Stories by Brandis Friedman

In light of a recent report by Ernst & Young regarding the school district's dire finances, the hotly debated issue is expected to be front and center at the last board meeting of the fiscal year. This meeting falls the day after state legislators in Springfield failed to pass a measure allowing the district to delay a substantial payment to the teacher pension fund.

The Chicago Board of Education is expected to sign off on a $200 million borrowing plan today to help the cash-strapped district manage its financial woes until the end of the month. But the massive cash-crunch facing CPS will remain and some observers fear that teacher layoffs and other school cuts might be inevitable. 

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle sounds off on why she wants to raise the sales tax 1 percent. Will she have support from the board to do it?

Chicago's Botanic Garden celebrates its 125th anniversary this year. Author Cathy Jean Maloney joins us to share her new book about the Horticultural Society's illustrious history.

It's finally summer! Geoffrey's headed for the lakefront with three questions about the area around Chicago's most popular tourist destination.

The Field Museum of Natural History unveils its newest permanent exhibition, the Cyrus Tang Hall of China.

The Illinois House failed to approve a bill that would have delayed CPS’ massive pension payment due at the end of the month. Chicago Tonight Springfield reporter Amanda Vinicky has the latest on that and why the Governor’s office skipped a House and Revenue Finance Committee meeting.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel joins Chicago Tonight to talk about the pension payment owed by CPS next week, the school system and city's budget deficits, and whether he expects any good news from Springfield.

Pope Francis' recent views on climate change are sparking debates within the Catholic community. Joining us are Mark Potosnak, a member of the Catholic Climate Covenant and assistant professor of environmental science at DePaul University, and Mary Anne Hackett, president and CEO of Catholic Citizens of Illinois.

The 90 year-old-artist is perhaps best known as the original art director at Playboy and a champion of young artists. Now his own work is in the spotlight for a new show at a Ukrainian Village gallery.

Chicago Tonight Springfield reporter Amanda Vinicky talks with us about where state budget negotiations stand as the beginning of fiscal year 2016 approaches quickly. 

A panel of local religious leaders joins us to talk about the racially motivated shooting at the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in South Carolina and how they are addressing safety concerns from their congregations.

In the first of a four-part series, Daily Herald reporter Melissa Silverberg and WBEZ's Linda Lutton take a look at poverty and education in Illinois. Their studies of state testing over the last decade revealed that the schools with the most low-income students performed the worst. Silverberg and Tim Broderick, data analyst and graphic designer for the project, join us tonight to share their results of the state Poverty-Achievement gap.

When CPS shuttered 50 elementary schools a couple of years ago, the district promised those neighborhood schools would not be replaced by charter schools. But, as the city's 130 charter schools continue to open and expand, some are having difficulty finding the right real estate for their schools. We take a look at one charter school struggling to find a permanent home.

Carol Fisher Saller's principles of copy editing might surprise anyone who's ever tussled with an editor over a piece of writing. She argues communication and collaboration between writer and editor are key; style rules are useful guidelines, not the straps of a straitjacket; and that language's evolution isn't anything to rail against. She joins Chicago Tonight. 

An exhibition at the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian in Evanston looks at the "haute couture" that has long existed in Native American communities. We revisit that story.

Joel Weisman and local journalists discuss this week’s top headlines in politics, sports, and business.

Joel Weisman and his panel of journalists discuss the pros and cons of a high-speed rail system between downtown and O'Hare airport.

Pope Francis released an encyclical on the environment on Thursday. In the 192-page encyclical, the pope makes the case for a partnership between science and religion to fight climate change.  

Celebrating the Stanley Cup Champions, 

Sing along to On Your Feet!; Get a taste of Randolph; and sip some craft beer by Buckingham Fountain. Chicago Tonight has your weekend picks.

A torrential morning downpour and a limited ticket event didn't dampen Hawks euphoria today. We have a full recap of the parade and rally.

Ahead of the annual congregation of entrepreneurs, visionaries, and innovators at Techweek Chicago, we’ll talk with Techweek CEO Katy Lynch about what to expect this year and how the weeklong event has rebounded from last year’s snafu involving controversial party invites.

We speak to Mayo Clinic's Dr. Jacqueline Thielen about developments in women's health including some of the best treatment options for menopause.