Stories by Jessen O'Brien

A memorial on Ground Zero commemorating 9/11 opens in a few weeks. We talk with Chicago Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin, who got a sneak peek.

From a Chicago alley that’s still paved with wood blocks, to a cowpath among the skyscrapers in the downtown Loop, and other secret byways. Geoffrey Baer explores Chicago’s oddest and most interesting streets and alleys for Hidden Chicago.

The Illinois Department of Revenue has denied property tax exemptions for three hospitals for not doing enough to justify their exemptions. Ash-har Quraishi tells us which hospitals are affected and what prompted the move.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel wants to dump the way garbage is currently collected. Elizabeth Brackett talks with two aldermen who give us their take on the Mayor's latest cost savings plan.

John Wayne Gacy's lawyer has written a book about defending the notorious killer. We hear his personal tales about Gacy and the highly publicized trial.

Eddie Arruza reports on an innovative program at Chicago Career Tech that's retraining an older work force for a 21st century job market.

Nearly 55 miles per gallon for every car? That's the deal between the Obama Administration and the nation's automakers. Is it doable and what technology is on the horizon? The head of transportation research at Argonne National Laboratory is here with some answers.

On Tuesday, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) Commissioner Bechara Choucair, M.D., released a new Public Health Agenda—Healthy Chicago—the City’s first comprehensive public health plan.

Kris Kridel of WBBM Newsradio 780 joins us to discuss Google's decision to buy Motorola Mobility and other top business stories.

The campaign for 2012 is already in full swing on both sides, even though the general election is more than a year away. Elizabeth Brackett and her panel handicap the race, including the significance of Michele Bachmann's straw poll victory. 

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Public Schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard announced a new education initiative that will include specialized training and performance-based bonuses for Chicago's principals. Ash-har Quraishi has the details.

A new study out today by Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine diagnoses Chicago’s health, neighborhood by neighborhood. We speak with two of the report’s authors.

We pay a visit to the world’s largest, busiest 16-inch softball league – in Washington Park on Chicago’s South Side.

What do you think of the so-called Debt Super Committee that has been formed to find nearly one and a half trillion dollars in cuts to the federal deficit? We have some of your thoughts in tonight's Viewer Mail.

Joel Weisman and his panel of journalists discuss the week's top headlines in Chicago Tonight: The Week in Review at 7:00 pm.

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

As President Obama hit the road today to slam the partisanship in Congress, the final three members of the debt reduction "super committee" were named. Eddie Arruza and his panel take a look at who the 12 committee members are, and whether they'll be able to reach a consensus on spending cuts.

The Interrupters is a new documentary about the fight against violence on Chicago streets. Director/producer Steve James and author-turned-producer Alex Kotlowitz, whose original article inspired the film, join us on Chicago Tonight at 7:00 pm, along with one of the Violence Interrupters

In 1976, Ragdale officially became a nonprofit artists’ community and retreat, but the site has been home to artists since it was built by Arts and Crafts architect Howard Van Doren Shaw in 1897. On Chicago Tonight at 7:00 pm, we take a look at Ragdale under renovation to see what’s in store for its future.

Chicago’s City Council is made up of 50 aldermen, each representing one ward in the city. One of our viewers wants to know when and why these wards were established. Geoffrey Baer has the answer in this week’s Ask Geoffrey.

We asked if you think higher property taxes are warranted for Chicago Public Schools - and you told us!  We have some of your thoughts in tonight's Viewer Mail.

Up one day, down the next. Way down. We discuss the latest plunge on Wall Street with Morningstar’s Paul Larson, and look ahead to tomorrow.

Has hyper-partisanship in Washington made "compromise" a dirty word? We talk with two local congressmen about this, and the implications of the newly named debt "super committee."

A federal judge rules that former mayor Richard M. Daley can be deposed in a civil case alleging a citywide conspiracy to cover up police torture under Jon Burge. Carol Marin broke the story and has the details.

We've all had good and bad experiences calling customer service. But what is life like for the person answering the phone? Chicago Sun-Times' "The Fixer" columnist Stephanie Zimmermann has a report from inside those call centers.