Over the course of a month, the Ear Taxi encompasses 44 concerts or affiliated events and features some 430 artists. The festival will present more than 70 pieces of music for the very first time, most by Illinois composers.

President Donald Trump’s deportation campaign is forcing some immigrants to isolate at home. But relatives, friends and strangers are stepping up to try to keep them connected.

BREAKING: Gov. JB Pritzker said the Illinois National Guard has received word that the Department of Homeland Security is seeking the deployment of 100 military troops to Illinois.

Though the drums are his home base, Chicago musician Makaya McCraven's website bears a different title first: “Beat Scientist.” His four new EPs are musical time capsules.

Elizabeth McGovern, the “Downton Abbey” actress, not only plays sultry Hollywood star Ava Gardner, but she also wrote the script. What began as a pragmatic decision has proven to be empowering.

The People’s Patrol is one of many volunteer rapid-response networks countering a Trump administration deportation blitz in the Chicago area. The idea is to locate immigration enforcement activity, record it, document abuses and, right on the spot, voice community opposition.

U.S. Border Patrol agents wearing tactical gear and carrying long guns made arrests in downtown Chicago and the River North neighborhood Sunday. “This is not making anybody safer — it’s a show of intimidation,” Gov. JB Pritzker said.

In 2022, Hope Chicago promised four classes of graduates at five high schools full college scholarships, with hopes of doing it for a decade. The group is now offering just one more year.

A new federal court filing argue that ICE in the Chicago area arrested 27 people, and detained at least three U.S. citizens, without warrants or probable cause and in violation of an existing consent decree.

A politically connected prison company that’s been the target of lawsuits and a federal investigation is hiring staff to support President Donald Trump’s deportation campaign in the Chicago area.

Since 2020, clean energy jobs in Illinois have grown more than 15%. But new federal policies under the Trump administration threaten the growth of these jobs — and the country’s economic health.

Two Chicago restaurants — Smyth in the West Loop and Filipino restaurant Kasama— are officially among the best eateries on the continent.

Elizabeth Abunaw, the force behind the West Side’s new grocery store, says her industry is not for the faint of heart: “You can lose your shirt in grocery. You can lose everything in grocery. But if you do it right, there’s money to be had.”

Thomas Weisflog has been entrusted with the University of Chicago’s Rockefeller Memorial Chapel’s Opus 634 organ for 25 years. Visiting him in his element is like stepping into the scene in “The Wizard of Oz” in which Dorothy and her companions meet the wizard.

Illinois abortion providers are bracing for an influx of out-of-state patients after Wisconsin's Planned Parenthood branch announced it would pause abortions Oct. 1. The clinic faces losing Medicaid funding as a result of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax law.

The student population was up slightly the last two years after an influx of migrant students. This year, it’s down about 9,000 students, continuing a trend of dropping enrollment. trib.al/r3crNrC

The student population was up slightly the last two years after an influx of migrant students. This year, it’s down about 9,000 students, continuing a trend of dropping enrollment. trib.al/42ANekp

In an open letter published on Monday, the artists cite Spotify’s compensation model for artists, the proliferation of unlabeled AI-generated music, and the company’s algorithm-driven model that relies heavily on user data collection as core reasons. trib.al/xOaq0O8

A $6 million plan to protect South Side residents from Obama Presidential Center-related displacement passed committee and heads to City Council Thursday. The plan includes affordable housing on vacant lots and property tax relief.

The interim head of Chicago Public Schools announced a major restructuring plan internally that would align mid-level administrative offices with school board districts, sources tell WBEZ.

President Donald Trump’s administration has escalated its deportation campaign in the Chicago area, targeting suburbs and city neighborhoods that are home to large immigrant communities. Here's what you need to know. trib.al/LwY2F0N

Once convinced he should write for their voices and not just his own, Jeff Tweedy said the songs “poured out of me.” “It seemed to liberate a certain type of song that … was going to make more sense with this communal voice,” he said.

“Tengo Lincoln Park en mi Corazón: Young Lords in Chicago,” looks back at the Civil Rights organization that started in the same neighborhood as the museum and university. The exhibit aims to give the group its dues as museums face scrutiny.

“Square dancing is important because it’s a really strong social network, which you don’t find with other types of dances,” said Janice Cha, president of the Illinois square dancing association.

From the Englewood Jazz Festival to Afrofuturist Weekend, Chicago events are facing financial challenges due to the cancellation of National Endowment for the Arts grants. trib.al/ufBXPzV

The Illinois Department of Public Health issued an order allowing almost anyone in the state to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine. The state’s protocols are in sharp contrast to the federal guidance issued last week, which declined to recommend the vaccine. trib.al/tzt51qZ

More than a dozen teens from schools across the city gathered downtown to talk about how immigration enforcement actions and the possibility of National Guard troops in Chicago is affecting their mental health.

Millions of dollars in federal and city loans dedicated to replacing lead pipes that pump water into people’s homes remain unused, a city official said Monday.

The choir stages its final performance during Tuesday night’s finals competition, but America won’t find out until Wednesday whether the boys walk away with the $1 million grand prize.

The museum employees have been in contract negotiations for more than two years. Workers say 90% of eligible employees voted to strike, if necessary.

Hundreds celebrated the life and mourned the death of former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar in services Saturday at Central Baptist Church.

Video obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times shows the scene after an ICE agent fatally shot Silverio Villegas González. The ICE agent said his injuries were "nothing major," but DHS reported the agent was “seriously injured.”

BREAKING: Body camera footage obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times shows the scene after an ICE agent fatally shot Silverio Villegas González. The ICE agent said his injuries were "nothing major," video shows, but DHS reported the agent was “seriously injured.” trib.al/6UcvUU7

“Over My Head: Encounters with Conceptual Art in a Flyover City, 1984-2015,” runs through Oct. 11, featuring works that were once produced, exhibited or sold in Chicago, highlighting relationships between artists, curators, dealers and collectors. trib.al/2qZHsuT

The world is changing fast, and it’s forcing humans to constantly adapt how and where we live — or else. That’s the driving theme behind this year’s edition of the Chicago Architecture Biennial, which opened Friday and runs through February. trib.al/0yrLrN6

Review: In the Joffrey Ballet’s production of “Carmen,” with choreography by the late Liam Scarlett, there are moments that leave you with more questions than answers.

Renown artist Theaster Gates is having his first solo exhibition in Chicago at the Smart Museum of Art on University of Chicago’s campus. It represents a turning point in his relationship to both his craft and his city.

Protestors are reporting ICE agents shoved them, used tear gas and shot pepper balls outside the Broadview processing center near Chicago. At least two people were arrested. 🔴 LIVE updates: trib.al/aLzaLhw

U.S. Health Secretary RFK Jr.’s hand-picked vaccine advisory committee now advises against the vaccine known as MMRV being given before age 4. Many doctors and experts say the committee is creating fear and mistrust of vaccines.

The MacArthur and Joyce Foundations, the Woods Fund Chicago and the Michael Reese Health Trust are among the Chicago-based organizations signing a letter warning that quelling speech that doesn’t align with the White House will “harm all Americans.”

With the two-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 attack approaching, and the federal government leaning hard on allegations of campus antisemitism, WBEZ spoke with five pro-Israel Jewish college students at three Illinois campuses about their experiences. trib.al/NctlIhd

Nearly 50 instructors from public and private colleges across Illinois are named in an online database dubbed “Professor Watchlist” that was created by a group affiliated with slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk to unmask “radical professors.” trib.al/wjnq3Tx

Dinner and a show: We huddled with WBEZ’s theater critic Mike Davis for a rundown of this fall’s most anticipated shows (that’s here) and then recommended can’t-fail dining options that we grouped into pre- and post-show categories. trib.al/dnSlpZE

Chicago's Knuckle Puck is playing Riot Fest this weekend in celebration of the 10-year anniversary of their debut album, “Copacetic.” The record found early success and was lauded by audiences for breathing new life into pop-punk. trib.al/RyoVH14

Nicole Schult, legal director of Uptown People’s Law Center, said the women came forward with their complaints because “every single one of them wants to make sure that this doesn’t happen to other women in custody.” trib.al/67ZWK9z

“This opacity, this lack of transparency, makes it hard for members of a community to know who owns that terrible building that’s causing all kinds of problems for tenants and neighbors,” said Dan Immergluck who has studied housing markets for decades. trib.al/a7z8q5t

When ICE agents busted through Joe Botello's front door just before 5:30 a.m., leading the action was U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem: "I was on the ground in Chicago today to make clear we are not backing down.”

The Chicago International Film Festival announced its lineup of nearly 120 feature films and 70 shorts from more than 60 countries to be showcased in October — kicking off with the world premiere of director Kevin Shaw’s film “One Golden Summer." trib.al/sOCBhiT

Sky co-owner Nadia Rawlinson expressed feeling "humbled and blessed" at Wednesday's beam-signing ceremony for the team's new practice facility at Wintrust Sports Complex in Bedford Park.

Chicago fans packed a Leo Catholic High School viewing party to support their local choir during the 'America's Got Talent' semifinals. Tonight they'll find out if their performance earned them a spot in the next round.