Stories by Nicole Cardos

Closing arguments and tight races on this election eve. Lisa Desjardins of the “PBS NewsHour” breaks down the high stakes of the midterms.

Presidents who have effectively led the nation out of trying times seem to share some key attributes. The Pulitzer Prize-winning historian writes about those qualities in her new book “Leadership in Turbulent Times.”

A new study finds an online program that teaches teens coping skills is effective at reducing depressive symptoms, especially among those with more severe symptoms.

Three current and former Chicago police officers accused of trying to cover up details of the Laquan McDonald shooting will stand trial for their alleged crimes.

For the second time this year, Chicago’s DryHop Brewers is joining forces with Lincoln Park Zoo in the name of wildlife conservation, this time for a rare and endangered New Zealand bird.

With less than 12 hours left before polling places open, it’s time for a recap of the races to watch in Illinois. Carol Marin and guests take a last look at some of the hottest.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel has dropped plans to sell a city-owned mural by local artist Kerry James Marshall. A Nov. 15 auction was expected to bring in more than $10 million for a major makeover at a library.

If you’re voting on Election Day, odds are you’ll cast your ballot at a church, school, library, or police station. But with more than 2,000 polling precincts across the city, there are a few unexpected polling places in the mix. Here are 10.

City officials were aware of data that showed elevated lead levels in the water of homes that had recently had water meters installed, according to a 2013 study by the city’s Water Department and the U.S. EPA.

The ongoing probe into harmful levels of brain-damaging manganese on Chicago’s Southeast Side has turned up another, more familiar neurotoxin: lead.

The home stretch of campaign season and the final days of the governor’s race included a major snub – and some poor judgment. Plus: Alarming news about Chicago’s drinking water, and the Bears still top the NFC North.

Kanye West’s donation of $126,460 to Chicago mayoral candidate Amara Enyia follows a tweet in which he says he’s “distancing [himself] from politics.”

More than 1 million Americans live with brain shunts and the constant threat of their failure, which can be fatal. A new, noninvasive skin sensor can detect whether a shunt is working in minutes.

Fresh on the heels of winning City Council approval for his planned presidential center in Jackson Park, former President Barack Obama is heading back to Chicago for a get-out-the-vote rally Sunday.

Hip-hop megastar Kanye West told his Twitter followers that he was "distancing" himself from politics even as he sent a big check to boost a Democratic mayoral hopeful in his hometown of Chicago.

Chicago Public Schools on Thursday afternoon announced Ogden Principal Michael Beyer has been “reassigned from his principal duties” months after his school completed a merger with Jenner Elementary.

The story of money in politics doesn't stop with spending on races for Congress. Illinois has the second most expensive race for governor on record at $210 million so far. 

If you think this country’s political culture is the quintessential hornet’s nest, you probably haven’t been exposed to life in the world of scientific research. Jenny Connell Davis puts it under a powerful magnifying microscope in this world premiere work.

Watch the Nov. 1, 2018 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

The mayor’s office seeks to downplay a just-released study that found high levels of lead in nearly 20 percent of city homes that were tested.

She is a poet, sociologist, podcaster and now comic book writer. Eve Ewing’s list of professional titles keeps growing, but her focus on Chicago Public Schools endures. And her interest is not just academic – it’s personal.

Many of the displays in the museum’s Native American Hall have gone unchanged since the 1950s. Now, Native American scholars and tribal members will work with the museum to better represent these stories.

Jose Vilchis, who was charged in October with sexually assaulting a teenage gymnast in south suburban Channahon, now faces additional charges of criminal sexual assault and sexual abuse, according to a grand jury indictment.

Chicagoans hear about Thorndale Avenue all the time in traffic reports, and a viewer wonders why. Geoffrey Baer speeds by with the story in this encore edition of “Ask Geoffrey.”

One of Chicago’s hottest singers is on the comeback trail following a severe health scare. We catch up with Paul Marinaro at the Green Mill.

U.S. Navy veteran Grayson “Kash” Jackson may be one candidate for governor that few people have heard of. He tells us about his plans to fix the state.