Thousands rallied for the third No Kings protest, Illinois reached the Final Four and West Suburban Hospital closed. In the Loop breaks down those stories and more in the Weekly News Recap.

Say More hosts sat down with outgoing inspector general Deborah Witzburg to field questions and hear from residents about their experiences with city government.

Virtually everything interior designer Michael S. Smith put in the original Oval Office — furniture, books, carpet, artwork down to the smallest detail — will be created in the new space.

In an ongoing series, WBEZ explores the history of Black churches in Chicago and their impact on their communities, faith and social justice movements.

Chicago city workers, mostly CTA and CPS employees, owe more than $19 million in traffic tickets, water bills and various fines — and Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration has done little to make them pay up.

Cook County property taxes have soared to nearly double the rate of inflation, according to a new report from the Cook County treasurer.

The study, led by psychology professor J. Michael Bailey, could fuel more legislation to push trans people to the margins, trans advocates say.

"I think the public needs to be better educated on the Welcoming City Ordinance, the TRUST Act — [and] what police officers are supposed to do in these situations," the CPD superintendent told WBEZ.

The city’s largest art event is back at Navy Pier April 9-12. Our insider guide breaks down what to see and which artists to collect.

Loyola University Chicago students say the school was too slow to alert them and too quick to return to normal after 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman was fatally shot near the Rogers Park campus in March.

Jackson Park’s ‘Gold Lady’ statue will soon shine like new thanks to a planned restoration of the 24-foot work of art: “It’s beautiful now ... but once the gilding is on, I think people will be stunned by the transformation."

To appreciate all of the excitement for TimeLine Theatre’s new $46 million home in Uptown, which is set to open May 6, you have to understand where the company has come from, writes Stefano Esposito.

The study, led by psychology professor J. Michael Bailey, could fuel more legislation to push trans people to the margins, trans advocates say.

The Adler Planetarium held a watch party for Wednesday's Artemis II launch. Chicagoan Amy Lendian, acting systems engineer manager for the Artemis II mission, was also the fire suppression and console engineer for the Artemis I rocket.

The two programs are part of a newly announced youth programming partnership between the Obama Foundation and the nonprofit After School Matters.

Arts institutions from Chicago to downstate are offering a slew of both celebratory and thought-provoking programs.

A new Chicago Dancemakers Forum initiative will help present 10 independent dance works across town in the next year. “I'm not going to let the void just be the void.”

The owner of the Oak Park hospital vows to reopen this summer, though finding the money is a big barrier. Recent inspection reports also show broader issues.

Joabe Barbosa moved to Chicago after enrolling at Roosevelt University to pursue a doctorate degree in clinical psychology in 2022. He went unmatched for an internship for his final year, and now the 25-year-old, in the U.S. on an F-1 visa, is at risk of being forced to return to his native Brazil.

Northwest Indiana officials say the $1.6 billion extension rail extension could create an economic boom for the area.

The Supreme Court is taking up one of the term’s most consequential cases, President Donald Trump’s order on birthright citizenship declaring that children born to parents who are in the United States illegally or temporarily are not American citizens.

In celebration of April Fools' Day, Curious City takes a look back at some local pranks.

A U.S. District Court judge found that President Donald Trump's executive ordering the defunding of NPR and PBS violated the First Amendment.

Chicago food writer Maggie Hennessy’s new book, out Thursday, traces the hamburger’s hotly debated origin story, including its Midwest contributions. Here's an excerpt.

A U.S. District Court judge found that President Donald Trump's executive ordering the defunding of NPR and PBS violated the First Amendment.

Spend the evening with New Yorker writer & bestselling author Patrick Radden Keefe on 4/16, joined by Gillian Flynn! Hear them unpack the hidden networks of power & corruption at the heart of his latest book. 🎟️ Limited tickets: https://mrf.lu/6t88

Spend the evening with NPR’s Scott Simon on May 6! His new book Ulysses S. Cat is a heartfelt tribute to the pets who fill our homes with joy. Hear stories of love, laughter, and life’s most loyal companions. 🎟️ Get tickets: https://mrf.lu/6tqT

A litter of 10 African painted dog pups are now calling Brookfield Zoo home. The pups explored their new habitat Tuesday at the west suburban zoo with their mom and dad, who had them back in November.

Nonprofit All Kids Bike donated a fleet of 24 bikes to elementary school students at Sidney Sawyer Elementary School on Monday. For some students, it was their first time on a bike.

Chicago label Sooper Records will release Smith’s first professional album in April. It’s a long time coming for Smith, who, as a Black man diagnosed with autism, has struggled to be heard.

HIV infections are on the rise in Chicago after about two decades of decline, growing 29% between 2022 and 2024. AIDS cases are also up slightly.

Three Chicago restaurants are finalists for this year’s prestigious James Beard Awards. The annual awards, often called the “the Oscars of the food world,” will be held in Chicago through at least 2028.

The American Red Cross partnered with Northwestern Medicine to host the first community blood drive at the recently opened Northwestern Medicine Bronzeville Outpatient Center.

A week after audible “boos” rained down in a ceremony honoring some of Chicago’s top storefront theater companies, the Joseph Jefferson Awards — known conversationally as “The Jeffs” and akin to the local Tonys — are facing backlash.

The Chicago Board of Education approved a contract for the school district’s new CEO Macquline King, a homegrown talent who has led the district on an interim basis for the last 10 months.

Ahead of the release of their first album in 18 years, Barrington's The Academy Is... spoke to WBEZ about the new songs on "Almost There" and their fond memories of the mid-2000s pop-punk scene.

Florence Price, a Black composer who died in 1953, made music in Chicago that is now being championed by the classical music world. But some arrangers have veered far from her original scores, opening up debate about whose work is open for interpretation.

“Dual credit” enrollment classes can help better prepare students for college and avoid debt. But some worry about watered-down curriculums and credits that selective colleges might not accept.

Spring has arrived, and Say More hosts Mary Dixon and Patrick Smith asked listeners to call in with their favorite seasonal activities to shake off cabin fever.

For 20 years, Steve Fullerton has polished and buffed the footwear of famous Chicagoans and faithful regulars from his bench in the Cook County Building.

In The Loop digs into this week's biggest Chicago stories: rogue robots, a new CPS boss, ICE at O’Hare alarms travelers and more.

Dozens of students walked out of Evanston Township High School Friday to protest the war in Iran as well as other moves made by President Donald Trump’s administration, including his mass deportation campaign.

The CPS Board will vote Monday to appoint Macquline King as CEO. She’s a homegrown talent whose time as a CPS student, parent and administrator has shaped her vision for the school district.

In the Loop hears from a community member and transportation expert on their thoughts and hopes for expanded access to public transit on Chicago’s South Side.

Check out the groups in Chicago working to get more women out and about walking together.

The musician writes about how a drunken brawl led to her meeting Billy Corgan, who then introduced her to Hole front woman Courtney Love, as well as other impactful moments during one of the most pivotal decades of rock music in “Even the Good Girls Will Cry: A ‘90s Rock Memoir.”

Between 2021 and 2024, home insurance costs increased by about 50% in Illinois, and this year, the state’s insurance rates are expected to climb about 5%.

Featuring 140 pieces, the exhibition offers a rare opportunity to see works of art that, except for stops in D.C. and London, would require a trip to Seoul.

For many baseball fans, Opening Day has always been a sign of the return of summer. Now it's also the return of another avenue to gamble. “Three years ago, we’re just talking about who we think’s going to win,” one fan said outside Wrigley Field on Thursday. “But now we’re talking about do we th...

The "Theater of the Mind" experience that Talking Heads frontman David Byrne has crafted, along with director Andrew Scoville, transcends what audiences imagine when they think “theater," writes WBEZ's Mike Davis.