Taxpayers have spent over $3 million on an empty lot on Chicago’s south side meant for migrants that was never used. First proposed as a winter shelter for migrants that were bused to Chicago from the southern border, tests eventually showed the lot was contaminated with heavy metals. Three years after Chicago’s migrant crisis began, NBC Chicago Investigative Reporter Bennett Haeberle sits down on The Takeaway with Alex to walk through the missteps that led to millions of dollars being spent on the land, tents and site cleanup – with no shelter to show for it. With the flow of migrants significantly slowing in 2025, Haeberle also looks ahead to what effect the influx had on city and state finances, and Chicago neighborhoods already struggling with housing. With Donald Trump promising to end federal funding for sanctuary cities like Chicago and also deport millions of people, Haeberle also looks ahead to what the future might hold for migrants.

Chicago’s Hollywood history runs deep. Blockbusters like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Dark Knight and The Blues Brothers helped the world get to know our city. But did you know Chicago also has connections to Back to the Future, the Wizard of Oz and even The Great Gatsby? Host of NBC Chicago’s “Only in Chicago” series Lexi Sutter tells Alex Maragos the stories behind the famous scenes and sites. She also found a real police station that plays a fake police station on television, and describes what Chicago has to offer that few other show biz cities can match.

From big events like Lollapalooza, Riot Fest and Summer Smash to small street festivals across the city; Chicago’s summer soundtrack has lots of variety. With so many concerts to check out, two music critics give The Takeaway with Alex a guide to navigate the summer. Britt Julious of the Chicago Tribune and Selena Fragassi of the Chicago Sun-Times tell Alex Maragos about the shows they’re most excited to see this year, the festivals with great vibes, and their list of underhyped artists and venues in Chicago. Julious and Fragassi – who have seen over 1,000 concerts collectively – shared their excitement for the 2025 concert season by giving a list of who to look out for, how to master the many stages of Lolla (and the aftershows) and also predict who might be the next rising star to shoot out of Chicago’s music scene.