Stories by Hunter Clauss

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle will discuss what last week's Illinois Supreme Court ruling means for her plan to change the county's pension system. 

An artist revered in her home country of Colombia has made a strong impression on the international art world. We revisit our story about the MCA Chicago exhibition of Doris Salcedo's first-ever retrospective. 

James Beard semifinalist Paul Fehribach, executive chef of Andersonville's Big Jones restaurant, joins Chicago Tonight to discuss the recipes and history in his new Southern cookbook.

We share what you had to say about the Illinois Supreme Court's ruling on the state's 2013 pension reform law. 

The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the state’s 2013 pension reform law. Chicago Tonight hosts a special 30-minute edition on the ruling.

Joel Weisman and his panel of local journalists discuss this week’s top stories.

Joel Weisman and his panel of journalists discuss the Burge police torture reparations package. They also delve into the impact of director Spike Lee's upcoming movie that will reportedly be called Chiraq.

The Illinois Supreme Court has struck down the state's landmark 2013 pension reform law, upholding a lower court ruling that it violated the state constitution. In the ruling, the court rejected the state's defense that its contractual obligations were not absolute, because it reserved "emergency powers" in a time of crisis.

Serenade the moon on the lagoon; drink up the suds at Soldier Field; and enjoy the sounds of a classical rock star. Chicago Tonight has your weekend picks.

The Chicago Teachers Union is digging in its heels over contract negotiations with the school district. Find out how far they're willing to go over what the union calls a 7 percent pay cut proposal from the city. Brandis Friedman has the details.

“Unachievable.” That's what fiscal watchdog group The Civic Federation calls Gov. Bruce Rauner's proposed 2016 fiscal budget in a new report released today. And the report comes a day after Rauner gave an unprecedented speech to the Chicago City Council, saying city officials shouldn't expect a bail out from the state. Tonight we talk with a panel of experts about what this means for the city and the state.

There’s good and bad news for Cook County's troubled jail system. Paris Schutz has more on the changing landscape of the Cook County criminal justice system amid some political hardball between top county officials. What progress is being made?

Shira Piven, director of the new film, Welcome to Me, joins us to talk about female directors in Hollywood, working with Kristen Wiig, and the film's portrayal of mental health.

Chicago's Divvy bike sharing program is expanding this spring. Where are the new stations? And where aren't they?

Chicago Tonight staff digs into the first planting of the season with The Organic Gardner Jeanne Nolan.

We share what you had to say about Archbishop Blase Cupich’s comments on the Catholic Church’s financial situation, Chicago aldermen’s reactions to Gov. Bruce Rauner’s City Council address, and support for PBS Chief Paula Kerger.

Gov. Bruce Rauner takes his controversial right-to-work agenda to Chicago's City Council. Paris Schutz has the latest.

For the first time in recent history, a sitting governor addresses the Chicago City Council. We’ll hear from several aldermen about their reactions to Gov. Bruce Rauner’s speech. 

Newton Minow may be mostly remembered for his gutsy assessment of the television industry, calling the medium a “vast wasteland” as the fresh-faced, 34-year-old chairman of the Federal Communications Commission in 1961. But in the new documentary, Newton Minow: An American Story, veteran journalist Mike Leonard and local producer Mary Kay Wall examine how Minow’s life has had a far-reaching impact that still reverberates today.

Christian Picciolini was once a neo-Nazi skinhead leader in Chicago. Today he runs an organization called Life After Hate. Jay Shefsky tells the story of Picciolini's remarkable transformation.  

Scientist Neil Shubin is back to tell us why the U.S. Military is so interested in the bombardier beetle, why taking a hands-on approach is a better way to learn science, and why astronomers may want to avoid using the microwave when heating their lunch.

Feliz Cinco De Mayo! On this fifth of May, watch Mariachi Aztlán perform "El Ritmo de México” ("The Rhythm of Mexico") from Lyric Opera of Chicago's recent production of the mariachi opera, El Pasado Nunca se Termina or The Past is Never Finished.

Legislators have begun meeting in working groups to work on the budget and a compromise to Gov. Bruce Rauner’s turnaround agenda. And budget cuts remain a concern, as the Responsible Budget Coalition discusses all revenue options available. We discuss these issues and more with Chicago Tonight Springfield reporter Amanda Vinicky.