The Rundown | Chicago News

Charges were dismissed against two members of the Broadview Six today. Illinois lawmakers are working on a measure to make the ads you see on streaming services quieter. Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet will kick off its annual “Winning Works” showcase this weekend. Plus, we wrap up our week-long look at some hot primary contests ahead of Tuesday’s primary election with Illinois’ 2nd congressional district.

Nearly 60,000 people in suburban Cook County have already voted in Tuesday’s primary election, and another 52,000 have mailed in their ballots. Six Republicans are making their final cases to replace the seat currently held by Illinois U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, a seat that’s open for the first time in nearly three decades. Offering community college students extra support like tutoring and stipends can help them stay in school, but a new study by the University of Chicago finds that kind of help can also boost a student’s chance of getting a degree and earning a higher salary. Plus, we’re continuing our week-long look at some hot primary contests ahead of Tuesday’s primary election. Congressman Danny Davis is retiring, and 13 Democrats are competing to replace him.

Illinois voters who wish to cast their ballot by mail for the Illinois primary election must have their application submitted by Thursday. The National Weather Service says one supercell on Tuesday night was responsible for at least four tornadoes across Indiana and Illinois. Classic rocker and poet Patti Smith is promoting her latest memoir, which explores Smith’s personal life from a working class childhood to her later years. Plus, for most of the last 80 years, two people have represented a large chunk of Illinois’ 9th congressional district. Sidney Yates served nearly a half century. Then, Jan Schakowsky took office in 1999 and she’s been there since, but this is her last term. It’s now the first time in generations that so many people have fought for this seat.

The Justice Department’s settlement of an anti-trust lawsuit against the corporate parent of Ticketmaster is drawing criticism from Illinois and other states. The city of Chicago’s youth jobs program has a new name and motto as officials open this year’s application window. Chicago theater season is gearing up for a new host of shows, including a run of “Hamilton” at the CIBC Theatre through April 26. Plus, four Republican candidates have thrown their hats in the ring to challenge two-term Governor JB Pritzker in November. They face an uphill battle against a billionaire Democrat in a state that has shifted more and more blue over the past decade.

Illinois abolished the death penalty 15 years ago today, when former Governor Pat Quinn signed a bill into law banning the punishment. We’ve got record warmth around Chicago today with highs in the low 70s. The Chicago White Sox have named Shane Smith their starting pitcher for Opening Day. Plus, Illinois residents soon have a big choice to make: who should represent them in the U.S. Senate for the next six years? All eyes are on the Democratic primary in the race to replace longtime retiring U.S. Senator Dick Durbin.

Memorial services for Rev. Jesse Jackson conclude today. Jackson died in his Chicago home on February 17 at the age of 84. He was known as being one of the most visible civil rights leaders of the last half century and a protege of Martin Luther King Jr. But Jackson also was a divisive figure, remembered for his larger than life personality and sometimes controversial opinions. In this special episode of The Rundown, WBEZ reporter Somer Van Benton sits down with Lisa Labuz to parse through some of the more complicated aspects of Jackson's career and legacy – including the integration of the media into his work, his views on women's rights and his relationship with those in the Jewish community.

Thousands of people gathered today in Chicago to honor the life and legacy of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, including Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. Charges were dropped this week against a group of 15 mothers arrested outside of the immigration processing center in Broadview. The New York City Ballet’s principal dancer Tiler Peck is coming to Chicago this weekend. Plus, the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s legacy includes Operation Breadbasket, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and two presidential campaigns in the 1980s. But before any of that, he was just a kid from Greenville, South Carolina.

Governor JB Pritzker is voicing delight at President Trump's firing of former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Developers broke ground this week on the Chicago Fire’s new privately-funded stadium in the South Loop neighborhood. Hundreds of Chicago high schoolers are voting for the first time in this month’s primary election. Plus, thirty year-old conductor Klaus Mäkelä will soon become the Chicago Symphony’s next music director. While working with the orchestra, he’s become a familiar face inside another cultural gem: the Art Institute.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is asking the federal government to help get U.S. citizens stranded in the Middle East back home. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified before Congress on Tuesday, and she claimed to not know the case in which Chicago resident Marimar Martinez was shot five times in an encounter with Border Patrol. The City Club of Chicago threw a party at the Lookingglass Theater on the Magnificent Mile to celebrate Chicago turning 189 years old. Plus, inside Illinois prisons, treatable health problems can turn dangerous or even deadly. The nearly 30,000 people locked up in Illinois prisons are still receiving substandard medical care.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is emphatically denying any ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois is condemning the Trump administration for launching strikes in Iran without Congressional approval. A big challenge for whoever wins the Democratic primary for Cook County Board President is how to treat more uninsured patients. Plus, WBEZ and the Sun Times surveyed 20 top arts, culture, and humanities nonprofits last year. We wanted to see what progress they’ve made to diversify their staff and boards after the 2020 murder of George Floyd sparked a year of activism and reflection.

Early voting and registration for the March 17th primaries began in suburban Cook County and all 50 wards in Chicago. Many of the non-immigration cases brought against people during Operation Midway Blitz are now falling apart in Chicago court. Pulaski Day honors Casimir Pulaski, who was a Polish hero of the Revolutionary War. Plus, Keshia Golden is facing murder charges for fatally stabbing her boyfriend three years ago, and she says she did it to save herself and the couple’s unborn child. Golden says she’s preparing for trial and fearful that a jury won’t believe that she acted in self-defense.

High temperatures in the Chicago region will hit the lower 60s in some areas this afternoon due to warm winds and plenty of sunshine. Young adults, children and their parents made it a priority to honor the late Reverend Jesse Jackson as he lies in repose in Chicago. When conductor Malcolm Merriweather heard that an influential Chicago composer’s grave was unmarked, he decided to change that. Plus, Monday Night Foodball, a popular weekly chef pop-up, is hosting its 200th event next week. Curated by the Chicago Reader’s Mike Sula, it showcases underground and up-and-coming chefs in Chicago.

A tax incentive plan aimed at keeping the Bears in Illinois advanced in the state House today amid opposition from City Hall and questions about whether Democrats can whip up enough votes to pass it. Illinois lawmakers are hoping to bring suicide prevention resources to public spaces. The Blackhawks return to the ice Thursday against the Nashville Predators after their long break for the Olympics. Plus, Reverend Jesse Jackson Senior will be lying in repose at Rainbow PUSH Headquarters in Kenwood Thursday and Friday. Crowds of people lined up outside chanting “I am somebody” and “keep hope alive” as recordings of Jackson’s speeches played from speakers. WBEZ’s Somer Van Benton asked Chicagoans how they remember the civil rights leader.

The FBI has arrested a man accused of beating Sheila von Wiese-Mack of Oak Park to death nearly a dozen years ago. A survey from the Chicago-based Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics shows Americans are turning to social media and artificial intelligence for nutrition advice instead of professionals. NFL Draft prospects will hit the field at the scouting combine in Indianapolis starting Thursday. Plus, Black boys and men are the least likely demographic to get their college diploma within six years. Mentors can give them a leg up by sharing their experiences and connections to resources, but experts say there are more young people who could benefit from this support than mentors in Chicago.

President Trump is scheduled to give his State of the Union address tonight, and some Democratic lawmakers say they’re boycotting the speech and attending their own counter-rally. The Chicago Park District is asking Springfield for $630 million amid efforts to pass a legislative package to keep the Chicago Bears in Illinois. A Cook County judge ruled the City of Chicago is liable for overcharges and interest on more than a million city sticker and parking violations issued between 2012 and 2022. Plus, federal immigration agents are still taking people into custody in Chicago, and they could return with even more force this spring. Enforcement operations last fall sent schools into lockdown, sowing chaos and disrupting learning.

Illinois’ largest teacher’s union released its annual State of Education report, and it found that nearly 60% of those polled are worried about Immigration and Customs Enforcement making arrests on school property. Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson wants to spend $50 million to buy and rehab the Greyhound bus terminal just west of the Loop. The Chicago Blackhawks are gearing up to return to play after their long break for the Olympics. Plus, the Chicago suburbs used to be mostly white, middle-class enclaves. But over the last few decades, some have become incredibly diverse places.

The Reverend Jesse Jackson will be buried at Oak Woods Cemetery on Chicago’s South Side. Illinois U.S. Congressman Brad Schneider says he's bringing Learning Resources CEO Rick Woldenberg to President Donald Trump's State of the Union address on Tuesday. Governor JB Pritzker wants to cancel tax breaks for data centers, pointing to soaring utility costs for families across Illinois. Plus, we check in with a government reporter from Indiana to get a temperature check on how Hoosiers are feeling about potentially welcoming the Chicago Bears to their state.

Funeral services for the Reverend Jesse Jackson begin next week. The dance for a new stadium is intensifying between the Chicago Bears, Illinois, and Indiana. The Bulls take on the Toronto Raptors tonight at the United Center. Plus, a theater in Aurora is teaming up with Naperville’s Awesome Life Academy to perform improv for youth with special needs.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s $56 billion dollar state budget proposal mostly holds the line on new taxes. The Reverend Jesse Jackson spent decades fighting for the rights of minorities, including immigrants. The Newberry Library in Chicago has received $4 million from the Mellon Foundation to expand access to its vast Indigenous collections, with a focus on language. Plus, Pritzker used his annual State of the State speech to rail against President Trump and his brutal deportation campaign and to lead a moment of silence for Jackson, who died on Tuesday.

Remembrances have also been coming in from political leaders across the nation and across the political aisle in response to the Reverend Jesse L. Jackson’s death. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker will present his eighth state budget proposal Wednesday. More grocery prices in Chicago have either increased or stayed the same rather than going down in the past year. Plus, Jackson is remembered as one of the country's most influential leaders, founding what became the Rainbow PUSH Coalition in Bronzeville and cementing his legacy in Chicago.