A network of correspondents providing impartial news reports and analysis in 33 languages from locations around the world Up-to-the-minute news and analysis from around the world and in Chicago Hosted by WBEZ's Mary Dixon and NPR's Steve Inskeep Newshour is the award-winning flagship program of the BBC World Service the world’s largest news gathering operation 1A convenes a conversation about the most important issues of our time smart reflection on world news as it’s happening innovators and artists from around the globe with news from Chicago from WBEZ’s Lisa Labuz Reset digs into how the news has moved since you left the house discussing and unpacking the biggest stories and issues in Chicago and beyond right in the heart of the day Fresh Air is a weekday “talk show” that hardly fits the mold Fresh Air Weekend collects the week’s best cultural segments and crafts them together for great weekend listening The show is produced by WHYY and hosted by Terry Gross and features from Chicago and around the world Hosted by WBEZ’s Melba Lara and NPR’s Ailsa Chang A daily take on business and economics news for the rest of us hosted by Michael Barbaro and powered by The New York Times’ journalism 7pm Hour -- A focus on what’s changed here in the U.S since President Trump was inaugurated -- looking at everything from the culture to the shape of the federal government From tariffs to the downsizing of the Department of Education how has Trump made good on his campaign promises From shifting alliances to trade agreements to changes at the U.S we’ll ask how President Trump has altered international relations since January 20 Covering everything about science and technology — from the outer reaches of space to the tiniest microbes in our bodies — Science Friday is your source for entertaining and educational stories and activities From their humble beginnings on Chicago’s radio airwaves to their evolution through television and today’s streaming platforms "Stories Without End" unpacks how soap operas have shaped popular culture and told intergenerational stories that continue to resonate a new theme and a variety of stories on that theme Sound Opinions is hosted by Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot In-depth interviews with brilliant creators A mix of live performances and interviews from WXPN Philadelphia’s daily program featuring important established and emerging artists Weekly film podcast and radio show from Chicago featuring in-depth reviews The first 50 years of modern advertising was based on hard-sell The next 50 years was persuasion through creativity and media tonnage But as advertising squeezed into the 21 century it was forced to shed its elbowing ways and become a delicate dialogue The goal is no longer to triumph by weight CBC's Under the Influence is hosted by Terry O'Reilly A wrap up of the week's news and a mix of analysis and features on a wide range of topics Have a laugh and test your news knowledge while figuring out what's real and what we've made up It's Been a Minute features people in the culture who deserve your attention Plus weekly wraps of the news with journalists in the know Exploring the biggest questions of our time with the help of the world's greatest thinkers A radio journal of news and culture produced from a Latino perspective and offbeat features from Chicago and around the world with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior shape our choices and direct our relationships Your guide to examining how the media sausage is made Important ideas and practical advice: Code Switch features fearless and much-needed conversations about race—and Life Kit offers practical advice on things in life no one prepared you for Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX Reveal is public radio’s first one-hour radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting A weekly program presented by the New Yorker magazine’s editor killer beats and the edgiest new talent in storytelling come together for a weekly show that straps audiences into an audio rollercoaster Radiolab is known for its deep-dive journalism and innovative sound design Created in 2002 by former host Jad Abumrad the program began as an exploration of scientific inquiry Over the years it has evolved to become a platform for long-form journalism and storytelling Radiolab is hosted by Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser The FBI is searching for three people who robbed an armored truck at gunpoint Friday at a U.S The FBI is investigating the robbery of an armored vehicle Friday at a south suburban bank in Blue Island following reports that three men armed with handguns robbed an armored vehicle The robbers are described as three males in their late teens to early 20s with medium builds They wore dark-colored sweatpants and hooded sweatshirts The thieves fled in a car and are still at-large Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI at (312) 421-6700 or tips.fbi.gov. Terms of Use • Privacy Notice • Cookie Policy • Terms of Sale Firefighters have gained the upper hand after battling a blaze at a magnesium factory in south suburban Blue Island overnight but it appears the building is a total loss The fire was first reported around 11:30 p.m Wednesday at the Chicago Magnesium Casting Company in the 14000 block of Seeley Avenue in Blue Island.  “It’s a combustible metal, so yes, it’s making it hard. We’ve had a few explosions inside, but there’s been no report of injuries," Posen Fire Chief Jeff Cook told WGN.  but so far no warnings have been issued to anyone who lives in the area.  Susan Nicol is the news editor for Firehouse.com She is a life member and active with the Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance & Rescue Company Susie has been an EMT in Maryland since 1976 Susie is vice-president of the Frederick County Fire/Rescue Museum She is on the executive committee of Frederick County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association She also is part of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) Region II EMS Council Susie is a board member of the American Trauma Society she was a staff writer for The Frederick News-Post “The City of Blue Island’s greatest strength is its diversity,” the statement read, which was posted on Facebook “We value and will work to protect every family and child in our community.” J.B.Pritzker is pledged to uphold state laws relating to immigration amid White House pressures >>> Mercy Sisters Prepare Asylum Seekers For Uncertainties Under Trump City officials said the Blue Island Police Department operates with limited resources and will not participate in federal immigration enforcement activities “Our focus will remain on community safety … We will continue to uphold the state laws that protect all the families who live and contribute to the thriving fabric of Illinois.” rumors flew Monday on neighborhood social media of ICE agents spotted in the south suburbs “My uncle got stopped by ICE. They’re dressed in civilian gear according to him and presented him with a badge and asked to present ID and his status,” said a member of the Posen, IL & Blue Island, IL Facebook group Another group member responded that ICE agents were sighted in South Holland “I know Blue Island is filled of undocumented families and it hurts to see everyone stressed and scared if anyone needs me to go grocery shopping for them or any task they’re too afraid to go do Know that you are not alone,” the group member added The comments also included Spanish language translations President Donald Trump’s “Immigration czar” Tom Homan claimed Chicago would be ground zero for mass deportations Regardless of residents’ immigration status the City of Blue Island is recommending that families prepare an emergency plan creating a list of people to help with their case short-term guardianship for children if parents are taken into custody by ICE Blue Island officials also charged a tool kit put out by the Immigration Legal Resources Center Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. 2025 at 8:27 pm CT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights will host an info session at MVCC's Education Center of Blue Island IL — A “Know Your Rights” program will take Thursday,April 17 Hosted by Moraine Valley Community College Presenter Marilu Moreno, program manager at Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refuge Rights will share insights and resources for students and community members to help them understand their rights as people living in the United States A question-and-answer session will follow the in-person presentation which prepares students to matriculate into college-level courses The presentation will show participants how to navigate various scenarios including how to interact with law enforcement officers and ICE “I think it would be good for anyone to understand – if you are approached “It’s important for people to know their rights here in the U.S.” She also mentioned that information sessions like these may help alleviate fears for community members who are traveling “We want people to take advantage of this session I think it will offer a little more comfort to them,” Zwick said Seating at the in-person session is limited; however, the presentation is open to community members via Webex For more information, contact Aurora Zwick at zwick@morainevalley.edu Blue Island Mayor Fred Bilotto joined local and state officials in August to welcome Orlandino Greco The get-together was organized by Tony Turano and the Calabresi in America Organization Blue Island is sister cities with Castrolibero as well as Ripacandida my family and I had the honor of meeting Mayor Greco and his family during our trip through Italy and it was a pleasure to return the favor and welcome his family to our community,” says Bilotto who also visited Ripacandida during the trip Bilotto also took Mayor Greco and his son on a tour of Blue Island that included the newly restored city hall Meadows Golf Club and Blue Island Beer Co. City Clerk Raeann Cantelo-Zylman and City Treasurer Jairo Frausto as well as several Blue Island business leaders The day was capped by a reception and dinner at the historic Lyric Theater the two mayors were able to connect over their shared passion for public service “We had a great conversation about the history of Blue Island and how Italian immigration shaped the city that it is today,” Bilotto explains Bilotto also highlighted the upcoming Sister City Park that Blue Island is creating as part of the newly renovated Olde Western Avenue Historic District The park will include memorials and flags of international communities that have shared their histories and cultures with Blue Island Tags The new home of the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame is a beehive … Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Click here for details Two Blue Island property owners are suing the south suburb over late fees for unpaid water bills they say were illegally designed to bring in more money the other by the owner of a condominium unit Both say the south suburb’s practice of charging 10% compounding late fees a month on delinquent water bills isn’t legal in Illinois They say state law allows municipalities to get “reasonable compensation” for water and sewer services 10% monthly compounding ‘late-fee’ penalty or interest charge” doesn’t meet that standard a penalty of 1.25% is added to late payments on water bills Instead of shutting off the water after bills weren’t paid Blue Island let the spigots run for years in an “outrageous unlawful and usurious” scheme that led to shockingly high bills and water liens against the properties according to the lawsuits filed in Cook County Circuit Court The suits say Blue Island collected an average of $238,037 in “water-penalty revenue” in 2018 and 2019 and the figure had gone up to $2.4 million in 2023 who rented out a house in the 2200 block of 121st Street says his tenant’s past-due balance of $884 in January 2020 ballooned to $172,469 in November 2023 because compounding 10% late fees had been applied each month for years The city removed some charges but still filed a lien against Buchanan’s property for $142,352 Buchanan’s attorney Shorge Sato says the longtime tenant had been paying the water bills so the unpaid bills and penalties kept piling up Buchanan says he wishes the city had turned off the water right away rather than let the late fees stack up The Nassau Terrace Condominiums property at 12552 Fairview Ave who owns a unit at the Nassau Terrace Condominiums that he rents to a tenant says in his lawsuit the condo association was responsible for paying the water bill for all of the units The total bill was $48,141 in January 2021 that amount swelled to more than $1.8 million by February 2024 according to bills included with Schoppen’s suit In a May 13 document included with the suit the association’s manager wrote: “The association owes the city of Blue Island approximately $1,980,863.00 for past-due water bills 75% of this amount owed are past-due late fees Management is in the process of negotiating with the city to get these late fees reduced.” but the first buyer he found backed out because of the city’s lien “He wanted out of the deal immediately,” Schoppen says “My ability to sell it is tremendously hindered because I’m forced to have this hanging over my head.” says the billing setup is legal and the lawsuits were filed “by two landlords who collected rents from residents and then repeatedly failed to pay their water bill resulting in large delinquent amounts on their account(s).” Wogan says the current mayoral administration has been settling large water bills that had built up at commercial properties during the pandemic which contributed to its larger water-penalty revenue last year He says there’s been no change in the penalty structure but it has updated its billing procedures “to ensure individual bills do not accumulate as they were allowed to in the past.” “We’ve hired additional staff to identify delinquent accounts as soon as they reach $250 or higher and to better communicate with the residents and Wogan says the Blue Island City Council voted to give the administration more flexibility to drop penalties and settle bills while avoiding shutoffs who lives in the Forest View Mobile Home Park sued Blue Island last year after the city threatened to cut off the entire park’s water for nonpayment Hammer’s rent payments were supposed to include water but the management company fell behind in its payments to the city the park’s water bill last year hit $858,447 Hammer argued in his suit that he was being unfairly harmed and won a temporary injunction barring a water shutoff last November The two sides are close to reaching a settlement has described the situation as “nerve-wracking” and “terrible.” from the nonprofit agency Legal Action of Chicago “I’d never heard of a water bill getting that high.” 2025 at 11:55 am CT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Palos Hills crime (Palos Hills Police Facebook)PALOS HILLS IL — Someone stole a vehicle was that was left unattended while it was running and unlocked from a community lot on Jan said he had started his 2011 Kia Sorento to warm it while he ran back into his apartment in the 8500 block of West 103rd Street the Kia was found abandoned in Calumet City Palos Hills police obtained video footage and were able to identify a suspect 26 in Blue Island and charged with motor vehicle theft and other traffic offenses Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Blue Island police officer was arrested after he allegedly fired at least one shot at a Chicago police officer during a road rage incident while both officers were off duty Saturday evening in the Back of the Yards neighborhood a 47-year-old man was in a vehicle in the 4700 block of South Halsted Street when he pulled out a gun and fired at least one shot toward another vehicle Sources confirmed the man who fired the shot is an off-duty Blue Island police officer and the person he shot at was an off-duty Chicago police officer Click here for the full story via CBS Chicago The strategically-hued island 'provides a bold captivating focal point without committing to a full-on vibrant space' – designers discuss their color technique it can often feel like you need to pick one of two sides: you can either go classic and neutral or vibrant and bold – but as Matthew and Camila McConaughey prove a neutral space – featuring unpainted wooden cabinets it's a palette that's safe yet styling and eternally versatile but there's one exception: the baby blue kitchen island In a break from their kitchen's traditional scheme, the McConaughey's introduced a pocket of blue in the form of their bolder kitchen island color The hue adds just the right amount of vibrancy to the space (without it feeling overwhelming) it's a technique that's replicable in kitchens of all sizes (even those more compact than the McConaughey's) A post shared by Camila Alves McConaughey (@camilamcconaughey) Tom Howley the creative design director of the eponymous kitchen company 'Painting just your island can be a great way to incorporate color into an otherwise neutral kitchen – providing a bold captivating focal point without committing to a full-on vibrant space A navy island sits beautifully in a white kitchen,' he says 'Neutral color palettes in the kitchen will never disappear – but for those who want to add a stronger injection of color deep navies and cool powder blues are very popular We recommend pairing these tranquil hues with glossy white worktops for a fresh We love Matthew and Camila McConaughey's choice of a soft powder blue but Howley also recommends taking things further by opting for an even more dramatic blue.'Inky blue hues infuse drama and energy into a space while the crisp white balances out the scheme,' he says Design expertise in your inbox – from inspiring decorating ideas and beautiful celebrity homes to practical gardening advice and shopping round-ups Alongside introducing vibrancy to a room, blue kitchen islands have a calming effect and 'The color blue is also often associated with calmness can help create a soothing atmosphere,' Chandler says 'It is also often seen as a universally appealing colour increasing the perceived value of the kitchen by adding a modern or custom feel without requiring a complete kitchen overhaul.' we can introduce pockets of blue into our kitchens with these handpicked buys (including a statement paint sample) below and has interviewed the likes of Drew Barrymore She lives in a London apartment with her antique typewriter and an eclectic espresso cup collection and dreams of a Kelly Wearstler-designed home BLUE ISLAND, Ill. (CBS) -- A Blue Island police officer was released without charges late Monday after he allegedly fired at least one shot while off duty at an also-off-duty Chicago police officer during a road rage incident over the weekend The Blue Island city administrator confirmed that the officer was one of their own and was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation into the Saturday incident The road rage incident happened on Saturday evening in the Back of the Yards neighborhood the 47-year-old off-duty Blue Island officer was in a vehicle in the 4700 block of South Halsted Street when he pulled out a gun and fired at least one shot toward another vehicle Click here for the full story via CBS Chicago Dying Scene Located about 16 miles south Chicago’s Loop Blue Island has been home to two separate punk rock music festivals that showcase some of the best local punk bands Punk Rock Paradise 2 took place in August at Riverside Tap and of course Dying Scene was there for it Dying Scene’s favorite ska band Bumsy and the Moochers in attendance…catch them at THE FEST 22 Southside-Chicago’s Fighting for Scraps brought the rowdy crowd in true street punk fashion Torch the Hive is one of many bands I’ve heard so much about but never had the chance to see for myself The F.E.D.S. are a tribute band to all things punk rock A torrential downpour of rain did not stop them from playing Horror pop punk? Yes, it’s a thing, and yes, Won’t Stay Dead SLAYS at it Last but not least, Sweetie kicked some ass Sweetie’s Birdy V. is the mastermind behind H.O.O.F. (Hands Off Our Fest), a music fest celebrating the women, femmes, and thems of the Chicago punk scene and beyond. Come back out to Blue Island, this time at the Blue Island Beer Co., to check out this sick lineup! Be sure to follow all the bands and give them some love! View this post on Instagram A post shared by ⚡️ 𝖒𝖆𝖗𝖞 – 𝖛𝖆𝖈𝖆𝖓𝖙 𝖊𝖗𝖆 𝖕𝖍𝖔𝖙𝖔𝖌𝖗𝖆𝖕𝖍𝖞 ⚡️ (@vacanteraphotography) View this post on Instagram A post shared by ⚡️ 𝖒𝖆𝖗𝖞 – 𝖛𝖆𝖈𝖆𝖓𝖙 𝖊𝖗𝖆 𝖕𝖍𝖔𝖙𝖔𝖌𝖗𝖆𝖕𝖍𝖞 ⚡️ (@vacanteraphotography) View this post on Instagram A post shared by ⚡️ 𝖒𝖆𝖗𝖞 – 𝖛𝖆𝖈𝖆𝖓𝖙 𝖊𝖗𝖆 𝖕𝖍𝖔𝖙𝖔𝖌𝖗𝖆𝖕𝖍𝖞 ⚡️ (@vacanteraphotography) View this post on Instagram A post shared by ⚡️ 𝖒𝖆𝖗𝖞 – 𝖛𝖆𝖈𝖆𝖓𝖙 𝖊𝖗𝖆 𝖕𝖍𝖔𝖙𝖔𝖌𝖗𝖆𝖕𝖍𝖞 ⚡️ (@vacanteraphotography) View this post on Instagram A post shared by ⚡️ 𝖒𝖆𝖗𝖞 – 𝖛𝖆𝖈𝖆𝖓𝖙 𝖊𝖗𝖆 𝖕𝖍𝖔𝖙𝖔𝖌𝖗𝖆𝖕𝖍𝖞 ⚡️ (@vacanteraphotography) View this post on Instagram A post shared by ⚡️ 𝖒𝖆𝖗𝖞 – 𝖛𝖆𝖈𝖆𝖓𝖙 𝖊𝖗𝖆 𝖕𝖍𝖔𝖙𝖔𝖌𝖗𝖆𝖕𝖍𝖞 ⚡️ (@vacanteraphotography) and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" according to the Cook County Medical Examiner A passenger vehicle reportedly went around lowered crossing gates and struck the side of a CSX locomotive at 153rd and Park Ave in Harvey according to a statement from CSX Transportation The remaining victims have not yet been identified as of Thursday afternoon Dolton police and local EMS quickly responded to the scene but all three passengers in the vehicle were pronounced dead There were no injuries to the crew of the train Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. 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