WBEZ got its start back in the 1940s. Reset kicks off a new bi-weekly series on Chicago history with a look inward with former WBEZ news director, program director and host Ken Davis.
For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.
In the latest installment in our series What’s That Building, architecture sleuth Dennis Rodkin shares the story of the Robert Franks Memorial building in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood. Robert “Bobby” Franks was 14 years old back in 1924 when fellow teens Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb killed him and left his body outside of Chicago. The premeditated murder became known as the “crime of the century.” Afterward, Franks’ father put money toward a boys’ club that he thought would have made his son proud. Amazingly, the building still serves boys today with a variety of enrichment programs.
For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.
Cadien Lake James, aka lake j, is the latest member of the Chicago indie band Twin Peaks to release a solo album. It’s called Dizzy. Reset checks in with him about his creative process and his new music.
For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.
Illinois lawmakers return to Springfield. Former state Senator Terry Link is sentenced to probation for tax evasion. Plus, votes will count for the “Bring Chicago Home” referendum, and former president Donald Trump remains on the primary ballot. Reset goes behind those headlines and more with WTTW political correspondent Amanda Vinicky, WBEZ city government and politics reporter Tessa Weinberg and Crain’s Chicago Business government and politics reporter Leigh Giangreco.
For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.
Where can Midwesterners start if they want to eat seasonally? Getting a garden going can take a lot of planning, but each month on the podcast, we’ll drop a little inspiration to help you foster your green thumb and learn to eat with the seasons whether you’re gardening or just shopping for groceries. Reset check in with chef and cultural historian Jordan Wimby.
For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.
A 2023 Supreme Court ruling removed decades-old protections for wetlands. Now, Illinois lawmakers are fighting back. Illinois lawmakers are hoping to pass protections for the state’s wetlands this spring. Reset checks in with Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, environment reporter for WBEZ and Grist.
For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.
What made Mike Davis fly all the way from Washington state to cover Chicago’s theater scene? Reset learns more about Davis and hears his recommendations for upcoming shows, including “Port of Entry” from the Albany Park Theater Project.
For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.
Four and a half minutes. That’s how long it will take for the moon to pass between the earth and the sun. Chicagoans won’t have to travel to catch a glimpse of the partial eclipse, but southern Illinois will experience “totality” for the second time in a decade. Reset learns more about how you can safely view this celestial phenomenon from: Geza Gyuk, director of astronomy at the Adler Planetarium; Ashley Walker, a third-year astronomy PhD student at Howard University and founder of Black in Astro; and Tom Auchter, a member Northwest Suburban Astronomers.
The juvenile justice system we know today was created by Cook County women. We take a look back at how the program came to be. Then later, ever notice how so few of Chicago’s monuments are of women? We’ll find out why and talk to the folks working to change that.
Chicago saw a wave of feminist bookstores opening in the 1970s, but how many are still open today? Women and Children First in Andersonville has stood the test of time for 45 years and find their work more relevant today than ever. Reset checks in with Linda Bubon, one of the store’s co-founders, and its current co-owners, Sarah Hollenbeck and Lynn Mooney, on the throughline to the bookstore’s success.
