In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons

Medicare Advantage, a healthcare plan run by private insurance companies, covers more of what traditional Medicare doesn’t cover without having to pay premiums for a supplemental policy or “Medigap” plans.  However, as open enrollment for 2027 begins Oct. 15, many seniors with private Medicare coverage are being confronted with fewer options. In The Loop finds out why this is happening and what th...

In his new book, The American Way of Killing: The Invention of an Epidemic, best-selling author and journalist Malcolm Gladwell explores how current ‘dishonest’ conversations about gun violence prevent us from getting to the root causes. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop . 

Saran and Dafina Dunmore call themselves ‘besters,’ sisters and best friends. They live and work close to each other, and now they’ve taken their relationship to another level: competing in a reality TV show, racing across continents and solving puzzles and obstacles.  In the Loop sits down with the sisters to hear how the experience of participating in a reality TV competition deepened their rela...

In an effort to encourage students to think critically without the use of technology, a group of professors at Loyola University are piloting a writing class for freshmen where students write essays completely tech-free.  In The Loop sits down with professors and a current student in their class to learn more.  GUESTS: Sherrie Weller, professor of English, Loyola University Chicago Brandiann Molby...

“Kowalski” brings together Galecki as the established playwright Tennessee Williams and Chicago’s Jacob Moskovitz as a young Marlon Brando trying to break into acting.  In the Loop talks with Galecki about the role and what took from TV to the stage.  GUESTS : Johnny Galecki, actor  For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop .

With back-to-back losses for the White Sox, all eyes are on Game 5. Trump denies disaster relief to Illinois for the damage caused by summer storms. New lawsuits are filed over ICE agents’ actions during Operation Midway Blitz. Plus, Chicago wins the best big U.S. city title for the 10th year in a row.  In the Loop breaks down these stories and much more with a panel of Chicago journalists.  GUEST...

The Chicago City Council cleared her name in 1997, but the narrative of the O’Leary cow starting the Great Chicago Fire is hard to shake.  “Mrs. O’Leary didn’t start the fire. But someone did” – that’s the takeaway from a new work of historical fiction that explores Mrs. O’Leary’s perspective, and who might be responsible for the blaze.  In the Loop sits down with the author ahead of the 155th ann...

A new bilingual children’s book inspired by the sights and sounds of ICE immigration enforcement in the Chicago area aims to help kids build skills for coping with hard times. Published by Trelis Publishing in Rockford, One Day Came a Rumble uses bright colors and a playful story to teach kids how to manage life's anxieties and uncertainty.   GUESTS: Elizabeth McChesney, author, One Day Came a Rum...

“Something Followed Us Home” explores 17 scary tales from 17 Latin American authors. From the supernatural, real-life massacres to A.I., Pelayo curates an anthology of thought-provoking stories highlighting Latiné horror.  In The Loop sits down with Cynthia Pelayo to learn more about the inspiration behind her latest collection of tales.  GUESTS: Cynthia Pelayo, Chicago horror novelist and poet, e...

City Council approves a new parking meter deal, another candidate drops out of the race for Chicago School Board president, and OpenAI alerts the City of Chicago that its technology targeted an online city database.  In the Loop breaks down those stories and more in the Weekly News Recap. GUESTS: David Greising, Better Government Association president Sarah Karp, WBEZ education reporter For a full...

Today’s episode features conversations grounded in movement. First, we check in with a doctor whose new book explores the impacts of nontraditional medicines – like dance, food and community – on our cognitive health.  Plus, we sit down with Evanston mother Megan Lassman about training to run and push her 21-year-old daughter in a stroller in the Chicago Marathon. GUESTS: Dr. Geeta Maker-Clark, au...

The Obama Presidential Center uses its honeybee hives to educate visitors about ecosystems, sustainability and urban agriculture. The two hives were added to the grounds early this spring. The idea began in 2009, when First Lady Michelle Obama started the White House Kitchen Garden. The Obamas were the first to establish a beehive on the White House grounds.  In the Loop goes onsite with OPC’s res...

The Look Back to Go Forward exhibit at Harold Washington Library displays artifacts collected from 5,000 Chicago youth that were sealed in a time capsule in 2021.  While five years might not seem like a long time, Living Record executive director Stacey Gillett says that opening time capsules on a short-term basis can increase the likelihood that students get to see and reflect on their entries, r...

There’s so much happening right in Chicago sports on all fronts.  For the first time in history, both the White Sox and Cubs secured their seats in the playoffs on the same day. The Bulls are about to begin training camp. The Bears are hobbled but hopeful as they turn to a QB who is the backup to their backup. And that’s not all.   In the Loop gets the inside scoop ahead of the week’s busy sports...

Google gives the public a peek into its plans for the Thompson Center. O’Hare comes in dead last in a nationwide consumer survey on airport satisfaction. Plus, Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey gets a presidential endorsement. In the Loop breaks down those stories and more in the Weekly News Recap. GUESTS: Brandon Pope, Fox 32 political reporter Leigh Giangreco, freelance journalist...

Residents from Bridgeport, Armour Square and Chinatown are coming together to protest the development of a new Amtrak maintenance facility in their area. The proposed White Sox stadium would essentially switch neighborhoods with the current Amtrak facility near Roosevelt Road.  Residents are not the only Chicagoans calling for the development to slow down; City Council members are also pushing for...

ComEd has plans for a new power substation in a pedestrian area of Lincoln Park, citing growing power demand on the North Side. But members of the newly-formed Diversey Community Coalition oppose the one-acre industrial mega-project. They argue the land should be used for housing, which would keep families near local schools and drive foot traffic to local businesses.  In the Loop sits down with a...

From The Oprah Winfrey Show to Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me! , many legendary talk shows that reach the national stage were created in Chicago. So, to mark In the Loop’s one-year anniversary, we sat down with longtime hosts to chat about getting into the industry and what makes Chicago special.  Then, we caught up with local jazz legend Kurt Elling, ahead of his show at the CSO’s Symphony Center stage...

What is the greatest threat to American democracy? In his new book, UChicago professor Robert Pape warns it’s normalized political violence. He says violence isn’t most dangerous when wielded by extremists, but when it’s accepted by everyone else as a “regular” part of politics. In the Loop learns more about the signs for passive acceptance of violent populism. GUESTS: Robert Pape, professor of po...

Google gives the public a peek into its plans for the Thompson Center. O’Hare comes in dead last in a nationwide consumer survey on airport satisfaction. Plus, Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey gets a presidential endorsement. In the Loop breaks down those stories and more in the Weekly News Recap. GUESTS: Brandon Pope, Fox 32 political reporter Leigh Giangreco, freelance journalist...

From the November midterms to Chicago’s municipal election in February, elections are just around the corner. A new book by a local author wants to share that excitement with future voters.  Violet Goes Voting is the latest work by L'Oreal Thompson Payton. Inspired by her experience taking her own daughter to the polls, the new children’s book teaches kids about civic engagement and making their v...

More and more kids are showing up in emergency rooms with suicidal thoughts and self-harm. According to the Centers for Disease Control, suicide is the second-leading cause of death for children and young adults in the U.S., with rates among Black youth rising faster than any other demographic. Yet only about 10% of Illinois hospitals have psychiatric beds for children and teens.  On today’s In th...

This fall students at Northwestern can declare a major in A.I., while UIC offers Artificial Intelligence as a concentration. In the Loop learns more about what it means to pursue this course of study, particularly as A.I. leaders are urging government oversight and caution.   GUESTS: Samir Khuller, chair of computer science at Northwestern Engineering   Michael Bennett, associate vice chancellor f...

Chicago journalists reflect on covering Operation Midway Blitz one year after the aggressive immigration crackdown began. Illinois House Republicans call for ethics reforms after the state’s legislative watchdog resigned. Plus, a proposed plan to move the White Sox into a new South Loop stadium is unveiled. In the Loop breaks down those stories and more. GUESTS: Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune sta...

In the Loop talks with the executive producer and a Chicago physician featured in the new documentary American Doctor , which follows three American physicians working alongside Palestinian healthcare workers in besieged southern Gaza amid war.  GUESTS: Hamza Ali, co-founder of Watermelon Pictures, and executive producer of the American Doctor documentary Dr. Thaer Ahmad, emergency physician on Ch...