Did Mayor-Elect Emanuel’s team score a victory by hooking up Jean-Claude Brizard with a series of local education reporters this week, blunting some of the political noise that’s surrounded his appointment? And will the massive reconstruction of the north section of the Red Line, along with the proposed extension of that line to 130th street, ever really happen?

Just a couple of provocative questions tackled this week by our panel of veteran journalists. They are: Jon Hilkevitch, author of the Getting Around column in the Tribune; Linda Lenz, Publisher of Catalyst Chicago and Ed Zotti, correspondent for the Reader and long-time editor of the paper’s Straight Dope column. Ed wrote a fascinating piece recently called How to Fix the El.  Transportation, education and more on this week’s show.