WBEZ

10/15/2024

@[The University of Chicago] Center for Effective Government (CEG) and Chicago Public Media present Presidential Elections & The State of Our Democracy, a discussion and reception to reflect on the upcoming election and future reform. Join our panel with Sasha-Ann Simons, William Howell, Amy Gardner and Lynn Sweet on October 23 at 6:00 p.m. CT at the Keller Center.

Learn more and register here: https://trib.al/XaHzzxx

10/14/2024

Listen: Abe Saperstein, a Jewish immigrant to Chicago from London, created the Harlem Globetrotters and had a major impact on basketball and baseball. WBEZ's Reset learns more.

Abe Saperstein, a Jewish immigrant to Chicago from London, created the Harlem Globetrotters and had a major impact on basketball and baseball.

10/14/2024

In her hometown of Aguascalientes, Rosa Gaytán, founder of intergenerational dance group Calpulli Ocelotl-Cihuacoatl, studied to become a teacher of Mexican art and dance. As she worked on her college thesis, the Indigenous dance tradition became central to her life.
“At that time, dance was my church, my spiritual support, my everything,” she said.
Gaytán will perform with her intergenerational dance group at a special Indigenous Peoples’ Day performance at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Singer Alejandra Robles, from Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, will sing selections from her music catalog including “La Malagueña Salerosa,” “La Llorona,” “La Bamba” and “Babalú.” Her sounds are influenced by the Afro-Mexican and Native communities of Oaxaca.
Peoples’ Day Featuring Alejandra Robles ‘La Morena,’ with guest Calpulli Ocelotl-Cihuacoatl

If you go: The event is at 7:30 p.m on Oct. 14 at Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln Ave. Ticket are free.

Read more at WBEZ.org or the link in bio.
Photos by Zubaer Khan/Sun-Times, Néstor Daniel Borjon

10/14/2024

Rosa Huilotlalcoatl Xochitlmazatl Gaytán, the founder of Calpulli Ocelotl-Cihuacoatl, is bringing her group’s ceremonial dance ritual to the Old Town School of Folk Music on Monday to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

A ceremonial dance group from Chicago versed in Aztec tradition will perform a ritual, and singer Alejandra Robles will perform in celebration of Indigenous culture.

10/14/2024

Despite a dry summer with some drought conditions, many orchard owners say their apples are bigger and better than ever before. Here are 10 orchards near Chicago. (Psst, apple season will wrap up soon, and many orchards close on or around Oct. 31.)

It’s not too late: The season ends Oct. 31 at most orchards.

10/14/2024

The Chicago International Film Festival will bring 122 feature films and 71 shorts to theaters across town over its 12-day run. This year will also bring more than 100 directors and film artists for post-screening discussions and events.

The lineup is packed for the festival, which kicks off Oct. 16. Here are some standouts, from Angelina Jolie’s return to the big screen to homegrown Chicago stories.

10/14/2024

Supporters cheered on the runners along the 26.2-mile course that weaves through 29 neighborhoods. Chicago’s flat course is also known for breaking records — Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich won the marathon, becoming the first woman in history to run under 2:10.

Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich won the marathon with an official time of 2:09:56, becoming the first woman in history to run under 2:10.

10/14/2024

The 117-page indictment handed up against the pair alleges Michael McClain served as an agent of the so-called “Madigan Enterprise.” It says he made unlawful demands on Michael Madigan’s behalf and passed Madigan’s instructions on to others.

When Michael McClain retired from lobbying in 2015, he told then-House Speaker Madigan he was "at the bridge with my musket standing with and for the Madigan family."

10/14/2024

For the first time in Blue Man Group’s history, the production’s eight-week training course is taking place in Chicago, during which time the trainees will learn the nuances of being a Blue Man, as well as the role skills they’ll need to perfect.

For the first time, the popular and eclectic theater production's eight-week training course took place in Chicago. We followed three prospective Blue Men.

10/11/2024

2024 best apple picking near Chicago: Here are 10 orchards within easy driving distance. Plan fast, though — apple season will wrap up soon, and many orchards close for the season on or around Oct. 31.

It’s not too late: The season ends Oct. 31 at most orchards.

10/11/2024

Siblings Olivia Hardy and Will Gao of Wasia Project didn’t always know making music together was in the cards. This year, they opened for Laufey before their own North America and Europe tour. They stopped by WBEZ’s Reset ahead of their Chicago show.

The UK-based group enters a new era of their sound that explores love, patterns and healing.

10/11/2024

“In the context of Chicago, there was a time when this was considered normal practice,” David Axelrod, political consultant, said. “So among the old-timers, it’s like, ‘Wait a second. This is a crime? I didn’t realize this was a crime.’ “

Longtime strategist says allegations are embedded in Chicago’s ‘civic lore,’ and a conviction would be ‘first sentence’ in Madigan obituary.

10/11/2024

The Chicago Board of Education was turned upside down when they announced their resignations on Oct. 4. Shortly after, new board members were named by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. Wondering what’s driving all this? We have some answers.

We explain the complicated budget impasse, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s power play and the likely impact on students and schools.

10/11/2024

A housing policy aimed at slowing gentrification in Chicago’s hottest real estate markets went into effect. The Northwest Side Housing Preservation Ordinance gives renters an opportunity to purchase a building they are living in, among other provisions.

The new regulations give renters a first right of refusal to purchase their buildings and imposes higher demolition fees on developers.

10/11/2024

The annual Bank of America Chicago Marathon will have racers take over city streets on Sunday.

A record 50,000 runners are expected to participate in the 46th running of the marathon, which begins and ends in Grant Park on Sunday.

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon returns to the city Sunday for the 46th running of the race.

10/11/2024

The number of e-scooters on Chicago’s streets has steadily increased since the city introduced them in 2019. E-scooter users and experts say more people are getting injured, and the city and companies should do more to address rider safety.

Dr. David Trotter, who runs the emergency department at Advocate Illinois Masonic, said he's seen an uptick in traumas related to e-scooters the last two years.

10/11/2024

Chicago Public Schools Chief Executive Officer Pedro Martinez said he believes his dispute with Mayor Brandon Johnson “should have never escalated” to this level of public acrimony because he thinks their goals for the school system are aligned.

“I always supported the mayor because he was the person that said, ‘We need to invest more in our schools,’” Pedro Martinez said in an interview with the Sun-Times.

10/10/2024

Just this week, local universities used new policies to shut down Oct. 7 demonstrations marking a year of violence in Gaza. At the University of Chicago, Northwestern and UIC, there’s new bans on overnight encampments and restrictions on amplified sound.

Officials say the new rules protect students and teaching. Faculty and students say they threaten pro-Palestinian speech.

10/10/2024

Listen: Misleading mailers are showing up in people’s mailboxes from the Northwest to the Southwest sides of Chicago. WTTW looked into who is sending the mailers, and why. WBEZ's Reset learns what’s going on.

Misleading mailers are showing up in people’s mailboxes from the Northwest to the Southwest sides of the city.

10/10/2024

If you feel like your allergies have been extra brutal lately, you’re not alone. The main culprit for fall allergies is ragweed, which grows in great numbers in the Midwest. Climate change has caused the seasons to start earlier and last longer

The main culprit for fall allergies is ragweed, which grows in great numbers in the Midwest. One plant can produce up to 1 billion pollen grains.

10/10/2024

Both Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez and the Chicago Teachers Union are calling on Mayor Brandon Johnson to use tax increment financing dollars to fill a budget deficit. The proposal would appear to be politically impossible at the moment.

To avoid a loan to deal with budget shortfall this year, the warring Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez want the city to declare the city’s largest TIF surplus ever to benefit CPS.

10/10/2024

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is pitching a good news budget for next year: no layoffs, new taxes or tax hikes.

The county board president’s $9.89 billion proposed 2025 budget includes investments in AI, renewable energy and equity initiatives.

10/10/2024

Broadway in Chicago is gearing up for its 25th season with a full slate of productions. WBEZ’s Mike Davis recently sat down with CEO Lou Raizin. Raizin talked about boosting Chicago’s profile to the third most important theater city in the world.

Commercial theater producer Lou Raizin said the city’s startup culture for the arts is helping it come back from COVID-19 declines.

10/10/2024

The crackdowns come after Palestinian students and allies set up encampments on campuses last spring that drew criticism from Zionist groups and conservative members of Congress — but also raised the public’s awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Officials say the new rules protect students and teaching. Faculty and students say they threaten pro-Palestinian speech.

10/10/2024

The mother of rapper FBG Duck filed an explosive lawsuit Wednesday that seeks to connect rap superstar Lil Durk and his slain protege King Von to her son’s gang-related killing in the Gold Coast.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Cook County court, alleges that rap superstar Lil Durk, his slain protege King Von and a handful of high-profile record labels "monetized the killing of FBG Duck" in August 2020.