Author: WBEZ Chicago

The Biden administration announced a program called Keeping Families Together in June that would allow some undocumented immigrants married to U.S. citizens to stay in the country while they go through the process of changing their immigration status. A judge in Texas issued an order to pause the program until Monday, Sept. 23. Reset checks in with Elvia Malagón, Chicago Sun-Times social justice, immigration and income inequality reporter to see how Chicago families are being impacted. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

White Sox fans, look away! The team is on pace to have the most losses in a single season in the history of the MLB. Where did things go wrong? Reset digs into the Sox season, what’s not working and what needs to happen to get this team to win a game.

Today marks one year since the Pretrial Fairness Act went into full effect, making Illinois the first state in the country to end cash bail. Many were opposed and believed ending cash bail would affect crime and jails for the worse. But what is the data actually saying? Reset spoke with a panel of guests to break down the effort that ensued in 2016 and what it took to get there, along with what were the blockages, and why. Then, we hear from the research on what we’ve seen in the past year.

The zoning committee oversees small scale renovations on people’s homes and also larger development projects. For months the chairmanship has been vacant, after political turmoil ensnared former chair Ald. Carlos Ramirez Rosa. Reset gets the latest on the political jockeying and drama that has surrounded the post, and how Ald. Burnett could steer the committee from WBEZ city government and politics reporters Tessa Weinberg and Mariah Woelfel.

Unhoused people who have been living in dozens of tents in Humboldt Park will move into apartments by December, according to city leaders and advocates. The news comes as the city prepares to merge shelter systems for homeless and migrant populations. For more, Reset sits down Carolyn Ross, president and CEO of All Chicago; and Carol Sharp, president and CEO of The Night Ministry. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Between January 2019 and June 2024, Chicago taxpayers have paid $200 million dollars to more than three dozen people who were wrongfully convicted. And dozens more lawsuits are expected. Reset hears why advocates Mark Clements, community organizer at the Chicago Torture Justice Center and Joey Mogul, counsel at People’s Law Office, say these payouts are still necessary in the midst of a budget shortfall and what could minimize the amount the city owes. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

The League of Women Voters of Chicago is teaming up with the Gene Siskel Film Center to produce its inaugural “Democracy at Risk” film festival. From historical features to documentaries, the series takes you back in time to political stages full of controversy, conflict and fights for justice. Reset sits down with two people involved to discuss the series and what the films reflect about our political institutions. Jane Ruby is president of the League of Women Voters of Chicago and Jill Wine-Banks is an MSNBC legal analyst and a Watergate prosecutor. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Bring your picnic blankets, dancing shoes and some snacks because summer isn’t over yet! If you’re looking for one last free Chicago summer celebration before fall comes around the corner, take yourself and some friends to the Vocalo Summer Finale at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion on Friday, Sept. 20. The concert will feature performances by Chicago-bred and loved artists like DJ Lady D, KAINA, Pivot Gang and Marquis Hill. Reset checks in with Vocalo and Hill to learn more. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson announces a hiring freeze to close a massive budget shortfall. The corruption trial of a former AT&T executive linked to Mike Madigan begins. Chicago’s City Council prepares to issue as much as $15 million in payouts for police misconduct. Plus, a new flag for Illinois? Reset dives into these and other top local stories in our Weekly News Recap with City Cast Chicago executive producer Simone Alicea, Block Club Chicago reporter Quinn Myers and WBEZ investigative reporter Dan Mihalopoulos. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.