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DNC organizers say convention will be the ‘most sustainable’ in history
This coverage is made possible through a partnership between WBEZ and Grist, a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Sign up for WBEZ newsletters to get local news you can trust. Organizers of the Democratic National Convention are working on a...
Protesters to converge on Chicago, aiming to make their mark — and stay safe
As many as tens of thousands of protesters are expected to converge in Chicago starting next week for the Democratic National Convention, the culmination of months of preparation geared toward two ends: making sure their message is heard and keeping protesters safe. “We’ve [been] protesting for a long time —...
What a visit to a ‘neighborhood joint’ reveals about the tastes and generosity of a slice of Chicago
WBEZ is talking to Chicagoans about their love for the city and its people as eyes turn to Chicago as the site of the Democratic National Convention. Ald. Nicholas Sposato, who represents the Far Northwest Side’s 38th Ward, met up with WBEZ’s Dan Mihalopoulos at Bob-O’s Hot Dogs, which serves up arguably the best Italian beef sandwiches in town at 8258 W. Irving Park Road. Sposato’s interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Faith leaders, credit union open bank in Austin to help neighbors build wealth
When Xavier Williams learned the Leaders Network Financial credit union had opened in his neighborhood, he immediately wanted to join. The Austin resident was accustomed to driving out of the area for banking services and was eager to take care of his finances closer to home. “It’s in our community....
Businesses gearing up for DNC expect a revenue boost but say it won't be a huge moneymaker
Chicago businesses are gearing up for the Democratic National Convention that starts Monday and is expected to draw 50,000 visitors to the city. Southside Blooms will weave lilies, sunflowers, marigolds, peonies and other flowers into intricate floral arrangements for DNC-related events next week. Yum Dum’s food truck will serve hundreds of dumplings, “kimcheesy” rice balls and sriracha pecan fudge brownies to hungry journalists covering the four-day convention.
Mayor says he wants a CPS leader who will fight for more funding as fate of current CEO hangs in the balance
A day after the Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ reported that plans are afoot to push out Chicago schools chief Pedro Martinez, Mayor Brandon Johnson stressed that he wants a leader who will fight for more funding for the school district so it can hire more staff, such as librarians and art and music teachers.
Chicago’s giardiniera is the one condiment to rule them all
Giardiniera is “Chicago’s version of an herb,” says an Eater Chicago editor. From the deep-dish-versus-tavern-style debate to the fierceness of defending ketchup-less hot dogs, Chicagoans have feelings about food. Is it giardiniera that unites us?. Reset hears the case for why the spicy pickled condiment is one...
Off The Beaten Path: Pinning down a people’s history at the Busy Beaver Button Museum
If you ever find yourself strolling down Armitage Avenue, you may encounter a friendly beaver on a three-foot wide baby blue button, greeting you with a simple “Hello!”. The button marks the entrance to the Busy Beaver Button Company and Museum, a spot in Logan Square that has archived 60,000 pin-back buttons.
Lofi indie rock to study and relax to this weekend
Frontwoman Madeline Link felt blessed to write about love that made her “feel wonderful — not deranged,” like relationships in her past. The 2024 album Melt the Honey explores partnership and life with crunchy guitars and loose rhythm sections. She joins Reset to talk about her love...
The ‘radium girls’ painted clock dials to make them glow in the dark. For some, the experience was fatal.
In the early 1900s, radium was all the rage. After its discovery a few years earlier — by Marie and Pierre Curie, who saw it as a possible treatment for cancer — radium became available to the masses. The neighborhood pharmacy sold pills and tonics infused with the chemical element to help cure ailments like gout, hay fever and fatigue. A popular Broadway show in 1904 had a musical number called “The Radium Dance,” which featured dancers skipping with illuminated ropes — a reference to the radioactive material’s hypnotic glow.
'One-stop-shop' expanded drivers' services facility opens in Melrose Park
A west suburban drivers’ services facility has been overhauled into a one-stop shop designed to cut down on wait times and get more done in a single trip to the counter, according to the Illinois Secretary of State’s office. The newly renovated DMV+ facility opening Thursday in Melrose...
CTA approves Red Line Extension contracts as estimated cost balloons to $5.3 billion
The estimated cost of Red Line Extension has ballooned to $5.3 billion, but that didn’t stop the Chicago Transit Authority board from awarding the project’s first contract. The Red Line extension from 95th Street to 130th Street on the Far South Side had been expected to cost $3.6...
This ‘Midwest nice’ cartoonist is creating the sharpest political satire of our era
Four a.m. is a productive hour for Midwestern cartoonist Paul Noth. Whether awake and wired, or asleep and lost in dreamscapes, some ineffable magic unfolds in the blurry hours that straddle late night and early morning. Most recently, Noth, 51, found himself wrestling with an idea after watching Donald Trump’s...
Are Chicago cops ready for DNC protesters? Here are four things to watch for.
Ahead of next week’s Democratic National Convention, the Chicago Police Department says it’s ready for street protests and won’t be caught off guard like during the 2020 unrest that followed George Floyd’s murder. To see if police are succeeding, here are four things experts recommend keeping an eye on.
Get ready for DNC traffic: How to get around Chicago during the Democratic convention
The 2024 Democratic National Convention is only days away — bringing road closures, bus reroutes and more traffic disruptions. The DNC has dedicated shuttles between the United Center, where some of the largest events will be held; McCormick Place, where official party business will be conducted; and convention hotels. But those are only for credentialed delegates, volunteers and media.
Why Chicago is like a middle child
WBEZ is talking to Chicagoans about their love for the city and its people as eyes turn to the city as the site of the Democratic National Convention. Alex Thomas met WBEZ’s Lisa Kurian Philip at Fort Knox Studios in Albany Park, a rehearsal and recording space for bands of all levels. Thomas, an Indian American who grew up and now lives in Northbrook with his wife and two kids, is a doctor and comic book artist. In his free time, he plays in an 80s synth rock cover band called Big Trouble. Thomas’ interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
A retrospective of the Chicago Reader could soon become a book
Chicago Reader pioneered the free alternative weekly genre more than 50 years ago. In 1971, a group of friends crowded around a dining room table in Chicago’s Kenwood neighborhood. They were putting together the first issue of the Chicago Reader – which would go on to become a model for alt-weeklies nationwide.
Can turning trash into jet fuel make air travel more sustainable?
Flights cause 2-3% of the world’s carbon emissions. Airlines say they aim to slash this and reach net zero by 2050. The busy summer travel season coincides with hurricane season, so travelers and airlines should brace for storm-related flight delays and cancellations. But that’s just one part of an almost never-ending chain reaction: more air travel (and its carbon emissions) contributes to severe weather, severe weather wreaks havoc on air travel, and so on and so on.
Gen Z Chicagoans get involved with the DNC, and share hopes for their generation
Reset talks about Gen Zers getting politically engaged this election season. A lot of assumptions get made about Gen Zers: they’re always on their phone, they’re disengaged, they’re Tik Tok-obsessed. But young Chicagoans are breaking those stereotypes, and working to get their voices heard in the 2024 election – including at the Democratic National Convention.
Riot Fest stays at Douglass Park, scraps plans to move to Bridgeview's SeatGeek Stadium
Just two months after news broke that Riot Fest was moving out of Douglass Park and heading to southwest suburban SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview for its 2024 edition, festival organizers announced Wednesday the music extravaganza would be held at its longtime Chicago venue next month. According to the announcement from...
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