Photographer Mike MacDonald’s work has been published in books and major magazines. But his obsession is with the natural beauty found in the prairies, woods, and other wild places around Chicago.  We talk to MacDonald about his new book, how he captures his incredible images, and his top picks for viewing the sweeping vistas and amazing details around the area that he believes can change your life.

You probably know him better as Councilman Jamm from NBC’s Parks and Recreation, but now actor and comedian Jon Glaser is tapping into one of his real passions: gear.  His new pseudo-reality show Jon Glaser Loves Gear airs this month on truTV where he’ll get into the best and worst gear he finds.  The Morning Shift talks to Glaser about the show, his off-center brand of comedy and what makes this comedian laugh. 

A year after journalist Jamie Kalven brought to light the details of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald’s killing, he is now pulling back the curtain on how whistleblowers in the Chicago Police Department face backlash.  A four-part series in The Intercept points to the department’s alleged “code of silence” for the reason that internal corruption in the department goes unchecked.  We talk to Kalven about what he learned while immersed in the lives of two cops who tried to put an end to a corruption ring of drugs, money and killing, all perpetrated by one of their own. 

Chris Robinson burst onto the music scene in the early 1990s when The Black Crowes won over audiences with a style that blended rock and rhythm-and-blues. In 2010, Robinson created a side project, the Chris Robinson Brotherhood. That band has now become a full-time project, and the group’s new album draws on 1960s psychedelia, soul and gospel sounds while keeping a 1970s California pop sound.  Chris Robinson and guitarist Neal Casal drop by to chat and play for us. Hear more: Catch the band Friday, Oct. 14 at Thalia Hall.

For a long time, the only people writer Belle Boggs spoke to about her own struggle with infertility were in a support group, but when she started writing about the topic, she found that many of her friends and family had also dealt with the issue.  In her book The Art of Waiting: On Fertility, Medicine, and Motherhood, Boggs explores the culture of silence that surrounds fertility in American culture. 

What does it mean to you to be an American? That’s the question Morning Shift is asking as part of A Nation Engaged, a collaboration with NPR and other public radio stations across the country.  Morning Shift talks to Alexandra Filindra, assistant professor of political science at the University of Illinois at Chicago, about that key question, American values and how the idea of American citizenship has changed — and stayed the same — over the years. We also take calls from listeners. 

In June, GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump questioned a U.S. District Court judge’s ability to treat him fairly in a case “...because he’s Mexican”. Judge Gonzalo Curiel was actually born and raised in East Chicago, Indiana. So how long does someone have to live here to be considered “an American”? Will some always be treated as outsiders? The Morning Shift listens to your stories.

In the latest installment of Working Shift, we talk to Paul Becker, a Chicago-based violin maker who started crafting string instruments at age 14. He now manages the family business, Carl Becker & Son, which goes back four generations. Morning Shift talked with Paul Becker about the art of violin making, and why his work will live long after he's gone.

This week’s story from WBEZ’s Curious City answer this question from a listener: “What happened to Little Italy? I’ve heard stories of Richard J. Daley having a dispute with my Italian ancestors and (bada bing!), there were suddenly hospitals, public housing, and a college dropped on their heads.”  Morning Shift talks to WBEZ reporter Monica Eng who investigated this question. She found that rumors that Daley specifically targeted Italian Americans for failing to support him are largely unfounded, but that it’s true that his ultimate decision to put the University of Illinois at Chicago atop Little Italy, displacing thousands, changed the character of the neighborhood forever. 

Chicago Cubs fans have reason to celebrate as the Chicago Cubs clinched the National League Division series with a 6-5 win against the San Francisco Giants in Game 4 Tuesday night. The Cubs will go on to face either the Washington Nationals or the Brooklyn Dodgers at Wrigley Field this weekend. We talk to WBEZ sports contributor Cheryl Raye-Stout about what this win means for the Cubs.