Author: WBEZ Chicago

The Libby McNeill & Libby plant in Blue Island, Illinois, once a bustling hub for canning local produce, has sat mostly vacant since it closed in 1968. After years of neglect under a nonprofit’s ownership, the city recently took control of the 515,000-square-foot site. Now surrounded by dumped debris and in need of major repairs, the building poses serious redevelopment challenges. Still, city officials and preservationists remain cautiously optimistic about its future potential. Reset spoke with Dennis Rodkin of Crain’s Chicago Business to explore the building’s past, present, and what could come next. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

President Trump signed an executive order barring birthright citizenship for children whose parents lack legal status in the U.S. and for some visa holders. Three judges have filed national injunctions to block this order, and the Supreme Court is deliberating the case. If the court sides with the Trump administration, automatic citizenship could be denied to kids in 28 states. Reset learns what’s at stake for Illinoisans from UIC law professor Steve Schwinn, Dulce Ortiz of the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights and the Mano a Mano Family Resource Center and Ana Gil Garcia the Illinois Venezuelan Alliance. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

As JB Pritzker goes back and forth on a third gubernatorial term and former Mayor Rahm Emanuel makes his own media rounds, speculation intensifies about whether the two Illinois politicians have plans to run for president. Reset gets the latest from WBEZ state politics reporter Dave McKinney. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

As we celebrate Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we focus on the cuisine from the Hawaiian islands and where to find it in Chicago. Reset learns more from Ivan Lee, who opened Aloha Eats with his father in 2004. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Nearly a dozen South Side elementary students sickened after ingesting marijuana edibles. Mayor Johnson reaches the midpoint of his term. Congressional competitions heat up in the race to replace retiring Sen. Durbin and Rep. Schakowsky. Reset goes behind the headlines of those stories and much more in our Weekly News Recap with a panel of journalists. This week we have Block Club Chicago reporter Mack Liederman, WBEZ senior editor of government, politics and safety Angela Rzas O’Toole, and government finance and accountability reporter with the Illinois Answers Project at the Better Government Association Alex Nitkin. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Before Hawaiʻi was annexed by the United States in 1898, the nation was led by a constitutional monarchy and was recognized as an independent kingdom. Before Hawai’i’s last monarch, Queen Lili’uokalani, was overthrown by non-native American businessmen in 1893, the queen sent a royally-charted Hula troupe to the World's Columbian Exposition to share the culture and stories of Kanaka Maoli, or Native Hawaiians. This is just the beginning of the community’s history in Chicago. In honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Reset learns more about Hawaiian migration to Chicago, the legacy of Hula and reclaiming the culture with executive director of Aloha Center Chicago Lanialoha Lee, hula teacher, visual artist and co-curator of Chicago's Legacy Hula exhibit at the Field Museum Napuahinano Sumberg and education committee chair of the Ke Ali`i Victoria Ka`iulani Hawaiian Civic Club-Chicago and Associate Director for Outreach & Strategy at the Newberry Library Kahakulani Blaisdell For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

The Trump administration is rolling out a series of proposals aimed at reversing America’s declining birth rate — from a $5,000 “baby bonus” for new mothers to symbolic awards for large families. But critics say these incentives miss the mark, arguing that what families really need is long-term support like paid leave, affordable child care, and access to early education.Reset explores the politics behind the push, what’s driving lower birth rates, and whether government perks can really influence such a deeply personal decision with author and history professor at University of Chicago Peggy O’Donnell Heffington For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Because of crime-free housing ordinances, 1 in 4 Illinoisans live in rental properties that require them to sign a lease that says they could be evicted if accused of a crime – even a minor offense that isn’t prosecuted. A year-long investigation by the New York Times combed through police data and interviewed dozens of landlords and tenants to learn the effects of these laws. Reset learns more about these ordinances and hears about potential solutions with Illinois Answers Project reporter Sidnee King Pineda, and journalist Ben Austen. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

In Illinois, it is illegal for any housing provider to deny a tenant solely based on how they pay for rent. And in Chicago, “source of income” is a protected class and allows alleged victims of discrimination to file complaints with the Chicago Commission on Human Relations. But new reporting from WBEZ finds that people are being discriminated against for using rental assistance, in spite of local laws aimed at preventing that. Reset digs into why landlords are rejecting Section 8 vouchers, and who is most impacted with WBEZ data projects editor Alden Loury and data intern Ashley Soriano. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.