Best Of XRT

The currently little-used floors 8 through 14 of the big department store formerly known as Marshall Field's will be turned into office space by a Toronto firm. Macy's keeps the Walnut Room and gets $30 million. Plus the rest of the day's news, sports and balmy weather forecast.

New research indicates fresh produce, whole grains, and less red meat may help people avoid depression as they age. Plus the rest of the day's news, sports and cheerful weather forecast.

Marty Lennartz has spoken with the likes of Keith Richards, Arcade Fire, Wilco, Florence & The Machine, Patti Smith, Jack White, and many more. His resume of interviews reads like the rock & roll hall of fame induction list. We pick his mind and get his philosophies when it comes to interviewing. We also touch on his career highlights, favorite interviews, strange experiences, and what hap...

We find a final XRT listener to go to spring training with us, Lin calls me a wacko, and I go ahead with the rest of the news because WTH it's Friday and you as an American citizen have the right to know what is going on.

High school students in the US and around the Chicago suburbs are staging demonstrations for stronger gun laws in the wake of last week's mass shooting at a Florida high school. President Trump is talking about arming specially-trained teachers, raising the age limit for buying weapons, and banning bump stocks. Plus the rest of the day's news, sports, and weather forecast.

You'll never guess who's been eliminated from the medal round! (Kidding: Canada lost to Great Britain. Plus the rest of the day's news, which is considerably more serious unless you're a curling fan.)

The latest news includes word of heavy rain and flooded roads in the south and southwest suburbs. Plus sports and the weather forecast.  

The man charged in Chicago Police Commander Paul Bauer's murder has been ordered held without bail. Cubs star Anthony Rizzo returned to his home in Florida to mourn with the victims of the mass shooting at his alma mater, Stoneman Douglas High School. Plus the rest of the day's news, sports and weather forecast.

The latest on the suspected shooter at a high school in Florida, and on the charges filed in this week's murder of Chicago police commander Paul Bauer. Plus the rest of the day's news, sports and weather forecast.

Police officials say a multiple felon is in custody after shooting Near North Side Police Commander Paul Bauer yesterday in the Loop. Bauer was 53 and a 31-year veteran of CPD. Plus the rest of the day's news, sports and weather forecast.

Another Chicago skyscraper loses its signature namesake. What are we gonna call it now? Plus the rest of the day's news, including Olympic medals won in Pyeong Chang.

Look, we spent the weekend shoveling or waiting for planes. Let's talk about baseball and Pearl Jam coming to Wrigley Field (and the latest news, sports and weather forecast. Which is chilly.).

How do you explain what it was like to live through Beatlemania to people that didn't experience it? We looked no further than down the hallway as we spoke with Terri Hemmert on the topic. Today, we discuss why The Beatles have been able to connect with music fans across generations in a way that other bands haven't been able to do.

Catholic church leaders are suggesting the faithful celebrate St. Valentine's Day this weekend or on Tuesday - Mardi Gras - rather than on February 14 -- which is Ash Wednesday. Plus why we'll need to stock up on milk, bread & beer before tonight (STORMWATCH) and the rest of the day's news, sports and forecast.

It's a small, small world. So we celebrate the XRT Spring Training trip win by Jake of Dixon, IL -- Mary's family home. Plus the rest of the day's news, which includes word that DNA evidence shows early Brits were probably people of color. They turned paler later than previously thought. A small world, indeed.

Terri Hemmert shares her memories of the late John Mahoney and why he was a beloved Chicagoan.

The Oak Park resident didn't even start acting until his late-30s. John Mahoney was best known as Martin Crane on the TV show "Frasier," along with numerous appearances on the big screen and Chicago's stages. If you ever saw him act or met him in person, you know why the city's theater community is in mourning. Plus the rest of the day's news, sports and weather forecast.

We've been demoted from a "full" to "flawed" democracy in 2017 because of the decline in public trust in US institutions. Just a reminder, Gentle Reader, that the word democracy is from the Greek terms for "people" and "power." Let's exercise ours wisely. Plus the rest of the day's news and frigid forecast.

NASA states it's the first time in 150 years we've had the trifecta: the moon this close to Earth (Super), the second full moon in a month (Blue) and a lunar eclipse making it look reddish (Blood). Also the latest on President Trump's first State of the Union address and the rest of the day's news, sports and weather forecast.

They say the new company will be independent and free from profit-making incentives and constraints. It's not clear how they'll do it, or if this would extend beyond employees at the three firms. Plus the rest of the day's news, sports and weather forecast.

Congress approved the sanctions by a large margin last summer. They're meant to punish the Kremlin and those close to the Putin government for interfering with the 2016 election. Plus the rest of the day's news, sports and weather forecast ...

Inside The Archives host Marty Rosenbaum grew up in a world where The Beatles were already the greatest Rock & Roll band of all time. They had already changed the world. He speaks with Terri Hemmert to get a first hand perspective on what it was like to live through Beatlemania and how it impacted both her personal and professional life.

At least four times this month, two men held up people in the North Side neighborhoods. Plus the rest of the day's news, sports and weather forecast.

They're meeting in Washington, DC and protesting the Trump administration's demand that they hand over records showing whether the sanctuary cities are sharing information on immigrant detainees with federal immigration agents. Plus the rest of the day's news, sports, weather ... and Sir Elton John's plan to launch his farewell tour.

They're scrubbing out the Aurora high school; Roberto Clemente High School on the Northwest Side is open today after an electrical fire was put out in a sub-basement early this morning. Plus the rest of the day's news, sports and slippery weather forecast ...