Author: WBEZ Chicago

WBEZ’s May highlights of productions feature a mix of works at storefront and big-name theaters.The mix of local and national talent on stage is a testament to Chicago’s place in the theater ecosystem. Reset gets the scoop from WBEZ’s theater reporter, Mike Davis. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

More and more Chicagoans are opting for bikes to get around the city. According to a new analysis, the number of cyclists have doubled in the last five years in Chicago. But with more folks biking, what needs to be done to keep them safe? Reset checks in with Active Transportation Alliance’s executive director Amy Rynell, and Lacey Cordero, volunteer, with Chicago Family Biking on current efforts to address biking safety in the city and what more needs to be done. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

The watchdog group is out with a 62 page analysis of the state’s proposed FY20205 budget. It notes that Governor Pritzker’s $800 million in tax changes will help close the state’s budget deficit, but that any more could overwhelm taxpayers. If left unchecked, the report says the CTA, PACE and Metra face an over $700 million deficit as soon as 2026. Reset learns more about the impact this could have on Chicago area transit riders from Joe Ferguson, president of the Civic Federation. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Asian Americans are often perceived to be more adjusted, successful and thriving compared to other minority groups in the U.S. – largely due to stereotypes rooted in the model minority myth. But research suggests that Asian Americans experience higher rates of mental illness and fare worse with their mental health compared to non-Asian people. Reset digs into why with University of Chicago’s Yoonsun Choi, and Chicago writer Ada Cheng. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Some people incarcerated in Illinois prisons could be eligible for immediate release. That’s due to a new state law that would take time off prisoner’s sentences for taking part in work, educational, reentry or substance abuse programs. But the law isn’t being consistently applied to eligible prisoners. Reset learns more about why and how that can change from Open Campus’s Charlotte West, and the Illinois Prison Project’s Candace Chambliss. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

A charming four-story Queen Anne-style structure from 1892 near Ogden has seen better days. The city’s landmark commission announced its new status back in 2021 to save it from certain demolition but three years later, is its dilapidated state all there is to it now? Reset learns more about this city landmark from architecture sleuth, and Crain’s Chicago Business residential real estate reporter, Dennis Rodkin. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

You likely have a favorite food. Maybe it reminds you of someone, or some time in your life. But if you don’t have the recipe, or you make it and it doesn’t taste quite like what you remember, what do you do? Reset checks in with UChicago Neuroscience Professor Leslie Kay and Great American Baking Show winner Martin Sorge for tips on recreating dishes from memory. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Local indie band Red Scarves is out with their new album ‘Nice Try.’ It features nine tracks that navigate themes of failure, freedom and just doing your best. The four best friends came together during lockdown in the summer of 2020 to write the music for this latest project. Reset sits down with two of the four members of the group, Ayethaw Tun and Ryan Donlin, to learn more about how the band came together, their collaborative process of making music and the journey of releasing ‘Nice Try.’ For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.