In the Loop

During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump called climate change a hoax, but since being elected, he has changed his tune somewhat. For climate scientists, that’s a good sign. But there are still plenty of red flags they say.  Morning Shift talks to Brenda Ekwurzel, senior climate scientists and head of climate science for the Climate and Energy program at the Union of Concerned Scientists about different executive actions President Trump could take and what impact they would have on climate change and climate science.

Thanksgiving is over and some refrigerators are probably stuffed with leftovers. Turkey sandwiches could be on the menu for the next week, but why not get a little more creative? Morning Shift host Tony Sarabia talks with WBEZ food and health reporter Monica Eng and Louisa Chu, a trained chef who reports on food and dining for the Chicago Tribune, about what to do with your Thanksgiving leftovers. Eng and Chu also host the podcast Chewing.

Morning Shift host Tony Sarabia spoke with listeners earlier this week about their strategies for surviving this post-election Thanksgiving with relatives whose political views may not align with their own. We got some great calls from around the city and suburbs, so we decided to check back in with some of those listeners to see how things unfolded. Among those listeners is Irving Park resident Fred, a conservative-leaning Chicago police officer who has a boatload of liberal family members.

Morning Shift revisits musician Ben Harper's in-studio performance from earlier this year. The three-time Grammy award winner delivered a series of acoustic songs, ranging from searing to tender, and talked about everything from police shootings to working on an album with his mom. 

Americans will meet around the table tomorrow when they gather for Thanksgiving. But this year, the nation is still reeling from an election season that continues to divide many immediate and extended families alike. So how can you navigate a day spent with family members who voted for the other candidate? We ask some experts.

According to AAA, 3.7 million Americans will be flying to their destinations over this Thanksgiving holiday. If you’re one of them, you may in store for some changes, depending on where you’re headed. That’s because in recent years, airports across the country have been squeezing more retail space onto their floor plans. Morning Shift talks to Mark Rosenbaum, professor of retail marketing at Northern Illinois University, about how having more high-end retail and dining is affecting the traveler experience at the nation’s airports.

On the 395th anniversary of the first Thanksgiving, Morning Shift wanted to know: Who were the first Chicagoans? “They were, of course, American Indians.” Ted Karamanski is a professor of American history at Loyola University. He focuses on Native American history, and gives us an overview of Native American struggles during the arrival of Europeans and discusses the awareness being raised today at Standing Rock.

The Kesner Building, as it's officially called, was an incubator of 20th-Century businesses and cultural figures. Among those who started or spent an early stage there are Wrigley gum, Jewel grocery stores, Carl Sandburg and Bob Newhart. Even that partial list is pretty impressive. There are very few buildings in Chicago that can claim links to as many businesses, writers and others. Even Mr T has a tie to the Kesner Building, at 5 N Wabash.

One concept--whether real or perceived--is CPD’s “code of silence” which critics contend allows injustice as officers protect their own. CPD Board President Lori Lightfoot says it isn't that simple.

During the election season, a phrase popped up that you might not have heard previously: “white nationalists.” And as Donald Trump chooses his Cabinet appointees, some--particularly Steve Bannon and Jeff Sessions--are being connected with the white nationalist movement.  But what are white nationalists exactly? And how are they different from white supremacists? Is it part of the alt-right? And why do they feel Trump’s victory gives their movement a jolt and a potential seat at the table? Morning Shift talks to Washington Post political reporter David Weigel to break down what are white nationalists and what they want from a Trump administration.