Stories by Hunter Clauss
Chicago Cops React to Dallas Shootings
| Hunter Clauss
Dallas Police Chief David Brown had some stern words for lawmakers Monday. We talk with two former Chicago cops about last week's deadly mass shooting.
Stargaze at Ravinia with New NASA Film and Live Music
| Evan Garcia
An event combining rousing orchestral music with high-definition NASA footage of the cosmos is coming to Ravinia Festival in Highland Park this week.
Viewer Feedback: ‘How Does CPS Spend Money it Doesn’t Have?’
| Erica Gunderson
Hear what viewers had to say about some of our recent stories when we read feedback from the "Chicago Tonight" website, and our Facebook and Twitter pages.
Toni Preckwinkle on $174M Cook County Budget Gap
| Nick Blumberg
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle joins us to discuss the huge budget gap facing the county – and how she wants to tackle the problem.
Endangered Turtles Reintroduced into Wild with Help from Illinois Zoos
| Evan Garcia
Thanks to an experimental program started by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2009, a wild population of threatened turtles has been established in northwestern Illinois. Find out how local institutions helped the agency reach its goal.
The Week in Review: Deadly Shootings in Dallas
| Alexandra Silets
Five police officers are gunned down at a Dallas protest. In Chicago, debates over police oversight continue. The Chicago Bulls land Dwayne Wade. And Abner Mikva is remembered. Joel Weisman and guests discuss these stories and more.
Original Chicago Cocktail: Swing Bridge
| Erica Gunderson
We toast Chicago’s first mayor with a drink that gives a nod to William B. Ogden’s influence on city bridges and railroads: the Boilermaker.
What’s in Store for Chicago from NY-Based Architects of Obama Library
| Eddie Arruza
After an extensive and highly competitive search, The Obama Foundation chose a New York-based architectural firm to design the Obama Presidential Center. Blair Kamin gives us some insights into the work of the architects and what Chicago might expect to see from them.
Mayor Lauds City’s Gains Over Tree-Trimming Backlog
| Evan Garcia
Amid public outcry over police oversight, rising crime and uncertainty surrounding the cash-strapped Chicago Public Schools, Mayor Rahm Emanuel had some good news for city residents on Thursday.
Widening the Divide: School Improvements and Racial and Class Inequities
| Dan Andries
Why does one crowded CPS school look forward to a multimillion-dollar annex while another, just a few blocks away, fears closure for under-enrollment? WBEZ education reporter Becky Vevea fills us in on a troubling trend.
‘Wild Travels’ Returns, Reveals Stranger Places to Visit
| Nick Blumberg
The award-winning series celebrates some of the stranger destinations you can visit in the U.S. The show's host and executive producer join us to talk about what you can expect from the new season, debuting this weekend.
South Side Bank a Bright Spot as Black-Owned Businesses Face Decline
| Brandis Friedman
Words of optimism from the new owners of a black-owned South Side bank that had been in financial trouble. Why they say keeping such businesses alive is crucial.
Weekend Best Bets: Taste of Chicago
| Rebecca Palmore
Eat your way through 200 menu items at the 36th annual mega-fest in Grant Park, where Billy Idol and Sheila E. are among this year's musical guests. Get details on that event and others in this week's roundup.
Eliza Fournier Shares Midsummer Gardening Tips
| Marc Vitali
The Chicago Botanic Garden's Eliza Fournier shares a bushel of recommendations to keep your garden healthy in the summer heat.
Public Weighs in on IPRA Replacement
| Paris Schutz
The mayor and aldermen have made it clear they are going to abolish the Independent Police Review Authority. But what will it be replaced with?
Hidden Treasures of India Documented by Chicago-Based Arts Journalist
| Dan Andries
Arts journalist Victoria Lautman shares the mystery and beauty of India's stepwells, stunning architectural structures hundreds of years old that can be up to 10 stories deep.
Environmentalists: Proposal Could Add Invasive Species to Great Lakes
| Elizabeth Brackett
Proposed legislation could open the door to more invasive species in the Great Lakes, say environmentalists. But shippers say it puts a patchwork quilt of conflicting regulations under one federal agency that allows them to do business while still keeping invasive species out.
Local Entrepreneurs Aim for Zero Waste with Plant Chicago
| Paul Caine
On the South Side of Chicago some local entrepreneurs are repurposing an old meatpacking plant in an effort to create something very unusual – a way of doing business that creates no trash.
Pat Quinn Pushing for Mayoral Term Limits, Elected Consumer Advocate
| Hunter Clauss
The former Illinois governor is back in the spotlight and campaigning, but not for a political office – or so he says.
Birds Saved from Extinction Living in Chicago Zoos
| Evan Garcia
In the mid-1980s, the Lincoln Park Zoo and Brookfield Zoo set up critical captive breeding populations of two bird species native to the Pacific Islands. A new report from the Center for Biological Diversity underscores the impact of such programs.
Ask Geoffrey: Earl ‘Madman’ Muntz’s Crazy Chicago Story
| Erica Gunderson
Did a used-car salesman design and build his sleek and sporty luxury car right here in Chicago? Geoffrey Baer has that story and more.
NASA’s Juno Spacecraft Reaches Jupiter After 5-Year Voyage
| Eddie Arruza
Juno is set to uncover what Jupiter has been hiding. After a five-year, 1.75 billion mile voyage, NASA's spacecraft named after a Roman goddess successfully entered into orbit around the largest planet in our solar system Monday night.
Opponents of State Stopgap Budget Explain Their Votes
| Nick Blumberg
The state's six-month stopgap budget sailed through the Illinois General Assembly by a huge vote margin last week, just before the fiscal year deadline. Only four lawmakers voted against the plan. They join “Chicago Tonight” to explain their decision.
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