Author: WBEZ Chicago

It’s hard to find a more iconic Chicago movie than “The Blues Brothers”, and the chance to learn something new about the 1980 film? Yes please! Reset sits down with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Daniel de Visé about the new stories he uncovered while researching the making of this cult favorite. Daniel’s book, “The Blues Brothers: An Epic Friendship, the Rise of Improv, and the Making of an American Film Classic” is available now wherever you buy books. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Mayor Brandon Johnson is recognizing the decades-long career of Rick Bayless and the impact he has had on the city’s restaurant scene and on making Chicago a food destination. The prolific chef owns several restaurants and brands, and he also supports small farmers and the arts in Chicagoland. Reset sits down with Bayless to reflect on his career and accomplishments. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump each won their primaries in Illinois on Tuesday. But a growing call for a protest vote among Dems and a never-Trump wing among Republicans could mean that both candidates have to shore up their support before the general election in November. Meanwhile, other items on the ballot remain too close to call, including the Bring Chicago Home ballot referendum. Reset digs into who won, who didn’t and which races are still too close to call with WBEZ state politics reporter Dave McKinney. For more on the latest results, go to WBEZ.org. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to Wbez.org/reset.

Long before there was Bush v. Gore and the “dimpled chad” fiasco in Florida, there were Penny Pullen and Rosemary Mulligan, two suburban Chicago Republicans vying for the same state house seat in a race so close, it was decided at points by a handful of votes, a coin toss and eventually the Illinois Supreme Court. Reset talk with author Patrick Wohl about his new book “Down Ballot: How A Local Campaign Became A National Referendum On Abortion” for more on the significance of that race and why every vote counts. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Microbes are everywhere, including in our stomachs, and they have a big influence on our overall health in a variety of ways. Reset explores the mind-gut connection with UChicago Medicine’s Alyse Bedell. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset

The latest in our series What’s That Building? takes us to the former Cabrini-Green neighborhood to visit a boarded up church that community members and preservationists are working hard to save. Reset checks in with our architecture sleuth Dennis Rodkin for the story. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Officials call the 37,000 migrants who have arrived in Chicago since August 2022 an “unprecedented” situation. But a WBEZ analysis showed that earlier waves from Europe, the South and Mexico rivaled the current situation in size and scope. Reset explores the connections between current migration to Chicago and what happened in the past with WBEZ data reporter Amy Qin and UIC history professor Lilia Fernández. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Tuesday, March 19, isn’t just Primary Day in Illinois — it’s also the best day to experience the phenomenon known as “Chicagohenge” when the sun aligns perfectly with Chicago’s grid. Reset checks in with Geza Gyuk, director of astronomy at the Adler Planetarium. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Music, theater, dance, art, opera, whatever your artistic bucket list includes this spring, we have something you’ll love. Reset sits down with WBEZ arts and culture senior editor Cassie Walker Burke to get the lowdown on some shows and events you may want to check out. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.