Stories by WTTW News

How did the mortgage crisis begin, and who's to blame? Bethany McLean, Vanity Fair writer and author of the book All the Devils Are Here, answers this question and many more.

Jane Addams and her fellow reformers understood the social value of art and its ability to break down barriers and uplift people. On the Art Beat, find out how Jane Addams' Hull House was an incubator for early Chicago artists. Hull House Museum Text of Jane Addam's book Twenty Years at Hull House Corbett vs. Dempsey gallery

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Chicago Tonight: Live Forum, Live Streaming, Live Chat... it all starts at 7:00 pm Tonight at 7:00 pm, just 8 days before the election, the gloves come off as mayoral candidates Carol Moseley Braun, Gery Chico, Miguel del Valle and Rahm Emanuel answer tough questions, in a forum hosted by Carol Marin. Talk back:

This week on Chicago Tonight: The Week in Review, the latest polls are showing mayoral frontrunner Rahm Emanuel pulling away. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is victorious with both State's Attorney Anita Alvarez and Tom Dart's budget battles. The Washington, D.C. meeting at Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's office between airline officials and Mayor Richard M. Daley didn't get very far. There's a controversy brewing over the city's blizzard clean-up priorities. And to a chorus of boos, the Bulls' Carlos Boozer returns victorious to Utah.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak announced today that he will not step down. M. Cherif Bassiouni, president of the Egyptian American Society, joins us for analysis. Al-Jazeera's coverage

Layoffs are coming to the Cook County State's Attorney's office; this, on top of 100 pink slips that have already been issued. We talk to State's Attorney Anita Alvarez about who is getting cut and whether it helps solve the county's budget deficit. Cook County State's Attorney

The most recent poll in the Chicago mayoral contest places City Clerk Miguel del Valle at a distant third. Eddie Arruza talks to the self-proclaimed "poorest candidate" on his plans for the final 12 days of the race. del Valle on Chicago Tonight's 'Meet the Candidates' page del Valle's mayoral campaign

Former NBC Nightly News anchor and best-selling author Tom Brokaw stopped by to talk about the crisis in Egypt, domestic politics, and social media's effect on journalism.

Will there be a mayoral run-off? A new poll suggests Rahm Emanuel currently holds such a commanding lead that the race could be over on Election Day. We have the survey's pollster here to discuss the results. Read the poll results

The decision on whether or not to abolish the death penalty in Illinois rests in Gov. Pat Quinn's hands. We hear from Sister Helen Prejean, the Catholic nun at the forefront of the crusade to end capital punishment, and author of Dead Man Walking. Sister Helen's website

The race for mayor has gotten testy in the last few weeks. We hear what mayoral candidate William "Dock" Walls has to say about it in the final days before the election. Walls on Chicago Tonight's 'Meet the Candidates' page Walls' mayoral campaign

Traveling the state of Illinois has resulted in the most comprehensive survey yet on the birds of Illinois. We talk to a leading ornithologist about 100 years of change among the state's feathered residents. More information about the book

More than 50 years after his tragic death, Buddy Holly continues to thrill many fans. Eddie Arruza talks with author Gary W. Moore about his new book: Hey Buddy: In Pursuit of Buddy Holly, My New Buddy John and My Lost Decade of Music, a story of the author's personal discovery of why the rock-and-roll pioneer continues to amaze. Moore's website

The ACLU is concerned over the number of surveillance cameras placed around the city. Chicago officials, however, see them as an important safety tool. Eddie Arruza reports on the controversy. Huffington Post article about the dispute

Patricia Van Pelt-Watkins made headlines when she engaged in a war of words with her mayoral opponent, Carol Moseley Braun. Elizabeth Brackett talks to her about the controversy and her race for mayor. Van Pelt-Watkins on Chicago Tonight's 'Meet the Candidates' page Her mayoral campaign website

Had you even heard the term "thundersnow" before last week's blizzard? University of Chicago Paleontologist, author Neil Shubin joins us to talk about that phenomenon. Jay Shefsky has the story. National Geographic explains a thundersnow

What's it like to be a soccer mom with a global conscience? Author Shayne Moore shares insight from her book: Global Soccer Mom. Shayne Moore's website

T-minus six days until the most romantic day of the year. Are you ready? If not, don't start stressing just yet. "Check Please" Host and Master Sommelier Alpana Singh is here with Valentine's Day wine and beer picks.

Eight times a week, heavyweights at the Steppenwolf Theatre clash over the question: "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" On the Art Beat, Chicago Tonight looks at the art of war, as engaged by a husband and wife named George and Martha. Steppenwolf Theatre online

Elected leaders' budgets are being unveiled this week in response to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle's mandate to curb spending. And some of the cuts aren't pretty. We have Preckwinkle and Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart here to discuss the budget crisis and more.

She's been making headlines with her campaign for mayor. We talk to Carol Moseley Braun about the hard-fought race. Braun on Chicago Tonight's 'Meet the Candidates' page Braun's campaign page

Find out how the negative response to Groupon's Super Bowl ad featuring Tibet will impact the Chicago company. Kris Kridel, of WBBM Newsradio 780, joins us to look at the week in business. CNN article about the ad

A new web-based program has been designed to help commuters make their train on time. Nick Shields has the story. Train Tracker beta page

She helped make Second City an internationally known cultural institution. Long-time Second City producer Joyce Sloane died last week, at the age of 80. We revisit her 2005 appearance on Chicago Tonight. Sloane's Second City biography

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