Stories by Nick Blumberg

Thomas Vranas, a former co-owner of SUPES Academy, admitted in federal court Tuesday to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. The plea deal comes with an agreement to cooperate with the U.S. Attorney's office.

Reptiles, amphibians and the people who love them, or at least like them, come together this weekend for ReptileFest 2016. We get a preview of the event and meet some of the animals on display.

Presidential candidates are competing for a win in Tuesday's primary in Wisconsin. James Warren of the Poynter Institute joins us to talk delegate math and what that means for the contenders on both the Democrat and Republican side.

Crowdfunding is helping some Chicago-based businesses get a running start. But some entrepreneurs say that money isn't everything.

Last week, the Illinois Supreme Court dealt Mayor Rahm Emanuel a huge blow, overturning reforms to two pension funds for city workers. The city argued reforms guaranteed previously unsecured retiree benefits, but the state’s high court wasn’t having it.

How will rank-and-file police officers react to the mayor's unexpected appointment of CPD veteran Eddie Johnson? Two former Chicago Police officers share their perspectives on Emanuel's pick and to aldermen inserting themselves more into the selection process.

Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis said the newly approved April 1 walkout is not about contract negotiations with CPS. “If it were a contract strike, it would be illegal,” Lewis said to Eddie Arruza. “This is an unfair labor practice strike.”

A new book by Natalie Moore about the South Side blends personal history with investigative reporting to tell the story of a segregated city and misunderstood neighborhoods.

Three hundred workers at Chicago's Nabisco bakery faced layoffs on Monday, with more cuts looming. We take a look at how the neighborhood is coping – and the future of manufacturing in Chicago.

As expected, no incumbent congressman in the Chicago metro area appears to have been knocked off the general election ballot by primary challengers.

Dorothy Brown faces the Democrats vying to replace her in next week's Democratic primary.

Hear from two of the three Republican candidates running on March 15 to unseat 11th District Democratic Congressman Bill Foster.

She has been bringing her distinctive soprano voice to operatic roles on stages in the U.K., Spain, Germany and Switzerland. Closer to home, she'll soon return to a role in Mozart's “The Marriage of Figaro” at The Metropolitan Opera in New York. Soprano Amanda Majeski talks about her ascending opera career.

With Antonin Scalia's death leaving an unexpected opening on the Supreme Court, we talk with a judge who was once considered for the high court on how she was vetted and why she thinks it's bad to have a long vacancy.

Earlier this month, a judge denied the city of Chicago's motion to let Lucas Museum construction begin on its proposed lakefront site. We speak with the head of Friends of the Parks, the nonprofit which filed the lawsuit.

The FBI wants Apple to unlock an iPhone belonging to one of the people behind December's mass shooting in San Bernardino, California. Apple says it's taking a stand for privacy rights, while the FBI says it's merely trying to conduct the most thorough investigation possible.

Avril Lavigne. Mariah Carey. Outkast. Usher. Rihanna. You've heard these names and many others made famous by music mega-mogul L.A. Reid. The current CEO and chairman of Epic Records has not only scouted star talent, but also penned quite a few top 10 hits himself. Reid tells us about his new memoir.

Reaction to Gov. Bruce Rauner's second budget address from Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who says no state budget means layoffs are around the corner.

“Buildings can transform. They can change places. They can change the perception of places." That was architect David Adjaye’s message to a group of about 20 community leaders he met with on Tuesday at the DuSable Museum of African American History.

The Citizens Utility Board and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan have accused Peoples Gas of deliberately misleading regulators about the ballooning cost of a huge program to upgrade gas lines around Chicago. Tonight, we discuss the safety upgrades, the program's estimated cost and the claims about the company's actions with representatives from CUB and Peoples Gas.

President Barack Obama addressed a joint session of the Illinois General Assembly on Wednesday afternoon—nine years to the day after he announced his run for the White House on the steps of the Old State Capitol. In a return to his old stomping grounds as a state senator, the president invoked many of the same themes from his 2007 speech.

Chicago Public Schools denied Friday that about 150 students from around the city could lose a widely celebrated magnet arts program at the end of the current semester, despite statements made earlier this week to the contrary.

Earlier this evening, the union announced a possible breakthrough in contract talks after the day's bargaining session wrapped up.

After the Illinois Supreme Court ruled a pension reform plan unconstitutional, lawmakers have failed to come up with a solution to a problem that worsens with each passing day. Could some form of federal bailout or bankruptcy restructuring be the answer for Illinois? 

To say that former Defense Secretary Robert Gates has seen a lot is undoubtedly an understatement. He's served under eight presidents of both major parties (2006-2011), led the CIA and Texas A&M, and been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Now, he’s the president of the Boys Scouts of America. He joins us to talk about his new book.

As Gov. Bruce Rauner and Mayor Rahm Emanuel face crises at the state and city level, crisis management specialists tell us about the importance of leadership and image.