The Rundown | Chicago News

A veterans’ advocate says people who served are still shaping their communities long after their service has finished. A new exhibit at the Chicago Cultural Center is paying homage to Black veterans. Chicago White Sox Manager Will Venable is the American League Manager of the Year. Plus, a law in Illinois requires private insurance companies to cover a benefit that helps parents with newborns. But a new investigation by WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times finds this well-intentioned law is failing families. Some are having to pay thousands of dollars up front, then ask their insurance companies to pay them back. 

Climate scientists are anticipating that a record-breaking El Niño weather pattern will form this winter with global implications. A new clinic is welcoming its first furry patients in Chicago’s Chatham neighborhood. The Chicago Blackhawks have lost six straight games and capped off a brutal road trip on Saturday with a 9-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.Plus, baked goods are having a moment in Chicago. Among the most popular baked bites – the humble croissant. We visited Floriole in Lincoln Park to investigate how to eat one. 

Illinois U.S. Representative Delia Ramirez says she wants to see oversight into the Trump administration’s deportation campaigns following the midterm election results. South suburban Orland Hills has a new permanent drivers services facility. A record shop in Beverly on Chicago’s South Side celebrated its reopeningPlus, new analysis by WBEZ finds the University of Chicago, like many universities, rarely expels students who are found responsible for sexual assault. That means most perpetrators of sexual violence are allowed to graduate and receive a UChicago diploma. Researchers and advocates say their presence on campus makes it even harder for survivors to stay in school and finish. UChicago students are calling for tougher discipline following two recent reports of assault tied to the Hyde Park campus.

Some local immigrant advocates are speaking out about their priorities for newly-elected lawmakers following the midterm election. Hundreds of nurses, physician assistants and midwives at UI Health voted to strike after they say they were denied a 2% raise given to other hospital workers. The Chicago Bears are trying to extend their winning streak to four games.Plus, we take you inside the fall blockbuster exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago showcasing the work of Impressionist painter Mary Cassatt.

More than two dozen Democratic Illinois State Representatives want to replace Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. A dozen Chicago restaurants made a new list from reservation booking site OpenTable of the top 100 restaurants in the country. Four White Sox players are finalists for this year’s Silver Slugger Award.Plus, Chicago now has its own brewery for Korea’s oldest alcoholic drink. Makgeolli is a rice wine that has been around for centuries, and it’s now growing in popularity in the U.S. 

It was a blue wave last night as Democrats secured control of the House and Senate. Voters called into WBEZ’s Say More program to share their thoughts on the results. Statewide winners include Illinois. Gov. JB Pritzker and Senator-elect Juliana Stratton. Jessica Biggs beat out the Chicago Teachers Union candidate in Chicago’s first-ever school board presidential election.Plus, we hear from WBEZ’s senior statehouse reporter Mawa Iqbal about how the election shook out. 

It’s Election Day! Polls are open until 7 p.m. Some voters in Pilsen encountered long wait times today amid a shortage of paper ballots. Chicago has approved a $260 million police misconduct settlement tied to disgraced former Chicago Police Detective Reynaldo Guevara. The 32nd annual Black Harvest Film Festival is back this week.Plus, for the first time, Chicagoans will vote for all 21 members of the city school board. It includes a citywide race for board president.

Suburban Cook County voters have cast over 240,000 ballots before Election Day. A majority of Chicago City Council members are already overriding a small slice of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s budget proposal. Chicago’s former FBI boss has filed a lawsuit against top Trump administration officials.Plus, today marks the 10th anniversary of when the Chicago Cubs won the World Series in 2016. The win ended a 108-year championship drought. We look back at what Wrigleyville sounded like when it happened. 

The Pope has cast his vote in Illinois. Math scores for students in Illinois continue to be low. Daylight saving time ends on Sunday.Plus, Curious City hosted a live Halloween event at the Empty Bottle. We hear a story from one Chicagoan.

More than 100 University of Chicago students, faculty and staff rallied in the Main Quad Wednesday night to protest the way the school has handled reports of sexual assault. The city is launching a new program to bring childhood lead testing directly to the South Side. The Chicago Bears have pulled off a blockbuster trade with the Tennessee Titans for star defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons. Plus, parents in Chicago have a wide range of choices when it comes to where their children go to school, but navigating the public school system can be daunting. Candidates for school board president have distinct views on how to help parents choose a school.