Author: WBEZ Chicago

Chicago and Illinois politicians and organizers are already doing the research and prep for what a second Trump presidency would mean for residents locally. A double homicide at a beloved Chicago tourist attraction stuns the city, 29 alders band together to push back on the mayor’s proposed property tax, and after 117 years, prohibition is officially over in a small corner of Chicago’s Lincoln Square neighborhood. Reset digs into the week’s stories with WBEZ senior editor of government and politics Angela Rozas O’Toole, WTTW political correspondent and host Amanda Vinicky and Chicago Sun-Times chief political reporter Tina Sfondeles. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

If you voted in Kane, McHenry, Lake or DuPage county, you had the opportunity to decide whether you’d like to pay a little extra to fund forest preserves. Reset sits down with local conservationist Robbie Telfer of Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves to hear how the voting went and what happens next. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Voters backed enhanced election security, healthcare coverage for IVF and a so-called millionaire’s tax to fund property tax relief. Reset learns more about two of the proposals with former Democratic Illinois governor Pat Quinn and Lindsay Allen, assistant professor of emergency medicine at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Chicago’s City Council will consider a proposal to lower the speed limit from 30 to 25 miles per hour. Reset checks in with WBEZ data editor Alden Loury about the plan and what kind of effect it could have on traffic injuries and fatalities. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Donald Trump is now the president-elect after winning several key battleground states, including Wisconsin, the state that pushed him over 270 electoral votes. Plus, Cook County has a new State’s Attorney, Chicago has its first elected school board officials and more. Reset discusses the results with Democratic political strategist Delmarie Cobb; Northwestern University political science professor Jaime Dominguez; former Illinois Republican Party chairman Pat Brady; WBEZ city government and politics reporter Tessa Weinberg; WBEZ criminal justice reporter Chip Mitchell; Illinois State Board of Elections public information officer Matt Dietrich and Palatine Township Republican chairman Aaron Del Mar. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Voices of Hope Community Chorus features more than 60 men and women affected by breast cancer, many of whom are breast cancer survivors. The local chorus puts on fall and spring concerts in Glenview and Oak Park. For their 2024 fall concerts, they will be performing the music of great American icons like Bob Dylan, Carole King, Smokey Robinson and more. Reset sits down with Kevin Kelly, artistic director of Voices of Hope Community Chorus and choir member June Anthony to learn more.

As a divided country braces for election results, we examine how our online actions can have real world consequences with Jill Hopke, associate professor of journalism at DePaul University’s College of Communication and George Scully, assistant clinical professor of business law and business ethics at the University of Illinois Chicago. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Under Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed budget, the Office of Constitutional Policing and Reform would see a 45% cut and vacant positions continuing to go unfilled. Plus, a new Chicago Sun-Times investigation details how CPD’s remaining staff struggle to fill the gaps. Reset gets the details from Sun-Times assistant criminal justice editor Tom Schuba. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.