The Takeaway with Alex

Governor JB Pritzker is a consistent critic of President Donald Trump, and could run to succeed him in 2028. With the Democratic Party seeing a recent swing of progressives and Democratic Socialists win primaries, Pritzker talked about the future of his party and the country on the Season 2 premiere of The Takeaway with Alex. NBC Chicago’s Alex Maragos covered a range of topics with the governor:...

In 100 days, the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics will bring the best athletes in the world together in February 2026. Every member of Team USA has a unique story about how they got to the top of their sport, and it takes a team of people to bring those stories to the world. We close Season 1 of The Takeaway with Alex podcast with a conversation between Alex Maragos and Mike McGovern about how those...

With the 2025-26 NBA season about to begin, Chicago Bulls TV play-by-play man Adam Amin takes us through the storylines for the Bulls this season. With a young core of Matas Buzelis, Coby White and Josh Giddey; Amin talks about the steps forward he hopes to see the team take at the United Center this year. The Bulls will just be one part of his very busy fall. In this episode of The Takeaway with...

Daylight Saving Time is an annual ritual that can be disorienting, confusing and controversial. With the time change coming up, The Takeaway with Alex sat down with Meteorologist Kevin Jeanes to dig into the law that’s been on the books for decades, how we arrived got this idea, and why people want to get rid of it. Daylight Saving Time has big effects beyond just adjusting our clocks, sleep and s...

From the earliest days of the United States, there has been a debate about where the power should lie: with the states or with a central U.S. government? Now, that debate is playing out in Chicago and the suburbs. As the Trump administration gears up to send in federal troops to bolster "Operation Midway Blitz" and its mass deportation program, state and local officials are fighting back. To help...

For 50 years, the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa has fascinated and frustrated the FBI and millions of Americans. The famous former head of the Teamsters Union was last seen July 30th, 1975 – and while the mob connections to Hoffa were clear, the lack of an equally clear cause and manner of death has led to thousands of theories and tips. In this episode of The Takeaway with Alex, NBC Chicago’s Chuc...

The Netflix documentary, “America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys,” chronicles the highs and lows of the 90’s Cowboys from the perspectives of those who lived it — and willed it into existence. Across eight episodes Jerry Jones, Jimmy Johnson, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Barry Switzer and many others in the Cowboys universe describe what made that time and those teams so special....

Charlie Kirk’s assassination in Utah has led to a renewed conversation about political violence in the United States. The 31-year-old had millions of followers on social media, was very close with President Donald Trump and his son Don Jr., and had built Turning Point USA into the leading conservative organization for the digital age. He had strong views on many divisive political topics -- the 2n...

The Chicago Bears come into the 2025 NFL season with a new coaching staff, new offensive line and new playmakers – but will it lead to more wins? Will Ben Johnson’s offense turn Caleb Williams into an elite quarterback? Heading into Week 1, these are just two of many questions fans have about what to expect from the 2025 team. The Bears finished the 2024 season with a 5-12 record, featuring a 10-g...

President Donald Trump's threat to send the National Guard to Chicago has Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and other Democrats outraged in opposition. They say there are better ways to address the crime that the president hopes to solve. But is the move even legal? If troops hit the streets, what can they do? On this episode of The Takeaway with Alex, NBC Chicago Political Reporter Mary Ann Ahern and...

Months after voting out former Mayor Tiffany Henyard, Dolton is looking for a new school superintendent. Kevin Nohelty was the highest paid school superintendent in the state of Illinois, making over $500,000. Then he suddenly retired, after Regina Waldroup started digging into Nohelty’s past performance as a school administrator. She found Nohelty had a pattern of alleged financial problems – bot...

“Alligator Alcatraz” and the “Speedway Slammer” are two of the Trump Administration’s newest ICE detention facilities. The buzzy titles may suggest similarity, but the sites are very different. Soon after the Department of Homeland Security announced the new facility in the Midwest, NBC Chicago Investigative Reporter Bennett Haeberle started digging into what the federal government has planned for...

Texas Democratic lawmakers have left their state, saying Donald Trump and fellow Republicans are unfairly redistricting and gerrymandering Texas. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has welcomed over 30 Democrats with open arms, supporting their cause as he seeks a third term in office — with one eye possibly on a presidential run in 2028. NBC Chicago Political Reporter Mary Ann Ahern has covered all...

Will Chicago be a haven against climate change? Do climate safe zones really exist? Extreme storms, higher prices and uninsurable property make Chicago more attractive, but climate change can still make midwest storms, flooding and heat worse. NBC Climate Reporter Chase Cain joins The Takeaway with Alex to share how the Midwest must adapt, how just talking about climate change can actually make a...

A 14-year-old Chicago boy named Emmett Till was abducted and lynched 70 years ago in Mississippi after being accused of whistling at a white woman named Carolyn Bryant in her family's grocery store. Till's death became a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement after images circulated of an open casket funeral arranged by his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley. Over time, his story began to fade from view, u...

Taxpayers have spent over $3 million on an empty lot on Chicago’s south side meant for migrants that was never used. First proposed as a winter shelter for migrants that were bused to Chicago from the southern border, tests eventually showed the lot was contaminated with heavy metals. Three years after Chicago’s migrant crisis began, NBC Chicago Investigative Reporter Bennett Haeberle sits down on...

Chicago’s Hollywood history runs deep. Blockbusters like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Dark Knight and The Blues Brothers helped the world get to know our city. But did you know Chicago also has connections to Back to the Future, the Wizard of Oz and even The Great Gatsby? Host of NBC Chicago’s “Only in Chicago” series Lexi Sutter tells Alex Maragos the stories behind the famous scenes and sites....

From big events like Lollapalooza, Riot Fest and Summer Smash to small street festivals across the city; Chicago’s summer soundtrack has lots of variety. With so many concerts to check out, two music critics give The Takeaway with Alex a guide to navigate the summer. Britt Julious of the Chicago Tribune and Selena Fragassi of the Chicago Sun-Times tell Alex Maragos about the shows they’re most exc...

Governor J.B. Pritzker’s run for a third term will have ripple effects far beyond Illinois. With more Democrats looking for a leader, Pritzker's criticism of Donald Trump, MAGA politics, and the Republican Party will all have more power coming from a current governor, according to NBC 5 Political Reporter Mary Ann Ahern. On this episode of The Takeaway with Alex, Ahern said the billionaire has sho...

When you think of Chicago food, you may think of pizza or hot dogs, but there's so much more the city has to offer. Every dish in every restaurant has a story, and it takes people like Steve Dolinsky to share those stories with the world. With nicknames The Hungry Hound and The Food Guy, Dolinsky has traveled far and wide through Chicago, the suburbs and well beyond for 30 years to tell people whe...

Jerry Reinsdorf has been controlling owner of the White Sox since 1981, but has agreed to sell the team to Justin Ishbia as early as 2029. On this episode of the Takeaway with Alex, The Athletic’s Jon Greenberg dives into this reporting on the White Sox succession plan. In February, Greenberg’s reporting foreshadowed the deal, and today he tells the story of how Ishbia was approached to take a big...

Who is Larry Hoover, and why did President Donald Trump commute sentence? He is one of America's most notorious criminals, with convictions ranging from murder to racketeering landing him behind bars for over 50 years. Now Hoover is one step closer to freedom, thanks to a commutation of his federal prison sentence by President Trump. From humble beginnings in Englewood, Hoover eventually ruled the...

Despite their name, the Harlem Globetrotters actually got their start in Chicago. It was an unlikely partnership between a young, 5’3” Jewish entrepreneur named Abe Saperstein and a collection of younger Black basketball players from the South Side. From barns to ballrooms to arenas filled to the brim, the Globetrotters brought basketball to towns that barely had any organized sports. Along the wa...

Who killed Momo? It’s one of the Chicago Outfit’s longest kept secrets — and we’re finally getting some answers. NBC 5 Investigative reporter Chuck Goudie joined the Takeaway to share how he dug up some truth about what really happened to former mob boss Sam Giancana.    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for...

Who is Pope Leo XIV, and why did he choose that name? The former U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, Miguel H. Díaz joins the podcast this week to share his personal experiences with the new pope, and to shed light on some things we may not know about him.    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.