Author: WBEZ Chicago

More than 1 in 10 people working in the U.S. are women 55 years or older. Reset talks with two experts about the challenges and triumphs of women working in their 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond. Corinne Kodama is a senior research analyst at Women Employed and Therese Quinn is a professor and director of Museum and Exhibition Studies at the University of Illinois Chicago. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Whether you’re looking for a great novel or some nonfiction to get you thinking, our panel has some great suggestions for books that they loved in 2024. Reset learns more from owner of Semicolon Bookstore Danielle Moore, poet, author of Brown Girl, Brown Girl Leslé Honoré, and romance writer, author of Free Fall Khushi Saha. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Cook County commissioned a study earlier this year to take stock of what’s working and what’s not in the county’s complex system for assessing taxes on commercial properties. The resulting report released Dec. 11 shows that many commercial properties in the north and south suburbs have been undervalued, likely leading to a higher tax burden for homeowners. It also makes recommendations for how the overall system can be reformed and stresses the need for better collaboration between the County Assessor’s Office and the County Board of Review, the two bodies involved in tax assessments and appeals. Reset checks in with Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle about her major takeaways from the report. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

After Mayor Johnson cancelled a vote on his budget plan Friday because he did not have the votes for it to pass, he and alders worked over the weekend on an updated proposal that drops the property tax hike completely and relies on skipping a $40 million loan repayment to balance the budget. The city has until Dec. 31 to agree on a plan. Reset checks in with executive director at the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability Ralph Martire about the latest and about his ideas for structural reforms to how Chicago does budgeting. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Plays and performances, ice skating and much more await those looking for fun activities to do around Chicago this December. Reset reviews some options with WBEZ arts and culture reporter Courtney Kueppers. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Chicago singer-songwriter hemlock wrote a song a day for a month, then continued that process for years. Some of the best of the bunch are collected on their new album “444.” The record includes previously released songs that have been reimagined with a band of Chicago musicians. Reset learns more and listens to some great music. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

City Council prepares to vote on Mayor Johnson’s revised budget proposal. President-elect Trump’s border czar warns that mass deportations could start in Chicago. The prosecution wraps up its case in the Madigan corruption trial. Reset breaks down these stories and much more with freelance journalist Leigh Giangreco, WTTW News correspondent Nick Blumberg and Chicago Sun-Times chief political reporter Tina Sfondeles. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

There are treats galore this time of year, but holiday cookies stand out for their ability to impress and bring people together. Reset discusses holiday cookies with Nirali Chauhan, amateur baker and contestant on “The Great American Baking Show.” For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Earlier this year, Mayor Brandon Johnson announced the city would be putting over $30 million towards the Chicago Empowerment Fund, a planned guaranteed income program. But Mayor Johnson’s budget proposal does not include funding for the program. It was cut in order to help close the city’s $1 billion budget gap. As city lawmakers prepare to vote on the mayor’s budget proposal, Reset learns more about guaranteed income from Misuzu Schexnider of the Inclusive Economy Lab at UChicago’s Harris School Public Policy and Sarah Saheb of the Economic Security Project in Illinois. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.