The Rundown | Chicago News

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For many of Chicago’s unhoused population, the CTA is the last resort Mar 22, 2023

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If you ride the CTA, you probably noticed the system has a crisis on its hands. More and more, the city’s unhoused population is using trains and buses as a last resort to find a place to stay. WBEZ’s Anna Savchenko explains the cause: a serious shortage in shelter beds combined with a pandemic-related increase in homelessness. Savchenko tells us about the roots of the crisis, what the city’s doing to intervene, and she talks about the social service agencies working to help the unhoused.

Abortion opponents rally, protest against fossil fuels, state looks at SASS Mar 22, 2023

Show notes

Thousands of abortion rights opponents traveled to Springfield Tuesday to rally against legislation aimed at crisis pregnancy centers suspected of misleading patients from getting an abortion. And in Chicago, a group of seniors rallied downtown to protest banks investing in fossil fuels. On the heels of a WBEZ investigation, Illinois lawmakers are considering looking into a state program for low-income kids in mental health distress known as SASS.

Illinois needs more rental homes, summer music festivals, cannabis competition Mar 21, 2023

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A new report says Illinois needs about 300,000 additional rental homes for people living in poverty. More summer festival line-ups are being announced this week. Legalized recreational cannabis sales in Missouri are surpassing – and maybe cutting into – the Illinois market.

How do Chicago’s new police district councils create accountability, if at all? Mar 20, 2023

Show notes

If you voted in the February 28 election, you probably saw an option to elect a police district council member on your ballot. This is a new council that was created to give civilians more say over how policing works in their neighborhoods. It’s the type of history-making community autonomy that activists have been demanding for more than a decade. But the way the council is structured and how they work with other civic entities could use some more explaining. Jim Daley is a digital news editor for The TRiiBE, and he joined The Rundown to explain the history behind the council and how it works.

Early voting begins, construction on the Kennedy, ‘Chicagohenge’ arrives Mar 20, 2023

Show notes

You can now vote early in the April 4 runoff election for mayor of Chicago. A three-year construction project on the Kennedy Expressway begins later today. It’s the vernal equinox, so keep your eyes peeled for “Chicagohenge.”

Should America make Daylight Saving Time permanent? We ask a sleep scientist Mar 17, 2023

Show notes

The U.S. Senate wants to make Daylight Saving Time permanent, but sleep scientists are against it. Dr. James Rowley is a professor of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at Wayne State University. He’s also the president-elect of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. “We feel strongly that our bodies are best attuned to a clock that is standard time,” Rowley told us. Rowley talks about the history of Daylight Saving Time and shares some tips for acclimating to Sunday’s change.

Another mayoral debate, ChatGPT in medicine, parents sue Chicago Public Schools Mar 17, 2023

Show notes

Paul Vallas rarely attacked his opponent throughout his campaign for Chicago mayor, but that changed at last night’s debate. Northwestern University experts weigh in on the legal landscape for ChatGPT in medicine and future regulation. Parents of young children with special needs on the Far South Side are suing Chicago Public Schools.

Big day at the city council, police union election results, mayoral endorsements Mar 16, 2023

Show notes

Chicago’s city council made decisions on funding to aid migrants, ticketing and surveillance for downtown motorists, and its own independence from the mayor’s office. Two more big endorsements came through in Chicago’s race for mayor. Chicago cops who voted in this month’s Fraternal Order Police election rejected most Black and female candidates — just like in past elections.

‘It’s the best:’ A Liberian-American food writer on finding good jollof rice Mar 15, 2023

Show notes

There’s a lot of pride that goes into the historic West African dish jollof rice. It dates back thousands of years and has been compared to jambalaya or paella, but with its own twist. WBEZ audio producer and former chef Cianna Greaves gives us a look into how jollof is made, what it means for her Liberian heritage and the fond memories associated with the spice-filled dish.

Mayoral candidates and public safety, CTA hiring, Businesses and paid time off Mar 15, 2023

Show notes

Chicago’s mayoral candidates were questioned in a debate last night about legalizing video gaming and their past rhetoric on public safety issues. The CTA tells state lawmakers it’s looking to hire several hundred bus drivers to address the “ghost bus” problem. Illinois small business owners are reacting to the new mandatory paid time off law.

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