WBEZ News

As the new year approaches, we’re looking back at some of our favorite Chicago albums of 20-24. From hip-hop and jazz to indie rock, the arts and culture teams at WBEZ and sister station Vocalo, have created a list of their top 13 albums of the year. Nudia Hernandez and Morgan Ciocca cover music for Vocalo. HOST: DIXON

This year's indie nonfiction book of the year, according to the Chicago Writers Association, was a book from a Northwest Indiana author about hospital overcrowding. The book is Hospital Heal Thyself. It's written by veteran Chicago area health care journalist Mark Taylor. Taylor found that fixing overcrowding would improve patient care and potentially save struggling hospitals. Thank you for joini...

A high school on Chicago’s Southeast side has helped feed the members of its community for years. Now, the school is turning its food distribution efforts into a permanent pantry — that will be run by STUDENTS. WBEZ’s Anna Savchenko brings us this story from the hallways of St. Francis De Sales. HOST: DIXON

With the swirl of holiday chaos upon us … from shopping … to family get-togethers … it can be a stressful time of year. So, we decided … we really needed a laugh. WBEZ’s arts and culture team has this story about holidays gone wrong. Here’s reporter Courtney Kueppers. HOST: DIXON

The federal criminal trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and co-defendant Michael McClain took an important turn this week. Prosecutors rested their case, the defense began presenting witnesses, and this historic trial seems headed toward the homestretch. Here this afternoon is WBEZ’s Dave McKinney to tell us the latest on where things stand with this case. HOST: LARA

The Chicago Board of Education fired CEO Pedro Martinez last night, but a provision in his contract allows him to stay on for six months. WBEZ’s Sarah Karp tells us how this all played out. HOST: PUENTE

In Chicago and throughout the U-S, Black men born from 1951 through 1970 are dying of opioid poisoning at a greater rate than any other segment of society. That’s according to a data analysis by the Baltimore Banner, which collaborated with the Sun-Times and other news organizations. We’re joined now by Sun-Times reporters Elvia Malagon and Frank Main to break down this startling trend… HOST: LABU...

Chicago has many holiday activities and traditions. Morning Edition producer Cianna Greaves is new to the city, and instead of going back East for the holidays, this year, she’s doing Christmas - Chicago style. She hit the pavement and asked folks about their favorite holiday traditions. HOST: DIXON

For this story… we’re going to take you inside a prison. For months, WBEZ has been collaborating with incarcerated journalists at the Kewanee Life Skills Re-entry Center in northwest Illinois. It’s focused on preparing returning citizens for their lives outside. That means… investment classes. An art studio. A barbershop for learning to cut hair. Last week, we passed the mic to one of the journali...

Concert ticket prices keep going up – especially to see the big stars like Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish – and fans keep buying. A report from Pollstar finds that the average concert ticket now costs $127 dollars. But this trend of big arena shows upping their prices ends up negatively impacting Chicago’s smaller indie venues. WBEZ’s Sofie Hernandez-Simeonidis joins us now to discuss. HOST: LARA

A Northwestern musicologist helped unearth a trove of Latin American holiday music from 400 years ago. Chicago-based early music ensemble - The Newberryury Consort– recently performed the music for audiences for the first time. I’m joined by WBEZ Arts and Culture contributor Hannah Edgar, who spoke with the pioneers behind the project. HOST: DIXON

One of the city’s more flamboyant holiday experiences is unfolding in a circus tent tucked atop a Loop hotel. WBEZ’s Mike Davis takes us behind the scenes of Teatro Zinzanni. HOST: DIXOn

Winter is here, and for many people, that means more days to relax and snuggle indoors with a book. For recommendations, WBEZ’s arts desk asked our staff for their favorite reads of 2024. HOST: DIXON

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson passed his $17-billion dollar budget in a narrow 27 to 23 vote yesterday (mon). That’s after a drawn out process that many say has caused fractures in the City Council. The final budget avoids a property tax increase, but relies on cuts to some progressive programs. It increases taxes and fees on plastic bags and streaming services. Johnson had to make significant cha...

Prosecutors are close to wrapping up their side of the story in the federal racketeering conspiracy trial of ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan and co-defendant Michael McClain. Some of the key pieces of evidence involve secretly-recorded conversations both had about a parcel of land in Chicago’s Chinatown. The deal they were trying to make is an important snapshot of the bigger criminal enterprise...

Madigan and co-defendant Michael McClain is getting close to resting. After more than nine weeks, jurors have heard a litany of schemes from which Madigan allegedly profited both financially and politically. Here to tell us where this trial now stands is WBEZ’s Dave McKinney. Good afternoon, Dave. This trial began in early October, and you’ve been there every day. Bring us up to speed on where thi...

In a city with many theater companies, Chicago’s oldest Latino theater is one of a few groups performing shows in Spanish. Aguijón [ah-ghee-HOHN] Theater is celebrating its 35th birthday with a Latin-Caribbean retelling of a Greek tragedy. The production showcases Aguijón’s dedication to removing the language barrier for Spanish-speaking audiences *and* performers. WBEZ contributor Anita Li has th...

You’ve likely heard about how expensive college has gotten. Maybe you’re putting a huge chunk of your paycheck towards student loan payments. Or you’re wondering how you’ll afford to send your kids to college. What you may not know is the problem is especially bad here in Illinois. But now, a group of politicians and advocates in the state have a pretty revolutionary plan to change that. WBEZ’s Li...

Chicago’s documentary scene has had a great year. Local film festivals, like Doc TEN, drew big audiences. And Midwest movies won major awards. But will anyone get to see these films? WBEZ’s Mike Davis traced the path of one documentary. HOST: DIXON

Add up the Nutcrackers and Scrooges alone, and you’ll get about a dozen. WBEZ arts reporter Courtney Kueppers joined host Lisa Labuz to sort through the options HOST: DIXON

After months of work and warnings, Dec. 6 is the day that city officials pledged to clear Humboldt Park of all tents and homeless people. The vast park on the Near Northwest Side has been home to Chicago’s largest tent city. It's one of many encampments that have gone up in Chicago in recent years. Since summer, city officials and advocates have been connecting people there with housing. Now they...

Basketball leagues for young Muslim girls are springing up around the Chicago area. They’re encouraging more girls to get into sports while celebrating their Muslim identity. WBEZ’s Anna Savchenko picks up this story from the sidelines. HOST: DIXON

Chicago is a sanctuary city — that means local law enforcement can’t collaborate with federal immigration officials when they try to enforce immigration laws, including deportations. Illinois has a similar policy. But there are limitations. WBEZ’s immigration reporter Adriana Cardona Maguigad joins me to explain what sanctuary laws actually do and what they don’t do. HOST: DIXON

Chicago has its flashy Loop theaters, but the city is also known for its gutsy neighborhood storefronts. WBEZ’s Araceli Gomez-Aldana visited one in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood on the south side. It’s where she discovered a show that connects to its audience through a sense of place. HOST: DIXON

Before Bridgerton’s string quartet renditions of pop songs, D-Composed was performing chamber music Beyoncé covers in Chicago. The Black chamber music collective rarely charges for tickets, and they want audience members to “come as you are.” That goes for the ensemble’s musicians, too. Cellist and founding member Tahirah (tuh-HEE-ruh) Whittington and artistic director Kori Coleman sat down with W...