The Rundown | Chicago News

The crowds packed downtown for Lollapalooza. Gov. JB Pritzker signed a batch of bills late last week, including a number of new laws that will help support the state’s Native American residents. A new report shows how your credit score might be affecting your car insurance rates in Illinois.

The Chicago Public Library turns 150 this year. And it’s no coincidence that just a couple years ago, the city celebrated the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. “The period after the Great Fire in Chicago was a period of enormous development and innovation, and the library was definitely part of that story,” said Alison Cuddy, host of the podcast Library for the People: 150 years of Ch...

Governor Pritzker signed a measure into law aimed at helping school-aged children cope with trauma. Local, state and federal leaders are looking to upgrade Union Station. Lollapalooza continues today by adding in a celebration of local food.

About 200 unionized staff at a hospital on the West Side have gone on strike over working conditions, primarily: their own safety. Every school district in Illinois will now be required to offer a full-day kindergarten program by fall 2027. Lollapalooza begins today, and if you’re venturing out, stay hydrated.

The Gerber/Hart Library and Archives have been cataloging LGBTQ history in Chicago and the Midwest for more than 40 years. Now, the library’s newest display explores the intersection of play and queer identity. The exhibit, “A Dreamhouse of Our Own,” is not a Barbie-only affair, although it draws inspiration from Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie.” In this episode, we talk about play, queer childhood and hea...

Clinics in Indiana stopped performing abortions ahead of the state’s near-total abortion ban officially taking effect. Northwestern officials said they hired former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to review its athletic department. Federal lawmakers announced $780,000 in funding for the CTA to explore reopening an Englewood Green Line station with modernized accessibility standards.

The state is launching a program to better coordinate abortions at hospitals for high-risk patients. COVID-19 cases are on the rise in certain areas of the country. Chicago Public Schools is hosting a series of back-to-school bashes before students return to class later this month.

People in Chicago call 311 for lots of reasons, including when they need temporary housing, whether due to homelessness, a domestic violence situation or any number of other reasons. But today, the number of shelter request calls coming through Chicago’s 311 phone line is way, way up, and that’s resulted in more and more people falling through the cracks. “This year an average of one in seven call...

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed a criminal justice reform bill aimed at reducing recidivism. A new state audit identified massive fraud and excessive overpayments of unemployment benefits totaling $5.2 billion during the pandemic. As the Silver Room Block Party tradition comes to an end, we hear how the first party started some 20 years ago.

Across the country—and here in Chicago—the theater industry is floundering. Ticket sales haven’t returned to pre-pandemic norms, the traditional funding model is cracking and major theaters nationwide are downsizing or closing altogether. As predominantly white institutions scramble to stay afloat, Chicago’s Black theaters are building solidarity rather than falling into competition with one anoth...

Illinois elected officials applaud a new law cracking down on crisis pregnancy centers. A new report suggests Chicago is slow to rebound from the pandemic in attracting new residents. The city of Chicago is moving forward with converting Broadway Armory Park into an emergency migrant shelter.

Chicago’s city council is considering a special session focused on the ongoing migrant crisis. There’s been another accusation of misconduct by a Chicago lifeguard. FEMA officials toured areas that dealt with major flooding earlier this month to determine if they are eligible for assistance.

<p>Voguing <a href="https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/brief-history-voguing" target="_blank">originated</a> in New York City’s Black and Latino LGBTQ+ communities of the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s. Then, Madonna’s song “Vogue” brought the dance form into the mainstream. But it’s much more than a series of poses and a sick beat.</p><p>“If you’re not feeling it, loving it...

President Joe Biden designated a new national monument yesterday in honor of Emmett Till and his mother, including a church in Bronzeville. The police departments at two of Illinois’ public universities are working with mental health professionals to respond to some 911 calls. The owner of the Chicago Blackhawks died unexpectedly yesterday after a brief illness.

Alderpersons took a first step toward one of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s campaign promises on mental health services. A heat wave is expected to reach the Chicago area this week. A church service this morning will celebrate the life of a former Chicago cop who stood up to police racism and won reforms.

Daisy Zamora is a proud Latinx Chicagoan out here bettering her community. She’s both a volunteer doula who supports new mothers during childbirth, and an activist who leads conversations to create healing between communities. Zamora facilitates “community solidarity circles,” and says that these kinds of discussions among young people can help create a radically inclusive Chicago. This episode wa...

Illinois’ prisons need billions of dollars in repairs, according to a report, leaving officials wondering if it’s time to close some facilities. Newly seated Chicago Board of Education members are asking questions about whether metal detectors in schools make kids safer. A new initiative meant to produce 4 million Latino homeowners kicks off in Chicago.

Evictions in Cook County are back to pre-pandemic levels. More than 800 people were evicted from their homes in the month of May, the highest total in four years. Why? WBEZ data reporter Amy Qin explains her recent findings : that wages aren’t keeping up with rising rents, that eviction enforcement disproportionately affects Black residents in one South Side zip code and that Cook County’s evictio...

A record number of basements were flooded this month in Chicago, according to a WBEZ analysis. SAG-AFTRA members rallied in Grant Park for a new contract. A new south suburban craft cannabis grow facility aims to help areas affected by the War on Drugs.

The Chicago City Council is considering a citywide snow plowing program, but not everyone is happy about it. Northwestern University is facing lawsuits based on accounts of widespread hazing and sexual abuse. Unionized workers at Loretto Hospital on the city’s West Side have authorized a strike. An earlier version of this episode said Waukegan is about 3 hours north of Chicago. That has been corre...

Thousands of migrants have made their way to Chicago over the last year. Today you’ll hear the stories of one migrant who’s seeking asylum in the city, an attorney who’s trying to help her, a woman who offers clothes and showers to people sleeping outside police stations, and more. WBEZ reporters Mariah Woelfel and Kristen Schorsch discuss what life is like for these migrants, the folks helping th...

The Illinois Supreme Court upheld a law eliminating cash bail throughout the state. The head of a Chicago agency investigating alleged sexual misconduct by police officers involving migrants said they haven’t identified any victims yet. The next leader for Rainbow PUSH said he plans to keep the organization in Chicago.

A new report ranks Chicago among the worst big cities for cyclists. Chicago aldermen agree to settle a 2018 federal lawsuit alleging the city’s police department had a policy of unconstitutional stops. Eight former Northwestern University football players have retained lawyers for an anticipated lawsuit.

It’s World Emoji Day! In honor of these handy companions that have helped us emote in an ever evolving digital world, we’re returning to an episode we did about them on The Rundown podcast last year: As helpful as emojis can be, there’s some tension and disagreement between age groups on what they mean and how they should be used – especially in the workplace. Erin talks with some WBEZ colleagues...

Vice President Kamala Harris visits Chicago as civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson announces plans to step down from Rainbow PUSH. Chicago area actors joining the SAG-AFTRA strike say they’re in a fight for their livelihood and art. Workers at the Starbucks Chicago Roastery on Michigan Avenue announced they have filed for a union with the National Labor Relations Board.