Illinois Senate President Cullerton's plan to have the state bailout $500 million in Chicago teacher pension costs moves to the House. What will Speaker Michael Madigan and Gov. Bruce Rauner do? We get the latest from Chicago Tonight Springfield reporter Amanda Vinicky.

Voters will get a chance to see 10 of the 16 leading declared Republican presidential candidates square off Thursday in the first primary debate, which is hosted by Fox News and Facebook. We discuss the surge behind Donald Trump’s candidacy and what the crowded field of candidates means for the Republican Party with our panel.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel joins Chicago Tonight on Thursday to discuss Chicago Public Schools and the city’s budget deficit, the city’s plan for funding its pensions, his plan to phase out seven TIF districts, and whether he expects any financial help from Springfield. What are your questions for the mayor? Share them with us.

The Illinois Senate is back in session in Springfield to consider a property tax freeze and possible funding relief for social service providers. Amanda Vinicky will join us with the latest on Chicago Tonight.

Illinois Congressmen Randy Hultgren (R) and Luis Gutiérrez (D) join Chicago Tonight to discuss Iran, Planned Parenthood, clean energy, the 2016 election, and more issues they'll face next month.

The family of Illinois motorist Sandra Bland files a lawsuit against law enforcement officials in Texas. On Chicago Tonight, we'll take a closer look at motorists' rights, as well as the right way to act when getting stopped by police.

There are new rules this summer surrounding child care for low-income families in Illinois. Child care advocates say that the changes–which they argue are not connected to the state budget impasse in Springfield–will eliminate 90 percent of new program applicants from eligibility. 

Some advocates and law enforcement officials say heroin use is rising in Illinois and that Chicago has one of the largest open drug markets in the country.

More than 100 guns were stolen from a Norfolk Southern freight train that was parked in a rail yard on the South Side. On Monday, we discuss growing concerns surrounding the security of trains carrying dangerous freight through Chicago.

From Chicago's top spot in fatal police-involved shootings to a successful road trip for the White Sox, Joel Weisman and his panel have your week in review.

The parade for new city taxes continued Thursday as a group of aldermen made their case to Mayor Emanuel that powerful corporations and the wealthy should shoulder the burden of tax hikes to help plug a massive budget hole. The aldermen are also targeting the private law businesses of powerful political figures like Ald. Ed Burke (14th Ward) and House Speaker Michael Madigan. 

Complaints about jet noise at O’Hare International Airport topped more than 400,000 in May. On Thursday, Gov. Bruce Rauner signed legislation that will increase the number of runways allowed at O’Hare in an effort to mitigate jet noise affecting some Chicago neighborhoods and suburbs.

The city of Chicago's partial ban on plastic bags is now in place, but the ordinance as it's currently written will still allow stores to give out plastic bags, provided they meet certain standards. We discuss the new rules and proposed changes to them.

Could Chicagoans soon be paying higher taxes for sugary drinks? We'll tell you about that and other items Chicago's City Council took up today.

The City Council today tackled a host of issues in its final meeting before a two-month break. But one issue that didn't come up between aldermen and Mayor Emanuel is the big, expensive elephant in the room. Carol Marin talks with a panel of aldermen to analyze the city’s options for making its pension payments. 

Mayor Emanuel, back in Chicago after a vacation in Europe, returns to a fiscal situation that is bleaker than it was when he left, thanks to last week's court ruling throwing out a law that cut benefits for many city retirees.