Author: WBEZ Chicago

May is the time to get garden beds ready, and harden off your seedlings so you can get your veggies in the ground now for bountiful summer months. Reset gets tips for getting veggie gardens started and spring veggie recipes from cultural historian and chef Jordan Wimby and the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Chester Jankowski. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Producer: Jules Yaeger Editor: Meha AhmadIllinois’ biggest cicada season in over two centuries is beginning. Around a trillion cicadas will emerge from the ground all across the state—in urban, suburban, and rural areas alike. Reset checks in with Allen Lawrance with the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum and Stephanie Adams with the Morton Arboretum about the impact of this insect on people and plants this summer. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset. Mixer: Brenda Ruiz

Last year, Calumet City cited a Daily Southtown reporter for seeking comment from public employees. That’s one out of at least 165 incidents that interfered with journalists seeking and conveying information to the public last year, according to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker. But many violations of press freedom go unreported or under the radar. To mark World Press Freedom Day this week, Reset checked in with Seth Stern, director of advocacy at Freedom of the Press Foundation, to learn more. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

A report from the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, and other groups, says the state’s continued practice of solitary confinement violates international human rights. But change may be on the horizon. Illinois’ general assembly is considering legislation that would restrict solitary confinement, and hopefully create change in the system. Reset learns more from James Swansey with Restore Justice, and David Shapiro with the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

For this week’s update from City Hall, we learn about Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s plan to spend the remaining federal COVID-19 dollars before the funds expire at the end of the year. Plus, why the Mayor didn’t attend the funeral of a slain CPD officer, and how he’s defending support for the Chicago Bears $4.7 million stadium proposal. We get the latest from WBEZ’s Tessa Weinberg. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

A jazz icon to some, a breakout pop star to others, the Icelandic-Chinese singer Laufey has skyrocketed into popularity. Her debut album dropped in 2020, and just three years later she won a Grammy for her 2023 album ‘Bewiched’. Reset sat down with the 25-year-old for more on stardom and how her lyrics resonate with fans of all ages. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

From the recent death of an employee on the job raising concerns about driver safety, to a program meant to bolster employment that’s falling short of its goals, and a controversial appointment to the board, the Chicago Transit Authority continues to struggle. Reset talks through these issues, and some possible solutions, with Block Club Chicago’s Manny Ramos, Chicago Sun-Times’ Lauren FitzPatrick, and Commuters Take Action’s Morgan Madderom. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

In 1849, the U.S. government illegally auctioned off land owned by the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. Over the past two decades, the Tribal Nation has purchased some of their land back. This month, the U.S. Department of the Interior placed those 130 acres into a trust, formally recognizing the tribe’s ability to govern portions of their homelands. This is the first time this has happened in Illinois. Reset checks in with Joseph “Zeke” Rupnik, a chairman of the Prairie Band, on their efforts to regain sovereignty over the entire Shab-eh-nay Reservation. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.