Author: WBEZ Chicago

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.

The 5 year phase in for the minimum wage increase for tipped workers goes into effect. A new program offers driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants. Plus, alderpeople react to President Biden’s debate performance. Reset gets the latest from City Hall. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Feeling anxious or nervous is normal. It’s a feeling that is a part of being human. But for millions of Americans, that feeling is constant and can impact their daily lives. In fact, more people are feeling more anxious compared to 2023. People are particularly worried about the economy, gun violence, the presidential election and current events. Reset discusses how to recognize anxiety, navigate it and get anxiety under control. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Career oriented programs often target first-generation, low-income, and minority students for recruitment and leave them with tens of thousands of dollars in debt. But new federal regulations go into effect today that could take funding away from 60% of Illinois’ for-profit schools unless they’re able to improve performance. Reset sits down with Amy Qin, WBEZ data reporter, Esther Yoon-Ji Kang, WBEZ race, class, and communities desk and Lisa Kurian Philip, WBEZ higher education reporter who investigated these practices. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

In the age of social media, “family vloggers” have monetized the lives of their children, documenting milestones ranging from potty training to pimples. But when those kids grow up, there’s not much guarantee that they will get their share of the profits – much less their privacy back. Now, Illinois is the first state in the nation to ensure that child social media influencers receive compensation for their work. Reset spoke with an Illinois teen who inspired the law as well as a content creator about this issue – and what more regulations are needed. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

About a decade ago, 38,000 Chicago residents lived more than a mile from a supermarket or superstore. That number jumped to 102,000 residents by 2023, according to a WBEZ and Sun-Times analysis. A wave of grocery store closures on the South and West Sides last year prompted Mayor Brandon Johnson to propose a city-owned grocery store as one solution. And community members are building creative models to address this issue sooner rather than later. Reset sat down with three of the people working on bringing their visions of food justice in Chicago to life. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Chicago’s dance and electronic music scene will be on full display this weekend at Grant Park. But much of this scene started underground in basements and boiler rooms. This event is part of the London-based Boiler Room platform which puts a spotlight on underground music, culture and DJs all around the world. Reset checks in with Janesita, a local DJ performing at Boiler Room Chicago on Saturday, to learn more about the event, Chicago’s underground music scene and how she brings her culture and heritage to the party. Reset also hears from artist and musician Rebecca Black ahead of her DJ set at the Boiler Room afterparty and learns more about her latest album. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.