Chicago in Focus

In this episode of Chicago Newsroom 2.0, guest co-hosts Dee Atkins and Jeffery Beckham join roundtable regulars Claude Robinson, Sufyan Sohel, and Swathi Staley to examine major issues facing Chicago. The episode features a one-on-one conversation with Center for Better Aging Executive Director Estrelitta Harmon on aging in the city, and Chief Joy Correspondent Hasani Olujimi shares uplifting community news.

In this episode of Chicago Newsroom 2.0, guest co-hosts Glenn Eden and Karen Freeman Wilson examine the latest killing of a U.S. citizen by ICE agents, the CPS Board Chair's efforts to address press leaks, and the implications of the newly approved 2026 city budget. The roundtable also covers mayoral candidate Joe Holberg's vision for Chicago, state and county efforts to protect voter rights, and expanding kidney donation access in Black and Brown communities.

In this episode of Chicago Newsroom 2.0, guest co-hosts Dr. Suzet McKinney and Mark Ishaug break down the high-stakes debate surrounding Chicago’s 2026 budget, including the CPS property tax controversy and the fight for control of the City Council’s Zoning Committee. The conversation includes an in-depth interview with Aldermen Nicole Lee and Pat Dowell, key architects of the proposed budget, along with discussions on supporting first-generation college students and the Pullman Foundation’s transformative $10 million investment.