Podcast
The Rundown | Chicago News
Hosted by WBEZ Chicago · EN
In one bite-sized episode every weekday, we'll keep you informed, tickled, geeked, and pondering on Chicago's news, culture and people. Each episode starts with a quick news roundup from the WBEZ newsroom, followed by a deep-dive into one of the biggest or most curious stories from our city. The Rundown podcast is a one-stop-shop for all things Chicago.
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Thursday, July 30, 2026
4d ago00:07:55Tap to summarizeAfter matching a decade-long high in heat-related deaths just last week, Cook County has recorded another three. Voters in Evanston will not be asked whether Northwestern University should make payments to the city for commercial events it hosts. People in Chicago’s music community are remembering Irish musician Glen Hansard. Plus, funk legend George Clinton is best known as a writer for Motown and as the leader of the popular Parliament-Funkadelic movement. But starting with the COVID pandemic, Clinton got serious about painting. A major exhibition of his work just opened at Chicago’s Mariane Ibrahim Gallery.
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Wednesday, July 29, 2026
5d ago00:08:01Tap to summarizePeople around Chicago and the suburbs are cleaning up and rebuilding after severe weather on Monday. A Chicago man is suing the federal government over a raid of his home at the height of Operation Midway Blitz. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson wants his administration to establish stricter standards for purchasing guns.Plus, Chicagoans with big dreams of becoming this city’s mayor fanned out across town Tuesday to collect the signatures needed to get on the ballot. That’s 12,500 valid signatures, to be exact. Tuesday marked the unofficial start to what’s sure to be a jam packed and contentious mayor’s race.
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Tuesday, July 28, 2026
6d ago00:10:34Tap to summarizeIllinois now has a statewide cell phone ban in public schools. Gambling addiction is now officially considered a public health issue in Illinois. A new class has been enshrined into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Plus, the Joliet Treatment Center – about an hour outside of Chicago – is a specialized Illinois prison meant to provide intensive mental healthcare. But some incarcerated people and civil rights lawyers say the treatment there is abysmal, and men are frequently left isolated in their cells for long stretches, their mental health deteriorating. Desperate for help, some have chosen to do something extreme to bring attention to their troubles. They set their locked cells – or their own bodies – on fire. In the last three years, there have been more than 70 fires at Joliet Treatment Center, including at least a dozen cases of self-immolation.
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Monday, July 27, 2026
1w ago00:10:24Tap to summarizeSevere weather continues to move through the Chicago area, and a severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for the Chicago area until at least 7 p.m. Monday. ComEd says the western and northwestern suburbs were hit with the first wave of outages during Monday’s severe storms. A new investigation finds some men locked inside one Illinois prison have become so desperate, they set themselves on fire.Plus, several times a year, our show Prisoncast sends hundreds of surveys inside prisons and jails in Illinois. One thing we ask the people incarcerated there: What’s a sound from the outside world that you miss hearing the most? The idea is to connect our listeners behind bars, with the communities they’ll return to. Recently, Prisoncast got a letter from Scott at Sheridan prison, requesting the sound of a hockey game at a local ice arena.
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Friday, July 24, 2026
1w ago00:07:52Tap to summarizeFour beluga whales who arrived at the Shedd Aquarium this week are showing signs of “relaxed behavior.” The city of Chicago is marking the completion of a years-long campaign to commemorate the 1919 race riot. Patrick Kane was reintroduced as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday.Plus, America is celebrating its 250th anniversary this month. At a recent reading of the Declaration of Independence at Chicago’s Newberry Library, some Chicagoans shared their thoughts on the milestone.
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Thursday, July 23, 2026
2w ago00:07:55Tap to summarizeA new state law makes July 25 Emmett Till Day in Illinois. More than 800 unionized workers at the BP refinery in Whiting, Indiana, have been blocked from returning to work for more than four months. One of the greatest Chicago Blackhawks in franchise history is returning to the team.Plus, Annie Clark, the superstar guitarist who performs under the name St. Vincent, will play with the Chicago Symphony this weekend at Ravinia. It’s a stop on her nationwide tour, appearing with local orchestras. It’s part of a larger trend that puts Clark in the company of many of her pop peers.
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Wednesday, July 22, 2026
2w ago00:10:12Tap to summarizeChicago Police have finally issued guidelines on how to collect and retain evidence against federal immigration agents suspected of violating state law. The National Archives at Chicago is closing within the next few years. One of the few living Negro League Baseball players will be at tonight’s Double Duty Classic game at Rate Field. Plus, brothers and restaurateurs Teddy and Alexis Vejar spent their childhood surrounded by great cooks both in Mexico and the U.S. Now, they run the restaurant Jarabe on the city’s Near West Side, where they serve cochinita pibil. The dish reminds them of when their dad would cook it for them when they were kids.
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Tuesday, July 21, 2026
2w ago00:08:32Tap to summarizeSix people in Cook County have died from heat-related causes so far in July. Two independent candidates seeking to replace Congressman Jesus “Chuy” Garcia won’t appear on the fall ballot. A new study from Northwestern Medicine says women experience more severe neurological symptoms of long COVID than men. Plus, school districts across the country are seeing a spike in students with autism. As it has in other places, the increase in students with special needs is putting a tremendous strain on Chicago Public Schools’ budget. It’s a key reason why, despite declining enrollment, CPS has added staff.
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Monday, July 20, 2026
2w ago00:07:20Tap to summarizeThe National Weather Service is predicting scattered thunderstorms will roll through the area this evening in addition to the air quality alert already in effect as pollution from Canadian wildfire smoke persists. Illinois' former state public health director has dropped his bid to be the next U.S. Senator from Maine. Current Blackhawks star Connor Bedard hopes he can team up with a star of Blackhawks past.Plus, it’s been more than three months since West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park suddenly closed. Now, patients nearby on Chicago’s West Side are traveling farther for care and ending up in crowded emergency departments at other hospitals. These are the unintended consequences when a community hospital shuts down. Doctors worry more hospitals like West Suburban could close.
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Friday, July 17, 2026
2w ago00:07:52Tap to summarizeRain could be returning to the Chicago area this weekend, which could potentially help improve the poor air quality we’ve seen. Judges with the Illinois State Board of elections do not think two independent candidates should be on the ballot in the state's fourth congressional district. The 19th annual Silver Room Sound System Block Party returns this Saturday.Plus, indie rocker Lucy Dacus performs this weekend in Millennium Park. She is backed by the Chicago Philharmonic, and it’s a full circle moment of sorts.
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