In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons

Medicaid accounts for about 56% of the funds Cook County Health uses to treat patients. Experts warn the cuts that House Republicans are advancing could have a serious impact on people’s health, on emergency rooms and that they could force Cook County to cut staff or reduce staff hours. For more about these potential impacts and how providers are bracing, Reset talks with Kristen Schorsch, WBEZ Co...

The understanding that our lives are shaped by our parents is extremely ubiquitous. However, the influence of siblings is much less known. In her book, “The Family Dynamic: A Journey Into The Mystery of Sibling Success,” Susan Dominus shares her findings after spending time with multiple sets of high-achieving siblings to understand how sibling relationships affect each other. Reset sat down with...

Khmai Cambodian Fine Dining and sister restaurant Kaun Khmai, specializing in Cambodian street food, highlight the stories of Cambodia and revive recipes that were almost lost to war and genocide. Reset sits down with the owner and chef to learn the story of her family in this incredible tale of how food healed and revived them from the wounds of war. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head o...

With this yo-yo weather, what do your gardens need? Reset gets more info from director Urban Farm Center at College of Lake County Eliza Fournier and takes listeners’ questions. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Congresswoman Lauren Underwood opts out of Senate race. Lincoln artifacts auctioned off for millions. South suburban Dolton plans to acquire Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home. Reset breaks down these stories and much more with a panel of journalists. This week’s panel includes WTTW News correspondent Nick Blumberg, WBEZ data projects editor Alden Loury and Chicago Sun-Times investigative reporter Bob...

In 1975, the Vietnam War ended with the fall of Saigon. Afterward, a large wave of Vietnamese refugees fled the country and arrived in neighboring countries like Cambodia and the Philippines – and the United States as well. Many found community on the coasts like in California or New York, but others created enclaves in the Midwest cities like Chicago. To mark 50 years since the end of the Vietnam...

Look out! Here comes Spider-Man – along with his villains and other well-known Spider-Verse characters. It’s all part of a new immersive exhibition at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry. It brings together a collection of artifacts, iconic moments from every era, and wall-to-wall artwork from Spider-Man’s first comic book appearance in 1962. Reset learns more about the superhero’s evolutio...

Millions of people across the country rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP for food assistance, including nearly 2 million people in Illinois. The program is fully funded by the federal government with states helping pay for administrative costs. But that could change. House Republicans are proposing an estimated $300 billion in cuts to SNAP spending and looking to states...

Illinois lawmakers have until the end of the month to hammer out a budget deal. Public transit agencies in the Chicago area say they’re facing a $770 million shortfall. Reset discusses what’s at stake for transit riders with Audrey Wennink of the Metropolitan Planning Council and Justin Marlowe of UChicago’s Harris School of For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Since the pandemic, chronic absenteeism is a bigger problem for CPS high school students, but the district and schools are working to address the issue. Reset explores what’s driving this trend and what’s being done to solve the problem with WBEZ education reporter Sarah Karp. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

SCOTUS is set to rule on birthright citizenship after Trump’s executive order on January 20. How has the right evolved in the United States? Reset dives into the history of birthright citizenship and its resonances today with associate professor of history at Occidental College Jane Hong. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

The Libby McNeill & Libby plant in Blue Island, Illinois, once a bustling hub for canning local produce, has sat mostly vacant since it closed in 1968. After years of neglect under a nonprofit’s ownership, the city recently took control of the 515,000-square-foot site. Now surrounded by dumped debris and in need of major repairs, the building poses serious redevelopment challenges. Still, city off...

President Trump signed an executive order barring birthright citizenship for children whose parents lack legal status in the U.S. and for some visa holders. Three judges have filed national injunctions to block this order, and the Supreme Court is deliberating the case. If the court sides with the Trump administration, automatic citizenship could be denied to kids in 28 states. Reset learns what’s...

As JB Pritzker goes back and forth on a third gubernatorial term and former Mayor Rahm Emanuel makes his own media rounds, speculation intensifies about whether the two Illinois politicians have plans to run for president. Reset gets the latest from WBEZ state politics reporter Dave McKinney. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

As we celebrate Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we focus on the cuisine from the Hawaiian islands and where to find it in Chicago. Reset learns more from Ivan Lee, who opened Aloha Eats with his father in 2004. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Nearly a dozen South Side elementary students sickened after ingesting marijuana edibles. Mayor Johnson reaches the midpoint of his term. Congressional competitions heat up in the race to replace retiring Sen. Durbin and Rep. Schakowsky. Reset goes behind the headlines of those stories and much more in our Weekly News Recap with a panel of journalists. This week we have Block Club Chicago reporter...

Before Hawaiʻi was annexed by the United States in 1898, the nation was led by a constitutional monarchy and was recognized as an independent kingdom. Before Hawai’i’s last monarch, Queen Lili’uokalani, was overthrown by non-native American businessmen in 1893, the queen sent a royally-charted Hula troupe to the World's Columbian Exposition to share the culture and stories of Kanaka Maoli, or Nati...

The Trump administration is rolling out a series of proposals aimed at reversing America’s declining birth rate — from a $5,000 “baby bonus” for new mothers to symbolic awards for large families. But critics say these incentives miss the mark, arguing that what families really need is long-term support like paid leave, affordable child care, and access to early education. Reset explores the politi...

Because of crime-free housing ordinances, 1 in 4 Illinoisans live in rental properties that require them to sign a lease that says they could be evicted if accused of a crime – even a minor offense that isn’t prosecuted. A year-long investigation by the New York Times combed through police data and interviewed dozens of landlords and tenants to learn the effects of these laws. Reset learns more ab...

In Illinois, it is illegal for any housing provider to deny a tenant solely based on how they pay for rent. And in Chicago, “source of income” is a protected class and allows alleged victims of discrimination to file complaints with the Chicago Commission on Human Relations. But new reporting from WBEZ finds that people are being discriminated against for using rental assistance, in spite of local...

Gen Z and millennial candidates are running for public office, and they’re not afraid to take on members of their own parties who have been in power for decades. Reset talks with Chicago Tribune state government reporter Olivia Olander, NPR politics reporter Elena Moore and Illinois State Rep. Nabeela Syed. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Ocean Vuong is perhaps best-known for his 2019 novel “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” and deeply intimate poetry collections such as “Night Sky with Exit Wounds” (2016) and “Time Is a Mother” (2022). In his new novel, the Vietnamese-American author tells the story of friendship and acting with kindness even when you’re filled with hopelessness. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to...

The National Institutes of Health is the largest public funder of biomedical research in the world, but under the Trump administration, NIH is freezing funding to several universities, including Northwestern. One of the projects being delayed is cutting-edge research on ovarian and pancreatic cancer. Reset learns more about the effect of this freeze on patients and early career scientists with Jos...

Chicago’s newly passed “green social housing” ordinance creates a city-owned, nonprofit developer that will issue loans to companies that build eco-friendly homes. Reset breaks down what’s in the plan and gets thoughts on this approach from affordable housing advocates Daniel Kay Hertz of Impact for Equity and Courtney Hanson of People for Community Recovery. For a full archive of Reset interviews...

The new Pope has Chicago roots, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s housing initiative gets City Council approval, and new candidates crowd the race to replace Sen. Durbin. Reset goes behind those headlines and much more in our Weekly News Recap. This week’s panel features CW 26 reporter Brandon Pope, Chicago Sun-Times reporter Mitchell Armentrout and Chicago Tribune editor Chris Jones. For a full archive of...