• Springfield Special Session

Illinois lawmakers met in Springfield for a special session to decide how to fill the vacancy created by the passing of Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka.

The Illinois Senate passed special election bill HB4576 by 37-15. See how members voted in our interactive graphic.

The Illinois House passed special election bill HB4576 by 66-40. See how members voted in our interactive graphic.

For the second day, Chicago Public Schools are closed because of cold weather, but not everyone agrees.

The shooting massacre at the Paris office of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo has shaken the tenets of not only parody, but freedom of expression. Scott Dikkers is the founding editor of The Onion and served as editor-in-chief of the popular satirical news organization for 14 years. He joins us to discuss his experiences working in news satire, and how the deadliest attack France has seen since 1961 may affect the genre’s landscape.

Illinois still has one of the worst funded pension systems in the nation. But reform efforts seem to be at a standstill until the Illinois Supreme Court rules on the constitutionality of a pension bill passed last year. The court is scheduled to hear arguments in March.

Chicago businessman Willie Wilson has put $1 million of his own money into his effort to take down incumbent Mayor Rahm Emanuel. We talk with Wilson about his background, why he wants to be mayor, and whether he thinks he has enough support to win.

A show at The Art Institute looks at the transformation of American cities in the 1960s and '70s. We revisit the story.

We share what you had to say about the proposed Washington Park site for the Obama Presidental Library, the unethical conduct at Chicago Public Schools, and finding the joy in the everyday with Mike Leonard in tonight's viewer feedback.

• CPS Cancels Classes for Second Day

Chicago Public Schools will be closed for a second day tomorrow because of the extreme weather.

Obama Library proposals from The University of Illinois at Chicago and The University of Chicago are getting added help from the mayor's office to ensure the library stays in the Midwest as The U of C finally releases proposal specifics. Hearings are set for next week to aid The U of C in securing city park land for the proposed Jackson Park and Washington Park locations. Some fear the hearings will serve to push through rushed legislation for a land grab.

As Illinois prepares for implementation of legal medical marijuana, we take a look at some of the challenges and regulatory hurdles these businesses face.

The new Maggie Daley Park includes a quarter mile long "ice ribbon" for skaters. We find out what it takes to maintain Chicago's newest ice rink.