In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons

President Barack Obama hands over the keys to the White House next week to President-elect Donald Trump, who has vowed to repeal many of Obama’s big policy accomplishments, such as the Affordable Care Act. In a wide-ranging interview with Morning Shift host Tony Sarabia, former Obama staffers David Axelrod and Austan Goolsbee talk about Obama’s eight years in the White House and what legacy he might leave behind.

With so many strains of influenza out there, some say the science behind a yearly flu vaccine is a guessing game that may or may not keep you or the people around you from catching the bug. Rahul Subramanian, a graduate student at the University of Chicago, has been leading a study since his undergrad years looking at how a “universal vaccine” might not only keep you healthy but even stop a major pandemic. 

Republican Eric Holcomb took the oath of office Monday as the 51st governor of Indiana. His rise to governor follows an improbable series of events: A year ago, Holcomb was a struggling Senate candidate who had never won an election -- until he defeated Democrat John Gregg for governor in November 2016. WBEZ's Michael Puente joined the Morning Shift to talk about Holcomb's background and priorities for the Hoosier State.

Every year, thousands of people flock to Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show. From gaming to vehicles to gadgets that make your home “smarter”, technology companies from all over the world show off their latest wares.  David Pierce, senior writer for Wired joins us to talk about some of the coolest things he saw at CES, and the tech trends we should be looking out for in 2017.

If you haven’t taken down your Christmas tree yet, now is the time.  Chicago park districts are recycling Christmas trees for free until Jan. 21. The trees will be turned into reusable mulch and recycling trees divert waste from landfills -- something sorely needed in Chicago, whose overall recycling rate has declined for the third year in a row.  Recent reports show that Chicago is only recycling about 9 percent of its waste -- compared to cities like San Francisco, California, which has a recycling rate of around 80 percent, and Austin, Texas, which has a rate of about 42 percent.  City officials are looking to re-educate the public to go more green. So why aren’t Chicagoans recycling? Morning Shift spoke with Chris Sauve, deputy commissioner for the Department of Streets and Sanitation, about the city’s recycling re-education effort.

Ever find yourself wishing you could escape the bitter cold and get from point A to point B via an underground tunnel? Now you can in parts of Chicago’s Loop. Thing is, not many people—both tourists and everyday pedestrians—know such a tunnel system exists. The city and a non-profit are hoping to change that and get more pedestrians to use the Pedway System.  This week some stakeholders are holding public meetings to go over some ideas for upgrading the decades-old system. Morning Shift talks to Chicago Tribune’s architecture critic Blair Kamin and gets his thoughts on the Pedway. 

For more than a decade, doctors told new parents to keep their children away from peanuts and peanut-related food until they were at least three years old. Now, scientists are telling people the exact opposite-that earlier exposure might prevent them from becoming allergic. Dr. Anthony Fauci leads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He joins Morning Shift to explain the theories and studies that ultimately led to a brand-new set of guidelines for parents and pediatricians. We also talk about the recent increase in American children with nut allergies, and how the science around allergies has changed.

Morning Shift talks to WBEZ sports contributor Cheryl Raye-Stout about the season that wasn’t for the Bears and what’s next for the Bulls and Blackhawks. 

Chicago said goodbye to a lot of restaurants in 2016. Yet new places to wine and dine pop up every year, and 2017 is no different. But will they enjoy extended lifespans? Or will they burn out faster than hoped? Morning Shift talks to Catherine De Orio, host of WTTW’s Check Please, and Michael Roper, owner of Chicago restaurant Hopleaf.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is investing $36 million into mentorship over the next three years. Brad Whitlock, a former "Big Brother" and manager at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Chicago, joins Morning Shift to talk about why people should mentor, and what he's learned doesn't work.