A nonpartisan coalition aims to wrestle political mapmaking out of the hands of lawmakers and into the hands of the people. Cindi Canary, the organization’s executive director, joins us to discuss the citizen initiative Independent Maps.

Hear what viewers had to say about the Republican proposal to take over Chicago Public Schools when we read feedback from the "Chicago Tonight" website, and our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Turkish singer Aysenur Kolivar was recently in Chicago for a fellowship program with the Old Town School of Folk Music. She collects and performs music from the Black Sea region. During her stay she performed at WTTW. We bring you that performance from our studio.

An exhibition at the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian in Evanston looks at the "haute couture" that has long existed in Native American communities. We revisit that story.

Evidence of a distant ninth planet in our solar system, electronic implants that can monitor brain injury then melt away, and how more sleep may reduce diabetes risk. Rabiah Mayas of the Museum of Science and Industry is back to review some of the hottest stories in the world of science.

Eat, dance and watch your way through the weekend. 

Teachers, parents and the Chicago Public Schools district may not always agree, but on this point they do: leave the management of CPS in Chicago. We hear from education leaders on the GOP plan for a state takeover of the nation's third-largest school district.

Gov. Bruce Rauner and Republican leaders officially announced on Wednesday their ambitious agenda to allow for an emergency financial authority appointed by the Illinois State Board of Education superintendent to take over Chicago Public Schools in the wake of a $500 million funding shortfall.

Republican state leaders want to take away mayoral control of the cash-strapped Chicago Public Schools. Instead, they want the nation's third largest school district under the purview of a state emergency board. Democratic legislative leaders in Springfield immediately opposed the plan, with some calling it "dead on arrival." We speak with state legislators from both parties.

New reports show that Earth’s surface temperature last year was its highest since modern temperature record keeping began in 1880. The global record was also broken in 2014, although 2015 saw dramatic increases by comparison.

The best strategy for dealing with Chicago winters, some say, is to embrace it and get outside for some winter fun, like ice skating. Last winter, Jay Shefsky laced up his skates and hit the ice ribbon at Maggie Daley Park, where he met the Zamboni driver. We revisit his time on the ice.

Many Illinois college students face the loss of their MAP grants because of the state's fiscal crisis, and Chicago State University says it won't be able to make payroll in March. Amanda Vinicky joins us with details.

Geoffrey Baer investigates the history of Asylum Place, the explosive story behind a 1930s death caused by a manhole cover and what happened to magical Chicago restaurant chain. 

It was a wild day for the markets. Stocks plummeted deeply this morning—then bounced back a bit in the afternoon. Crain's Chicago Business columnist Joe Cahill joins “Chicago Tonight” with the latest on what has been the worst yearly start for the markets on record.