In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons

Reset goes behind the headlines on the Weekly News Recap with Tina Sfondeles, Chicago Sun-Times chief political reporter, Jacoby Cochran, City Cast Chicago host, and Ray Long, Chicago Tribune investigative reporter and author of The House That Madigan Built: The Record Run of Illinois’ Velvet Hammer.

The Hindu festival of lights, Diwali, is coming up Monday and you might consider celebrating it with a variety of South Asian desserts. Reset talks with Ashok Selvam, editor of Eater Chicago, and Jasmine Sheth, James Beard Foundation grant winner and creator of Tasting India, about South Asian desserts to celebrate the holiday this year.

Hate crimes against the Asian American Pacific Islander community have been on the rise since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Reset talks with Seong-Ah Cho, director of organizing for Asian Americans Advancing Justice Chicago and Natasha Chan, board member for Asians are Strong, about the steps they and their organizations are taking to combat that hate.

Americans now owe $877 billion on their credit cards. Reset talks with Olga Gorbachev, associate professor of economics at the University of Delaware and Chrisitan Weller, fellow at the Center for American Progress about how debt is affecting families and what it could mean for the economy.

About 100 million Americans now use TikTok, including two-thirds of teens. “We’re not talking about a dance app,” Abbie Richards, a researcher who studies disinformation on TikTok, tells the Washington Post. “We’re talking about a platform that’s shaping how a whole generation is learning to perceive the world.” Reset checks in with Washington Post tech reporter Drew Harwell to examine the spectac...

Thousands of Central and South American migrants have arrived in Chicago, and leaders across the city are rushing to provide adequate housing and support for them. But some aldermen are calling on Mayor Lightfoot to do more. For more on what efforts are happening right now to support asylum seekers in Chicago, Reset checks in with 12th Ward Ald. George Cardenas; Stephanie Willding of Community Hea...

A new poll from WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times finds more than half of Illinois voters are in favor of keeping abortion legal. Reset talks with WBEZ politics reporter Kristen Schorch for more on what this issue means for voters.

Reset sits down with author Stephanie Foo to discuss her memoir What My Bones Know. The book details Foo’s struggle with Complex PTSD, a little understood disorder. She explores her childhood trauma, the impact of C-PTSD on her life and others, and how she found recovery.

Kroger and Albertsons, the owners of Mariano’s and Jewel Osco chains, recently announced a $20 billion merger. Locally, this deal unites one of the oldest Chicago franchises with its primary competitor. Reset checks in with listeners and with Ashok Selvam, editor of Eater Chicago, and Brianna Wellen, associate editor at The Takeout.

After 15 years of planning and fundraising, leaders broke ground on the National Public Housing Museum in Chicago. Reset checks in with the organization’s executive director Lisa Yun Lee and the vice chair of its board Crystal Palmer.

From "Making Oprah to Making Obama, WBEZ is bringing listeners another season of the podcast that explores the roots and early years of icons, leaders and game changers. Reset sits down with the new host of Making, Brandon Pope, about what to expect this season.

AT&T admits to bribery, agrees to a $23 million fine, while additional charges are filed against former House Speaker Mike Madigan. Reset goes behind the headlines on the Weekly News Recap with WBEZ reporter Mike Puente; WBEZ investigative reporter Dan Mihalopoulos; and Kimberley Egonmwan, commentator for WVON and attorney.

Spend this fall season extra caffeinated. Reset digs into what makes a delicious cup of coffee. Also: the return of Coffee Con! We talk to Kevin Sinnott, host and creator of Coffee Con; Hara Kumaran, roaster for Metric Coffee; and Felton Kizer, co-founder of Monday Coffee.

Ladonna Freidheim, a wheelchair dancer, has tried to join dance classes before, only to be met with: “What about our floors?” So how can dance studios make sure they’re opening their doors to people of all abilities? Reset explores what accessibility looks like in the dance world with Sarah Najera, artistic and executive director of MOMENTA Dance Company, and Ladonna Freidheim, wheelchair dancer a...

Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle is urging people to apply for a guaranteed income program called the Cook County Promise. About 32,000 applications will be chosen at random, and the winners get those monthly $500 payments for two years to spend however they choose. Reset checks in with Preckwinkle about the basics of the program. We also hear from Rachel Pyon with Equity and Transformation,...

We dig into what you need to know about why kids are filling up hospital beds this season, and how to keep children in your life safe, with Dr. Kshetrapal, emergency medicine physician at Lurie Children’s Hospital.

Could voluntary mediation be the answer to building trust between Chicagoans and police officers? The city of Chicago launched a new pilot program that brings in mediators to guide conversations between police and people filing low-level misconduct claims against them. Reset talks about the benefit of community-police mediation and how successful this practice has been in other cities with Rae Kyr...

The demand for LGBTQ representation in literature is growing across genres. Reset talks to authors Bea Hitchman and Anita Kelly and bookseller and TikTokker Laynie Rose Rizer.

From iconic spots to little-known hidden gems, your chance to explore the city in a new way has arrived. Every October, the Chicago Architecture Center hosts a public festival that celebrates design throughout the city, and this year visitors have the opportunity to visit over 20 neighborhoods and culturally significant sites. Reset hears about the festival and what to expect from this year’s open...

Chicago faith leaders delivered sermons about mental health issues to destigmatize the subject and provide congregants with resources. Reset talks with Pastor Ira Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church and Katie McKillen, Chicago Regional Vice President of Evolent Health.

Russian forces Monday launched the most violent attack Ukraine has seen in months. In what Russian president Vladimir Putin called a reaction to an attack on a Russian bridge, Russian missiles targeted cities across Ukraine, including the capital, Kyiv. So far 11 have been reported dead and more than 60 have been injured. Reset checks in with Ukrainian Americans in Chicago: policy expert John Hewk...

In recent years, there’s been a lot of movement on recognizing the enduring culture, history, and impact of Indigenous peoples. And yet the way it’s taught in schools still has a long way to go. But the way it’s taught in schools still has a long way to go. Reset talks with Patty Loew, Northwestern University professor and citizen of Mashkiiziibii; and Gina Caneva, a library media specialist at Ea...

Chicago multi-instrumentalist Nnamdi visits Reset on the release day of his impressive new album, Please Have A Seat. He also shares who he’s excited about in the Chicago music scene, and why he’s already looking ahead to what’s next.

DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, is an Obama-era policy that granted protected legal status to undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. But this week, the 5th Circuit court in New Orleans, La. declared DACA to be illegal. The court allowed current recipients to reapply, keeping the status of the program unchanged, but the future of it uncertain. Reset hears from DAC...

Pritzker and Bailey faced off on TV, just in time for early voting to begin; several children were among victims of gun violence over the weekend; and the Chicago Red Stars owner is out in the wake of a women’s soccer abuse scandal. Oh, and Chicago is about to kick off a citywide karaoke contest. Reset goes behind the headlines on the Weekly News Recap with AXIOS’s Monica Eng, Lynn Sweet of r the...