In the Loop (Segments)

Gun control laws or more guns? More policing or abolition? People have different reactions to what makes them feel safe, and we hear a range of opinions. Reset checks in with an influencer, a retired detective and an organizer to hear what they want from the city to feel safe. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Lynnea Domienik Guests: Jenny LeFlore, Joseph Moseley, Trina Reynolds Tyler

Looking for weekend plans? The Mole de Mayo Festival kicks off Friday and celebrates Mexican culture with music, markets and traditional dishes. Reset learns more about the event in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood.

Illinois GOP gubernatorial candidates take on gun violence and crime in competing debates. Meanwhile, the Chicago City Council approves Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s curfew and casino proposals. Plus, workers at two Starbucks in the Edgewater neighborhood become the first in Chicago to vote for unionization. Reset goes behind the headlines in the Weekly News Recap.

The pandemic left millions of Americans facing food insecurity for the first time. About 1 in 7 people lack access to adequate and nutritious food in Cook County, according to a 2021 study by Feeding America. As grocery prices rise, food pantries across the city are seeing more demand from families in need. Reset learns more about how inflation is affecting food pantries across Chicago.

The violence in the news reminds us that we all need and deserve safety. But what does security look like? For some anti-violence advocates on Chicago’s South Side, safety looks like music, food and checking in on neighbors. Reset checks in with a mother who started a neighborhood group to combat violence in Englewood.

Reset learns about the Ford Calumet Environmental Center, which opened last summer in the 270-acre Big Marsh Park on Chicago’s Southeast Side.

After the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, many Americans are wondering how we can create safe, nonviolent communities. In Chicago, young people are learning to advocate for themselves, and they’re working together to resolve conflicts before they turn violent. Reset talks with activists for gun violence prevention and restorative justice.

After the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, many Americans are wondering how we can create safe, nonviolent communities. In Chicago, young people are learning to advocate for themselves, and they’re working together to resolve conflicts before they turn violent. Reset talks with activists for gun violence prevention and restorative justice.

After the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, many Americans are wondering how we can create safe, nonviolent communities. In Chicago, young people are learning to advocate for themselves, and they’re working together to resolve conflicts before they turn violent. Reset talks with activists for gun violence prevention and restorative justice.

After the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Facebook implemented several strategies to fight the spread of misinformation on its site. But experts worry the social media platform isn’t ready for the election cycle that’s already begun. Reset learns about Facebook’s public policy strategy, and what civil rights and advocacy groups are pushing for.

Whether you have a large or small space, one Chicago company is looking to make dynamic and natural landscapes more accessible for everyone. Reset learns how green infrastructure projects benefit a community, and how you can get started with one at home.

Chicago has some of the toughest gun restrictions in the country, but 60% of guns recovered in the city come from neighboring states. Earlier this year, Indiana lawmakers passed a bill removing the permit requirement to carry a gun in public starting in July. Reset checks in with one of the co-authors of House Bill 1296 and WBEZ’s Mike Puente to learn more about the implications of this law.

After a three year hiatus caused by the pandemic, the Chicago Children's Choir’s (CCC) legacy show, Paint the Town Red, is playing at Millennium Park on Thursday, May 26, 2022. Reset spoke with Josephine Lee, the president of CCC, and choir singer Diondre Dunigan ahead of the performance. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Claire Hyman Guests: Josephine Lee and Diondre Dunigan

The United States has seen 3,500 mass shootings since the Sandy Hook shooting, with no successful gun control legislation. Reset hears more reaction from Chicagoans on the Texas shooting and discusses why gun legislation has yet to pass. Reset learns more on why no significant gun control legislation has happened in the 10 years after the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Prod...

Parents and children alike are struggling to manage their stress after the news of one of the worst mass school shootings on record this week. Reset takes time to hear from Chicagoans in that aftermath, and offers some mental health care tips to help them cope. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producers: Meha Ahmad, Stephanie Kim, Dan Tucker Guest: Dr. Tali Raviv

The shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde Texas is the second largest school shooting in the U.S claiming the lives of 19 children and 2 adults. Reset hears from a reporter on the ground in San Antonio on how the events played out in Uvalde, Texas Tuesday. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producers: Meha Ahmad, Brenda Ruiz, Sasha-Ann Simons, Stephanie Kim, Dan Tucker Guest: Brian Kirkpatrick

Students at Charles N Holden Elementary School have been named finalists in NPR’s Student Podcast Challenge, a podcasting contest for students across the country. Their podcast titled “The Holden Immigrant Experience” discusses the challenges that many immigrants face in the United States. Reset sits down with the producers to learn more about the inspiration behind the podcast. Host: Sasha-Ann Si...

Record breaking inflation rates have left everyone’s pockets hurting. But, Chicago prevails with a silver lining, a slight decrease in median home prices. Reset breaks down some of these numbers and also looks at what other barriers potential buyers are dealing with in the current housing market. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Isabelle Earl Guest: Dennis Rodkin

Reset discusses the boom in telehealth startups and services for mental health, and how to navigate these resources. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Stephanie Kim Guests: Stephen Schueller, John Torous, Alex Leow

A report from the online resale company ThredUp found that 93% of Americans are willing to buy their clothes secondhand, up from only 52% in 2016. As thrift shopping becomes more and more popular, what are Chicagoans’ options for resale stores? Reset checks in with the manager of the Brown Elephant, a secondhand store that benefits Howard Brown Health. Also joining the program is Ayana Contreras,...

Who designed Chicago’s downtown public spaces – and for whom? How could they be different? Reset asks a University of Chicago professor of urbanism and the Chicagoans who started the conversation on Twitter. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Christian Elliott Guests: Emily Talen, Taylor Moore, Rick Weber

Reset learns about a new exhibit at University of Chicago that highlights the racial disparities exposed during the pandemic. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Stephanie Kim Guests: Dr. Monica Peek, Julia Kuo

Health officials are monitoring an outbreak of the rare disease monkeypox spreading through Europe, the U.K. and North America. Reset learns about the signs, symptoms and likelihood of monkeypox spread from an infectious disease specialist. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Claire Hyman Guests: Dr. Mia Taormina

In one of the most contentious elections, the Chicago Teachers Union elected Stacy Davis Gates as their new president. Reset hears from the CTU’s new leader on her goals for the organization. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Brenda Ruiz Guests: Stacy Davis Gates

It’s Lyme disease awareness month and the beginning of tick season in Illinois. Where are ticks right now, how are they spreading across the state and how can you stay safe while spending time in nature? Reset checks in with tick and vector-borne disease experts to learn more. Host: Sasha-Ann Simons Producer: Christian Elliott Guests: Kim Fake and Holly Tuten