Author: WBEZ Chicago

She’s a 12-foot wooden puppet of a Syrian girl who walks for the hundreds of thousands of displaced people worldwide, half of whom are children. Little Amal is making friends through art, food and education in a months-long tour across the United States — and this week she’ll be in Chicago. Reset speaks with local partners about where you can meet Little Amal and what you can learn from her while she’s in the city. Our guests include Lauren West, from the Syrian Community Network, Jacqueline Russell of the Chicago Children’s Theater and Paige Whitson-Martini of the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Did you know Reset also has a daily newsletter? Each edition features a breakdown of one big topic in news or culture, fun activities to try in the Chicago area and a chance to weigh in. Sign up at wbez.org/resetnews.

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration and the Illinois Restaurant Association struck a compromise Wednesday to raise tipped workers’ minimum wage over the next five years. The measure still needs approval from the full Council before it goes into effect. Reset checks in with WBEZ city government and politics reporter Tessa Weinberg and Saru Jayaraman, president of One Fair Wage.

Happy first day of fall! Don’t be left wondering what you’ll do on the weekend this fall. WBEZ has you covered. Reset checks in with WBEZ editor Cassie Walker Burke on the station’s Fall Bucket List to keep you in the loop.

Chicago sues chemical manufacturer Monsanto over polluted waterways. The defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears resigns, and the team cuts its backup quarterback. Reset breaks down those stories and more with this week’s panel of journalists: Leigh Giangreco, government and politics reporter at Crain’s Chicago Business, Jacoby Cochran, host of City Cast Chicago, and Mick Dumke, investigative editor and reporter at Block Club Chicago.

Math scores remain low and low-income students are especially lagging, according to Chicago Public Schools data released this week. Reset talked with CPS director of math to hear about the district’s strategies to address the gap – and WBEZ’s Sarah Karp, who has covered this issue.

Whether you’ve been with the same sweetie for decades or are trying to lock it down with someone new, dates play an important role in maintaining the spark in a relationship. Dating expert Bela Gandhi offers tips for planning romantic outings, and Reset producer Claire Hyman plans a date for a Chicago couple.

Nearly a decade after medical marijuana became legal in Illinois, senior citizens are the fastest-growing age group of cannabis users. Reset speaks with Dr. Rahul Khare, founder and CEO of Innovative Care, Tom Gliszewski, owner of the Chicago Cannabis Company, and Jungle Cae, a social media cannabis educator, to learn more about safely using pot.

Chicago has long been an advertising industry hub, attracting all kinds of voice artists looking to make a buck. You may be more likely to succeed as a voice actor than for film or TV, but don’t expect that sending off a few voice recordings will be enough to bring the checks flying in. Reset learns more about the industry from Tal Rosenberg, freelance writer for Chicago Magazine. We’ll also meet two local voice actors: Harlan Hogan and Morgan Lavenstein.