Stories by Alexandra Silets

Are some wealthy residents of Cook County taking advantage of laws meant for the most vulnerable? We discuss the issue with a Chicago Sun-Times watchdog.

The State Board of Elections computer hack may have been smaller than first thought. Now it seems the personal information of only 90,000 Illinois voters was compromised. How safe is voter information? We get the latest.

Safe spaces and trigger warnings: Are they good for college students or stifling academic and intellectual freedom?

The owner of Block 37 is buying the landmark Tribune Tower. We have details from the pages of Crain's Chicago Business.

Four cyclists have been killed this summer in Chicago. Wednesday night, another was struck in a hit-and-run in the Loop. Join us for a discussion on bike safety with the advocacy director for the  Active Transportation Alliance.

Labor Day traffic could be the deadliest in nearly a decade. The National Safety Council tells us why–and how to reverse the deadly trend.

Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson orders firings in the Laquan McDonald shooting cover-up. Donald Trump is trouble for Illinois Republicans. CPS pitches a billion-dollar bond sale, and the Cubs cruise towards the playoffs.

Meet an entrepreneur who is helping Chicagoans compost while growing his business–all by the seat of his bicycle.

Olympic athletes are lovin' McDonald's at the Rio games. That story and more from Crain's Chicago Business.

Macy's is closing 100 stores. Will other traditional retailers follow suit?

Is Donald Trump inciting violence with his latest controversial quip? A closer look at whether his words constitute free speech. 

Republicans are looking to dump Donald Trump after his disastrous week. Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s proposed water and sewer tax to fix the municipal employees’ pension fund angers aldermen and homeowners alike.

Can state lawmakers craft a constitutional fix for the Illinois public pension problem? We talk with one man who has a plan.

The fallout continues from the political conventions. We hear from several reporters who spent two weeks on the ground at both the Republican and Democratic conventions.

The two top editors from the Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times share their thoughts on the Republican National Convention. A modest tax rebate is coming to Chicago property owners. And the Cubs get back to their winning ways. Join Eddie Arruza and guests for these stories and more.

Where do law enforcement and the communities they're sworn to serve start to heal and end years – if not decades – of suspicion, antagonism and violence? We look at solutions to end the mistrust and contentious relations between minority communities and law enforcement.   

Crain’s Chicago Business managing editor Ann Dwyer reports on the closure of an Illinois Obamacare provider, vacancies in the Trump Tower and Lake Forest's stagnate real estate market. 

A social media campaign calls on developers to halt second-story additions to Chicago’s bungalows.

Five police officers are gunned down at a Dallas protest. In Chicago, debates over police oversight continue. The Chicago Bulls land Dwayne Wade. And Abner Mikva is remembered. Joel Weisman and guests discuss these stories and more.

Blair Kamin, Pulitzer prize-winning architecture critic for the Chicago Tribune, talks about the architectural artistry of Harvard Yard and his new book on the subject.

Crain’s Chicago Business managing editor Ann Dwyer reports on a less conventional way to get those hot “Hamilton” tickets, the newest bank acquisitions in town and changes to the clothing startup Trunk Club.

The Supreme Court strikes down Texas abortion restrictions. Former Supreme Court clerks highlight the term's other blockbuster cases.

Crain’s Chicago Business managing editor Ann Dwyer reports on United Airlines' efforts to quell 12 months of turbulence. McDonald's switches the Egg McMuffin’s margarine to butter with its new nimble approach. And there’s a possible front-runner to buy the iconic Tribune Tower.  

A psychologist takes a deep dive into the mind of Donald Trump to create a psychological portrait of the presumptive GOP nominee and his possible presidency.

The debate rages on over the sale of assault weapons like the one used in the Orlando massacre. We talk with Sun-Times columnist Neil Steinberg about his experience trying to buy that kind of assault rifle.

Lawmakers were supposed to be in Springfield on Wednesday, but House Speaker Michael Madigan canceled the session in spite of his pledge to work through the summer.