In the Loop

Here’s what Mark Twain once about Chicago: "She is always a novelty, she is never the Chicago you saw when you passed through the last time." But that near constant change has seen the destruction of some pretty remarkable buildings: from theaters and government structures like the old City Hall to historic homes and train depots. For more than a decade the group Preservation Chicago has spotlighted Chicago structures in danger of vanishing from the city’s landscape. This year’s list includes the Thompson Center in the Loop, which Governor Bruce Rauner has pledged to sell, and hopes will be torn down to make way for something bigger and better. We spoke to Ward Miller, executive director of Preservation Chicago about the center and the other buildings on the list.

More than one million people in the United States are estimated to be living with HIV, and each one has their own story. Some of those stories are being shared in a new exhibit called "In Plain Sight," which includes personal items of 14 Chicago-area women living with HIV and AIDS and their oral histories. We spoke to one of these women, Marilyn Richardson adn Jennifer Brier, the UIC professor behind this project about why sharing these stories is important.

During our call-in segment yesterday on the Super Tuesday results, listeners chimed in to tell us why they were supporting nearly every candidate in the race for President.

Always wondered about the band who plays the Morning Shift theme song you hear at the beginning of our show every day? We’ve got El Ten Eleven in to play a few songs.

Voters in more than a dozen states made their selections in the primary election for the 2016 presidential race. Politico’s Natasha Korecki describes how results from Super Tuesday may impact the upcoming Illinois primary, and WBEZ political reporters Tony Arnold and Lauren Chooljian look ahead to the Illinois primaries.

It’s been more than three months since Superintendent Garry McCarthy was forced to resign as head of the Chicago Police Department. WBEZ’s Patrick Smith and Dan Weissman give us an update on CPD’s search for a new top cop.

We hear from you on how last night’s voting could impact our primary here in Illinois. Then, an update on the search for a new Chicago Police Superintendent. Plus: unpacking the past, present, and future of Chicago’s music scene.

Reclaimed Soul host Ayana Contreras digs deep into Chicago’s Soul music history with artists that arguably never got their due. She's part of a Chicago Public Library One Book One Chicago panel unpacking the past, present, and future of Chicago’s music scene.

We discuss how businesses can thrive by hiring people with mental, physical, and psychological disabilities. And we check out the inspiration behind a new mixed-media exhibition called “Operation Mom’s Couch,” now featured at the National Veterans Art Museum on Chicago’s Northwest Side. Plus, we chat with filmmaker Steven Cone about his new film 'Henry Gamble's Birthday Party'. He weaves a story that touches on faith, doubt, sexuality, identity, depression and the internal and external conflicts you face when being honest is the hardest thing to do.

Hiring employees with intellectual disabilities like Down Syndrome can improve a company’s productivity. It may sound counter-intuitive, but it’s something Debra Ruh says has been proven time and time again at big, successful companies like Canon, Walgreens, and Fedex. Debra Ruh joins us to discuss how businesses can thrive by hiring people with mental, physical, and psychological disabilities.