WBEZ News

Guitarist Tom Morello is known for his work with Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, but he’s taking on a new venture now… in the theater. REPORTER: Noah Jennings; HOST: Lisa Labuz

Chicago’s new school board will confront some big questions over the next month. REPORTER: Sarah Karp; HOST: Clare Lane

The story of a single mom who has been struggling to find an affordable place to live is emblematic of a growing rental affordability crisis outlined in a WBEZ data analysis. REPORTER: Amy Qin; HOST: Mary Dixon

The teenage winner of a local juried art show talks about what inspires her today, from Instagram art to anime. REPORTER: Cianna Greaves; HOST: Mary Dixon

It’s been more than two weeks since Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago paused gender care surgeries. Now families are speaking out about what it all means for their lives. REPORTER: Kristen Schorsch; HOST: Mary Dixon

We’ll preview some of the key races on the ballot in tomorrow’s primary elections in the Chicago suburbs. Reporter: Violet Miller; Host: Melba Lara

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries shares his plan to save American democracy. Reporter: Mary Dixon; Host: Mary Dixon

A letter from the U-S Department of Education is threatening programs for diverse college students across the Chicago area. But higher education experts say it is not legal. They’re calling on universities to stand up for their efforts to be inclusive to all students. WBEZ’s Lisa Kurian Philip reports. HOST: DIXON

A judge has temporarily blocked the Trump Administration’s efforts to shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. To discuss how closing that agency could affect Illinoisans – and what can be done locally – WBEZ’s Esther Yoon-Ji Kang sits down with Horacio Mendez. He leads the Woodstock Institute, which is an organization focused on consumer financial protection. HOST: LANE

If you're tired of spending hours mindlessly scrolling through your smartphone…you may want to try your hand at crafting. Classes and workshops where people can learn to create are growing in popularity as Chicagoans look for ways to avoid phone fatigue and meet new people. WBEZ’s arts and culture team has put together a beginner's guide to crafting in Chicago. Digital producer Esther Bergdahl spo...

Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker formally made his pitch for the next state budget in his annual address to state lawmakers today. Joining us now to talk about the budget plan is WBEZ statehouse reporter Alex Degman. HOST: LANE

He and the state legislature have a big task – tackling a multi-billion dollar deficit before the end of this fiscal year while trying to find enough money to pay for critical needs and services. WBEZ’s Alex Degman talked with Ralph Martire, executive director of the non-profit Center for Tax and Budget Accountability. That was Ralph Martire, executive director of the non-profit Center for Tax and...

A judge has temporarily blocked the Trump Administration’s efforts to shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. To discuss how closing that agency could affect Illinoisans – and what can be done locally – WBEZ’s Esther Yoon-Ji Kang sits down with Horacio Mendez. He leads the Woodstock Institute, which is an organization focused on consumer financial protection. HOST: LANE

And those changes have some Chicago theater and dance groups scrambling. WBEZ theater reporter Mike Davis talked to some arts leaders around town. He joins us. HOST: DIXON

In the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020, Black-owned businesses across the country saw a big bump in support from consumers. But some local Black-owned businesses say that support has since tapered off, which – when mixed with the impacts of COVID and inflation – has left them struggling. One of those businesses is Underground Bookstore in Chicago’s Calumet Heights neighborhood. The small sho...

Frida Kahlo’s image has been circulated through pop culture … but telling the true story of her life and pain meant playwright and actor Vanessa Severo needed to look inward. Severo wrote and stars in "Frida …A Self Portrait," a play about the renowned Mexican painter. It’s being performed at Writer’s Theater in north suburban Glencoe. WBEZ’s Araceli Gomez-Aldana spoke to Severo about what it take...

Higher education is one of the most effective ways to prevent people in prison from returning. Yet just seven out of Illinois’ 26 prisons provide access to college classes. Legislation to restore state financial aid for incarcerated students could change that – and prove especially crucial if federal funding is pulled. WBEZ’s Lisa Kurian Philip reports. HOST: DIXON

Now that the jury has made its decision on the fate of ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan – they are free to discuss their role in his historic corruption trial. WBEZ’s Dave McKinney brings us the story of Timothy Nessner – the jury foreman who signed off on Madigan’s landmark guilty verdict. Chicago Sun-Times reporter Emmanuel Camarillo contributed to this report. HOST: LANE

The five Great Lakes represent the largest freshwater ecosystem in the world. They’re also a source of drinking water for about 10 percent of the country’s population. But one of the largest initiatives that supports conservation efforts across the Great Lakes and the seven states it borders may be at risk. That comes as the Trump administration looks to cut climate and environmental justice progr...

Some pandemic trends came and went. But here’s one that stuck: Japanese comics known as manga [MAHN-guh], and the animated series they’re often adapted into. WBEZ’s Anna Savchenko tells us why the art forms are so popular, and how they are helping young people make connections in a digital world. HOST: DIXON

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan left the courthouse smiling even though a federal jury found him guilty of conspiracy, bribery, and wire fraud. WBEZ’s Dave McKinney reports. HOST: DIXON

Harold Pinter’s classic drama Betrayal is a love triangle told in reverse. It opens this month in Chicago at the Goodman Theatre. In a twist on the staging, the play stars three actors in their 50s and 60s, including Oscar winner Helen Hunt. WBEZ’s Mike Davis has more. HOST: DIXON

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan was found guilty of wire fraud and bribery. But they also found him not guilty on other charges – and couldn’t agree on a verdict on the remaining. WBEZ’s Illinois politics reporter Dave McKinney has covered this trial from start to finish. He joins me now. HOST: LARA

When babies and toddlers are not meeting developmental milestones or are disabled, they are supposed to get free in-home visits from a professional. It is a critical time that can change their trajectory. But in Illinois, too many children are falling through the cracks, especially post-pandemic. WBEZ’s Sarah Karp explains. HOST: LABUZ

The Trump administration has been making sweeping changes to staffing across the federal government, including at the Environmental Protection Agency. Last week more than 160 employees who work on environmental justice issues at the EPA were put on paid administrative leave. This includes staff in the Chicago office, which oversees most of the Midwest and the Great Lakes. Chicago Sun Times reporte...