WBEZ News

A Chicago dancer is summoning a witchy force in her original solo performance, which she will soon take international.
 
 HOST: LANE

In Cook County, circuit judges have the power to make decisions about things like who goes to prison, holds a driver’s license, or keeps their kids. And they’re elected for long terms — 6 years. This year, there are fewer judicial candidates running overall, either countywide or in a subcircuit. Most races are uncontested. But on Chicago’s South Side, there’s an unusually crowded field for 2 open seats.
 
 What could that mean for voters there?
 HOST: MELBA

Older adults in the Chicago area are at risk this spring of losing food benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – or SNAP. 
 
 It comes after President Donald Trump’s 20-25 sweeping tax overhaul expanded work requirements for the program to include 55- to 64-year-olds.
 
 A new WBEZ analysis finds a significant number of Chicagoans in this age group could be affected.
 
 Here to break it down for us is Sun-Times reporter Elvia Malagon. 
 
 HOST: LARA

Toni Preckwinkle is running in the Democratic primary for a fifth term as Cook County Board president.
 
 She’s had the job for 16 years and also is head of the powerful Cook County Democratic Party.
 
 But she’s getting some stiff competition from Chicago Alderman Brendan Reilly. 
 
 HOST: LANCE

Climate change is intensifying extreme weather events and driving habitat loss across the country. 
 
 Now, a group of regional scientists want to produce more native seeds to replace what’s being destroyed. 
 
 WBEZ’s Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco visited Chicago Botanic Garden’s seed bank to get the story. 
 
 HOST: LARA

The Tony-award winning musical “Hamilton” is back on stage in Chicago after pulling out of a slate of performances at the Kennedy Center.
 
 With all that’s happening in the world now, we wanted to know what fans thought of the story of America’s birth. 
 
 HOST: LANE

Reporter Araceli Gomez-Aldana with voting info ahead of Tuesday’s primary elections. 
 
 It’s important to know your rights and what security will look like at in-person polling places. 
 
 HOST: LANE

First elected in 20-16…Susana Mendoza has been Illinois’ comptroller for nearly a decade. 
 
 Now…she’s stepping aside. And four Democrats are vying for the seat. 
 HOST: MELBA

In West Garfield Park on Chicago’s West Side, residents have the lowest life expectancy in the entire city.
 
 They’re expected to live on average until they’re 67 years old in this mostly Black low-income neighborhood… compared to 87 in the Loop. 
 
 But there is a homegrown solution to help people live longer … a network of community gardens.
 HOST: MELBA

The Trump administration deported hundreds of people from the Chicago area last fall.
 
 We’ve heard a lot about their arrests, but rarely how they try to rebuild their lives after the trauma of being sent back. 
 
 One of them is a beloved Southwest Side neighbor who lived in Chicago for decades and was removed after being labeled a gang member. Like most people arrested, he did not have a criminal record, despite claims by the government.
 HOST: MELBA

The Trump administration deported hundreds of people from the Chicago area last fall.
 
 We’ve heard a lot about their arrests, but rarely how they try to rebuild their lives after the trauma of being sent back. 
 
 One of them is a beloved Southwest Side neighbor who lived in Chicago for decades and was removed after being labeled a gang member. Like most people arrested, he did not have a criminal record, despite claims by the government.
 HOST: MELBA

Fifteen-term Congressman Danny Davis is retiring.
 
 13 Democrats are competing to replace him.
 
 Like Davis, several have roots on the West Side.
 HOST: MELBA

Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi is running for reelection.
 
 He faces Lyons Township Assessor Pat Hynes in next week’s Democratic primary.
 
 HOST: LANE

After a private service at Rainbow PUSH headquarters, Jackson will be buried at Chicago’s Oak Woods Cemetery. 
 HOST: PUENTE

Being a Cook County Board of Review commissioner usually is a low-profile job.
 
 But commissioners have enormous power – they can lower your property taxes.
 
 And in recent years, there’s been plenty of attention on the tax-appeals board … thanks to rising tax bills … the Bears stadium drama … and a drunk-driving arrest.
 
 WBEZ’s Dan Mihalopoulos reports on the re-election battles involving two Board of Review commissioners.
 
 HOST: LARA

Catholicism remains the religion most Latinos in the U.S. identify with. 
 
 But there’s been a steady decline over the last decade. 
 
 Some who have left have turned to Islam. 
 
 Now – there’s a new place for them to practice their faith even as events here at home and in the Middle East present challenges. 
 
 WBEZ’s Michael Puente reports. 
 
 HOST: LARA

Protesters arrested during the Trump Administration’s deportation campaign last fall are beating the charges in court. 
 
 Cases against 17 of 32 known defendants have already collapsed. 
 
 But even when charges are dropped, failed prosecutions take a toll on those arrested.
 
 HOST: LANE

Today [FRI], dignitaries and celebrities will gather on the city’s South Side to celebrate the life and legacy of Reverend Jesse Jackson.
 
 A legacy that includes Operation Breadbasket, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and two presidential campaigns. 
 
 But before any of that, Jackson was just a kid from Greenville, South Carolina.
 
 HOST: LANE

For most of the last 80 years, two people have represented a large chunk of Illinois’ 9th congressional district.
 
 First, it was Sidney Yates – who served nearly a half century.
 
 Then, Jan Schakowsky took office in 1999 and she’s been there since – but this is her last term.
 
 It’s the first time in generations that so many people have fought for this seat.
 
 WBEZ’s Alex Degman brings us an overview of the race.
 
 HOST: LARA

Thirty year-old conductor Klaus Mäkelä will soon become the Chicago Symphony’s next music director. 
 
 While working with the orchestra, he’s become a familiar face inside another cultural gem: the Art Institute. 
 
 HOST: LANE

A new report by a court-appointed monitor found the more than 30-thousand people locked up in Illinois prisons are still receiving substandard medical care.
 
 The Illinois Department of Corrections has been under a consent decree to improve health care since 2019.
 HOST: MELBA

For nearly 200 years, the Black church has been a rock for its members in Chicago. 
 
 Through faith, they’ve shielded their fellow man from the harsh realities of racism.
 HOST: MELBA

Last year WBEZ and the Sun Times surveyed 20 top arts, culture, and humanities nonprofits.
 
 We wanted to see what progress they’ve made to diversify their staff and boards. 
 
 This comes after the 20-20 murder of George Floyd sparked a year of activism and reflection.
 
 
 And since our previous reporting, three additional arts organizations have agreed to share their data. 
 
 HOST: LANE

Keshia Golden is facing murder charges for fatally stabbing her boyfriend three years ago. 
 
 She says she did it to save herself and the couple’s unborn child. 
 
 But as her court date looms, so does her fear: will a jury believe that she acted in self-defense?
 
 HOST: LANE

If you live in Illinois chances are you are being inundated with campaign mailers, phone calls and political ads. 
 
 So how can you get unbiased information about candidates? Well… voter guides can help. 
 
 HOST: LANE

President Trump’s aggressive deportation campaign has had a lasting impact on several neighborhoods in Chicago. 
 
 That fallout continues in South Chicago – a neighborhood with a large Latino population. 
 
 WBEZ’s Michael Puente has the story of how one family business was affected by Operation Midway Blitz. 
 
 Host: LARA

Don Tracy, Casey Chlebek and Pamela "Denise" Long answer questions about their race for U.S. Senator from Illinois. The candidate forums were recorded at the WTVP PBS Studios in Peoria on Feb. 20, 2026, and produced in partnership with the League of Women Voters of Greater Peoria and the League of Women Voters of Illinois.

Rep. Donna Miller, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton answer questions about their race for U.S. Senator from Illinois. The candidate forums were recorded at the WTVP PBS Studios in Peoria on Feb. 20, 2026, and produced in partnership with the League of Women Voters of Greater Peoria and the League of Women Voters of Illinois.

Monday Night Foodball, a popular weekly chef pop-up, is hosting its 200th event next week (MON MARCH 2).
 
 Curated by the Chicago Reader’s Mike Sula, it showcases underground and up-and-coming chefs in Chicago. 
 
 The pop-up series recently found a home at the restaurant Thattu in Avondale. 
 
 HOST: LABUZ

A financially-distressed charter network tells WBEZ that Chicago Public Schools is shutting down their schools, at least for the rest of this year. 
 
 The district told Aspira leaders late last night (Wednesday) that students will be transitioned out of their schools.
 
 District officials say Aspira’s failure to demonstrate financial sustainability puts the education of students at risk.
 
 Seniors from Aspira’s two high schools will be at today’s (thurs) board of education meeting in a last-ditch effort to save their schools. 
 
 They say they are caught in the middle.
 
 HOST: LABUZ

Black boys and men have to scale high walls to get a college degree. 
 
 They’re the least likely demographic to get their diploma within six years.
 
 But mentors can give them a leg up by sharing their experiences and connections to resources.
 
 And experts say there are more young people than mentors in Chicago who could benefit from this support.
 
 Local organizers have this plea for Chicagoans to put themselves forward – and advice on how to do it well. 
 
 HOST: LABUZ

The Trump administration’s target on Chicago’s immigrant community hurt many small businesses. 
 
 Areas known for their mom-and-pop shops like Pilsen and Little Village saw a big drop in sales during last fall’s ‘Immigration Midway Blitz.’
 
 And some are still struggling.
 
 HOST: LABUZ

Running an art museum in any era is not an easy task.
 
 But running an art museum under the Trump Administration poses unique challenges; 
 
 Federal cuts, philanthropic pullbacks, and sociopolitical jabs among them. 
 
 James Rondeau has seen it all, as the president of the Art Institute of Chicago for the past 10 years. 
 
 HOST: LABUZ

When President Trump threatened to deploy the National Guard to Chicago last fall, it struck fear into one young soldier. 
 
 The Illinois National Guard member comes from a family of Mexican immigrants.
 
 And she worries about having to patrol the very streets she calls home.
 
 HOST: LABUZ

Viento Little Village Runners Club has faced many challenges.
 
 It had a dip in membership post-COVID.
 
 And recently it’s had to cope with community tensions due to federal immigration agents. 
 
 Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood has been a target of the Trump Administration's deportation campaign.
 
 But Viento…keeps running. 
 
 HOST: LABUZ

Humboldt Park resident, Brendan Byrne, owed federal taxes after filing his 2023 return.
 
 And like many people, he paid the balance through an online tax platform. 
 
 But his payment fell into limbo when the IRS-authorized payment vendor he used disappeared.
 
 HOST: LABUZ

An Indiana House committee unanimously advanced legislation yesterday (THUR) that would help the Chicago Bears build a domed stadium in Hammond.
 
 It doesn’t make the Bears moving to Indiana a sure thing, but in a statement the team called it << the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts. >>
 
 Lawmakers in Springfield, including Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker, are still optimistic they can keep the Bears in Illinois.
 
 But how are Hoosiers feeling about their chances?
 
 To find out, we welcome Ben Thorp – a government reporter from member station WFYI in Indiana. 
 
 HOST: LARA

Reverend Jesse Jackson Senior was many things to many people.
 
 And in Chicago, he was everywhere — in churches, at protests, at City Hall, at Rainbow PUSH.
 
 WBEZ’s Somer Van Benton asked Chicagoans how they remember the civil rights leader — and a few themes kept coming up.
 
 HOST: LARA

Nestled along Lake Michigan, the area is known for Calumet and Steelworkers parks, where families gather, children play soccer and generations have built memories. Olga Bautista recalls walking to the lake in minutes, attending day camp and later watching her own child train as a lifeguard there. Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, where she and her children were baptized, is among the oldest Mexican-American Catholic churches in the Midwest. But the sense of safety and community has been shaken.

When ICE arrived in South Chicago last year, some people were caught off guard. “The feeling was that we are so secluded or far away from Little Village, from Back of the Yards, they won't come here. That all got shattered in October. They found the East Side,” says Pedraza, 51

The threat of President Donald Trump sending the National Guard into Chicago’s streets has diminished since the fall, but it still hangs over Guard members who in some cases would have to patrol their own neighborhoods. “I won't feel good with that at all,” the Southeast Side woman says. “I know if I go and I have to detain people, I will be crying because I can’t control myself.

Since 1986, Cecilia “Cecy” Villarruel has been producing masa in South Chicago. She uses a molino, a machine that grinds up corn, water and other ingredients to make the dough used in Mexican favorites like tamales. Instead of celebrating 40 years in business this year, Villarruel is worrying about her friends, family, employees and the neighborhood overall.

Sales declined sharply at Moreno’s Liquors during federal immigration operations. Customers have started to return, “but people have this uneasiness,” store owner Mike Moreno Jr. says. They send him messages asking if he can verify the area is clear of immigration agents before they go out.

Before Operation Midway Blitz, the captains and runners of Viento, the Little Village run club, would message each other only to cancel a run. Now they message to check if there have been sightings of federal agents and then decide when they’ll run and their route.

Chicago is known for its robust improv theater scene. 
 
 But one troupe in the suburbs has formed a partnership that uses comedy for more than just laughs. 
 
 A theater in Aurora is teaming up with Naperville’s Awesome Life Academy to perform improv for youth with special needs.
 
 HOST: LANE

There’s a rare opportunity in Illinois’ 8th congressional district.
 
 Five-term incumbent Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi isn’t seeking reelection, opting instead to run for U-S Senate to replace Dick Durbin.
 
 There are eight Democrats who’ve lined up to compete in next month’s primary – trying to replace Krishnamoorthi.
 
 HOST: LANE

Here's what you should know if you are voting for the first time in Illinois. 
 
 HOST: LANE

It’s a plan that mostly holds the line on taxes, but it’s built on a bit of financial uncertainty as a result of the feuding between Springfield and the White House.
 HOST: MELBA

Reverend Jesse Jackson was an important figure on the national stage. 
 
 He is remembered for his decades of civil rights leadership and political campaigns.
 
 But Jackson also carved a name for himself in pop culture.
 
 HOST: LANE

A protege of Reverend Martin Luther King Junior, Jackson left an indelible mark on Chicago.
 HOST: MELBA