In the Loop (Segments)

Students across the country are already flocking to college campuses for the school year, and most schools are easing COVID restrictions. For some, this comes as a relief—but for others, a maskless campus seems daunting. Reset sits down with an education reporter and University of Illinois administrator to hear what schools are doing. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Sarah Stark, Daniel Tucker Gue...

Asi Asi began as a new iteration of Fernando de Buen Lopez’s old band La Manana. De Buen Lopez, the group’s lead songwriter, spent the entire pandemic working on the band’s debut album, which comes out August 19th. The 8-track record blends elements of rock, dance, and Latin music together to create their own unique sound. Reset checks in with Asi Asi ahead of their record-release show at the Hide...

An AP-NORC poll released on Monday shows that In three years, the number of Americans polled who believe that their actions can slow climate change dropped from 66% to 52%. The poll also shows that the eco-friendly actions that people take are often motivated by finance, rather than environmental concerns. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Lynnea Domienik Guest: John Kotcher, Kim Cobb

In Chicago, 2,400 kids lost parents to gun violence over a five-year period, according to an analysis by the Washington Post. Reset hears from a reporter who talked with kids and their families to explore this little-discussed facet of America’s gun violence epidemic. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Daniel Tucker Guest: John Woodrow Cox, Oji Eggleston

The nearly 370 Billion dollar act is the largest U.S. investment to combat global warming. Reset hears more about the proposed legislation and how it could improve environmentally friendly technologies Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Brenda Ruiz Guest: Pranshu Verma

Currently, survivors of domestic and sexual violence have to navigate a maze to access protective responses and services to help them meet their immediate physical needs and to heal in the longrun. But one Chicago advocate is working to centralize these services in one location called CAN Hope. Reset checks in with the advocate behind this project to learn more. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Ly...

Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Meha Ahmad Guest: Sam Sanders, Saeed Jones, Zach Stafford

After being sexually assaulted by a man who was later arrested for alleged gropings downtown, one survivor said it was very difficult to get law enforcement to take her story seriously. Reset talks with the Block Club Chicago reporter who spoke with the survivor as well as an advocate for people who have faced sexual exploitation. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Daniel Tucker Guest: Melody Mercad...

It’s been a year since the United States withdrew from Afghanistan. Now, a bill in Congress could help Afghan refugees in need of visas and resources to resettle in the U.S. Reset hears from a reporter on what local resettlement agencies are watching for. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Sarah Stark Guest: Adora Namigadde

The analysis by the University of Chicago’s Crime Lab crunches GPS information from police vehicles and crime data to paint a picture of where cops were and when during a 9-month period from June 2020 through February 2021. Reset talks to a reporter who got access to the analysis through an open records request. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Daniel Tucker, Marie Mendoza Guest: Annie Sweeney

Rates of preeclampsia have been on the rise among pregnant Americans for decades—then COVID came. A study published last week found pregnancy and birth outcomes worsened in the United States during the pandemic. Reset sits down with a senior author of the study and a preeclampsia expert to learn more about the rise of pregnancy and birth complications. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Sarah Stark...

The United States has taken in more than 100,000 Ukrainian refugees since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine. St. Nicholas Cathedral School in Chicago’s Ukranian Village has welcomed about 100 students since the war began earlier this year. Reset talks with the school’s principal about how they are supporting recently arrived students. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Marie Mendoza Guest: Anna C...

Drivers from Uber and Lyft have asked for the option to unionize, and now food delivery drivers from companies like DoorDash and Grubhub are joining in. Reset hears more about what local and national ride-share and delivery advocacy groups want. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Brenda Ruiz Guest: Chris Liebelt, Lenny Sanchez

Lawmakers extended provisions that made school meals free to all students, regardless of income, by signing the Keep Kids Fed Act earlier this summer. But there were major changes, students in districts that don’t offer universal free lunch have to reapply to receive free meals, and students that only qualify for reduced meals will have to resume paying for breakfast and lunch. Reset learns more a...

Chicago’s Transportation Agency has struggled to meet ridership demand as it’s risen over the past few years. Reset hears more about the agency’s new plan to address that and safety concerns on the city’s public transportation. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Brenda Ruiz Guest: Manny Ramos, Brain Steele

R. Kelly returns to the courtroom to stand trial for federal child pornography charges. Earlier this year, the R&B singer was sentenced to 30 years in prison for sex-trafficking. Reset digs into the trial and how it fits into a larger conversation around gender-based violence. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Lynnea Domienik Guest: Salamisha Tillet

Gig workers have few labor protections, and they are becoming increasingly vulnerable to scams. Reset talks to a local reporter about her investigation. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Daniel Tucker Guest: Stephanie Zimmerman

In these times of reckoning with racist policies, police misconduct, and with mass incarceration, many in our country have been asking, “How can we fix this?” Former public defender and death row expert, Andrea Lyon, proposes one solution: an independent Defender General of the United States. Reset talks with the author to learn more about how a DG could advocate for the interests of the accused,...

In the United States, the vast majority of Monkeypox cases have been recorded in men who have sex with men. Some have likened the outbreak and government response to the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s. Reset sits down with community leaders to discuss the illness’ impact on LGBTQ people in Chicago. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Sarah Stark Guest: Erica Gafford, Stephanie Skora

Last week, the CDC relaxed quarantine and testing guidance for unvaccinated people, students, and people who have been exposed to COVID-19. Meanwhile, isolation suggestions for people who have Monkeypox remain unclear to many. Reset breaks down new and existing isolation guidelines for both viruses with an infectious disease expert. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Sarah Stark Guest: Dr. Mia Taorm...

From a budget shortfall to the biggest mass exoneration in the county, it’s been a busy news week in Chicago and Illinois. Reset digs deeper into those stories and more on the Weekly News Recap. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Lynnea Domienik, Stephanie Kim Guest: A.D. Quig, Jacoby Cochran, David Greising

The Illinois Right to Collective Bargaining Amendment would be a net positive for the state’s economy and would improve pay and working conditions for employees, according to a study released Thursday by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Reset learns about the proposed amendment and its potential economic impact. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Produ...

Summer is meant for fun in the sun but for those times when you need to cool off, why not go for a cup of Italian Ice? Reset explores the sweetest frozen treats in Chicago. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Brenda Ruiz Guest: Naomi Waxman, Louisa Chu

The 27th annual Black Women’s Expo kicks off Friday and runs through the weekend in Chicago. It’s the largest expo for Black women in the country, and this year’s theme is “The Legacy Continues.” Reset checks in with founder Merry Green about what to expect. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Meha Ahmad Guest: Merry Green

After a contentious meeting between community members and a Riot Fest contractor last week, a petition to remove the Riot Fest music festival from Douglass Park on the Southwest Side has collected nearly 1,400 signatures. Meanwhile, organizers from the surrounding neighborhoods of Little Village and Lawndale are calling on artists to cancel their performances at the event, which is scheduled to ta...