WBEZ News

The Chicago quartet Third Coast Percussion has worked with everyone from classical music legend Philip Glass to dancemaker Twyla Tharp. To celebrate their 20th anniversary, the group made a new album called Standard Stoppages that features several prominent composers. WBEZ arts reporter Courtney Kueppers recently sat down with Third Coast’s David Skidmore to walk through the project … Starting wit...

The end of a political era is here. Five-term Democratic U.S. Senator Dick Durbin has decided he will not be seeking re-election next year. In an Illinois exclusive, Durbin spoke with WBEZ’s own Dave McKinney to break the news that is sure to set off a major contest to succeed him. HOST: LARA

A new book that catalogs soul music in Illinois from 1960 to 1990 has hit the shelves. Put together by local record label The Numero Group, “Soul Music of Illinois” features over 700 pages of soul artists, albums and labels that came from Illinois. Here to talk about how this book came to be is WBEZ contributor Tal Rosenberg. HOST: LARA

Since taking office, Dick Durbin will go down as one of the state’s most influential congressional figures. But the Illinois Democrat was also a master of the floor-speech zinger. Now that Durbin has announced his retirement, WBEZ’s Dave McKinney looks back at some of the senator’s more memorable stem-winders. HOST: DIXON

Stand-up comedian, director, host, and former Hyde Park resident W. Kamau Bell is back on the road and back in Chicago. The Emmy-Award winner is bringing his new stand-up show, Who’s With Me?, to the Den Theater in Wicker Park this Friday and Saturday. His show uses comedy to address this moment in history - and like his other work, he’s not shying away from politics. HOST: LABUZ

Lawndale Christian Legal Center offers an alternative to prison and helped Shaq Wilson rebuild his life. Now, a new West Side building will support 20 men. HOST: Lisa Labuz; REPORTER: Esther Yoon-Ji Kang

It’s National Black Maternal Health Week – a period dedicated to raising awareness about the disparities in Black Maternal Health. Black women are TWO times more likely to experience a pregnancy-related death in Illinois compared to white women. The infant mortality rate among infants born to Black women is nearly three times that of infants born to white, Hispanic and Asian women. WBEZ’s Araceli...

Pope Francis has died at age 88. In the coming days he will be laid to rest, but after that the College of Cardinals will gather to determine who will be the next pope, in a process called the “conclave.” Here to explain the next steps, and share some of the Chicago connections, is Sun-Times reporter Lauren FitzPatrick. HOST: LARA

Chicago drummer Gustavo Cortiñas has always tackled big topics in his music. Just in time for Earth Day, he has a new album. It’s called “The Crisis Knows No Borders.” On it, he confronts the issue of climate change. WBEZ contributor Hannah Edgar reports. HOST: DIXON

The state of Illinois says close to 40 percent of people released from prison in Illinois return within three years. But one Chicago man went through a program 14 years ago that he says kept him out of prison. Shaq Wilson’s success is part of the reason the program is now expanding. WBEZ’s Esther Yoon-Ji Kang has his story from Chicago’s West Side.

The reason we have not been able to solve the gun violence crisis in Chicago and across the country is because we have been fundamentally misunderstanding the problem. That’s according to a new book by University of Chicago economist Jens Ludwig (yens LUD-wig). He talked with the Sun-Times’ Andy Grimm about what really drives most shootings and what we could do to prevent them. HOST: DIXON

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch has taken campaign money from individuals and interest groups that could benefit from his decision-making in Springfield — including contributions from lobbyists, businesses and unions. The Hillside Democrat also has a charity that’s gotten backing from some of the same interests, though with less transparency regarding who his charity has gotten its mo...

The Chicago Blackhawks and Bulls both saw their seasons come to an end this week, with both teams missing the playoffs yet again. WBEZ producer Noah Jennings sat down with sports contributor Cheryl Raye-Stout to break down how their seasons went, and look at what the future holds. That was WBEZ sports contributor Cheryl Raye-Stout speaking with afternoon producer Noah Jennings. HOST: PUENTE

A Chicago woman from Venezuela says her partner was deported to a maximum security prison in El Salvador. She recognized him in a video shared on social media that showed the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, on a tour of the prison. Last month the Trump administration flew more than 230 migrants to El Salvador. The government claims the men are gang members and a threat to nationa...

It's National Poetry Month and we are highlighting some Chicago-area winners of the Pulitzer Center’s Fighting Words Poetry Contest. That contest is 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. Fiona Jin is a senior at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire. Her poem was a finalist in this con...

A nearly three-year surge in Chicago robberies is over. That’s according to a WBEZ analysis of city crime data. Our reporter, Chip Mitchell, crunched the numbers and joins us now. HOST: LARA

The Trump administration has terminated the legal immigration status of more than 1000 international students in recent days. That’s according to the national publication, Inside Higher Ed. Students at multiple universities across Illinois have been affected. It’s leaving educators unsure of who is going to be targeted next and how to protect them. WBEZ’s Lisa Kurian Philip reports. HOST: DIXON

A new series from the Sun-Times is examining random attacks in downtown Chicago involving suspects with histories of severe mental illness. Stephanie Zimmermann is one of the reporters behind the series and she joins me now to share some of her findings. HOST: LARA

If you’re frustrated with the growing number of restaurants requiring a deposit to make a reservation, you may want to direct your ire to your fellow diners. Fed up with careless cancellations, restaurant owners are blowing the whistle on bad restaurant reservation etiquette. Food and Drink contributor Maggie Hennessy spoke with WBEZ host Lisa Labuz about how restaurants are cracking down on flaky...

Ever since President Trump announced his Liberation Day tariffs, Chicago's small businesses have been trying to figure out what to do next. WBEZ’s Esther Yoon-Ji Kang has the story of two local business owners who are stocking up... and trying to stay optimistic despite all the uncertainty. HOST: DIXON

The Trump administration has abruptly ended $175 million in federal grants by the National Endowment for the Humanities. This cut in funding will have ripple effects for programs across the country. WBEZ Arts and Cultures reporter Mike Davis joins me to discuss what this means for Illinois. HOST: LABUZ

The band Free Range started as a bedroom project of Chicago musicians Sofia Jensen and Jack Henry. The band just released its sophomore album, Lost & Found. The album showcases confident songwriting and a fully-formed sound from a group on the rise. Jensen and Henry sat down with WBEZ arts contributor Andrew Meriwether to talk about three highlights from the album. HOST: DIXON

The sixth and final promised Save-A-Lot store has opened in Chicago’s West Lawn neighborhood. We’ll bring you up to speed on the years-long process to open the stores, and discuss what comes next. HOST: Melba Lara; REPORTER: Noah Jennings

Academy Award-nominated winning actor Michael Shannon is making his directorial debut with his highly anticipated movie Eric La Rue … the story follows a mother trying to cope in the aftermath of devastating violence. The film, like Shannon, has roots in Chicago’s storefront theater scene. WBEZ Arts and Culture reporter Courtney Kueppers spoke with WBEZ’s Lisa Labuz about the film. HOST: DIXON

Chicago is among many US cities facing a decline in tourism from Canada. Travel companies in Canada are reporting massive losses in revenues as bookings to U-S cities drop off. Joining me now with more details is Al Qanun, the owner of Toronto-based coach operator Comfort Tour Canada. HOST: DIXON Producer: Cianna Greaves