In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons

Illinois state lawmakers missed the deadline to close the $770 million budget gap for the CTA before the end of the fiscal year. If the budget gap is not filled, Chicago area-wide transit could face cuts, possibly eliminating 4 train lines and more than 65 buses. Reset hears more about the public transit fiscal cliff and how it will affect the CTA with Illinois Sen. Ram Villivalam of the 8th Distr...

The FBI is said to be helping find Democratic Texas legislators who fled to Illinois. Indiana expands immigrant detention centers. The last of four convicted ComEd co-conspirators has been sentenced to prison. Chicago Public Schools cuts custodians in an effort to save money. Reset breaks down those stories and much more with Chicago Tribune political writer, Dan Petrella, Chicago Sun-Times report...

Record stores aren’t dead. Across the Chicago area, they’re a mainstay for discovery and for community connection. So, let’s salute the role they play in expanding our musical horizons. We chatted with Jack and John Dreznes, father-son duo at Beverly Records in the Beverly neighborhood, Nigel Ridgeway, co-founder of Miyagi Records, Kelli Lynch, music director at WRRG at Triton College and Natalie...

There have been many plans for what should happen to the 62-acre site known as the 78 along the Chicago River at Roosevelt and Canal. The latest is a new stadium for the Chicago Fire soccer team. The project promises more affordable housing and economic growth, but some residents of neighboring Chinatown have concerns and are making them heard. Reset sits down with Sarah Tang, Coalition for a Bett...

Recent anti-immigration policies have left many home healthcare workers on edge. As a result, many individuals who require long-term care and rely on this labor to assist with daily living tasks related to health and hygiene have had to go without this much-needed service. Reset checks in with Michelle Garcia, a woman living with disability who has had to scramble to find care for her and her husb...

August 6 marks 80 years since the bombing of Hiroshima. Its effects are still being felt all across the world eight decades later. Reset discusses with DePaul University religious studies professor Yuki Miyamoto, Japanese Art Foundation board president John Donners and Rebecca Ozaki and Jeannie Tomoda Harrell, program directors at the Japanese American Citizens League Chicago.

We’ll hear movie buffs’ reviews of summer hits and get recommendations for films and local festivals to check out. We’ll check in with Rebecca Fons, director of programming at the Gene Siskel Film Center, Michael Phillips, film critic for the Chicago Tribune and Jeremy Marder, programmer and manager at the Music Box Theatre. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Illinois has joined a multi-state federal lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s efforts to limit gender affirming care for young people. This comes as the fourth major hospital in Chicago rolls back the kind of care offered to patients under 19 years of age. To fill in these gaps, a rapid response team of volunteers is working to connect families to alternate providers. Reset learns more...

Need to let off some steam and yell into the void? Well, you’re not alone. In fact, you can head to North Avenue Beach on Sunday evenings and meet up with Scream Club Chicago, where the one thing everyone has in common is that they really need to indulge in a good scream. If screaming is not for you, and you’re looking for something a bit more melodic, there is always the Chicago Circle Singing. T...

With the first day of classes just weeks away, we’re asking: How did Chicago teens spend their summer vacation? Turns out, some got to work, gaining new skills and experiences in preparation for the start of school. Reset hears from teens about how hard it was to land a job, where they ended up, and what lessons they’re taking away from the summer season. For a full archive of Reset interviews, he...

With the first day of classes just weeks away, we’re asking: How did Chicago teens spend their summer vacation? Turns out, some got to work, gaining new skills and experiences in preparation for the start of school. Reset hears from teens about how hard it was to land a job, where they ended up, and what lessons they’re taking away from the summer season. For a full archive of Reset interviews, he...

With the first day of classes just weeks away, we’re asking: How did Chicago teens spend their summer vacation? Turns out, some got to work, gaining new skills and experiences in preparation for the start of school. Reset hears from teens about how hard it was to land a job, where they ended up, and what lessons they’re taking away from the summer season. For a full archive of Reset interviews, he...

U.S. Rep. Danny Davis is leaving Congress. Chicago Cubs Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg dies. Canadian wildfires cause Chicago to once again have the worst air quality in the world. Plus, the Illinois Governor is urged to declare a state of emergency for flooded neighborhoods and much more. Reset goes behind those headlines and more with NBC-5 Chicago reporter Christian Farr, Block Club Chicago report...

We hear the story of a local woman, “Maria,” who fled war-torn Syria for the United States more than 10 years ago. While her request for asylum languished in the courts for the last seven years, she carried on the work of creating a new life, forming a community, and working as an immigration advocate. Just this week, she found out that her request for asylum has been denied. She now finds herself...

Lollapalooza is in full swing as thousands of fans descend on Grant Park, snarling traffic. We’ll give you a 101 of what you need to know, highlights of the four-day music festival, and how not to get on the nerves of fellow concert-goers. And if you’re looking for counter-programming, we’ll find out more of what Chicago has to offer in the coming weeks. Arts and culture experts Sofie Hernandez-Si...

After over 800 student visas were suddenly revoked this spring, immigrants studying or hoping to study in the U.S. fear sudden and unanticipated visa termination. Illinois has over 60,000 international students who bring in revenue to the state and its universities. With a constant fear of visa termination, and changes to the applicant vetting process, Reset digs deeper into what it all means for...

The tax and spending bill recently signed into law radically alters how borrowers will pay back their student loans, lowers the amount of money graduate students and parents can borrow, and officially sunsets President Biden’s SAVE program, which is known for low monthly payments, and expedited loan forgiveness. Reset speaks with student loan borrower Kia Clair, rising senior at Northern Illinois...

From agricultural laborers to software engineers, America offers multiple pathways for people to live and work in the country on temporary work visas. However, obtaining these visas can be frustrating and workers’ legal status is still tenuous. Reset hears from Coleman Immigration founding partner Christina Coleman and one Chicagoan about his experience on a temporary work visa. For a full archive...

Retirement is out of reach for a growing number of Americans who simply can’t afford to stop working. But seniors looking for work often face age discrimination. A program in Chicago provides job training, computer skills, and resume coaching for low-income seniors and has placed hundreds of seniors in jobs in community centers, schools, and public assistance programs. But as of July 1 of this yea...

Amidst the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration, green card holders are getting caught in the middle. Stories persist of people with lawful permanent residency being detained and denied re-entry into the country, despite the law seemingly being on their side. As fear and concerns continue to grow, so does the conversation around what some call the “right” and “wrong” ways to enter the c...

On July 19, My Block, My Hood, My City hosted its annual Downtown Day. The event brings teens downtown to experience some of what Chicago has to offer. While groups like MBMHMC work to forge connections between teens and their community, proposals like the failed “snap curfew” ordinance can make some young people feel like city leaders don’t trust them. Reset sits down with My Block, My Hood, My C...

Two houses, both alike in dignity, in fair Chicago, where we lay our debate. Which of these two homes are the oldest in the land? Well, therein lies the dispute. For Part One of Two in Reset’s latest “What’s That Building,” Sasha and architecture sleuth Dennis Rodkin visit two sites in Chicago and try to answer the question: which can claim the title of Chicago’s oldest house? First up: Noble-Seym...

Former ComEd CEO and Madigan confidante is sentenced to prison. O’Hare sees the busiest day ever. Vandals target immigration organizations in Little Village. NASCAR passes on another race in the Loop and Chicago Mayor Johnson introduces a new plan to snuff out smoking on CTA. Reset goes behind those headlines and more in our Weekly News Recap with Block Club Chicago reporter Mack Liederman, Chicag...

On July 26, 1990, then-President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, into law. This was a turning point for the quality of life for disabled people in the country. But disability rights activism didn’t start when the ADA was introduced into Congress. Reset talks about disability advocacy before and after the ADA. We also dig into recent efforts to weaken it and how...

More Illinois suburbs are cracking down or regulating the use of e-bikes and e-scooters. In Fox Lake, e-bikes and e-scooters are now banned from sidewalks. In Elk Grove, riders must have a driver’s license. And in Hinsdale, children are banned from riding e-scooters altogether. The patchwork of rules is leaving many potential riders confused on what they can and can’t do. Reset finds out more abou...