Stories by WTTW News
Investment and Financial Planning Advice for a New Year, New Tax Code
| WTTW News
New Year’s resolutions may already be broken, but there’s still time to make smart financial moves in 2018. We get money tips from Sean Sebold of Sebold Capital Management.
What’s Next for Navy Pier? CEO Marilynn Gardner Shares Her Vision
| Alexandra Silets
Marilynn Gardner took the reins of Navy Pier in 2011 and has overseen its $300 million transformation as the pier’s president and CEO. She joins us in discussion.
Niles Tower’s History Mystery
| Erica Gunderson
We climb to the top of the Leaning Tower of Niles, where centuries-old bronze bells lay quiet – for now.
Charter Advocate Blasts Proposed CTU-ChiACTS Merger on Eve of Final Vote
| Matt Masterson
The president of the Illinois Network of Charter Schools is again speaking out against a proposed merger between the CTU and the Chicago Alliance of Charter Teachers and Staff, which could be finalized next week.
Petition Targeting Trader Joe’s ‘Inhumane’ Pork Suppliers Gains Traction
| Alex Ruppenthal
The group Crate Free Illinois is calling on Trader Joe’s to stop purchasing pork from suppliers that use gestation crates, tight metal stalls that keep pigs in one position for the majority of their lives.
Legionella Detected in Illinois Statehouse Complex
| Amanda Vinicky
Legionalla bacteria – a waterborne pathogen that can cause a type of pneumonia known as Legionnaires’ disease – is present in the water systems at the Illinois state capitol complex in Springfield.
State Lawmakers Preview Upcoming Legislative Session
| Alexandra Silets
The Illinois primary is just eight weeks away. Will state lawmakers dodge controversial issues before the March 20 election?
Illinois DCFS Director on ‘Toughest Job in State Government’
| WTTW News
Beverly Walker, acting director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, talks about running the controversial agency charged with protecting Illinois’ children.
US Warns of North Korean Threat Amid Winter Olympic Diplomacy
| Paul Caine
Protests erupt in South Korea as a delegation from North Korea arrives ahead of the Winter Olympics. Can Olympic diplomacy defuse the threat of war on the Korean Peninsula?
Courtroom Artist Tom Gianni Has His Day in a Gallery Exhibition
| Eddie Arruza
Away from the courtroom, local artist Tom Gianni employs his talents in far different and impressive ways. We explore his solo show, “Art that Works for a Living.”
Biometric Data: Are We Safer in Illinois, Or Just Having Less Fun?
| Erica Gunderson
The latest social media craze of matching your face with faces in works of art left Chicagoans out in the cold, thanks to Illinois’ strict laws on biometric data. Do these rules keep us safe or leave us behind?
Struggling to Lose Weight? These 5 Myths Could be to Blame
| Kristen Thometz
If you’re looking to shed pounds, you’ve likely done some Googling. But beware: Not everything you read online will help you reach your beach bod goals. Local dietitians debunk diet and exercise myths and share tips.
Brookfield Zoo’s Oldest Animal Turns 50
| Alex Ruppenthal
Ramar, one of the oldest gorillas in the country, celebrated a milestone birthday this month with a frozen “cake” filled with fruit and raisins.
Chicago Women’s March to the Polls Draws Estimated Crowd of 300K
| Amanda Vinicky
On the anniversary of President Donald Trump’s inauguration—and as a federal government shutdown commenced—an estimated 300,000 people in Chicago gathered to express their dissatisfaction with his leadership as part of the Chicago Women’s March to the Polls.
Feds Seeking Death Penalty Against Man Accused in U. of I. Student Death
| Matt Masterson
In a five-page filing Friday afternoon, U.S. Attorney John Childress says a “sentence of death is justified” against Brendt Christiansen if he is convicted in the death of 26-year-old Yingying Zhang.
CPS Releases Space Utilization Data After Yearlong Gap
Find out how the space is being used at your school
| Matt Masterson
Nearly 230 Chicago Public Schools are underutilized, according to new district data. That’s nearly equal to the number of schools the district says are operating efficiently.
The Week in Review: Celebrating Joel Weisman
| Jay Smith
A special hourlong presentation celebrates Joel Weisman’s 40th anniversary as host – and his final appearance at the helm of the show he helped create. “For four decades, Fridays have always been my favorite day of the week,” he says.
EPA’s Pruitt Wants Lead-Free Drinking Water, But Offers No Plan
| Alex Ruppenthal
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt told representatives of a children’s health group last week that he wants to eliminate lead from drinking water within 10 years, but he has yet to offer a strategy to meet the goal.
What Would a Nuclear Threat Alert Look Like in Illinois?
| Kristen Thometz
How would Illinois residents be notified of a nuclear threat – and where should they seek shelter if an alert was issued? We speak with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.
Chicago Makes the Amazon HQ2 Short List. What Now?
| Amanda Vinicky
Chicago has made it to the second round of cities for Amazon’s HQ2. The question now: What will it take for the city to make it to the final four?
At DePaul Art Museum, A Pair of Shows Offer Power to the People
| Marc Vitali
Vivid colors bring to life messages of hope, and resistance. A pair of new art shows on the campus of DePaul University look at the power of the people through the power of printmaking.
Local Soprano Janai Brugger Makes Lyric Opera Debut
| Eddie Arruza
She is taking the opera world by storm, and she’s here to show us why. Janai Brugger of Darien joins us in conversation and performance.
Government Shutdown Looms Ahead of Trump’s 1-Year Anniversary
| Paul Caine
President Donald Trump could begin his second year in office with a government shutdown. An assessment of his first year, and a look ahead.
Rent Control in Chicago: The Cases For and Against It
| Evan Garcia
Should Chicago follow the lead of New York City, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. to enact rent control? We hear from both sides of the debate.
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