WBEZ News

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

The late Reverend Jesse Jackson’s words shaped politics as a leader in the Civil Rights movement. 
 
 Jackson joined WBEZ’s former program Reset in February 20-20.
 
 He spoke with host Jen White about his many speeches…. compiled in the book Keeping Hope Alive: Sermons and Speeches of Reverend Jesse L Jackson. 
 HOST: MELBA

Chicago artist Nick Cave is known for bridging fashion and art.
 
 Now, Cave’s work is debuting at the Smithsonian. He’s delving deep into his personal history, as a Black man in America … with a little help from a prehistoric influence.
 
 HOST: LANE

Civil rights activist Reverend Jesse Jackson Senior died this morning (TUES) at age 84.
 
 A protege of Martin Luther King Junior, Jackson built much of his career in Chicago, working to politically organize and improve the lives of African-Americans.
 
 Doctor Joseph Kyles is the Memphis Rainbow PUSH Coalition president. 
 
 HOST: LANE

Four Republican candidates have thrown their hats in the ring to challenge two-term Governor J-B Pritzker in November. 
 
 They face an uphill battle against a billionaire Democrat- in a state that has shifted more and more blue over the past decade. 
 
 HOST: LANE

Illinois residents soon have a big choice to make: who should represent them in the U.S. Senate for the next six years? 
 
 And because Illinois is such a heavily blue state — all eyes are on the Democratic primary in the race to replace longtime retiring US Senator Dick Durbin. 
 
 The three leading candidates — two congresspeople and the state’s lieutenant governor — have each spent years in elected office themselves. 
 
 WBEZ’s Mawa Iqbal and Mariah Woelfel have more on who they are and what they’re promising. Mawa starts us off. 
 
 HOST: DEGMAN

A Roosevelt University graduate student is trying to be the first person to run every block in Chicago, and he’s nearly finished with the feat.
 
 HOST: LANE

Thirteen candidates on next month’s Democratic primary ballot are competing to take over for retiring Congressman Danny Davis of Chicago.
 
 Jason Friedman is a real estate developer in River North.
 
 He’s never run for office but has leapt far ahead in the race’s fundraising.
 
 He’d be the district’s first white congressman in more than a half century.
 
 HOST: LANE

More Black owned restaurants are opening in Chicago, and with that comes more dining options. 
 
 
 
 Chicago Black Restaurant Week highlights that growth, featuring specials at nearly 40 Black-owned eateries.
 
 
 
 The culinary celebration is running now until February 22nd, making it a good way to celebrate Black-owned business and Valentines Day. 
 
 
 
 Sun-Times Arts and Culture reporter Erica Thompson joins us now to tell us more. 
 
 HOST: LANE

More Black owned restaurants are opening in Chicago, and with that comes more dining options. 
 
 
 
 Chicago Black Restaurant Week highlights that growth, featuring specials at nearly 40 Black-owned eateries.
 
 
 
 The culinary celebration is running now until February 22nd, making it a good way to celebrate Black-owned business and Valentines Day. 
 
 
 
 Sun-Times Arts and Culture reporter Erica Thompson joins us now to tell us more. 
 
 HOST: LANE

Federal immigration agents are still in Chicago, taking people into custody, and they could return with even more force this spring.
 
 Schools are already on edge. 
 
 Numerous times last fall, enforcement operations sent them into lockdown, sowing chaos and disrupting learning. 
 
 The schools had not dealt with anything like this before. 
 
 HOST: LANE

A Chicago mom is furious about the way her son’s class at a northwest side elementary school kicked off Black History month. 
 
 According to her son, the teacher had them participate in a reenactment of slavery.
 HOST: MELBA

Every time Amy Mendez walks the aisles of her local grocery store, she mulls the same dilemma – how will she afford to feed herself and her 13-year-old son?
 
 
 
 Mendez works full-time for Chicago Public Schools and earns $18.42 (18 dollars and 42 cents) an hour, making her among the school district’s lowest-paid staffers.
 
 
 
 But the job is critical for Mendez. About 24-percent of people in Illinois who get SNAP food benefits could lose them this year because of the Trump administration's expanded work rules.
 
 HOST: LANE

One of the most anticipated albums of the year is the new one from Chicago’s own Ratboys.
 
 The band formed at Notre Dame about 15 years ago and their sixth album just came out. 
 
 HOST: LANE

Of the thousands of immigrants swept up in the Trump administration’s deportation campaign, there’s one group you may not have heard much about: Asians. 
 
 That’s in part because many Asians have not come forward with stories of being targeted by federal agents.

Chicago proudly claims Florence Price as one of its own.
 
 After all, it was here that she became the first Black female composer to have a symphony performed by a major orchestra.
 
 HOST: LANE

Illinois Voters will start receiving their vote-by-mail ballots today (Thurs).
 
 In order to vote, you must be a U-S citizen – and you need to register.
 
 In Illinois, there are plenty of ways to do that….
 
 You can register to vote by mailing in a form by February 17th.
 
 Or register online through March First.
 
 And you can always register in-person when you go to vote. 
 
 HOST: LANE

The Winter Olympics are officially underway.
 
 And a number of the members of Team U-S-A come from right here in Illinois.
 HOST: DEGMAN

The Chicago suburbs used to be mostly white, middle-class enclaves. But over the last few decades, some have become incredibly diverse places.
 HOST: DEGMAN

Two teen brothers from West Chicago have been in Minneapolis since early January, documenting immigration raids. 
 
 The boys are homeschooled, so they’ve taken their books with them on the road. 
 
 But they’re struggling to keep up with their studies amid everything they’re witnessing.
 
 That includes the aftermath of Alex Pretti’s killing at the hands of federal agents. 
 
 Yet they’re still continuing their mission.
 
 HOST: LANE

Chicago public schools plan to celebrate Black History Month with everything from a business fair to an assembly highlighting the Harlem Renaissance.
 
 But Chalmers Elementary on the west side kicked off the month in a pretty unusual way. 
 
 Students got a meet and greet with the chickens that will live in their school's courtyard.
 
 HOST: LANE

It’s been four months since Marimar [MARE-i-mar] Martinez, was shot by a Border Patrol agent on Chicago’s Southwest Side.
 
 She survived. But two other U.S. citizens in Minnesota who were recently involved in similar shooting incidents did not. 
 HOST: DEGMAN

90 miles west of Chicago sits the beautiful Starved Rock State Park. 
 
 But lesser known is the nearby Matthiessen State Park. The smaller nature reserve also touts Sandstone canyons and waterfalls...plus a less crowded feel. 
 
 HOST: LANE

On Northwestern University’s Evanston campus, there’s a big boulder known as “The Rock.” 
 
 For decades students have painted and repainted it with slogans, symbols and announcements. 
 
 Campus officials say they don’t police The Rock except in the case of threats and profanity.
 
 But a recent incident has students and faculty questioning what administrators view as threatening and whom they see as worthy of protection.
 
 HOST: LANE

Every January, the International Puppet Theater Festival descends upon our city.
 
 This year the Chicago group Manual Cinema is one of the hot tickets. 
 
 Their production “The Fourth Witch” puts a twist on Macbeth. 
 
 HOST: LANE