WBEZ News

Actress Elizabeth McGovern is perhaps best known for her role in the British period drama, Downton Abbey. But this month, McGovern is on stage in Chicago in an entirely different part. In “Ava: The Secret Conversations,” McGovern plays Ava Gardner, the mega star from Hollywood’s Golden Age. WBEZ arts reporter Courtney Kueppers recently caught up with McGovern backstage. HOST: LANE

College offers young adults the chance to figure themselves out and find their purpose. For Palestinian-American students, the past nearly two years have meant that they’re doing those very traditional college-y things — while bearing witness to extreme violence against their community in Gaza. For one DePaul University senior, the experience has tired her to the bone, she says, but has helped her...

To counter fear and anxiety among immigrants, supporters have organized rapid-response networks. The idea is to track down immigration agents, then monitor and protest their activity. A west suburban group coordinates a rapid-response network called the People’s Patrol. HOST: DEGMAN

Cheech Marin is known as an actor and comedian – he’s one half of the legendary duo Cheech and Chong. But a lesser-known fact is that Marin is also a large collector of Chicano Art. More than 500 pieces from his personal collection now make up the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art and Culture in Riverside, California and has two traveling shows. I recently had an opportunity to interview Marin f...

Alongside the Chicago Sun-Times, we’re gathering your questions about all things money and finances. Then each week, we get your questions answered by the people who know best. This week, we’ve got this question: “I’m Morgan, I’m from Chicago. My question is just around student loans and what's the best way to pay them off, especially in this tight employee market environment where it's harder to...

It’s been nearly two years since Hamas attacked Israel and the war in Gaza began. As the Palestinian death toll grew into the 10s of 1000s, protests spread across American college campuses including in Chicago. There has been fallout for some Jewish students. They say they’ve experienced everything from subtle hostility to overt harassment. WBEZ’s Esther Bergdahl spoke to leaders of Jewish student...

A Black woman-owned grocery store will celebrate its opening this weekend in Austin, on Chicago’s West Side. It’s been years in the making. The force behind Forty Acres Fresh Market is Elizabeth Abunaw, a former corporate saleswoman who – in her own words – has no filter. WBEZ’s Esther Yoon-Ji Kang has the story of the last several months of Abunaw’s years-long quest to open the store. HOST: LARA

Chicago musician Jeff Tweedy is the frontman for the boundary-pushing band Wilco. But Tweedy is a prolific solo artist in his own right. His fifth solo project, Twilight Override, comes out Friday. It is a rare triple album of songs that feel both familiar and push his sound in fresh directions. WBEZ contributor Adora Namigadde visited Tweedy in his Northwest side Loft and filed this audio postcar...

I’m WBEZ reporter Araceli Gomez-Aldana. And we're answering YOUR questions about federal immigration agents being deployed in the Chicago area. Like this one from Mele Ortiz from Rogers Park: I was wondering if there are different laws/rights surrounding the interactions with these new agents since they are from federal and not local organizations.

A new bookstore focused on Black feminist stories is now open in Evanston. Zora’s Place had their grand opening last Saturday and we sat down with owner L’Oreal Thompson Payton to hear about the shop. HOST: LANE

It’s been just over two weeks since the Department of Homeland Security started an expanded immigration enforcement campaign in the Chicago area. WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times have been reporting on every angle of that operation to understand how it’s impacting the community and what might come next. HOST: LANE

The months-long “America’s Got Talent” journey of the all-boys choir from Chicago’s Leo Catholic High School will come to a close this week. The boys will perform their final song tonight (TUES) as they make one last push to win the one-million-dollar grand prize. HOST: MELBA

Chicago artist Theaster Gates has exhibited work all over the world. But it has taken him nearly two decades to get his first solo museum show in his hometown. WBEZ contributor Ben Austen visits Gates as he prepares for his show opening at the University of Chicago’s Smart Museum. HOST: LANE

I’m WBEZ reporter Araceli Gomez-Aldana. And we're answering your questions about federal immigration agents being deployed in the Chicago area. Like this one from a resident from suburban Highland Park, who wondered: what documents should I carry to prove my citizenship?

Students are feeling distracted and worried amid federal immigration arrests. Chicago youth organizations brought together a group of teens to talk about how they feel and share their ideas for a better future. HOST: LANE

Alongside the Chicago Sun-Times, we’re gathering your questions about all things money and finances. Then each week, we get your questions answered by the people who know best. This week, we got this question: "Hi, my name is Avanti and my question is why are gas prices so different across the country?” To find out, we called up an expert.

Funeral services for former Republican Governor Jim Edgar will take place in Springfield Saturday. Democratic Governor J-B Pritzker has called Edgar a model public servant. And Democratic House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch described him as a “damn good governor.” Before his death, Edgar spent almost three hours talking to WBEZ’s Dave McKinney about his life and legacy, his cancer battle and a Rep...

For the past decade, the Chicago band Knuckle Puck has built a cult following with its mix of emo, pop punk and hardcore. The band’s debut album “Copacetic” turns 10 this year, and the group is playing Riot Fest this weekend in celebration.

I’m WBEZ reporter Araceli Gomez-Aldana. And we're answering YOUR questions about federal immigration agents – and possibly the National Guard – being deployed on Chicago's streets. Like this one from Cristina Hernandez from Logan Square: How do we have honest, hard conversations with our children? How do we explain what is going on without creating fear?

Nearly 50 instructors at Illinois colleges and universities are on what’s called the “Professor Watchlist.” It’s an online database compiled by late conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point U-S-A. His non-profit says it aims to document professors who "advance leftist propaganda in the classroom" HOST: LANE

Bill Kurtis and his booming voice have been a staple of Chicago’s media landscape for decades. His career took off at C-B-S, alongside Walter Jacobson, and now, he’s the voice of Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, here on W-B-E-Z and N-P-R. Now, Kurtis is sharing 60 years worth of stories in his new memoir, titled “Whirlwind,” out this week.

Officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement weren’t wearing body cameras during a fatal encounter last week. The Sun-Times reports two ICE officers weren’t wearing the device when one of them shot and killed Silverio Villegas Gonzalez during a traffic stop in Franklin Park on Friday. The Department of Homeland Security says an ICE agent shot Villegas-Gonzalez after being dragged beneath...

Parents of special education students at Chicago Public Schools say their children are getting left behind after the district made significant staffing changes this year. The number of Chicago Public School students in special education is at its highest in at least 15 years. This summer the school district cut about 1000 special ed positions only to reopen more than 600 new positions after classe...

As alcohol consumption declines among young adults, breweries are pivoting to THC drinks to fill the gap. We talk to Sun Times contributor Chris Casacchia about the new trend and how local businesses are adapting. HOST: LANE

September opened with Chicago's prestigious jazz festival. But even if you missed it, there are two more events dedicated to the art form underway this month. Chicago Sun-Times reporter Erica Thompson has been on the jazz beat and recently spoke with WBEZ’s Courtney Kueppers about what audiences can expect. HOST: LANE