Stories by Natalie Valdes

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.

Regional Transportation Authority Chairman Kirk Dillard has just called for new tax revenue to help fund the region's mass transit systems which currently have a $30 billion project backlog. Chairman Dillard joins us to discuss the need for new revenue and the impact of proposed cuts to transportation funding by Gov. Bruce Rauner. 

Archbishop Blase Cupich talks about the state of the Catholic Church, finances, schools, and what his role is in lobbying lawmakers and Gov. Bruce Rauner for social services funding. 

A Tinley Park man, who suffers from muscular dystrophy and has had five heart surgeries for his atrial fibrillation, was in Nepal to climb Mount Everest when the deadly earthquake struck. We'll hear about his emotional journey.

Restaurateur Donnie Madia, owner of the One Off Hospitality Group, joins Chicago Tonight after a big night at Monday's James Beard Foundation Awards, which were held for the first time in Chicago.  

New hearings on a possible Chicago casino are underway today. Is the mayor's wish for a casino to fund pensions finally close to coming true? Paris Schutz has the latest.

There's a new board chairwoman at the College of DuPage, and she wasted no time making changes. In a contentious first vote on Thursday, April 30, the new majority of reform trustees voted 4-3 to put the school's controversial president, Robert Breuder, on paid administrative leave. 

Former Bear James "Big Cat" Williams joins us to discuss the Bears draft picks, and give us his take on Chicago hosting the NFL Draft.

In 2011, the Chicago Park District bought 20 acres of land on the city's north side. The plot of land had sat unused and untended for many years. Nearly four years later, work on the nature preserve is moving quickly with a scheduled unveiling set for this summer. We get a preview.

Paula Kerger, president and CEO of PBS, joins Chicago Tonight to discuss her vision for the future of public media, the challenges PBS and its member stations face with fundraising and editorial control, and how public media can grow and build their audiences.

We share what you had to say about the ongoing battle over the site of the Barack Obama Presidential Library and the renewed focus on community colleges.

The governor gave a speech today he’s given many times, calling for lawmakers to pass his "turnaround agenda" that includes local right-to-work zones.

The picks are all in, and after three days of festivities and thousands of fans pouring into Grant Park, the 2015 NFL Draft in Chicago has concluded. Crystin Immel grades the NFL on the overall fan experience they provided in Grant Park.

Crystin Immel returned to Auditorium Theatre to cover rounds two and three of the NFL Draft on Friday. But things didn't go as smoothly as she planned. 

Citing the district's $1.1 billion deficit, Interim CEO Jesse Ruiz announced that the district is proposing a $160 million capital budget for fiscal year 2016 -- a significant decline compared to FY2015's approved budget of $509 million.

The Friends of the Parks says it won’t rule out a lawsuit against the Barack Obama Presidential Library even as Gov. Bruce Rauner is expected to sign a bill aimed at squashing potential legal hurdles for the library and the George Lucas museum.

Crystin Immel is an Assistant Producer and the assignment desk editor for Chicago Tonight. She’s also a big NFL fan. We thought it would be fun to send her to the NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre to see the draft through her eyes. 

Joel Weisman and his panel of local journalists break down the week's top political, business, and sports stories.

Joel Weisman and his panel of journalists weigh in on the media coverage of the Baltimore riots.