In the Loop (Segments)

Reset brings on the current head of the Smithsonian — the first Black historian to ever hold the position — and two Black writers who have depicted the Black American experience to weigh in on whether we should still have Black History Month

American carmaker General Motors on Thursday announced an ambitious plan to only sell zero-emission vehicles by 2035. Reset finds out if the news is as game-changing as it sounds.

Reset hears from a hotel union that’s working to help its Chicago-based workers survive job losses and a local chef who is helping provide mutual aid for others in her industry as COVID-19 continues to force restaurants and other food businesses to close.

Over the weekend, Chicago experienced its worst cold snap since the 2019 polar vortex. But subzero temperatures are expected to continue this week, leaving many homeless Chicagoans vulnerable to the bitter cold. Reset checks in with local organizations working toward long-term solutions to homelessness in the city and around Illinois.

More than a hundred million people are expected to tune in as the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Super Bowl LV Sunday night. But because of the pandemic, things will look very different this year — both on and off the field. Reset checks in with marketing experts about how advertisers are meeting the moment and what kind of ads we can expect to see on game day.

Reset brings on an infectious disease expert for our weekly check-in to provide clarity and answers to your questions, comments and concerns about COVID-19.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot demands a deal with the Chicago Teachers union by the end of Thursday, raising the stakes for a strike. Illinois loosens COVID-19 restrictions across the state. Plus, the Obama Presidential Center gets the greenlight to break ground in 2021 after years of delays. Reset breaks down the biggest news of the week in our Friday News Roundup with host Sasha-Ann Simons.

In the aftermath of the Jan. 6th insurrection on Capitol Hill, many users and legislators blamed the algorithms of social media companies like Facebook and Twitter for fomenting the atmosphere that led to violence. Renowned tech writer and historian Steven Levy tells Reset why he thinks social media platforms and big tech companies must face tougher government regulation.

Chicago recorded 51 homicides in the first month of 2021 — the highest number of January homicides in four years. This comes as city leaders grapple with a recent spike in carjackings. Mayor Lightfoot says CPD is adding 40 more police officers to address the growing number of cases. Reset brings on the head of the Chicago Police Department for more on the city’s response.

After years of legal wrangling and feasibility studies, the Obama Presidential Center is scheduled to break ground as early as August in Chicago’s Jackson Park neighborhood. Reset breaks down the latest on the project, and hears from those who still have concerns about the center’s location.

Reset architecture sleuth Dennis Rodkin takes listeners on a virtual tour of what was once Altgeld Gardens, a historic public housing development on the South Side. It’s the latest installment of our series “What’s That Building?” The site has been renamed the Altgeld Family Resource Center.

Some medical experts are calling for the U.S. to revisit its current mask guidelines in the face of new, more transmissible COVID-19 variants and how they spread. Reset brings on a reporter for more on the new coronavirus variants in the U.S.

Democrats appear to be moving forward with President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan. But Republicans are calling for significant limits on who qualifies for stimulus checks. Reset checks in with Indiana Senator Todd Young, one of 10 Republicans who met with the president this week to discuss a compromise.

Arctic-like temperatures and winds are expected to be ushered in with a snowstorm late Thursday. Reset checks in with an atmospheric scientist for more on what’s coming.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot hand picked Ald. Gilbert Villegas to serve as her City Council floor leader. So why is he stepping down from the position mid-term? Reset checks in with Ald. Gilbert Villegas for more on his decision and his future plans.

Chicagoans looking to get the COVID vaccine can now use an online portal to make finding appointments and providers in their area easier. The city of Chicago is partnering with Zocdoc to cut down on the work some residents have had to go through to make a vaccine appointment. Reset talks to the Zocdoc CEO about the new partnership, what it means for access and if the platform is prepared to preven...

With more and more Americans working from home because of the pandemic, there has been a shift in where we live and work. Reset digs into how those forces are reshaping big U.S. cities like Chicago

Ald. Gilbert Villegas, 36th Ward, served Mayor Lightfoot in City Council for 18 months. He’s replaced by Ald. Michelle Harris, 8th Ward. Reset gets the scoop on why Villegas stepped down and what the move means for the Lightfoot administration and City Council going forward.

President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Jan. 28 that extended enrollment for the federal health insurance marketplace through May 2021. Reset examines Biden’s ambitious plans to strengthen Obamacare and reform America’s healthcare system through an equity lens.

Chicago residents 65 and older are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine as a part of Phase 1B. However, many in this group are finding the technological landscape daunting and difficult to navigate. Reset brings on an elder care expert and a medical researcher focused on Chicago’s gaps in health information to lay out the issue and offer possible solutions.

Working artists kicked off a 100-day push on Inauguration Day for legislation that would provide financial support to their industries. Reset checks in with one of the campaign’s organizers and hears from a reporter covering how the pandemic has hit one prominent arts organization in Chicago.

Chicago entered Phase 4 of the state’s reopening plan Sunday, which includes lifting certain restrictions on restaurants. Reset brings on a reporter ro give us the latest and two restaurant voices to hear about how they are handling their reopening.

Candace Parker is one of the most decorated basketball players of this generation. After 13 years with the Los Angeles Sparks, the Naperville native is coming home to play for the Chicago Sky. Reset talks about the move, and other sports news, with WBEZ sports contributor Cheryl Raye Stout

Less than two weeks in office, President Joe Biden has already reversed many of his predecessor’s foreign policy initiatives. Reset takes a closer look at Biden’s foreign policy agenda, and what Trump-era policies he may keep in place.

One in every five people in Illinois has a disability, and the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting them disproportionately. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities are two to three times as likely to die of coronavirus Reset checks in with leaders of a Chicago-based disability rights advocacy group about their efforts to prioritize disabled people in the city and state’s vaccine rollout...