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In bite-sized episodes every weekday, we'll keep you informed, tickled, geeked, and pondering on Chicago's news, culture and people. Start and end your day with quick news roundups from the WBEZ newsroom. Plus, in the afternoons, dive deeper into conversations with the artists, journalists, and changemakers that shape the Windy City. The Rundown podcast is a one-stop-shop for all things Chicago.
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The Local Authority is a podcast by Local Government Chronicle. Each month, the podcast will ask fundamental questions about how local government needs to adapt to fulfil its full potential and best serve local populations. It will see LGC assemble a small panel of significant figures from the sector to discuss one specific issue per episode. All will have a focus on the future, with the emphasis being on innovation, fairness, policy change and place leadership. Between launch in May 2021 an ...
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“Leading in the City” is a podcast that talks urban politics, spirituality, and methodology from pioneers around the globe. Hosted by LEAD.NYC Executive Director Adam Durso and others. Join the conversation as we hear from top faith leaders based in NYC and around the world! New episodes available bi-weekly. Brought to you by LEAD.NYC.
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Add a dose of goodness to your day and explore what it means to thrive in life. Kim Forrester interviews world-leading experts and takes a deep-dive into the characteristics and daily habits that can boost your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being, and help you flourish.
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The Poetry Gods are here to show you how to not be wack in 2016 & beyond. Interviews and stories about the people behind the poems. You don't have to love poetry to love the show. Hosted by Aziza Barnes, Jon Sands, and José Olivarez. Artwork by Jess X. Chen. If you dig the show, share the link.
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Riot Fest is heading back to Chicago’s west side. Rates of syphilis are rising across the country, including in Chicago. University of Illinois system leaders say their three campuses have enrolled a record number of students.
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Theaster Gates honors ‘Ebony,’ ‘Jet’ and Chicago’s historic Johnson Publishing Co. with new exhibit
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The Johnson Publishing Company was the powerhouse publisher of Ebony and Jet, influential and trendsetting magazines that offered narratives, products and depictions of Black folks that spoke to Black folks throughout the 20th century and beyond. Chicago artist Theaster Gates has been a caretaker, of sorts, for the archive of artifacts that once li…
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The Park District board is set to vote on a permit for Riot Fest today… and one catering company with ties to a board member will set up shop at the big music festival. Chicago officials plan to close three migrant shelters, but some advocates worry about doing so before the city has a plan to end homelessness. An Illinois lawmaker is hoping for a …
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City of Chicago officials plan to close three migrant shelters by the end of October since fewer people are arriving in the city. The state of Illinois is spending $6 million to bolster career training for people experiencing homelessness. The Chicago White Sox are just nine losses away from ending up on the wrong side of baseball history.…
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More charging stations across Illinois could make it easier to own an electric vehicle – new federal money is making that possible. In light of the Georgia school shooting, Illinois state lawmakers look to pass more safe gun storage laws. A new data study aims to help libraries demonstrate their value as community anchors in presentations to stakeh…
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The city of Chicago is enacting a hiring freeze to help close looming budget gaps. A Cook County Commissioner is hosting a public hearing about the lack of public transit in the northwest suburbs. The Chicago Sky will finish the WNBA season without star Angel Reese after a sidelining wrist injury.
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‘Music was in the community’: Ernest Dawkins celebrates the history of the Englewood Jazz Festival
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Growing up in Englewood, Chatham and Washington Park in the 1960s and ‘70s, Ernest Dawkins said he knew he’d be a musician. “I always had a dream that I was playing the saxophone and I didn’t even know what a saxophone was when I was a child,” Dawkins said on the Rundown podcast. Dawkins is one of the world’s premiere saxophonists and composers. He…
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Some Chicago alderpersons say unspent federal relief dollars should be used to plug the city’s budget holes. CTA bus and rail operators raced against each other in a friendly competition over the weekend. Evanston hosted its first folk festival over the weekend.
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A letter obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times shows 16 current or former employees of COPA, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, are calling on an oversight board to consider taking the first step toward removing the agency’s chief, Andrea Kersten. The leader of Chicago’s immigrant and refugee rights committee wants to hold hearings on how to…
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Chicago Latin pop artist Adam Martinez said he can struggle with conversational Spanish, not unlike the late Mexican-American superstar, Selena, who learned Spanish as a young adult. “Selena is one of my biggest inspirations,” Martinez said. “She learned through music. And there’s a lot of people in my family who only speak Spanish. And so I love t…
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A new Save A Lot comes to West Garfield Park. Chicago's school board election is heating up as two groups raise big money to support candidates. Chicago Bears President Kevin Warren says there’s no deadline for closing a deal on a stadium downtown.
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Some CTA riders are rattled by the murders on the Blue Line this week and are changing their routines as a result. Illinois State Senator Doris Turner says she’s holding off – for now – on filing police reform legislation in honor of Sonya Massey. The Illinois Flag Commission is now accepting designs for a new state flag.…
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The alleged shooter in a quadruple murder on the CTA Blue Line this week is ordered to remain locked up pending trial. A report says in 2023 – more dogs and cats were killed at Chicago’s Care and Animal Control shelter than in any other year since 2016. Meteorological summer is over… what weather can we expect during fall?…
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Continually looking for savings and efficiencies in the quest to balance the books has become a way of life for local authorities. But striking the balance between achieving savings in the short term without storing up more problems for the future is challenging and can require political and managerial bravery. In this episode of The Local Authorit…
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A judge ordered pre-trial detention for the alleged shooter in this week’s quadruple homicide on a CTA Blue Line train. The book “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin is this year’s pick for the Chicago Public Library’s One Book, One Chicago program. Tears were shed in last night’s finale of HBO’s Hard Knocks docu-series featuri…
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Usually at a live performance, the audience is encouraged to give the performers their undivided attention. But at Meanwhile Chicago – a variety show featuring storytellers, essayists, comics and dancers – the audience is encouraged to draw and doodle the whole time. “When you put a piece of paper and a pen in front of someone, almost everyone is g…
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Illinois elected officials say they are prioritizing safety on public transit, in the wake of a fatal shooting on the Blue Line. About 30 people gathered outside Chicago’s Israeli consulate last night to protest Israel's government and mourn the recent deaths of Hamas-held hostages. Northwestern’s LGBTQI+ Rights Clinic is asking the US Supreme cour…
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Chicago’s top federal judge says the publication this year of home addresses for members of the federal bench is dangerous. Foxtrot is reopening its Gold Coast location on Thursday, five months after it closed. The Archdiocese of Chicago will be the first Catholic diocese in the state to offer natural burials.…
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An update on Chicago’s response to the influx of asylum seekers bused her from Texas. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle explains why she’s been quiet on abortion rights two years after Roe v Wade fell. Plus, the busy Ashland Avenue bus route will now run north an extra mile.
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Chicago could soon be one of the largest cities worldwide without an intercity bus terminal. The Illinois Tollway is reminding drivers it has its own service to request roadside assistance. Federal COVID relief funding for school districts expires in September.
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Chicago musicians Marquis Hill – a jazz trumpeter and bandleader – and Manasseh – a singer and soul artist – both stopped by Vocalo to talk with Nudia Hernandez about their lives, their love for one another, and their recent and upcoming collaborations. “He’s booked and busy,” Hernandez said of Hill. And Manasseh? “I feel like is the next big up-an…
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There’s been a possible breakthrough in Chicago’s teacher contract negotiations: Chicago Public Schools administrators are planning to offer significant raises. The new Hard Rock Casino in Rockford is now open. The CTA is now using a new program powered by artificial intelligence to detect guns brandished by passengers at its train stations.…
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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration is anticipating a roughly $982 million budget gap for next year. The Food and Drug Administration has approved new COVID-19 vaccines to tackle new strains of the virus for the fall and winter months. The Chicago Jazz Festival kicks off tonight.
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Chicago Public Schools’ inspector general is leaving the district for a new job. The State of Illinois is probably getting a new flag. The bacteria that cause Legionnaires’ disease have been found in the drinking water at the EPA’s regional headquarters in Chicago.
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For the first time in five years the Chicago Abortion Fund is scaling back who it can help. Chicago’s civilian police oversight commission is talking about ways to reform traffic stops. New details surrounding the death of Emmett Till are coming out today on the 69th anniversary of Till’s murder.
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Imagine dancing your heart out with your bestie like you used to, but still getting home by 10 p.m. That’s the idea behind Earlybirds Club, according to creators (and high school friends) Susie Lee and Laura Baginski. “It’s a dance party for women that starts early and ends early because we all value our sleep,” Baginski said. Lee and Baginski have…
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Who will be running for Chicago’s first ever school board? The list is basically set. The city’s civilian police oversight held a hearing on traffic stop reform last night. New research shows Chicago’s housing developers are disproportionately white and male.
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Chicago has reached record-breaking heat. Democratic Illinois lawmakers are vowing to enact Karina’s Bill, a measure that would require judges to order the confiscation of guns from people who have restraining orders against them. Brookfield Zoo announced that Judy, a 24-year-old bison, has died.
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Chicago Public School students started their new school year yesterday in record heat – and are back for more of it today. A national bus tour kicking off in Chicago highlights child and home care workers’ struggles. Hopes that Illinois legislative employees will be allowed to unionize are dwindling.…
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There was excessive heat, a lack of bus drivers and also normal first day jitters as Chicago Public Schools welcomed thousands of students back to class today. The attorney for former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson is trying to get his client out of jail pre-trial for the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey. The White Sox have lost 100 ga…
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Tera Murray is a “chef instructor” at Silver Fork, a free culinary work-readiness program at the Center on Halsted. The seven-week program helps people in need prepare for future work opportunities in the industry. “One of the students just recently incarcerated, he gave a speech at graduation,” Murray recalled. “And he said, ‘That was the first ti…
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Today is the first day of the fall semester for Chicago Public School students. We hear from one student who got ready for the big day this weekend. Illinois Democrats plan on hitting the road this fall – making sure people in swing states get out to vote. Northwestern University received a grant to create a new center focused on developing robot h…
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Workers started tearing down the Democratic National Convention at the United Center early Friday morning, and at least one expects to be working until 7 p.m. United Auto Workers at the Stellantis plant in Illinois could go on strike as early as mid-October. The Chicago Bears have reportedly traded for defensive end Darrell Taylor from the Seattle …
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Omar Apollo takes the stage at Northerly Island Friday night not too far from home – the Mexican-American musician hails from Hobart, Ind. – and ahead of his performance he talked with Vocalo’s Nudia Hernandez about his childhood there, how his Mexican-American parents gave him brutally honest feedback about his vocals when he was a teenager, and a…
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What Illinois Democrats thought of Kamala Harris’s energetic speech last night. A young survivor of gun violence from Chicago took the stage on the final night of the DNC. The removal of convention infrastructure will carry on throughout the weekend.
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Chicago police are monitoring a march against U.S. military aid to Israel on the last day of the Democratic National Convention. Some downtown store owners say the Democratic National Convention is slowing things down for their businesses. People incarcerated at a crumbling state prison outside Joliet are beginning to get moved out today.…
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A protest against the war in Gaza drew thousands Wednesday evening. Some delegates staged a sit-in outside of the United Center to call for a Palestinian American to speak at the DNC. Gen Z voters gathered near the United Center yesterday to see how they can help get other young people to the polls this November.…
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Palestinian advocates are requesting a chance to speak on the mainstage of the Democratic National Convention. The Chicago area added nearly 26,000 manufacturing jobs between January 2021 and January 2024, according to an analysis by WBEZ. The Chicago-based satirical newspaper The Onion is back in print after 11 years as an online-only paper.…
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Outside of the big speeches every night, what actually happens at the DNC? As it turns out, it’s a convention, filled with delegates hobnobbing, nail technicians issuing Kamala Harris manicures and vendors showing off everything from custom “Yes We Kam” patches to a collection of living, breathing, queen-worshiping bees.The Rundown podcast visited …
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Dozens of people were arrested during demonstrations supporting Palestine in the West Loop last night. Illinois Democrats highlighted the state’s progressive values during the ceremonial roll call at the DNC. Chicagoans react to the Democratic National Convention after its second day in the city.
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Illinois Democrats are excited to hear from former President Barack Obama at the United Center tonight. The Chicago Department of Public Health is advising anyone attending the DNC to stay safe from respiratory illnesses like COVID-19. The Israeli American Council has launched an outdoor art exhibit called “Hostage Square Chicago” in the West Loop.…
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Illinois Democratic elected officials focused on fighting for working class families on the first night of the Democratic National Convention. Protests on the first day of the DNC were peaceful, though there were some tense moments. Legendary television host Phil Donahue died this week. While working in Chicago during the 1970s and ‘80s, he redefin…
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Hear from a protest march underway near the United Center outside the Democratic National Convention. Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said officers this week will avoid confrontation during marches and will not wear riot gear unless people are rioting. Phil Donahue, who created the format of the modern-day talk show and filmed in Chica…
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With a big influx of people coming to Chicago for this week’s Democratic National Convention, WBEZ decided it was high time to gather some beautiful reminders of what makes our city so special. In this episode of the Rundown podcast, you’ll hear from three Chicagoans about what they love about this city and its people, including Adeeb Borden, the f…
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Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker says he’s as excited about the Democratic National Convention, which kicks off today, as Trekkies are for Star Trek conventions. Many patients at hospitals near the United Center are planning to see their doctors virtually this week to avoid traffic. The first major DNC protest happened last night, shutting down part of Mi…
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The Chicago Police Department is unveiling a new helicopter ahead of next week’s Democratic National Convention. A coalition of faith leaders has partnered with Great Lakes Credit Union to open a brick and mortar location in the Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams will make his Soldier Field debut on Saturda…
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WBEZ’s sister station Vocalo takes music submissions from local artists – if the team likes the song, they play it on the radio. When musician Tala Silva sent in her song “Goddess,” Vocalo’s Nudia Hernandez put it in the rotation right away and invited Silva in for an interview. In conversation at Vocalo, Silva described her sound as “very feathery…
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More than 20 synagogues in Northern Illinois received emailed bomb threats Thursday, according to Evanston Police. As the Democratic National Convention approaches immigrant rights activists say they will be voicing their demands for legalization next week and beyond. Convention organizers are unveiling a new fossil fuel offset program to lower the…
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Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson will both have a moment in the spotlight during next week's Democratic National Convention. Illinois Democrats at the Illinois State Fair are using new enthusiasm for Kamala Harris in hopes of getting people excited about the rest of the ticket. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s plan to repl…
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We hear reaction to the news that CPS CEO Pedro Martinez may be on his way out the door. Attorney Ben Crump is working with Sonya Massey’s family on a police reform bill named after her. Illinois Democrats are using new enthusiasm for Kamala Harris to get people excited about the rest of the ticket.
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