WBEZ News

Property owners can now request that their local county recorder remove illegal restrictive covenants from their property deeds. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Natalie Moore

Lisa Labuz and Tiktok historian Shermann Dilla Thomas reflect on Martin Luther King Junior’s struggle to bring change to Chicago. Host: Mary Dixon; Producer: Cianna Greaves

Chicago's new cultural affairs commissioner, Erin Harkey, talks about equitable funding for the arts and the city's plan to grow the film and TV industries in Chicago. Host: Araceli Gomez-Aldana; Producer: Katie O'Connell

Grieving parents have complained for years about a lack of communication from CPD detectives. A new unit aims to fix that. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Patrick Smith

Teachers return on Tuesday. This ends a bitter feud between the mayor and the union that left children idle since last Wednesday. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Sarah Karp

More children in Illinois are being hospitalized with COVID-19, but officials say they aren’t seeing the virus raging in schools. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Kristen Schorsch

With more snow possible later this week for Chicago, atmospheric scientist Dr. Scott Collis joined WBEZ to share more about what makes snow flurries form and fall. Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Lauren Frost

Storage Cafe analyzed ten major cities in the U.S and found Chicago had the most 311 complaints per capita in 2020. Monica Eng wrote about the high number of complaints for Axios Chicago. Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Lauren Frost

Democratic Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois reflects on the capitol insurrection a year ago. Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Lauren Frost

The mayor told WBEZ that the union’s temporary push for remote learning is arbitrary and unreliable. Union leaders say it’s not safe to return. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Mariah Woelfel

Chicago Teachers Union members voted Tuesday night to work remotely only starting Wednesday. CPS called the action illegal and a strike. Host: Lisa Labuz; Reporter: Sarah Karp

On the evening of April 15, 1972, Doctor Daniel Claiborne, an African American, was arrested by white police officers on Chicago’s south side. Two weeks later he died in a south side hospital. Shermann “Dilla” Thomas discusses how Doctor Claiborne’s death led to the convening of the city’s first panel on police misconduct. Host: Susie An, Lisa Labuz; Producer: Cianna Greaves

Scientists say sensor networks, cloud-based data and other innovations could reveal more about how climate change is altering the Great Lakes. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Mark LeBien; Producer: Lauren Frost

Since August, many Afghans have resettled in Chicago. This has motivated one Afghan 16-year-old to help the new arrivals and other refugees. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Susie An

You know Dasher and Dancer … but do you know the most famous reindeer of all was created right here in Chicago? Local historian Sherman “Dilla” Thomas and WBEZ’s Lisa Labuz discuss the origin of Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer. Host: Mary Dixon; Producer: Cianna Greaves

Music teacher Trevor Nicholas is up for a Grammy as music educator of the year. His students share what makes him so special. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Sarah Karp

Chicago homicide deaths this year have totaled about 820. The victims include Javier Burch, a 29 year old known as Jay. Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Chip Mitchell

This is the latest Chicago has gone without a first measurable snowfall on record. State climatologist Dr. Trent Ford shares what’s causing the lack of flurries. Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Lauren Frost

The deepening polarity in Illinois' politics promises to shape next year’s race for governor, in what could be a big Republican year nationally. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Dave McKinney

When he was murdered in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood in July, Miles Thompson left behind his parents, step parents and three siblings. He's one of more than 800 people who have died by homicide this year in Chicago. Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Patrick Smith

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign labor professor, Robert Bruno, weighs in on whether we could see Chicago-area Starbucks workers vote to unionize. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Esther Yoon-Ji Kang

Leo Castillo and Sylvia Montigo talk about their brother and son Renee Castillo, who was shot and killed last month in Little Village, as part of our series "Remembering Those We Lost." Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Patrick Smith

WBEZ found a steep drop off in As and Bs among seventh graders in low-income schools last year. Those marks are key to high school admission. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Sarah Karp

A key figure in the movement to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Illinois is now taking over as the leader of an organization pushing for cannabis legalization across the country. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Natalie Moore

Chicago’s Latino community is mourning the death of Mexican cultural icon Vicente Fernandez, a singer with a special connection to Chicago. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: María Inés Zamudio

Students in schools with middle class students also received fewer Ds and Fs, a disparity that widened during the pandemic, WBEZ found. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Sarah Karp

While the Asian American community may see its first slim-majority-ward in the proposed maps, efforts to consolidate Englewood appear to once again fail. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Mariah Woelfel

Experts say there are no residential facilities available for students requiring intensive mental health or behavioral support as needs surge. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Susie An

Keith Kompoltowicz, Watershed Hydrology Section Chief for the Detroit District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, forecasts future water levels in Lake Michigan for this winter and spring. Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Lauren Frost

For years advocates have argued charter schools were taking money away from district-run traditional public schools. CPS is now being pushed to share more information with parents about how the city’s charter schools are spending taxpayer dollars. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Adriana Cardona-Maguigad

The infrastructure bill sets aside nearly $3 billion for apprenticeship programs with a focus on workers facing barriers to employment. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Esther Yoon-Ji Kang

Chicago historian and TikTok star Shermann “Dilla” Thomas looks back at the life and career of White Sox legend, Minnie Minoso. Host: Mary Dixon, Lisa Labuz; Producer: Cianna Greaves

A peek behind Natalie’s trip to Finland covering their open prison system, as well as the whys and hows of Moore's reporting in her own words. Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Erin Kahoa

Lisa Chun, senior attorney with the National Immigrant Justice Center, explains what President Biden's new immigration enforcement priorities mean for immigrants in Illinois. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: María Inés Zamudio

While the global fashion world remembers him for his own label and work on Louis Vuitton’s men’s line, Abloh had deep Chicago connections, says Thomas Kearns, his former professor at Illinois Institute of Technology. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Natalie Moore

Former ally of indicted Madigan advisor speaks out for the first time about being implicated in explosive 2012 email that shook Springfield, Illinois. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Dave McKinney

Festive meals every year could look a lot different in the future, as climate change continues to affect our plants and animals. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Jessica Wolfrom; Producer: Lauren Frost

The Chicago Police Department’s outreach strategy now includes Officer Michael Carroll, an officer working with minority religious communities. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Adora Namigadde

The latest on the investigation into the tragic death of an Illinois State University graduate student who died two months ago downstate. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Eric Stock

Immigration activists say this is the time to pressure Senators to support an effort to create a pathway to citizenship through the budget reconciliation process. Host: Araceli Gómez-Aldana; Reporter: María Inés Zamudio; Guest: Lawrence Benito

The Thanksgiving holiday is a reminder of the genocide of millions of Native Americans and the start of a long history of white immigrants stealing their land. Host: Araceli Gómez-Aldana; Reporter: María Inés Zamudio; Guest: River Kerstetter

Players in the National Women’s Soccer League say they were emotionally and verbally abused by the longtime coach of the Chicago Red Stars

Most people know salsa music. And, you may be aware of other Latin music traditions like: bachata, merengue and the ever popular reggaeton. There’s another Latin music style that doesn’t get a lot of attention but is loved just the same by those who still listen and dance to it.

About 50 Chicago public high schools have voted to get rid of police officers in the last year and a half. Now officials say they are figuring out ways to de-escalate conflicts without police. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Adriana Cardona Maguigad

Local historian Sherman Dilla Thomas discusses the Indigenous history of Chicago’s Sauganash neighborhood. Host: Mary Dixon, Lisa Labuz; Producer: Cianna Greaves

World-renowned oceanographer Sylvia Earle discusses how climate change affects the oceans, and how the oceans affect us here in Illinois. Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Lauren Frost

Chicago and Illinois are experiencing high transmission rates, with more than 400 new cases per day in the city. So what does this mean for the upcoming holidays? Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Katie O'Connell

Former Inspector General Joe Ferguson gave Cook County prosecutors information about the scandal at the Chicago Park District. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Dan Mihalopoulos

Language preventing Blacks from owning property can’t be enforced, but its lingering presence still evokes pain and anger. Host: Lisa Labuz; Reporter: Natalie Moore

Restrictive covenants and deeds meant to keep Black residents out of white neighborhoods are unenforceable today, but their lingering presence still evokes pain and anger. Host: Lisa Labuz; Reporter: Natalie Moore