In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons

In the Loop checks in with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson for our monthly “Ask the Mayor” series and takes listener questions on the city budget, its looming deadline and more. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Despite the federal government cutting tax credits for clean energy, Illinois continues to invest in grants for residents, municipalities and organizations to make the switch to solar energy. In the Loop hears from Senyo Ador, co-founder of the local green energy company Sesenergi Eco Solutions Enterprise and our sustainability contributor Karen Weigert. For a full archive of In the Loop...

Chicago’s museums and cultural institutions are as much a part of the fabric of the city as Wrigley Field or the lakefront. And they’ve been around a long time. Some are more than a century old. So why are museum workers organizing now, seemingly en masse? And what could it mean for the visitor experience? In the Loop talks with Chicago Sun-Times arts and culture reporter Erica Thompson, Anders...

Today, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and the City Council kicked off a series of high-profile budget meetings, and the clock is ticking for them to pass the 2026 budget. The major sticking point continues to be whether the corporate head tax as a revenue stream should be included in the proposal. A new WBEZ data analysis digs into the claim that it’s a job killer, showing little connection...

Chicago’s budget showdown continues, Indiana’s legislature bucks Trump redistricting trend, and ICE agents were out in force in west suburban Elgin. In the Loop breaks down those stories and more in the Weekly News Recap. Our panel today: Tom Schuba, Chicago Sun-Times watchdog reporter; Monica Eng, Axios reporter; David Greising, Better Government Association president. For a full archive of In...

Subsidies for the ACA are set to expire at the end of the year. Today, Congress is voting on a Democratic bill that would extend subsidies for three years and a Republican bill that would give those eligible up to $1,500 in health savings accounts. If a decision isn’t made, monthly premiums for many people could double next year. In the Loop hears from Volumes Bookcafe owner Rebecca George and...

A CDC panel recently reversed a decades-old recommendation that all babies in the U.S. receive the hepatitis B vaccine at birth. Medical groups, including the Chicago-based American Medical Association, have denounced the new recommendations, calling them “reckless.” In the Loop talks about what this means for Illinois kids and families with Dr. Steven Flamm, hepatologist and professor of...

Some Chicago alders balked at Mayor Brandon Johnson’s inclusion of a corporate head tax in his 2026 budget proposal. In response, a group of moderate and conservative city councilors put forth a list of alternative proposals that does not include the tax on businesses; instead they rely on raising taxes on garbage collection and liquor sales, as well as budget cuts, which the mayor rejected in...

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has rejected an alternative budget proposal from a slim majority of alderpersons, calling it “an incomplete assignment.” In the Loop learns more about what those councilmembers are proposing from Ald. Gilbert Villegas, 36th Ward, and Ald. Timmy Knudsen, 43rd Ward, and why they won’t get behind Johnson’s $21 per employee corporate head tax. For a full archive of In...

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson battles alders over a competing budget proposal. Northwestern agrees to pay $75 million in a deal with the federal government. A new independent candidate enters the race for retiring Congressman Chuy Garcia’s seat. Gov. Pritzker signs legislation allowing Illinois to set its own vaccination guidelines. In the Loop breaks down those stories and more with Axios...