In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons

Alderman Brendan Reilly wants to turn down the volume in the 42nd ward. On January 25, Reilly introduced an ordinance that would limit where street musicians can perform in his ward, including many downtown hotspots like Michigan Avenue and other stretches in the Loop and Streeterville. Mary Wisniewski of the Chicago Tribune spoke with some street musicians that might migrate to the subway if the ordinance gets approved. Wisniewski explains the details of the ordinance and its possible consequences to Morning Shift’s Tony Sarabia.

Starting in 2015, Chicago Public Schools made changes to the way that it grades schools, giving more weight to progress and less weight to achievement. These days, nearly two-thirds of schools receive the equivalent of an A or a B grade. The district says that reflecting progress is fair. But critics argue that CPS has shifted the goal posts to give the impression that schools have been performing much better over time, which hasn’t always been the case.  Morning Shift talks to WBEZ education reporter Sarah Karp about her investigation into how CPS schools are graded. Her web article is called 'New Yardstick Driving Better Grades For CPS School, Not Better Grades.'

Emmett Till was a 14-year-old black Chicagoan who was beaten and killed for allegedly whistling at a white woman while visiting relatives in Mississippi in 1955.The story of Till’s murder is getting increased attention because of a confession from Till’s accuser, Carolyn Bryant, that she falsely testified Till made verbal and physical threats. Timothy Tyson, author of the new book The Blood Of Emmett Till, where Bryant’s confession first appears, said it’s not just the confession that should be news. Tyson explains how the Till murder and trial shaped racial history in a time of tumult.

Illinois’ budget stalemate has public universities worried about their future. One school hit particularly hard is Chicago State University. Enrollment is way down and staff have lost their jobs. But an investigation from the Chicago Tribune shows the school still pursued ambitions of growth, working toward opening a second campus on the city’s West Side. And taxpayers footed the bill for some of that planning. Morning Shift talks to the Tribune's Higher Education reporter Dawn Rhodes, co-writer of the story.

After President Donald Trump issues his executive order temporarily barring immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries, the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups filed lawsuits across the country to block the order. Many of them were successful. So, after all of this legal action and rulings by state and federal judges, where does the travel ban stand now?  Morning Shift talks to Mark Joseph Stern, a writer for Slate covering law and LGBT issues, about what effect the barrage of lawsuits has had on the Trump administration’s policy. 

How does the president's immigration order trickle down to hospitals and patients? Dr. Darrel G. Kirch, President & CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges and Dr. Zaher Sahloul, Senior advisor and former president of the Syrian American Medical Society join our discussion.

Photographing Barack Obama was not Pete Souza’s first job. He worked at the White House during the Reagan administration. After the attacks of September 11, he photographed the American invasion of Kabul in Afghanistan. But Souza will be most remembered for the “close to two million” photographs he took of President Barack Obama in his eight years as official White House photographer. Souza spoke with WBEZ’s Jenn White about the experience.

Will Davis has been the artistic director at American Theater Company for going on a year. In his role, he’s trying to reshape the North Center playhouse into one that puts on theatrical shows full of very physical storytelling. That’s a change for ATC. In the past, it was known for issue-based plays with a lot of talking heads. Davis is transgender and says that his gender identity and its fluidity play a major role in how he directs shows like the current production on stage at ATC called Men In Boats. Morning Shift talks to Will Davis about his career, the current season at ATC and where he wants to take the theater company in the future. 

For the 3rd time in a month, more than a dozen Jewish community centers across the country were the subject of bomb threats. Tuesday marked the first time JCC’s in the Chicago area were affected. 

In the latest installment in our series What’s That Building? Dennis Rodkin of Crain’s Chicago Business tells the story of the Morton Salt building at 110 N. Wacker Drive. Today, the five-story structure is overshadowed by its much taller companions, including several skyscrapers that have gone up in recent years. But in 1958, the structure was the height of architectural design.