In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons

Former Chicago mayoral candidate Paul Vallas is fined for violating campaign finance rules. Mayor Johnson announces plans to meet with Pope Leo XIV in Rome. Lawyers for residents of the South Shore apartment building raided during Operation Midway Blitz seek millions in damages from the federal government. In the Loop breaks down those stories and more with WBEZ education reporter Sarah Karp,...

Illinois needs over 100,000 units to fill a severe housing shortage. Gov. Pritzker has a new plan to address this problem, the Building Up Illinois Developments, or BUILD. Housing advocates say the BUILD plan will help with housing affordability, particularly in neighborhoods with high demand. But some are concerned that this plan will take power from local municipalities and open the door for...

The arrival of piping plovers Monty and Rose to Chicago’s Montrose Beach in 2019 captivated the city’s residents. Chicago’s love affair with the endangered birds grew into an entire fandom which included merch, a film and an army of volunteers dedicated to protecting the piping plovers. Seven years on, while the original love birds are no longer with us, Chicago's population of plovers has...

Sweeping changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program made by the federal government last year are now going into effect. In the Loop gets updates and hears how changes to SNAP benefits are impacting local grocery stores and Chicago-area families. Guest host Mariah Woelfel, WBEZ city government reporter, checks in with Nolan Downey of the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Melody...

Months after the end of Operation Midway Blitz, immigration enforcement and detention is still underway in the Chicago area. But as federal agents have pivoted to a quieter approach, so too have rapid responders — advocates who work to provide fast on-the-ground help to people vulnerable to immigration raids and arrests. In the Loop checks in with Cristóbal Cavazos of the Casa DuPage Workers...

Ready for a week’s worth of news in under an hour? Illinois State Police open an investigation into the ICE shooting of Silverio Villegas González. Mayor Johnson goes on the offense against the Bears in Springfield. Tickets for the opening of the Obama Center go on sale. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In the Loop breaks down those stories and more in the Weekly News Recap. Our panel...

In November 2025, U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis ordered footage from Border Patrol agents' body cameras be released. Filmmaker Bill Morrison took that footage and interwove it with cellphone video from residents to show how quickly the scene in Chicago became chaotic and violent. In the Loop sits down with director Bill Morrison and producer Maria Inés Zamudio to learn more about the story this...

New pay-to-park barriers are popping up at some of Chicago beaches, including at the historic Rainbow Beach. The Park District says the new barriers will generate millions in revenue. Community members say the new barriers are aggressive and unwelcoming. Today on In the Loop, we hear from Brian Gladstein of Friends of the Parks, Sherry Williams of the Burnham Park Advisory Council and Ald. Lamont...

Social isolation can increase seniors' risk of developing dementia, stroke and heart disease. But Chicago advocates say the services, classes and resources that senior centers offer can act as preventative care. In the Loop check in with Yolanda Curry and Alicia Henry of the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services and senior Jeannine Sharpe. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews,...

In his majority opinion, Justice Samuel Alito argued that Louisiana illegally used race to create a second Black-majority district. In her dissent, Justice Elena Kagan wrote “the court’s decision will set back the foundational right Congress granted of racial equality in electoral opportunity.” Illinois Governor JB Pritzker called the decision “voter suppression that will silence Black and brown...