Stories by WTTW News

What is Google+, and will it become a serious rival to Facebook? We talk about this, Tech Week coming to Chicago, and much more.

No matter how well you think you know this city, there are always a few surprises around the corner. Geoffrey Baer finds some Chicago neighborhoods that are so hidden, they even take him by surprise.

The worst is on the way. As hot as it's been, even hotter temperatures will settle into the Chicago area tomorrow and Thursday. At times it could feel as hot as 110 degrees. Eddie Arruza reports on how the City of Chicago is preparing for what could be dangerous weather.

Is a deal on the debt finally about to happen? Elizabeth Brackett and her panel have more on the latest round of talks and how this debate might affect your pocketbook.

We take a look inside the Cook County Jail to learn how it handles arrested undocumented immigrants. Cook County Department of Corrections U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Media mogul Rupert Murdoch testified at a hearing today in Britain about the phone hacking scandal that shut down his News of the World tabloid and rocked his publishing empire. We look at the privacy, media and hacking issues surrounding the scandal.

In tonight's Scientific Chicago, Jay Shefsky reports on the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory's collaboration to create sophisticated brain modeling technology to unravel the mysteries of epilepsy.

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Cook County and the surrounding area. What's causing the extreme temperatures, how long will it last and what do storms in the forecast mean? Ash-har Quraishi has the story on how to brave the heat wave safely.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel is pitting two private garbage companies against city workers for Chicago's recycling services. Carol Marin and her panel look at this and the showdown over work rules and 625 announced layoffs to close the city's budget shortfall.

Trading pork belly futures is a thing of the past. WBBM Newsradio 780's Kris Kridel joins us with the business stories of the day, including famous Chicago homes on the market.

In another milestone in space exploration, for the first time, a spacecraft has gone into orbit around a massive asteroid. An Adler Planetarium astronomer tells Eddie Arruza what the spacecraft is looking for and what mysteries it might solve.

A larger-than-life Hollywood icon has taken her place on Michigan Avenue, and has blown up a lot of controversy. We discuss "Forever Marilyn" by sculptor Seward Johnson with two art experts.

From the inside of a car on Lake Shore Drive to a nearly naked romp in the snow, we take a look back at YouTube to see how people across the region captured the blizzard from Feb. 3, 2011 on home video. More on the Story: Watch your blizzard videos

This week on Chicago Tonight: The Week in Review, Monday's violent storm leaves a mess in its 75 mph wake and hundreds of thousands without power. It was a busy week at City Hall with Mayor Rahm Emanuel cutting city agency credit cards, elected officials' security details, huge vacation payouts and announcing layoff notices to 625 of the city's union workers. Illinois' leading real estate organization admits grossly overstating prices of homes sold in Chicago, possibly going back as far as 2008.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid paints a bleak picture of what will happen if Congress can't strike a deal to raise the debt ceiling. Eddie Arruza and our economic panel discuss how the U.S. and European financial crises could impact your bottom line.

The 2009 death of political insider Michael Scott remains a mystery to some, even though it was quickly ruled a suicide. We talk to the author of a Chicago Magazine article that sheds new light on what actually may have happened that night.

We catch a glimpse into Chicago in the 19th century on a tour of the remarkably preserved Glessner House on South Prairie Avenue.

Find out how the decisions of one woman over a hundred years ago help keep this Chicago neighborhood beautiful in tonight's Ask Geoffrey.

What happens when you mix puppets and opera? We go behind the scenes at one of the most technically sophisticated puppet shows in the country. Jay Shefsky has the story. More on the Story: Learn the origins of puppet opera and see photos Opera in Focus

We hear what you had to say about recent stories when we read some of our viewer mail. Send Chicago Tonight your comments

ComEd has restored service to more than 600,000 customers affected by this week's power outages, but that leaves well more than 100,000 still without power. We talk with an official from ComEd about the progress of the restoration. ComEd Storm Center Outage Map Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Power outage safety

Street violence is on the rise in Chicago and some groups are using social media to plan and execute their attacks. Carol Marin and her panel discuss the changing face of crime.

Radio personality Steve Dahl just announced he's offering subscriptions to his podcasts. The industry veteran joins us to discuss the changing landscape of communications.

Some South Side residents are angry over major construction projects and beach restoration along the south lake shore. Elizabeth Brackett has the story. Ald. Leslie Hairston List of South Side parks

There haven't been many bright spots in the first half of the Cubs and White Sox campaigns. We review their seasons so far and take a look at what can be expected the rest of the way.

Security details for Chicago officials remain a source of controversy. Eddie Arruza tells us what Mayor Rahm Emanuel had to say about that ongoing debate.