Author: WBEZ Chicago

We mark 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term. From sweeping immigration crackdowns, to steep tariff hikes and major federal funding cuts, how is Chicago and Illinois weathering the storm? Reset finds out how our area has been impacted by the Trump administration with Chicago Sun-Times chief political reporter Tina Sfondeles and Chicago Sun-Times reporter covering government and politics Mitchell Armentrout. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

As a part of the Harris Policy Innovation Challenge, UChicago graduate students were tasked with answering the question, “What can Chicago do over the next three years to create a thriving downtown for the next 20 years?” The winning team came up with a proposal to revitalize a stretch of Michigan Avenue – from the Chicago River to Roosevelt Road – into a pedestrian-focused cultural corridor. In other words: get rid of cars. Reset learns more about the potential benefits of a car-free zone with Samantha Anderson, UChicago student and member of Harris Policy Innovation Challenge’s winning team, and Daniel Knowles, Midwest correspondent for The Economist and author of Carmageddon: How Cars Make Life Worse And What To Do About It. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

The Chicago Mayor’s office held its first meeting on “teen trends” — large gatherings of teenagers — alongside the city’s police, fire, and health departments, council members, and violence-prevention community organizations. Some want tighter curfews for teens, and to give more power to police to crack down on teen gatherings. But others say that sends the wrong message to teens – that they’re not welcome downtown. Some law experts say there are ideas on the table that could infringe on constitutional rights. Reset breaks down the city’s concerns and the disparate proposals floated with WBEZ city government and politics reporter Mariah Woelfel. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Faced with a multi-billion-dollar budget shortfall between now and 2027, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is bringing as many stakeholders to the table as possible to try to solve the problem. What options are on the table for them to explore? Reset dives in with University of Chicago research professor Justin Marlowe. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Thanks to Bob Irving, millions have seen Chicago’s skyline from the best seat in the house — the river. He created the Chicago Architecture Center’s boat tours, which are now a staple of the city’s tourism industry. Irving died earlier this month at the age of 93. Reset reflects on his life and legacy with Geoffrey Baer, WTTW host and architecture boat cruise docent; Laurie Petersen, editor of the AIA Guide to Chicago Architecture; and Linda Miller, president of Friends of Historic Second Church. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

With a momentous decision to return more than 1,500 acres of land 71 miles west of Chicago to the Pottawatomi, Illinois is righting a wrong committed more than 17 decades ago. When Gov. JB Pritzker in late March signed legislation that will give Shabbona Lake State Park to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, this wasn’t just acknowledging Native people once lived on the land. Reset explores what this means and why with Dennis Rodkin, residential real estate reporter for Crain’s Chicago Business. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Dave Odd has been supplying Chicago restaurants with foraged produce for years, and now he’s focusing on helping members of the public learn about the edible plants that are all around us. He hosts tours of different Chicagoland neighborhoods to help people identify plants that “could be the difference between life or death.” Reset chats with Dave to learn more about his approach. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

80 year-old Senator Dick Durbin announces retirement, while 80 year-old Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky reportedly will also soon be stepping down. Chicago Catholics mourn the death of Pope Francis and DePaul University president called to testify before Congress. Reset breaks down those stories and more in the Weekly News Recap. This week’s roundtable includes WBEZ senior editor of government and politics Angela Rozas O’Toole, Political Correspondent for Fox 32 Paris Schutz, and Government and politics reporter for Crain’s Chicago Business Justin Laurence. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

This weekend, Chicago-area bookstore owners and readers alike will be celebrating Independent Bookstore Day with an all-day bookstore crawl. Reset learns about the city’s indie bookstore scene with Courtney Bledsoe, owner of Call and Response Books in Hyde Park; Jamie Ericson, co-owner of Dandelion Bookshop in Oak Park; and Rebecca George, co-owner of Volumes Bookcafe in Wicker Park and an organizer of the Chicagoland Bookstore Crawl. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.