The Rundown | Chicago News

Matthew A. Cherry wasn’t an artsy kid. Growing up on Chicago’s Northwest Side, he played four sports in high school, football in college, and then bounced around the National Football League for a few years. His Plan B was a pivot to TV and film production and eventually an Academy Award, for his 2020 animated short film “ Hair Love ,” about a young Black father struggling to style his daughter’s...

Cook County is offering some property tax relief for residents and businesses whose properties suffered severe flood damage this summer. Sangamon County court officials continue to process prior cases under the new no cash bail system. And a new report says Illinois added thousands of clean energy jobs last year.

Judges in some Illinois counties were still setting money bonds, despite a new law eliminating cash bail. In the wake of disturbing allegations of sexual harassment by leaders at the National Association of Realtors, advocates are demanding sweeping reforms. A new environmental assessment published by the city of Chicago addresses the uneven effects of climate change and pollution across the city.

In Chicago, autumn rings in the end of summer festival season. The city plays host to countless music, food and cultural festivals each year. For some of us, that’s part of the magic of summertime Chi. But others argue that events like Lollapalooza, Riot Fest and the Taste of Chicago can do more harm than good. Tickets can be costly, and events render public spaces inaccessible for a few days and...

Today is the official end of cash bail in the state of Illinois. Riot Fest attracted thousands, but some long-time residents and business owners feel frustrated that they aren’t more involved with planning the event. Thousands of preschool seats for Chicago Public Schools remain unfilled.

How do you parent someone who is incarcerated? How do you let yourself be parented while locked up? WBEZ and our sister station Vocalo are producing a project called Prisoncast! for the second year in a row in partnership with Illinois Public Radio stations across the state. In this episode, we preview two of the pieces from the program. Lauren Frost produced both pieces in this episode and is the...

Chicago residents will have access to the latest COVID-19 vaccine as early as today. Legislation in Chicago’s City Council aims to prevent South Shore residents from being displaced. Chicago is looking for bilingual poll workers for next year’s election season.

Financial experts say Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson will need to find revenue sources to close an anticipated $538 million budget deficit. Patrons react to several libraries in Chicago and the suburbs receiving bomb threats earlier this week. A bold plan to redesign public transit in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs faced its first public hearing yesterday.

Sometimes a home isn’t a home until you’ve put your stamp on it – or embedded yourself in your community in a certain way. Austin Cantú has called Waukegan home for a long time, but it wasn’t until he started revitalizing an abandoned arts park that he finally connected with his father and his roots. As for Marco Lopez, home always meant being on the move. But now that he has a partner and a daugh...

Illinois is updating its policy for transgender athletes who want to play in post-season athletic tournaments. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is expected to release his budget forecast today, which will give the public a first look at how big of a budget gap the city is facing for the year ahead. Chicagoans with ties to Morocco are leading efforts to assist those devastated by an earthquake there l...

Lawmakers put politics aside to mourn the thousands lost during the 9/11 terror attacks 22 years ago. The Food and Drug Administration has approved an updated COVID-19 vaccine. A new study finds that the use of restorative practices in Chicago Public Schools have led to a significant decrease in suspensions and arrests.

The concept of “home” means different things to different people, including those in Chicago’s vibrant immigrant community. We hear from Erwin Lopez Rada, a Venezuelan immigrant now living in Chicago who was forced out of his country by political persecution. “It’s terrible to feel like you don’t belong in your own country,” he said. For Lola Wang, a queer therapist who immigrated to the U.S. from...

A fight over school choice is brewing amid news that the Chicago Teachers Union president is sending her son to a private school. The federal government will provide a little over half the money needed to extend the Red Line. The city’s first-ever legal casino opens its doors for gamblers and employees searching for new job prospects.

What does it mean to be an American? A Chicagoan? Jitesh Jaggi is a storyteller and writer who moved from India to Chicago a few years ago. “I’m in my 30s,” he said, “but in American years I’m like five.” His one-man-show at Steppenwolf – titled Suitcase Stories , which runs Sept. 14 and 16 – explores what it means to leave one home and find another. Rundown host Erin Allen talks with Jaggi about...

Medical volunteers working with migrants say a lack of nutritious food at police stations and other shelters is causing an increased risk for malnutrition. Mayor Brandon Johnson hinted his first city budget will likely take incremental steps to his goals. Judges across Illinois are preparing for an end to cash bail.

A new report looks at union growth in Illinois, while other states see shrinking numbers. U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona was in Illinois to kick off the new school year. A study out of Northwestern University makes the case for converting trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles to electric.

COVID-19 has had a profound impact on our collective mental wellbeing. From the isolation of early-pandemic lockdowns to the hardship of a COVID infection, our brains and minds are under a whole new kind of stress these days. But we’ve also changed the way we take care of ourselves. For example, telehealth has made therapy more accessible and easier to schedule. “Online mental health services can...

Illinois politicians hit the pavement on Tuesday as nominating petitions began circulating to appear on next March’s primary ballot for U.S. president and other offices. The Pritzker administration is rolling back some changes the state made earlier this summer to curb costs for immigrant health insurance. New Chicago Public School inspector general report shows some high level staff wrongly got f...

A Chicago Sun-Times report finds overcrowding and unsanitary conditions for migrants sheltered at O’Hare. Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot has a new title: Harvard professor. Chicago kids living in public housing can now pick up free books from any Chicago Housing Authority office across the city.

Mayadet Patitucci Cruz grew up in Gage Park and didn’t leave their neighborhood very often until high school. Now, they work to bring resources to LGBTQ youth around the city. “What led me to it was wanting to work more with queer and trans young people,” Cruz explained. “But also doing some other healing work at the same time, which is what happens when you’re doing organizing.” This episode was...

Some Chicagoans speak out against allowing secret hearings on police misconduct. The Illinois Secretary of State’s plan to reduce wait times at driver’s services facilities is officially underway. A plan to move migrants into a hotel in the Kenwood neighborhood is drawing the ire of residents nearby.

Hundreds of Chicago students with disabilities are still waiting on bus service to school. Bail reform advocates are slamming a new electronic monitoring program from the Illinois Supreme Court. Chicago State University’s president was given a hefty bonus despite the university’s claims of financial strain during this year’s faculty strike.

Severe fatigue, cognitive impairment and post-exertional malaise are just a few of the many symptoms associated with long COVID. It can last weeks, months and even years. Having this condition is also somewhat common. “It’s generally a minimum of 10% of COVID infections lead to long COVID,” said Hannah Davis, the co-founder of the Patient-Led Research Collaborative. With COVID hospitalizations on...

Chicago residents are airing frustrations about ballooning water debt with no paths to dispute charges. Republicans in the Illinois legislature want to bar the use of campaign cash for a legal defense. The ACLU of Indiana is challenging a state law preventing inmates from receiving gender-affirming care.

Chicago police are still investigating how two women were shot during a White Sox game last Friday. City leaders are moving forward with a plan to purchase property meant to house newly-arriving migrants. The state health department is seeing evidence of Covid-19 in wastewater samples, but transmission rates are still low.