Morning Shift Podcast

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson joined Reset host Sasha-Ann Simons in-studio for a public forum answering live questions from listeners including everything from how community members can have greater input into development projects in their wards to whether bike lanes will be built on the West Side of Chicago. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

With tariffs leading to higher prices on everything from clothing to electronics, is this an opportunity to rethink what we buy, and how often we buy it? In Chicago, a range of businesses and groups are helping residents rethink the typical consumer mindset by reusing items, and even buying locally. Reset learns more about the “circular economy,” how it works in Chicago, and how it could help your wallet – and by extension, the environment. We checked in with Jonathan Pereira, executive director Plant Chicago; Bob Shea, founding director of Devices 4 the Disabled; and Karen Weigert, director of Loyola University Chicago's Baumhart Center for Social Enterprise and Responsibility. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

They use up massive amounts of electricity and water, strain state resources, and get hundreds of millions of dollars in tax subsidies. So what benefits do data centers actually bring to Illinois residents? Reset digs into this question with Sarah Moskowitz, executive director of Citizens Utility Board, and Brett Chase, environmental reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

In a new exhibition, Chicago's Floating Museum pays homage to Bronzeville's Mecca Flats through its Floating Monuments series. Built in 1892 as a hotel for visitors to the World's Fair, the Mecca Flats was later converted into apartments that served Chicago's African American community on the South Side. But by the 1950s, the building was demolished to make way for the Illinois Institute of Technology's S.R. Crown Hall. Now, the Floating Museum is honoring the Mecca Flats' contribution to Chicago's culture with an inflatable replica of the apartment building. Reset examines the history of the Mecca, the legacy of urban renewal and the displacement of Black residents with Faheem Majeed, artist and co-director of the Floating Museum, and Rebekah Coffman, curator of religion and community history architecture at the Chicago History Museum. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

With a shortage of more than 150,000 homes in Chicago, the city is seeking new solutions to provide quick and affordable homes to residents. Modular homes and accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, are seen as the most effective solution to this crisis, providing Chicagoans with cheaper access to housing. Reset learns more about the fight to legalize the construction of new ADUs and the overall fight for affordable housing in Chicago, with Bob Palmer, policy director at Housing Action Illinois; Alex Nitkin, government finance and accountability reporter at Illinois Answers Project; and Tim Swanson, founder of Inherent L3C. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

State Farm will raise home insurance premiums for new and current Illinois customers starting mid-July, saying it's getting too expensive. In 2024, the company said it paid out more in claims than it collected in premiums. Illinois residents will see an average increase of 27%. Reset hears how this could affect residents, with Nedra Sims-Fears, executive director of the Greater Chatham Initiative, and Kaila Lariviere, manager of Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

After the devastating heat wave that hit Chicago in 1995, the city has introduced numerous different plans and programs to fight the heat. But is it enough? Is Chicago fully prepared to prevent another tragedy? Reset finds out with Kaila Lariviere, manager of Emergency Management Services for the city of Chicago; Sheetal Rao, assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Illinois Chicago; and Daniel Horton, assistant professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Northwestern University. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Heat is the most hazardous weather event in the world. The UN estimates that mortality for people over 65 years old increased by 85% between 2017 and 2021. As climate change brings more extreme temperatures, we examine the short- and long-term effects of heat exposure. Plus, what we need to do to address health inequities and disparities to prevent a repeat of the 1995 heat wave that killed 739 Chicagoans. Reset learns more from Karen Weigert, director of Loyola University Chicago's Baumhart Center for Social Enterprise and Responsibility and Dr. Kiran Joshi, Chief Operating Officer for Cook County Department of Public Health.

Former alderman Ed Burke was released from prison and former alderwoman Carrie Austin has been ruled too sick to stand trial. Meanwhile, current alderman Walter Burnett announced he's stepping down, city lawyers have approved more police misconduct settlements and Mayor Johnson had some harsh words for the Trump administration. Reset breaks down these stories and much more with WTTW Chicago politics reporter Heather Cherone, Block Club Chicago reporter Madison Savedra and WBEZ data projects editor Alden Loury. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

As we mark 30 years since Chicago's deadly 1995 heat wave, we look at the way social isolation contributed to the death of hundreds of residents and what's being done today to prevent that from happening again. Reset speaks with Carol J. Sharp, president and CEO of The Night Ministry; Jahmal Cole, CEO and founder of My Block My Hood, My City; and Margaret Laraviere, deputy commissioner of senior services for the Department of Family and Support Services.

Chicagoan Lou Della Evans Reid co-founded the Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in the 1950s and led its 200-person gospel choir. She was a pioneer in the modern gospel music scene, putting Chicago on the map as a hub of the genre. She died at 94. Reset hears her life story from Bob Marovich, gospel music historian, author, radio host and founder of Journal of Gospel Music.

Thirty years ago, a deadly heat wave hit the Chicago area, overwhelming city agencies, the power grid, and ultimately contributing to the deaths of 739 people. What did that week look like to the residents, the first responders, and the journalists who reported on it? Reset revisits the summer of 1995 with Chicago Fire Department Deputy Commissioner Brandon Keller, WBEZ listener Stephanie Behne and Maudlyne Ihejirika, Field Foundation Director of Journalism and Storytelling. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Today marks the anniversary of the ratification of the 14th Amendment, which established citizenship for freed slaves and women. The anniversary comes at a time when birthright citizenship is under threat by the Trump administration. Reset digs into what a weakened 14th Amendment could mean for Americans with Evan Bernick, associate professor of law at Northern Illinois University, and David Stovall, professor of Black Studies at the University of Illinois Chicago. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

This week marks 30 years since a blistering, oppressive heat wave boiled the Midwest, hitting the Chicago area the hardest. Temperatures reached a height of 106 degrees, and the heat index soared to the 120s. The heat – combined with a number of overwhelmed city agencies and a buckling power grid – would contribute to the deaths of 739 people. Reset looks back at the summer of 1995 and digs into whether Chicago is ready today for similar heat waves with NYU sociologist Eric Klinenberg, author of the book “Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago.” For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

On Monday, President Trump announced new tariffs on 14 different countries that would be taking effect on August 1. These tariffs range from 25% to 40%, and are focused predominantly on Asian countries. Reset sits down with Cécile Shea, nonresident senior fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, to find out how these tariffs could impact both Illinois. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

After Illinois legalized sports betting in 2020, the state has seen a surge in business, jobs and tax revenue from the gaming industry. Advocates say there has also been a corresponding rise in gambling addiction, especially for young men and boys. Reset looks at how sports betting can lead to problem gambling and what treatment looks like with Anita Pindiur, executive director of Way Back Inn and Hunter, a member at the Way Back Inn. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

President Trump's massive tax and spending bill signed into law on July 4 enshrined his 2017 tax cuts and cut federal funding for clean energy, food assistance programs and Medicaid in part by shifting costs to states. This comes as local food pantries say they've been at capacity the past few years due to inflated grocery prices and increased demand as a result of the COVID pandemic. Reset hears how this could affect Chicagoans with SNAP recipient Cody Martin, Pilsen Food Pantry director Dr. Evelyn Figueroa and Greater Chicago Food Depository CEO and executive director Kate Maehr. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

The story of how a neighborhood theater became a church struggling to install a new roof says a lot about how buildings evolve over time. Reset talks to architecture expert Dennis Rodkin. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Democratic Illinois lawmakers have slammed their Republican colleagues in the U.S. Senate for passing President Trump's tax and spending plan. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has named a new running mate. Meanwhile, Chicago alderpersons are scrutinizing the Chicago Police Department for its response to a recent ICE raid. Reset goes behind those headlines and more in our Weekly News Recap with WBEZ city politics reporter Mariah Woelfel, Chicago Sun-Times reporter Mitchell Armentrout and WCIU reporter/anchor Brandon Pope. Note: this conversation was recorded before the House passed the tax and spending bill. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Chicago has more lead water pipes than most U.S. cities, and nearly two-thirds of children under 6 are exposed to lead in drinking water. Efforts to make the city's water lead-free have been sluggish. A Biden-era mandate requires cities to replace 20,000 lead pipes a year by 2027. Chicago is set to replace less than half of that number this year, and estimates suggest the city's water systems won't be lead-free until 2076. Reset discusses with Inside Climate News reporter Keerti Gopal, WBEZ environment reporter Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco and Natural Resources Defense Council senior policy advocate Chakena Perry. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Trump's policy bill includes various cuts to Medicaid, implementing stricter requirements that will affect if people with disabilities receive health care coverage. Reset learns more about how this legislation could affect local Chicagoans with disabilities with Access Living policy analyst Sebastian Nalls and disability right activist and Medicaid recipient David Gayes. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Charles Leto, a 55 year old lifeguard from Lakeview who worked at Douglass Park pool, allegedly shot two teens on Thursday evening, killing Marjay Dotson, 15 and critically wounding Jeremy Herred, 14. Reset gets the latest in this case with WBEZ investigative reporter Dan Mihalopoulos. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

President Trump's tariff threats and warnings about turning Canada into a 51st state have left many Canadians wondering about the future of cross-border relations. Reset asks three Canadians to share how they're feeling about living in the U.S. right now. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

The Supreme Court last week ruled in favor of religious parents who demanded they should have the choice to pull their children out of lessons that included topics such as same-sex marriage. The 6-3 decision reversed a lower-court ruling that sided with the school system. Reset spoke with Pierce School of International Studies elementary school teacher Josh Lerner about what the ruling could mean for workload, academic freedom and classroom dynamics. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

In a 6-3 decision Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court limited the power of lower-court judges to block a president's executive orders. The decision prevents those judges from issuing what are known as “nationwide injunctions” and means that 28 states can begin to enforce President Trump's order to end birthright citizenship, at least temporarily. Reset spoke with Immigrants' Rights Clinic director and clinical law professor Nicole Hallett, UIC law professor Steven Schwinn, Midwest Regional Counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund Susanna Sandoval Vargas, Illinois Venezuelan Alliance co-founder Luciano Pedota and Congressman Jesus “Chuy” Garcia. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Climate change is big, overwhelming and scary, and can make us go numb. But there is very real grief to process. Reset sits down with playwright Rozina Kanchala to hear how she used her art and storytelling to help audiences process the enormity of climate change. Her play Come Along for the Ride: A Journey Through Climate Grief is playing in Chicago this weekend. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

A Midwest heat wave continues, Gov. JB Pritzker launches his campaign for a third term, hundreds rally for trans rights, and more. Reset goes behind the headlines of those stories and much more in our Weekly News Recap. Our panel today: Monica Eng, Axios reporter; Cindy Hernandez, Chicago Sun-Times general assignment reporter; Mack Liederman, Block Club Chicago reporter. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

The growing presence of manfluencers – social media influencers who present themselves as men's self improvement experts – is shown to have increasingly negative effects on the mental health of young men. Young boys are often exposed to this type of content quickly after joining social media, and this can deeply affect their perceptions of themselves along with their idea of masculinity. Reset sits down with Chuka Nestor Emezue, assistant professor in the Department of Women, Children and Family Nursing at Rush University; Todd Adams, cofounder and executive director of MenLiving; and Jermaine Lawrence Anderson, founder and executive director of I Am A Gentleman, Inc., to talk about the impact the manosphere has on young men, and what to do about it. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

JB Pritzker announced his 2026 run for office, being the first Illinois governor to seek a third term since 1991. In his announcement, Pritzker touted his administration's accomplishments over the last two terms, and slammed President Trump for his attacks on Illinois. Questions still remain about Pritzker's future presidential aspirations. Reset learns about what we know so far with Chicago Sun-Times reporter Mitchell Armentrout. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

In the face of expanded ICE raids, we get a view into what happens in immigration courts and ways advocates are ramping up efforts to connect immigrants to legal resources and Know Your Rights trainings. Reset sits down with immigration lawyer Carlina Tapia-Ruano and spokesperson Brandon Lee of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

A Black student experienced racist bullying while attending Wildwood Elementary IB School. Reports show that CPS and the school administration took limited action to protect her. Reset dives deeper into this story with Chicago Public Media reporters Sarah Karp and Nader Issa. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

The Chicago based show, It's Ok To Ask Questions which streams on Peacock showcases in-depth conversations with movers and shakers in the LGBTQ+ community about their lives, how the twists and turns of life affect their relationships and what motivates their work. Reset learns more about how these stories can create dialogue with Matthew Rodrigues, host of It's Ok To Ask Questions. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, Illinois has become a “haven” of sorts for people in states with abortion bans. In 2024, roughly 35,000 patients travelled to Illinois for abortion care. Reset discusses how these bans increase wait times that can leave people in dangerous positions with executive director of the Chicago Abortion Fund Megan Jeyifo, obstetrician gynecologist at UI Health Dr. Erica Hinz and the risks facing out of state patients with Chicago Sun-Times reporter Mitchell Armentrout.

Could “granny flats” help ease Chicago's affordable housing crisis? Many advocates and even political leaders think so – the problem is, they're banned in Chicago. And political gridlock makes legalizing them easier said than done. Reset finds out what the process of building Additional Dwelling Units is like and what's getting in the way of expanding this housing option across the city with a panel of guests: Brian Peterman, a Lakeview resident who built an ADU on his property; his mother-in-law Louise D'Agostino, who lives in the ADU, and Alex Nitkin, government finance and accountability reporter with the Illinois Answers Project of the Better Government Association. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Chicago's queer neighborhoods have a long historical lineage in Chicago. From the early underground gatherings in Towertown to the rise of Boystown. Reset sits down with a Chicago queer history scholar Professor Jennifer Brier of UIC to trace how these communities formed, adapted, and flourished in the face of discrimination and displacement, revealing how geography, activism, and culture shaped Chicago as a hub of queer life in the Midwest. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

There wasn't always a “B” in LGBTQ. For years, bisexual people were overlooked, misunderstood, or excluded from both queer and straight spaces. As part of our Pride Month series, Reset explores the ongoing fight for bisexual rights and visibility with co-founder of the Bisexual Queer Alliance Chicago Michael Oboza and queer performing artist Juju Minxxx. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

It's time for your favorite weekly news catch-up! This week: thousands gather for “No Kings” protests in the Chicago area, Mayor Brandon Johnson pushes back on presidential threats to increase deportations, and Chicago's City Council passes stricter teen curfew that could face a veto. Reset dives into these and other top local stories in our Weekly News Recap, with Ravi Baichwal, ABC-7 News anchor; Paris Schutz, Fox-32 political correspondent; and Francia Garcia Hernandez, Block Club Chicago reporter. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

June is Caribbean-American Heritage Month, so Reset takes the moment to explore the cuisine of the islands – including Jamaican staple ackee and saltfish – with a special guest. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Attention Bach buffs, Shostakovich stans and Debussy devotees! Head over to Grant Park and you can catch free classical concerts all summer long. But this isn't just an exciting opportunity to revel in the music, it's a chance for up-and-coming orchestral musicians and singers to be a part of the action through the Festival String and Vocal Fellowship. Reset sits down with two fellowship participants: violinist Maria Gabriela Mendez Martinez and violist Joshua Thaver. We also hear from fellowship manager Amelia Sie. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

ComEd recently announced a price increase in the cost of electricity that took effect starting on June 1st, but will not be reflected in electric bills until July. This price increase is due to demand across the country, largely attributed to the rapid development of data centers. Reset talks with the Citizens Utility Board Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz to learn more. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

About 10% of babies nationwide are born prematurely, with some ending up in neonatal intensive care. During childbirth and critical natal care, the spotlight is on mom and baby – often leaving fathers in the shadows. But a program at Northwestern aims to give new fathers the support they need. Reset learns more about the program from Brad O'Conner, a NICU Dad and therapist at theDepartment of Veteran Affairs and Dr. Cameron Boyd NICU Fellow at Northwestern. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Do you remember where you and your friends used to go to hangout after school? Many teenagers face the dilemma of not having a space to go spend time with friends besides school or home. Advocates argue that the lack of third spaces have contributed to large gatherings of teens, referred to as “takeovers” or trends in downtown areas. In some instances these gatherings have become violent. Reset talks with teenager Damarian Spann and The Triibe's systemic racism reporter Tonia Hill about these gatherings and the proposal that would allow police to implement a snap curfew with just a 30-minute warning. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.