Stories by WTTW News

The Civil War is remembered through art and literature that capture the American spirit on the Northern home front.

The Illinois General Assembly will tackle pension reform, marriage equality and tax credits for businesses during its fall legislative session. Carol Marin takes a look at the issues with members of the General Assembly.

Do you find medication instructions confusing? We talk with a Northwestern professor on a quest to make prescription labels clearer and more consistent so patients will get the most out of their medication.

Despite a record-setting day from wideout Alshon Jeffery, the Bears lose their second straight game. James “Big Cat” Williams breaks down what went wrong against Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints. Watch a web extra video.

Pulitzer Prize-winning Chicago Tribune columnist Mary Schmich talks about her new book, a collection of columns called Even The Terrible Things Seem Beautiful to Me Now. Read some of her favorite columns.

On Chicago Tonight: The Week in Review last Friday, Joel Weisman and his guests discussed the Affordable Care Act. Some viewers took issue with the viewpoint of the panelists. We share what some of you had to say in tonight's Viewer Feedback.

Joel Weisman and his panel of journalists discuss the week's top headlines.

Joel Weisman and his guests continue their review of the week’s news with a look at GOP candidate for Illinois governor: Bruce Rauner. He’s raised more than a million dollars in each of the last three quarters. And yet he hasn’t made himself available to the press, at least in the Chicago area. The business community appears to be behind him. Might Mayor Rahm Emanuel even support him over Gov. Pat Quinn? Watch the web extra video.

Senate President John Cullerton hints a deal has been reached to reform the state's pension system. But are Republicans on board? Paris Schutz has the details.

We are now in day three of a federal government shutdown. We take a look at what it will take to get things up and running again.

Earlier this week, Phil Ponce spoke with financial analyst Terry Savage and economics professor Edward Stuart about the government shutdown. It was a lively conversation and it brought in a lot of reaction. We share what some of you had to say in tonight's viewer feedback.

Best-selling author Tom Clancy died at age 66. Back in 2002, Elizabeth Brackett interviewed Clancy on an episode of Chicago Tonight. Watch the web extra video from our archives.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and local leaders are scrambling to make a deal to privatize Chicago’s ports. Paris Schutz has the story.

Why did beautiful bronze reliefs at a Hyde Park church create an artistic controversy? Geoffrey Baer answers this question and more in this week’s edition of Ask Geoffrey.

It's day one of the government shutdown. We assess the local impact.

Just how serious is the government shutdown? Federal employees missing paychecks will feel it, but what about the economy as a whole? And who is really to blame? We have analysis.

He was a polarizing and enigmatic president, not unlike the man who would succeed him 100 years later. We talk with Pulitzer Prize-winning author of a new biography of President Woodrow Wilson.

With the government hours away from a possible shutdown, we take a look at the impact on Chicago. Paris Schutz has the details.

James "Big Cat" Williams breaks down the turnovers and shoddy tackling that led to the Bears' first loss of the season against the Detroit Lions. Watch a web extra video.

A book called Picturing Illinois takes a look back in time through Chicago history using picture postcards. We revisit a conversation with the book's authors. View a slideshow.

We share what you had to say about sand mining near a state park and the state of the economy in tonight’s viewer feedback.

Joel Weisman and his panel of journalists discuss the week's top headlines.

Joel Weisman and his panel of journalists discuss the possibility of an African American candidate running against Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the prospect of ADM moving to Chicago. Watch the web extra video.

Illinois lawmakers must be paid, a Cook County judge ruled on Thursday, in response to Gov. Pat Quinn's decision to suspend lawmakers' salaries because of their failure to solve the state's pension crisis. Judge Neil Cohen ruled the move to withhold pay unconstitutional. Chicago Sun-Times Springfield Bureau Chief Dave McKinney gives us the details. Read the full order, along with statements from Quinn and Cullerton.