The Rundown | Chicago News

Latest Episodes:

Morning News: December 8, 2023 Dec 08, 2023

Show notes

Chicago alderpersons continue pointing fingers and placing blame over the failed construction of a migrant camp in Brighton Park. Some of Alderman Ray Lopez’s constituents used Posada as a backdrop to protest Chicago’s continued sanctuary status. Jurors get a firsthand look at the FBI raid on former Alderman Ed Burke’s office.

Afternoon News: Thursday December 7, 2023 Dec 07, 2023

Show notes

The Chicago Bears are reportedly looking into building a new stadium in the South Lot of Soldier Field. Small business owners in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood are pushing back against a chain store that is eyeing a location on Clark Street. Des Plaines is cracking down on travelers who leave their cars on residential streets when flying out of O'Hare.

West Garfield Park business owners say ‘it’s what you make out of it’ Dec 07, 2023

Show notes

When West Garfield Park shows up in the news, it’s often accompanied by a crime statistic. Chicago media tends to fixate on violence in the area, but community members offer a bigger story. “If we can get rid of the violence, we’ll have the best community in the world,” says LiFE restaurant owner Joe Black. He is just one of many residents who continue to invest in the neighborhood when others might choose to leave. In this episode, we hear from Black and record shop owner Marie Henderson on why they’re committed to their West Garfield Park communities.

Morning News: December 7, 2023 Dec 07, 2023

Show notes

Another encampment for migrants could go up in the Chicago Morgan Park neighborhood with mixed reactions. A city council panel will take up whether police officers can contest discipline cases behind closed doors. A Muslim-American attorney says a Chicago law firm fired her for speaking up for Palestinian rights.

Afternoon News: Wednesday December 6, 2023 Dec 06, 2023

Show notes

Political fallout continues from the dispute over a scuttled migrant base camp in Brighton Park. A fire raced through a home in North Lawndale on Chicago's West Side this morning, killing one man and critically injuring his mother. Chicago-based McDonald’s expects to open nearly 10,000 restaurants over the next four years, the fastest period of growth in the company’s history.

Kenya Elan finds the humor in life’s frustrations Dec 06, 2023

Show notes

Chicago comedian Kenya Elan says she regularly makes her audiences scream.

“It’s a lot of release,” Elan said. “I feel like my comedy is based in release, because I feel like once you let it out, you can move forward in some sort of way. You can take the next steps.”

Elan is a cast member at The Lincoln Lodge in Logan Square (she’s part of a show Friday, Dec. 8 where the audience guesses each comedian’s zodiac sign). In this episode, she explains her Chicago roots in Hyde Park and Humboldt Park, why she started trying stand-up right before the pandemic, and why her brand of comedy involves poking at her everyday exasperations with the world.

This episode was produced by Ari Mejia for WBEZ’s sister station Vocalo and their Chi Sounds Like series.

Morning News: December 6, 2023 Dec 06, 2023

Show notes

A controversial plan to house migrants in a winterized tent in Brighton Park in Chicago’s southwest side will not be moving forward – local residents celebrated. A corporate executive with business in Ed Burke’s ward tells a jury he felt “weird” after a conversation with the former alderman. Chicago State University will be joining a new athletic conference and hopes to start a Division 1 college football team.

Afternoon News: Tuesday December 5, 2023 Dec 05, 2023

Show notes

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s office says the state will not move forward to house migrants at a Brighton Park site. Burger King executive Zohaib Dhanani testifies in the federal corruption trial of former Alderman Ed Burke. Illinois kids under 5 will soon be able to receive a monthly book from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.

Want to be more civically engaged? Here’s where to start. Dec 05, 2023

Show notes

As we gear up for the 2024 presidential election, we often hear this refrain: “Just vote.” But voting is just one way to engage in our democracy. We wanted to get a sense of how to become more civically engaged on the local level, so we turned to Grace Del Vecchio, the editorial program coordinator for Documenters at City Bureau. They help train Chicagoans to document local government meetings, so they have seen firsthand the countless ways people engage in our city’s democratic process. In this episode, host Erin Allen has Del Vecchio break down the importance of civic engagement and how to have your voice heard by local elected officials. This conversation is part of our Democracy Solutions Project.

Morning News: December 5, 2023 Dec 05, 2023

Show notes

The state has halted work on the migrant tent city in Chicago’s Brighton Park neighborhood to review environmental testing. A new study says most Chicago Public School students who enroll in college take more than four years to complete. Republicans and Democrats running for office in Illinois next year have finished submitting their nominating petitions.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Rundown | Chicago News

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected