WBEZ News

There are fewer than three weeks until election day. And for the first time, Chicagoans will elect the entire Board of Education. Candidates for CPS Board President spoke at a forum hosted by WBEZ, the Chicago Sun-Times, and Chalkbeat yesterday (WED) as part of their final push. HOST: LABUZ

Bob Odenkirk has had many phases of his career…. From comedy writing on Saturday Night Live to dramatic acting in hit shows like Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. This weekend, the Naperville native enters a new chapter, acting in a play in Champaign. HOST: LARA

A 19-year-old was detained on Sunday for allegedly plotting a mass shooting at a Hindu place of worship in Aurora. Police in suburban Palatine say 19-year-old Alexandros Paporakis faces charges of making a terrorist threat and illegal gun possession. According to prosecutors, the suspect attempted to open fire Sunday before the AR-style rifle jammed. HOST: LARA

There are less than three weeks until election day. And as the campaigns hit high gear, Governor JB Pritzker and Republican candidate Darren Bailey faced off last night [tuesday] in a bitterly-fought, hourlong forum. The WTTW event is the only time Pritzker and Bailey will go up against one another on the same stage. HOST: LANE

Colorful, large-scale maps of Chicago’s Austin, North Lawndale and Garfield Park neighborhoods NOW live in the Chicago History Museum. HOST: LANE

Chicago songwriter Vivian McConnell is known for fusing indie rock with unexpected flares. You can hear Latin rhythms and ….the flute she learned to play in high school. Around town, she performs with artists like Finom or Spencer Tweedy. But under the moniker VV Lightbody, she has released a new album, called “Period Piece.” HOST: LANE

It was a tough weekend in Chicago sports. The White Sox fell to the Cleveland Guardians 2-0 Saturday, taking them out of American League Pennant and World Series contention. Legendary Bears player and coach Mike Ditka died Friday. The Bears suffered a tough 31-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers yesterday (SUN). And to add insult to injury - the Blackhawks and Bulls lost over the weekend as well. HOST...

Civil Rights Activist Reverend Jesse Jackson Senior would have turned 85 last week. His fraternity brothers hosted youth events at the Rainbow PUSH Headquarters to celebrate his birthday and honor his legacy. HOST: LABUZ

RESULTS OF THE SOX GAME.

Ditka played on the Bears’ 19-63 NFL championship team. And as coach of the 19-85 Bears, coached the team to its only Super Bowl championship. HOST: PUENTE

Former Bears Coach Mike Ditka has died at age 86. He became a symbol for the city of Chicago after leading the ‘85 Bears to the Super Bowl. WBEZ’s Noah Jennings has this remembrance. HOST: LARA

The Chicago Stars have had a rocky few years. The Windy City NWSL team has faced a slew of injuries and staffing changes that have them in last place this season. But the Stars are looking to shine again. HOST: LABUZ

Since President Donald Trump got reelected, more than 100 veteran immigration judges across the country have lost their jobs or resigned amid a sweeping overhaul of immigration courts. The Trump administration says it's making the courts more efficient. Several former judges who used to hear cases in Chicago’s court say the courts are being weaponized to increase deportations. They spoke recently...

This fall, the Chicago History Museum will display some rare presidential artifacts. Among them is an item from Mary Todd Lincoln’s wardrobe that really brings the past to life. HOST: LABUZ

Some Illinois students are calling on colleges to cancel their contracts with Flock, a maker of automatic license plate readers powered by artificial intelligence. Federal agents and other law enforcement have accessed the data captured by Flock surveillance cameras for immigration enforcement. Some students want them gone. But taking down the cameras is not as simple as it sounds. HOST: LABUZ

Before Pope Leo the 14th became the first American to head the Catholic Church, he was known as Robert Francis Prevost. A boy from Dolton, a suburb just south of Chicago. His journey left an imprint across the world … particularly across the Chicago area. Here to break that down is NPR’s Senior Editor of Religion and Spirituality, Daniel Burke, and NPR’s host of All Things Considered, Scott Detrow...

The El Niño climate pattern is off to a record-breaking start, already spiking temperatures in parts of the Pacific Ocean. That excess heat is setting off extreme weather like floods and drought across the globe. An unexpected casualty? Trading cards. HOST: MELBA

U.S. House speakers ever to come from Illinois and the longest-serving Republican speaker in congressional history

Unbelievably, the Chicago White Sox are in the playoffs. It’s a stark comeback from being the worst team in M-L-B history — just two years ago. WBEZ’s Somer Van Benton reports. HOST: LARA

Are Illinois and the Chicago Bears finally making progress on a deal for a new football stadium? It’s a timely question after Governor J-B Pritzker, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, legislative leaders and a new face representing the Bears sat down for the first time yesterday. The governor says the meeting was productive, and lawmakers should have a proposal in the coming months. Here to break dow...

As everyone paying their property tax bills in Chicago knows, as much as half of it goes to Chicago Public Schools. The soon-to-be-elected school board president will decide whether the budget calls for taxes to continue to increase. For voters who don’t have kids in CPS, it might be one of the main questions they have for candidates. But it is not an easy one, considering CPS is cash-strapped. HO...

August storms knocked out power for nearly 375 thousand residents in Northwest Indiana… leaving people in the dark for days. But one house kept its lights on the whole time because it’s what's known as a passive home. Sun Times development reporter Abby Miller and WBEZ producer Marie Mendoza visited the house to see how it weathered the storm. HOST: LARA

What do Chicago neighborhoods sound like - and could those sounds be art. An immersive noise installation recently took tourists by surprise on one of Chicago’s busiest blocks. HOST: LABUZ

Chicago Bears third-string quarterback Case Keenum (KEY-num) isn’t the only one basking in the glow of victory on Monday night. So is a Chicago-based mariachi group. Their performance of the national anthem has gone viral. HOST: MELBA

Disinvestment in Chicago’s South and West sides has long impacted opportunities for residents. And new data show young people are also feeling the effects. My Block, My Hood, My City surveyed teens to find out what they would like to see in their communities. HOST: LANE