The West Woodlawn home of Emmett Till and his family is in the process of becoming a museum and memorial. In the Loop checks in with architecture sleuth Dennis Rodkin, cousin of Emmett Till and former resident of the Emmett Till House Ollie Gordon and Willie Douglas, organizer with Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 21, which is helping rehab the home.
For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.
Illinois is one of several states that have created guidance for vaccines that diverges from federal recommendations. As we enter respiratory illness season, what does that mean for medical treatment? In the Loop talks to Chief Operating Officer for Cook County Department of Public Health Dr. Kiran Joshi, Division Head of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Lurie Children’s Hospital Dr. Ravi Jhaveri and Founding Board President of the Black Leadership Advocacy Coalition of Healthcare Equality Creopla Hampton.
For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.
A surprising trend in the job market is worrying economists. College-educated people are making up a larger subset of people who are unemployed for six months or longer. Automation, shrinking industries and federal cuts play a role. In the Loop digs into the issue with New York Times reporter Noam Scheiber and DePaul University professor of economics Brian Thompson.
For a full archive of In The Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.
Federal tax credits for electric vehicles are ending at the end of September, but rebates in Illinois remain. These rebates have been a key tool for the state to achieve its goal of having 1 million electric vehicles on Illinois roads by 2030, though there is a very long way to go on that front. In The Loop discusses what prospective buyers need to know and what this federal change could mean for Illinois’ transition to electric with Mark Cassidy, operations management, EV Energy Group and Karen Weigert, director of Loyola University Chicago’s Baumhart Center for Social Enterprise and Responsibility.
For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.
Federal agents step up immigration raids. The Cubs make it to the playoffs. Former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar dies at 79. Kim Bellware of the Washington Post, WBEZ’s Sarah Karp and Mitchell Armentrout of the Chicago Sun-Times break it down for us.
For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.
While many efforts continue to educate immigrants and citizens alike on “Know Your Rights,” many people have already been detained by ICE. So, what are people doing right now to support them and their families?
In the Loop sits down with local organizations who are supporting those who have been detained, hears what it was like in detention and what’s next as the city continues to see increased activity by ICE.
We check in with Kabataan Alliance Midwest and Tanggol Migrante Chicago member Louise Macaraniag, Organizing Communities Against Deportation leadership and growth organizer Evelyn Vargas and Midwest Immigration Bond Fund co-vice president and immigration lawyer Lee Vanderlinden.
For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.
Malls hold a special spot in the hearts of many Americans of a certain age. One may have been the setting for your first date, the place you caught a now-classic summer blockbuster, or even a daycare of sorts after mom dropped you off with a few friends (and maybe a few bucks).
In our last episode, we looked back at the history of Chicago’s Ford City Mall and the heyday of mall culture in America: the 1980s and 1990s.
In this episode, we look at how malls are doing today with Stephanie Cegielski, vice president of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). She says reports of the death of the mall are overblown, that malls are adapting to a new era by offering experiences, and that Gen Z is playing a large role in malls’ resilience. Cegielski cites an ICSC survey of over 1,000 people aged 16-26 that found 60% of respondents say they visit malls just to socialize or meet friends, even if they don’t need to purchase something specific.
“We just asked them blankly, ‘Do you still go to the mall?’” Cegielski said. “And the short answer was yes.”
We’re six months out from the statewide Illinois primary, and the main showdown is shaping up to be the Democratic race for Dick Durbin's Senate seat.
Political analysts suggest this rare open-seat race will favor Democrats, though that’s not assured. So far, nine Democrats have entered the race, with three notable candidates – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Congresswoman Robin Kelly and current Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton – rising to the top.
On this episode of In The Loop, host Sasha-Ann Simons and our panel of Illinois politicos size up the candidates and break down the race to replace outgoing Senator Dick Durbin in D.C.
For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.
Vacant shops and faded signs, Ford City Mall is in the process of being sold. But this shell of a shopping center was once a bustling hub, especially for young people.
