Aquinas Literacy Center is a McKinley Park organization that provides free one-on-one English tutoring to adults, many of whom are immigrants.
In the Loop talks about the importance of this work during a time of frequent ICE raids with Aquinas Literacy Center executive director Alison Altmeyer and tutors Peter Harley and Tom Dankers.
For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.
You know the building: Two stories, an apartment unit on each floor, usually with bay windows and a facade of brick or greystone.
But how did the two-flat become so popular, and who was it originally built to serve?
In our last episode, we looked at the types of places Chicago’s single women lived in at the turn of the 20th century.
In today’s episode, we explore the Bohemian origins of the humble Chicago two-flat. As it turns out, the advent of the two-flat mirrors the development of the city’s middle class.
“Our design No. 144 is a two-family flat designed for a money making proposition,” begins a 1915 ad enticing homebuyers to build a two-flat. “Anyone wanting a comfortable home and at the same time a good income on the investment will do well to consider this proposition.”
Plus, we answer another housing-related listener question: why are Chicago fire escapes distinctively wooden (read: flammable) and are they actually effective during fires?
This episode was reported by Chris Bentley and was originally published in 2014.
As e-bikes and e-scooters grow in popularity as an accessible and affordable transit option, many cities and suburbs are creating rules for how, when and where they can be used, leading to a patchwork of regulations. However, some people are now looking to Springfield to set a statewide standard.
In the Loop explores what’s needed with a panel of stakeholders: Nik Hunder, policy analyst and researcher, Chicago, Bike Grid Now!; Micheál Podgers, urban planner; policy director at Better Streets Chicago; IL State Sen. Mike Simmons (D-Chicago)
For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.
At the turn of the century in Chicago, single women without a husband or family were considered to be "adrift," but they weren’t drifting at all. They were making choices that took them to different addresses.
More than half of American adults say they aren’t getting enough sleep. Beyond being tired and irritable, persistent sleep deprivation has been linked to many physical and psychological issues, from weight gain and heart disease to depression and dementia. On this episode of In the Loop we speak to Dr. Sabra Abbott, a sleep specialist at Northwestern Medicine about improving sleep hygiene.
For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.
As we head into fall premiere season, here’s a reminder: The Bear, The Chi, Chicago Fire, Med, P.D., and more are shot in Chicago. In the Loop learns about what goes into bringing some of our favorite shows to the screen with cinematographer Joe Jody Williams and set decorator Eric Frankel.
For a full archive of In The Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.
Chicago schools lose millions in federal grants. Protests gain steam outside the ICE detention facility in suburban Broadview. Chicago’s City Council reaches a compromise on allowing so-called “granny flats.” In the Loop breaks down those stories and more in the Weekly News Recap with WTTW Chicago politics reporter Heather Cherone, Axios Chicago reporter
Carrie Shepherd and Chicago Sun-Times reporter Tom Schuba.
For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.
It’s a Thursday night and a group of folks in Washington Heights do-si-do to the bassline from “Shake Your Groove Thing” by Peaches & Herb. Square dancing has a reputation as more of a hobby for white people set to country music. But social clubs like the Southside Squares are turning that image on its head.
Last episode, we heard how square dancing was once a booming hobby. Today, we hear from one social club that’s working to keep it alive in the 21st century.
But square dancing’s African and African-American roots often get lost in popular accounts. Some of the first callers and musicians were enslaved Black people.
Since then, square dancing has continued to be a part of African-American communities, including a long-running social club that meets up in Washington Heights every week to get down. Today, we hear from members of the Southside Squares.
And you can’t have a dance without a caller. We also talk with a living legend in square dancing: world renowned caller Sandie Bryant. She’ll show us the ropes and tell us what it’s like being one of the few Black women callers today.
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.
