagues for young Muslim girls are springing up around the Chicago area. 
 
 They’re encouraging more girls to get into sports while celebrating their Muslim identity. 
 
 WBEZ’s Anna Savchenko picks up this story from the sidelines. HOST: DIXON

Chicago is a sanctuary city — that means local law enforcement can’t collaborate with federal immigration officials when they try to enforce immigration laws, including deportations. 
 
 Illinois has a similar policy. 
 
 But there are limitations. 
 
 WBEZ’s immigration reporter Adriana Cardona Maguigad joins me to explain what sanctuary laws actually do and what they don’t do. 
 HOST: DIXON

Chicago has its flashy Loop theaters, but the city is also known for its gutsy neighborhood storefronts. 
 
 WBEZ’s Araceli Gomez-Aldana visited one in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood on the south side. 
 
 It’s where she discovered a show that connects to its audience through a sense of place. HOST: DIXON

Before Bridgerton’s string quartet renditions of pop songs, D-Composed was performing chamber music Beyoncé covers in Chicago.
 
 The Black chamber music collective rarely charges for tickets, and they want audience members to “come as you are.” That goes for the ensemble’s musicians, too.
 
 Cellist and founding member Tahirah (tuh-HEE-ruh) Whittington and artistic director Kori Coleman sat down with WBEZ’s Erin Allen on the Rundown podcast to talk about what it means to bring your full self to the stage.
 
 HOST: DEGMAN

This Friday, Chicago officials plan to clear out what remains of the city’s biggest homeless encampment.
 
 They say they’re providing rent-free apartments to most people in Humboldt Park’s tent city … and offering shelter beds to the rest.
 
 As encampments have grown across Chicago, the scale of the housing effort is unprecedented.
 
 But the people not getting an apartment are wondering why.
 
 WBEZ’s Chip Mitchell reports…
 HOST: DIXON

WBEZ sports contributor Cheryl Raye-Stout discusses what's next for the team. Reporter: Noah Jennings

The Black artist from the South Side used his art to express grief, racial trauma and liberation. Reporter: Mawa Iqbal; Host: Mary Dixon

Chicago’s holiday season is a-go…and while there are plenty of wholesome events to entertain little ones, the season isn’t just for the kids. 
 
 From Risque reindeer to a whimsical parody of Die Hard, there’s plenty of fun to be had for adults this December. 
 
 WBEZ Arts and Culture reporter Mike Davis has compiled a list of the naughty nights out for adults this holiday season.
 
 HOST: LABUZ

Chicago’s holiday season is a-go…and while there are plenty of wholesome events to entertain little ones, the season isn’t just for the kids. 
 
 From Risque reindeer to a whimsical parody of Die Hard, there’s plenty of fun to be had for adults this December. 
 
 WBEZ Arts and Culture reporter Mike Davis has compiled a list of the naughty nights out for adults this holiday season.
 
 HOST: LABUZ

Thanksgiving can feel like a fraught time for some folks… whether it’s complicated relationships or tense political conversations. 
 
 The last thing you want is for dietary restrictions and preferences to also get in the way while you’re creating that welcoming environment. 
 
 Jordan Wimby, also known as “The Melanin Martha,” is a chef and culinary preservationist. 
 
 She sat down with WBEZ’s Erin Allen on the Rundown Podcast to talk about prioritizing identity, community and healing when you’re cooking and creating space during the holiday season. HOST: LABUZ

Property tax bills rose nearly 20-percent for the median homeowner in south suburban Cook County – the highest increase in three decades.
 
 WBEZ’s Adora Namigadde explores why this happened, who it impacts, and what can be done about it. 
 HOST: LABUZ

The Department of Energy last week committed up to one-billion dollars to ramp up hydrogen production in the Midwest. 
 
 Proponents say the investment won’t just create green jobs, it’ll slash emissions, too. 
 
 But local environmentalists say it is a shell game that allows oil and gas companies to continue business as usual. 
 
 WBEZ’s Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco went to a rally in Northwest Indiana where advocates wanted to hit the brakes on what they call dirty hydrogen. 
 HOST: LABUZ

One of the most infamous moles in Chicago political lore has taken the stand.
 
 Danny Solis was a Chicago alderperson – and made multiple undercover recordings for the FBI.
 
 Here to talk more about what Solis is expected to tell jurors is WBEZ’s Dave McKinney.
 HOST: LANE

Two Grammy award-winning Chicago jazz and blues musicians will take the stage this weekend.

The proposed closings have led to fierce protests from students, parents and staff who are hoping for Acero to reverse course or CPS to provide a solution.

The outgoing state’s attorney says she still has wounds from breaking the glass ceiling, but she’s proud of her choices.

The fitting prize for a competition to see who looks most like the star of “The Bear?” Fifty bucks and a pack of Marlboro Red cigarettes.

With a residency at Dorian’s and a Lollapalooza debut in her recent rearview mirror, the Chicago singer reflects on what it takes to feel good in what she wears.

Chicago’s Southeast side is home to the city’s largest industrial corridor. In recent years, environmental justice activists there have successfully pushed back NEW industrial development.
 
 But now their tactics are under threat… Just as President Trump prepares to settle back into the White House.
 
 WBEZ’s Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco has the story. 
 HOST: LARA

Wanna get away? Then you might be jealous of Ellery Jones. 
 
 The Sun-Times journalist traveled to Miami this week on Amtrak's temporary Floridian route. 
 
 She spent two days riding the rails ... and joins us now to break down her journey. 
 
 HOST: DIXON

This fall, twenty-six-year-old Chicago saxophonist Isaiah Collier 
 and his band released a new album called THE WORLD IS ON FIRE. 
 
 The title says it all. Collier [CALL-ee-er] feels like the past few years have been apocalyptic. 
 
 Between sets at the Jazz Showcase, the musician spoke with WBEZ contributor Hannah Edgar about the inspirations for his most blistering music yet. 
 HOST: DIXON

The Pitchfork Music Festival announced yesterday that the 2025 edition won’t be held in Chicago.
 
 This comes as a big surprise to Chicago’s music scene, as Pitchfork has called the city home for the past 19 years
 
 Here to break this move down is WBEZ contributor Mark Guarino. Mark, thanks for joining us.
 HOST: LARA

Local actor Jon Michael Hill has had a busy year. 
 
 This spring, he appeared in the Netflix series A Man in Full and starred 
 
 in Steppenwolf’s Broadway-bound play, Purpose.
 
 Now he’s back on stage at Steppenwolf in the world premiere, Leroy and Lucy, by playwright Ngozi Anyanwu [N-guh-zee Aye-ahn-woo]. It draws inspiration from the myth of Blues legend Robert Johnson.
 
 WBEZ theater reporter Mike Davis visited Hill at rehearsal and filed this audio postcard. 
 
 HOST: DIXON

President-elect Donald Trump has been light on details for his housing agenda. 
 
 But his former housing secretary Ben Carson wrote the housing portion of Project 2025 – from the right wing Heritage Foundation.
 
 To understand what THAT plan could mean for Chicago and Illinois… WBEZ’s Esther Yoon-Ji Kang sat down with Daniel Kay Hertz. 
 
 He’s the director of housing for Chicago-based think tank Impact for Equity. 
 HOST: DIXON

In last week’s general election, president-elect Donald Trump won more votes from Latinos than he did in 2020. 
 
 And that includes Latinos here in Chicago. 
 
 Laura Rodriguez Presa is a reporter with the Chicago Tribune. 
 
 She went to the heart of the city's Latino population -- in Little Village and Pilsen -- and talked to voters.
 
 HOST: PUENTE

Ahead of Tuesday’s election, it wasn’t clear if Chicago’s just appointed school board members could stay on past January. 
 
 That’s when a new, partly appointed, partly elected board will be seated.
 
 Turns out, all six members that the mayor just appointed in October after his other board resigned en masse are eligible to stay.
 
 That’s the latest development shaping Chicago’s first-ever elected school board.
 WBEZ education reporter Sarah Karp is here to tell us more about what to expect from Chicago’s new school board.
 HOST: LARA

This week concluded with dramatic testimony from a government informant who wore a wire and made many secret recordings that were played at trial.
 
 WBEZ’s Dave McKinney has been at the Dirksen Federal Building, and he’s here today to bring us up to speed on this historic trial.
 
 HOST: LARA

That’s Joel Davis.
 
 He spent more than three decades in Illinois prisons, where he lost his right to vote.
 
 But he was released this year.
 
 And on Tuesday, WBEZ producer Lauren Frost tagged along as he cast his ballot… experiencing the joy AND the challenges of voting for the first time. HOST: LARA

Ahead of a second Trump term, lawmakers, attorneys and organizers aim to preserve Chicago’s sanctuary status and protect immigrant rights. Reporter: Adriana Cardona-Maguigad; Host: Melba Lara

Lots of people had to wait in some pretty long lines to cast their ballots in this week’s election.
 
 But one south suburban man has been waiting to vote … for nearly four decades.
 
 That’s how long Stanley Howard spent in Illinois prisons after being convicted of a murder he didn’t commit.
 
 He’s now free, and WBEZ’s Alex Keefe tagged along as he voted for the first time.
 
 HOST: DIXON

Soprano Karen Slack is kicking off her residency at Chicago’s Lyric opera with a full recital.
 
 She will perform Of Thee I Sing! Songs of Love and Justice on Tuesday. Which she says has renewed relevance given the results of this week’s presidential election.
 
 WBEZ arts reporter Courtney Kueppers sat down with Slack backstage at the Lyric Opera House in October and has this audio postcard. 
 HOST: DIXON

So much of what we hear about life in Gaza comes second hand. 
 
 A deal with student protestors could change that for members of the Northwestern University community.
 
 The agreement that ended the pro-Palestinian encampment last spring is bringing two professors and five students from Gaza to the Evanston campus.
 
 WBEZ’s Lisa Kurian Philip has the story of one of the professors.
 He arrived a month ago after leaving his entire life behind. 
 HOST: DIXON

For the first time, Chicagoans voted for the first-ever Chicago Public School Elected School Board. 
 
 I spoke with WBEZ education reporter Sarah Karp this morning about the outcome of yesterday’s inaugural election.

A new opera draws inspiration from the infamous Chicago murder trial a century ago of Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb. The grisly killing of 14-year-old Bobby Franks by two University of Chicago students shocked the nation. HindSight is a joint production of Chicago Fringe Opera and Kor Productions. It runs through Saturday at Chicago Dramatists. WBEZ contributor Hannah Edgar reports from the rehearsal room. 
 HOST: DIXON

Today is Chicago Housing Authority CEO Tracey Scott’s last day at the agency. 
 
 Her departure was announced earlier this week. 
 
 WBEZ’s Esther Yoon-Ji Kang went out to see what current residents and advocates want to see in the next leader. 
 HOST: LANE

The Democrats dominate Illinois.
 
 But there are some strong Donald Trump supporters in the Chicago area, too.
 
 And one especially big Trump fan here goes to work each day - right in the middle of a diverse strip mall in the suburbs.
 
 WBEZ’s Dan Mihalopoulos takes us there.
 HOST: PUENTE

Thousands of migrants have come to Chicago in the last two years seeking asylum in the United States. 
 
 For many of those newcomers, the deadline to apply is just around the corner. 
 
 But free or low cost immigration clinics are overwhelmed. 
 
 WBEZ’s Adriana Cardona Maguigad recently visited volunteers trying to fill the service gap.
 
 HOST: DIXON

Next week, voters will choose her successor. 
 
 Foxx announced months ago she would not be seeking re-election.
 
 She came into office in 2016 with a surge of so-called progressive prosecutors.
 
 Her tenure has been marked by almost constant criticism…but it also marked a historic shift in Cook County’s approach to crime and justice.
 
 WBEZ criminal justice editor Patrick Smith covered Foxx throughout her time in office and joins me now.
 HOST: DIXON

He’s now proposing to raise property taxes to help close a nearly $1billion dollar budget gap and avoid layoffs and deep cuts.
 
 He unveiled his $17-point-3 billion dollar budget plan today [WED] for next year.
 
 Here to provide a breakdown of what in the proposal is WBEZ’s Tessa Weinberg from City Hall.

A new documentary called The Last Republican follows conservative Illinois congressman Adam Kinzinger as he tries to hold Donald Trump accountable for the January 6 Capitol riots. Filmmaker Steve Pink premiered the movie at the Toronto and Chicago International Film Festivals, but it has not been picked up yet for wider distribution. 
 HOST: DIXON

Thousands of community members recently gathered outside Foreman College and Career Academy on Chicago’s Northwest Side.
 
 They were celebrating Halloween at an annual Trunk or Treat put on by local volunteers. 
 
 WBEZ’s Araceli Gomez-Aldana was there. 
 HOST: DIXON

He’s now proposing to raise property taxes to help close a nearly $1-billion dollar budget gap and avoid layoffs and deep cuts.
 
 He unveiled his $17-point-3 billion dollar budget plan today for next year.
 
 Here to provide a breakdown of what in the proposal is WBEZ’s Tessa Weinberg from City Hall.
 HOST: LABUZ

For undocumented students with college dreams, Illinois is one of the better states to be.
 
 It’s one of 19 where they can get state funding and pay in-state tuition rates for higher education. 
 
 Just as important are the adults here working overtime to help students navigate a maze of paperwork and find a campus where they can succeed.
 
 WBEZ’s Lisa Kurian Philip takes us to Mansueto High School in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood to meet some of them.
 HOST: DIXON