The Rundown | Chicago News

Chicagoans celebrated Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. with art, music and podcasting. Reducing the length of prison sentences in Illinois would only slightly increase criminal arrests, according to a new study. CTA operators are concerned about schedule changes, despite more reliability for riders.

Step Afrika! is an international, percussive dance company, and they’re coming to Chicago for one night only on Saturday, Jan. 14. Dancer and artist Robert Warnsley is one of the few in the company who’s from Chicago, and they happen to have a special segment of the show, dedicated to the city – it’s appropriately named “Chicago.” He’ll tell us about the show and what it means to him to represent...

Mayor Lori Lightfoot is apologizing for emails her campaign sent to Chicago Public School teachers recruiting student volunteers. Illinois lawmakers approve new spending to help asylum seekers who have come to the state. A West Side group has won a $10 million Pritzker Traubert Foundation prize to create a walkable village in West Garfield Park.

If it feels like you are wasting most of your life sitting in highway traffic… you’re not imagining it. Chicago has the worst congestion of any major city. Illinois is one step away from requiring 40 hours of paid leave every year to ALL employees in the state. Chicago Public Schools has hired a new chief auditor and will start reviewing schools again after a long hiatus.

Where exactly does money belong between us and our loved ones? Brad Klontz is back for part two of our conversation about the psychology of money. Today, the financial psychologist is going beyond how you think about money, and into how to talk about it with your kids, your partner, and other folks around you.

Illinois lawmakers passed two important measures last night on gun control, abortion and gender-affirming care. Health officials in Illinois have launched a new online COVID-19 tracker. Some North Lawndale residents can apply for stipends to purchase climate-friendly transportation.

Democratic state senators passed an assault weapons ban last night, and Republicans in Springfield are pushing back. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker wants to make college tuition free for some families. Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood is now a National Heritage area.

From inflation to gas prices, to call this past year challenging would be an understatement for many. Things are starting to ease up a bit now, but all these fluctuations can make you question how much control you have over your own finances. What if it’s less about control and more about how we think about money in the first place? Brad Klontz is a Financial Psychologist. He’ll talk about how to...

The list of candidates running to be Chicago’s next mayor is set after one last hopeful was kicked off the ballot. Illinois state senators passed a budget bill that would give themselves a nearly 20 percent pay raise. Lawmakers and LGBTQ advocates outline some priorities for Illinois’ spring legislative session.

There are those Christians who already celebrated Christmas last month... and then there are those who are just getting started. Orthodox Christmas falls on January 7 this year, and Chicago has one of the largest Orthodox Christian populations in the US. They’re all celebrating with delectable holiday food this weekend, and WBEZ producer (and former chef) Cianna Greaves is here to tell us where we...

It was a big night in Springfield. Illinois lawmakers are closer to passing a statewide assault weapons ban. State representatives voted late last night on new protections for patients who get abortions and their providers. And state senators passed a measure allowing residents to mark X for the sex on birth certificates.

A Chicago teacher says a new state law allowing student absences to attend civic events recognizes learning also takes place outside the classroom. Cook County set another record for opioid overdose deaths. Four bridges on Chicago’s Southeast side will be getting repairs thanks to a boost in federal funding.

When it comes to living your best life in the new year, switching to more healthy eating may be at the top of your list. While you may know why this is a good idea, just how to do it can be mystifying. The latter is Chef Bri Houston’s specialty; she talks about creating meals, cookbooks and new habits for folks who want to explore a palette outside of the standard American diet.

Chicago remains at a medium risk level for COVID-19, but Chicago’s public health commissioner predicts that won’t last long. Developers have pitched $1 billion in renovations as part of Chicago’s Revitalize LaSalle initiative. Illinois lawmakers are back in Springfield for the lame duck session this week.

An Illinois law protecting natural hairstyles from workplace discrimination is now in effect. Some prison education experts worry the return of Pell grants won’t be a catch-all solution for students behind bars. A survey finds more Chicago public schools are being asked by families to help meet their children’s basic needs.

Some folks will be taking a break from alcohol soon for Dry January. But abstaining from it doesn't mean you want to stop going to bars or consume delicious beverages. Cristina Torres is the founder of Bendición Dry Bar and Bottle Shop in Humboldt Park. She explains why focusing on community and reflection is vital when you’re sober, whether it’s for a month, a night or forever.

A new state law aims to promote career and technical education amongst high school students. Illinois ends the year with a slightly higher prison population than in 2021. Frederick Collins will be the last mayoral candidate knocked off the February ballot after falling short of the signatures he needed to qualify.

Illinois sells Damen Silos land despite growing concerns from community and environmental groups. A new report shines light on the mismanagement of prison investigations. A Kankakee County judge has ruled part of the SAFE-T Act unconstitutional.

National Teachers Academy (NTA) is a high performing, majority Black elementary school in Chicago’s South Loop. A few years ago, a group of wealthier residents in the area rallied around closing the school to make space for a new high school their children could attend. Erin talks with the director of “Let the Little Light Shine,” a documentary about how NTA administrators, parents and students or...

Flight delays with Southwest Airlines are not just because of weather. Uber and Lyft drivers protested at O’Hare Airport last night and refused rides from the airport in demand of better working conditions. While the city of Chicago has embraced some harm-reduction steps to prevent drug overdoses, there's one step it’s not willing to take.

The Chicago Department of Transportation is getting ready for another round of free bike giveaways. The Bronzeville Children’s Museum kicked off Kwanzaa celebrations this week. The Morton Arboretum has sustainable suggestions for disposing of your live Christmas tree.

The CTA has spent most of this year trying to recover from staff shortages and a massive culture shift toward remote work – two of the many by-products of a global pandemic. Last month, WBEZ asked listeners to fill out a survey, so we could hear directly from you about just how the issues with the CTA are affecting your lives and views of Chicago transit. Freelance journalist Rebecca Holland talks...

Doctors are advising people to stay indoors as bitter cold temperatures linger this weekend, but they have tips if you absolutely must go out. You should mask up if you’re going to be with family and friends celebrating the holidays. Teachers and parents at Benito Juarez High School are saying they aren’t interested in bringing police officers back into schools, despite the shooting outside the bu...

Officials in numerous Chicago departments – including CPS, CTA, and the Department of Family and Support Services – are bracing for low temperatures and heavy snow in the coming days. More people will soon be able to apply for a cannabis dispensary license in Illinois. Two candidates in Chicago’s mayoral race have dropped their efforts to get each other kicked off of February’s ballot.

A promise of affordable housing sits at 18th and Peoria in Pilsen. It’s the single largest vacant and developable lot in the neighborhood, and the property has changed hands for roughly 20 years. Now the city owns the land and promises to build affordable housing – something community members have been organizing for, for years. WBEZ metro reporter Indira Khera talks about what residents are hopin...