WBEZ News

Many young people are alarmed about the state of the world, from ongoing wars to climate change. But a group of Chicago-area teens say participating in a United Nations simulation is helping them feel hopeful about the future. WBEZ’s Anna Savchenko has more. HOST: LANE

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is approaching his midterm benchmark with more humility than ever about some of his missteps of the past two years. HOST: MELBA

The newly elected Pope Leo XIV is from Dolton, a Chicago Southwest suburb. Local Catholic leaders say the name selected by the new Pope shows that he is committed to serving the poor and being a voice for the voiceless. HOST: SAVCHENKO

Clerical abuse survivors are concerned about the election of Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Prevost as the new Pope. Shaun Dougherty is the board president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP. The group is headquartered in Chicago and filed a complaint against Prevost in March. Dougherty joined WBEZ Morning Edition host Lisa Labuz from Rome… HOST: LABUZ

In Illinois, nearly 400-thousand legal permanent residents or green-card holders are eligible to become U.S. citizens. Getting U.S. citizenship is difficult and expensive - and many legal permanent residents end up putting it off for years But now, because of President Donald Trump’s attacks on immigrants, many people are in a rush to become naturalized. WBEZ’s Adriana Cardona Maguigad reports. HO...

A new pope has been named – and he hails from Chicago. Pope Leo the Fourteenth was born in Chicago as Robert Prevost, and he attended the Catholic Theological Union in the city’s Hyde Park neighborhood. Here to share his reaction to the new pope is Steven Millies, an associate professor of public theology and the director of the Bernardin Center at the Catholic Theological Union. And professor, a...

HOST: Clare Lane A new exhibition is on display at Wrightwood 6-5-9 in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood that is attracting a lot of local attention. It's called “The First Homosexuals: The Birth of a New Identity, 1869 to 1939.” It features more than 300 pieces, all focused on the queer experience. WBEZ arts and culture reporter Courtney Kueppers sat down with host Clare Lane to talk about it.

The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security paid Illinois’ capital city a visit today. Secretary Kristi Noem appeared in Springfield, where she took aim at Gov. JB Pritzker’s immigration policies. But before Noem’s press conference, federal agents took reporters in a motorcade to an unmarked facility. WBEZ’s Mawa Iqbal picks up the story from there. HOST: Lisa Labuz; REPORTER: Mawa Iqbal

HOST: Melba Lara DePaul President Robert Manuel faced more than three hours of questioning today from a congressional committee. Republican members of the Committee on Education and the Workforce grilled Manuel and the presidents of Haverford College in Pennsylvania and California Polytechnic State University. The focus of the hearing was claims of antisemitism on campus. Lisa Kurian Philip covers...

If you think your property taxes are too high, one way to get them lowered is by filing an appeal to challenge your property assessment. That figure is a reflection of your property value - and it’s what Cook County uses to determine how much you owe. However, homeowners and government officials alike say the appeals process can be overly complicated and burdensome. WBEZ’s Adora Namigadde details...

Chicago musician Chillona performs electronic pop and alt-reggaeton in both English and Spanish. Her live shows borrow elements from drag and burlesque. So does her own personal style, which features many handmade looks. Chillona recently visited our studios for the latest installment of Vocalo’s Getting Dressed series. HOST: LABUZ

It’s a growing trend across Chicago… dozens of people lining up outside local bakeries before they open. Several city bakeries are going viral online, but the response from customers at times can be overwhelming for these businesses. WBEZ contributor Maggie Hennessy braved some of these long lines and is here now to share how it went. HOST: LABUZ

We hear from Melissa Bell, CEO of Chicago Public Media, on how the Trump executive order targeting NPR funding will impact WBEZ. HOST: Melba Lara; REPORTER: Noah Jennings

A Glock handgun stolen from a Chicago police gun buyback was used in several violent crimes. HOST: Lisa Labuz; REPORTERS: Tom Schuba and Patrick Smith

Sister Helen Prejean, the famed anti-death penalty activist and author of 'Dead Man Walking,' visits a book club at Cook County Jail. HOST: Melba Lara; REPORTER: Lisa Kurian Philip

The play, At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen, tells the story of a drag performer in rural Georgia who dies of complications from HIV. HOST: Mary Dixon; REPORTER: Mike Davis

Chicago’s City Council is grappling with how to address large gatherings of teens that can turn violent – also known as teen takeovers. HOST: Mary Dixon; REPORTER: Mariah Woelfel

Chicago musician Dreamer Isioma conjures a unique sonic universe on the new album Star Crossed Lover. Before setting off on a North American tour, the artist stopped by Vocalo’s studios to talk about the years-long project and their influences. HOST: LARA

On his first day in office one-hundred days ago, President Donald Trump revoked the decades-old executive order that required federal agencies to incorporate environmental justice into their missions. It was the first step in Trump's mission to dismantle environmental justice programs across the country. Here to break down the local significance of some of Trump's environmental decisions in his fi...

It's National Poetry Month and we are highlighting some Chicago-area winners of the Pulitzer Center’s Fighting Words Poetry Contest. It’s open to students in Kindergarten through 12th grade from around the world. It invites young people to write original poems, inspired by a news article. Piper Sobel is a freshman at Naperville Central High School. Her poem placed third last year in the Informatio...

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is speaking in New Hampshire this weekend. The dinner put on by New Hampshire Democrats is one in a series of events around the country Pritzker’s attending that are helping fuel speculation – will he run for Governor again? Run for president? Both? Neither? He’s still not saying – but these events could give us clues. WBEZ’s Alex Degman tells us more. HOST: LARA

These are uncertain times for non-profits. Many rely on federal funding that’s being threatened by President Donald Trump. Kelly Anoe is president of the Legacy Foundation - which supports nonprofits in Northwest Indiana. She says the cuts are already having a negative impact on the region – but there is some hope. HOST: PUENTE

The perpetrator of one of the worst mass shootings in Illinois history will spend the rest of his life in prison. Robert Crimo the third was given seven life sentences for murdering seven people and wounding dozens more during the Highland Park 4th of July parade in 2022. That sentence was handed down this morning. WBEZ’s Anna Savchenko joins me from the Lake County courthouse in Waukegan. HOST: L...

Illinois universities are quietly withdrawing from a fellowship aimed at diversifying the state’s college teaching force. Trump officials have threatened to sue campuses that take part. Caught in the middle are students who have relied on the program to pursue PhDs and careers in higher education. WBEZ’s Lisa Philip reports. HOST: LARA

Expo Chicago is back at Navy Pier for its 12th edition. The Midwest’s biggest art festival kicked off last night (THUR) with art from more than 36 countries on display. WBEZ arts and culture reporter Courtney Kueppers was at opening night, and she joins me now. HOST: DIXON