Mariah Woelfel covers city government at WBEZ. Before joining the City Hall beat in 2021, Mariah worked as a general assignment reporter and producer at the station, where she covered the creation of and start to Illinois’ multimillion dollar recreational cannabis industry, as well as the city and state’s healthcare systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to WBEZ, Mariah worked as a reporter, producer and All Things Considered host at WVIK, an NPR member station in western Illinois.
She grew up in Chicago and currently lives on the city’s West Side with her dog, Lola.
Mariah Woelfel
Stories by Mariah Woelfel
Chicago will relaunch a guaranteed basic income program
The city has until the end of the year to allocate hundreds of millions of federal COVID relief money or risk losing it.
Mayor Brandon Johnson defends his progressive credentials after supporting the Bears’ new stadium
Johnson’s support of the Bears’ plan raised questions, including from one progressive leader who said they’re not elected to subsidize multi-billion dollar corporations.
What’s that dead zone in the 19th Ward?
On Chicago’s far Southwest Side, there’s an area that was never incorporated into surrounding Cook County. This municipal ‘dead zone’ is Mount Greenwood Cemetery.
Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez avoids punishment from colleagues for attending a rally where a U.S. flag was burned
Conservative City Council members called a special meeting to castigate Sigcho-Lopez for his attendance at the rally.
A Marine veteran who burned an American flag at City Hall speaks out after a Chicago alderperson takes heat for it
Zachary Kam, who served in Afghanistan, burned the flag to protest the killing of at least 32,300 Palestinians in the ongoing war in Gaza and says the DNC should be canceled.
Bring Chicago Home referendum fails after vote-by-mail ballots counted
The Associated Press called it for opponents, as voters reject an effort to authorize a tax increase on the sale of high-end properties to raise money for homelessness prevention.
Mayor Johnson’s plan to borrow $1.25 billion for development projects gets a mixed reception
Some Chicago City Council members urged more oversight of which projects Johnson’s plan would fund, while supporters said it would be a much needed boon to housing and city development.
What’s next as the Bring Chicago Home referendum hangs in limbo
Johnson rebuffed claims that the lackluster showing so far for the referendum is a referendum on him.
Bring Chicago Home referendum appears headed for defeat
The referendum would have permitted the City Council to raise taxes on high-end property sales while lowering the tax on properties under $1 million. Its defeat would be a stunning blow to Mayor Brandon Johnson’s plans to fund homelessness prevention.
Mayor Brandon Johnson exempts migrant families with children and those with measles from shelter evictions
With these new exceptions, the city is proceeding with a plan to require migrants leave shelters after 60 days and will require vaccinations.