In the Loop

President Biden says Russia has officially begun its invasion of Ukraine. Reset checks in with Congressman Mike Quigley about what the escalating conflict means for Ukrainians and the NATO alliance, and how new sanctions against Russia might be felt in Chicago.

Guest: Rep. Mike Quigley, IL D-Chicago

Producer: Andrea Guthmann, Andrew Meriwether

Host: Becky Vevea

WTTW’s FIRSTHAND: SEGREGATION docuseries puts a human face on the impact racial divisions have on individuals across the city through 15 personal stories.

Reset speaks with the executive producer and director of the docuseries to learn more.

GUEST: Dan Protess, Executive Producer, Teresa White, José Rico, Executive Director, Nan Parson of Action Ridge

Producer: Andrew Meriwether

Host: Susie An

A special immersive concert at the Symphony Center this weekend will pay tribute to important moments and figures in Black history. Saturday’s Freedom, Justice and Hope performance will feature award-winning jazz musician Wynton Marsalis with the Jazz at Lincoln Center and Equal Justice Initiative founder Bryan Stevenson as a special guest.

Reset learns more about the event and how the arts have shaped justice movements in America.

Producer: Stephanie Kim, Andrew Meriwether

Host: Sasha-Ann Simons

Illinois’ gubernatorial race heats up and a member of the Daley dynasty is convicted of tax fraud. Reset goes behind the headlines on the Weekly News Recap.

Host: Sasha-Ann Simons

Producers: Andrea Guthmann

GUESTS: Amanda Vinicky, WTTW political correspondent

David Greising, president and CEO of the Better Government Association

For some, the news that Illinois will be lifting mask and vaccine card mandates by the end of the month is a relief — a sign that the worst part of the omicron surge is behind us. But for immunocompromised people, that’s not the case. Reset talks to infectious disease specialist Dr. Emily Landon and Atlantic staff writer Ed Yong, who wrote about this issue in the magazine. Plus, we hear from immunocompromised people and caregivers of immunocompromised people about their thoughts.

The Chicago Council on Global Affairs is celebrating 100 years of helping Chicagoans understand what’s happening in the world and Chicago’s place in it. Reset gets the latest on the Ukrainian crisis and discusses whether diplomacy is still an option to avoid war.

GUEST: Ivo Daalder, President, Chicago Council on Global Affairs

Producer: Andrea Guthmann, Andrew Meriwether

Host: Sasha-Ann Simons

The steel mill owner Cleveland-Cliffs has agreed to pay $3 million to settle lawsuits by government and non-profit organizations. The company is accused of violating the Clean Water Act more than 100 times, including a cyanide and ammonia spill in August 2019 that killed thousands of fish and closed Lake Michigan beaches.

Reset checks in with one of the environmental groups behind the lawsuit for the latest.

GUEST: Howard Learner, ELPC’s Executive Director

Producer: Nereida Moreno, Andrew Meriwether

Host: Sasha-Ann Simons

A group of youth organizers in Chicago is calling on state lawmakers to pass legislation that would restore voting rights to people in Illinois prisons.

Reset checks in with the nonprofit Chicago Votes for more on SB 828 and what residents can do to get involved.

GUESTS: Frederique Desrosier, policy associate at Chicago Votes

Katrina Pfidd, communications and digital strategy manager at Chicago Votes

Producer: Nereida Moreno, Andrew Meriwether

Host: Sasha-Ann Simons

Sasha Ann Simons, Block Club Chicago reporter Kelly Bauer, and NBC 5 Chicago reporter Christian Farr go behind the week’s headlines in WBEZ’s Weekly News Recap.

Guests: Christian Farr, NBC-5 Chicago reporter

Kelly Bauer, breaking news editor Block Club Chicago

Producer: Andrew Meriwether

Host: Sasha-Ann Simons

Declining birth rates and the outmigration of Black families away from Chicago are leading to a decline in the number of school-age children across the city, according to a study by a local education advocacy group. This trend can be found in cities across the country and has real implications for the revenue CPS receives as well as the quality of resources available to students.

Reset checks in with an analyst who conducted the study.

Guest: Hal Woods, Chief of Policy Kids First Chicago

Producer: Lynnea Domienik, Andrew Meriwether

Host: Sasha-Ann Simons