Get cozy in this bar. Imagine you’re on a ski trip and the exposure to cold is by choice.

Crime in Chicago unfortunately is always a new worthy topic. In fact, in 2012 the murder rate has climbed from the previous year, after a steady decline in murder victims from 1991. In this issue our reporters explore safety tips, statisitcs, organizations such as Ceasefire, and most memorable Chicago crimes.

The Loopster approach is to look deeply into one news story per week and report beyond the breaking news to provide background, context and interesting facts on a current issue that impacts the Chicago area.

Loopster is reported and produced by Medill Journalism graduate students based in Chicago.