Stories by Michael Lipkin

President Obama delivers his State of the Union address on Tuesday night. What will his message be, and is it the real start of the presidential campaign?

We take you inside a groundbreaking research project that's using science to come up with new ways to fight modern day fires.

Martin Scorsese's film Hugo leads the pack in today's Oscar nominations. Film critic Ignatiy Vishnevetsky joins us with his picks and some surprises.

Democratic: Daniel Lipinski, Farah Baqai; Republican: Arthur J. Jones, Richard L. Grabowski, Jim Falvey

Sen. Mark Kirk is in intensive care at Northwestern Memorial Hospital after suffering a stroke. Doctors give the senator mixed chances for a full recovery. Elizabeth Brackett has the details.

The race for the republican presidential nomination moves to Florida after Newt Gingrich's huge weekend victory in South Carolina. We talk with Illinois representatives of the various campaigns.

Jake and Elwood started the job and now the state plans to finish it. The demolition of the Dixieland Mall is underway. Kris Kridel of WBBM Newsradio 780 brings us that and other local business stories making headlines.  

The Chicago Tribune "Problem Solver" Jon Yates joins us with consumer tips in his new book: What's Your Problem?

We meet some Chicago area cyclists who won't let a little thing like winter stand in their way.

We asked what you thought Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would think of U.S. politics and race relations in 2012. We have some of your thoughts in tonight's Viewer Mail.

Democratic: Luis V. Gutierrez, Jorge Zavala; Republican: Hector Concepcion

Democratic: Mike Quigley; Republican: Dan Schmitt

Joel Weisman and his panel of journalists discuss the week's top headlines.

Need some ideas for what to do this weekend? Chicago Tonight knows what’s going on!

Democratic: Leslie Coolidge, Geoffrey Petzel, Maureen Yates, Tim Ritter; Republican: Peter J. Roskam

A new Chicago ward map gets City Council approval. But some aldermen are crying foul over the new boundaries. We get the latest on the map maneuvering at City Hall.

President Obama's longtime political strategist will head a new Institute of Politics at The University of Chicago. Elizabeth Brackett talks with David Axelrod about this new project, and the presidential campaign.

The daughter of a high-ranking Chinese government official has written an autobiography about her family's struggle for survival during the Cultural Revolution. Her story has now been made into a documentary. We talk with Chicagoan Jian Ping.

The Baha'i House of Worship in Wilmette is one of seven of its kind in the world, and the only temple in the United States. Why is it located in suburban Chicago? Geoffrey Baer explains in this week's edition of Ask Geoffrey.

We asked what you thought about the Stop Online Piracy Act and if it's an appropriate tool to fight piracy. We read what some of you had to say in Viewer Mail.

Democratic: Jacques A. Conway, Danny K. Davis; no Republican candidates

The Chicago City Council passes controversial rules to deal with protests to the upcoming G-8/NATO summits in Chicago. Paris Schutz reports on the circus-like atmosphere at City Hall.

How far can the government go to fight the war on terror? Carol Marin and her guests tackle contentious legislation that seemingly allows the indefinite detention without trial of terror suspects -- even if they are U.S. citizens.

A new generation of veterans is returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan. We hear from two professionals who are helping with the transition from soldier to civilian.

It was the blizzard of the century when the century was still young. We take a look at the photographic record of some Windy City Winters of long ago.

ssayist and popular Minnesota Public Radio contributor Peter Smith grew up here in the 1950s. He joins us to talk about his new book of wry essays.