Stories by Brandis Friedman

For three hundred South and West Side Chicagoans, a summer job meant more than just a few extra bucks – it may have also meant a safer community. A pilot program called Target 7-11 H.I.T. paid neighbors in Englewood and the west side of Garfield Park to work as violence interrupters, during what is a notoriously deadly time of year for those communities. Brandis Friedman explains how it works.

In this edition of Ask Geoffrey, our local history expert goes ringside at Joe Louis' first professional knockout, rides by the site of long-lost Logan Square mansion, and finds out what's cooking at a former bread-baking palace.

The plus-size model speaks out in Model Diet, a locally-produced documentary criticizing the fashion industry’s standards. 

Illinois House lawmakers will soon consider whether to override a veto by Gov. Bruce Rauner that could send negotiations with state employee unions to binding arbitration. And with no state budget in place, just how do lawmakers plan on maintaining critical state services? Amanda Vinicky joins Chicago Tonight with a preview of the week ahead in Springfield. 

Congress reconvenes next Tuesday after a five-week recess, and there are some weighty and urgent matters to attend to, including yet another debt ceiling fiscal cliff. Joining us to share their thoughts on these and other issues are Congressman Bill Foster (D-11th); and Congressman Peter Roskam (R-6th).

Amnesty International is calling for the legalization of prostitution, a move some advocacy groups say is short-sighted. We'll hear from both sides.

As the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District cuts the ribbon on it's new sewage reservoir, we revisit Jay Shefsky's visit in May to the bottom of the Thornton Quarry.

Using your words may be the secret to bridging the achievement gap for kids from different economic backgrounds. Find out about the Thirty Million Words Initiative.

It is a farmers market with a mission. Green City Market in Lincoln Park bills itself as Chicago’s only truly “green” farmers market, linking farmers to chefs and the Chicago community. And even when the seasons are changing, this year-round sustainable market offers a bounty of locally grown foods.

TV Land’s female-driven comedy series – from Chicago-based improv group the Katydids – airs in January, but VMA viewers got a sneak peek on Sunday after the awards show.

The mayor and top city officials are speaking to the public at this hour in the first of a series of town hall meetings on the city budget. That budget could be as much as $754 million out of whack thanks to escalating pension costs. Higher taxes and fees are almost certainly inevitable, the question is which? How are residents responding to the shortfall? Paris Schultz joins us live from Malcolm X College.

The state's budget standoff is entering its 10th week on Wednesday. We talk with two of the most outspoken leaders from both sides of the aisle to see if any compromise is on the horizon. Joining Chicago Tonight are Rep. Lou Lang and Rep. Ron Sandack. 

Two Chicago actors could see their pilot picked up by NBC for a web series. 

The fight to reopen a South Side high school has caused 12 parents and activists to go on a hunger strike to get Chicago Public Schools to hear their concerns. We look at the history of the closure and what the new proposals are.

The musical, directed by Steppenwolf’s Tina Landau will feature original songs from David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, and Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, among others. 

Patents recently issued to Northbrook-based insurance giant Allstate could allow the company to monitor your car for sources of distraction, collect health data on drivers, and even monitor what's going on around your vehicle. The company says any new technology will improve driver safety, but some are worried it could violate the privacy of drivers, passengers and passers-by. 

The lowest gas prices in a decade combined with an improved economy are fueling traffic. So says a new AAA report predicting we'll see the worst Labor Day holiday traffic in seven years. In another traffic study, Chicago is reported to have five of the nation's most congested roadways. What's driving the traffic and what are the solutions?

After much anticipation, the Chicago Botanic Garden on Saturday night announced that Spike is not expected to bloom. 

Previews for Green Day musical American Idiot begin Friday in a staging by The Hypocrites at the Den Theatre in Wicker Park.

On this edition of Chicago Tonight: The Week in Review with Joel Weisman, our panel of guests discuss state and local politics, education, traffic, sports, and more.

Were you watching this week? Test your knowledge with these six questions.

Lincoln Square's Fine Wine Brokers, a 20-year neighborhood staple, will close Aug. 31, according to the shop’s co-owner Louise Rohr, who cited rising rent as the deciding factor in the store’s closure.

This weekend, you can hang out with the Stanley Cup, revisit new wave '80s band The Psychedelic Furs, walk through a garden in the city, take in a movie or two, and more.