Stories by Paris Schutz

Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert pleads guilty to federal charges connected to a hush-money scheme. Did anything else come to light about this mysterious case?

Mayor Rahm Emanuel's record $588 million property tax hike sailed through the City Council today with only 15 aldermen voting against it. The hike is the centerpiece of Emanuel's bad news budget that imposes additional taxes and fees. We speak with a panel of aldermen about the budget and how they voted.

After weeks of public debate, rallies and demonstrations, the Chicago Board of Education on Wednesday approved two new charter schools out of 13 that applied.

The Bears and City Hall strike a deal on the Lucas Museum, Chicago-based Walgreens wants to buy a rival and the Bulls go international for sponsorship deals. We’ll discuss these stories and other top business headlines of the week with Crain’s Chicago Business deputy managing editor Ann Dwyer.

Though almost unanimously approved Wednesday, the museum could still be stopped by a pending lawsuit.

The hit Netflix show "House of Cards" has a devoted following, but did you know that one of the people responsible for it is an Evanston native and Northwestern alum? Laura Eason, executive story editor of "House of Cards," takes us behind the scenes of the popular drama.

Geoffrey Baer cruises by with the history of the Illinois Tollway oases, a Chicago lass on Irish cash and O'Hare's sleek new air traffic control towers in this week's edition of Ask Geoffrey.

President Barack Obama talks guns, crime and policing in Chicago at a gathering of police chiefs from around the country. But he acknowledges the growing the violence in his hometown and being a victim of racial profiling. 

"I'm not going to allow Springfield's dysfunction to become Chicago's dysfunction," Mayor Rahm Emanuel said during an extended interview before Wednesday's City Council vote on his proposed budget that includes a nearly $600 million property tax hike.

In honor of its 150th anniversary, the School of the Art Institute has teamed up with the Art Institute of Chicago for a new exhibition called “Homegrown." The show highlights the many influential American artists who received instruction at the school and later became part of the permanent collection of what has been called “the world’s best museum.”

There's a new book for kids detailing the historical contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people to the LBGT movement, which also benefited society, science, the arts and the civil rights movement. The book's author, Jerome Pohlen, joins us.

Halloween is here! As you put the finishing touches on your kids’ costumes (or your own—who said grown-ups can’t get into the spirit, too?), we share some safety tips for trick-or-treating.

Despite being $5 million short on funding, the president of a museum planned to honor American writers seemed confident Tuesday that the museum would reach its goal of a 2017 opening in Chicago.

Rob Zombie made a name for himself as a purveyor of monstrous rock ‘n’ roll and scary movies. He also helps create haunted houses around the country. We speak with Zombie on location in west suburban Villa Park, the site of his "Great American Nightmare." 

In advance of President Obama's visit to Chicago to address gun violence, a group of the nation's top law enforcement personnel send a message to Congress about gun control.

Chicago residents will have to shell out even more to see Sue the T.rex come January.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel joins “Chicago Tonight” on Tuesday, the eve of the City Council meeting that will determine whether his budget can survive a vote by aldermen who may be hesitant about the dramatic fiscal plan. What questions do you have for the mayor?

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.

Television writer and producer Norman Lear took a lighthearted approach to many challenging social and political issues in groundbreaking sitcoms such as “All in the Family” and “The Jeffersons.” Lear, 93, joins us to reflect on the many adventures of his long life and to discuss the new edition of his memoir "Even This I Get to Experience."

Joshua Bell has been a violin virtuoso since he was teenager in Bloomington, Indiana back in the 1980s. He talks with "Chicago Tonight" about his early years, the greatness of the Stradivarius and his favorite collaborators. He'll also treat us to a live performance with pianist Sam Haywood.

The Chicago Bears have released 34-year-old veteran defensive lineman Jeremiah Ratliff after two-and-a-half seasons and signed former first-round pick Ziggy Hood from the Jacksonville Jaguars, the organization announced on Thursday.

Cook County Democratic Party officials have voted to withdraw their support of Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown after reports surfaced that FBI agents seized her cellphone as part of a federal investigation. 

Joel Weisman and his panel of guests discuss the case of former Chicago Alderman Sandi Jackson, who reports to prison this week, the mayor's proposal to privatize the 311 center and the Cubs' storybook season that came to a bitter end.