Fifty years after the 1974 debut of the iconic “Good Times” sitcom, a new animated reboot of the show was launched on Netflix and fans of the original show are not having a good time. The sitcom depicted a Black family making ends meet in public housing in Chicago. Its co-creator, Chicagoan Eric Monte, quickly became known as the “Godfather of Sitcom,” as he was also the mastermind behind shows including “The Jeffersons” and “What’s Happening.” Reset checks in with Monte’s daughter Cynthia Crisp, WBEZ’s Natalie Moore, and journalism professor Arionne Nettles about the show’s legacy and remake ..read more

Laurin Mack loves Chicago and loves beer. So maybe it was inevitable that she would go on to tap into her great-great-great grandfather’s brewing legacy, and share his story of the beers that “built Chicago.” She re-opened the Conrad Seipp Brewing Company in 2020, and began the process of excavating the recipe for his pre-Prohibition pale ale. Several years, and two styles of beer later, you can now purchase Seipp beer at select Binny’s and Jewel locations. Reset sat down with Mack to learn more about “the beer that built Chicago” and the process of re-creating the past for the present moment ..read more

his attempt at unification comes as the number of migrants staying in shelters has decreased from a peak of nearly 15,000 people in January to about 8,600 as of Wednesday. The city and state has shut down 11 shelters set up specifically for migrants. But combining Chicago’s shelter systems is still a major change – and will require a lot of coordination. Reset learns more about what this consolidation could mean for Chicago from Nell Salzman with the Chicago Tribune, and Jenn Torres, a volunteer helping with migrants. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset ..read more

Outfox Hospitality, the parent company of Foxtrot and Dom’s Kitchen & Market, is filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, according to food-and-beverage newsletter Snaxshot. The move comes five months after the two Chicago-based companies merged. Reset learns more about what is going on from Eater Chicago’s Ashok Selvam and attorney Connie A. Lahn. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset ..read more

Passengers traveling through O’Hare’s Terminal 3 could soon see wider concourses, renovated restrooms, revamped baggage claim area and more. However, budget concerns have halted the construction of a global terminal and satellite concourses, leading Mayor Johnson to propose a major change in the order of construction. Reset hears the latest from WBEZ’s Tessa Weinberg. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset ..read more

Migrants in Cook County suburbs still need housing and immigration support, but even with a pool of funds $20 million deep, few suburbs have applied for the assistance. The deadline closed this past Friday with only 4 out of about 100 suburbs sending in applications. Reset finds out more with WBEZ reporter Kristen Schorsch; Julie Solis, homeless prevention program manager from Respond Now, a non-profit in the south suburbs; and Alison Leipsiger, Evanston policy coordinator. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset ..read more

Attracting performances by Richard Pryor, Barbra Streisand and Ella Fitzgerald, Mister Kelly’s on Rush Street was a destination for audiences of all races in the 1950s and ’60s. Reset talks about the Newberry Library’s latest exhibit on the importance of the venue with the library’s Vince Firpo, David Marienthal who donated some of the archival material, and freelance audio producer and journalist Andrew Meriwether. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset ..read more

Legendy playwright August Wilson – considered one of the most important Black voices in theater – wrote the story of his life in the play How I Learned What I Learned. Today, that script is coming to life in a one-man show at the Broadway Playhouse in Water Tower Place. And Chicago-bred actor Harry Lennix (The Blacklist, Matrix Reloaded) is stepping into the role of August Wilson himself. How I Learned What I Learned is on a limited run until May 5, and Reset sits down with the actor for more on what audiences can expect. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset ..read more

Producer: Max Lubbers Editor: Meha AhmadWhile anyone can get scammed, older adults tend to face higher fraud losses. Victims over the age of 60 lose a collective $28.3 billion annually to scams or financial abuse, according to an AARP report. Still, people of any age can fall for these and other scams. Reset learns more about how to protect yourself and your loved ones with Chicago Sun-Times’s Stephanie Zimmerman, Wayne State University’s Peter Lichtenberg, and Chicago Fed’s Leslie McGranahan. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset. Mixer: Brenda Ruiz ..read more

This week marks the 100 year anniversary of the first radio broadcast of National Barn Dance in Chicago. That's a variety show that predates the Grand Ole Opry and is credited with popularizing country music. And it's high time that the genre writ large acknowledges the history and role of Black musicians and fans in shaping the genre, says Francesca Royster, author of "Black Country Music: Listening For Revolutions." We sat down with her to learn more about the history, the opportunity of this moment and of course, to dig into Beyoncé's latest album, "Cowboy Carter ..read more