Stories by Erica Gunderson

Geoffrey Baer uncovers the origins of St. Ignatius College Prep's building fragments and more in this revisited edition of Ask Geoffrey.

Republican Bruce Rauner will be the next Illinois governor as Pat Quinn officially conceded at 3:30 pm Wednesday.

Chicago voters turned out in monumental numbers for same-day registration and voting today causing long lines at all five sites. The Chicago Elections Board reported that it had moved additional equipment and judges to those locations to help move lines along. Notices have also been posted indicating that all voters in line at 7:00 pm, MUST BE allowed to vote. Chicago Tonight: Election 2014  

With voting day underway, it's a close one for the Illinois governor's race. We sit down with our panel to discuss what the winner will face politically and economically over the next four years; and the implications of a possible Republican-dominated Congress.

The initial renderings for the Lucas Museum have been released and reviews are mixed. Some say this design has the potential to be something great, but others caution this may be a recipe for disaster without public discussion and debates on the project. We discuss the building project with our panel.

We get a preview of rarely seen artwork by Ed Paschke from his family's personal collection.

With winter fast approaching, it’s time to clean up the WTTW garden and remove the remaining summer plants. The Organic Gardener Jeanne Nolan stops by to help our garden transition into the next season.

More than 80 judicial candidates are running for election, with many of them running unopposed. Each year the Chicago Council of Lawyers and the Chicago Bar Association screen and rate judicial candidates, and the organizations use their ratings to determine whether they would recommend a judge for retention. 

He’s considered one of the best managers in baseball. Today, the Cubs introduced Joe Maddon as the 54th manager in franchise history. Maddon replaces Rick Renteria, who was hired just one year ago. 

Carol Marin and her guests take one last look at the candidates and campaigns before votes are cast tomorrow.

Chicago has been synonymous with election chicanery in the past, but Election Board officials today are describing a new controversy that they say they've never seen before. Paris Schutz has the latest on that, and more on how voters are being asked to amend the Illinois Constitution when they vote tomorrow. 

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart gives Chicago Tonight an exclusive look at the jail's new Mental Health Transition Center.

Controversial author and activist Naomi Klein discusses This Changes Everything, her new book about climate change and the culprit she blames for it: capitalism.

The Chicago Cubs announced Friday the team would move forward without manager Rick Renteria.

Joel Weisman and his panel of journalists recap this week's headlines.

Joel Weisman and his guests continue their conversation online with more about the Catholic school closings and the Mayor’s race.  

New exhibition shines light on the artful illustrations that flowered in France during a dangerous era.

A film festival, a ball, and Halloween festivities; Chicago Tonight knows what’s going on this weekend.

Approaching his last days as the leader of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Cardinal Francis George announces that low enrollment and limited budgets mean tough choices. The school system is closing seven schools, and consolidating six others.

The latest poll shows the gubernatorial race in a dead heat between the two front-runners. We analyze the numbers and the final five-day push before Election Day on Tuesday.

Chad Grimm, the Libertarian Party candidate for Illinois Governor, visits Chicago Tonight to talk about his vision for Illinois and why he sees himself as the only legitimate candidate for change.

For the first time, Illinois voters can register and vote on the same day. Chicago Tonight takes a look behind the new law that allows Illinois voters to register to vote on Election Day.

Historian Francis Fukuyama visits Chicago Tonight to talk about his new book, Political Order and Political Decay, the second volume of a sweeping study of how human societies develop good governance, and how those same societies can fall into decline.

We share your reactions to last night's U.S. Senate Forum in tonight's Viewer Feedback.

U.S. Senate candidates for Illinois  -- Sen. Dick Durbin and Jim Oberweis -- gave a brief news conference following the forum.

Incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Republican challenger Jim Oberweis go head-to-head in Chicago Tonight’s Senate Forum.