Stories by Alexandra Silets

There are 13 new members joining City Council today. We talk to four of them about their priorities and the fiscal challenges that face Chicago in the next four years.

In the new book Born Survivors, author Wendy Holden tells the story of three women who gave birth in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II. The three babies managed to survive, and they finally meet one another 65 years later.

The School Project is a Chicago-based documentary series that is tracking the past and present status of the city's public school system. The sixth and final episode examines education reforms and teaching philosophies.

We share what you had to say about Spike Lee’s new movie Chiraq, whether Chicago should file for bankruptcy, and the death of blues guitarist B.B. King when read some of our viewer feedback. 

During his first in a planned series of interviews with Chicago Tonight, Mayor Emanuel asserted he balanced the city’s budget in each of the last four years. But while the budgets may have been balanced on paper, budget analysts and journalists say the record is far muddier.

The King of Blues, B.B. King, died Thursday at the age of 89 at his home in Las Vegas, according to a message posted to his official website. Earlier this month, the legendary guitarist wrote he was receiving hospice care at his residence.

Joel Weisman and his panel of journalists discuss Moody’s downgrading of Chicago’s credit, the Obama Library coming to town, and more in this edition of Chicago Tonight: The Week in Review.

Joel Weisman and his panel of journalists continue the conversation by discussing media access to Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Gov. Bruce Rauner.  

Meet the newest inhabitants at the Shedd Aquriuam; kick off the street festival season; and enjoy a glass of wine while you stroll. Chicago Tonight has your weekend picks.

For the first time, Gov. Bruce Rauner discussed his concerns over the constitutionality of his and Senate President John Cullerton’s pension proposals. The governor also spoke about taking several of his turnaround agenda items “off the table,” but he wouldn’t say what those items were.

Moody’s Investors Service has issued a “credit negative” warning against the state in light of last Friday’s State Supreme Court ruling rejecting changes to public pensions. It’s a somewhat tepid response to the ruling, relative to the double ratings drop Moody’s applied to city of Chicago’s credit, resulting in junk bond status. In today’s report, Moody’s says the reforms could have reduced the unfunded pension liability by about $21 billion. 

Film director Spike Lee is giving few clues into the approach he'll take with his controversially titled Chiraq. But at a press conference this morning outside St. Sabina Church on the South Side, Lee did say “Chicago will survive” his take on the city’s violence that has made international headlines. We hear from the controversial director and some victims’ relatives about their support for Lee’s film which is currently in preproduction in Chicago.

Chicago magazine digs further into the Chicago Police Department’s homicide numbers a year after the magazine came out with two explosive reports by David Bernstein and Noah Isackson. The reporters detailed a number of incidents in which crimes were reclassified in order to fit the narrative that crime overall was falling in the city. A year later, the duo reports that CPD continues to undercount the city’s murders in New Tricks.

Should Chicago declare bankruptcy as its financial challenges grow in light of its credit downgrade to junk status by Moody’s Investors Service? We talk to a panel of experts about whether Mayor Rahm Emanuel should consider the move and what it would mean for city. 

President Obama's senior advisor Valerie Jarrett sounds off on what it took for Chicago to land the Obama Presidential Library and Foundation. Paris Schutz has the details. 

We revisit our story about the Driehaus Museum’s show, Maker & Muse, which takes an extensive look at art jewelry of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

A new special exhibit opens on Saturday with 40 species of amphibians. We talk with the Shedd Aquarium's Special Exhibits manager about the "ribbiting experience."

We share what you had to say about Paris Schutz’s chat with Mayor Rahm Emanuel and our segment on guitar crafters at Lakland Bass when we read some of our viewer feedback.

Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded the credit ratings of both Chicago’s schools and parks, one day after its downgrade of the city’s debt to junk status.

As part of the Chicago Community Trust’s On The Table, Chicago Tonight's Eddie Arruza hosted a dinner with area residents where they shared their thoughts, concerns, opinions, and hopes for the region's future. Read his blog about the event and watch a video of what participants had to say.

As part of the Chicago Community Trust’s On The Table, Chicago Tonight's Brandis Friedman hosted a dinner with area residents where they shared their thoughts, concerns, opinions, and hopes for the region's future. Read her blog about the event and watch a video of what participants had to say.

As part of the Chicago Community Trust’s On The Table, Chicago Tonight's Elizabeth Brackett hosted a dinner with eight area residents where they shared their thoughts, concerns, opinions, and hopes for the region's future. Read her blog about the event and watch a video of what participants had to say.

Hearings on pension funding and Amtrak funding are happening in Springfield today. We discuss these issues and more with Chicago Tonight Springfield reporter Amanda Vinicky.

We speak with Mayor Rahm Emanuel about the Illinois Supreme Court ruling that found the 2013 pension reform law unconstitutional. What does that mean for Chicago’s pension reform? We’ll also ask him about the downgrading of the city’s credit rating to junk status and Obama Presidential Library coming to the South Side of Chicago.