WBEZ News

I’m WBEZ reporter Araceli Gomez-Aldana. And we're answering your questions about federal immigration agents being deployed in the Chicago area. 
 
 Like this one from a resident from suburban Highland Park, who wondered: what documents should I carry to prove my citizenship?

Students are feeling distracted and worried amid federal immigration arrests. Chicago youth organizations brought together a group of teens to talk about how they feel and share their ideas for a better future. HOST: LANE

Alongside the Chicago Sun-Times, we’re gathering your questions about all things money and finances. 
 
 Then each week, we get your questions answered by the people who know best.
 
 This week, we got this question: "Hi, my name is Avanti and my question is why are gas prices so different across the country?”
 
 To find out, we called up an expert.

Funeral services for former Republican Governor Jim Edgar will take place in Springfield Saturday.
 
 Democratic Governor J-B Pritzker has called Edgar a model public servant.
 
 And Democratic House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch described him as a “damn good governor.”
 
 Before his death, Edgar spent almost three hours talking to WBEZ’s Dave McKinney about his life and legacy, his cancer battle and a Republican Party under Donald Trump he no longer recognizes.
 
 HOST: LARA

For the past decade, the Chicago band Knuckle Puck has built a cult following with its mix of emo, pop punk and hardcore. 
 
 The band’s debut album “Copacetic” turns 10 this year, and the group is playing Riot Fest this weekend in celebration.

I’m WBEZ reporter Araceli Gomez-Aldana. And we're answering YOUR questions about federal immigration agents – and possibly the National Guard – being deployed on Chicago's streets. 
 
 Like this one from Cristina Hernandez from Logan Square: How do we have honest, hard conversations with our children? How do we explain what is going on without creating fear?

Nearly 50 instructors at Illinois colleges and universities are on what’s called the “Professor Watchlist.”
 
 It’s an online database compiled by late conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point U-S-A. 
 
 His non-profit says it aims to document professors who "advance leftist propaganda in the classroom"
 
 HOST: LANE

Bill Kurtis and his booming voice have been a staple of Chicago’s media landscape for decades. 
 
 His career took off at C-B-S, alongside Walter Jacobson, and now, he’s the voice of Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, here on W-B-E-Z and N-P-R. 
 
 Now, Kurtis is sharing 60 years worth of stories in his new memoir, titled “Whirlwind,” out this week.

Officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement weren’t wearing body cameras during a fatal encounter last week. The Sun-Times reports two ICE officers weren’t wearing the device when one of them shot and killed Silverio Villegas Gonzalez during a traffic stop in Franklin Park on Friday. The Department of Homeland Security says an ICE agent shot Villegas-Gonzalez after being dragged beneath his car. Activists are pointing to social media videos and raising questions about the feds’ account of the incident.

Parents of special education students at Chicago Public Schools say their children are getting left behind after the district made significant staffing changes this year. The number of Chicago Public School students in special education is at its highest in at least 15 years. This summer the school district cut about 1000 special ed positions only to reopen more than 600 new positions after classes started in the fall. CPS officials say these changes will help "right size the number of staff, where in the past some schools would have too many, and others too few." HOST: LANE

As alcohol consumption declines among young adults, breweries are pivoting to THC drinks to fill the gap. We talk to Sun Times contributor Chris Casacchia about the new trend and how local businesses are adapting. HOST: LANE

September opened with Chicago's prestigious jazz festival. But even if you missed it, there are two more events dedicated to the art form underway this month.
 
 Chicago Sun-Times reporter Erica Thompson has been on the jazz beat and recently spoke with WBEZ’s Courtney Kueppers about what audiences can expect.
 HOST: LANE

Today is the start of something brand new here at the station. At 9 we launched a new news-driven talk show In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons. And at 10, another new program where YOU can chime in; Say More with Mary Dixon and Patrick Smith. These two local programs will air weekdays between 9 and 11 each morning. Sasha-Ann Simons and a voice morning listeners know well -Mary Dixon-join me now with more. HOST: LANE

Alongside the Chicago Sun-Times, we’re gathering your questions about all things money and finances.
 
 Then each week, we get your questions answered by the people who know best.
 
 This week, we got this question:
 
 “My name is Anthony, and I'm from Kankakee, and I'm just wondering what to do now that I've gone through my retirement funds to save my house in the last recession, with the new recession coming, what should I do to protect myself?”

If you want to know how many arrests immigration officers have made in Chicago this year, you won’t get answers from the government.
 
 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE stopped publishing comprehensive data in January, after President Donald Trump was inaugurated.
 
 But watchdog groups have stepped in to fill some key gaps. 
 
 They offer a big picture view of arrests and detentions in Illinois and across the country this year so far.
 
 Sun-Times Reporter Lauren FitzPatrick is here to break it down for us.
 HOST: MELBA

Chicago just spent another week in the national spotlight, as President Donald Trump continues to threaten federal intervention.
 
 But that didn’t stop one local arts group …. Music of the Baroque …. from putting an orchestra on a large, sightseeing boat. All to create a moment of joy.
 
 On Wednesday, the group presented a sing-along to Handel’s [HAN-dell] “Water Music” from 17-17. They invited the public to join in from the banks of the Chicago River
 HOST: LANE

The city of Chicago today announced a 90 million dollar proposed settlement to resolve almost two hundred lawsuits tied to Ronald Watts.
 
 He’s a former police sergeant who ran a corrupt public housing unit and went to federal prison for shaking down an FBI informant.
 
 HOST: LARA

Immigration enforcement actions are ramping up in Chicago - in predominantly Hispanic immigrant communities. 
 
 Many immigrant workers say they’re afraid to work and some people are making the decision to stay home.
 
 But legal experts and labor organizers say there are several key steps business owners and employers can take to be prepared if federal immigration authorities show up.
 HOST: LABUZ

I’m WBEZ reporter Araceli Gomez-Aldana. And we're answering YOUR questions about federal immigration agents – and possibly the National Guard – being deployed on Chicago's streets. 
 
 Like this one from Kathy Williams in Hyde Park:
 
 My concern is who is paying for the National Guard to be sent out, are they taxpayers paying for that?

The price of a college education is higher than it's ever been. In the midst of the student debt crisis, we talk to Sun-Times reporter Mary Norkol to examine Chicago college tuition and see how students are faring.
 HOST: LANE

Fans know Jenna Fischer from her time playing Pam Beesly [BEES-lee] on NBCs hit comedy “The Office.” 
 
 Fischer is also a New York Times best selling author and podcaster… but now Fischer is moving into the new phase of her career.
 HOST: LABUZ

President Donald Trump has promised to increase federal immigration enforcement in Chicago. 
 
 It’s raising questions and fears for some parents of school-age kids.
 
 Chicago Public Schools says it does not coordinate with federal agents, including ICE.
 
 But what about your commute to and from school?
 
 HOST: LABUZ

President Donald Trump has promised to increase federal immigration enforcement in Chicago. 
 
 It’s raising questions and fears for some parents of school-age kids.
 
 Chicago Public Schools says it does not coordinate with federal agents, including ICE.
 
 But what about your commute to and from school?
 
 HOST: LABUZ

I’m WBEZ reporter Araceli Gomez-Aldana. And we're answering YOUR questions about federal immigration agents – and possibly the National Guard – being deployed on Chicago's streets. 
 
 Like this one from Douglas Macayeal from Hyde Park:
 
 If the National Guard comes to Chicago can we take photographs and post them on social media?

Chicagoans have been bracing for a potential National Guard deployment.
 
 But the city's history with American soldiers stretches back to its founding. 
 
 Sun-Times columnist Neil Steinberg joined WBEZ’s Clare Lane to talk about Chicago's history with troops. 
 HOST: LANE

More and more buildings in Chicago and around the country are owned by LLCs. 
 
 That’s making it easier for landlords to hide behind their companies. 
 HOST: LABUZ

We're answering YOUR questions about the National Guard and immigration agents possibly being deployed on Chicago's streets.

We’re gathering your questions about all things money and finances.
 
 Then each week we get your questions answered by the people who know best.
 
 Students are back in the classroom, and for high schoolers, they’ve got a big decision coming up. Calvin Buss from Godfrey, Illinois asks: 
 
 "When looking for a good college, do I look for the cheapest college that I can afford without having to take out loans? Or do I take out loans and go to the best college I can possibly afford? My thought behind it is, will I meet the people that I need to get to those higher positions at a more expensive school, or will I do just fine without meeting those people?"
 
 To find out, we called up an expert.

The Chicago Bears are back! We talked with WBEZ sports contributor Cheryl Raye-Stout about how the team is looking and what we can expect from the season. HOST: LANE

President Donald Trump has been threatening to send the National Guard to Chicago, in what he calls an effort to curb violence in the city, despite lowering crime numbers.
 
 The threats come shortly after Trump deployed the National Guard into Washington DC, citing similar concerns.
 
 Sun-Times national political reporter Tina Sfondeles is in Washington DC and joins us now to talk about what she’s seen. 
 
 HOST: LABUZ

President Donald Trump has been threatening to send the National Guard to Chicago, in what he calls an effort to curb violence in the city, despite lowering crime numbers.
 
 The threats come shortly after Trump deployed the National Guard into Washington DC, citing similar concerns.
 
 Sun-Times national political reporter Tina Sfondeles is in Washington DC and joins us now to talk about what she’s seen. 
 
 HOST: LABUZ

President Donald Trump has been sending federal immigration agents to Chicago. 
 
 And more are expected to arrive as part of a plan to increase immigration enforcement efforts. 
 
 A group of volunteers in the Pilsen neighborhood on Chicago’s south side wants to stop them from making arrests in their community and warn families before they get there. 
 
 HOST: LABUZ

Hundreds of federal agents are being sent to a suburban naval base from Los Angeles, but they're not the National Guard. We talk with Sun-Times reporter Violet Miller about which agents are being sent and what we can expect them to do. HOST: LANE

Crime stats in Chicago see it fewest summer murders since 1965

President Donald Trump has threatened to send federal troops into Chicago to fight crime.
 But teenagers who liven area of the southeast side notorious for gun violence, have strong feelings about what that could mean for their community.

O’Hare Airport has broken ground on a new $1.3 billion dollar terminal Concourse D. Sun-Times Architecture Columnist Lee Bey says the designers plan to create a more calming and intimate space, with daylight, plants and a kids play area. HOST: LANE

The Chicago Public Library has selected its One Book, One Chicago title for 2025. 
 
 The book is Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez. 
 
 Olga Dies Dreaming tells the stories of two successful Latino siblings who must confront the impact of long-held family secrets as their estranged mother returns to their lives.
 
 WBEZ contributor Adora Namigadde sits down with Xochitl Gonzalez to discuss the book. 
 HOST: LANE

LaToya Baines was at her lowest when she was in prison. 
 
 But a woman she met there helped her survive almost a decade behind bars. 
 
 Now, LaToya is helping others at their lowest points … through her work at a violence prevention agency.
 
 She calls it the job of her dreams. 
 
 WBEZ’s Anna Savchenko brings us her story. 
 HOST: DIXON

Typically, you can find Chicago baritone Will Liverman on opera stages across the country. 
 
 But this summer, Liverman did something different.
 
 He released a double album of art songs inspired by two 20th Century Black poets Paul Dunbar and his wife, Alice. 
 
 WBEZ contributor Hannah Edgar has more. 
 HOST: DIXON

There were spirited anti-Trump protests around the U.S. Monday. Some of the loudest voices were in Chicago where the president has threatened to deploy National Guard troops.

Chicago’s biggest EDM event happens this weekend. 
 
 The ARC Music Festival celebrates Chicago as the home of house music. 
 
 On the lineup is Chicago DJ Hiroko Yamamura. 
 
 She’s one of the few local DJs who has claimed a spot every year.
 
 Yamamura recently sat down with Vocalo host Nudia Hernandez to discuss her approach to a festival set.
 
 HOST: DEGMAN

There are many unanswered questions about President Trump’s threat to send the National Guard to Chicago, leaving Mayor Brandon Johnson, Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling and other leaders frustrated at the lack of information from the feds.
 HOST: DIXON

It’s no secret Chicago has a lead pipe problem:
 
 It’s got the most lead service lines of any city in the country. And those pipes can leach toxic lead into our drinking water.
 
 But there hasn’t been a way for people to see if their home has a lead pipe, which neighborhoods have the most, and who’s most affected. 
 
 Until now.
 
 We mapped it ALL out. 
 
 WBEZ’s Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco has more.
 HOST: DIXON

Today…is gonna be the day…that Oasis plays in Chicago. 
 
 It’s the 20th stop on a sold-out tour that has been the talk of rock music all year. 
 
 And the reunion hits especially close to home for one of Oasis’ biggest fans…who just happens to live here. 
 
 Camila Trimberger-Ruiz takes us to Chicago’s Roscoe Village neighborhood. 
 
 HOST: LARA

What does the law say about President Donald Trump’s threats to send troops to the city of Chicago?
 
 Trump has been talking up the possibility for more than a week now to purportedly help with crime.
 
 Jon Seidel has been digging into whether doing that would be constitutional.
 HOST: MELBA

The Illinois film industry is booming and it’s bringing big bucks to the local prop industry, with Chicago antique shops and prop houses supplying items seen on hit TV shows. HOST: DIXON

The Chicago band Rise Against started in the city’s gritty punk scene in the 1990s.
 
 The band has gone from small clubs to major labels, grown up, had families. But its members still make music that is politically and socially conscious. 
 HOST: MELBA

People working to reduce violence in Chicago are decrying President Donald Trump’s continuous threats to send the military to the city.
 
 Former Education Secretary Arne Duncan runs the anti-violence organization Chicago CRED.
 HOST: MELBA

In Illinois and across the country, schools, hospitals and community organizations depend on social workers to function. 
 
 But there are never enough social workers to go around. 
 
 It’s one of those jobs that doesn’t pay well – and in most cases requires a master’s degree. 
 
 Now, President Donald Trump and Republicans are piling on yet another deterrent to becoming one:
 
 Limits on how much in federal debt students can borrow to attend graduate school. 
 
 WBEZ’s Lisa Kurian Philip has the story. 
 HOST: DIXON

As famine is declared in Gaza, Chicago area doctors are meeting with Illinois lawmakers to share their experiences and prompt action to end the war in Gaza. HOST: DIXON