In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons

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We’re unpacking the headlines and making the news make sense. Get connected with local experts, your neighbors and the stories shaping Chicago.

  1. The Haunting Tale of the Watseka Homes

    1 HR AGO

    The Haunting Tale of the Watseka Homes

    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.

    33 min
  2. WBEZ's Weekly News Recap: Oct. 24, 2025

    3 DAYS AGO

    WBEZ's Weekly News Recap: Oct. 24, 2025

    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.

    47 min
  3. Little Village And Cicero Rattled By Immigration Raids

    4 DAYS AGO

    Little Village And Cicero Rattled By Immigration Raids

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents arrested at least seven people in the predominantly Latino enclaves of Cicero and Little Village Wednesday, sparking outrage from residents and local leaders who characterized the actions as a “brutal escalation.” Alderman Rodriguez, 22nd Ward, says ICE detained two of his staffers, both of whom are U.S. citizens. In the Loop gets reaction from residents who witnessed the activity unfold as well as from an elected official and a community leader from Little Village. We’ll hear from: Eddie Guillen, community organizer, executive director of Community Innovation Center; Jerry Reyes, lifelong Little Village resident; Marcela Rodriguez, co-executive director with Enlace Chicago; and Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, 25th Ward. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

    38 min
  4. Activists Get Creative In Their Response To ICE Actions In Chicago

    5 DAYS AGO

    Activists Get Creative In Their Response To ICE Actions In Chicago

    As federal immigration agents continue their aggressive actions in Chicago’s immigrant communities, residents are rolling up their sleeves and getting creative in their support for their neighbors. In the Loop checks in with Delilah Martinez, social entrepreneur, founder of the Mural Movement and owner of Valt Gallerie and Iraís Sosa, co-founder Sin Titulo and its project to help deliver groceries to folks who do not feel comfortable leaving their homes due to ICE and Border Patrol presence on the streets. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

    35 min
  5. Pros And Cons Of Chicago’s Proposed Corporate Head Tax

    6 DAYS AGO

    Pros And Cons Of Chicago’s Proposed Corporate Head Tax

    Chicago faces a $1.15 billion deficit. To raise revenue, Mayor Johnson proposed a corporate head tax that would charge companies with 100 or more employees – who spend 50% of their time in Chicago – $21 per employee per month. This would raise an estimated $100 million annually and would be used to fund community safety and violence interruption. But some business leaders say it’s a “job killer.” In the Loop speaks with Ralph Martire, executive director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, Julie Dworkin, co-executive director of the Institute for the Public Good and Sam Toia, president and CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association for different viewpoints on the corporate head tax. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

    33 min
  6. Was The Rev. Jesse Jackson A Man Before His Time?

    20 OCT

    Was The Rev. Jesse Jackson A Man Before His Time?

    “A Dream Deferred: Jesse Jackson and the Fight for Black Political Power” lays out Jackson’s memorable presidential runs of the 1980s, his roots in Chicago and how his push for a “Rainbow Coalition” changed American politics. In the Loop checks in with first-time author and CNN news anchor Abby Phillip to discuss her new book. For a full archive of In The Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

    27 min
  7. WBEZ’s Weekly News Recap: Oct. 17, 2025

    17 OCT

    WBEZ’s Weekly News Recap: Oct. 17, 2025

    Federal agents arrested immigrants across the Chicago area and detained U.S. citizens, including a teen protester and will extend their stay at Great Lakes Naval Base. Lawmakers in Springfield condemned ICE raids and explored state responses to federal agents in Illinois. Mayor Johnson pitches a corporate head tax in his budget address. Reset breaks down these stories and much more with journalists Alex Nitkin with the Illinois Answers Project, City Cast Chicago’s Jacoby Cochran, and Violet Miller with the Chicago Sun-Times. For a full archive of In The Loop interviews, head over to www.wbez.org/intheloop.

    49 min
  8. Meet The Chicago Choirboys Who Nearly Won ‘America’s Got Talent’

    16 OCT

    Meet The Chicago Choirboys Who Nearly Won ‘America’s Got Talent’

    A high school choir from Auburn Gresham made it all the way to the finals in the national competition show ‘America’s Got Talent’ last month. Now they’re back in Chicago and back in class. In the Loop checks in with members Derrick Davis, Bernard Freeman, Kevin Wilson and Tyshawn Brown about their journey to Los Angeles, the “brotherhood” they enjoy in the choir and what comes next for each of them. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

    22 min
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We’re unpacking the headlines and making the news make sense. Get connected with local experts, your neighbors and the stories shaping Chicago.

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