WBEZ News

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.

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