Author: WBEZ Chicago

What a week in news! University of Chicago launched a pre-dawn raid on a pro-Palestinian encampment. President Biden comes to town. And 95 adults file a lawsuit alleging physical and sexual abuse at Illinois juvenile detention centers. Reset breaks down these stories and much more with Block Club Chicago’s Mick Dumke, Washington Post’s Kim Bellware, and Fox 32’s Paris Schutz. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Water scarcity and what the UN calls “water-related hazards” – like flooding and drought – are increasing around the globe. As water supplies dry up, eyes turn to water havens, like the Great Lakes region. So how does a city like Chicago meet the need and protect the water resources from those who would only profit from it? Multiple players are coming together to do this under the banner of the blue economy in Chicago. Reset learns more about these efforts from Reset sustainability contributor Karen Weigert, Tikal Industries Christian Guerrero, and Current’s Alaina Harkness. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

In the world of music recording, Chicagoan Steve Albini was an international legend, even a pioneer. Albini passed away from a heart attack this week at 61. But his impact on fellow engineers and the industry will not be soon forgotten. WBEZ engineer Dave Miska shares how and why Albini spoke to a generation of punk Gen X-ers. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

The Fossil Lab is run by UChicago paleontologist Paul Sereno. It recently moved from the university campus to a space in Washington Park where visitors can see 3D renderings of dinosaurs and a wide variety of fossils. Reset sits down with Sereno to learn more about the community learning opportunities he’s planning for the lab. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Schantelle Alonzo is the daughter of Filipino immigrants and grew up in Chicago’s Albany Park. She was born deaf in her left ear and felt she didn’t see her story represented in animations she grew up seeing. Today, she creates short films to share stories of underrepresented communities like the deaf, Asian Americans and immigrants. Reset sits down with the animator to learn more about the impact she hopes to leave on people viewing her work. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

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 plan to relocate a downtown migrant shelter to the 11th ward. Reset hears the latest in city politics from WBEZ’s Tessa Weinberg and Mariah Woelfel. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

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 over to wbez.org/reset.

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 your smartphone temporarily. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.