WBEZ News

Mold, broken refrigerators and needed FEMA funds: Help is still needed in Gary

You followed up with a family you spent time with in August. They were on day twelve with no power. How are they holding up now?

Five years later, Illinois still isn’t fully delivering on the TEAACH Act

In 2021, Illinois became the first state to require every public elementary and high school to teach a unit of Asian American history. That’s because of the passage o

Five years later, Illinois still isn’t fully delivering on the TEAACH Act

That’s because of the Teaching Equitable Asian American Community History, or TEAACH Act. Today, advocates say there’s still a long way to go in putting the law into

Terminally ill people in Illinois can now request medicine to end their lives.

In Illinois, residents who are terminally ill with less than six months to live can now request a prescription for medication to end their lives. Illinois joins 12 oth

2026 is the year of Chaka Khan

Chaka Khan is an 11 time Grammy winner, Rock and Roll hall of fame inductee, and has a song preserved in the Library of Congress. The cultural icon got her start in Ch

Should Chicago close schools? Candidates for school board president disagree

Closing schools in Chicago became a political hot potato after former Mayor Rahm Emanuel shuttered 50 all at once in 2013. But as enrollment in the district continues

Five Illinois public universities pay Flock to surveil campuses, WBEZ finds

You may have heard about the controversy surrounding Flock cameras and their use – and abuse – by city and suburban police officers. But you may NOT have realized tha

Five years later, Illinois still isn’t fully delivering on the TEAACH Act

Lawmakers passed the Teaching Equitable Asian American Community History Act – or the TEAACH Act – in 2021. And other states have since followed in Illinois’ footsteps

How does Chicago’s arts spending stack up with other major cities?

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has officially launched his bid for reelection. And he wants his investments in the arts and culture scene in the city to, quote, “define” h

What Chicago youth understand about 9/11

It’s the 25th anniversary of nine eleven attack. Many people remember where they were or what they were doing that day … BUT there’s a generation of people who only kn

Mayor Brandon Johnson launches reelection campaign

Mayor Brandon Johnson is painting this mayoral election season as a stark choice. Either give him another four years to fight for working class Chicagoans and people

Why one nature lover keeps up a 1,200+ day birding streak

Birds are already flying through the Chicago area on their fall migration. So it’s a busy season for bird watchers. For one birder, it’s just one part of a more th

El Grito Chicago returns one year after Operation Midway Blitz

Celebrations for Mexican Independence Day began this weekend. Thousands gathered in Grant Park for El Grito Chicago — a two day celebration of Mexican culture and inde

Looking back at how WBEZ covered 9/11’s aftermath 25 years later

Twenty-five years ago today ... on September 12th, 2001 ... former WBEZ host Jerome McDonnell had his first "Worldview" show after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The sho

Flashback: Sears Tower workers react as 9/11 attacks unfold

25 years ago today the world stopped as the 9/11 terrorist attacks unfolded. As attacks continued beyond New York to the Pentagon, and another hijacked plane crashed i

What Chicago youth understand about 9/11

It’s the 25th anniversary of 911 attack. Many people remember where they were or what they were doing that day … BUT there’s a generation of people who only know life

A Sun-Times reporter’s account of Chicago first responders after 9/11

Today people around the country are commemorating the anniversary of the September 11th attacks. 25 years ago, Sun-Times watchdogs reporter Frank Main followed Chicag

Construction sites poised to be more welcoming to women under new state law

Illinois’ construction industry is poised to become more inclusive. A new state law requires construction job sites to make accommodations for workers who menstruate o

NITA holds first meeting as oversight agency for CTA, Metra, Pace

The newly formed Northern Illinois Transit Authority held its first-ever public meeting today. It replaces the Regional Transit Authority, or RTA, in governing the Chi

A teen beach party was peaceful, but wasn't without conflict

The coverage… and rhetoric around it… has left some of Chicago’s teens feeling discouraged and unwelcome in their own city. But they aren’t giving up. Last month (