Author: WBEZ Chicago

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Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons - WBEZ’s Weekly News Recap: May 9, 2025

The new Pope has Chicago roots, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s housing initiative gets City Council approval, and new candidates crowd the race to replace Sen. Durbin. Reset goes behind those headlines and much more in our Weekly News Recap. This week’s panel features CW 26 reporter Brandon Pope, Chicago Sun-Times reporter Mitchell Armentrout and Chicago Tribune editor Chris Jones. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.
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Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons - The ‘Memories And Milestones’ Of South Asians In Illinois

To mark Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Reset learns more of the past, present and future of Illinois’s South Asian community with the executive director of the South Asian American Policy & Research Institute Shobhana Johri Verma, and education consultant, South Asian American Policy & Research Institute Julie Thomas Achettu. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.
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Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons - Chicagoans Sound Off On New Pontiff

Thursday, May 8, the papal conclave chose Robert Prevost to be the next head of the Roman Catholic Church. He was born and raised in the Chicago area and is the first American pontiff. Reset gets local reaction to the announcement from Bob Herguth, Chicago Sun-Times investigative reporter, Father Michael Trail, St. Thomas the Apostle parish in Hyde Park Mary FioRito, attorney, former top aide to Cardinal George, the late predecessor to Cardinal Blase Cupich, the Archbishop of Chicago. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.
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Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons - Attacks On Head Start Put Early Childhood Education Programs At Risk

Reset talks with early childhood education advocates about Head Start’s uncertain future. The panel includes Pamela Epley, Vice President of Academic Affairs at the Erikson Institute and Nadia Gronkowski, Program Manager of Advocacy & Policy at Start Early. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.
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Curious City - Even when nothing goes wrong, moving is trash

It’s typical to see moving trucks winding through streets and alleys of Chicago on the first day of any month. The act of moving hardly sounds like a luxury, but as we heard in the last episode, it could be worse. About a century ago, Chicagoans only moved on May 1 and sometimes Oct. 1. That meant thousands of moving wagons clogging the streets, price gouging and exploitation. Today, people move any time of the year and there are more protections for tenants. But that doesn’t mean we can’t use some advice to make moving and renting in Chicago easier. Host Erin Allen talks with local U-Haul representative Constance Turner about best practices when it comes to packing up and moving in. Then, she sits down with Sam Barth, staff attorney with Law Center for Better Housing, to talk about what renters can do to protect themselves.
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Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons - Growing Residential Program That Keeps Chicago Men Out Of Prison

Lawndale Christian Legal Center ran a pilot program in 2015 that provided wraparound services including stable housing, a car to get to work and mental health services to men ages 18 to 26 who were on probation. This not only kept them out of prison but helped break the cycle of recidivism. This program has now expanded, and 20 men will have a chance to live in an apartment and participate in a residential workforce development program at LCLC’s new headquarters at the Deer Center. Reset learns more about the impact of this program from participant Frederick Dennis and founder and CEO of Lawndale Christian Legal Center Cliff Nellis. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.
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Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons - Lincoln Square’s Car-Free Experiment

A construction project turned part of Lincoln Square into a temporary car-free zone, leading to a local debate over whether pedestrianized streets should be made permanent. Reset discusses with Rony Islam, organizer of the pedestrian walkway and neighborhood resident Dena Pavlovic, manager of ENJOY Lincoln Square gift shop. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.
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Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons - DePaul President To Testify Before Congress

DePaul University President Robert Manuel will take part in a hearing this week called “Beyond the Ivy League: Stopping the Spread of Antisemitism on American Campuses.” Haverford College and California Polytechnic State University presidents are also called to testify. Reset digs into what’s behind the hearing with WBEZ higher education reporter Lisa Kurian Philip. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.
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Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons - Will Chicago Remain a Sanctuary City?

President Trump signed three executive orders last week cracking down on immigration enforcement. One order demands that federal officials compile a list of “sanctuary cities,” who refuse to cooperate with federal officials’ efforts to arrest immigrants, suspending or terminating federal funds for these jurisdictions where appropriate. Mayor Johnson says Chicago won’t concede. Reset sits down with an immigration lawyer to break down what Trump’s executive order means for Illinois. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.