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July 31, 2025 - Full Show

Longtime U.S. Rep. Danny Davis says he won’t be running for reelection. And how Pilsen is responding to ICE concerns ahead of its Fiesta del Sol event.

Violence Prevention Groups Sound the Alarm Over Funding Cuts: ‘We Are Trying to Sustain Communities’

“We need our government officials,” said JaShawn Hill, executive director of Chicago Survivors. “We need philanthropic communities and people who believe in our mission to step in and to help leverage us, because if they don’t, we will not be able to provide the quality of care that we have been able to do.”

As Fiesta del Sol Kicks Off in Pilsen, Organizers Say They Plan to Protect Attendees From ICE Activity

People just started gathering in Pilsen for four days of food, music and carnival rides at the Fiesta del Sol festival — an annual Latino cultural celebration drawing more than 1 million people.

Pritzker Signs Legislation to Implement Universal Mental Health Screenings in Illinois Schools

The bill requires all school districts to offer mental health screenings to students enrolled in grades 3-12, at least once a year, beginning with the 2027-2028 school year.

US Childhood Vaccination Rates Fall Again as Exemptions Set Another Record

It’s the third record-breaking year in a row for the exemption rate, and the vast majority are parents withholding shots for nonmedical reasons.

Chicago’s Air Quality Is ‘Unhealthy’ Due to Canadian Wildfire Smoke. Here’s What That Really Means

Smoke from Canadian wildfires settled over Chicago Thursday, with air quality reaching “unhealthy” levels for everyone. Air quality was far worse in parts of Canada closer to the fires.

Donald Trump Adding a $200 Million Ballroom to the White House

Construction will begin in September on a $200 million, 90,000-square-foot ballroom, his press secretary announced Thursday, fulfilling a 15-year ambition by the president to construct an event space on the White House grounds.

Virginia Giuffre’s Family Expresses Shock Over Donald Trump Saying Epstein ‘Stole’ Her

The family of Virginia Giuffre, who was among Jeffrey Epstein’s most well-known sex trafficking accusers, said that it was shocking to hear President Donald Trump say the disgraced financier “stole” Giuffre from him and urged that Epstein’s former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell remain in prison.

Indoor Air Contains Thousands of Microplastics Small Enough to Penetrate Deep Into Our Lungs, Study Finds

The particles are likely the result of the degradation of plastic-filled objects such as carpet, curtains, furniture and textiles and the plastic parts of car interiors, according to the study published Wednesday in the journal PLOS One.

Food Assistance Benefits Are Tied to Slower Cognitive Decline in Older Adults, New Study Suggests

Compared with eligible people who were not participating in the U.S. Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, SNAP participants showed a slower decline in cognitive function during a 10-year period, essentially maintaining up to three additional years of cognitive health, according to a new study.

Trump Announces 90-Day Negotiating Period With Mexico as 25% Tariff Rates Remain

The United States will enter a 90-day negotiating period with Mexico over trade as 25% tariff rates stay in place, part of the rush of trade activity Thursday before President Donald Trump plans to impose a broad set of global import taxes starting Friday.

U.S. Rep. Danny Davis Not Running for 16th Term in Congress

Davis, 83, will leave Congress as one of the most senior members of the House of Representatives and the ranking member of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support.

6 Chicago-Area Arts and Culture Picks That Take You Beyond Lollapalooza

If you’re spending money at Lollapalooza, enjoy yourself and skip this week’s list. But if you plan to avoid the raucous caucus in Grant Park, please read on.

Mark Your Calendars: Saturday Is Stationery Store Day and Chicago Shops Have the Paper Goods

Saturday is the fourth annual Stationery Store Day, a big day for shoppers and an even bigger day for mom-and-pop stationers.

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, July 30, 2025 - Full Show

How a national civil rights organization is challenging the Trump administration. And meet the DJ sisters who are making their Lolla debut this weekend.

DJ Sisters Bringing ‘Booty Bass’ to Chicago on Lollapalooza Debut

Twin sisters Rachel and Nicole Henderson — aka the DJ duo RaeCola — are about to have a very special homecoming. The South Side natives may now live in Los Angeles, but on Sunday they’ll be making a triumphant return to their hometown to DJ at this year’s Lollapalooza music festival.

National Urban League CEO on Declaring ‘State of Emergency’ Over Trump Administration

One of the country’s oldest civil rights organizations is urging people across the U.S. to resist the Trump administration. The National Urban League’s new report accuses the federal government of harming Black and underserved communities with federal spending cuts and diversity rollbacks.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris Will Not Run for California Governor in 2026

Former Vice President Kamala Harris will not run for California governor next year, leaving open the possibility that she could mount a third run for the White House in 2028.

Lily Tomlin and the Story of Billie Jean King — a Match Made for the Stage

Legendary actor and comedian Lily Tomlin was in Chicago support “Billie Jean,” a play about another living legend — Billie Jean King, the groundbreaking champion of tennis and equality.

Illinois Secretary of State Launches Campaign to End ‘Unfair and Discriminatory’ Car Insurance Rate Practices

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced an advocacy campaign Wednesday aimed at ending the practice of insurance companies using socioeconomic data — such as credit scores and ZIP codes — to set car insurance rates.

Cousins Who Spent 4 Decades in Prison on Wrongful Conviction Granted Certificates of Innocence

“It feels (like) a sense of relief, but it’s been too long coming. It should have happened a long time ago,” Soto said at the courthouse. “It’s kind of hard going into the very courtrooms where Dave and I received an injustice to try and get some semblance of justice.”

Electricity Costs Are Rising Under Trump. Democrats Want to Make it an Issue for the Midterms

A letter led by Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts to six of Trump’s cabinet secretaries asks administration officials to explain why they are cutting programs to help Americans pay for high energy costs, while passing a tax cut bill that eliminated incentives for cheaper forms of energy like wind and solar.

Senate Democrats Try to Force Release of Jeffrey Epstein Files Using Arcane Law

Senate Democrats are using an arcane procedural tool to try to force the Department of Justice to release additional files from the Jeffrey Epstein case — the latest gambit to keep the issue front-and-center as lawmakers prepare for their month-long August recess.

Sea Creatures Thriving in the Deepest Parts of the Ocean, Submersible Finds

In these extreme environments, the crushing pressure, scant food and lack of sunlight can make it hard to survive. Scientists know that tiny microbes prosper there, but less is known about evidence of larger marine life.

Family of Worker Fatally Shot at Navy Pier Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit

“When a life is taken so violently and so publicly, our legal system must respond accordingly,” the family’s attorney Patrick A. Salvi II said in a statement. “While nothing will fill the void (in) the hearts of Peter’s loved ones, the filing of this lawsuit is a step toward justice for the family and will expose any failures that allowed this tragedy to occur.”

July 29, 2025 - Full Show

Mayor Brandon Johnson says new taxes on large companies are on the table. And a fire at a homeless encampment reignites safety concerns.
 

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