WBEZ News

Some residents have raised concerns about a proposed biofuel plant in Northwest Indiana. Host: Clare Lane; Reporter: Michael Puente

Supt. Tony Sanders sees an “ever-widening gap between the left and the right … I think public education is squarely in the middle of that fight.” Host: Clare Lane; Reporter: Susie An

In pleading for leniency Alex Banta said he took a job as a prison guard at 23 and had no idea how it would change him. Host: Melba Lara; Reporters: Shannon Heffernan and Lauren Frost

For 25 years, Jeff Schoep recruited young people for one of the most active hate groups in the U.S. Now, he’s discussing forgiveness and tolerance at Clemente High School. Host: Clare Lane; Reporter: Nereida Moreno

One educator compared the learning disruption caused by the pandemic to water freezing in cracked pavement, deepening the divide. Host: Clare Lane; Reporter: Susie An

Jollof rice is an iconic West African rice dish, filled with meat, vegetables, and intense spice. It’s gone from relative obscurity to global superstardom in the past 10 years. Host: Clare Lane; Reporter: Cianna Greaves

Outreach workers say fewer shelter beds and Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s recent crackdown on people sleeping at O’Hare has forced more unhoused people onto trains and buses. Host: Clare Lane; Reporter: Anna Savchenko

By dosing teenage lab rats with THC, Kuei Tseng can see the impact of weed on brain development. The bottom line: There’s more the public needs to know. Host: Lisa Labuz: Reporters: Cianna Greaves, Zachary Nauth

From property taxes to paying the pensions, the two candidates for Chicago mayor are approaching finances in two completely different ways. Host: Susie An; Reporter: Tessa Weinberg, Mariah Woelfel

A big political corruption trial begins Tuesday. The case involves former Commonwealth Edison officials accused of bribing former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Host: Lisa Labuz; Reporter: Dave McKinney

Ice is usually a common winter sight on the Great Lakes. But this season, ice cover on the lakes has been distinctly low. Host: Clare Lane; Guest: Andrea Vander Woude

Several thousand people lined Western Avenue in Beverly for the South Side Irish Parade on Sunday. The parade featured floats, traditional Irish dancers, and bagpipes. The parade began in 1979 and is considered the largest community-based St. Patrick’s Day parade outside of Dublin. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Michael Puente

Illinois’ first Black independently owned cannabis dispensary wants to change the way you think about weed. Host: Clare Lane; Reporter: Alex Degman

A Northwestern professor is writing a book about the history of the policy in higher education and spoke with WBEZ about his findings. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Lisa Philip

A WBEZ investigation finds that the state’s solution is buckling under the demand among low-income children for urgent mental health services. Reporters: Sarah Karp and Kristen Schorsch

SASS is state program that is supposed to connect low-income children experiencing a mental health crisis with treatment. One mother explains why mental health services are so hard to get. Host: Lisa Labuz; Reporters: Kristen Schorsch and Sarah Karp

This week WBEZ is bringing you an investigation into a state program that is meant to link Illinois’ most vulnerable children with treatment during a mental health crisis. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Kristen Schorsch

The new Acting Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Natalie Phelps Finnie, tells us how climate change intersects with her work. Host: Lisa Labuz; Reporter: Lauren Frost, Melba Laura

A new WBEZ investigation finds Illinois’ safety net for suicidal kids is riddled with holes. Host: Clare Lane; Reporter: Sarah Karp

Despite a critical deadline extension, Illinois craft cannabis businesses are still worried they’ll fail before getting a chance to even start. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Alex Degman

We’ll hear how a gallery-owner in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood is helping newly arrived asylum-seekers find necessities they can’t get from the city. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Char Daston

Lori Lightfoot, the city’s first Black woman and openly gay mayor is now the first in four decades not to get a second term. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Mariah Woelfel

The people who sell Chicago-style hot dogs, beer and nachos at the United Center are prepared to go on strike any day now. Host: Lisa Labuz; Reporter: Esther Yoon-Ji Kang

WBEZ checks in with Aleksey and Vera Graboviy, who we met at the Ukrainian gift shop Delta on February 24th, 2022, to hear how life has changed in the past year. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Lauren Frost

The city’s first crisis response teams together have handled fewer than two calls a day. New 911 protocols are expected to lift that number. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporters: Shannon Heffernan, Cianna Greaves

The first book from the Loyola basketball team’s beloved chaplain is fittingly called “Waking Up With a Purpose! What I’ve Learned in My First Hundred Years.“ Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Adora Namigadde

One year on from the start of the war in Ukraine, we’ll hear from a Chicago professor and Russian national, who says Moscow's state media don't reflect how the people really feel. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Cianna Greaves

The sentence came five months after a federal jury found Kelly guilty of three counts of producing child pornography and three counts of enticing a minor into criminal sexual activity. Host: Melba Lara; Reporters: Lauren Frost and Robert Wildeboer

Since 2018, the Chicago Police Department has lost at least 22 officers to suicide. In response, the Fraternal Order of Police has turned the second floor of its Chicago facility into a wellness center. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Chip Mitchell

Voters along the north lakefront in Chicago's 43rd Ward, one of the whitest wealthiest and most politically active wards in the city, have a wide field of candidates to choose from for the first time in a decade. Host: Clare Lane; Reporter: Claudia Morell

We’re answering questions you asked in our People’s Agenda survey about what problems you want Chicago’s next mayor to tackle. Today, a question on how to improve the CTA. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Mariah Woelfel

Some Chicago public schools are struggling to serve the recent influx of migrant students from Central and South America. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Nereida Moreno

Nan Buckardt, the Director of Education for the Lake County Forest Preserves, explains the impact climate change could have on the maple syrup industry. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Lauren Frost

A new investigation into the kidnapping of Mary Agnes Moroney led her family to conclude she grew up as Jeanette Burchard, became a nurse and had three children, and died in Florida 20 years ago. Reporter: Lauren Frost; Host: Melba Lara

This election season, we asked Chicagoans to contribute to the People's Agenda with questions and comments they want the next mayor to address. Here's one on improving access to mental health care. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Tessa Weinberg

Illinois has paid out millions in pension payments to ex-lawmakers who have admitted criminal wrongdoing or are awaiting trial. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Dave McKinney

This election season, we asked Chicagoans to contribute to the People's Agenda with questions and comments they want the next mayor to address. Here's one on the money spent to fight Chicago crime. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Chip Mitchell

Pritzker has outlined a nearly 50 billion dollar spending plan for the fiscal year that starts this July. WBEZ’s Alex Degman takes a look at the proposals and what others in Springfield are saying about them. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Alex Degman

Fourteen Chicago public schools are competing in the state chess tournament in Peoria. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Nereida Moreno

WBEZ has gotten hundreds of questions from our People’s Agenda survey about economic issues Chicagoans want to see the next mayor address. Today, a question about education funding. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Sarah Karp

Do you have some ‘Bad Blood’ with Valentine’s Day? This Taylor Swift pop-up is perfect for you. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Indira Khera

The Chicago Sun-Times found that local businesses often had their air pollution citations dropped. Host: Melba Lara, Clare Lane; Producer: Lauren Frost

Last year, nine children 17 years old or younger were killed on a weekday between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., a WBEZ/Chicago Sun-Times analysis found. Host: Lisa Labuz; Reporters: Sarah Karp, Nader Issa, Ola Giwa and Matt Kiefer

WBEZ has gotten hundreds of questions from our People’s Agenda survey about economic issues Chicagoans want to see the next mayor address. Today, a question about the city’s property taxes. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Tess Weinberg

The Southside museum is the brainchild of founder Peggy Montes, a lifelong Chicagoan and Bronzeville resident. She spoke with WBEZ Producer Cianna Greaves about the museum’s unique approach to teaching children Black history. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Cianna Greaves

It was day two of the Chicago mayoral candidate forums hosted by WBEZ. City politics reporter Mariah Woelfel joins us for a recap and analysis. Host: Clare Lane; Reporter: Mariah Woelfel and Lauren Frost

WBEZ hosted the first of two forums for Chicago mayoral candidates today. City Politics Reporter Mariah Woelfel breaks down what happened. Host: Clare Lane; Reporter: Mariah Woelfel and Lauren Frost

UChicago study shows large numbers of Black and white principals, mirroring the CPS student body, but Latino leaders are underrepresented. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Nereida Moreno

While most of the candidates have pledged to reopen mental health clinics, they’re saying less about other pressing health care issues. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporters: Kristen Schorsch, Tessa Weinberg

Punxsutawney Phil only guessed right 40% of the years in the last decade. In WBEZ’s weekly climate segment, we welcomed atmospheric scientist Dr. Scott Collis to get a more accurate prediction for the winter ahead.