In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics this morning released the August Jobs Report. The report shows that though employers hired over 300,000 new workers, unemployment rose slightly to 3.7% as more people look for jobs. Reset breaks down the data with Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG financial services firm.

The art rock duo OHMME recently announced that they will be changing their name to FINOM. The band is made up of Macie Stewart and Sima Cunningham, who are veterans in Chicago's DIY music scene. They test the boundaries of their voices and their instruments to create a strange yet spellbinding sound. Reset sat down with FINOM to talk about the name change and break down some of their music.

Through sports, Milligan’s team is overcoming ageism they face in their older years… and racial injustice they experienced in their youth. Through training, participants learn that it’s never too late to dream.

For some parents, the average cost of childcare in Illinois exceeds the annual tuition for most of the state’s public universities.

The aldermanic exodus from City Council continues, Chicago’s Inspector General criticizes police policy of canceling days off and the prosecution rests in the R. Kelly trial. Reset goes behind the headlines with Erin Hegarty, City Hall reporter for the Daily Line, Kimberly Egonmwan, commentator for WVON and attorney, and John Byrne, senior political reporter for the Chicago Tribune.

Advocates say flooding disproportionately impacts low-income people of color in Chicago. A neighborhood think tank found that about 75% of all flood damage claims paid between 2007 and 2016 were in predominantly Black and brown communities. Reset explores how what seems like an individual problem on private property is actually a systemic issue with Karen Weigert, director of Loyola University’s B...

In the inaugural Bulls Fest, the Chicago Bulls bring together some of the hottest musical acts, the arts, and of course, basketball for the two-day event. Reset learns more from Adrienne Scherenzel-Curry, VP of community engagement for the Bulls Jamiece Adams, founder of Swish Queer Basketball Club, and Zissou Tasseff-Elenkoff, owner and curator of All Star Press.

Ald. Tom Tunney, 44th, announced Tuesday that he won’t seek reelection in 2023. He’s just the latest in a wave of aldermen who have resigned, announced their retirements or thrown their hats into the ring in the mayoral race. Reset looks ahead to local elections with Mariah Woelfel, WBEZ city government reporter, Heather Cherone, political reporter for WTTW, and Jake Wittich, Block Club Chicago re...

The state Supreme Court has long been in Democratic hands, but Republicans are pushing to regain control this November. Reset hears about the GOP strategy and what influence a right-leaning court could have on life in Illinois with Dave McKinney, WBEZ state politics reporter.

Despite universal free pre-K in Chicago, enrollment in South and West-Side schools lags behind the city average. Reset checks in with WBEZ education reporter Nereida Moreno. We also hear from Michelle Morton, a parent ambassador for the organization Community Organizing and Family Issues. She goes door-to-door spreading awareness and helping parents with the preschool enrollment process.

The Heart of Afghanistan is a band made of three family members that tells the history of Afghan music and poetry through performance. Reset sat down with one member, Elham Fanoos, to learn more about the band's story and their current tour.

Both groups can enter on humanitarian parole, but Afghans have to pay $575 for the application and Ukrainians are not required to do so. It’s one of several key differences that make it much harder for Afghans to enter the country. Reset talks to Adam Bates, policy counsel for the International Refugee Assistance Project.

The pandemic has undoubtedly affected all the relationships in our lives, our friendships in particular. So how can we get back on track and start making platonic connections or rebuilding friendships that fell to the wayside? Reset gets tips from Kat Vellos, connection coach; author of We Should Get Together: The Secret To Cultivating Better Friendships and Connected from Afar.

President Biden has announced up to $20,000 of student loan debt forgiveness per individual who makes less than $125,000 a year. The announcement has sparked relief and ire, with some people saying it’s too much money, and others saying it doesn’t go far enough. Reset hears reactions from Chicagoans who are having some of their debt forgiven.

Former Alderman Patrick Daley Thompson heads to prison in Wisconsin and a Chicago cop charged in the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol rejects a plea deal. Reset goes behind the week’s headlines with Carrie Shepherd, lead producer, City Cast Chicago podcast, Brandon Pope, reporter/anchor at CW 26, and Patrick Smith, WBEZ criminal justice reporter.

Chef Jessica Pamonicutt champions Indigenous foods in her catering business. Though these ingredients have been hard for Native people living in urban areas to access for generations, factors including climate change and inflation are making them more inaccessible than ever. Reset sits down with Chef Jessica to discuss her inspiration, connecting with her cultural identity through food, and the im...

This week the U.S Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield spoke to address food insecurity worldwide and in the region. Reset spoke to the Ambassador about her visit and how global food security issues affect Chicago and Illinois.

The Inflation Reduction Act gives residents incentives to make their homes more energy efficient through building upgrades. Advocates say these renovations could save you money. Reset speaks with policy experts – Ari Matusiak, CEO of Rewiring America, Jen Walling, Executive Director at Illinois Environmental Council, and Dave Kolata, Executive Director at Citizen Utility Board – to understand how...

With a statewide election just over two months away, candidates are in full-on campaign mode. Reset takes a look at campaign ads and political messaging with Connie Mixon, Professor of Political Science and Director of the Urban Studies Program at Elmhurst University, and Delmarie Cobb, a political strategist.

Podcast nerds everywhere have thought, at one time or another, that they should make a podcast with their best friends. That’s just what former NPR host Sam Sanders, author Saeed Jones, and Broadway producer Zach Stafford are doing with Vibe Check. The weekly podcast series from Stitcher, which aims to tackle news and pop culture through a Black and queer lens, recently debuted.

WBEZ recently held an open mic in Ukrainian Village and people with ties to Ukraine shared their stories of leaving Ukraine, living with fear and anger, and figuring out ways to help out. Reset spoke to WBEZ reporter Anna Savchenko, who hosted the open mic, and participants Olha Tsvyntarna, Dania Hrynewycz, and Harrison Jozefowicz.

In the wake of the Uvalde and Highland Park mass shootings, the safety of students is front of mind for many parents. But is more police in schools the answer? And what other approaches can work? Reset explores the role that police play in some Chicago-area schools and across the country and discusses what other models are being used to ensure students stay safe. Our guests are Micere Keels, assoc...

In the first three months of 2022, traffic deaths in the United States hit a 20-year high, according to a report released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration last week. Reset talks with Ald. Matt Martin, 47th Ward and three local organizers — Courtney Cobbs, co-founder of Better Streets Chicago, David Simmons, executive director of Ride Illinois, and Jim Merrell, managing directo...

A new report published by the Chicago Monuments Project recommends the removal of 13 monuments across Chicago, in addition to funding for new monuments to be designed and installed. Reset talks with Heather Cherone, political reporter for WTTW, and Rebecca Zorach, professor of Art and Art History at Northwestern University to discuss the report and its implications.

We hear plenty about the “red flags” you should look for in a relationship but not nearly enough about the “green flags.” Reset talks to Anita Chlipala, dating and relationship therapist, and Bela Gandhi, dating coach and founder of Smart Dating Academy, on what works in a relationship and how to spot it.