Aldermanic races around the city are heating up, with candidates getting kicked off the ballot, charges of intimidation, and packed fields of contenders. With less than six weeks until the municipal election, we check in on some of the races with our panel.

From an undocumented child to a federal judge, Manuel Barbosa joins us to discuss his own incredible migrant story he recounts in his autobiographical new book, The Littlest Wetback.

Geoffrey Baer gets the cold, hard truth on why the Chicago River doesn't freeze over even during Chicago's bitter winters in this week's edition of Ask Geoffrey.

NASA astronaut Col. Mike Hopkins belongs to the very exclusive group of just 215 people who have visited the International Space Station (ISS). But Col. Hopkins distinguished himself during his time on the ISS in a couple of memorable ways. We revisit a conversation with Hopkins.

• Public Hearing on Obama Library Location

City officials face the public on whether an Obama Presidential Library should locate in a south side park. Vote in our poll.

It's official. Bruce Rauner is the 42nd Governor of Illinois. What will be his first steps as governor and how will he begin to rein in the crippling debt the state has become known for? We discuss this and more with our panel.

Wes Moore is a Rhodes scholar, combat veteran, and nonprofit executive. In his new book, The Work: My Search For a Life That Matters, Moore writes about how his widely varied life experiences helped shape who he is, and how the lessons he learned can help us find a sense of purpose.

Meet the self-taught Chicago artist who could make dazzling art out of anything he found. Known as Mr. Imagination, he turned bottlecaps, mirrors, and scraps of wood into delightfully original works of art.

A NOVA special called Big Bang Machine about the Large Hadron Collider airs at 9:00 pm Wednesday on WTTW11. Don Lincoln, one of the top scientists from the documentary, joins us to discuss the role of Fermilab -- located just outside of Chicago -- in the experiments at CERN in Switzerland.

• Rauner Sworn In as Illinois Governor

Bruce Rauner takes the oath of office as Illinois’ 42nd governor. Paris Schutz has more on what Rauner said during his inaugural address.

Over the weekend, Bruce Rauner announced a series of cabinet secretary, agency director and boards and commission appointments.

Should Chicago have an elected school board? The issue separates Mayor Rahm Emanuel from his challengers. And voters from 38 wards will have a chance to weigh in on Feb. 24 when they can vote on an advisory referendum. We take a closer look.

Whether it’s been 10 years or 30 years since they dropped out of high school, men and women who went on to serve time in jail or prison are finally getting their diplomas. We explain how programs like St. Leonard’s Ministries are getting help from Cook County to keep people out of jail and reduce violence.