The Medinah Shriners’ former temple is now Chicago’s first casino
The fraternal order after which the building is named hosted circuses, ice shows and more at the downtown venue during the 20th century.
Top Stories
Lyric Opera’s SoundShirt — a new way deaf, hearing-impaired patrons can experience music
The technology is the first of its kind at any opera house in the world.
Chicago alderpersons lash out at mayor and governor over response to the influx of migrants
The City Council debated everything from a major contract to house migrants in tents to the state’s communication with the city.
‘This puts me in panic mode’: How a government shutdown could impact Illinois
A government shutdown could have a major impact on those who rely on food and child care assistance.
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Nerdette recommends what to read this fall
We call up our favorite readers and writers to discover the best titles out this season.
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Want to make friends from a different economic class? Try your local Applebee’s or Olive Garden.
Chain restaurants attract customers from different income brackets and represent ways to break down class barriers, according to a new study.
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How some Chicago migrants struggling to leave shelters are getting help
A trust fund is helping landlords provide rental assistance to the influx of migrants who have been bussed to Chicago.
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WBEZ’s Weekly News Recap: Sept. 29, 2023
The auto workers’ strike has expanded to Chicago’s South Side. Larry Snelling is confirmed as Chicago’s top cop. And much more.
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CPS schools need $14.4B for repairs, modernization, report finds
The long-awaited analysis by Chicago Public Schools leaders examined facilities needs citywide, where school buildings are on average 83 years old with some in serious disrepair.
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Talking Heads concert film ‘Stop Making Sense’ back on the big screen
A panel discusses the 1984 cult classic and its restoration in 4K, which is currently in Chicago theaters.
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Chicago AIDS Run and Walk supports services for people living with HIV
More than 40,000 people in Illinois are living with HIV or AIDS, according to the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.
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Hundreds welcome 12-foot tall Syrian refugee puppet Little Amal at Navy Pier: ‘It was very emotional’
Little Amal is making her way across America to inspire hope and draw attention to the plight of many refugees around the world, half of whom are children.
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‘Young Love’ Creator Matthew A. Cherry on why Chicago families are at the center of his new TV series
The Oscar-winning Chicago football-player-turned-director recently joined WBEZ’s Rundown to talk about his new show ‘Young Love,’ growing up in the city and his hopes for future Black storytellers.
Black drivers ‘stay ready,’ navigating low-level traffic stops
When police pull over Black drivers in Illinois, it’s mostly for non-moving violations
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Black community leaders call on CPS to fix achievement gap
A couple dozen Black leaders attended Thursday’s Board of Education meeting to ask for a committee that would develop a strategy to help Black students academically.
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When Magic Happens: Hey Siri, what’s ChatGPT?
Should I be impressed, inspired or horrified by AI chatbots?
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Light punishment for Chicago parks manager with clout
The daughter of disgraced Ald. Danny Solis got “verbal counseling” for failing to report a sexual harassment allegation, records show.
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Apple fritter season is Chicago’s best season. Here are five to try.
Want to taste fall without the marathon drive to an orchard? There’s a great fritter at a bakery near you.
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What’s That Building? Chicago Icons: 875 N. Michigan Ave. — the former John Hancock Center
The Xes on the sides of the tower help make this one of the most recognizable high-rises in downtown Chicago, but also serve a functional purpose.
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The Signature Room abruptly closes after 30 years due to ‘severe economic hardship’
The restaurant and lounge on the 95th and 96th floors of the former John Hancock center is permanently closed. The high-end restaurant and bar offered sweeping views of the city and Lake Michigan.
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More people blaming climate change for extreme weather events, new poll shows
Planet Earth experienced the hottest summer on record in 2023.
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Spotted lanternfly found in Illinois for the first time
If you see the bug, take a photo, squish it and then report it to the state Agriculture Department.
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Attention job-seekers: Uncle Sam wants you (to save the planet)
Ninety years after FDR’s American Civilian Corps, a new federal program aims to train young people for jobs to fight climate change.
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From Pilsen to Calumet, how storytelling preserves Latino history
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated across the country from Sept. 15 and Oct. 15 this year.
Illinois traffic stops of Black drivers reach record highs
State law and oversight board fall short of goals to collect law enforcement data and to reduce racial disparities in police traffic stops
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Progress is slow on Illinois’ clean energy promises
Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, are supposed to account for 25% of all power in the state by 2025 according to the law.
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Destinos brings 17 Latino theater productions to stages across Chicago
The yearly theater festival will bring local and international productions to nearly a dozen venues across the city. Here are some highlights.
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Chicago Park District pays out almost $2 million to three former lifeguards
Documents obtained by WBEZ show Park District officials have quietly settled sexual misconduct cases at the city’s beaches and pools.
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City Council confirms Larry Snelling as CPD superintendent by unanimous vote
Snelling will now have to confront the alarming surge of robberies and vehicular theft that has residents of North Side neighborhoods like Bucktown, Wicker Park, Lincoln Park, Old Town and Lakeview up in arms.
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Illinois legislative staffers can unionize under a bill introduced by the state House speaker
The move comes after nearly a year of requests for voluntary recognition by employees in offices run by Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch.
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A handful of Illinois colleges commit to making costs for students more clear
But Northwestern, University of Chicago and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign didn’t sign on to the new standards for financial aid letters.
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Newest migrant arrivals, others excluded from speed up of work authorization
The Biden administration announcement last week included only Venezuelans arriving before August. Thousands of Venezuelans have arrived since then, and many who arrived before and since are from other countries.
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Michael Madigan’s name is stripped from the property tax firm he helped found
The ex-Illinois House speaker is awaiting trial for his alleged role in a federal bribery scheme.
‘They are my motivation:’ CPS Safe Passage worker hits the streets every day to keep kids safe
Xavier Williams makes sure kids on the West Side get to class each day. “It’s another form of giving back,” he said. “That’s what I love about it.“
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As theater gasps, Kokandy’s ‘American Psycho’ aims to thrill
In an unpredictable year for Chicago stages, one storefront theater company is going for the jugular.
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Energy assistance in Illinois may fall short without a federal boost
More than one million Illinois households are eligible for energy assistance. That money is down a third to $280 million dollars this year from its peak in 2022.
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‘Is Chicago savable?’ GOP congressional hearing in Chicago marked by partisan attacks, false claims
The GOP-controlled House Judiciary Committee held the hearing at Fraternal Order of Police headquarters to discuss violence in the city.
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Chicago’s migrant crisis tied to U.S. foreign policy
Juan González is a senior fellow at the Great Cities Institute at the University of Illinois Chicago. He says U.S. foreign policy is key to understanding why migrants flee to the city.
The Damen Silos — now at the center of demolition drama — have a colorful history
Preservationists argue that the unique structure, vacant since the 1970s and a darling of gonzo artmakers, was the skyscraper of its time and deserves to be saved.
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New census data finds 1 in every 5 Chicagoans identifies as Mexican
Mexican Independence Day celebrations offer a glimpse of the size and growth of the community in the Chicago area.
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Expect fall colors in Illinois to peak in mid-October, experts say
From the cotton-candy scented katsura to the classic red leaves of the maple, here is where you can find some of the best fall foliage in the Chicago area.
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Cook County judges talk about their first week without cash bail. ‘The world is looking at us.’
Despite glitches in other courthouses, the first week of bail reform in Cook County went relatively smoothly.
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A former Fermilab physicist, U.S. Rep. Bill Foster is using AI technology, and he’s worried
As the only member of Congress with a Ph.D. in physics, Foster is using AI to learn more about a field that fascinates many and terrifies others, including federal officials.
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Who enforces the rules at dog parks?
Dogs must be vaccinated and have a permit to visit a dog park. But is anyone checking?
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Illinois lawmakers warn that a government shutdown would ripple through the state
If Congress doesn’t pass a federal spending bill by Oct. 1, agency closures will disrupt numerous routine functions for Illinois residents.
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Acorns galore thanks to ‘mast year’ for oaks prompting massive seed production around Chicago
The abundance in acorns this fall is the result of a phenomenon that happens once every few years, in which oak trees produce far more acorns than normal.
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Second bomb threat in two days forces evacuation of Highland Park elementary school
Red Oak School received threats Thursday and Friday. The school was also targeted last week by a X account that caters to an anti-LGBTQ+ audience.
U-pick apples, cider and donuts: Here are 10 of the best places to go near Chicago
Apple-picking season lasts only six or so precious weeks, but it is fully underway. While U-pick fruit is the star attraction, many farms this year are expanding side attractions.
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Strikes against Stellantis and GM spread to 38 locations in 20 states, including Illinois
The union is pointing to the companies’ huge recent profits as it seeks wage increases of 36% over four years.
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Records show at least two Chicago City Council members aren’t accepting a pay raise
The city’s budget office wouldn’t confirm whether Mayor Brandon Johnson or the remaining 48 alderpersons will receive the annual raise.
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Top cop takes blame for not stopping the Sox game after stadium shooting
Fred Waller, Chicago’s temporary top cop, blames “miscommunication” for the error and says the issue has been remedied.
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Hard cider! Seven small-craft cider makers to try this season in the Midwest
Whether you’re a dabbler or a connoisseur, you’ll find something new to sip in tasting rooms that prize limited-run varieties and regional fruit.
A Chicago school where six students were killed last year leads a march for peace
A small alternative school on the South Side marked International Day of Peace by taking to the streets and pleading for an end to violence.
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When Magic Happens: Thank you for being a friend
Friends, how many of us have them? We’re talking about building bonds, soft quitting acquaintances, and loving the people that hold us down.
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National Book Award finalist: “I just wanted to go where the fun was”
Tania James let “delight” guide her while writing her historical novel ‘Loot.’
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Johnson administration defends contract with private defense firm to prop up migrant ‘base camps’
The administration says it’s looking into whether it can staff the tent camps with local organizations once they are built.
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Mayor Brandon Johnson’s team will scrap INVEST South/West name, but not its aims
A top Johnson aide said the INVEST South/West development program on the South and West sides, a hallmark of the Lori Lightfoot administration, is perceived as “an unfulfilled promise.”
‘A good place:’ Queer youth seek acceptance at state’s first foster home for LGBTQ+ teens
Nationally, about a third of foster care youth identify as LGBTQ+, and researchers say they are at significantly higher risk of experiencing homelessness and physical harm.
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U.S. will expand Temporary Protected Status to hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans
Venezuelan migrants in the U.S. as of July 31 can sign up for Temporary Protected Status. Homeland Security officials estimate that roughly 472,000 more people will now be eligible for work permits.
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CPS enrollment stabilizes for first time in a decade
The district had lost students for 11 consecutive years and last year gave up its status as the nation’s third-largest public school system. CPS has lost more than 80,000 kids in that time.
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Making Serena
Regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time, tennis legend Serena Williams blazed a trail for generations to come.
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Chicago’s tipped workers could soon get a higher minimum wage. Here’s what to know.
Chicago alderpeople advanced a plan to raise tipped workers’ pay to the city’s minimum wage over five years. It still needs full council approval.
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Cook County wants to spend about $14 million to buy two suburban hotels for the unhoused
The county was already helping rent the former hotels in Evanston and Oak Park. The plan won approval from a county board committee, though some commissioners want low-income south suburbs prioritized.
A South Side elementary school is a model for how CPS hopes to improve math performance
CPS says this West Englewood school can lead the way for other schools as new state data show math scores remain below pre-pandemic levels.
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Courts in counties across Illinois take first steps into a world without cash bail
Illinois is the first state in the U.S. to abolish cash bail. The historic change took effect on Monday, prompting confusion and long days.
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Chicago’s Mexican Independence Day street closures defended by mayor, criticized by revelers
Supporters say Mexican Independence Day celebrations are no different than St. Patrick’s Day or sports championships.
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A look back at this summer’s block parties
A look at the joys of a closed-down street, passed down from generation to generation.
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Bail reform gets its first test Monday, and Cook County sees a smooth rollout
Despite a frenzied morning of last-minute preparations, the hearings at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse were not substantially different from the old cash bail system.
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Lincoln Park Zoo launches first-of-its-kind program for people with dementia
The program is social and educational. Attendees can expect sensory experiences, low-impact physical activity and lessons about wildlife.
Midwives could help prevent more deaths. Why don’t more Chicago-area hospitals have them?
Research shows midwives help improve outcomes for both parent and child. But hospitals across the Chicago area are not investing in midwife programs.
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What’s the future of parole and clemency in Illinois?
Dozens of people in prison wrote to WBEZ’s Prisoncast! asking for updates on efforts to expand parole and clemency in Illinois. Here’s what we learned.
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Illinois Dems criticize Biden adviser, cut ties with PR firm over #MeToo conflict
Illinois Democrats said they cut ties with the prominent public relations firm SKDK following reporting by NPR about an undisclosed conflict of interest in a sexual harassment case.
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Illinois becomes first state in nation today to eliminate cash bail. Here’s how it will work.
It’s been two years since the Pretrial Fairness Act was passed, but questions remain on who will be jailed and who will not.
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PHOTOS: Mexican Independence Day Parade puts heritage on display in Little Village
The parade landed on the holiday for the first time in its 26 years, bringing out more spectators after bad weather and COVID had dampened the event in recent years.
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Illinois child care centers face crisis with loss of federal dollars: ‘They’re setting us up for failure’
Without the federal funds that saved the child care sector during the pandemic, the industry risks collapse, policy experts say.
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Health officials are encouraging Chicago-area residents to get the new COVID-19 booster
Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck says residents need to battle pandemic fatigue and “boost up,” even if they are feeling “boosted out.”
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As state leaders fight to protect access to books, Chicago-area libraries keep getting threats
Local librarians say the unfounded bomb threats have become almost routine and represent a deeper political and cultural divide.
