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Viewer Feedback: ‘Chicago State is a Proven, Repeated Failure’
| Erica Gunderson
Viewers reflect on Chicago State University’s crisis, WBEZ reporter Natalie Moore’s report on the Chicago Housing Authority, and the ethics of zoos.
Gaelynn Lea Strikes a Chord with ‘Tiny Desk’ Win, Advocacy Work
| Evan Garcia
The violinist and songwriter beat more than 6,000 entrants to be the ultimate winner of NPR’s 2016 Tiny Desk Contest.
Mental Health Workers Tackle Unseen Effects of Chicago Violence
| WTTW News
The staggering violence in some Chicago neighborhoods can't be measured by statistics alone. Mental health workers discuss the impact of repeated violence – and how to treat it.
New Nonprofit Gives Needy Kids Clothes They Can Be Proud Of
| Erica Gunderson
“Our model is that quality equals dignity. We want kids on the other end who are receiving these coats or shoes or pants to feel proud to wear them,” said Cradles to Crayons Executive Director Bernard Cherkasov.
Weekend ‘Wokeshops’ Address Shifting Political Climate
| Maya Miller
About 15 speakers will lead “conversations and wake-up calls” this weekend as part of a three-day symposium at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Police Union Chief on Talks with President Trump
| Paul Caine
During a meeting this week with police union leaders from across the country, President Donald Trump reportedly asked Dean Angelo, the head of Chicago’s police union, “What’s going on in Chicago?”
Cook County to Sell Off Tax Delinquent Properties to Highest Bidders
| Matt Masterson
The owners of tens of thousands of homes and properties in Cook County who’ve fallen behind on their taxes have only a couple more days to settle their debts – or they could wind up paying a lot more.
Moody’s Predicts Doom If Illinois Doesn’t Pass Budget by Spring
| Amanda Vinicky
Reports from credit ratings agencies aren’t typically considered thrilling reads. But the latest one from Moody’s is so ominous, it ought to give taxpayers, or at least state lawmakers elected to represent them, the shivers.
10 Things to Do This Weekend: March 30-April 2
| Maya Miller
River tours, film festivals and a whole lotta bacon. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago this weekend.
Preservation Chicago Sounds the Alarm Over ‘Flamingo’ Sculpture
| Erica Gunderson
This week, a significant work by artist Alexander Calder was dismantled from the lobby of the Willis Tower and is being moved into storage. Ward Miller of Preservation Chicago says a second major Calder work may also be in danger of disappearing.
Legislators Propose Alternatives to ‘Grand Bargain’
| Amanda Vinicky
Nearly three months after Senate leaders unveiled a so-called “grand bargain,” the gridlock in Springfield has only intensified. Now, Democrats and Republicans are coming forward with their own alternative platforms.
City Proposes Municipal ID Program
| Paris Schutz
Don't have a drivers’ license or other form of official documentation? Chicago may soon be issuing municipal IDs to provide documentation to undocumented immigrants, ex-offenders and the homeless.
JB Skating: Chicago’s Smoothest Creation
| Jay Shefsky
In 1971, Calvin Small and two friends started roller skating a little differently than everyone around them. It caught on. And now, JB skating is known all over the country.
Illinois’ Chief Information Officer on Cybersecurity
| Nick Blumberg
How Hardik Bhatt wants to protect state agencies from hackers.
Ask Geoffrey: What’s With the Out-of-Order Presidents?
| Erica Gunderson
Geoffrey Baer investigates why the Loop’s streets honoring presidents don’t honor the order of their terms in this encore edition of “Ask Geoffrey.”
Governor’s Race Heats Up, Emanuel Dodges Questions About Email
| Evan Garcia
Carol Marin discusses the political happenings of Springfield and Chicago with Tina Sfondeles of the Chicago Sun-Times, Lauren Chooljian of WBEZ and Heather Cherone of DNAinfo.
The Surprising Story Behind ‘Whistler’s Mother’
| Marc Vitali
We visit the Art Institute of Chicago to find out more about the 19th century oil painting “Arrangement in Grey and Black, Number One” – commonly known as “Whistler’s Mother.”
Talking Out Gender Equity, Biases Across Chicago
| Maya Miller
More than 100 conversations on gender equity and bias are taking place around the Chicago region this week as part of the Talk It Out initiative.
Shedd Aquarium Celebrates Dolphin Awareness Month
| Alex Ruppenthal
What is it like to touch and work with dolphins? One Shedd trainer said they feel firm, smooth and a little colder than you might expect, according to the aquarium’s dolphin fact list.
Study: Kids in Violent Neighborhoods ‘Strategic’ About Friendships
| Kristen Thometz
Most kids form bonds over shared interests. Kids living in violent, high-poverty Chicago neighborhoods are more strategic about whom they befriend in order to manage the threat of violence, a new study finds.
Paul Vallas and CSU Board Chairman Discuss Struggling School’s Future
| Evan Garcia
Paul Vallas and Chicago State University Board Chairman Marshall Hatch discuss the ongoing search for university leadership and what lies ahead for the beleaguered school.
Traffic Fatalities on the Rise Despite More Car Safety Features
| Paul Caine
With fatalities from motor vehicle crashes on the rise, could driverless cars steer us toward a safer future?
Report: City Misuses Affordable Housing Funds
| Paris Schutz
The city of Chicago has a fund paid for by big developers that helps subsidize low-income residents who need help paying rent. But is all of that money going where it's supposed to?
Plan for Transformation: WBEZ Examines Progress of CHA Redevelopment
| Alexandra Silets
Seventeen years after Mayor Daley launched his plan to transform the Chicago Housing Authority, WBEZ examines promises kept – and broken.
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