Stories by Marc Vitali

Revisiting Farnsworth House, a Masterpiece of Modern Architecture

It is an international destination for architecture fans. We visit Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House in Plano, Illinois, with a photographer from Berlin.

Crain’s Headlines: US-China Trade War Signals Trouble for Boeing

Boeing 787 Dreamliners once praised as “beautiful” by President Donald Trump could become a casualty of his escalating trade war with China. That and other business news from Crain’s Chicago Business.

Lyric Opera Names Its Next Music Director: Enrique Mazzola

The Italian conductor has been named as “music director designate” at Lyric Opera Chicago, where Sir Andrew Davis will retire as music director at the end of the 2020-2021 season.

Chicago Rolls Out Plan to Curb Deadly Traffic Accidents

Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the city plans to act with a sense of urgency on it’s just-announced Vision Zero safety plan, a $6 million effort to eliminate the number of traffic-induced serious injuries and deaths.

Report: Obesity Rates Rising in Illinois, Across the Country

Nearly a third of adults in Illinois were obese in 2017, compared to roughly 28% seven years ago, according to a new report that offers recommendations to curb the trend – including a sugar-sweetened beverage tax.

September 12, 2019 - Full Show

Watch the Sept. 12, 2019 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

CPS Ordered to Overhaul Sexual Violence Policies After Scathing Federal Review

One of the most comprehensive investigations undertaken by federal authorities revealed widespread violations in the way Chicago Public Schools handles and investigates sexual violence cases. “The findings were deeply disturbing,” one federal education official said. “We cannot permit this to recur in Chicago or anywhere else.”

Protest Planned Ahead of Sean Spicer’s Visit to NEIU

A group of Northeastern Illinois University students, faculty, staff and alumni plan to protest a sold-out event Thursday featuring former Trump White House press secretary Sean Spicer.

Potency of Wisconsin THC Cartridges May be Higher than Claim

A Wisconsin operation that manufactured thousands of vaping cartridges a day may have been packing them with far more THC oil than the packaging claimed, authorities said Wednesday.

10 Things to Do This Weekend: Sept. 12-15

Art fairs, rock bands, sweet treats and an early Thanksgiving celebration usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

Spotlight Politics: Illinois Has a New Supreme Court Justice

Ald. Ed Burke faces federal corruption charges, but his wife is in line for a promotion. Our politics team takes on that story and more in our weekly roundtable.

Local Rehab Hospital Turns Gun Violence Victims into Able Survivors

Chicago police say shootings and homicides last month were at their lowest point since 2011. But for many survivors of gun violence, physical injuries and trauma can last a lifetime. We visit a local hospital treating many of those victims.

New Series ‘We Are Witnesses’ Explores Criminal Justice in Chicago

A new short film series debuting this week explores the nature of crime, punishment and forgiveness through the voices of Chicagoans impacted by the criminal justice system.

How Should Illinois Schools Teach Sex Education?

It’s the beginning of another school year, but an age-old debate rages on. We talk about having “the talk” in Illinois schools.

Illinois Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against Opioid Distributors, Manufacturers

Opioid manufacturers carried out unfair and deceptive marketing campaigns while distributors flooded Illinois with opioids, according to a lawsuit filed this week by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul.

Crain’s Headlines: New Private Sector Gig for Lisa Madigan

After a lengthy political career, former Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has landed a high-profile, private sector gig. That and other business news from Crain’s Chicago Business.

52 Endangered Blanding’s Turtles Released in DuPage County

After spending their first year at Chicago’s Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, dozens of endangered Blanding’s turtles were released into the wild as part of a preservation effort that started more than 20 years ago.

Former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis Opens Up in Chicago Speech

The four-star general who served as the country’s 26th defense secretary spoke Wednesday in Chicago to promote his new book, “Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead.”

Ask Geoffrey: What’s the ‘Polish Cathedral’ Architectural Style?

When driving along the Kennedy Expressway, you may have noticed massive churches that seem to almost line up with the curves and bends of the highway. Geoffrey Baer explains.

September 11, 2019 - Full Show

Watch the Sept. 11, 2019 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

OxyContin Maker Reaches Tentative Opioid-Crisis Settlement

OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma reached a tentative deal Wednesday with about half the states and thousands of local governments over its role in the nation’s deadly opioid epidemic.

Janice Jackson: Trauma is a ‘Fact of Life’ for Many CPS Students

The Chicago Public Schools CEO took to the nation’s capital Wednesday to call for additional federal resources for local programming that helps students process and heal from violence.

Government Will Propose Banning Flavors Used in E-Cigarettes

President Donald Trump said Wednesday his administration will propose banning thousands of flavors used in e-cigarettes to combat a recent surge in underage vaping.

Share of Uninsured Americans Rises for 1st Time in a Decade

The proportion of Americans without health insurance edged up in 2018 — the first evidence from the government that coverage gains under President Barack Obama’s health care law might be eroding under President Donald Trump.

Corporations Balk at Progressive Plan to Reinstate Corporate Head Tax

Mayor Lori Lightfoot says Chicago needs to close an $838 million budget gap. A block of progressive groups and some aldermen are looking to corporations to close it.

US to Commemorate 9/11 as Its Aftermath Extends and Evolves

Eighteen years after the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil, the nation is still grappling with the aftermath at ground zero, in Congress and beyond. 
 

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