New clubs, bigger acts: Could the western suburbs be Chicago’s next big music destination?
Robert’s Westside joins several independent venues within a short drive west of the Loop that have settled in the western suburbs.
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New discount rate system a ‘game changer’ for Chicagoans struggling with heating bills, advocates say
The new system was approved as part of the decision that also saw regulators cut a rate hike requested by Peoples Gas from $402 million down to about $301 million.
Illinois residents can now report government corruption, online
A new Illinois State Police form lets people report corruption anonymously. But does it go far enough?
How did Indian Boundary Park get its name?
Indian Boundary Park commemorates more than just a boundary line. It’s also a reminder of Chicago’s complicated history with Native people.
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Holiday season in Chicago
Enjoy Chicago’s most festive season with these holiday happenings.
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Your Chicago holiday season bucket list: 33 festive things to do, from lights to live shows
Whether you’re looking for holiday songs, ice skating or a tea party, there’s a whole lot to do in Chicago right now. This curated list will jumpstart your planning.
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Near West Side union hall’s sale could mean ‘heartbreaking’ destruction of historic union-themed mural
Completed in 1974 by Chicago artists John Pitman Weber and Jose Guerrero, the painting is inside the United Electrical Workers union hall, which soon could be sold and redeveloped.
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How does corruption impact democracy? Take a look at Illinois.
A WBEZ analysis shows that while people may be more cynical and government is more expensive, voter interest in state elections has only increased.
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WBEZ’s Weekly News Recap: Dec. 1, 2023
The migrant crisis, secret recordings of Ed Burke, primary challengers for top Democrats. Reset breaks down the biggest stories of the week.
Chicago City Hall is owed billions of dollars it hasn’t managed to collect
A Sun-Times analysis finds that thousands of scofflaws — many from the suburbs — have dodged city debts over the years, depriving City Hall of a massive sum of money as Mayor Brandon Johnson faces steep budget challenges.
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Black women need more HIV prevention resources
Stereotypes around who can get HIV can make people more vulnerable to the virus. This doctor’s aiming to change that.
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On World AIDS Day, Chicagoans living with HIV reflect on their experiences
On World AIDS Day, we explore what’s changed since the start of the epidemic — and what hasn’t.
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Food Friday: Comedy meets cooking at the Lincoln Lodge in Logan Square
The Lincoln Lodge is hosting its own take on the cooking competition, leaving you with a belly full of laughs.
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When Magic Happens: Oh, To Be a Kid Again
Do you remember the time before rent and bills, or men and menopause? We’re talking childhood nostalgia and nurturing the inner child.
Biden lets Chicago replace dangerous lead water lines much slower than other cities
The president is ordering cities to replace lead pipes for drinking water within a decade. Chicago is getting at least 40 years to fix the problem.
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Landing a ‘tuna,’ lobbing an F-bomb — Burke’s famous quotes played for jurors after defense mistrial denial
U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall denied a request for mistrial made over a remark about the “Chicago way of doing business” being “very corrupt.”
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I’ve owned businesses in West Garfield Park for 60 years, and I’m not leaving
Marie Henderson runs Out of the Past Records. She’s seen the neighborhood change for the worse, but she said she is proud she’s “still here.”
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Black utility workers in lawsuit allege they face discrimination while working at Peoples Gas
Nearly a dozen former and current Peoples Gas workers allege that the utility company racially discriminated against Black employees in the Chicago area, according to a recently filed federal lawsuit.
Without violence, West Garfield Park would be the world’s ‘best community,’ restaurant owner says
Joe and Tonya Black run LiFE restaurant on West Madison Street. They recently reopened after a shooting and car accident damaged the storefront.
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Opponents sue the city of Evanston for approving Northwestern’s stadium plans
A community group and homeowners in Evanston and Wilmette are suing to stop the “commercialization” of the university’s rebuilt Ryan Field.
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New seating protocols at Chicago’s City Council meetings draw sharp criticisms
“There should not be VIP seating for residents of Chicago to watch their government at work,” the ACLU said of the new policy.
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Amundsen Park won’t become migrant shelter, park programs return
Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th) announced plans to turn the West Side park field house into a migrant shelter have been abandoned as the number of migrants camped out at police stations falls.
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Brighton Park migrant tents begin rising
The tents are expected to be completed in a matter of days and will house 500 migrants at first.
A new Chicago dashboard tracks how youth are faring in every corner of the city
The tool paints perhaps the most comprehensive picture to date of how kids in each community are doing in school, in finding work and financially.
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Chicago’s winter overnight parking ban returns Friday
The ban will affect main roads from 3 to 7 a.m. until April 1.
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Chicago’s City Council is tightening public access amid a slew of chaotic meetings
In recent months, alderpeople have been accosted, received threats and security has had to clear council chambers on more than one occasion.
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Five years ago today: Butcher paper signals FBI raid on offices of ‘untouchable’ Ed Burke — and changes Chicago history
Reporters could only speculate about what prompted the raid, but ex-Mayor Lori Lightfoot admits she “rode that wave ‘till it crashed on the beach.”
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How applying to college has changed for the 2024-2025 school year
It’s the first application cycle since the Supreme Court ruled against race-conscious admissions.
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FBI agent tells how former Ald. Danny Solis came to wear a wire, cooperate in corruption probes
Special Agent Ryan McDonald’s testimony comes nearly five years to the day after the FBI raided former Ald. Edward M. Burke’s offices on Nov. 29, 2018.
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Her family called police for help, then her lease was terminated
Diamond Jones is challenging Richton Park’s crime-free ordinance, saying it violated her constitutional rights. The suburban Cook County community is among several municipalities with similar laws on the books.
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How have the ‘Leaders for a New Chicago’ made use of their title and award?
Reset checks back in with the honorees to see how a recent award has impacted their work to build a just Chicago.
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Are you smarter than an eighth grader?
All Illinois eighth graders need to pass what’s known as a “Constitution test” to graduate.
Despite frigid temps this week, El Niño year could mean mild, dry Chicago winter
The snow and lows in the teens Chicago experienced after Thanksgiving could be an anomaly in what’s shaping up as a strong El Niño winter.
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Chicago wrongly limited affordable housing with aldermanic prerogative, HUD says
Feds say giving Council members “a local veto over proposals to build affordable housing” has meant it’s “rarely, if ever, constructed in the majority-white wards that have the least affordable housing.”
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Mayor Johnson announces new church-city partnership to house migrants
The plan will shelter migrants in local churches until they find housing. It will reach 100 migrants immediately and 340 in total. More than 1,000 migrants remain at police stations.
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Chicago students are working to improve their schools through student voice committees
As part of a shift in civics education, CPS is moving beyond facts and dates and toward helping students experience what it is like to create change.
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Illinois middle schoolers have to pass a civics ed class. How do you make sure it sticks?
CPS discourages civics tests based on rote memorization. Try a quiz using that approach — and see what schools are doing now instead.
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Sun-Times sports columnist Rick Telander is now a published poet, too
‘Sweet Dreams: Poems and Paintings for the Child Abed’, a passion project more than three decades in the making, is out now.
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A stitch in time: Joffrey Ballet costume crew stands ready to fix any rips in ‘The Nutcracker’
From repairing torn pants to stopping the walnuts from bumping into each other on stage, the work of Joffrey Ballet’s sewing team goes on long after the show starts.
Buying a used car? Double-check safety recalls first
Federal law doesn’t require sellers to fix recalled vehicles before putting them up for sale.
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What the Foxtrot and Dom’s Kitchen merger means for Chicago
The two upscale Chicago-based grocery stores announced the merger Monday.
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Got fall allergies this year? You’re not alone
Chicagoans have been reporting itchy eyes, runny noses and fatigue in high numbers. Experts say months of warm weather are to blame.
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COVID, RSV on the rise in the Chicago area
COVID risk is still low in our area, but with cases up, what can we expect during the winter months?
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Wonder what all those property taxes pay for? Cook County treasurer offers way to find out
The online education tool, “Where Your Money Goes,” calculates the money owed to each school district or other local unit of government in the past two years — showing the increase or decrease from the year before.
