Author: WBEZ Chicago

Lauren Doyle played four sports in high school, and was on the cheer team—none of them were rugby. It wasn’t until she was in college at Eastern Illinois University that she was recruited onto the team. After a successful college career, she was quickly placed on the brand new Olympic team for the 2016 games—the first Olympics with rugby as a sport since the 1920s. After playing again in Tokyo, she and Team USA return to the world stage this month in Paris. Reset sits down with her to get the story. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Summer vacation doesn’t have to break the bank. If you’re low on PTO, strapped for cash, or just want to get out of dodge for a day, there are plenty of trips you can take within 3.5 hours of Chicago. Whether you’re looking for nature, swimming, antiquing, or small town charm, there’s a destination for you. Reset gets a roundup of must see destinations this summer from Lauren Viera, writer, author 500 Hidden Secrets of Chicago Chevon Linear and Kameron Stanton, founders of Black People Outside. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

The Supreme Court recently struck down a decades-old precedent known as ‘Chevron,’ which instructed judges to defer to the expert advice of federal agencies in cases where laws are vague. Many of the agencies which are affected by the change deal with matters of public health, like the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control, Environmental Protections Agency, or Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. Reset learns more about how this decision will affect the lives of everyday Americans. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Mayor Brandon Johnson said there will be “consequences” for this past weekend’s gun violence that killed 19 people and wounded over 100. Reset gets the latest about the weekend’s shootings, including what help the mayor is calling for from the federal government. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Is it a flower? Flames? No, it’s a music venue! When the Jay Pritzker Pavilion opened in Millennium Park, many people struggled to describe the venue. Despite the debate over the shape, you’ll rarely hear the structure described as a lousy place for a concert. Reset met up with our resident architecture sleuth, Dennis Rodkin, to understand how the open-air design still creates the sound of an indoor concert. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Dr. Anthony Fauci served under seven U.S. presidents. Before COVID-19, he fought the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Ebola, and Zika. Reset’s Sasha-Ann Simons sits down with Fauci to discuss his new memoir, his “nightmare” that came true, and what really went on behind the scenes between him and the Trump Administration.

Sports cars. Divorce. Loneliness after retirement. The 40’s, 50’s and 60’s have gotten a bad rap. But these decades don’t need to be a downer, they can instead be a time of blossoming. That’s an idea championed by Chip Conley, author of Learning to Love Midlife: 12 Reasons Why Life Gets Better With Age. Reset learns about this idea and ways of creating a vibrant, connected life. We sat down with Conley and Lowell Nelson, a local retiree and volunteer. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Two turtles and a flock of ducks swim along in a pond on the front porch of Stephen and Kim Benson's Old Town home. The couple wanted to make their home more animal-friendly, and to bring a bit of wonder to the block. So, bit by bit, the Benson family turned their Old Town front porch into a ‘mini-zoo’ in 2022. It’s been a neighborhood staple ever since. Reset sits down with the couple to hear their story. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Downtown traffic is snarled due to NASCAR street closures. New laws went into effect on July 1, including a gas tax hike and wages increases. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court declines hearing challenges to Illinois’ assault weapons ban. Reset sits down with a panel of journalists to go behind these headlines and more. Our panel today: Mariah Woelfel, WBEZ city politics reporter; Christian Farr, NBC-5 Chicago reporter; Daniel Knowles, Midwest correspondent for The Economist. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

There were 148 traffic deaths in Chicago in 2023. In the same year, there were over 2 million speeding violations caught on camera alone. In May, the City Council heard arguments in favor of reducing the citywide speed limit from 30 miles per hour to 25. But would that be enough to make Chicago drivers change their ways? Reset digs into the data with Alden Loury, WBEZ data projects senior editor. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.