Stories by Paris Schutz

A coalition of homeless service providers who pleaded with Gov. Bruce Rauner on Friday to unlock $310 million worth of state funding say they will likely only get a small part of their wish.

Marja Mills, the Chicago-based author of "The Mockingbird Next Door" shares stories of her friendship with the late Pulitzer prize-winning author Harper Lee, who died last Friday in her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama.

As the U.S. Department of Justice carries out its investigation of the Chicago Police Department, U.S. Attorney Zachary Fardon joins us to discuss updates on the probe, the recent spike in gun violence gripping the city, and some of the high-profile cases his office has handled over the last few months.

Opioid and heroin overdose deaths hit record levels in 2014, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The alarming rise in heroin deaths has tripled since 2010. "Chicago Tonight" talks about the heroin crisis with the executive director of a treatment facility and the founder of an anti-heroin education and advocacy foundation.

Would you pay a toll to zoom past traffic in an express lane on the Stevenson? That's one of the big ideas the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning has for the Chicago region. Geoffrey Baer has an exclusive look at their newest plan.

Watch the February 23, 2016 full episode of Chicago Tonight.

Fr. Michael Pfleger took to social media on Tuesday to openly criticize nonprofit Friends of the Parks for the continued legal delays preventing film mogul George Lucas from starting construction on his proposed lakefront museum. Do you think the construction holdup is warranted?

It sounds simple: slow down and make better choices. Most of us don't do that as well as we could, but researchers are studying how the simple act of slowing down can reduce crime. Brandis Friedman has the story.

"The crux of the issue is that Illinois' funding of public education is broken," the former U.S. Education Secretary said on "Chicago Tonight." Watch the full interview and get highlights from the discussion.

Watch the February 22, 2016 full episode of Chicago Tonight.

Gov. Bruce Rauner makes another move to take over Chicago Public Schools. This one, he says, could happen without legislative approval.

The political awakening of Chicago's gay and lesbian community is documented in a new book called "Queer Clout: Chicago and the Rise of Gay Politics."

Saturday's Republican primary race in South Carolina gave a big boost to political outsider Donald Trump, and left many Republicans stunned when the establishment candidate, Jeb Bush, dropped out of the race. Geoffrey Cowan's new book traces the history of the presidential primary process from its first days in 1912. 

The touring production stops by MCA this week as part of the city's ongoing Shakespeare 400 festival.

There are signs that climate change is having negative effects on maple syrup production. Researchers are now surveying maple trees in the Midwest to look for them.

A persistent group of nonprofit organizations that provide services to the homeless met with Gov. Bruce Rauner on Friday to push for his support of a bill that would unlock $310 million in state aid to fund homeless programs.

The celebrated, reclusive author of the Pulitzer prize-winning book “To Kill a Mockingbird" is reported to have died in her sleep at an assisted living facility in Alabama.

WTTW’s 2016 Voters’ Guide to the Primary is an online resource designed to inform voters about the candidates running for Cook County office in the March 15 election. Learn more.

Political and police accountability tops this week's news. Join Joel Weisman and guests for discussion and analysis of the week's top stories.

The Cook County State's Attorney's Office prosecutes crimes committed in Cook County, the largest consolidated court district in the U.S.; serves as legal counsel for Cook County government agencies; and serves as legal counsel for all Cook County public officials.

The Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County is the keeper of the records of the Court. The Clerk is responsible for serving the court, the legal profession and the general public by recording court decisions and events; handling fines, bail bonds and other financial transactions; and supporting the court system with record storage, microfilming, automation and other services.

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) is governed by a nine-member board elected at-large with three commissioners elected every two years. During the March 15 primary, some candidates will run for six-year terms, while others will run for terms that last two years.

The Cook County Board of Review is a three-member board, elected from three electoral districts, that hears and decides taxpayer complaints on assessed value or exempt status of real property in Cook County. In 2016, a one commissioner each from two of the three districts will be elected.

The office of the Recorder of Deeds records, stores and provides information that is accurate, legible, timely and easily retrievable for public and private use. The office also creates public records of land transactions, federal and state tax liens, articles of incorporation, and uniform commercial code filings.

Watch the February 18, 2016 full episode of Chicago Tonight.