Stories by WTTW News

Phil Ponce sits down with world-renowned paleontologist Paul Sereno to talk about a recently unearthed precursor to Tyrannosaurus rex, called Raptorex kriegsteini. Project Exploration -- Paul Sereno's science outreach organization

Mayor Daley is promising no new taxes or fees in the 2010 budget he unveils next week. But how is he going to close a more than half-billion dollar shortfall? Rich Samuels brings us the latest on the city budget.

A thousand college students from across the state came to Springfield to lobby lawmakers not to cut their student funding. They are just one of many groups that have a gripe with this year's budget. Elizabeth Brackett and her panel look at what kinds of options Illinois has to close the gap.

Some two-wheeled riders are racking up parking tickets they say they don't deserve. We show you why they say the new privatized parking meter system isn't working for them.

We preview Phil Ponce's "Friday Night Show" interview with world-renowned paleontologist Paul Sereno.

Grab your lawn chair and some good walking shoes. We are going on a "theatre-hike" at the Morton Arboretum.

Moviemakers love the world beneath the streets of Chicago. But Geoffrey Baer takes us to some subterranean spaces that even Hollywood hasn't discovered. We have the conclusion of his series "Under Chicago."

Madeleine Nusser of Time Out Chicago magazine joins us with recommendations for a film-filled weekend.

We hear what you have to say about some of our recent stories when we read our viewer mail, including why Prevention magazine says microwave popcorn is one of the foods that should never cross your lips.

Chicago Sun-Times theater critic Hedy Weiss calls the world premiere of "The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity" at Victory Gardens Theater "big, brash and brilliantly written." She joins us with her review of that show, as well as reviews of two others.

He was a superstar in the '80s and '90s with hits like "Right Here Waiting," and "Hold on to the Nights." Chicagoan Richard Marx, with Vertical Horizon's Matt Scannell, perform in our studio. "Emotional Remains" -- Richard Marx

The Dow broke through the 10,000 mark today for the first time in a year. Is it a sign that the economy is rebounding? Eddie Arruza and his panelists look at where we are in terms of recovery.

Finding a job is never easy in a recession, especially when you've just gotten out of prison. We meet some ex-offenders who have managed to land on their feet with the help of two local organizations. Cleanslate Safer Foundation St. Leonard's Ministries

A startling new study by the Centers for Disease Control suggests autism is on the rise. We talk with two doctors to decipher what the data actually mean. CDC's Autism Spectrum Disorders Fact Sheet

We find out why some area residents are willing to break the law to keep chickens in their backyards.

A group of approximately 100 African-American ministers endorsed Cook County Board President Todd Stroger's bid for re-election. Rich Samuels was present at their announcement, and tells us what it could mean for the race.

A far South suburban expressway linking Illinois and Indiana could be in the works. Eddie Arruza tells us where it would be and when it might be built.

The American College of Surgeons held their annual meeting in Chicago today. We take a closer look at some new research on surgical care featured in the latest edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Just what is the National Endowment for the Humanities, and what do they do? Here to enlighten us will be former Iowa Congressman Jim Leach, President Obama's choice to head the Endowment.

Is microwave popcorn dangerous for your health? We talk to a panel of health and nutrition experts on why this and other surprising choices made a list of "7 foods that should never cross your lips." The Ten Riskiest Foods -- Center for Science in the Public Interest "Seven Foods That Should Never Cross Your Lips" -- Prevention

Caverns carved from bedrock, tunnels under the lake, and more. Geoffrey Baer takes us deep underground for the first of a two-part series, Under Chicago. Information on the restoration of Buckingham Fountain

$3 to ride the train and $2.50 to ride the bus -- these are just a few of the plans the CTA has proposed to fill its projected $300 million budget shortfall. Rich Samuels fills us in on the planned fare hikes and service cuts.

Now that former Governor Jim Edgar has thrown his political weight into the gubernatorial race, what will this mean for the rest of the candidates in the crowded field? Elizabeth Brackett and her panel discuss this hotly contested race and others.

Could your next doctor be a robot? We go into the operating room to watch robotic surgery.

Putting Marge Simpson on the cover of Playboy is just one of the ways the Chicago-based company's new CEO is trying to attract younger readers. Kris Kridel of WBBM Newsradio's Noon Business Hour joins us with the details, plus the rest of the week's business news.

A magazine made for pets. We hear from the founder of Chicagoland Tails about how Chicago rates as a place for pets. PAWS Chicago Chicago Animal Shelter Alliance The Anti-Cruelty Society