WBEZ News

An Indiana House committee unanimously advanced legislation yesterday (THUR) that would help the Chicago Bears build a domed stadium in Hammond. It doesn’t make the Bears moving to Indiana a sure thing, but in a statement the team called it < < the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts. >> Lawmakers in Springfield, including Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker, are still optimist...

Reverend Jesse Jackson Senior was many things to many people. And in Chicago, he was everywhere — in churches, at protests, at City Hall, at Rainbow PUSH. WBEZ’s Somer Van Benton asked Chicagoans how they remember the civil rights leader — and a few themes kept coming up. HOST: LARA

Nestled along Lake Michigan, the area is known for Calumet and Steelworkers parks, where families gather, children play soccer and generations have built memories. Olga Bautista recalls walking to the lake in minutes, attending day camp and later watching her own child train as a lifeguard there. Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, where she and her children were baptized, is among the oldest Mexican-Am...

When ICE arrived in South Chicago last year, some people were caught off guard. “The feeling was that we are so secluded or far away from Little Village, from Back of the Yards, they won't come here. That all got shattered in October. They found the East Side,” says Pedraza, 51

The threat of President Donald Trump sending the National Guard into Chicago’s streets has diminished since the fall, but it still hangs over Guard members who in some cases would have to patrol their own neighborhoods. “I won't feel good with that at all,” the Southeast Side woman says. “I know if I go and I have to detain people, I will be crying because I can’t control myself.

Since 1986, Cecilia “Cecy” Villarruel has been producing masa in South Chicago. She uses a molino, a machine that grinds up corn, water and other ingredients to make the dough used in Mexican favorites like tamales. Instead of celebrating 40 years in business this year, Villarruel is worrying about her friends, family, employees and the neighborhood overall.

Sales declined sharply at Moreno’s Liquors during federal immigration operations. Customers have started to return, “but people have this uneasiness,” store owner Mike Moreno Jr. says. They send him messages asking if he can verify the area is clear of immigration agents before they go out.

Before Operation Midway Blitz, the captains and runners of Viento, the Little Village run club, would message each other only to cancel a run. Now they message to check if there have been sightings of federal agents and then decide when they’ll run and their route.

Chicago is known for its robust improv theater scene. But one troupe in the suburbs has formed a partnership that uses comedy for more than just laughs. A theater in Aurora is teaming up with Naperville’s Awesome Life Academy to perform improv for youth with special needs. HOST: LANE

There’s a rare opportunity in Illinois’ 8th congressional district. Five-term incumbent Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi isn’t seeking reelection, opting instead to run for U-S Senate to replace Dick Durbin. There are eight Democrats who’ve lined up to compete in next month’s primary – trying to replace Krishnamoorthi. HOST: LANE

Here's what you should know if you are voting for the first time in Illinois. HOST: LANE

It’s a plan that mostly holds the line on taxes, but it’s built on a bit of financial uncertainty as a result of the feuding between Springfield and the White House. HOST: MELBA

Reverend Jesse Jackson was an important figure on the national stage. He is remembered for his decades of civil rights leadership and political campaigns. But Jackson also carved a name for himself in pop culture. HOST: LANE

A protege of Reverend Martin Luther King Junior, Jackson left an indelible mark on Chicago. HOST: MELBA

The late Reverend Jesse Jackson’s words shaped politics as a leader in the Civil Rights movement. Jackson joined WBEZ’s former program Reset in February 20-20. He spoke with host Jen White about his many speeches…. compiled in the book Keeping Hope Alive: Sermons and Speeches of Reverend Jesse L Jackson. HOST: MELBA

Chicago artist Nick Cave is known for bridging fashion and art. Now, Cave’s work is debuting at the Smithsonian. He’s delving deep into his personal history, as a Black man in America … with a little help from a prehistoric influence. HOST: LANE

Civil rights activist Reverend Jesse Jackson Senior died this morning (TUES) at age 84. A protege of Martin Luther King Junior, Jackson built much of his career in Chicago, working to politically organize and improve the lives of African-Americans. Doctor Joseph Kyles is the Memphis Rainbow PUSH Coalition president. HOST: LANE

Four Republican candidates have thrown their hats in the ring to challenge two-term Governor J-B Pritzker in November. They face an uphill battle against a billionaire Democrat- in a state that has shifted more and more blue over the past decade. HOST: LANE

Illinois residents soon have a big choice to make: who should represent them in the U.S. Senate for the next six years? And because Illinois is such a heavily blue state — all eyes are on the Democratic primary in the race to replace longtime retiring US Senator Dick Durbin. The three leading candidates — two congresspeople and the state’s lieutenant governor — have each spent years in elected off...

A Roosevelt University graduate student is trying to be the first person to run every block in Chicago, and he’s nearly finished with the feat. HOST: LANE

Thirteen candidates on next month’s Democratic primary ballot are competing to take over for retiring Congressman Danny Davis of Chicago. Jason Friedman is a real estate developer in River North. He’s never run for office but has leapt far ahead in the race’s fundraising. He’d be the district’s first white congressman in more than a half century. HOST: LANE

More Black owned restaurants are opening in Chicago, and with that comes more dining options. Chicago Black Restaurant Week highlights that growth, featuring specials at nearly 40 Black-owned eateries. The culinary celebration is running now until February 22nd, making it a good way to celebrate Black-owned business and Valentines Day. Sun-Times Arts and Culture reporter Erica Thompson joins us no...

More Black owned restaurants are opening in Chicago, and with that comes more dining options. Chicago Black Restaurant Week highlights that growth, featuring specials at nearly 40 Black-owned eateries. The culinary celebration is running now until February 22nd, making it a good way to celebrate Black-owned business and Valentines Day. Sun-Times Arts and Culture reporter Erica Thompson joins us no...

Federal immigration agents are still in Chicago, taking people into custody, and they could return with even more force this spring. Schools are already on edge. Numerous times last fall, enforcement operations sent them into lockdown, sowing chaos and disrupting learning. The schools had not dealt with anything like this before. HOST: LANE

A Chicago mom is furious about the way her son’s class at a northwest side elementary school kicked off Black History month. According to her son, the teacher had them participate in a reenactment of slavery. HOST: MELBA