WBEZ News

The Chicago Tribune looked into the city’s new deputy mayor for public safety and his voting record on the police board. Host: Melba Lara; Guest: Gregory Pratt

Medical student Keven Stonewall Jr. got his start working in a lab, but he also learned a lot from his dad, Keven Sr., who drove him to and from the internship each day. Producer: Billy Healy

As CPS CEO Janice Jackson prepares to step down, she urges the next CEO to focus on academics and not get distracted by the “silly stuff.” Host: Lisa Labuz; Reporter: Sarah Karp

WBEZ’s Araceli Gomez-Aldana talks with NPR’s Senior Washington Editor, Ron Elving about covering politics on radio from the 90s to now. Producer: Cianna Greaves

As National Public Radio continues to celebrate 50 years on the air, we hear from NPR’s Sylvia Poggioli about her decades of public radio reporting. Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Lauren Frost

An article from ProPublica examines how the pandemic has contributed to delays in detecting and treating cancer, sometimes with heartbreaking consequences. Host: Melba Lara; Guest: Duaa Eldeib

The U.S. Drought Monitor lists Cook, DuPage, Lake, and Will counties all in a state of Moderate Drought, as of last week. Illinois State Climatologist, Dr. Trent Ford, shares what that means for us in this week’s climate conversation. Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Lauren Frost

CEO Janice Jackson is resigning after more than three years on on the job. She joins other top CPS leaders who recently announced their departures. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Sarah Karp

Freelance reporter Gabriel Thompson found one McDonalds on Chicago’s South West side where workers weren’t given face masks and social distancing policies weren’t enforced. Host: Araceli Gomez-Aldana; Producer: Mariah Woelfel

Dr. Mia Taromina, an infectious disease expert with the DuPage Medical Group, says your chances of being hospitalized or dying from COVID-19 after vaccination are 1 in a million. Find all our coverage at WBEZ.org/VaccineFAQ

A new report details a lack of leadership and communication in response to an outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home in which 36 residents died. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Tony Arnold

Immigrants with a lawyer are 11 times more likely to win removal cases but, in Illinois, 44% of immigrants face deportation without one. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: María Inés Zamudio

Summer in Chicago means food on sticks, bobbing to loud music, craft beer and art. Will the city reopen fast enough? Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Susie An

As Chicago grapples with the release of another video from a fatal police shooting, the investigation into the police killing of 13-year-old Adam Toledo is ongoing. Host: Lisa Labuz; Reporter: Patrick Smith

Anthony Alvarez was shot and killed on March 31 during a foot chase. Videos show he was armed, but had his back turned. Host: Becky Vevea; Reporter: Patrick Smith

This spring, people are emerging from their pandemic hibernation to shop, but experts say it likely won’t be enough to save some Chicago area malls. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Sarah Karp

Confidential documents show the inspector general is looking into “allegedly toxic and dangerous” work environments at beaches and pools. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Dan Mihalopoulos

Longtime Chicagoans know that “spring” is sometimes more myth than reality. Dr. Scott Collis, an atmospheric scientist at Argonne National Laboratory, helps explain the big variations we tend to see in spring weather. Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Lauren Frost

Chicago didn’t prioritize Chinatown for COVID-19 vaccines. So community leaders set up clinics themselves. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Kristen Schorsch

If you want a vaccine in Chicago, you can get one today. Chicago’s Public Health Commissioner, Dr. Allison Arwady, says now that demand is down appointments aren’t booked up within seconds. Find all our coverage at WBEZ.org/COVID

Lisa Doi is an organizer with Tsuru for Solidarity, a group of Japanese Americans using the folding of paper origami cranes as a way to spark changes to U.S. immigration policy. Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Bill Healy

Advocates say the new state law would keep people out of cycles of debt, while opponents say it could significantly impact the financial makeup of Illinois and hurt communities of color. Host: Lisa Labuz; Reporter: Araceli Gomez-Aldana

The Chicago police superintendent has pushed reform, while leaning on old-school ways to address violence, carjackings and civil unrest. Host: Lisa Labuz; Reporter: Patrick Smith

Public health officials are focusing more and more on combating vaccine hesitancy. Brittany Norment, a 33-year-old from Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood speaks with Dr. Rochelle Bello, director of infectious disease at St. Bernard Hospital. Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Mariah Woelfel

For people in Chicago who have lost loved ones to police violence, the murder conviction of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the killing of George Floyd brings hope, but also pain and worry. Host: Mary Dixon; Guest: Arewa Karen Winters

A new discovery by a team of scientists at Fermilab in west suburban Batavia is challenging everything we thought we knew about Physics. Dr. Brendan Casey, head of the Muon Department, details their findings around a relative of the Electron with a lifespan of microseconds. Host: Mary Dixon; Producer: Cianna Greaves

Illinois State Climatologist, Dr. Trent Ford, clarifies the difference between climate and weather. If you have questions about our region’s climate, send an email to [email protected]

As many as 26,000 public high schoolers were due back in schools beginning Monday. Teachers approved the reopening agreement this weekend. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Sarah Karp

Stewart Casey is a 48-year-old man from rural Illinois, and like over one third of Americans, he's unsure about getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Zachary Rubin, an allergist and immunologist in the Chicago area, spoke with Stewart to talk through his concerns. Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Mariah Woelfel

Illinois is about the middle of the pack, nationwide in COVID-19 vaccine administration — but Chicago lags. Starting Monday, eligibility expands to everyone 16 and older in the city. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Becky Vevea

One representative says it’s a shame the state must “babysit” utilities following the power company’s bribery scandal. But Democrats still haven’t agreed on a list of ethics reforms. Host: Araceli Gomez-Aldana; Reporter: Dave McKinney

Following the release of the police body cam footage of the shooting of a 13 year old boy, vigils and demonstrations were held around the city. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Linda Lutton

The Chicago Teachers Union voted in favor of a deal to reopen high schools, setting the stage to resume in-person learning in high schools on Monday for the first time in more than a year. Host: Lisa Labuz; Reporter: Sarah Karp

A lack of after-school care is making it impossible for some parents to send their children back to school in-person. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Adriana Cardona Maguigad

As parents and students prepare to return to classrooms on April 19, the union is raising the alarm about rising COVID-19 cases. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Sarah Karp

The state public health department says the pause comes out of “an abundance of caution” as federal regulators investigate rare cases of people getting blood clots after receiving the shot. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Becky Vevea

Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose shot makes up less than 5% of the COVID-19 vaccines shipped to Chicago and Illinois, but today’s pause by federal regulators is still causing disruption to the overall vaccine rollout. Host: Melba Lara; Guest: Dr. Allison Arwady

A group of “Mathletes” at Stevenson High School in north suburban Lincolnshire are finalists in a national competition that uses mathematics to solve real-world problems. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Linda Lutton

Four decades ago, Chris Huston put her daughter, Meighen Lovelace, up for adoption. Last year, they reunited at the StoryCorps booth in Chicago. Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Billy Healy

Chicago’s Commissioner of Public Health Dr. Allison Arwady says the virus will continue circulating among people who are not vaccinated. Find all our coverage at WBEZ.org/VaccineFAQ

Despite the economic downturn, some hyper-local entrepreneurs are trying to fill the void by developing new businesses from their kitchens and living rooms. Host: Lisa Labuz; Reporter: Adriana Cardona Maguigad

A new quarterly poll of Chicago and suburban residents from Crain's Chicago Business and The Daily Line found most Chicago voters think the city is on the wrong trajectory. Host: Melba Lara; Guest: Greg Hinz

The Chicago White Sox will welcome fans back Thursday, at Guaranteed Rate Field. VP of Sales & Marketing Brooks Boyer talks about what fans can expect as MLB navigates playing ball during a pandemic. Host: Mary Dixon; Producer: Cianna Greaves

The city of Chicago is expected to release video from the fatal police shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo in the coming days. At a recent press conference Mayor Lori Lightfoot spent a lot of time talking about how someone had put a gun in Toledo’s hand. Host: Lisa Labuz; Reporter: Patrick Smith

School districts say they’re in a much better position to plan for next school year as the pandemic continues, despite a bumpy transition to in-person learning. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Susie An

One way to get involved is to help people book vaccine appointments, or if you're a former nurse or healthcare worker you can volunteer for understaffed healthcare organizations. Find all our coverage at WBEZ.org/VaccineFAQ.

The Chicago Department of Public Health is shipping lots of vaccine doses to some providers in certain ZIP codes, while others get smaller amounts, or none at all. Dr. Allison Arwady who heads the department, stresses that where a dose is shipped isn’t necessarily where it’s given. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Becky Vevea, Kristen Schorsch

According to a recent survey, Chicago parents are reporting increases in mental or behavioral health problems in their young kids during the pandemic. Psychologist Colleen Cicchetti with Lurie Children’s Hospital, shares more about these findings. Host: Greta Johnsen; Producer: Lauren Frost

There is a lot to look forward to in Chicago right now. Baseball season, consistent sunshine – and the COVID-19 vaccine. But public health officials and doctors are shouting that we are not out of the pandemic woods just yet. Host: Araceli Gomez-Aldana; Reporter: Mariah Woelfel

This Easter, a Catholic parish on Chicago’s South side is celebrating without their spiritual leader. Father Michael Pfleger has been accused of sexual abuse, but much of his congregation say they remain fiercely loyal in his absence. Host: Araceli Gomez-Aldana; Reporter: Michael Puente