Stories by Brandis Friedman

Dancer Misty Copeland joins us to talk about her rocky upbringing and her against-the-odds success in the world of ballet. 

Chicago poet and fiction writer Stuart Dybek stops by to talk about teaching writing at Northwestern University and his two books of short stories released this year. 

The traveling exhibit highlights the major events of 1968, including riots at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Chicago Tonight previews the exhibit that opens on Saturday. 

Ebola is rapidly spreading in West Africa, killing thousands of people; and the first case in the U.S. was recently reported. Learn more about the virus and local research that focuses on treating and preventing Ebola.

President Obama will be in Chicago this evening through tomorrow. Paris Schutz has more on why he's here, and why he's not coming into O'Hare or Midway airports.

The Ebola epidemic continues to spread as the first person in the United States is diagnosed with the disease. Our panel discusses the impact it could have in America.

The Institute of Cultural Affairs installed 483 solar panels on the roof of its headquarters in the Uptown neighborhood, making it the largest number of solar panels on one structure in the Chicago area outside of downtown. The institute tells us how it's part of its master plan on sustainability. 

The Great Chicago Fire Festival culminates this Saturday on the Chicago River.

The gardening season has come to an end for most of our summer crops, but that doesn’t mean we’re done gardening until next spring. 

Geoffrey Baer takes you through time right outside WTTW's front door in this week’s edition of Ask Geoffrey.  

From Kenya to Brooklyn – and now Evanston – a red-hot young artist makes mythic collages from the material world.

The governor says nearly 700,000 state residents have signed up for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act. But could inaction in Springfield cost the state big in federal health care funds?

We're just five weeks away from the November election and debates are getting more heated, ads are becoming more personal, and candidate campaign offices are popping up on the city's South Side. Chicago Tonight takes a look at the key races.

September marks two years since the controversial video gambling machines started up in Illinois.

At the current rate of extermination, the African elephant could be extinct in the wild in a few short decades. Founder of Save the Elephants Iain Douglas-Hamilton and Chicago Zoological Society president Stuart Strahl join us to discuss what can be done to curb the illegal ivory trade and save these majestic creatures.

Stewart Copeland of The Police has written a score for the silent film “Ben-Hur.” He performs it next month with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

The great surrealist Rene Magritte has an exhibition at the Art Institute that delves into the early part of his career, when he evolved as an artist and created many of the dream-like paintings that came to identify his signature style. We revisit our story on “Magritte: The Mystery of the Ordinary.”

Flight delays and cancellations are expected to continue at Chicago’s two airports following a fire being set at a radar facility in Aurora on Friday.

The long anticipated $575 million renovation of Wrigley Field begins today, without a lot of fanfare. Why? And what will the ballpark look like next year? 

James "Big Cat" Williams breaks down the Bears' brutal loss to division rival Green Bay.

A new editorial cartoon addresses the long lasting impact of abuse. Scott Stantis, the cartoonist behind the autobiographical essay, discusses what he says is his best piece of work.

Chicago's Ella Jenkins has been writing and performing music for children since the 1950s. She turned 90 recently, and Jay Shefsky has a portrait of the beloved and influential artist.

Chicago White Sox captain Paul Konerko played his final game on Sunday, wrapping up a 16-year career on the South Side.  

We share what you had to say about recent stories when we read some of our viewer feedback.

Hyde Park Jazz Festival, Oktoberfest Chicago, and Randolph Street Market Festival; Chicago Tonight knows what’s going on this weekend.

Joel Weisman and his guests delve further into the upcoming mayoral election.