Looped In: Chicago

On this week's episode, host and producer Jim Hanke previews this weekend's Chicago Auto Show with car enthusiast and WBBM editor Geoff Buchholz and CBS Radio's Jennifer Keiper. 

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This is an encore presentation of a previous episode from 7/24/23.

With “The Bear” creating hype and conversation around Michelin Stars and the food world, we dig in to discover the process behind how a restaurant receives one. We speak with Master Chef Graham Elliot about his experience as a chef and restaurant owner. As well as food journalists Samantha Nelson and Mike Gebert about their opinions on the dining scene in Chicago.

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Graham Elliot: site | Instagram

Samantha Nelson: Linkedin

Mike Gebert: Fooditor

Michelin Star Places in Chicago

On top of the return of the fan-fueled Sox Fest in 2025, and the team's new history-making TV announcer John Schriffen this season, the South Side has been buzzing as of late with talk of a new potential home for the White Sox. Located where Roosevelt Road meets the Chicago River, The 78 is an as-yet-undeveloped site of a former rail and lumber yard, and would bring the team closer to downtown if they allowed their lease to run out at Guaranteed Rate Field in 2029. This week, host and producer Jim Hanke hears from WBBM sports reporter Rick Gregg, Chicago Magazine contributor Bob Reed, and Sox journalist Scott Merkin about the steady stream of excitement that's been building this month for the White Sox faithful.

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This year's annual report on Chicago Public Schools from the Office of Inspector General provided several headline-making findings, including financial woes from missing technology and potential embezzlement. This week, CPS IG Will Fletcher joins host Jim Hanke for a one-on-one discussion about the report, and what can be done in the future to combat and prevent similar issues.

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According to the National Health Institute, 1 in 5 people below the age of 65 report rationing insulin due to cost. This year Illinois’s new law, the Generic Drug Pricing Fairness Act, is in effect that restricts manufacturers and wholesale distributors from price gouging essential medicine. 

In this episode, host Arielle Raveney unpacks what this law means, and how it reflects the current state of healthcare for millions of Illinois residents.

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Mentioned in This Episode: Citizen Action 

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Multiple suburbs of Chicago have now begun to pass ordinances responding to large numbers of migrants being bussed in from out-of-state. This week, Looped In: Chicago host and producer Jim Hanke speaks with WBBM reporter Carolina Garibay on what she saw and heard at the city's south loop landing zone. There, recently-arriving migrants were sleeping on buses, but spoke with Carolina about their hope for a brighter future here in the United States. This feed is delivering a truncated version, with the full episode and additional interviews available here.

WBBM sports reporters Rick Gregg and Josh Liss join host Jim Hanke this week to recap the Chicago Bears' below-average 7-10 season, while tackling questions on Justin Fields' future as the team's quarterback, where the new stadium will end up and what glimmers of hope are there for 2024. Plus, you'll hear audio from throughout the 2023 season from coaches, players and staff, direct from Halas Hall.

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As multiple suburbs of Chicago have now begun to pass ordinances responding to large numbers of migrants being bussed in from out-of-state, host and producer Jim Hanke speaks with several guests this week about the latest update on this multi-layered and ongoing issue:

• WBBM's Carolina Garibay reports on what she saw at the city's south loop landing zone, where recently-arriving migrants were sleeping on buses, but spoke with her about their hope for a brighter future here in the United States.
• Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain describes the scene when an unannounced bus from Texas arrived last month in rural Elburn, and how his team has adapted to assist with future drop-offs in the area.
• Immigration advocate Lee Goodman voices his opposition to suburban communities passing migrant buses on to Chicago, arguing that most of these townships have enough available resources to handle the influx on their own.

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Illinois is the first state to tackle the issue on many social media-user's minds: what about the children? Starting in July of this year, kids involved in their family's lucrative vlog content are now required financial compensation for their time on the screen.  

In this episode, host Arielle Raveney unpacks the specifics of this bill and how growing up behind a screen could effect these kids in the long run. 

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Mentioned in the Episode: Quit Clicking Kids | State Senator Koehler | IFC Counseling Chicago

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This is an encore presentation of a previous episode from 7/31/23.

Small, indie hot sauce brands are like the new homemade craft beer brewers of recent years. In the last quarter century, the hot sauce market has almost doubled annually, leading to a value of $3 billion in 2022. So why has this obsession with heat gathered so much steam? This week, host Jim Hanke speaks with hot sauce influencer Brian Ambs about current hot sauce culture, as well as High Desert Sauce Company founder Zac Perkins, whose trajectory took him from living on the streets to the biggest stage in sauce: the viral online series Hot Ones.

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