In the Loop

In the latest round of economic sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, President Joe Biden announced Tuesday a ban on U.S. imports of Russian oil. The move comes as the country is already seeing record-high gas prices.

Guest: Ryan Kellogg, professor and deputy dean for academic studies at the UChicago Harris School of Public Policy, Molly Hart, AAA spokesperson

Producer: Stephanie Kim, Andrew Meriwether

Host: Sasha-Ann Simons

It has taken more than 100 years and 200 tries for congress to pass a bill that would make lynching a federal hate crime. But, on Monday, the Emmett Till Antilynching Act passed the Senate unanimously. We heard from Reverend Wheeler Parker, Emmett Till’s cousin, and Alvin Tillery, an associate professor at Northwestern University, about why this bill took a century to pass and what it means for racial justice activists.

Guest: Professor Alvin Tillery, Director of the Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy; and Associate Professor of Political Science and African American Studies, GUEST: Rev. Wheeler Parker, cousin and last witness to Emmett Till

Producer: Andrea Guthmann, Claire Hyman, Andrew Meriwether

Host: Sasha-Ann Simons

From Issa Rae to Jonelle Monae and from Stacey Abrams to Kamala Harris, there is no shortage of the amazing Black women who shape, inspire and change us. In honor of them, Chicago artist Harold Green III aims to honor and celebrate trailblazing Black women through art and poetry in his upcoming book Black Roses.

Guest: Harold Green III, author

Producer: Andrew Meriwether

Host: Sasha-Ann Simons

Former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan faces federal racketeering charges. Plus, Illinois and Chicago lift their mask and vaccine mandates as the state’s public health director announces she’s stepping down.

Reset goes behind the headlines on the Weekly News Recap.

Guest: Rachel Hinton, Better Government Association reporter, Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune state government reporter

Producer: Andrea Guthmann, Andrew Meriwether

Host: Sasha-Ann Simons

Reset talks to the retired DEA special agents who took down Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar in the early 1990s. Javier Peña and Steve Murphy served as consultants on the first two seasons of the Netflix series Narcos, which follows Ecobar’s rise to power as head of the Medellin Cartel. They’re scheduled to speak Friday at City Winery.

Guest: Javier Peña, retired special DEA agent, Steve Murphy, retired special DEA agent

Producer: Nereida Moreno, Andrew Meriwether

Host: Sasha-Ann Simons

In his first State of the Union address Tuesday, President Joe Biden addressed the Ukraine crisis and tackled a wide range of issues affecting Americans, including inflation and childcare. Reset checks in with a Democratic speechwriter for the biggest takeaways and possible missed opportunities.

Guest: Jason DeSanto, senior lecturer in the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law; Democratic speech writer

Producer: Stephanie Kim, Andrew Meriwether

Host: Sasha-Ann Simons

All throughout the pandemic, we’ve heard countless facts and figures about the toll COVID-19 has taken on our world. But what often gets lost in the data are the people we’ve lost and the loved ones who are left grieving.

Reset hears from two women who lost their husbands to the virus, and what they want people to understand about their grief.

Guests: Dr. Sandra McGowan, physician at McGowan Family Health and Wellness Center, Pamela Addison, founder of the Young Widows and Widowers of COVID-19 Facebook group

Producer: Nereida Moreno, Stephanie Kim, Andrew Meriwether

Host: Sasha-Ann Simons

Ukrainian-Americans in Chicago speak out as Russian troops continue to attack their home country.

Reset hears from two Ukrainian-Americans in Chicago.

Guest: Dan (Ihor) Diaczun, president of the UCCA - IL, Maria Bandrwisky, grad student in Chicago

Producer: Brenda Ruiz, Andrew Meriwether

Host: Sasha-Ann Simons

Chicagoans are reacting to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and prepare for the lifting of mask and vaccine mandates.

Guests: Kimberley Egonmwan, commentator for WVON and attorney, Paris Schutz, reporter and anchor, WTTW-TV

Producer: Nereida Moreno, Isabelle Earl, Andrew Meriwether

Host: Susie An

Illinois plans to lift mask and vaccine card requirements by Feb. 28, and Chicago and Cook County will follow suit. Reset discusses how restaurant owners and workers feel about the change.

Guest: Sam Toia, President & CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association.

Robert Gomez, owner of Beat Kitchen and Subterranean

Producer: Claire Hyman, Andrew Meriwether

Host: Becky Vevea