Stories by Paul Caine

John Murray is hoping to create a New Year's Eve tradition in Chicago that will rival the annual Times Square party in New York. Murray joins us to provide an inside scoop on Chi-Town Rising.

After two more fatal shootings by the Chicago Police Department over the weekend, calls for urgent police reform and better training of officers have grown louder. What, if anything, could police do differently to de-escalate situations, and is more training the answer?

Wheaton College's decision to place a tenured professor on paid leave after she declared she was wearing a Muslim headscarf to express her solidarity with Muslims facing hostility has created national and international headlines. Larycia Hawkins joins us to discuss her position.

Last night's GOP presidential debate hosted by CNN set off some fireworks as candidates did all they could to make an impression in a crowded field. Political communications specialist Jason DeSanto joins "Chicago Tonight" to give his take on the heated discourse.

Simulating the evolution of the cosmos. A local physicist is here to talk about using supercomputers to delve into the mysteries of the universe.

Despite recent statements that sparked outrage in many quarters, presidential candidate Donald Trump is still popular among Republican voters, according to some polls. We get reactions from Azam Nizamuddin, president of the Muslim Bar Association of Illinois; and Ed Lasky, founder and news editor of the conservative web magazine American Thinker.

Donna More is one of two candidates looking to unseat Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez in a March Democratic primary. As Alvarez fends off calls for her resignation in the wake of the Laquan McDonald shooting and subsequent criticism over the pace of the investigation, we ask former state and federal prosecutor More what she might have done differently.

With the release of a graphic video depicting Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke fatally shooting black teenager Laquan McDonald 16 times, we examine how the media has covered this case. Two longtime Chicago media professionals join us to discuss the issues raised by the release of the disturbing dash-cam footage.

With news that Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of African-American teenager Laquan McDonald, we talk with activists and faith leaders about the charge and what reactions they expect from their communities.

They closed some 44 years ago, but Chicago's Union Stockyards profoundly shaped the development of the city and the modern world. Dominic Pacyga, a local historian and former stockyard worker, tells the story in his new book "Slaughterhouse.” Pacyga joins us tonight.

We speak with two members of the black community as a Cook County judge orders the release of dashboard video footage of the fatal police shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.

In the wake of the deadly terror attacks in Paris, many Republican governors are saying they are unwilling to allow Syrian refugees to be settled in their states, among them Illinois Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner. Our panel discusses the refugee crisis and response.

Winter is coming, which means it’s time to clean up the WTTW organic garden. The Organic Gardener Jeanne Nolan helps us prepare the garden for winter and plant one last crop.

Dark matter: we can't see it, but it's believed to make up 85 percent of all matter in the universe and without it we almost certainly wouldn't be here. Particle physicist and New York Times bestselling author Lisa Randall joins us to discuss her new book "Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs: The Astounding Interconnectedness of the Universe."

The U.S. Department of Education ruled that Palatine Township High School District 211 violated a transgender student's right not to be discriminated against when it refused the student unfettered access to the girls' locker room.

In December 1944 Hitler and the German army were desperate. Losing the war on two fronts, they launched a last great offensive in a desperate gamble to split the Western Allies. The fighting was ferocious, with atrocities on both sides, and the outcome shaped history. It's a story told in acclaimed author Antony Beevor's latest book "Ardennes 1944: The Battle of the Bulge."

New rules that will allow rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft to start making pickups from O'Hare and Midway airports could be in place as early as Nov. 18. How will these changes impact taxi drivers and others who drive for a living? We speak with Peter Ali Enger of the United Taxi Drivers’ Community Council.

Open enrollment has just begun for health care insurance under the Affordable Care Act. As President Obama's signature health care reform enters its third year, we assess the impact of the ACA on health care provision in Illinois.

International literary critic Jessa Crispin–once a frequent reviewer of books on "Chicago Tonight" as the author of the online magazine Bookslut–has written her first book, a memoir. She joins us on Monday for a discussion of the book, her favorite European cities and her take on Harper Lee's latest.

The American Cancer Society has issued new guidelines for women at "average risk" of developing breast cancer, raising the age it says they should start regular mammogram screening from 40 to 45. We discuss the changes and how women should go about determining their own levels of risk with Dr. Carolyn Bruzdzinski and Dr. Kent Hoskins.

Getting swept by the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series is something the Chicago Cubs team and fans will soon want to forget. But the loss came during a memorable season for the Cubs. We reflect on the team’s 2015 season and look at what moves they will want to make in the off-season to keep them in contention next year.

What can a mutant fruit fly can tell us about sleep? Why might forests in Alaska be contributing to climate change? And is Jupiter's Great Red Spot shrinking? University of Chicago paleontologist Neil Shubin is back to discuss these stories and more.

Plans to build the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art along the Chicago lakefront seem like a done deal, but not everyone is on board. Friends of the Parks, a Chicago nonprofit that advocates for the protection of public parks and spaces, has renewed its efforts to halt the development.

An ambitious new government-led research initiative aims to fully map the human brain. The goal is to advance understanding of how the brain works and develop treatments for crippling neurological diseases. But for researchers, the Holy Grail is to understand the origins of human consciousness. Two leading neuroscientists join us to talk about this potentially groundbreaking project.

Conservationist George Archibald has spent his life working to bring cranes back from the brink of extinction. He joins “Chicago Tonight” to talk about his groundbreaking work which has been recognized around the world.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company celebrated 40 years Sunday night with the world premiere of Frank Galati's adaptation of John Steinbeck's "East of Eden." Here to discuss the play are director Terry Kinney and Steppenwolf's new artistic producer Jonathan Berry.