Morning Shift Podcast
1) WBEZ’s Weekly News Recap: Jan. 9, 2026
Ticket prices reach a record high for the Bears and Packers wild-card game, the city of Chicago adds a new surcharge for ride shares, and U.S. Congressman Mike Quigley announces plans to run for Chica...Show More
2) WBEZ Sing-A-Long And Pop Quiz
How many of this week’s top local headlines do you remember? We put our live studio audience in the hot seat for the high-stakes prize of some WBEZ swag. Plus: We’re dusting off our vocal pipes and le...Show More
3) Immigrants Scramble After Trump Ends Family Reunification Program
Effective January 14, immigrants from seven Latin American and Caribbean countries who entered the U.S. with Family Reunification Parole after 2023 will have their legal status revoked and will have t...Show More
4) New Year, New Flu: The New ‘Super K’ Variant And Symptoms To Watch Out For
It’s that time of year again: coughs, sniffles and a whole lot of people feeling achy and run down. Chicago is among several US cities experiencing a surge in influenza cases, and a new strain of infl...Show More
5) What The U.S.’s Actions In Venezuela Mean For The Chicago Area
After seizing the Venezuelan president and his wife, President Donald Trump says the United States plans to "run" the country for an unspecified amount of time, zeroing in on advancing American oil in...Show More
6) Affordability Crisis Leaves Chicagoans To Fill Gaps
According to GoFundMe’s end-of-year report, campaigns to fund basic necessities like housing, utilities and groceries are on the rise after quadrupling in 2024. In the Loop gets insight on how we got ...Show More
7) The Best Local Eats For The Adventurous Palate
Are you an adventurous eater? Or are you married to your classic “go-tos?” How about some recs for the best places to get a bite with a twist? A trio of journalists behind a new guide from WBEZ and th...Show More
8) WBEZ’s Weekly News Recap: Dec. 19, 2025
As their winning season heats up, the Chicago Bears make another play for an Indiana stadium. Lakeview neighbors replace presents for needy families collected by a local bar that was burglarized. Loca...Show More
9) Ask Chicago’s Mayor: December 2025
In the Loop checks in with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson for our monthly “Ask the Mayor” series and takes listener questions on the city budget, its looming deadline and more. For a full archive o...Show More
10) What Expiration Of Federal Solar Tax Credits Means For Illinois
Despite the federal government cutting tax credits for clean energy, Illinois continues to invest in grants for residents, municipalities and organizations to make the switch to solar energy. In the L...Show More