WBEZ News

Calculus is an easy way to sort students: those who took it, and those who didn’t. But there’s a problem. Some students never had the chance. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Lisa Phillip

From school closings to shrinking enrollment and finances, the candidates for mayor have a lot to talk about for the future of Chicago’s schools. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporters: Sarah Karp, Mariah Woelfel

National Weather Service meteorologist Brett Borchardt gives us this week's forecast, and compares this winter to years past. Host: Lisa Labuz; Reporter Lauren Frost

Nearly a thousand people attended a job fair hosted by the CTA. It was one of the largest crowds to attend one of these events to date. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Claudia Morell

Despite the freezing temps, hundreds took a plunge into Lake Michigan over the weekend – all in the name of charity. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Michael Puente

Frayed public health leaders left their posts in droves as the pandemic wore on. Not Arwady — she is steeling herself for her next front. Host: Claire Lane; Reporter Courtney Kueppers, Lauren Frost

Neighborhood development, education equity and making Chicago affordable were other top concerns from more than 1,700 responses in our People’s Agenda survey. Host: Lisa Labuz; Reporter: Alex Keefe, Cianna Greaves

Two candidates are vying to replace Burke on the City Council. One of them has some financial support from Burke’s brother. Host: Lisa Labuz, Reporter: Mariah Woelfel

Mayor Lori Lightfoot and her challengers have focused on how to reduce crime as a way to bolster the city’s economy. Host: Melba Lara; Reporters: Dave McKinney, Tessa Weinberg, Indira Khera

Illinois State Climatologist Dr. Trent Ford looks at last year’s weather stats. Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Lauren Frost

Vanessa Wellbery, the new Vice President of Policy and Advocacy for Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri, reflects on the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and the current state of reproductive rights. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Natalie Moore

Libraries of all sizes across the Chicago area are taking on fights about the First Amendment in their children’s sections. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Adora Namigadde

On the second day of a strike at the University of Illinois Chicago we’ll hear why faculty have walked out of their classrooms. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Lisa Phillip

All together, candidates are offering more than 100 public safety promises, from traditional foot patrols to car-chasing drones. Host: Melba Lara; Reporters: Chip Mitchell, Mariah Woelfel

Craft cannabis growers in Illinois need to be ready to go by March 1, but most of them still can’t even get financing to start building facilities. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Alex Degman

Craft cannabis growers in Illinois need to be ready to go by March 1, but most of them still can’t even get financing to start building facilities. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Alex Degman

Police turn away people trying to register, leaving them at risk of arrest. Some crime victims say the system fails them too. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Shannon Heffernan

The Chicago Bears finished their season on Sunday with a 3-14 record – the most losses in team history. They lost 10 straight games – also a franchise record. Cheryl Raye-Stout joined WBEZ's Mary Dixon for a post-mortem on the season. Producer: Cianna Greaves

The 23-year-old, Muslim rep.-elect once wondered if politics were meant for “people like me.” Now, she’s being sworn into the Illinois General Assembly. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Mawa Iqbal

The political tilt of Chicago’s City Council hangs in the balance in February’s election, with more than a dozen retirements and departures. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Tessa Weinberg

Joanne Fessett, executive director of the Illinois Audubon Society, speaks about where to go winter birding, and how bird patterns change along with our climate. Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Lauren Frost

Alex Degman provides the latest from Springfield, where the Illinois House has passed an assault weapons ban and increased protections for abortion providers. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Alex Degman

A local restaurant owner shares the traditions of fasting and feasting for Ethiopian Orthodox Christmas. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Cianna Greaves

Ten people are running for Chicago mayor - and we want YOU to weigh in on what the candidates should be talking about. That's why WBEZ is launching "The People's Agenda." WBEZ's Engagement Editor, Al Keefe shares more. Host: Mary Dixon; Producer: Cianna Greaves

Deputy Commissioners Malcolm Whiteside and Chris Sauve, speak about the City of Chicago’s tree recycling program. It starts this Saturday and runs for two weeks. Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Lauren Frost

After a Springfield scandal, Mike Noonan left the state to fire up a second career — as a certified connoisseur of fine, organic weed. Host: Clare Lane; Reporter: Dan Mihalopoulos

Winter Storm Elliott is extremely chill - not in a good way. Our intrepid Indi Khera will report on ways to navigate this weather. Host: Claire Lane; Reporter: Indira Khera

“Expect a lot of joy”: The Leo High School choir spreads Christmas cheer at their winter concert. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Lauren Frost

A mounting body of research shows specific ways students should be taught to read. But many popular lessons aren’t aligned with that science. Host: Melba Lara; Reporters: Lauren Frost, Cassie Walker Burke

Cole's time in Chicago would set the foundation for his success, including his cherished holiday tunes. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Cianna Greaves

Road salt, meant to clear roads and sidewalks of ice and snow, often ends up in our local waterways, where it raises chloride levels and can harm aquatic life. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Indira Khera

You may know White because his name is on your driver’s license or you’ve seen his tumblers at parades. But there’s a lot more to White’s legendary political career as it comes to an end. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Dave McKinney

With crime once again a top issue in Chicago, some aldermen running for reelection face challengers who say their way of combating it is outdated. Host: Melba Lara; Reporters: Mariah Woelfel, Tessa Weinberg and Lauren Frost

Critics want to know who will pay for security and physical damage to downtown. But the bigger question is: Is anyone clamoring for this? Host: Melba Lara; Reporters: Lauren Frost and Mark Guarino

The city of Chicago will present several preliminary plans for the development of a vacant lot in the Pilsen neighborhood. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Indira Khera

The veteran detective was demoted for speaking out about a shooting of an unarmed teen by an off-duty officer in 2017. Lambert’s lawyers had sought as much as $2 million. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Chip Mitchel and Cianna Greaves

Chicagos first-ever police district council elections are next February. We hear from one of the candidates. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Anna Savchenko

Since the pandemic began, Chicago Public Schools has spent more than $300-hundred million dollars on classroom technology. But is that money being used effectively? Host: Melba Lara; Reporters: Mila Koumpilova and Lauren Frost

A new exhibit at the Field Museum highlights areas not often associated with each other, parts of Chicago’s South Side and Northwest Indiana known as the Calumet Region. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Michael Puente

Chicago Public Schools lacks a cohesive plan for using computers in the classroom or a reliable way to track them, WBEZ and Chalkbeat found. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Sarah Karp

New research led by University of Chicago professor Tiffany Shaw explains weather patterns in hemispheres and their growing asymmetry. Host: Melba Laura; Reporter: Lauren Frost

Have you heard about the Danish expression of hygge? We talk to an expert who will tell us how to incorporate its principles into our our lives this winter. Host: Araceli Gomez-Aldana; Reporter: Araceli Gomez-Aldana

The day United Flight 553 crashed in Chicago “was just like someone dropped a big, huge anvil on the ground.” Host: Mary Dixon: Reporter: Cianna Greaves

The city of Chicago is asking for ideas on ‘the other Michigan Avenue’ in the Roseland neighborhood. Planning officials will put together development teams to pitch housing and retail on the commercial strip. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Natalie Moore

But a rise in flu and respiratory illness among kids and a potential spike in COVID this winter worries doctors, students and school leaders. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Nereida Moreno

Wondering how to switch to solar power? A climate reporter walks us through the steps. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Lauren Frost

Despite approved revisions around the SAFE-T Act – a sweeping criminal justice reform bill – there was still plenty of opposition in the General Assembly. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporters: Alex Degman and Mawa Iqbal.

As Lightfoot faces a crowded field for reelection, previous supporters are questioning whether they’ll vote for her again. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Mariah Woelfel

Chicago winters are getting warmer, which has positive and negative consequences. Illinois State Climatologist, Doctor Trent Ford shares more. Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Lauren Frost

In Chicago, it’s easy to find watch parties for fans of many different teams competing for soccer’s world championship. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Dan Mihalopoulos