Stories by WTTW News

As the nation rallies together to bring back the girls abducted in Nigeria, nearly 25,000 women and girls fall victim to trafficking in Chicago every year. Tonight, we address Chicago’s human trafficking problems, possible solutions. 

Do-it-yourself online eye exams could transform the world of optometry. We talk to a Crain’s Chicago Business reporter about a local start-up that has just scored $1 million in seed money to make it happen. 

Iconic gourmet hot dog spot Hot Doug’s, known for its exotic hot dogs and sausages as well as its duck fat fries, is closing. Hot Doug’s owner Doug Sohn tears himself away from the counter to tell us about his decision to close the “sausage superstore.” 

As a Muslim girl growing up in Turkey, Meltem Aktas wasn’t planning to make a career of Christian art. We revisit Jay Shefsky's profile of the sacred artist. View a slideshow of her work.

The University of Chicago and the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts will host Let’s Get Working, a three-day festival honoring the life and work of Chicago icon and University of Chicago alum Studs Terkel.  

We share what you had to say about recent stories when we read some of our viewer feedback. 

Welcome to Chicago Tonight’s online coverage of Illinois' 2014 Gubernatorial Election. We’ve gathered information here about the final candidates, Democrat Pat Quinn, Republican Bruce Rauner, and Libertarian Chad Grimm.

The City of Chicago's lawsuit against the Chicago Park District and the owners of the Park Grill in Millennium Park is in its second week in the Daley Center. Check in for the latest developments. 

We’re at the six-month mark to the General Election. The gubernatorial race heats up as both Gov. Pat Quinn and Republican candidate Bruce Rauner come under scrutiny. We take a look at that and more.

The volatility of tech stocks are apparent today with an 18 percent plummet for Groupon as it moves from email-based business to a marketplace setting. Twitter also took a 20 percent hit this week. But analysts are buzzing about Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, some say it could have the largest initial public offering in tech history. 

We talk to the author of a new book, “Gardening with Perennials,” about lessons local gardeners can learn from Chicago’s Lurie Garden. This unique Millennium Park garden pays homage to Chicago's transformation from flat marshland to innovative green city. 

Yet another probe into Gov. Pat Quinn's troubled $55 million anti-violence initiative, as a GOP lawmaker seeks to get subpoena power over the program started by Quinn in 2010. Read the original State's Auditor General report. Watch web extra videos.

The Supreme Court's decision on May 5 upheld the right to public prayer in civic settings. Does the close 5-4 vote indicate a new tilt toward conservatism? Is the decision an expansion of rights for communities? 

Chicago is expanding its pay-by-smartphone app to pay parking meters. The plan is to have the service for all Chicago parking meters by summer's end. 

In communities where sports like basketball and soccer are king, a team of Chicago teens is, literally, rowing upstream through the sport of competitive rowing. We look at how the Chicago Training Center is teaching students more than just physical fitness. 

Advancements in robotics technology are changing the fields of medicine, defense, and manufacturing. We talk with Rabiah Mayas about that and more. 

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, we revisit a performance from the award-winning Mariachi Aztlán.

The first official case of the deadly infection Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) surfaces in the U.S. Last week, a patient was diagnosed at Community Hospital in Munster, Ind. Elizabeth Brackett will have an update and explain more about the dangerous virus. 

The federal government released a list of 55 colleges and universities, including University of Chicago and Knox College in Illinois, that are under investigation for their handling of sexual violence and harassment complaints. We talk with a panel of experts about the issues surrounding sexual assault on campus. View a graph of on campus sex offenses for Illinois public universities.

We share what you had to say about recent stories when we read some of our viewer feedback. 

Joel Weisman and his panel of journalists discuss the City Council’s partial ban on plastic bags, and how it will impact South and West Side neighborhoods. Also, the reporters weigh in on the city’s image as portrayed in CNN’s “Chicagoland” series.Watch the web extra video.

Joel Weisman and his panel of journalists discuss the week's top headlines.

Two local economists weigh in on the latest gross domestic product report and what we can expect for the second quarter. The GDP continues to grow but at a snail's pace. We find out what it all means tonight. Read the full report and view a graph of the U.S. economic growth.

No one can dispute Arianna Huffington’s success in the business world. But after an accidental fall from exhaustion and lack of sleep, Huffington began asking herself – Is this really what success feels like? She shares her secrets on success. Read an excerpt of Huffington's book.

Chicago is filled with architectural gems. We sit down with Chicago Tribune’s architectural critic Blair Kamin to discuss some of the famed structures in the city and surrounding areas.

Meet the filmmaker behind The Empowerment Project: Ordinary Women Doing Extraordinary Things, a documentary about inspiring women. We also see the group of women involved with the film, their journey to make the movie. Watch The Empowerment Project trailer.