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Thursday, September 24, 2026 Sep 24, 2026

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The National Weather Service has issued a new report on two back-to-back extreme weather events from this summer. Data from the Illinois Department of Public Health shows hospitalizations creeping up for COVID and influenza, while RSV admissions were steady from week to week. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra and its nonprofit parent organization rolled out a new logo and rebrand on Thursday.

Plus, on Chicago’s South Side, 78th Street from South Shore Drive to Coles Avenue has now officially been designated as “Doctor Donda West Way.” The dedication ceremony was this week.

Wednesday, September 23, 2026 Sep 23, 2026

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A Cook County Board committee has deferred a vote on a resolution that would authorize an independent review of the county jail. Some residents in the Lincoln Park neighborhood are fed up with the demolition of historic homes. The White Sox and Cubs have a chance to clinch a playoff spot Wednesday night.

Plus, for the first time, the Chicago school board will be fully elected. All 20 members, plus a president, will be chosen in the November election. WBEZ helped create a comprehensive CPS School Board voter guide out this week.

Tuesday, September 22, 2026 Sep 22, 2026

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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is losing a pillar in the city’s first line of defense against the Trump administration. Illinois’ top law enforcement official is touting a federal court order that will protect health, education and social services for low-income families regardless of immigration status. Another beluga whale has died at Shedd Aquarium after being transferred from the shuttered Marineland aquarium in Canada.

A new book details the life and legacy of the Gay Sisters, a family group who shaped the Gospel music genre. The singers are best known for their 1951 hit record "God Will Take Care of You," which was later recorded by Aretha Franklin. Behind the book are record label founder Steven Dolins and Pastor Gregory Donald Gay, the younger brother of the singing group.

Monday, September 21, 2026 Sep 21, 2026

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Some advocates are pushing for an independent review of the Cook County Jail, citing concerns about deaths and inadequate supervision. Riot Fest organizers have until Friday to clean and restore the grounds at Douglass Park on Chicago’s south side. With a net worth of $4.2 billion dollars, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has dropped in Forbes’ ranking of the richest people in the world.

Plus, Governor Pritzker is, for the first time, opening up about his weight-loss journey using a GLP-1 medication to manage his glucose levels.

Teaching History: The Asian American experience in Illinois public schools Sep 19, 2026

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Five years ago, Illinois became the first state to require every public elementary and high school to teach a unit of Asian American history. Lawmakers passed the Teaching Equitable Asian American Community History Act – or the TEAACH Act – in 2021. Advocates said the bill would help combat racial stereotypes in the midst of rising anti-Asian sentiment during the pandemic, and other states have since followed in Illinois’ footsteps.

In this special edition of three stories in the “Teaching History” series, WBEZ’s Minju Park speaks to lawmakers, teachers and students about Asian American and Pacific Islander history to explore whether the promise of the bill has been fully delivered.

To read and listen to all the stories from the “Teaching History” series, check out wbez.org/teachinghistory.

Friday, September 18, 2026 Sep 18, 2026

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In Illinois, people who are terminally ill with fewer than six months to live can now request a prescription for medication to end their lives. This last summer weekend is shaping up to be a rainy one. Olympians, elected officials, members of the public and more plunged into the Chicago River on Friday for the Big Jump.

Chaka Khan is an 11-time Grammy winner, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and has a song preserved in the Library of Congress. The cultural icon got her start in Chicago’s Hyde Park and Auburn Gresham. Her new album drops today, and it was co-written with artist Sia.

Thursday, September 17, 2026 Sep 17, 2026

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More people are waiting in line to access higher education inside Illinois prisons. The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate Wednesday for the first time since 2023 in an effort to curb high inflation. The Englewood Jazz Festival gets underway tonight on Chicago’s south side.

Plus, as enrollment continues to drop at Chicago Public Schools, there’s a growing chorus of people who say it's time to do another round of school closures. Closing schools in Chicago became a political hot potato after former Mayor Rahm Emanuel shuttered 50 all at once in 2013. Yet, the question will no longer be in the mayor’s hands. This year, for the first time ever, city voters will get to elect the whole school board. The four candidates for president were asked at a WTTW forum earlier this week how they would confront this issue.

Wednesday, September 16, 2026 Sep 16, 2026

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The Cook County state’s attorney is firing back after Governor JB Pritzker criticized prosecutors for not going after rogue immigration enforcement agents. The renovated plaza of the former Thompson Center in Chicago’s Loop will get a new outdoor sculpture. The Chicago Cubs try to clinch a series win over the Atlanta Braves Wednesday night.

Plus, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has officially launched his bid for reelection. He wants his investments in the arts and culture scene in the city to “define” his administration. But how does Chicago’s spending on the arts compare to other major cities?

Tuesday, September 15, 2026 Sep 15, 2026

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Chicago has reached a tentative deal with an investment firm called Stonepeak Partners to buy the city’s parking meters from the company that currently owns them. Tuesday is National Voter Registration Day, the nonpartisan civic holiday dedicated to celebrating democracy. Students at some universities in the Chicago area are now able to major in artificial intelligence.

Plus, celebrations for Mexican Independence Day got underway over the weekend. Thousands of people gathered in Grant Park for El Grito Chicago — a two day celebration of Mexican culture and independence.

Monday, September 14, 2026 Sep 14, 2026

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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has some serious fundraising to do after he launched his reelection campaign at the DuSable History Museum on Sunday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports COVID-19 activity is increasing nationally, but hospitalizations remain low. The Chicago Bears are coming in hot off an explosive season opener against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

Plus, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has moved as many assumed he would – announcing plans to seek a second term. He’s had successes the past three-plus years, like eliminating the subminimum wage for tipped workers and signing off on one of the most generous paid leave ordinances in the nation. But he’s repeatedly clashed with renegade alders, and polling shows he’s a largely unpopular mayor with a big field of rivals to overcome in order to win re-election.

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