In the Loop (Segments)

Monday is the deadline for families to apply for the expanded Child Tax Credit under President Biden’s American Rescue Plan. Reset chats with an expert on what you need to know to apply now and what happens if you miss the deadline.

Entrepreneurs are building businesses in this time of change and working to create operations that will sustain families and communities. Reset checks in with Crain’s Chicago Business to discuss its latest work on equity in Chicago’s business world.

The term “cancel culture” is fairly new, but it’s not a new concept. Most NPR listeners recognize David Sedaris from what’s become a holiday tradition: the re-airing of his 1992 account of spending two Christmas seasons working as an elf at Macy's in New York. Since “Santaland Diaries,” Sedaris has penned numerous books, become a regular contributor to The New Yorker and been inducted into the Ame...

Reset talks to the head of the Illinois Restaurant Association and an organizer working to raise tipped employees wages about what the hospitality industry can do to retain workers during the pandemic.

Chicago cancels school to motivate parents to vaccinate as COVID cases rise. The Chicago Police Department cancels days off in anticipation of a verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse murder trial. Reset goes behind those headlines and more in the Weekly News Recap.

A Milwaukee-based automotive expert and educator recently made the Out100 list. Reset checks in with her about her work and why being empowered with knowledge is so important.

Chicago’s Asian population is the city’s fastest growing. But despite the numbers being there, there is no majority Asian American ward in the city — nor is there currently an Asian American alderman on City Council. Reset explores what an Asian American majority ward could mean for Chicago’s Asian community, and how it could change Chicago’s City Council.

The term “cancel culture” is fairly new, but it’s not a new concept. Reset talks with a professor about the history of “cancelling” people, why cancel culture is so prevalent in American society today, and why it may need to change.

President Joe Biden has pledged to replace every lead pipe in the country. Illinois lawmakers estimate the state will receive at least $1.7 billion to improve its drinking and wastewater infrastructure. Reset checks in with the Natural Resources Defense Council for what the bill could mean for lead pipes in Illinois and what resources are available to homeowners.

As of Q2 2021, Americans owe a whopping $1.73 trillion in student loans, according to Federal Reserve estimates. Reset asks listeners how college loan debt forgiveness would change their lives.

How will the infrastructure bill help Illinois close the digital divide? Reset asks a local group working on a city-wide initiative to ensure all students have access to high speed internet.

Some of My Best Friends Are... is hosted by Khalil Gibran Muhammad and Ben Austen, two best friends who grew up together on Chicago’s South Side in the 1980s. They invite listeners in with engaging conversations on how race affects their friendships and work, while using pop culture and historical events as a guide. Reset checks in with the duo behind the mic.

Chicago’s City Council will consider five different bids from three firms to recommend to Mayor Lori Lightfoot for the city’s first casino. Reset breaks down details of those plans and possible next steps.

It's another installment of our traveling “What’s That Building” bike tour with Crain’s Chicago Business reporter Dennis Rodkin. Today, we’re heading to the near-western suburbs of Riverside and Brookfield.

As the COP26 summit wraps up in Glasgow, negotiators from nearly 200 countries seek consensus on how nations report progress on cutting greenhouse gas emissions, how global carbon markets function, and how wealthy nations will follow through on promises to help vulnerable countries. The author of a new report on climate change joins Reset to explain why social justice and equity must be front-and-...

The history of women in the military is vast and varied. They’ve served in all branches of the military, working as everything from mechanics to code breakers to nurses. Reset talks with the director of the Veterans History Project about preserving these experiences and how you can interview a family member.

Americans are quitting their jobs in droves. Reset asks listeners who have recently quit their jobs what’s behind the trend.

Illinois stands to get $17 billion in funds once President Biden signs the infrastructure bill that passed Congress Friday, and much of that money will go toward transportation projects. Reset discusses how and when those dollars might affect current and future projects.

It’s the second week of the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, the 18-year-old from Antioch, Ill. who shot and killed two men during a social justice protest in Kenosha, Wisc., last summer. The lone survivor of the shooting gave his testimony Monday. Reset gets the latest from a reporter covering the trial and a former public defender.

It’s one of the most shameful chapters in Chicago police history. For a decade, a unit led by former police sergeant Ronald Watts terrorized residents of the Ida B. Wells housing project on the city’s south side, fabricating charges and planting evidence. Reset has the latest on what’s becoming Cook County’s largest-ever exoneration.

After a report detailed how a coach sexually assaulted a former player and that player revealed his identity, Blackhawks leaders must chart a course forward and create a new organizational culture. Reset talks with a sports reporter and a former sports business reporter about what comes next for the Hawks and why it might be an “icy road” ahead.

After nearly two years living with a global pandemic and a battered economy, we could all do with a little bit more good and kindness in the world. Ahead of World Kindness Day this Saturday, we talk to two Chicago-area groups about what they’re doing to promote kindness, and what’s at stake without it. We also hear from listeners about their favorite random acts of kindness. Reset goes behind the...

When survivors of the Titanic arrived in New York on a rescue ship, six Chinese survivors were sent away. A new documentary called The Six digs into these stories. Reset talks with the lead researcher of the documentary and a family member of the survivor who learned the winding story of his father’s journey to Chicago.

For years, Chicago leaders used the city’s water supply as a revenue stream. Now, tens of thousands of homeowners are drowning in debt. Reset checks in with WBEZ’s María Inés Zamudio for more on her investigation. We also hear from a Chicago homeowner who successfully fought for most of her water debt to be forgiven because of a billing error.

There are now vaccine mandates for workers around the country and a new shot is available for 5-11 year olds. Reset checks in with an infectious disease specialist for the latest public health guidance on the COVID-19 pandemic.