In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons

As we head into the dog days of summer, it’s time to make the most of the season and check off items on our summer bucket lists. So, we sat down with John Kessler, Chicago Magazine dining critic, Ambar Colón, Chicago Sun-Times arts and culture reporter, Mike Davis, WBEZ theater reporter to get dining, ice cream and theater recommendations. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez....

As dangerous heat bears down on Chicago, we get tips for staying safe. Plus, how climate change is making conditions riskier for all residents, especially those who work and spend lots of time outside. We sat down with Gaby Gracia, deputy director Great Lakes Center for Farmworker Health and Wellbeing at the UIC School of Public Health, and also Trent Ford, Illinois State Climatologist. For a full...

The Damen Silos in McKinley Park on Chicago’s Southwest side serve as a visual reminder of the city’s history as an agrarian trading center. But the process to demolish the silos is now underway. Reset speaks with Kate Eakin, executive director of McKinley Park Development Council, and Chicago journalist Robert Loerzel about the role the silos played in early 20th-century Chicago and what lies ahe...

Chicago just saw its most violent non-holiday weekend so far this summer. This comes just three months after local violence prevention groups learned the Department of Justice grants those groups depended on. Despite all that, however, community violence intervention efforts in Chicago are growing, with shootings and homicides down during the first half of 2025. Reset digs into how Chicago can kee...

While Ford City Mall in West Lawn faces demolition and going the way of many of its mall brethren, two other suburban shopping centers in the area are thriving. A “reader’s choice” report from USA Today says Oakbrook Center in the western suburbs and The Fashion Outlets of Chicago in Rosemont are among the best in the nation. Reset looks at what makes these and other Chicago-area shopping centers...

An ongoing Sun-Times investigation tracking items at Jewel, Mariano’s, Target and Walmart shows most common grocery purchases cost more today in the Chicago area than they did when President Trump came into office promising lower prices. And local shoppers are struggling to keep up. Reset learns more about how Chicago residents and business owners are adapting to higher prices and what comes next....

Congress cuts federal funding for public media. Chicago Public Schools lays off nearly 1,500 staff. Disgraced former congressman Jesse Jackson prepares for a possible comeback. And Chicago City Council fails to override a mayoral veto of the “snap curfew.” Reset breaks down those stories and more with AXIOS Chicago reporter Carrie Shepherd, WBEZ education reporter Sarah Karp and Block Club Chicago...

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson joined Reset host Sasha-Ann Simons in-studio for a public forum answering live questions from listeners including everything from how community members can have greater input into development projects in their wards to whether bike lanes will be built on the West Side of Chicago. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

With tariffs leading to higher prices on everything from clothing to electronics, is this an opportunity to rethink what we buy, and how often we buy it? In Chicago, a range of businesses and groups are helping residents rethink the typical consumer mindset by reusing items, and even buying locally. Reset learns more about the “circular economy,” how it works in Chicago, and how it could help your...

They use up massive amounts of electricity and water, strain state resources, and get hundreds of millions of dollars in tax subsidies. So what benefits do data centers actually bring to Illinois residents? Reset digs into this question with Sarah Moskowitz, executive director of Citizens Utility Board, and Brett Chase, environmental reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times. For a full archive of Reset...

In a new exhibition, Chicago’s Floating Museum pays homage to Bronzeville’s Mecca Flats through its Floating Monuments series. Built in 1892 as a hotel for visitors to the World’s Fair, the Mecca Flats was later converted into apartments that served Chicago’s African American community on the South Side. But by the 1950s, the building was demolished to make way for the Illinois Institute of Techno...

With a shortage of more than 150,000 homes in Chicago, the city is seeking new solutions to provide quick and affordable homes to residents. Modular homes and accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, are seen as the most effective solution to this crisis, providing Chicagoans with cheaper access to housing. Reset learns more about the fight to legalize the construction of new ADUs and the overall fight...

State Farm will raise home insurance premiums for new and current Illinois customers starting mid-July, saying it’s getting too expensive. In 2024, the company said it paid out more in claims than it collected in premiums. Illinois residents will see an average increase of 27%. Reset hears how this could affect residents, with Nedra Sims-Fears, executive director of the Greater Chatham Initiative,...

After the devastating heat wave that hit Chicago in 1995, the city has introduced numerous different plans and programs to fight the heat. But is it enough? Is Chicago fully prepared to prevent another tragedy? Reset finds out with Kaila Lariviere, manager of Emergency Management Services for the city of Chicago; Sheetal Rao, assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Illinois C...

Heat is the most hazardous weather event in the world. The UN estimates that mortality for people over 65 years old increased by 85% between 2017 and 2021. As climate change brings more extreme temperatures, we examine the short- and long-term effects of heat exposure. Plus, what we need to do to address health inequities and disparities to prevent a repeat of the 1995 heat wave that killed 739 Ch...

Former alderman Ed Burke was released from prison and former alderwoman Carrie Austin has been ruled too sick to stand trial. Meanwhile, current alderman Walter Burnett announced he’s stepping down, city lawyers have approved more police misconduct settlements and Mayor Johnson had some harsh words for the Trump administration. Reset breaks down these stories and much more with WTTW Chicago politi...

As we mark 30 years since Chicago’s deadly 1995 heat wave, we look at the way social isolation contributed to the death of hundreds of residents and what’s being done today to prevent that from happening again. Reset speaks with Carol J. Sharp, president and CEO of The Night Ministry; Jahmal Cole, CEO and founder of My Block My Hood, My City; and Margaret Laraviere, deputy commissioner of senior s...

Chicagoan Lou Della Evans Reid co-founded the Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in the 1950s and led its 200-person gospel choir. She was a pioneer in the modern gospel music scene, putting Chicago on the map as a hub of the genre. She died at 94. Reset hears her life story from Bob Marovich, gospel music historian, author, radio host and founder of Journal of Gospel Music.

Thirty years ago, a deadly heat wave hit the Chicago area, overwhelming city agencies, the power grid, and ultimately contributing to the deaths of 739 people. What did that week look like to the residents, the first responders, and the journalists who reported on it? Reset revisits the summer of 1995 with Chicago Fire Department Deputy Commissioner Brandon Keller, WBEZ listener Stephanie Behne an...

Today marks the anniversary of the ratification of the 14th Amendment, which established citizenship for freed slaves and women. The anniversary comes at a time when birthright citizenship is under threat by the Trump administration. Reset digs into what a weakened 14th Amendment could mean for Americans with Evan Bernick, associate professor of law at Northern Illinois University, and David Stova...

This week marks 30 years since a blistering, oppressive heat wave boiled the Midwest, hitting the Chicago area the hardest. Temperatures reached a height of 106 degrees, and the heat index soared to the 120s. The heat – combined with a number of overwhelmed city agencies and a buckling power grid – would contribute to the deaths of 739 people. Reset looks back at the summer of 1995 and digs into w...

On Monday, President Trump announced new tariffs on 14 different countries that would be taking effect on August 1. These tariffs range from 25% to 40%, and are focused predominantly on Asian countries. Reset sits down with Cécile Shea, nonresident senior fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, to find out how these tariffs could impact both Illinois. For a full archive of Reset interview...

After Illinois legalized sports betting in 2020, the state has seen a surge in business, jobs and tax revenue from the gaming industry. Advocates say there has also been a corresponding rise in gambling addiction, especially for young men and boys. Reset looks at how sports betting can lead to problem gambling and what treatment looks like with Anita Pindiur, executive director of Way Back Inn and...

President Trump’s massive tax and spending bill signed into law on July 4 enshrined his 2017 tax cuts and cut federal funding for clean energy, food assistance programs and Medicaid in part by shifting costs to states. This comes as local food pantries say they’ve been at capacity the past few years due to inflated grocery prices and increased demand as a result of the COVID pandemic. Reset hears...

The story of how a neighborhood theater became a church struggling to install a new roof says a lot about how buildings evolve over time. Reset talks to architecture expert Dennis Rodkin. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.