In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons

Bodies Outside of Unjust Laws, a coalition for reproductive justice and LGBTQ+ liberation, filed a federal lawsuit against the city last Thursday. That suit alleges the city violated their first and fourteenth amendment rights by denying their request to protest by the Water Tower on Michigan Ave, where many Democratic National Convention delegates will be staying. Plus, Mayor Johnson scraps his p...

A new report finds Illinois residents could see a rate increase in their gas bills of 50% over the next 10 years. That report, from the Building Decarbonization Coalition and Groundworks Data, shows the state’s continued investment in natural gas infrastructure. Reset talks through meaningful intervention options with WBEZ’s Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head ov...

Nine out of ten people in the U.S. own a smartphone, according to the Pew Research Center. As our society becomes built around this technology, some people are nostalgic for a different time – when cell phones didn’t dominate and distract us. Reset discusses the topic with CPS principal Seth Lavin, who got rid of his smartphone, and TJ Driver, co-founder of Brick, a device that disables apps on yo...

Student organizers from Northwestern, University of Chicago, DePaul and the School of the Art Institute have all set up pro-Palestinan encampments in recent weeks. Reset gets the latest on the protests from WBEZ’s Lisa Kurian Philip, The Depaulia’s Lilly Keller and The Daily Northwestern’s Jacob Wendler. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Quinn Chapel is an icon in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood that the community is in the process of restoring. The building sits on the corner of 24th and Wabash. It has a long history of Black activism and was once a station on the Underground Railroad, helping Black people escape enslavement. Reset learns more about this building and renovation project from architecture sleuth Dennis Rodkin. F...

UTOPIA NOW! is the latest from the queer indie super star Rosie Tucker. The album explores the failings of the music industry, the dangers of fame, and reflections on identity. Rosie joins Reset to talk about new music and the artists that inspired their sound. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Protests continue on local university campuses. Lawmakers return to Springfield for spring session, where the Bears’ stadium plans are sidelined by the governor’s aides and other political leaders. Meanwhile, Mayor Johnson prepares to relaunch a guaranteed basic income program and the speed limit could be lowered in Chicago. Reset goes behind those headlines and more with Axios’ Monica Eng, Chicag...

May is the time to get garden beds ready, and harden off your seedlings so you can get your veggies in the ground now for bountiful summer months. Reset gets tips for getting veggie gardens started and spring veggie recipes from cultural historian and chef Jordan Wimby and the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Chester Jankowski. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Producer: Jules Yaeger Editor: Meha AhmadIllinois’ biggest cicada season in over two centuries is beginning. Around a trillion cicadas will emerge from the ground all across the state—in urban, suburban, and rural areas alike. Reset checks in with Allen Lawrance with the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum and Stephanie Adams with the Morton Arboretum about the impact of this insect on people and plants...

Last year, Calumet City cited a Daily Southtown reporter for seeking comment from public employees. That’s one out of at least 165 incidents that interfered with journalists seeking and conveying information to the public last year, according to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker. But many violations of press freedom go unreported or under the radar. To mark World Press Freedom Day this week, Reset ch...

A report from the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, and other groups, says the state’s continued practice of solitary confinement violates international human rights. But change may be on the horizon. Illinois’ general assembly is considering legislation that would restrict solitary confinement, and hopefully create change in the system. Reset learns more from James Swansey with Restore...

For this week’s update from City Hall, we learn about Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s plan to spend the remaining federal COVID-19 dollars before the funds expire at the end of the year. Plus, why the Mayor didn’t attend the funeral of a slain CPD officer, and how he’s defending support for the Chicago Bears $4.7 million stadium proposal. We get the latest from WBEZ’s Tessa Weinberg. For a full ar...

A jazz icon to some, a breakout pop star to others, the Icelandic-Chinese singer Laufey has skyrocketed into popularity. Her debut album dropped in 2020, and just three years later she won a Grammy for her 2023 album ‘Bewiched’. Reset sat down with the 25-year-old for more on stardom and how her lyrics resonate with fans of all ages. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/re...

From the recent death of an employee on the job raising concerns about driver safety, to a program meant to bolster employment that’s falling short of its goals, and a controversial appointment to the board, the Chicago Transit Authority continues to struggle. Reset talks through these issues, and some possible solutions, with Block Club Chicago’s Manny Ramos, Chicago Sun-Times’ Lauren FitzPatrick...

In 1849, the U.S. government illegally auctioned off land owned by the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. Over the past two decades, the Tribal Nation has purchased some of their land back. This month, the U.S. Department of the Interior placed those 130 acres into a trust, formally recognizing the tribe’s ability to govern portions of their homelands. This is the first time this has happened in Illi...

The Chicago based non-profit, Openlands, brings trees to you! The organization’s program introduces the public to caring for the environment through teaching residents how to identify, care for, plant and advocate for trees. Reset talks with Openlands CEO, Michael Davidson and TreeKeeper #1905, Pablo Rodriguez. We also talk with Reset sustainability contributor Karen Weigert. For a full archive of...

Duke Ellington was born April 29, 1899. Today, 125 years after his birth, a concert series celebrates the pianist and composer's monumental impact on music. Reset talks with Wynton Marsalis, Grammy award-winning jazz master, about Ellington’s enduring impact on music and how he continues to honor Ellington’s legacy. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

The Chicago Bears revealed plans for a new domed lakefront stadium – and successfully drafted their quarterback pick. The family of Dexter Reed filed a civil rights lawsuit over his killing by police. Chicago campuses see anti-war protests, and specialty grocers Dom's Kitchen & Market and Foxtrot face class action lawsuits from now-former employees. Reset breaks down these stories and much more wi...

Fifty years after the 1974 debut of the iconic “Good Times” sitcom, a new animated reboot of the show was launched on Netflix and fans of the original show are not having a good time. The sitcom depicted a Black family making ends meet in public housing in Chicago. Its co-creator, Chicagoan Eric Monte, quickly became known as the “Godfather of Sitcom,” as he was also the mastermind behind shows in...

Laurin Mack loves Chicago and loves beer. So maybe it was inevitable that she would go on to tap into her great-great-great grandfather’s brewing legacy, and share his story of the beers that “built Chicago.” She re-opened the Conrad Seipp Brewing Company in 2020, and began the process of excavating the recipe for his pre-Prohibition pale ale. Several years, and two styles of beer later, you can n...

his attempt at unification comes as the number of migrants staying in shelters has decreased from a peak of nearly 15,000 people in January to about 8,600 as of Wednesday. The city and state has shut down 11 shelters set up specifically for migrants. But combining Chicago’s shelter systems is still a major change – and will require a lot of coordination. Reset learns more about what this consolida...

Outfox Hospitality, the parent company of Foxtrot and Dom’s Kitchen & Market, is filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, according to food-and-beverage newsletter Snaxshot. The move comes five months after the two Chicago-based companies merged. Reset learns more about what is going on from Eater Chicago’s Ashok Selvam and attorney Connie A. Lahn. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez...

Passengers traveling through O’Hare’s Terminal 3 could soon see wider concourses, renovated restrooms, revamped baggage claim area and more. However, budget concerns have halted the construction of a global terminal and satellite concourses, leading Mayor Johnson to propose a major change in the order of construction. Reset hears the latest from WBEZ’s Tessa Weinberg. For a full archive of Reset i...

Migrants in Cook County suburbs still need housing and immigration support, but even with a pool of funds $20 million deep, few suburbs have applied for the assistance. The deadline closed this past Friday with only 4 out of about 100 suburbs sending in applications. Reset finds out more with WBEZ reporter Kristen Schorsch; Julie Solis, homeless prevention program manager from Respond Now, a non-p...

Attracting performances by Richard Pryor, Barbra Streisand and Ella Fitzgerald, Mister Kelly’s on Rush Street was a destination for audiences of all races in the 1950s and ’60s. Reset talks about the Newberry Library’s latest exhibit on the importance of the venue with the library’s Vince Firpo, David Marienthal who donated some of the archival material, and freelance audio producer and journalist...