In the Loop (Segments)

At the worst point of the pandemic recession, women’s participation in the workforce fell to 57% — a level not seen since the mid-1980s. Many working mothers left a job they love to take care of the family they love, bearing the brunt of disruptions to child care and school. As life returns to normal, will women return to work? Reset examines what the future holds for working women.

Even as customers return to cabs and ride shares, companies are finding it hard to get drivers back behind the wheel. A.D. Quig of Crain’s Chicago Business explains why. Plus, we hear from riders and drivers.

Houses of worship were largely closed during the pandemic, with nearly all religious services that required people to gather suspended to avoid becoming superspreading events. So with the state reopened, how have houses of worship welcomed congregants back? And what lessons have faith leaders learned from the global pandemic? Reset checks in with two local faith leaders about what reopening has me...

For the latest in our “Re-imagine Chicago” series, we examine what public safety would look like if more non-criminal 911 calls were diverted to crisis responders and not police.

Reset checks in with the Naperville fire chief, an atmospheric scientist and a reporter on the ground about Sunday night's severe storms and tornado in Illinois' suburbs.

For more than 150 years, Juneteenth has been commemorated as the end of slavery in the U.S. Now, Juneteenth is a federal holiday and will be observed as an official holiday in Illinois and Chicago starting next year. Reset discusses the significance of these decisions and how the legacy of Juneteenth impacts our present and future.

Fatherhood for many young men can be a challenge. Sheldon Smith recognizes this and has been able to help hundreds of young Black and Latino men accomplish their financial goals, education goals and quality time goals with the Dovetail Project, a Chicago-based nonprofit organization. Reset talks to Sheldon about his story and why fatherhood is so important.

In the heart of Logan Square comes a new “hybrid” restaurant and bar called The Duplex. With a menu and chefs that will rotate every six months, its objective is to share the spotlight with chefs who have had a difficult time breaking into the restaurant industry. Reset talks with owner Le’Qoinne Rice about how a sudden pandemic closure sparked this promising new concept.

Lawmakers were back in Springfield dealing with energy, an elected school board and gun control. Meanwhile, Illinois rolls out a shot at big money in a special lottery for vaccinated residents. Reset goes behind the headlines with local reporters.

Reset brings on an infectious disease expert for our weekly check-in to provide clarity and answers to your questions, comments and concerns about COVID-19.

Above-average summer temperatures and abnormally dry conditions are all pointing to one thing: There’s a drought in Illinois. Reset talks to two experts on what’s driving the current high-and-dry situation, and takes a look at what to expect for the rest of the summer.

U.S. colleges saw a “dramatic” drop in enrollment for the fall due to the pandemic, but big donations from philanthropist Mackenzie Scott are giving three local colleges and universities a boost right when they need it. Reset talks with a reporter and a local college president about enrollment and how the donations could help increase equity, accessibility, tuition relief and more.

Reset checks in with members of the Humboldt Park Gators, Chicago’s only all-girls baseball team, as they compete against boys’ travel teams from the city and nearby suburbs this summer.

In the wake of America’s race reckoning, preserving Black history and culture is more important than ever. Seven houses previously owned by historic Black leaders of Chicago are now being converted into museums, and one more is in the works. Residential real estate reporter Dennis Rodkin stops by Reset to talk more about those soon-to-be museums.

Lawmakers returned to Springfield Monday to negotiate the final details of a clean energy bill that would make Illinois the first state in the Midwest to ban coal-burning power plants. But the state Senate adjourned Tuesday after negotiators failed to make a deal. Reset checks in with Michael Hawthorne of the Chicago Tribune for the latest.

Customer complaints about slow and even no mail service have perpetuated during the pandemic. Now Chicago Postmaster General Wanda Prater is being replaced by Eddie Morgan, the former postmaster of Kansas City, Mo. Reset checks on whether Chicago’s new postmaster can deliver better service.

Like many comedians during the pandemic, Lisa Beasley has turned to social media platforms to create content and to find an audience. Last fall, her parody of Maragaret Thatcher from Netflix’s The Crown went viral. And now, she’s getting buzz for her latest parody: Mayor Lory Litefoot. Reset talks to the Second City-trained performer about comedy, expressing her frustration with Chicago politics a...

Can Chicago’s cash-strapped real estate industry afford to survive the COVID-19 economy while the market moves towards a carbon-neutral future? Reset asks Crain’s commercial real estate reporter Danny Ecker.

WBEZ's Tracy Brown stops by Reset to ask listeners to become a member today.

Affordable and quality childcare services are rare, sometimes costing as much as public university tuition. But this is not a new issue and has been challenging the industry before the pandemic. Reset brings on a reporter to talk more about how childcare services and providers are doing as the world slowly opens back up.

Overwork and long hours contributed to more than 745,000 deaths worldwide in just one year, according to a recent study from the World Health Organization. Reset dives into how overwork is deadly, and best practices for prioritizing one’s mental and physical health while not sacrificing professional success.

Mayor Lightfoot named Jose Torres, former head of the second largest school district in Illinois, interim CEO of Chicago Public Schools. At the same time, Lightfoot made a final push to persuade Illinois House members to delay a vote on an elected school board. Reset examines what impact an elected school board could have on the Chicago Public Schools CEO search

“Boystown” is the nickname first used in the 1980’s to describe Chicago’s North Side LGBTQ neighborhood around Wrigley Field. But LGBTQ activists are asking the name be dropped, arguing it excludes lesbian, transgender and other queer residents and visitors. Reset explores the debate over renaming “Boystown” to Northalsted.

After nearly 15 months of COVID-19 restrictions, Illinois is now in Phase 5 of its reopening plan. The move comes as the state’s positivity rate is below 1%. Reset opens the phones to listeners to talk about how the first fully reopened weekend went in Chicago and Illinois and what the road to COVID recovery looks like.

U.S. police departments kill far, far more citizens per 10 million people than departments in any other developed nation. Why is that? And what can Chicago and other U.S. cities learn from other cities and countries? Reset talks to sociologist Paul Hischfield for the latest in our series “Reimagine Chicago.”