WBEZ News

A deal offered by prosecutors would’ve required Ivy Kelly to admit guilt following a murder trial tainted by a corrupt detective and ineffective defense counsel. WBEZ’s reporter Chip Mitchell sat down with him in Cook County Jail … to see how he made his decision. HOST: LARA

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. HOST: LANE

Tenants rights groups have for years fought for this overhaul of the city’s existing rental laws

Chicago Public Schools earlier this month announced drastic plans to close the district’s around $730-million dollar-budget deficit. That includes layoffs and a midyear spending freeze. CPS officials say the plan is “responsible” and “entirely student-centered” But some worry the proposed budget tradeoffs will have negative impacts on students. Board members are being asked to vote on the proposal tomorrow (THU). HOST: LANE

The number of Illinois residents enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – or SNAP – has declined by 16% over the past year. That’s according to data from the Illinois Department of Human Services. It comes following expanded work rules and other restrictions that were pushed by the Trump Administration last summer. HOST: MELBA

Chicagoans with big dreams of becoming this city’s mayor are fanning out across town today (TUE) to collect the signatures needed to get on the ballot. That’s 12-thousand-500 valid signatures, to be exact. Today (TUE) marks the unofficial start to what’s sure to be a jam packed and, as always, contentious, mayor’s race. HOST: LANE

A note that this next story contains descriptions of self-harm. 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 3 years there have been more than 70 fires at Joliet Treatment Center, including at least a dozen cases of self-immolation. HOST: LANE

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? HOST: MELBA

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. AND, it’s part of a larger trend that puts Clark in the company of many of her pop peers. HOST: LABUZ

America is celebrating its 250th anniversary this month (July). At a recent reading of the Declaration of Independence at Chicago’s Newberry Library, some Chicagoans shared their thoughts on the milestone. HOST: LABUZ

Four beluga whales have been transported to the Shedd Aquarium from Canada in an effort aquarium staff called “unprecedented” and “urgent.” But animal rights advocates have questions about how the Shedd will be handling the belugas. HOST: MELBA

Brothers and restaurateurs Teddy and Alexis Vejar spent their childhood surrounded by great cooks both in Mexico and the US. 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. HOST: LABUZ

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. HOST: LABUZ

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 … those that treat people who can expect to die younger compared to Chicagoans in other parts of the city. HOST: LABUZ

Indie rocker Lucy Dacus performs this weekend in Millennium Park. She is backed by the Chicago Philharmonic. It’s a full circle moment of sorts. HOST: LABUZ

Layoff notices went out to more than 15-hundred Chicago Public School staffers yesterday [wed]. This includes nearly 800 teachers. And the cash-strapped district plans to furlough staff for five days when students aren’t in class to save money. This is part of the budget plan for the school year that starts next month. The deficit is 732 million dollars. HOST: LABUZ

After Russia invaded Ukraine, Vladimir Putin’s government made it illegal to criticize the war. But one Russian family couldn’t hold back their outrage. That led to persecution … … and a frantic effort to seek asylum in the U.S. — a country with a long history of protecting Russian dissidents. Instead of being welcomed, some of the family has been in detention for almost nine months. The rest of the family is in Chicago’s northern suburbs, trying to get them out. WBEZ’s Anna Savchenko has their story. HOST: LARA

Illinois is legally required to provide health care to people locked up in state prisons. But it’s been a year since the state backed out of a massive contract with the private company charged with providing that care. HOST: MELBA

Chicago has the largest known inventory of lead pipes of any city in the country. It’s got more than 400, 000 lines. HOST: MELBA

Is Chicago suddenly a bagel town? The heated rivalry between indie shops and Big Bagel. HOST: LANE