In the Loop (Segments)

The Chicago River Swim returns this weekend, and kicking off the event is the Big Jump on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026.“Jumping into the river is both a celebration of how far we’ve come and a powerful reminder of what’s possible when a city invests in its waterways,” says Doug McConnell, founder of the Chicago River Swim.In the Loop time travels to the first Big Jump in 2017 and hears more about how the river has become safe to be in. GUESTS: Margaret Frisbie, executive director, Friends of the Chicago River

Illinois Institute of Technology debuted its undergraduate program in A.I. in 2019. Now, students at Northwestern and Northeastern will also be able to pursue this course of study. In the Loop learns more about what it means to major in A.I.GUESTS: Samir Khuller, chair of computer science at Northwestern Engineering  Michael Bennett, associate vice chancellor for data science and AI strategy at UIC

Food insecurity is on the rise in the Chicago-area, due to changes in SNAP benefits along with higher grocery prices, gas, and housing costs, according to a new report. We check in with the Greater Chicago Food Depository for more. GUESTS: Jim Conwell, the Food Depository's VP of marketing and communications Natalie Morehead, food pantry volunteer

Want to take a gravel bike ride? Are you game for fall camping? Or maybe you’re up for a cross-country train trip that starts in Chicago and heads west? In the Loop gets tips and tricks for outdoors activities to consider this fall in Chicago and beyond. GUESTS: Erica Zazo, freelance outdoor and travel journalist

On Sept. 15, a new rule from the Department of Homeland Security will go into effect, creating a fixed period of time for all international student and other non-immigrant visas. The previous “duration of status” system left the timeline for student visas open-ended.The agency that runs the Student and Exchange Visitor program within DHS also issued new guidance last month telling American universities they could only offer their foreign students work authorization if an internship or other training is required of all students — international and American — to get the degree.In the Loop discusses these and other changes to the visa process with an immigration law expert.GUESTS: Tejas Shah, immigration lawyer and partner at Barnes & Thornburg

After previously playing coy about whether or not he would run for a second term, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson announced his reelection campaign on Sunday. But in an already-packed field, what can any candidate – even the sitting mayor – do to stand apart from the crowd? We talk to a political expert for some insight. GUEST: Connie Mixon, professor of political science and director of the urban studies program at Elmhurst University

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 state government reporter Simone Alicea, City Cast Chicago executive producerViolet Miller, Chicago Sun-Times general assignment reporter 

Perhaps more than any other city, Chicago is made of brick. Ever since most of the city burned down in 1871, Chicagoans have loved to build with brick — from residential brownstones to the first-ever skyscrapers.But it’s more than just a building block; Chicago's brick also holds a hidden history of the city. In the Loop talks bricks with the founder of walking tour company Brick of Chicago and author of the book Fire and Clay: How Bricks Reveal the Hidden History of Chicago.GUESTS: Will Quam, Brick of Chicago founder

After another summer of record heat and constant extreme weather, it might not feel like Chicago is prepared for the increasing effects of climate change. But according to a report released earlier this year, Chicago is apparently the most climate-resilient big city in the entire world.In the Loop discusses this dichotomy with experts.GUESTS: Karen Weigert, director of Loyola University Chicago’s Baumhart Center for Social Enterprise and ResponsibilityKevin Fitzpatrick, assistant director of engineering at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

Will gas get back to below $4 a gallon in the Chicago area? What prices drop after the midterms, like the president says it will? We check in with an expert. GUEST:  Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy

The 2026 Printers Row Lit Fest is set for Saturday, Sept. 12 and Sunday, Sept. 13, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT.  

According to Doctors Without Borders, more than 2,000 health and humanitarian workers have been killed in Gaza since October 2023. 

What's That Building? The Little Popcorn Store

The show that launched Oprah Winfrey to stardom was born and produced in Chicago, and broadcast to viewers across the country starting on Sept. 8, 1986. She was the first Black woman to host a nationally-syndicated talk show. Winfrey was known for her relatable hosting and interviewing style that opened celebrities and politicians up, and for her commitment to helping millions of viewers to live their best lives. In the Loop sits down with a former employee of the Harpo universe to share memories and reflect on the show’s enduring power. GUESTS: Tyrone Owens, former manager of Harpo Studios parking garageJoel Nickson, chef-owner, Wishbone Restaurant

Reporters from the WBEZ and Chicago Sun-Times newsroom reflect on the anniversary of the launch of Operation Midway Blitz. GUESTS: Mariah Woelfel, WBEZ city government reporter Araceli Gomez Aldana, WBEZ news reporter Candace Dane Chambers, visual journalist, Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago’s Catholic archbishop and nuns oppose a controversial end-of-life law set to go into effect next week. A mass shooting in Washington Park draws President Trump’s criticism over city and state responses to crime. And one year after Chicago’s Operation Midway Blitz, federal immigration agents still face no charges. GUESTS: Monica Eng, Axios Chicago reporter Alden Loury, WBEZ data projects editorParis Schutz, Political and Investigative Reporter, NBC 5

What if you could hop on a train to O’Hare International Airport and it only took 15 minutes to get there? That’s the idea behind the O’Hare Flyer, a fast-rail connecting the Loop to the airport using existing railways from CSX and Union Pacific.Leaders behind the project hope to get started next year.In the Loop hears from the people who want to make the idea a reality. We also check in with a transportation expert about what this could mean for travelers.GUESTS: Mark Walbrun, co-founder and chief development officer, O’Hare FlyerDave Lundy, co-founder and CEO, O’Hare FlyerJoseph Schwieterman, director of the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development,  DePaul University

Buying brand-new electric vehicles isn’t the only way to get more EVs on the road. It turns out that conventional cars and trucks that are already in garages can be converted to run on alternate fuels or power sources. And that’s what Seloc, a Chicago-based company, is trying to do: electrify fleets, improve air quality and provide job training opportunities. In the Loop sits down with the founder to learn his inspiration and how this strategy fits into meeting the city and state’s climate goals. GUESTS: Greg Coles, founder, Seloc Karen Weigert, director of Loyola University Chicago’s Baumhart Center for Social Enterprise and Responsibility 

The Chicago Jazz Festival is back, bringing big sounds and homegrown talent to Millennium Park and the Chicago Cultural Center starting tomorrow.We sit down with a pair of jazz lovers to get into this year’s lineup, the artists to catch and what makes this festival such a special end-of-summer tradition. GUESTS: Isaiah Collier, award-winning saxophonist, composer and activistHeather Ireland Robinson, executive director of the Jazz Institute of Chicago 

When most people think about heat-related illnesses, things like dehydration, fatigue and heat stroke come to mind. But new research points to a growing number of unexpected diagnoses related to extreme heat. In the Loop hears from a medical researcher about these new findings and how it can improve hospitals’ care for patients as extreme heat events become more frequent. GUESTS: Dr. Abel Kho, Professor of Medicine at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine, Director of the Institute for AI in Medicine

We get a climate expert’s take on the extreme summer in Illinois, the sweaty start to fall, and what can be expected this winter. GUESTS: Trent Ford, Illinois state climatologist 

Operation Midway Blitz was announced on Sept. 8, 2025. Heavily-armed, masked agents roved through residential Chicago neighborhoods, detaining and taking people indiscriminately from corners, schools, laundromats and more. The agents often escalated situations by using tear gas on residents who were gathered to document ICE activity. During the operation, Chicagoans showed their support to each other by blowing whistles to alert neighbors when ICE agents were present, sharing and investigating tips about agents’ activity, and documenting detentions while helping family members get information and resources. In the Loop sits down with rapid responders to hear what’s changed since Midway Blitz, and what immigration enforcement looks like now.GUESTS: Cristóbal Cavazos, executive director, Casa DuPage Workers Center Antonio Gutierrez, strategic coordinator, Organized Communities Against Deportations

All summer, artists participating in the Beats on the River program have contemplated how to use sounds of waves, rain and wind collected at the Chicago-Calumet River in their musical tracks. The goal? To tell a story, build a relationship with the natural landscape and inspire environmental action. In the Loop learns more about the vision and hears a bit of the winning track. GUESTS: Somer Van Benton, WBEZ audio news desk reporterCesar Almeida, executive producer, Beats on the Chicago RiverBecky Lyons, director of equity and engagement, Friends of the Chicago River

In the Loop continues our conversations with a number of candidates running to lead the city as its mayor.This week we’re introduced to the first person to announce their candidacy for mayor, Joe Holberg.GUESTS: Joe Holberg, entrepreneur and Chicago mayoral candidate

In the Loop checks in with a Chicago group supporting people in Nepal after the country’s border was struck by massive and devastating floods. GUEST: Bala Ghimire, president, Nepali Cultural Center Chicago 

Chicago home prices rose faster than any other U.S. city in the past year. Immigration agents are involved in a highway crash, while the Mayor issues any executive order targeting city contractors doing business with ICE. GUESTS: Carrie Shepherd, Axios Chicago reporter Alex Nitkin, Illinois Answers Project government finance and accountability reporter Sarah Karp, WBEZ senior education reporter

In the Loop and WBEZ listeners talk to Mayor Johnson about filling the $85M budget gap, the start of the new CPS school year and data centers.GUEST: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson

A near-total lunar eclipse will peak tonight, and it may be a while before we get another chance to see one like it.  In the Loop finds out when, where and how to view the celestial event. Plus, we get the inside scoop on a major NASA launch this weekend. GUEST: Michelle Nichols, director of public observing at the Adler Planetarium

During the game that disqualified the Sky from the playoffs, tension over the potential of a trans athlete playing in the WNBA again bubbled to the surface. Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom, wore a shirt that read “WOMAN noun adult human female,” and was escorted out of Wintrust arena after being confronted by Sky guard, Natasha Cloud. This comes a month after 11 Republican lawmakers sent a letter to WNBA commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, insisting that the league take “accountability” for what they say are multiple racially motivated attacks against Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark. In the Loop discusses the politicization of the WNBA and why it’s become a flashpoint for culture wars. GUESTS: Cheryl Raye-Stout, WBEZ sports contributorQuita Wiggins, host Quita in the Mornings on YouTube

Chicago Public Media’s Arts and Culture Desk launched the Theater Club last spring to provide Chicagoans with a discounted opportunity to meet new people and see new theater. This season’s shows include two world premieres and one Chicago premiere, and afterwards attendees can stick around to hear members of the production teams discuss their work, moderated by WBEZ theater reporter Mike Davis.In the Loop gets a preview of this season’s shows.GUESTS: Mike Davis, WBEZ theater reporterLINEUP: Sept. 12: “The Birth of the Pill” at TimeLine TheatreOct. 18: “A Strange Loop” at Raven TheatreNov. 21: “All the World” at Northlight Theatre

As the election heats up, one of the key issues on the campaign trail is healthcare. The rising cost of healthcare has reignited the Medicare for All debate across the country. Here in Illinois at least 10 Illinois Democratic candidates support, while most Republican candidates oppose the platform. So what is Medicare for all and how could it work?  In the Loop sits down with a leading health policy expert to learn more. GUESTS: Katherine Baicker, Provost of the University of Chicago and Emmett Dedmon Distinguished Service Professor at the Harris School of Public Policy 

Robert Washington-Vaughns started the Black Men Flower Project in 2021 after delivering flowers to his friends as a token of his appreciation for them.Fast forward five years and Black men all across the country are receiving, sometimes their first, bouquet of flowers from other Black men. In the Loop sits down with one of the people behind the project to talk about the expectations of  masculinity and why men should practice self-care and self-love. GUESTS:  John Caleb Pendleton, vice-chair and lead Chicago florist, Black Men Flower Project; founder of Planks and Pistils

What's That Building? The Hilliard Homes

In 2014, President Barack Obama stepped up to the podium in the White House Briefing Room to update the country on the economy, foreign policy and more. But all anyone could seem to talk about was the president’s fashion choice for the day. The president, known for usually wearing a navy or gray suit, made a rare fashion divergence – one that was described as everything from hands “cool” to “unpresidential.” But where is that suit now? We sit down with a reporter on the hunt for the suit.GUESTS: Lynn Sweet, Chicago Sun-Times special correspondentTerrell Frazier, lead interviewer for the Obama Presidential Oral History

Unionized Cook County Forest Preserve workers went on strike and hundreds of union members rallied outside the Shedd Aquarium. The Illinois Tollway Board approved its first toll hike in nearly 15 years and Gov. Pritzker signed a disaster proclamation to help areas hit by this summer’s record-breaking storms.In the Loop breaks down those stories and more.GUESTS: Becky Vevea, Chalkbeat Chicago bureau chiefShia Kapos, Politico reporter and author of Politico’s Illinois Playbook newsletterCheryl Raye-Stout, WBEZ sports contributor

The America 250 celebrations continue! On Saturday, Aug. 22, you can watch a free, multi-genre concert of song and spoken word performed by the Lucy Smith Quintet and NPR journalist Cheryl Corley.It’s called America: Songs and Stories of Protest and Freedom. It explores the history of the U.S. through music, poetry, ballads and more.In the Loop sits down with the producers of the event to learn more.GUESTS: Cheryl Corley, NPR correspondentLucy Smith, Chicago jazz musician

Some immigrants have to wait years to get a court date for their immigration case. This leaves many uncertain of their future in the country. Now, the Trump Administration is calling for so-called “mega master” calendar hearings, where dozens of people are asked to appear in immigration court on short notice. The issue is if people fail to show up to court, it could mean an automatic deportation order.Without ample time to prepare and get legal representation, many are choosing not to attend. The administration says it's a way to reduce the number of cases backlogged. Some advocates call it a tactic to continue mass deportation .In the Loop sits down with an immigration reporter to get the latest and hears from one Illinois lawmaker calling for the end of the “mega master” court hearings.GUESTS: Adriana Cardona-Maguigad, WBEZ Immigration reporterU.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-8)

Chicago’s mayoral election is six months away.In the lead up, In the Loop will sit with candidates to lead the city and invite Chicagoans to call in with their own questions.This week, U.S. Congressman Mike Quigley is in the hot seat. GUESTS: Mike Quigley, U.S. Representative for Illinois’ 5th District

It’s no secret Chicago has a world class skyline. Structures like the former Hancock Center, the Willis Tower and the St. Regis Tower are iconic sights which millions of people enjoy every year. While the incredible skyline is great for us humans to look at, for the millions of birds migrating north and south through Cook County these glass skyscrapers can often be a death sentence.To raise awareness of the prevalence of bird-window collisions in Chicago and share ideas on how designers can help to mitigate them, renowned architect Jeanne Gang partnered with the Chicago Architecture Center to open the Flyway City exhibit in June.In the Loop dives into how to develop buildings safe for both Chicago’s feathered and feather-free residents with Jeanne and the gang.GUESTS: Jeanne Gang, architect and founder of Studio GangEleanor Gorski, president of Chicago Architecture CenterMichael Davidson, president of Openlands

In Illinois, there are two categories of experts that can diagnose autism: psychologists and developmental physicians. But because openings with these experts are few and far between, families can be put on a waitlist that could last anywhere from months to years.That is, until now. Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Illinois Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Practice Act early July and it allows speech-language pathologists trained in autism diagnosis evaluation to diagnose the condition in children under age three enrolled in the state’s Early Intervention program.The legislation was prompted by research out of Northwestern University called the Reduce the Wait study.In the Loop sits down with the lead researcher of the study and hears from two mothers of children with autism about navigating the process of getting a diagnosis and getting the support they need.GUESTS: Megan Roberts, professor, Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Northwestern UniversityKiana Spears, parent of a child who was diagnosed as part of the Reduce the Wait studyDebra Vines, CEO and founder, The Answer Inc.

Improv, short for improvisational theater, is often known for its comedic elements. But there’s another kind of improv that doesn’t have making people laugh as the  main goal. Dramatic improv explores the full spectrum of emotions, from the funny to the sad, to the furious! In the Loop learns more about dramatic improv, and what it can teach us about being human. GUESTS: Tony Rielage, Artistic Director and Head Instructor, Theatre MomentumStephanie Kilper, Therapist and Ensemble Member of Theatre Momentum

A growing number of politicians, and candidates, on both sides of the political aisle, are calling for restrictions and moratoriums on new data center construction until there are national guidelines. Including a new executive order in Chicago. In the Loop looks back at how data centers have become such a hot button issue in this election cycle.GUESTS: Michael Bennett, associate vice chancellor for data science and AI strategy at University of Illinois ChicagoJen Walling, executive director for the Illinois Environmental Council 

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson seeks stricter regulations for data centers, Governor J. B. Pritzker signs a law allowing rideshare drivers to unionize, while the discovery of dozens of decomposing bodies at a South Side funeral home raises calls for more government oversight. In the Loop breaks down those stories and more.GUESTS: Nick Blumberg, WTTW News correspondentMaxwell Evans, Block Club Chicago reporter  Dan Mihalopoulos, WBEZ investigative reporter  

In the Loop gets a preview into a couple upcoming Chicago SummerDance events at Grant Park.GUESTS: Andres Meneses, the founder and CEO of Latin Street DancingPranita Nayar, founding artistic director of Mandala South Asian Performing Arts

For many years, the South Side of Chicago didn’t have an operating trauma care center. This left many severely wounded people spending crucial minutes driving to the West or North sides to find the closest trauma center at a moment when every second counts.It wasn’t until 2018 when the University of Chicago reopened its adult trauma care center that had been closed decades earlier.  One of the doctors behind this vital community resource is Dr. Selwyn Rogers. Because of his work, countless lives were saved. Now, Dr. Rogers is out with a new book that chronicles his experiences in the trauma bay and provides critical analysis of America’s gun violence epidemic.In the Loop sits down with him to talk more about the lasting and rippling impacts of gun violence and what to do to make meaningful change.GUESTS: Dr. Selwyn Rogers, founding director, University of Chicago Medicine Trauma Center; author, Healing the Gun Violence Epidemic: Ending Violence, Rebuilding Communities,and a Trauma Surgeon's Vision for Restoring Hope

Chicago nonprofit SkyART receives $2.5 million dollar state grant to expand art therapy programming

The Red Cross sounds alarm on dwindling U.S. blood supply. Here’s how you can help

Every year toward the end of spring and beginning of summer, small bobolink songbirds travel thousands of miles north from their winter homes in Brazil and Argentina to breed. This year when they passed through Chicago, one conservationist spotted an incredibly rare one in their midst: it sported the classic male black-and-white pattern on one side and the classic female brown plumage on the other. This bobolink was a bilateral gynandromorph, meaning it was split right down the middle between both male and female genetic characteristics.In the Loop hears from the conservationist who first spotted and named this incredibly rare bobolink.GUESTS: Luke Dahlberg, conservation seed program manager at Citizens for ConservationProf. Brian Peer, chair of the biology department at Stephen F. Austin State University

Illinois has joined a growing number of states that regulate the way social media companies can interact with minors. The Children's Online Social Media Safety Act aims to create guardrails for kids while still giving them an option to learn and connect with people through social media. In the Loop chats with experts about what families need to know about these new regulations and the potential privacy concerns of age verification.GUESTS: Devorah Heitner, author of Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World and Growing Up in Public Marshini Chetty, professor of computer science, University of Chicago, leads the Amyoli Internet Research (AIR) LabMawa Iqbal, WBEZ senior statehouse reporter 

As schools gear up to welcome students back to class this month, they’ll also have to come up with an idea of how to use – or protect against – artificial intelligence tools. The Illinois State Board of Education last month released a comprehensive framework on how K-12 school districts should use AI more responsibly, and is leaving it in the districts’ hands to develop more specific policies.  In the Loop discusses how AI affects our learning, and how students, teachers and parents are navigating the rapidly changing landscape of education. GUESTS: Cassie Creswell, CPS parent and Executive Director of Illinois Families for Public SchoolsWilliam Hubbard, Clifton R. Musser Professor of Law and Economics, Chair of UChicago’s Law School’s AI CommitteeMakiya Seminera, Reporter, Chalkbeat ChicagoKatie Page, Instructional Technology Coordinator, District 214