Stories by WTTW News

Watch a mariachi opera set in 1910 Mexico; enjoy a musical set in 1950s Las Vegas; and kick off the running season in present day Grant Park. Chicago Tonight ​has your weekend picks.

Two local men were arrested on charges of aiding the ISIS terror group.

Former Illinois Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. has been released from a federal prison in Alabama after his 2013 conviction for tax evasion and misuse of campaign funds. His next stop will be a halfway house, likely located in the Washington, D.C. area.

Contract negotiations between the Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools have formally begun – and the union’s initial list of demands is not the traditional one. We have the details.

A French prosecutor announced Thursday that a Germanwings co-pilot deliberately crashed a jet in the French Alps after locking the pilot out of the cockpit. The prosecutor said there is no indication the crash was related to terrorism. The announcement has sparked questions about mental health evaluations for airline pilots, and why the co-pilot was able to prevent the pilot from gaining access to the cockpit. We have analysis.

First-term Ald. Michele Smith is fighting to keep her Lincoln Park aldermanic seat in a bitter battle with challenger Caroline Vickrey. They go head to head.

Ohio State University biologist Stanley Gehrt has followed more than 800 coyotes in Chicago over the past 15 years using GPS tracker collars. Where they turn up might just surprise you. Gehrt joins us to discuss Chicago's thriving urban coyotes.

Best-known for the movies Ray and An Officer and a Gentleman, director Taylor Hackford is in Chicago directing a musical stage show about the legendary Vegas husband and wife team, Louis Prima and Keely Smith. We get a preview.

We share what you had to say about construction on The 606 nearing completion and our panel of local rabbis discussing the Israeli election in tonight's viewer feedback.

The Illinois House of Representatives passed a stopgap budget fix to plug a $1.6 billion deficit and avoid running out of money for day care programs and prison guards. Our panel analyzes this rare display of bipartisan cooperation. 

Ald. Mary O'Connor faces a runoff challenge from Chicago firefighter and former police officer Anthony Napolitano. While O'Connor has touted the accomplishments of her first term, many in the northwest side ward are angry over new O'Hare airport flight paths that they say have made their neighborhoods unbearably noisy. They join us.

Construction on the long-awaited “606” elevated bike trail is nearing the finish line. We get a sneak preview.

Former Congressman Barney Frank has a new book out about his remarkable life as an outspoken politician made even more remarkable by his coming out as a gay man. He joins us.

A Russian-born artist painted the town in the 1930s, but very little of his mural work is left. Where can you see these stunning panels? Geoffrey Baer answers this question and more in this week’s edition of Ask Geoffrey.

The finalists for this year's James Beard Awards have been released. Ten local names made the list of finalists in the restaurant and chef awards categories.

A House Committee has passed a temporary fix to the state budget shortfall so day care providers and prison guards will be paid. Chicago Tonight Springfield reporter Amanda Vinicky has the details.

Last week’s election in Israel has brought strong reactions from many quarters and especially from American Jews -- with opinions ranging from strong support for the outcome to blistering criticism. A panel of Chicago-area rabbis with diverse views on Israel and the election joins us.

Incumbent 36th Ward Ald. Nicholas Sposato decided to run in a different ward after the 36th was re-mapped. Four candidates ran to take over his seat, which covers parts of Belmont Cragin and Portage Park. Two candidates made it to the April runoff: former congressional staffer Omar Aquino and consultant Gilbert Villegas. They join us.

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 get a preview.

Robert Putnam -- Harvard professor, political scientist, and author of the acclaimed Bowling Alone -- is back with a new book that charts the decline of the American Dream in his hometown of Port Clinton, Ohio. Putnam joins us to discuss his new book: Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis.

Two years ago, Lyric Opera of Chicago presented what was called the world's first mariachi opera. It was well-received and a big hit with audiences--so much so that it spawned another mariachi opera. This time around it's a Lyric Opera commission that has brought back together the same creative team and many of the same performers from the previous work. Its title is El Pasado Nunca Se Termina or The Past Is Never Finished, and it's receiving its world premiere here in Chicago.

Early voting starts today in the mayoral runoff election. We get an update on the campaigns from our news panel.