Morning Shift Podcast

According to GoFundMe's end-of-year report, campaigns to fund basic necessities like housing, utilities and groceries are on the rise after quadrupling in 2024. In the Loop gets insight on how we got here, how this impact is felt locally, and local efforts to close gaps through mutual aid efforts and policy shifts. Dion Dawson, founder, executive director Dion's Chicago Dream and Bob Palmer, Policy Director Housing Action Illinois and Rep. Brad Schneider, 10th District sat down with host Sasha-Ann Simons. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Are you an adventurous eater? Or are you married to your classic “go-tos?” How about some recs for the best places to get a bite with a twist? A trio of journalists behind a new guide from WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times review their favorite plates and treats on In the Loop. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

As their winning season heats up, the Chicago Bears make another play for an Indiana stadium. Lakeview neighbors replace presents for needy families collected by a local bar that was burglarized. Local public transit gets an overhaul. Meanwhile, Chicago is one step closer to an alternate budget proposed by alders. In the Loop breaks down those stories and more with WTTW News correspondent Nick Blumberg, Block Club Chicago reporter Mack Liederman and WBEZ city politics reporter Mariah Woelfel. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

In the Loop checks in with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson for our monthly “Ask the Mayor” series and takes listener questions on the city budget, its looming deadline and more. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Despite the federal government cutting tax credits for clean energy, Illinois continues to invest in grants for residents, municipalities and organizations to make the switch to solar energy. In the Loop hears from Senyo Ador, co-founder of the local green energy company Sesenergi Eco Solutions Enterprise and our sustainability contributor Karen Weigert. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Chicago's museums and cultural institutions are as much a part of the fabric of the city as Wrigley Field or the lakefront. And they've been around a long time. Some are more than a century old. So why are museum workers organizing now, seemingly en masse? And what could it mean for the visitor experience? In the Loop talks with Chicago Sun-Times arts and culture reporter Erica Thompson, Anders Lindall of AFSCME Council 31 and Adler Planetarium employee Lileas Maier. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Today, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and the City Council kicked off a series of high-profile budget meetings, and the clock is ticking for them to pass the 2026 budget. The major sticking point continues to be whether the corporate head tax as a revenue stream should be included in the proposal. A new WBEZ data analysis digs into the claim that it's a job killer, showing little connection between job trends in the city and an earlier version of the tax, which was repealed in 2014. We get more info from Mariah Woelfel, WBEZ city politics reporter; Amy Qin, WBEZ data reporter; and Bob Bruno, director of the labor education program at the School for Labor and Employment Relations at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Chicago's budget showdown continues, Indiana's legislature bucks Trump redistricting trend, and ICE agents were out in force in west suburban Elgin. In the Loop breaks down those stories and more in the Weekly News Recap. Our panel today: Tom Schuba, Chicago Sun-Times watchdog reporter; Monica Eng, Axios reporter; David Greising, Better Government Association president. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Subsidies for the ACA are set to expire at the end of the year. Today, Congress is voting on a Democratic bill that would extend subsidies for three years and a Republican bill that would give those eligible up to $1,500 in health savings accounts. If a decision isn't made, monthly premiums for many people could double next year. In the Loop hears from Volumes Bookcafe owner Rebecca George and Illinois Alliance for Retired Americans executive director Krystle Able who both rely on ACA Marketplace for their coverage and how expiring subsidies could mean the difference between taking control of their health or not. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

A CDC panel recently reversed a decades-old recommendation that all babies in the U.S. receive the hepatitis B vaccine at birth. Medical groups, including the Chicago-based American Medical Association, have denounced the new recommendations, calling them “reckless.” In the Loop talks about what this means for Illinois kids and families with Dr. Steven Flamm, hepatologist and professor of Medicine at Rush University and Dr. Marielle Fricchione, pediatrician and chair of the Illinois Immunization Advisory Committee. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Some Chicago alders balked at Mayor Brandon Johnson's inclusion of a corporate head tax in his 2026 budget proposal. In response, a group of moderate and conservative city councilors put forth a list of alternative proposals that does not include the tax on businesses; instead they rely on raising taxes on garbage collection and liquor sales, as well as budget cuts, which the mayor rejected in turn. Yesterday, we heard from alders about why they're championing their alternative proposal. Today, In the Loop hears from Julie Dworkin with the Institute for the Public Good and Asha Ransby Sporn with the Black Voter Project for their takes on the alders' plans. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has rejected an alternative budget proposal from a slim majority of alderpersons, calling it “an incomplete assignment.” In the Loop learns more about what those councilmembers are proposing from Ald. Gilbert Villegas, 36th Ward, and Ald. Timmy Knudsen, 43rd Ward, and why they won't get behind Johnson's $21 per employee corporate head tax. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson battles alders over a competing budget proposal. Northwestern agrees to pay $75 million in a deal with the federal government. A new independent candidate enters the race for retiring Congressman Chuy Garcia's seat. Gov. Pritzker signs legislation allowing Illinois to set its own vaccination guidelines. In the Loop breaks down those stories and more with Axios Chicago reporter Carrie Shepherd, WTTW Chicago politics reporter Heather Cherone and Chicago Sun-Times politics reporter Mitchell Armentrout. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Health coverage for millions of people is on the line as the federal government cannot get on the same page on a new health care plan or extending Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year. If subsidies expire, premiums for Marketplace coverage will become much more expensive. Millions are projected to lose their coverage and providers that serve primarily uninsured, Medicaid and other vulnerable patients will bear the brunt of this change. In the Loop hears from Loretto Hospital CEO Tesa Anewishki and Sinai Chicago CEO Dr. Ngozi Ezike about how they're continuing to provide healthcare to Chicago's most vulnerable. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Acclaimed actor, filmmaker, and comedian Robert Townsend is hosting a pop-up film festival to support local charities. The West Side native joins In the Loop to talk about his storied career and efforts to give back to Chicago. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Starting in January, the amount of federal money states use to provide permanent supportive housing for disabled residents who have experienced homelessness is decreasing by two-thirds. This is part of the Trump administration's shift away from the housing first model in favor of transitional housing with work and treatment requirements. In the Loop makes sense of how this major shift could affect Illinoisans with Thresholds CEO Mark Ishaug and Illinois Chief Homelessness Officer Christine Haley. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

An estimated 40 million people are living with HIV around the world, including more than 41,000 in Illinois. Thanks to medical advancements, a disease that has killed tens of millions has become more manageable, but doctors and advocates worry that federal funding cuts under the Trump administration could derail that progress. In the Loop discusses with AIDS Foundation of Chicago president and CEO John Peller, Vivent Health president and CEO Brandon Hill and director of Center on Halsted's HIV hotline Jasmine Mikell. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Forget Monopoly and Uno. In the Loop learns about other games to try with family over the holidays with local live quiz producer Erin Kahoa and In the Loop producer Lynnea Domienik. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

If you want to wow your family and friends with a tasty twist on Thanksgiving classics, look no further. In the Loop gets tips for celebratory desserts and sweets from Martin Sorge, winner of the 6th season of “The Great American Baking Show.” For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

If the new “Wicked” movie makes you wish you could be whisked off to the Emerald City, you might want to visit Chicago's Driehaus Museum. Their latest exhibit showcases rare items from the 1939 musical “Wizard of Oz,” replica costumes, and gives visitors an inside look at how L. Frank Baum's beloved classic was adapted from book to screen. We talk with the museum's executive director Lisa Key about what else visitors looking for an Ozian fix can expect. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's budget proposal took a hit this week when the Chicago City Council's Finance committee voted down $600 million in taxes 25-10. One of the major sticking points? A corporate head tax that would charge large employers $21 per employee per month. The mayor and alderpersons now head back to the drawing board. In the Loop checks in with Johnson for our monthly “Ask the Mayor” series and takes listener questions on the budget ahead of the Dec. 31 deadline to pass a plan. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says the withdrawal of Texas National Guard troops from Chicago represents “unconditional surrender” by the Trump administration. Meanwhile, alders hand the mayor a massive defeat by rejecting his budget plan. Plus, Illinois debuts digital driver's licenses. In the Loop dives into those and other top local stories with WBEZ city government and politics reporter Mariah Woelfel, Fox 32 political correspondent Paris Schutz and Chicago Sun-Times opinion pages editor and columnist Rummana Hussain. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

In October, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order that bans the use of city property by federal immigration enforcement. Since that move, many neighboring cities and municipalities have followed suit. ‘In the Loop' hears from Toni Preckwinkle, President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, and Hammond, Ind. Mayor Tom McDermott, Jr., to learn more about their efforts to combat aggressive immigration campaigns by ICE, DHS and CBP. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Terminally ill residents with a prognosis of six months to live could get physician prescribed drugs to end their lives if Governor Pritzker signs a bill that passed the Illinois legislature Oct. 31. Advocates say it gives people suffering and near death a choice, but some disability rights activists are concerned it could pressure disabled people to end their lives. In the Loop hears Amber Smock, vice president of advocacy for Access Living and Khadine Bennett, director of advocacy and intergovernmental affairs for the ACLU of Illinois. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

As Chicago's City Council prepares to vote on Mayor Johnson's latest budget proposal ahead of the city's Dec. 31 deadline, In the Loop hears a critique from Civic Federation president Joe Ferguson, a former city watchdog and public finance expert. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Chicago is suing the Trump administration again. In the Loop looks at that latest lawsuit and what voting to end the government shutdown could mean for senior Senator Dick Durbin's political legacy. Plus, time for a retail reality check following a presidential post dissing Chicago's shopping mecca, Michigan Avenue. In the Loop breaks down those stories with David Greising of the Better Government Association, Sophie Sherry of the Chicago Sun-Times and Mack Liederman of Block Club Chicago. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

The longest government shutdown in U.S. history came to an end Wednesday. The bill signed by President Trump provides back pay for federal employees and funds some federal agencies until September 2026. What it doesn't do is extend subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, which are set to expire at the end of the year. Some can expect to see their insurance premiums rise to the point it's unaffordable to have health insurance. In the Loop sits down with Community Health CEO Stephanie Willding and UIC health policy professor Justin Markowski to hear how skyrocketing insurance premiums could impact the work of people providing healthcare. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Journalists of color are being laid off at alarming rates as DEI commitments waver. In the Loop digs in with local journalists about the how the erasure of Black perspectives in news impacts communities. Our panel today: Brandon Pope, president of the National Association of Black Journalists Chicago chapter, Natalie Moore, director of audio journalism programming at Northwestern University, and Morgan Elise Johnson, co-founder and publisher of The TriiBE. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Veterans gathered in cities across the country to protest federal immigration enforcement, cuts to SNAP and National Guard deployment in American cities. In the Loop hears from veterans about why they decided to protest and how what one veteran saw outside of the Broadview immigration processing center changed his perception of the government's immigration enforcement actions. Our panel today: Brad Beaulieu, Navy veteran, and Arti Walker-Peddakotla, U.S. Army veteran and board member of About Face. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Groceries cost more than ever, and the high prices couldn't come at a worse time. Nearly two million Illinois residents depend on SNAP benefits, which are now being cut as the government shutdown drags on. How are Chicago-area residents filling the gap, especially with holidays around the corner? In the Loop checks in with Chicago Sun-Times consumer investigations reporter Stephanie Zimmermann, Wicker Park resident Gale Hethcoat and Common Pantry executive director Margaret O'Conor. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

The longest government shutdown in U.S. history drags into day 38, affecting everything from air travel to SNAP benefits in Illinois. Democratic U.S. Congressman Chuy Garcia surprised constituents by announcing he won't be running for reelection. And a federal judge issued a key ruling on use of force by federal agents. Plus, snow could be coming to the Chicago area this weekend. In the Loop breaks down those stories with WBEZ's Alden Loury, Chicago Sun-Times' Jon Seidel, Block Club Chicago's Quinn Myers. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case brought to the high court by a Chicago-based toymaker who calls Trump's broad use of tariffs illegal. To learn more about the impact of tariffs on businesses and get an update on the court hearing, In the Loop sat down with John Marshall Law School professor Steve Schwinn and Chicago Council on Global Affairs nonresident senior fellow on security and diplomacy Cécile Shea. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Immigration enforcement near schools has disrupted classes, resulting in a drop-off in student attendance and impacts on the mental health of students and teachers. In the Loop gets an update on efforts to keep students safe with Chicago Board of Education member Norma Rios-Sierra, former CPS history teacher Rebecca Martinez and clinical child psychologist Rebecca Ford-Paz. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

The Trump administration is reducing the number of refugees allowed to enter the U.S. each year from 125,000 to 7,500 and prioritizing the admission of white South Africans, or Akrifaners. In the Loop learns what this means for local refugees from Mohammed, who is waiting to be reunited with his family, and Sally Schulze, communications manager at RefugeeOne. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Crossing Borders Music has been using Western classical instruments to highlight human rights abuses. The group is highlighting federal immigration enforcement in the Chicago area with the hope that folks being detained inside the Broadview ICE processing facility hear the music and know that they are not alone. In the Loop talks with cellist and co-founder Tom Clowes and violist Wilfred Farquharson. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

President Trump's goal of deploying National Guard troops to Chicago is on hold as the Supreme Court requests more information. Meanwhile, a federal appeals court blocked an order requiring Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino to report to court daily, and in Little Village, high school students staged a walk-out to protest ICE actions. In the Loop breaks down those stories and more with NBC 5 Chicago reporter Christian Farr, government finance and accountability reporter with the Illinois Answers Project at the Better Government Association Alex Nitkin and Jackie Serrato, editor of La Voz, the Spanish language news site of the Chicago Sun-Times. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Judge scolds Border Patrol chief, Little Village students stage walk-out over ICE raids, downstate jury finds ex-cop guilty of second degree murder in Sonya Massey shooting.

The government has been shut down for nearly a month, and millions of people are starting to feel the effects on federal programs like SNAP, WIC, Head Start and more. In the Loop talks with Brightpoint CEO Mike Shaver, Rolling Meadows resident and mother Wendy Mamola and Northwestern professor Terri Sabol about how a prolonged shutdown could impact the early childhood education and other services provided by Head Start. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

As federal agents continue to do immigration enforcement across the Chicago area, they frequently deploy chemical munitions like tear gas and smoke bombs on protesters. What's inside these weapons? What are their health effects or environmental impacts? In the Loop hears from Dr. Monica Peek, physician and health disparities researcher and a national board member of Physicians for Human Rights and from Oscar Sanchez, co-executive director, Southeast Environmental Task Force. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Unlike during the government shutdown in 2018-2019, the USDA is not using contingency funds to cover the cost of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. This means that nearly two million people in Illinois will have their benefits paused starting on November 1 if the government does not change course. In the Loop hears from Aubrey Lewandowski, a local SNAP recipient and from Nolan Downey, senior director of policy at the Greater Chicago Food Depository. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

For our series What's That Building, a haunting story from a small Illinois town that's puzzled people for nearly 150 years. Two young girls, one living and one long dead, and a mysterious connection that defied explanation. It's known as the “Watseka Wonder” and it all happened just 80 miles south of Chicago. We'll dig into the eerie events of 1878, when a supposed spirit possession captivated the nation and find out what's become of the two homes where it all took place. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Some alders balk at Mayor Johnson's budget. Meanwhile, Archbishop Cupich and lawmakers push back on immigration arrests as the Supreme Court considers allowing the National Guard in Chicago.