In the Loop (Segments)

Chicago Public Schools’ CEO Pedro Martinez unveiled his 3 year pandemic recovery plan this week. One of the points in the plan is to strengthen career and technical education, or CTE, in CPS. This is reflective of a push toward CTE happening across the nation. A recent Chalkbeat Chicago analysis looked at the potential of stronger CTE programs in schools, and the barriers for wider implementation....

Chef Jessica Pamonicutt champions Indigenous foods in her catering business. Though these ingredients have been hard for Native people living in urban areas to access for generations, factors including climate change and inflation are making them more inaccessible than ever. Reset sits down with Chef Jessica to discuss her inspiration, connecting with her cultural identity through food, and the im...

WBEZ is partnering with Illinois public radio stations to bring a special broadcast statewide for people locked up and their loved ones. The project is inspired by the fourth season of “Motive,” about prisons and prison towns in Illinois. After years of reporting on the Illinois department of corrections, host Shannon Heffernan wanted to serve people most affected by the prison system. Reset hears...

With the recent signing of the Inflation Reduction Act and the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act passed last year in Illinois, residents have access to more incentives to upgrade their homes to make them more energy efficient. Reset speaks with policy experts to understand how these incentives will be implemented and who will have access to them. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Andrew Meriwether Gue...

Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Meha Ahmad Guest: Sarah Karp

When a listener called in looking for pickleball lessons in her neighborhood, we learned the basics of the country’s fastest growing sport from a pickleball program coordinator and the founder of the Association of Pickleball Professionals. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Claire Hyman Guest: Mir Rahim, Ken Herrmann

With a statewide election just over two months away, candidates are in full-on campaign mode. Reset takes a look at campaign ads and political messaging. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Andrea Guthmann Guest: Connie Mixon, Delmarie Cobb

After months of signing petitions and attending city council meetings, the Campaign to Stop Luxury Development at Weiss Hospital has now occupied the former hospital parking lot in Uptown. The campaign seeks to block a new 314-unit apartment building from breaking ground because they say it will displace Uptown residents and put the neighborhood’s affordable housing in jeopardy. Reset checks in wi...

Twitter whistleblower and the company’s former head of security, Peiter “Mudge” Zatko says the platform violated its agreement to maintain solid security practices. Reset learns more on the details of the complaint to the Securities and Exchange Commission, and how this claim could affect the company’s lawsuit against Tech billionaire, Elon Musk. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Brenda Ruiz Guest:...

In 2014, major tech companies released diversity reports that showed their workforce was made up of mostly white and Asian men, and since then, there has been a desire to change, but progress has been slow. Advocates say that before companies can recruit, diverse candidates need to have competitive experience, and that’s what Strong Start is trying to provide. Reset checks in with the director to...

Reset speaks with Danielle Douglas-Gabriel of the Washington Post about the latest in the Biden Administration’s forthcoming plans for student debt forgiveness. Then, Sasha talks with author and reporter, Josh Mitchell, and founder of the Student Debt Crisis Center, Cody Hounanian, about the ramifications of this announcement. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Andrew Meriwether Guest: Danielle Doug...

WBEZ recently held an open mic in Ukrainian Village and people with ties to Ukraine shared their stories of leaving Ukraine, living with fear and anger, and figuring out ways to help out. Reset does special coverage to lift the voices of people who participated in the open mic. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Lynnea Domienik Guest: Anna Savchenko, Olha Tsvyntama, Dania Hrynewycz, Harrison Jozefow...

In the wake of the Uvalde and Highland Park mass shootings, the safety of students is front of mind for many parents. But is more police in schools the answer? And what other approaches can work? Reset explores the role that police play in some Chicago-area schools and across the country and discusses what other models are being used to ensure students stay safe. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: M...

In the first three months of 2022, traffic deaths in the United States hit a 20-year high, according to a report released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration last week. Reset talks with an alderman and three local organizers to discuss what road safety looks like in Chicago — and what improvements can be considered. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Sarah Stark Guest: Matt Martin,...

Following a record-setting win in game two, the Sky are looking to close out their series against the New York Liberty. Reset discusses the Sky’s chances for a championship repeat. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Andrew Meriwether Guest: Cheryl Raye-Stout, Anna Costabile

It’s the first day of school at Chicago Public Schools, and COVID protocols have eased significantly since the spring. Here’s what you need to know about how to protect yourself and the kids in your life from monkeypox, COVID-19 and long COVID. Reset breaks down COVID guidelines and what to do about them with an infectious disease specialist. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Sarah Stark Guest: Dr....

A new report published by the Chicago Monuments Project recommends the removal of 13 monuments across Chicago, in addition to funding for new monuments to be designed and installed. Reset talks with a reporter and an art historian to discuss the report and its implications. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Andrew Meriwether Guest: Heather Cherone, Rebecca Zorach

We hear plenty about the “red flags” you should look for in a relationship but not nearly enough about the “green flags.” Reset talks to two relationship experts on what works in a relationship and how to spot it. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Brenda Ruiz Guest: Anita Chipala, Bela Gandhi

It’s the first day of classes for Chicago Public Schools. Students are returning to the classroom with looser COVID-19 restrictions, staffing shortages and concerns of monkeypox. Reset gets the latest from two education journalists. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Marie Mendoza Guest: Mila Koumpilova, Kate Grossman

Hundreds of thousands of local students prepare to return to school, while politicians head to Springfield for the Illinois State Fair. Reset goes behind the week’s headlines in the Weekly News Recap. Host: Natalie Moore Producer: Andrea Guthmann Guest: Sarah Karp, Heather Cherone, Ray Long

With the start of school on the horizon, many parents are concerned about how the upcoming school year will affect their child’s mental health. From the pandemic to the return of in-person learning, students have many stressors in their lives. So what conversations should parents be having with their children ahead of back-to-school? Reset learns more from a child psychologist and a trauma therapi...

The Lesbian Bar Project listed only 21 lesbian bars in the country two years ago, and none were in Chicago. Reset looks at why there are so few queer women focused spaces in the city and how they are evolving. Host: Natalie Moore Producer: Brenda Ruiz Guest: Renauda Riddle, Angela Barnes, Zoe Schor, Hannah Viti

The Chicago Humanities Festival announced it’s shaking things up with its leadership structure, hiring two co-creative directors. Reset sits down with the directors to discuss the change and what CHF has planned for its fall programming and beyond. Host: Natalie Moore Producer: Andrew Meriwether Guest: Michael Green, Lauren M. Pacheco

This time of year, Michigan Avenue is a hectic thoroughfare. But what if it was Chicago’s cultural hub? That’s what Philip Enquist asks in a Chicago Sun-Times column. Reset envisions what the Michigan Avenue of the future could look like. Host: Natalie Moore Producer: Sarah Stark Guest: Philip Enquist

Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Meha Ahmad Guest: Dennis Rodkin