Illinois residents soon have a big choice to make: who should represent them in the U.S. Senate for the next six years?

And because Illinois is such a heavily blue state — all eyes are on the Democratic primary in the race to replace longtime retiring US Senator Dick Durbin.

The three leading candidates — two congresspeople and the state’s lieutenant governor — have each spent years in elected office themselves.

WBEZ’s Mawa Iqbal and Mariah Woelfel have more on who they are and what they’re promising. Mawa starts us off.

HOST: DEGMAN

A Roosevelt University graduate student is trying to be the first person to run every block in Chicago, and he’s nearly finished with the feat.HOST: LANE

Thirteen candidates on next month’s Democratic primary ballot are competing to take over for retiring Congressman Danny Davis of Chicago.Jason Friedman is a real estate developer in River North.He’s never run for office but has leapt far ahead in the race’s fundraising.He’d be the district’s first white congressman in more than a half century.HOST: LANE

More Black owned restaurants are opening in Chicago, and with that comes more dining options. Chicago Black Restaurant Week highlights that growth, featuring specials at nearly 40 Black-owned eateries.The culinary celebration is running now until February 22nd, making it a good way to celebrate Black-owned business and Valentines Day. Sun-Times Arts and Culture reporter Erica Thompson joins us now to tell us more. HOST: LANE

More Black owned restaurants are opening in Chicago, and with that comes more dining options. Chicago Black Restaurant Week highlights that growth, featuring specials at nearly 40 Black-owned eateries.The culinary celebration is running now until February 22nd, making it a good way to celebrate Black-owned business and Valentines Day. Sun-Times Arts and Culture reporter Erica Thompson joins us now to tell us more. HOST: LANE

Federal immigration agents are still in Chicago, taking people into custody, and they could return with even more force this spring.Schools are already on edge. Numerous times last fall, enforcement operations sent them into lockdown, sowing chaos and disrupting learning. The schools had not dealt with anything like this before. HOST: LANE

A Chicago mom is furious about the way her son’s class at a northwest side elementary school kicked off Black History month.

According to her son, the teacher had them participate in a reenactment of slavery.

HOST: MELBA

Every time Amy Mendez walks the aisles of her local grocery store, she mulls the same dilemma – how will she afford to feed herself and her 13-year-old son?Mendez works full-time for Chicago Public Schools and earns $18.42 (18 dollars and 42 cents) an hour, making her among the school district’s lowest-paid staffers.But the job is critical for Mendez. About 24-percent of people in Illinois who get SNAP food benefits could lose them this year because of the Trump administration's expanded work rules.HOST: LANE

One of the most anticipated albums of the year is the new one from Chicago’s own Ratboys.The band formed at Notre Dame about 15 years ago and their sixth album just came out. HOST: LANE