Stories by Paul Caine

Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko speak with “Chicago Tonight” on Sept. 19, 2023. (WTTW News)

In Chicago, Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko Talks Putin, Poisoning and the Need to Combat Russian Aggression

In an interview with WTTW News, former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko gave an assessment of the challenges Ukraine faces as the war with Russia continues. 

Former First Lady of Ukraine Kateryna Yushchenko appears on “Chicago Tonight” on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023. (WTTW News)

Former First Lady of Ukraine With Deep Chicago Ties Confident of Victory Over Russia

Kateryna Yushchenko, the daughter of Ukrainian immigrants, was born in Chicago and lived much of her early life in Humboldt Park before moving to Mount Prospect. After earning an MBA in international economics from the University of Chicago, Yushchenko had an impressive career in public service.

(WTTW News)

Week in Review: Snelling’s First Public Test; Chicago Casino Finally Set to Open

The mayor’s pick for police superintendent meets the public. CPS employees ousted over charges of loan fraud. City officials eye new housing for migrants. And Bally’s gears up to open its temporary casino.

Week in Review: Anniversary of Migrant Arrivals; Questions Still Swirl Over White Sox Shooting

Local officials call for federal aid one year after asylum seekers first arrived in Chicago. Renewed calls for ethics reform. And still no answers on the shooting at Sox Park.

Planes at Chicago O'Hare International Airport. (WTTW News)

FAA Investigating Thousands of Pilots for Failing to Report Health Issues

Nearly 4,800 pilots are being investigated by the Federal Aviation Authority for potentially concealing major health issues that could have them grounded. The FAA has already ordered 60 pilots who “posed a clear danger to aviation safety” to stop flying immediately.

Walmart parking lot. (WTTW News)

Retail Theft Costing Illinois Businesses Billions as Efforts to Steal Become More Organized

In Illinois, the chamber estimates more than $2 billion worth of goods were stolen from retailers in 2021, but it says the cost to Illinois businesses was more than double that when other factors are taken into account.

(WTTW News)

Rise in Attacks on Mail Carriers Has Union Demanding Action

Robberies targeting mail carriers increased 78% in 2022, according to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

Larry Snelling speaks at a news conference Monday, Aug. 14, 2023. (WTTW News)

Community Leaders Who Chose Top Cop Finalist Weigh in on Snelling Selection and What’s Next

Pending City Council approval, Larry Snelling faces leading the Chicago Police Department at a time when residents are demanding answers to the city’s perennial problem of violent crime. He will also have to lead the department through the transformational change demanded by a court-ordered consent decree.

(agilemktg1 / Flickr)

More Than 47,000 Illinois Residents Lose Medicaid Coverage as Proof of Eligibility Requirements Resume

For the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Medicaid recipients are being asked to provide proof of their eligibility.

(WTTW News)

Lack of Diversity in Clinical Trials a Problem — But Change May Be Coming

According to Walgreens, which announced last year it was entering the clinical trials business, only about 5% of people in the U.S. participate in clinical trials and almost three-quarters of those participants are White.

(WTTW News)

Bus Driver Shortage Leaves Many CPS Parents, Students in Limbo

Chicago Public Schools students return to class in less than three weeks. The school district said it currently has only about half the bus drivers it needs to transport the more than 17,000 students who are eligible to be bused to school.

The Dirksen Federal Courthouse in Chicago. (Hannah Meisel / Capitol News Illinois)

US Attorney’s Office in Chicago Aims to be ‘Force Multiplier’ in Anti-Gang Effort

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Illinois has scored some significant recent successes as part of its anti-gang efforts.

(Courtesy of Argonne National Laboratory)

As ‘Oppenheimer’ Opens, Here’s How Chicago Gave Birth to the Nuclear Age

“Oppenheimer,” the much-anticipated blockbuster from Batman director Christopher Nolan, hits movie theaters this week. The story has deep connections to Chicago and the Manhattan Project that led to the development of the first atomic bomb.

The three finalists for Chicago Police superintendent: Angel Novalez; Larry Snelling; Shon Barnes. (Credit: Chicago Police Department and Madison Police Department)

How a Group of Community Leaders Worked to Choose 3 Finalists for Chicago’s Next Police Superintendent

The three finalists for the city’s top cop were selected from a total of 54 applicants by the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) after unprecedented community and police input. Here’s how they did it.

Corn crops in Illinois are hampered by a June 2023 drought. (Catrina Rawson / Illinois Farm Bureau)

Despite Recent Rain, Farmers Face Major Challenges as Much of Illinois Remains in Severe Drought

June is expected to go down as one of the 10 driest months in the state’s history. Farmers are already seeing an impact on their crops and consumers are likely to see an impact soon.

Yevgeny Prigozhin is pictured near a tank. (CNN)

Recently Returned From Ukraine, CEO of Rotary International Sees Wagner Mutiny as Sign of Russian Disarray

John Hewko, a Ukrainian-American, recently returned from a trip to Ukraine.  As a lawyer working in Ukraine in the early 1990s, he helped the working group drafting the country’s first post-Soviet constitution.

(WTTW News)

Week in Review: Chicago Summer Violence Surge; State Cuts to Health Care for Undocumented Residents

The search for a new police superintendent hits a snag as Chicago suffers a violent holiday weekend. NASCAR racecourse taking shape with the race one week away. And new ethics questions dog the U.S. Supreme Court.

(WTTW News)

Argonne Scientists Partner with Chicago Community Organizations to Track Climate Change Impacts

The impact of climate change is being felt across the planet in ways large and small. But it is increasingly clear that the impact of climate change is not felt equally.

(U.S. Capitol surveillance video)

UChicago Survey Finds Millions of Americans Support Violence to Achieve Political Goals

More than two and a half years after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, a new study estimates some 12 million Americans would support violence to restore former President Donald Trump to power.

(WTTW News)

Illinois Ranks First in the Nation in Units of Local Government. How Much Is Too Much?

Illinois has more units of local government than any other state. That fact has some critics asking the question: how much is too much?

Week in Review: Trump Becomes First Ex-President to Face Federal Charges; Bears Restart Stadium Dialogue with City

Donald Trump makes history as he becomes the first former U.S. president to face federal charges. That story and the other biggest news items of the week. 

More than a decade ago, the University of Chicago made quantum technology a focus in establishing the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering. (Jean Lachat / University of Chicago)

UChicago Forges ‘Quantum Alliance’ with Japan’s Tohoku University as the Transformational Technology Quickly Progresses

Quantum research and technology is fast developing but still in its infancy. However, its impact is ultimately expected to be transformational.

Urban Prep’s Englewood campus. (artistmac / Flickr)

With Charter Revoked, Urban Prep Academies Fighting for Survival

After allegations of sexual and financial misconduct, the Chicago Board of Education voted to revoke Urban Prep’s charter. The state school board denied an appeal, and a CPS takeover looks imminent.

(WTTW News)

Week in Review: Johnson’s First City Council Meeting; State Budget Deal

Officials try to clamp down on holiday weekend crime. Mayor Brandon Johnson passes first City Council test. State lawmakers have a budget — we think. And a damning report on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.

Argonne National Laboratory is pictured in May 2023. (Credit: Argonne National Laboratory)

Argonne National Laboratory’s Particle Accelerator Is a Crucial Tool for Researchers. It’s Getting an $815 Million Upgrade

Argonne National Laboratory has been at the cutting edge of molecular scale research for almost three decades. At the heart of that research is the Advanced Photon Source, a huge particle accelerator. 

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle appeared on “Chicago Tonight” on May 11, 2023. (WTTW News)

Preckwinkle Slams Texas Governor Over Continued Busing of Migrants: ‘If There’s a Hell, He’ll Go to It’

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle was unsparing in her criticism of Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott for continuing to bus thousands of migrants to Democratic cities such as Chicago and New York.