Curious City - What was Ford City Mall like in its heyday?
Vacant shops and faded signs, Ford City Mall is in the process of being sold. But this shell of a shopping center was once a bustling hub, especially for young people.
In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons - Ask Chicago’s Mayor: Sept 2025
As heightened immigration enforcement continues, we learn how the city’s chief executive is working to keep residents safe. In the Loop sits down with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson to learn how he’s balancing national attention with the day-to-day needs of the city residents. Plus, he answers callers’ questions.
For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.
In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons - Chicagoans Are Living Longer — But Your Address Is Still A Major Factor
Chicagoans are living longer — at least nearly as long as they did pre-pandemic, according to new data from the Chicago Department of Public Health. Meanwhile, the life expectancy gap between Black and non-Black Chicagoans is narrowing, but according to CDPH, there’s still a long way to go.
In the Loop finds out more about how far the city has come in improving the health and longevity of residents and what challenges may lie ahead.
We check in with Ayesha Jaco, executive director of West Side United; The Rev. Marshall Hatch, senior pastor, New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church; and Dr. David Ansell, professor of medicine at Rush University Medical Center and author of The Death Gap: How Inequality Kills.
For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.
In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons - Introducing: WBEZ’s In The Loop
WBEZ’s new show “In the Loop” is your place for Chicago-area news and culture. Host Sasha-Ann Simons and executive producer Dan Tucker break down what to expect. Check this feed every weekday afternoon to stay In the Loop.
Curious City - What happened after a dangerous year inside Cook County Jail
The year 2023 was a deadly one at the Cook County Jail. Eighteen people died in custody, “for many reasons,” said reporter Carlos Ballesteros, who reported on the record year for Injustice Watch. His reporting cited drug overdoses, lapses from jail staff and failed oversight.
In our last episode, we learned about a group of volunteers who set up outside Cook County Jail to hand out free supplies to people after they get released.
Today, we’ll hear about a few people who never were released, the conditions and circumstances that led to some of their deaths, what changes have been made and what changes may still be needed at the Cook County Jail.
“Ultimately, it's jail, right?” Ballesteros said. “But the things we hear from people inside and their families is really disturbing.”
The number of deaths at the jail has decreased since the 2023 report. We get an update from the Cook County Sheriff’s Department, which oversees the jail.
Curious City - What is that supply tent outside of Cook County Jail?
Almost every night, a group of volunteers sets up a table of supplies. Their goal is to assist everyone who is being released; from bottled water to a ride home. But sometimes, it’s a challenge when people are released well after midnight.
Curious City - Apple slices are a nearly forgotten piece of Chicago pastry history
Apple slices were a favorite Chicago pastry decades ago. Not many bakeries sell them today, but the dessert still has avid fans who hold on to its nostalgic flavor.
Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons - Summer Highlights From Reset!
As the summer winds down, we wanted to share some highlights of conversations we’ve had on Reset over the last few months. From our immigration series to conversations with music legends to sitting down with Sasha's mom, we’re looking back on an eventful season.
For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.
Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons - Carol Moseley Braun On Her New Memoir ‘Trailblazer’
In 1991, a high-profile and controversial Supreme Court confirmation hearing led Carol Moseley Braun to run for the U.S. Senate. “The good people of Illinois saw fit to elect me,” Moseley Braun says. That’s when she became the first Black woman to serve in the upper chamber. At the same time, Braun was the first woman senator to represent the state of Illinois in Congress. Braun details her childhood, that journey to Congress and the international success that would follow in a new memoir, “Trailblazer: Perseverance in Life and Politics.” Reset sits down with Carol Moseley Braun to learn more about her Chicago upbringing and storied career.
For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.
Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons - ‘Somebody Knows Something,’ Elgin Police Department Takes On Decades-Old Cold Cases In Their Podcast
In the early hours of April 16, 1983, 23-year-old Karen Schepers of Elgin went missing after a night out with co-workers. And over four decades later, the Elgin Police Department’s Cold Case Unit takes this missing persons case on again.
The detectives behind the case document their investigation in the first season of the “Somebody Knows Something” podcast.
Reset sits down with Elgin Police Department Chief Ana Lalley, detectives Christopher Hall and Andrew Houghton, and Sergeant Matt Vartanian to learn more about their work and the pod.
For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.