In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons

Chicago has a “strong mayor” system, and during the pandemic, Mayor Lightfoot gained additional emergency powers. Things work differently in Phoenix, Ariz., which operates under a “weak mayor” or “council-manager” system. Reset examines the benefits and drawbacks of how things work in Phoenix, and what lessons Chicago can learn.

All week, we’re asking: how can the government in Chicago work better for its residents? It’s part of our series “Re-Imagine Chicago,” where we pull back the curtain on the city’s major institutions and systems, and explore how they could work better. For more Reset interviews, subscribe to this podcast. And please give us a rating, it helps other listeners find us. For more about Reset, go to wbe...

Is Chicago’s City Council set up to best serve its residents? The “strong mayor” form of government has its pros and cons, but what could a better system look like? In the first installment of our “Re-imagine Chicago” series, we dive into the powers of two engines that make Chicago run: the mayor and the aldermen.

Lollapalooza rocks Chicago as COVID cases surge, causing new mask requirements. Plus, Chicago Police reach a tentative contract agreement.

From COVID-19 to the heat to athletes being open about the mental strain of performing at the highest level, the Tokyo Olympics have been anything but ordinary. For more Reset interviews, subscribe to this podcast. And please give us a rating, it helps other listeners find us. For more about Reset, go to wbez.org and follow us on Twitter @WBEZReset

President Biden was one of the original backers of the Americans With Disabilities Act. But does it go far enough?

Joe Mansueto, the billionaire founder of Morningstar, continues to look for ways to invest in Chicago, its people, and its neighborhoods.

Chicago is preparing to welcome thousands of people downtown for Lollapalooza as city officials warn about an uptick in COVID-19 cases.

Crime continues to make headlines, City Council approves civilian oversight of police and Pritzker makes little news with reelection bid.

The City of Chicago’s brand new ‘Strategic Plan for Transportation'’ aims to transform mobility and access “...in the wake of the pandemic, economic, and racial justice…”

Overdose deaths in the U.S. spiked to a record 93,000 last year, according to new federal data. Opioids are at the heart of these tragedies. Reset asks two experts to explain the factors driving these deaths and what can be done about it.

The Delta variant is now the dominant COVID-19 strain around the world. Here in the U.S., areas with low vaccination rates are battling outbreaks driven by the variant. Reset brings on Pulitzer Prize-winner Ed Yong for the latest on the COVID-19 surge in neighboring Missouri and why this year might be worse than last year for some communities For more Reset interviews, subscribe to this podcast. A...

In over three decades working in a largely white-male dominated profession, Annette Nance-Holt has risen to the top. As Chicago’s first female Fire Commissioner, she’s vowed to create a Fire Department that reflects its communities. Reset finds out what changes trailblazing Fire Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt hopes to bring to the Chicago Fire Department. For more Reset interviews, subscribe to t...

Lightfoot administration departures continue with resignation of two commissioners. Chicago Police Supt. David Brown and Gov. JB Pritzker stop by the White House this week for presidential meetings. Plus, COVID-19 infections are rising again in parts of the state. Reset goes behind the headlines with local journalists on the Weekly News Recap. For more Reset interviews, subscribe to this podcast....

Starting today, tens of millions of families are beginning to receive monthly payments of up to $300 per child. It’s part of the newly expanded Child Tax Credit under President Biden’s American Rescue Plan. Reset brings on experts to discuss what you need to know about the advance payments and opens the phones to listeners to hear about how the funds will help their families. For more Reset interv...

Internet companies get away with sneaking additional fees into the fine print all the time. We talk to tech columnist Geoffrey Fowler about how to avoid the extra charges. For more Reset interviews, subscribe to this podcast. And please give us a rating, it helps other listeners find us. For more about Reset, go to wbez.org and follow us on Twitter @WBEZReset

New research out of Iceland shows promising results for shorter workweeks. Researchers say employees were happier and, in some cases, more productive. So is it time for more U.S. companies to move to a four-day workweek? Reset brings on an expert on work optimization and opens the phones to listeners to discuss what the ideal work schedule is and how the pandemic has affected the way we view work-...

How do we navigate the pandemic amid changing guidelines and new information about the virus, variants and vaccines? For more Reset interviews, subscribe to this podcast. And please give us a rating, it helps other listeners find us. For more about Reset, go to wbez.org and follow us on Twitter @WBEZReset

President Biden visits Mchenry County to outline his plan for middle class families, Chicago’s Inspector General announces his resignation and Illinois announces its first vaccine lottery winner. Reset goes behind the headlines of the week’s news. For more Reset interviews, subscribe to this podcast. And please give us a rating, it helps other listeners find us. For more about Reset, go to wbez.or...

Do Chicago’s “cleaning” of homeless encampments protect the health and safety of residents? Or do they perpetuate the cycle of homelessness?

President Joe Biden will visit Illinois Wednesday for the first time since taking office. Reset checks in with NPR White House correspondent Asma Khalid for the details. For more Reset interviews, subscribe to this podcast. And please give us a rating, it helps other listeners find us. For more about Reset, go to wbez.org and follow us on Twitter @WBEZReset

hildcare is one of the biggest expenses and worries of families in this country. Governor Pritzker is making permanent a pandemic policy of $1 per month child care for families with incomes up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level. For more Reset interviews, subscribe to this podcast. And please give us a rating, it helps other listeners find us.

The latest on efforts to fight crime, both in the city and City Council. The minimum wage increases to $15 an hour for most workers in Chicago, and Illinois lawmakers deliver a tough message to the postmaster general. Reset goes behind the week’s headlines with two local journalists. For more Reset interviews, subscribe to this podcast. And please give us a rating, it helps other listeners find us...

Reset talks with a Chicago Fire chief about proper fireworks safety on July 4. Residents in some neighborhoods have complained of upper respiratory sickness they believe was caused by illegal fireworks activity on their blocks. For more Reset interviews, subscribe to this podcast. And please give us a rating, it helps other listeners find us. For more about Reset, go to wbez.org and follow us on T...

The local media landscape has been changing lately, with many journalists stepping down. And now Chicago is also saying goodbye — well, almost — to another longtime newsman: Phil Ponce. Reset sits down with Ponce for a look back on his legendary career. For more Reset interviews, subscribe to this podcast. And please give us a rating, it helps other listeners find us. For more about Reset, go to w...