Despite the cold, there's plenty to do with your green thumb – even though it may be a little blue right now. Joining us with some winter gardening ideas and tips is Eliza Fournier of the Chicago Botanic Garden.

See all the boats, hang with Danny Tanner and hipster it up with the best of them. 

Eight times a week, Chicago actor Abby Mueller portrays the great songwriter Carole King in the national touring production of "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical." Mueller joins us to speak about the real Carole King and the very musical Mueller family of Evanston. She'll also perform a classic Carole King song live in our studio.

We read viewer feedback from the "Chicago Tonight" website, and our Facebook and Twitter pages.

The former commissioner of Cultural Affairs died Wednesday night.  

Alice, the famous smelly flower of the Chicago Botanic Garden, is bearing fruit – hundreds of them.

Less than two weeks into the new year, Chicago has already had a dramatic spike in violence. This morning, Chicago's interim police superintendent said he is frustrated at the city's ongoing violent crime, calling it a daunting issue for his beleaguered police force. Eddie Arruza has the story.

When President Obama announced last week a series of executive actions to reduce gun violence, he was joined by the parents of Hadiya Pendleton, who was murdered in Chicago three years ago this month. The Pendletons join us to talk about curbing violence in Chicago.

Actions Wednesday by powerful aldermen Ed Burke and Carrie Austin signal City Council might not yet be ready for reform. Paris Schutz has the latest on that and how aldermen have watered-down the mayor’s borrowing plan – for now.

This week the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum brings out some rare specimens from its vault and opens a new pop-up exhibit. 

After more than a month of trials and tribulations, including an unseasonably warm December and apparent vandalism, the Wicker Ice outdoor skating rink is set to open—weather permitting—this Sunday, Jan. 17.

Without even mentioning the election, President Barack Obama's final State of the Union address last night included a number of critiques of the rhetoric from Republican candidates who are preparing for tomorrow's debate in South Carolina. Political communications expert Jason DeSanto discusses the president’s speech and upcoming debate.

The owners of the Cubs are buying three more rooftops with a Wrigley Field view. Joining us with more on that story and other local business news is Crain’s Chicago Business deputy managing editor Ann Dwyer.

Art and science intersect at an historic – and controversial – look at race. A preview of the new exhibition "Looking at Ourselves: Rethinking the Sculptures of Malvina Hoffman."