In the Loop (Segments)

Thanksgiving is nearly here, and as you get ready for the big meal, we’re telling you all about our favorite new food spots to hit up when you’re hungry. Reset digs into local foodies’ new restaurant picks and we share our own. GUESTS: Nick Kindelsperger, food critic for the Chicago Tribune Steve Dolinsky, author and the NBC-5 food reporter

On Wednesday, 12 Senate Republicans joined Democrats to advance the Respect for Marriage Act, in a step toward enshrining same-sex marriage and interracial marriage in federal law. LGBTQ+ advocates have been calling on Congress to codify the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges since this summer’s Dobbs decision reversed the legal precedent for Americans’ right to privacy. Reset u...

Reset took a trip to Omni Ecosystems in Bronzeville. We’ll dig deeper into efforts to cultivate living landscapes in manmade environments like the roofs of buildings across the city, and talk about why reconnecting with nature is so important. GUESTS: Molly Meyer, CEO and founder of Omni Ecosystems Mike Repkin, director of research and development at Omni Ecosystems

If your neighborhood has historic disinvestment and few grocery stores and you don’t have a car, you might have to take two buses to pick up groceries. A new initiative in Bronzeville is hoping to bridge this gap with a ridesharing app that will be powered by electric vehicles, bringing green technology to the neighborhood and addressing entrenched problems. Reset learns about this initiative and...

How do you fight environmental racism? Well, if you are Chicago-based Blacks in Green, you imagine sustainable communities by and for Black people, and then you go out and make them a reality. Reset learns more about the organization’s unique approach to environmental justice and sustainability. GUEST: Naomi Davis, founder and president of Blacks in Green

IIT’s grid is a self-sufficient energy system that can disconnect from the larger power grid in case of emergency, such as severe weather or a cyber attack. Reset explores how the school’s microgrid works and what the environmental and other benefits are for the school and surrounding community. GUESTS: Mohammad Shahidehpour, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Illinois Tech, direc...

Black and Latino residents in Chicago are more likely than their white counterparts to be exposed to industrial pollution. As a result, they have higher rates of asthma and other chronic health conditions. Reset explores why environmental racism exists on the South Side, where the industrial hotspots are today and how local leaders are working toward environmental justice. GUESTS: Karen Weigert, d...

Duckworth plans to push for an assault weapons ban, stronger benefits for U.S. veterans and their families, water protections and more when the next Congress is sworn in in January, and she says there’s a lot of important work to do before that during the lame duck session. Reset talks to the newly-reelected Senator about those priorities and why she believes bipartisanship is still a possibility,...

Eating disorders have spiked in recent years. But for patients with eating disorders who don’t look the way doctors expect, it can be challenging to access treatment. Reset talks with an eating disorder therapist about barriers to treatment and anti-fatness in health care. GUEST: Shira Rosenbluth, eating disorder therapist and licensed clinical social worker

Whole Foods just checked out of Englewood, and it’s just one of the grocery stores that closed recently on the city’s South and West sides. Will millions in city subsidies deliver healthy solutions for food deserts? Reset talks with a lawmaker involved from City Council as well as a leader from Englewood who is looking to expand food access. GUESTS: Alderman Jason Ervin, 28th Ward Asiaha Butler, e...

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As outside temperatures drop, so has new music from this handful of rising Chicago artists. Bundle up to a range of sounds from musicians Human Bloom and Sam Hudgens, DIY R&B songstress ALIAH, and rapper Vicki Street. Plus, singer ASXA returns with powerful vocals. (INSERT PLAYLIST HERE) Reset sits down with Vocalo Radio’s Bekoe to hear his top 5 picks “In Rotation” in November. GUEST: Stephen Bek...

In 2018, the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless proposed an ordinance that would tax home sales over $1 million at a higher rate in an effort to fight homelessness in Chicago. On Monday, Mayor Lightfoot and her allies in City Council blocked a hearing for that ordinance, known as Bring Chicago Home. Reset breaks down what happened and what’s next with a grassroots leader and two alderpeople who sp...

A few inches isn’t usually a worry for Chicagoans, but snow so early in the season took many people by surprise. Reset learns how long the snow might last and what’s ahead for the winter. GUEST: Scott Collis, atmospheric scientist, Argonne National Laboratory

After a delay, Cook County homeowners can now see their property tax bills online, but many might not like what they discover. Reset hears from the public official that assesses property values about why we’re seeing an unexpected increase. GUEST: Fritz Kaegi, Cook County Assessor

The City Colleges of Chicago and the non-profit One Million Degrees announced a new partnership to provide students mentorship, coaching and professional development support. Reset talks to the chancellor of CCC and CEO of One Million Degrees to learn more about the partnership and its potential impact. GUESTS: Aneesh Sohoni, CEO of One Million Degrees Juan Salgado, chancellor of the City Colleges...

Getting laid off can be scary, but there are steps you can take to better protect yourself and to ease the transition to your next job. Reset gets some tips from a journalist who compiled a layoff survival guide. GUEST: Danielle Abril, technology journalist for the Washington Post

Life moves fast, and there’s a lot of stories zipping by all the time. So, what if you had your own personal guide to put the latest Chicago news and culture in context for you? That’s the idea behind The Rundown, a new WBEZ podcast with fun, bite-sized (but nutritious!) episodes to keep you going. Reset checks in with the voice and the brains behind the new project. GUEST: Erin Allen, WBEZ digita...

Twitter has long been a crucial place for socializing and sharing information, especially among marginalized communities, but the chaos unleashed by Elon Musk’s takeover has many worried that their beloved forum is dissolving before their eyes. Reset breaks down what’s next for Twitter’s chronic illness community and Black Twitter. GUESTS: Brianne Benness, host of the podcast No End In Sight and c...

“Election week” continues, and the balance of power in the House of Representatives hangs in the balance. Reset checks in with a Democratic Congressman from the northern suburbs about his party’s priorities for the lame duck session and what comes next if Democrats or Republicans take the reins in the House. GUEST: Rep. Brad Schneider, Congressman for Illinois’ 10th district

Industries like tech and business are difficult to get into if you don’t have the access to opportunities that will teach you the things you need to know. One of the finalists of the Pritzker Traubert Foundation’s $10 million dollar Chicago Prize wants to bring those opportunities to Greater Grand Crossing. Reset talks to the finalists to hear their pitch to increase access not only in their commu...

Major technology companies like Meta, Twitter and Salesforce all announced layoffs over the last several weeks. But smaller start-ups, including some here in Chicago, are also making cuts. Reset speaks with an expert on venture capital and a local tech journalist to find out what this latest wave of layoffs means for Chicago and for the economy. GUESTS: John Pletz, senior reporter at Crain’s Chica...

City Council approves Lori Lightfoot’s 2023 budget. The Obama Presidential Center halts construction and offers a $100,000 reward after a noose is found on site. Reset goes behind those headlines and more in our Weekly News Recap. GUESTS: Rick Pearson, chief political reporter, Chicago Tribune Brandon Pope, reporter/anchor at CW 26 Mike Flannery, political editor at FOX 32 News

How the Light Felt, the latest album from Chicago alternative band Smut, released today. Three members from the band join Reset to talk about their Brit-pop inspirations, moving to Chicago mid-pandemic and the financial reality of touring today. GUEST: Tay Roebuck (vocals), Bell Cenower (bass, synth), and Andrew Min (guitar)

During the pandemic, many companies hired Black women and other women of color into leadership positions, but they weren’t necessarily given the resources and support they needed and many faced the unrealistic expectation that they could overhaul a company’s culture in no time. Reset learns more about what some are calling the “glass cliff.” GUESTS: Kyra Kyles, CEO of YR Media, former editor-in-ch...