The Rundown | Chicago News

What Illinois Democrats thought of Kamala Harris’s energetic speech last night. A young survivor of gun violence from Chicago took the stage on the final night of the DNC. The removal of convention infrastructure will carry on throughout the weekend.

Chicago police are monitoring a march against U.S. military aid to Israel on the last day of the Democratic National Convention. Some downtown store owners say the Democratic National Convention is slowing things down for their businesses. People incarcerated at a crumbling state prison outside Joliet are beginning to get moved out today.

A protest against the war in Gaza drew thousands Wednesday evening. Some delegates staged a sit-in outside of the United Center to call for a Palestinian American to speak at the DNC. Gen Z voters gathered near the United Center yesterday to see how they can help get other young people to the polls this November.

Palestinian advocates are requesting a chance to speak on the mainstage of the Democratic National Convention. The Chicago area added nearly 26,000 manufacturing jobs between January 2021 and January 2024, according to an analysis by WBEZ. The Chicago-based satirical newspaper The Onion is back in print after 11 years as an online-only paper.

Outside of the big speeches every night, what actually happens at the DNC? As it turns out, it’s a convention, filled with delegates hobnobbing, nail technicians issuing Kamala Harris manicures and vendors showing off everything from custom “Yes We Kam” patches to a collection of living, breathing, queen-worshiping bees. The Rundown podcast visited the DNC and spoke with a whole bunch of attendees...

Dozens of people were arrested during demonstrations supporting Palestine in the West Loop last night. Illinois Democrats highlighted the state’s progressive values during the ceremonial roll call at the DNC. Chicagoans react to the Democratic National Convention after its second day in the city.

Illinois Democrats are excited to hear from former President Barack Obama at the United Center tonight. The Chicago Department of Public Health is advising anyone attending the DNC to stay safe from respiratory illnesses like COVID-19. The Israeli American Council has launched an outdoor art exhibit called “Hostage Square Chicago” in the West Loop.

Illinois Democratic elected officials focused on fighting for working class families on the first night of the Democratic National Convention. Protests on the first day of the DNC were peaceful, though there were some tense moments. Legendary television host Phil Donahue died this week. While working in Chicago during the 1970s and ‘80s, he redefined daytime talk shows for good.

Hear from a protest march underway near the United Center outside the Democratic National Convention. Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said officers this week will avoid confrontation during marches and will not wear riot gear unless people are rioting. Phil Donahue, who created the format of the modern-day talk show and filmed in Chicago from 1974 to 1985, has died. He was 88.

With a big influx of people coming to Chicago for this week’s Democratic National Convention, WBEZ decided it was high time to gather some beautiful reminders of what makes our city so special.  In this episode of the Rundown podcast, you’ll hear from three Chicagoans about what they love about this city and its people, including Adeeb Borden , the founder of CEO’s of Color, a non-profit that...

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker says he’s as excited about the Democratic National Convention, which kicks off today, as Trekkies are for Star Trek conventions. Many patients at hospitals near the United Center are planning to see their doctors virtually this week to avoid traffic. The first major DNC protest happened last night, shutting down part of Michigan Avenue for hours without incident.

The Chicago Police Department is unveiling a new helicopter ahead of next week’s Democratic National Convention. A coalition of faith leaders has partnered with Great Lakes Credit Union to open a brick and mortar location in the Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams will make his Soldier Field debut on Saturday as the Bears take on the Bengals in their third...

WBEZ’s sister station Vocalo takes music submissions from local artists – if the team likes the song, they play it on the radio. When musician Tala Silva sent in her song “ Goddess ,” Vocalo’s Nudia Hernandez put it in the rotation right away and invited Silva in for an interview. In conversation at Vocalo, Silva described her sound as “very feathery, alternative-bedroom-indie-pop-R&B, I guess...

More than 20 synagogues in Northern Illinois received emailed bomb threats Thursday, according to Evanston Police. As the Democratic National Convention approaches immigrant rights activists say they will be voicing their demands for legalization next week and beyond. Convention organizers are unveiling a new fossil fuel offset program to lower the event’s carbon footprint.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson will both have a moment in the spotlight during next week's Democratic National Convention. Illinois Democrats at the Illinois State Fair are using new enthusiasm for Kamala Harris in hopes of getting people excited about the rest of the ticket. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s plan to replace the head of the public school system – amid te...

We hear reaction to the news that CPS CEO Pedro Martinez may be on his way out the door. Attorney Ben Crump is working with Sonya Massey’s family on a police reform bill named after her. Illinois Democrats are using new enthusiasm for Kamala Harris to get people excited about the rest of the ticket.

Dozens of Springfield-area residents are calling for an overhaul of the Sangamon County Sheriff’s office a little over a month after Sonya Massey was shot and killed by a former sheriffs’ deputy. Just five days from the start of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, protesters are still still fighting for more space to demonstrate. Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration is laying the grou...

The Salt Shed hosted thousands of amateur vocalists last week for an event they called “World’s Largest Karaoke.” “We’re taking some liberties with that title, but we had more than 8,000 people RSVP,” said Mary McKeen, who works on alternative programming at the Salt Shed. McKeen said a little more than 3,000 people showed up at the outdoor event, which was co-hosted by the Empty Bottle.  “We...

Springfield community members are urging the Sangamon county board to reform the sheriff’s department. Pro-Palestinian protesters are appealing a decision that denies extending the parade route near the United Center to just one mile in length during next week’s Democratic National Convention. Democratic National Convention organizers have surpassed their goals for hiring minority or women owned b...

Chicago police Superintendent Larry Snelling says the police department is prepared to keep neighborhoods safe throughout the Democratic National Convention next week. Six Save-A-Lot grocery stores could reopen across Chicago’s South and West sides this fall after months of delays. Former Illinois Auditor General Bill Holland died this weekend at his home in Seattle.

The head of the Chicago Police Department talks DNC preparedness. Longest-serving Illinois Auditor General Bill Holland dies at 72. A city hotline meant to assist Chicago’s homeless population has been down for over a month… more on what’s causing the stoppage.

A promise from Republican governors to flood Chicago with buses of asylum seekers ahead of the Democratic National Convention has not yet materialized. A federal judge has ordered that most of the people incarcerated at Stateville prison near Joliet be moved to other prisons by the end of next month. Five University of Chicago students have received diplomas that were withheld due to their involve...

There’s an exhibit on the Near South Side focusing on South Asian artists who have come through and thrived in Chicago.  It’s called “What is Seen and Unseen: Mapping South Asian American Art in Chicago.” In this episode, Rundown podcast host Erin Allen talks to curator Shelly Bahl about some of her favorite things that she learned and brought forth into the exhibit. “I’ve always been fascina...

The City of Chicago has not seen an influx of migrants as Republican governors promised. The city is still working out plans for residents impacted by DNC security restrictions near the United Center. Free vaccinations were administered at the Market Days festival this weekend.

Local and state transportation officials showcased a proposed overhaul of DuSable Lake Shore Drive at the final open house of the “Redefine the Drive” project. A new report shows alarming trends in maternal and infant health on Chicago’s South and West Sides. Chicago’s crosstown classic kicks off this evening.