Hundreds of Chicagoans opened fire hydrants for relief from this week’s heat
A combined total of nearly 900 complaints of open fire hydrants were made throughout the city during this week’s two-day heat wave.
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Five things to do this weekend, from Thalia Hall Block Party to Taste of Greektown
Don’t miss out on enjoying the last of summer in Chicago! Here are five fun things to do this weekend around town.
2 people were shot during a White Sox game
It was unclear if the bullets came from inside or outside the stadium, the White Sox said. Stadium footage showed confusion in the left field bleachers around the third inning.
When Magic Happens: Bonus: Black People Love Paramore
We’re passing the mic to our friends at the Black People Love Paramore podcast, featuring our host Taylor Coward!
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The CTA says crime is down and service is more reliable this year
Moving forward, the transit agency said it plans to implement more solutions, such as a new chatbox technology for riders to provide real-time feedback.
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Fight food insecurity at Food Aid Festival this weekend
The two-day music event will raise money to fight hunger in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood and surrounding areas.
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WBEZ’s Weekly News Recap: Aug. 25, 2023
Kids head back to school as a heat wave hits the area. Plus, a leadership shake-up for the Chicago White Sox.
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Donald Trump has been booked at the Atlanta jail on Georgia election charges
Donald Trump has become the first former president with a mug shot. He faces 13 felony counts in Georgia related to efforts to overturn the state’s 2020 presidential election result.
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A year since the first buses of migrants arrived in Chicago, the journey to asylum for Vannessa Olivera, others is just beginning
More than 13,000 immigrants have arrived since Texas Gov. Greg Abbott started sending them away on buses — so far 197 of them coming to the Chicago area.
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Parents of young magnet school students say losing busing is a ‘crushing crisis’ for them
CPS officials said this month that they still had not caught up with the bus driver shortage despite increasing driver wages and hosting several job fairs.
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Ex-top aide to Michael Madigan found guilty of perjury and attempted obstruction of justice
Tim Mapes was found guilty of lying on multiple occasions when he appeared before a grand jury on March 31, 2021. The jury also convicted him of trying to block an aggressive criminal investigation of his old boss, Michael Madigan, Illinois’ once-powerful former House speaker.
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Chicago’s homeless living on streets and in shelters sharply increased in 2021
The report from homeless advocates comes as Mayor Brandon Johnson seeks to raise a tax on high-end properties to fund services for the unhoused.
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Dance, environmental justice merge at Uptown Rhythm Festival
Reconnect with movement and the environment this weekend at the Uptown Rhythm Festival.
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At a Chicago cooling center, the search for relief — and housing — as a heat wave bears down
The heat index reached 116 degrees Wednesday, sending residents to shelters and keeping school children inside.
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FEMA teams visit Chicago area after major flooding
They urged residents to apply for federal assistance dollars.
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Heat got you down? High temps affect mood, work performance, studies show
Higher temps have been linked to lower motivation, higher suicide rates, higher ER visits for mental health reasons and poorer test scores for high schoolers.
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This designer is going from Chicago storefront to New York Fashion Week in just a year
Hayet Rida opened a boutique in Bucktown the same month that she was laid off from her corporate job. She documents her whirlwind year, and her business struggles and triumphs, to an eager audience on Instagram.
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What’s the most unexplained thing that’s happened to you? We’re seeking stories about hauntings.
WBEZ’s Curious City wants to hear your spine-tingling stories of unexplained sights and sounds, mysterious objects and other spooky things.
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Mayor Johnson supports a plan to raise a tax on high-end properties to help the homeless
The original plan called for tripling the transfer tax on homes sold for more than $1 million. The mayor has instead agreed to a graduated tax; properties sold for under $1 million would get a tax cut, with the increases hitting sales above that level.
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CPS juggles funding, bilingual staff to welcome thousands of new migrant students
Thousands of new English-learning students joined CPS last year. Thousands more are expected this year. CPS is trying to find a way to reach them all.
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Crisis pregnancy centers outnumber abortion providers in Illinois by nearly 3 to 1
Among the 102 counties in Illinois, 42 have crisis pregnancy centers but no in-person abortion providers.
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How Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has prioritized his first 100 days
Johnson’s appeals to be a mayor “for all of Chicago” may be expanding his base, but some progressives worry his early efforts lack boldness.
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Not everything with wings is welcome at O’Hare Airport. The lucky ones are caught and relocated.
A team of wildlife experts works to shoo, move away or euthanize birds and other animals found on the airport grounds “to ensure the safety of people and aircraft.”
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For the Cubs’ Ian Happ, Wrigley Field comes to life through a partnership with an artist
The drawings are part of artist Patrick Vale’s “See What I See” exhibit, a series of drawings of cityscapes on display at Chicago’s Gallery Victor through Aug. 26.
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From tackling learning loss to a new teachers contract, here’s what to watch in the CPS year ahead
Chicago Public Schools opens Monday with a new mayor and a school board who want to shake up how the school district is run.
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When Magic Happens: Aliens and the paranormal
Aliens, paranormal activity and the plain old strange. All that and more!
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Clean Air Club wants to protect artists, one HEPA filter at a time
The organization says they hope to contribute to the long-term health and safety of the entire creative scene out of the pandemic.
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Chicago Public Schools families left without a bus ride to class face ‘enormous stress’ as first day nears
Thousands of CPS students at magnet and test-in schools are searching for ways to get to class starting Monday after CPS said it can’t transport them.
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Love, peace and Soul Train
For decades, the TV show was the “hippest trip in America.” And it was Chicago that birthed the cultural phenomenon that took the world by storm.
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Chicago SAG actors and WGA writers remain steadfast during Hollywood strikes
Striking actors and writers in Chicago worry about money and artificial intelligence.
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Chance the Rapper exhibit showcases psychedelic journey, 10-year anniversary of ‘Acid Rap’
“The Acid Rap Experience” installation at the WNDR Museum features kaleidoscopic lights, the rapper’s music and video footage that visitors can interact with.
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What’s That Building? Chicago Icons: Bungalows
These homes are as much an icon of Chicago architecture as the more imposing downtown buildings.
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West Side Chicagoans demand answers about upcoming Amazon warehouse
A group of West Side residents have questions about jobs, zoning and environmental issues around an Amazon warehouse.
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What would it take for Chicago’s City Council to be more independent?
Some say what the council needs is a parliamentarian, a robust budget office and some legal counsel. Others say the city needs a new constitution for true reform.
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Investors say Maple & Ash, a fancy steakhouse in Chicago, ‘misappropriated’ millions from feds
Plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Maple & Ash say they have proof of financial misdeeds.
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How Chance the Rapper’s ‘Acid Rap’ changed an industry — and Chicago
“I think we knew we were witnessing history,” says one insider 10 years later.
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Victor Parra, longtime host of ‘Mambo Express’ radio show, shared passion for Afro-Cuban jazz with thousands
Mr. Parra, who had more than 8,000 vinyl albums in his collection that he would draw from for his show, developed a devoted on-air following, formed his own band — also named Mambo Express — and was on air for more than 30 years.
