In the Loop (Segments)

Legalizing recreational marijuana has gone far in de-stigmatizing the still-controversial (and federally illegal) drug. But the cannabis scene today is so much more than the stoner culture it’s often tied to, benefiting from a modern luxury makeover. And at the intersection of cannabis, culture and luxury stands… Manny Mendoza. He’s a chef who has worked in some of the best restaurants in Chicago,...

Cannabis edibles come in all shapes and forms, from magic brownies to pot-infused teas and gummies. Reset talks with a pioneer in the edible industry on how they work and what to expect when you take one.

When the push for legalizing recreational cannabis in Illinois was moving forward, people like Alicia Nesbury Moore and JR Smith — Black entrepreneurs who wanted to get into the cannabis business — were sold promises of social equity being an industry priority. Now, they say, the promises weren’t worth the paper they were written on. Reset gets a first-hand account of how the promises of social eq...

How is Illinois’ weed industry doing two years in? The state promised legalizing recreational cannabis would bring a windfall of tax revenue, and would incorporate social equity as a core value of the industry. Has Illinois kept its promises? Where is there room to grow? Reset checks in with Tom Schuba, Chicago Sun Times reporter covering cannabis, about what progress has been made two years into...

The Bulls made their playoff debut in Milwaukee this weekend, but failed to secure a victory despite a well-fought game. Reset gets a rundown on what went wrong for Chicago.

Inside Problems, the latest album from folk multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird, was announced today. He joins Reset to discuss the new music, summer tour, and past work.

More than 150 Chicago-area convenience stores are now selling a new low-nicotine cigarette that can help you smoke less. The company, 22nd Century Group, is able to market the product in this way after gaining special authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. Reset learns more about this decision, what it means for the tobacco industry at large and why it’s drawn criticism from some med...

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and richest man in the world, wants to buy Twitter and turn it into a free speech haven by curbing content moderation. But some critics say this would allow hate speech to flourish and lead to the social media platform’s demise. Reset checks in with a technology correspondent for the latest.

Transitioning to non-profit status is in peril, and if that doesn’t happen, the popular alt-weekly, the Chicago Reader will not have the funds it needs to continue paying its staff. The union is saying this fate could be avoided if co-owner Leonard Goodman, signs documents allowing the transition to non-profit to continue. Reset gets the latest and hears how this is impacting staff.

The I & M Canal connects Lake Michigan to the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. Some say this facilitated trade, making Chicago an important crossroads to the West and contributed to making Chicago the city it is today. Reset learns more about the history of the canal and the Discovery Challenge with the president of the canal association.

We learned about InspectIR System’s new COVID-19 tests from infectious disease specialist Dr. Mia Taormina. Plus, this time last year, as vaccines were becoming widely accessible, we were talking a lot about herd immunity. Dr. Taormina explains why we haven’t reached that state yet 12 months later.

Earlier this year, Congress passed the No Surprise Act, that looked to cap big bills from private medical companies and independent physicians. Yet, uninsured patients are still being blind-sided in tens of thousands of dollars in bills. Reset examines the inaccessible healthcare here in Chicago.

For the first time in 30 years, Ramadan, Passover and Easter are all being celebrated at the same time. Additionally, the holidays of Vaisakhi and Ridvan also occur this month. And Chicago faith leaders are using the holy convergence as a chance to educate communities and shape the public narrative about what it means to live well together in religious and cultural diversity. And much of that educ...

Massive enrollment loss at Chicago Public Schools and a 2018 coding error on behalf of the Illinois Department of Education is costing the state’s largest school district millions in funding this fall. Reset learns more about what fate schools, students and teachers face amid budget cuts.

When Dolen Perkins-Valdez first learned of the Relf sisters’ story, she wondered how their involuntary sterilization was allowed to happen. As a mother and author, she knew she had to write about it. Reset learns more about her new novel and how the legacy of history shapes our past and present.

Willy Wilson formally declares his bid for mayor, but Mayor Lightfoot has yet to address this directly, or to formally announce her re-election. But a committee meeting has approved a new Inspector General. Reset goes behind the headlines to bring you up to speed.

For the latest in our series “Food Friday,” Reset learns about the origins of the Chicago-style hot dog and gets recommendations on where to find the best hot dogs in town.

This week, Chicago city officials announced a slew of programs that will employ 15,000 teens and young adults. So today we checked in with a career coach for teens to get tips and advice on scoring a summer job and building a career.

For the latest in our “What’s That Building” series, Reset learns more about a Wrigleyville mosque that started out 150 years ago as a downtown Chicago Methodist church.

A new city ordinance has made it easier to jump on this spring’s hottest landscaping trend – planting native species of grasses and flowers in your yard to benefit pollinators, provide habitat for wildlife, sequester carbon and filter runoff. Reset checks in with our sustainability contributor and a Field Museum ecologist about the current state of biodiversity in Chicago, and what you can do to h...

Build-it-yourself firearms, also known as “ghost guns”, have infiltrated the United States and are almost impossible to trace. A new bill, which is awaiting a signature from Gov. Pritzker, would require all guns to have a serial number – this would make Illinois the first state in the Midwest to ban “ghost guns.” Reset uncovers the inner workings of this bill.

Harold Washington died months into his second term as Chicago’s first Black mayor but he left an impact people can still see in the city today. Reset hears about a new exhibit at the Harold Washington Library celebrating his contributions to Chicago.

The city is accepting applications for distributing $31.5 million in aid during a three-week period from April 25 to May 13. Reset spoke to Brandie Knazze, commissioner of Department of Family & Support Services, about how the program will work, and how people can apply for it.

Services for young adults have lagged behind the amount of services available for children diagnosed with autism. So, as part of Autism Acceptance Month, Reset checks in with two organizations in the Chicagoland area who have been filling that void to learn more about their approach and services they offer.

Reset hears from three Chicagoans about what returning to the office means for their lives and the expectations they have for the future of work.