Author: WBEZ Chicago

Tree health in Illinois is on the decline. One major issue contributing to this is the widespread use of weedkillers on commercial farms, lawns and turf. Herbicide drift, or the movement of toxic chemicals found in common weedkillers to non-targeted plants and trees, is damaging leaves, branches and even fruit. Not only do these chemicals affect plant growth, it’s still unclear whether it has an impact on human health too. Reset learns how herbicide drift is hurting the long term health of natural biodiversity. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

The mayor is racing to prepare the city to host the DNC. Plus, the convention is working with tourist arm Choose Chicago to promote diverse neighborhoods among convention attendees, but it’s unclear how effectively this will spread the benefits of the convention across the city. Reset learns the latest on the DNC. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Sorry, Josh Shapiro and JB Pritzker: Kamala Harris has tapped Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. The pair will kick off their campaign together touring battleground states – starting Tuesday in Pennsylvania. Plus: Harris gains support from Illinois Republican politicians. Reset gets the latest on Harris’ efforts to court the Midwest vote. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

The rich stone edifice of Thalia Hall is a lot to take in. Now a concert venue, this Pilsen building has a history as a gathering place for ethnic communities, and theater for movies and Shakespeare plays. Reset’s Sasha-Ann Simons and architecture expert Dennis Rodkin head to the beloved music venue for the latest in our series “What’s That Building.” For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

This year, breaking – aka breakdancing – is joining the Olympics. The dance sport joins a score of other recent additions, like surfing, skateboarding, and sports climbing. Reset spoke with a couple of local superfans of these sports for more on what they’re excited to see at the Olympics, and finds out more about what the local surfing and skateboarding scenes look like in Chicago. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Do you avoid the stove and the oven on hot summer days, or do you just sweat it out? Either way, we’ll get ideas for salads, cooking with appliances besides your stove and marinades for grilling. Reset gets recommendations for beating the heat and still eating deliciously. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

“To my community: feel it all. Don’t run from things that scare you. Use it. It is power. Let it guide you wherever it wants to take you with your creativity. You are valid,” says Yna. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Trump makes false statements about Kamala Harris’ race at a Black journalists’ convention in Chicago. Hundreds gather in Springfield and Chicago in response to Sonya Massey’s death. Lawyers for R&B singer R. Kelly appeal his conviction. Reset breaks down those stories and more in our Weekly News Recap. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Nestled along Lake Shore Drive in the Gold Coast sits an old mansion styled after a French chateau. But this isn’t Versailles. It’s Chicago’s International Museum of Surgical Science. Inside you’ll find some things maybe you’d expect: vintage surgical instruments, skeletons, and archival medical books. But then, it ventures into what feels and looks more like an art museum. Sculptures, murals, and rotating contemporary art exhibitions. And on the fourth floor: the future of surgery in space. The Reset team explores the museum and its “haunted vibes.” For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.