In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons

Senator Tim Kaine and Governor Mike Pence take the stage Tuesday night to sell their candidates, and themselves, during the only Vice Presidential debate. WBEZ and Chicago History Museum will host a watch party for the debate, including a conversation with Joel Goldstein, author of The White House Vice Presidency: The Path to Significance, Mondale to Biden. For last week’s first presidential debate watch event, our panel tackled debate strategy, debate prep, and the role of the moderator. We hear excerpts from that conversation to gear up for the VP debate. Kitty Kurth is a long-time Democratic strategist, Chip Englander has been doing that work for Republicans and Jason DeSanto teaches at Northwestern University’s Pritzker School of Law. Journalist Laura Washington served as moderator. This is an excerpt of that event.

There are a number of ways to vote in the November elections. You can do it early. You can do it by mail. You can get help if you need assistance getting to the polls. But each way of voting has its own rules, regulations, and deadlines.  WBEZ State Politics Reporter Tony Arnold navigates you through the voting world in and around Chicago. Plus, we touch on some of the local issues at play in this election cycle, like term limits.

A leading voice in the Black Lives Matter movement, DeRay McKesson will now be teaching a seven-week Black Lives Matter seminar at the University of Chicago, where he is a fellow at the university’s Institute of Politics.  DeRay McKesson joins us to talk about digital organizing and what he thinks can be the solutions to police violence against African Americans. 

The last time we spoke to Wendy Mateo and Lorena Diaz on Morning Shift, they were kicking off their acting careers after gaining popularity with their Youtube skits.  Now, the Chicago comedy duo known as Dominizuelan have a new play showing at the Steppenwolf Theater called Tumbao.  Morning Shift talks with Lorena and Wendy about how the play tackles gentrification, cultural identity and everyday conversations in Latino families…all while making you laugh.

In surprise move, the Chicago Tribune endorsed Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson Friday morning, calling him a “principled” option. Listen to Morning Shift's conversation with John McCormick, Chicago Tribune Editorial Page Editor about the newspaper’s announcement.

That chill is in the air which can only mean one thing: fall is back in Chicago. For some, cold weather may mean the end of planting season. But there are ways to keep your green thumb strong through the dropping temperatures. And what about protecting all that hard work in your summer garden?  Morning Shift talks with Chicago Botanic Garden’s Eliza Fournier about the tips and tricks to planting in the fall. 

During Monday night’s presidential debate, Republican Donald Trump talked about the number of shootings and murders in Chicago, portraying our city as a blighted and dangerous.  We speak with WBEZ South Side reporter Natalie Moore about the coded language that’s sometimes used to refer to neighborhoods on her beat, including words and phrases like "poverty-stricken", "impoverished", and "low-income".

Reverend Dr. Otis Moss III took over as the senior pastor at Trinity United Church of Christ in 2008. The church has more than 8,000 members, 50 active ministries, and a dedication to social justice and environmental sustainability.  Morning Shift talks to Moss about how he addresses current events like police shootings in his sermons, why he’s putting a green roof on his church and how the blues, jazz and soul inform the way he leads his flock.

For years Saint Boniface Church in West Town has nearly faced the wrecking ball, with preservationists fighting to save it as a local historical icon. Though Saint Boniface was once a sight to behold at its home on Chestnut Street, the more-than-a-century-old church has fallen into disrepair since closing in 1990. The derelict yet somehow beautiful Romanesque church was recently saved once again by a developer hoping to repurpose the building for the community. In the latest “What’s That Building,” The Morning Shift talks to Ward Miller of Preservation Chicago about the story behind Saint Boniface Church and its place in Chicago’s history.

When Rabbi Rachel Weiss was a young girl, she went to Hebrew school and was Bat Mitzvah’d at Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation in Evanston. After college she ran the Nuestro Center in Highwood, working with new immigrants from Latin America. Most recently she was an associate rabbi at New York City’s largest congregation for the Jewish LGBTQS community.  Weiss’ life has come full circle as she’s recently been given the top rabbinical post at JRC. Morning Shift talks with Weiss about her personal journey and her preparations for the upcoming Jewish High Holy Days.