In the Loop (Segments)

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker delivered his highly anticipated State of the State address Wednesday and detailed his plans for the 2022 budget. Reset digs into the main takeaways with WBEZ’s Tony Arnold and checks in with a state lawmaker for her reaction.

A coalition of Muslim-American nonprofits and non-Muslim allies have joined to make 2021 a “Year Of Learning” and bring awareness to Muslim-American life and philanthropy. The organizers tell Reset how their initiative connects to the current environment of polarization within our society.

In October 1960, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested for the first time during a sit-in at an Atlanta department store. The nine days that followed became a make-or-break issue between presidential candidates John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Reset explores this slice of civil rights and presidential history as detailed in the new book, Nine Days: The Race to Save Martin Luther King Jr.’s Li...

Chicago officials are easing restrictions on indoor dining as COVID-19 cases continue to drop. Reset checks in with a local restaurant owner to discuss how his business is preparing to expand indoor seating.

Getting information on COVID-19 updates can be difficult and confusing. Where do we even start? Reset checks in with an infectious disease specialist to catch up on the latest coronavirus and vaccine updates in the Chicago area.

Monday night’s snowstorm created hazardous road conditions for commuters throughout the Chicago region. Reset brings on a local meteorologist, a traffic reporter and takes listener calls for the latest on the storm and its impact on the region.

If Carter G. Woodson is the “Father of Black History,” then Vivian Harsh is its mother. Far from the quiet bluestocking that comes to mind when you think of a librarian, Harsh was the first Black person to head a branch of the Chicago Public Library. Reset digs into the history of “the historian who never wrote.”

After weeks of negotiations, Chicago Public Schools has finally reached a tentative agreement with the teachers union to reopen schools for in-person learning. Reset checks in with WBEZ’s Sarah Karp for more on the district’s reopening plans. The CTU’s governing body is expected to vote on the tentative framework Monday afternoon.

Throughout Black History Month, Reset will highlight a few of the unsung heroes in Chicago’s history. We start with Andrew “Rube” Foster, the so-called “Father of Black Baseball” and manager of the Chicago Union Giants.

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...