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Morning News: Tuesday April 30, 2024 Apr 30, 2024

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Chicago government officials will try to spend down hundreds of millions in federal grant money before it expires at the end of the year. Illinois lawmakers are heading back to Springfield today after their last break of the spring session. The Illinois Department of Corrections is proposing moving the Logan women’s prison onto the same site as the Stateville men’s prison.

Afternoon News: Monday April 29, 2024 Apr 29, 2024

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Some Illinois state lawmakers are pushing a bill that would merge the CTA, Metra and Pace into one transit agency. A tent encampment was erected this morning at the University of Chicago, in solidarity with the people of Gaza. A new kind of music festival is coming to the Chicago area in September.

Tarnynon Onumonu on healing through poetry Apr 29, 2024

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Poet Tarnynon Onumonu grew up in the Jeffery Manor neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. She discovered poetry at 10 years old, and as an adult, she uses her writing to find community and healing.

“I’ve just always used poetry as a tool to activate my creativity, to return to myself, to feel comfort in difficult times,” Onumonu said.

In this episode, Onumonu meditates on how creativity helps her connect with herself and the world around her.

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

Morning News: Monday April 29, 2024 Apr 29, 2024

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Funeral services begin at 10 a.m. for a fallen Chicago police officer. Hundreds are expected to attend – many from out of town. The American Lung Association’s State of the Air report lists Chicago among the top 25 most air-polluted cities in the nation. A study surveying 765 Black and white women found that poor heart health leads to cognitive decline among Black women.

Afternoon News: Friday April 26, 2024 Apr 26, 2024

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Former workers at the Foxtrot Commissary on Chicago’s South Side rallied today after abrupt mass layoffs. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said the owners of the Chicago Bears should pay for the vast majority of the costs of a new potential stadium – not Illinois taxpayers. Former USC quarterback Caleb Williams is now a Chicago Bear; he was the first overall pick in Thursday’s NFL draft.

Chicago Social Butterflies is the LGBTQ events calendar we didn’t know we needed Apr 26, 2024

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We often hear the phrase “LGBTQ+ community.” But in a city as big as Chicago, it can be challenging for queer people to actually find their community. That’s where Jake Wittich comes in.

“We have one of the more thriving LGBTQ districts in the country,” Wittich said. He is the newsletter editor at the Windy City Times, where he and his colleagues recently launched the queer events newsletter Chicago Social Butterflies.

In this episode, Wittich gives host Erin Allen the lowdown on where to find LGBTQ+ bars, pop-up parties and community around the city.

If you want to keep up with queer goings-on in Chicago, you can subscribe to Chicago Social Butterflies here.

Morning News: Friday April 26, 2024 Apr 26, 2024

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Student activists have been camping out on Northwestern University’s campus for over 24 hours now. Governor J.B. Pritzker highlights his plans to fight homelessness in Illinois. Chicago Teachers Union is warning that support staff, including teachers aides and clerks, may be victims in this year's budget.

Afternoon News: Thursday April 25, 2024 Apr 25, 2024

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A newly-released autopsy report shows Chicago police shot Dexter Reed at least 13 times. Student activists have set up what they’re calling a “liberation zone” at Northwestern University as part of a national movement demanding school officials cut ties with Israel and protect students’ right to protest. The Chicago Bears are expected to select USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the opening pick of the NFL draft tonight.

What happens when an artist and a church collaborate? Apr 25, 2024

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Sarah Jones wants places of worship to use their space for more than just worship.

“Congregations might use their space on Friday, Saturday, Sunday for worship services, but their space can accommodate more than that, and they want it to do more than that, right?” Jones said on the Rundown podcast. “Helping congregations think about what else could be happening in their space that still aligns with their values is really, really important.”

Jones is the Associate Director of Community Engagement at Partners for Sacred Places, which is utilizing government grants to give artists space in historic buildings of worship, particularly on Chicago’s South Side.

She has a willing partner in Pastor David Black of the First Presbyterian Church in Chicago’s Woodlawn neighborhood.

“I think church buildings are one of the most underutilized resources in American communities,” said Black, who brought in South Side photographer and multi-disciplinary artist Max Li as his church’s first “Art Czar.” “We're all hopeful that this can become a model for other churches.”

On this episode of Rundown podcast, we hear from Jones, Black and Li about the initiative, and why they think combining the arts with spiritual places of worship makes so much sense.

Morning News: Thursday April 25, 2024 Apr 25, 2024

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Illinois elected officials remain “highly skeptical” of the Chicago Bears’ new plans for a domed, lakefront stadium. Caleb Williams could be a Chicago Bear by the end of the day: we’ll preview tonight’s N-F-L draft. A proposal in the Illinois House would make it a felony to block traffic on major roadways for more than 5 minutes, which could impact protesters.

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