WBEZ News

This Friday, Chicago officials plan to clear out what remains of the city’s biggest homeless encampment. They say they’re providing rent-free apartments to most people in Humboldt Park’s tent city … and offering shelter beds to the rest. As encampments have grown across Chicago, the scale of the housing effort is unprecedented. But the people not getting an apartment are wondering why. WBEZ’s Chip...

WBEZ sports contributor Cheryl Raye-Stout discusses what's next for the team. Reporter: Noah Jennings

The Black artist from the South Side used his art to express grief, racial trauma and liberation. Reporter: Mawa Iqbal; Host: Mary Dixon

Chicago’s holiday season is a-go…and while there are plenty of wholesome events to entertain little ones, the season isn’t just for the kids. From Risque reindeer to a whimsical parody of Die Hard, there’s plenty of fun to be had for adults this December. WBEZ Arts and Culture reporter Mike Davis has compiled a list of the naughty nights out for adults this holiday season. HOST: LABUZ

Chicago’s holiday season is a-go…and while there are plenty of wholesome events to entertain little ones, the season isn’t just for the kids. From Risque reindeer to a whimsical parody of Die Hard, there’s plenty of fun to be had for adults this December. WBEZ Arts and Culture reporter Mike Davis has compiled a list of the naughty nights out for adults this holiday season. HOST: LABUZ

Thanksgiving can feel like a fraught time for some folks… whether it’s complicated relationships or tense political conversations. The last thing you want is for dietary restrictions and preferences to also get in the way while you’re creating that welcoming environment. Jordan Wimby, also known as “The Melanin Martha,” is a chef and culinary preservationist. She sat down with WBEZ’s Erin Allen on...

Property tax bills rose nearly 20-percent for the median homeowner in south suburban Cook County – the highest increase in three decades. WBEZ’s Adora Namigadde explores why this happened, who it impacts, and what can be done about it. HOST: LABUZ

One of the most infamous moles in Chicago political lore has taken the stand. Danny Solis was a Chicago alderperson – and made multiple undercover recordings for the FBI. Here to talk more about what Solis is expected to tell jurors is WBEZ’s Dave McKinney. HOST: LANE

The Department of Energy last week committed up to one-billion dollars to ramp up hydrogen production in the Midwest. Proponents say the investment won’t just create green jobs, it’ll slash emissions, too. But local environmentalists say it is a shell game that allows oil and gas companies to continue business as usual. WBEZ’s Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco went to a rally in Northwest Indiana where adv...

Two Grammy award-winning Chicago jazz and blues musicians will take the stage this weekend.

The proposed closings have led to fierce protests from students, parents and staff who are hoping for Acero to reverse course or CPS to provide a solution.

The outgoing state’s attorney says she still has wounds from breaking the glass ceiling, but she’s proud of her choices.

The fitting prize for a competition to see who looks most like the star of “The Bear?” Fifty bucks and a pack of Marlboro Red cigarettes.

With a residency at Dorian’s and a Lollapalooza debut in her recent rearview mirror, the Chicago singer reflects on what it takes to feel good in what she wears.

Wanna get away? Then you might be jealous of Ellery Jones. The Sun-Times journalist traveled to Miami this week on Amtrak's temporary Floridian route. She spent two days riding the rails ... and joins us now to break down her journey. HOST: DIXON

Chicago’s Southeast side is home to the city’s largest industrial corridor. In recent years, environmental justice activists there have successfully pushed back NEW industrial development. But now their tactics are under threat… Just as President Trump prepares to settle back into the White House. WBEZ’s Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco has the story. HOST: LARA

This fall, twenty-six-year-old Chicago saxophonist Isaiah Collier and his band released a new album called THE WORLD IS ON FIRE. The title says it all. Collier [CALL-ee-er] feels like the past few years have been apocalyptic. Between sets at the Jazz Showcase, the musician spoke with WBEZ contributor Hannah Edgar about the inspirations for his most blistering music yet. HOST: DIXON

The Pitchfork Music Festival announced yesterday that the 2025 edition won’t be held in Chicago. This comes as a big surprise to Chicago’s music scene, as Pitchfork has called the city home for the past 19 years Here to break this move down is WBEZ contributor Mark Guarino. Mark, thanks for joining us. HOST: LARA

President-elect Donald Trump has been light on details for his housing agenda. But his former housing secretary Ben Carson wrote the housing portion of Project 2025 – from the right wing Heritage Foundation. To understand what THAT plan could mean for Chicago and Illinois… WBEZ’s Esther Yoon-Ji Kang sat down with Daniel Kay Hertz. He’s the director of housing for Chicago-based think tank Impact fo...

Local actor Jon Michael Hill has had a busy year. This spring, he appeared in the Netflix series A Man in Full and starred in Steppenwolf’s Broadway-bound play, Purpose. Now he’s back on stage at Steppenwolf in the world premiere, Leroy and Lucy, by playwright Ngozi Anyanwu [N-guh-zee Aye-ahn-woo]. It draws inspiration from the myth of Blues legend Robert Johnson. WBEZ theater reporter Mike Davis...

In last week’s general election, president-elect Donald Trump won more votes from Latinos than he did in 2020. And that includes Latinos here in Chicago. Laura Rodriguez Presa is a reporter with the Chicago Tribune. She went to the heart of the city's Latino population -- in Little Village and Pilsen -- and talked to voters. HOST: PUENTE

Ahead of Tuesday’s election, it wasn’t clear if Chicago’s just appointed school board members could stay on past January. That’s when a new, partly appointed, partly elected board will be seated. Turns out, all six members that the mayor just appointed in October after his other board resigned en masse are eligible to stay. That’s the latest development shaping Chicago’s first-ever elected school...

This week concluded with dramatic testimony from a government informant who wore a wire and made many secret recordings that were played at trial. WBEZ’s Dave McKinney has been at the Dirksen Federal Building, and he’s here today to bring us up to speed on this historic trial. HOST: LARA

That’s Joel Davis. He spent more than three decades in Illinois prisons, where he lost his right to vote. But he was released this year. And on Tuesday, WBEZ producer Lauren Frost tagged along as he cast his ballot… experiencing the joy AND the challenges of voting for the first time. HOST: LARA

Ahead of a second Trump term, lawmakers, attorneys and organizers aim to preserve Chicago’s sanctuary status and protect immigrant rights. Reporter: Adriana Cardona-Maguigad; Host: Melba Lara