Stories by Paris Schutz

Known for holding their rank and file members’ feet to the fire, Illinois legislative leaders were on the hot seat early Tuesday morning. House Speaker Mike Madigan, House Minority Leader Jim Durkin (R), and Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno (R) testified about the merits of their pension reform compromise before a panel of lawmakers in a prelude to today's big vote. Read an article.

As one in four births in Illinois is a Latino child, advocates at the Latino Policy Forum say the Latino community needs further investment, particularly in early education. We take a look at a home visiting program designed to help mothers learn how to better prepare their children for the first days of school, so that Latino children don’t start off academically behind their peers. Read an article and watch a web extra video.

In his newest WTTW special, Geoffrey Baer takes a real time machine to places all over Chicago and looks through it to see things that are now long gone. Geoffrey joins us Tuesday just minutes before the debut of the program to give us a sneak peek. Watch a video preview.

Mariano's Fresh Market is paying $36 million in cash to Safeway Inc. to take over 11 local Dominick's grocery stores. View a map of the locations.

Illinois lawmakers return to Springfield this week to vote on pension reform. Carol Marin and her guests discuss the deal, and what it would mean for employees. Read the full Conference Committee Report on Senate Bill 1 and details of the proposal.

James "Big Cat" Williams breaks down the Bears' overtime loss to the Vikings, and coach Marc Trestman’s controversial call to attempt a field goal on second down. Watch a web extra video.

Legislative leaders officially released their pension plan today. It includes reduced cost of living raises, including years where retirees won’t get any raise, and aims for full funding of the systems by 2044. Read the full proposal.

Before he knew the contents of the final pension deal reached this afternoon, University of Illinois President Robert Easter warned his faculty in a memo that upcoming pension reform could be “onerous for public employees.”

Two Shedd Aquarium Great Lakes researchers found a huge school of fish underneath Chicago's harbors last week. The fish are gizzard shad, a type of herring and major schooling or forage fish, often seen in large groups. Read an article and watch a video.

The four legislative leaders in the Illinois General Assembly say they have struck a long-awaited deal to reform the state’s woefully underfunded public pension system. Read an article.

A Thanksgiving Day Parade, a holiday market, and ice skating at the zoo; Chicago Tonight knows what’s going on this weekend.

Have Illinois leaders, at long last, come to a pension deal? Will it pass? Paris Schutz has the story.

As Illinois prepares to become the last state to pass a concealed carry gun law, we discuss how both law enforcement and businesses are expecting to be affected. Read an article.

The risk calculator included in the recently released guidelines for lowering cholesterol have been questioned by a number of leaders in the field of cardiology. We speak with two specialists on different sides of the controversy. Read an interview.

What is a robotic razor fish teaching scientists about building better robots? Why are Argonne scientists going down to the South Pole? And how can a tiny laser boost high-speed data transmission? Our science guy, Neil Shubin, has those stories and more research news in this edition of Scientific Chicago. Read an article.

Deerfield-based Walgreens opens its first totally green “Net-Zero Energy” store in Evanston. We take a tour and go behind the scenes to see what makes this an ultra environmentally friendly store, producing all of its own energy with solar panels and wind turbines. Watch web extra videos and view a slideshow.

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin joins us to talk about her latest epic biography on the presidencies of Teddy Roosevelt and William Howard Taft that brought radical change to America. Read a book excerpt.

Two Chicago women are set to become Illinois' first ever same-sex married couple, and it will happen seven months before same-sex marriage can officially begin in the state.

So far, Tio Hardiman is the lone Democratic challenger to incumbent Gov. Pat Quinn.

Once or twice a year, a show is so breathtaking that it must be seen a second time. And you really have to see it in the theater -- once it closes, it’s gone. DVDs or on-demand cannot capture the live experience of sitting in the dark, bonding with the strangers onstage you seem to know so well. Read the Artbeat blog.

Today is the first day to file petitions to run in Illinois' 2014 elections. Carol Marin and her guests check in on the governor's race and the other primaries.

Author James Swanson discusses his new book - End of Days: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy - chronicling the fateful day 50 years ago in Dallas, Texas. Read an excerpt.

More than 2 million Illinois residents had their food stamp benefits cut this month. We talk with some DuPage County residents struggling to put food on the table.

The Bears fall to 6-5 after an ugly, penalty-plagued loss in St. Louis. James "Big Cat" Williams breaks down the shoddy run defense and Josh McCown’s third start this season. Watch a web extra video.

We share what you had to say about Chicago Tonight's American Graduate Special in tonight’s viewer feedback.

Eddie Arruza and his panel of journalists discuss the week's top headlines.