Stories by Alexandra Silets

North Side residents are battling a plan to clear-cut 14 acres of trees along the Chicago River from Irving Park Road to Montrose Avenue. The Army Corps of Engineers and the Chicago Park District say the Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration plan will restore the riverbank by Horner Park. But opponents want the native old-growth trees left alone for the $6.5 million project.

Chicago’s newest harbor is only one-third full. Critics say it's the Park District's high fees that are keeping boaters away. Elizabeth Brackett has the story. Read an article.

It is believed to be the world’s most valuable book but you may never have heard of it. And now it’s up for auction with an estimated sale price of between $15-$30 million. We tell you what the extremely rare and pricey tome is when we get a firsthand look at it in our studio on Tuesday.

We revisit Jay Shefsky's profile of a basketball team you won't forget. Read an article and view a photo gallery.

Watch Charlie Rose's exclusive interview with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

How is the CTA faring in day one of the rollout of the controversial new Ventra system? Paris Schutz has the details.

Illinois Rep. Jim Durkin talks about his new role as the minority leader of the Illinois House. View a timeline of his career.

Former Chicago Bears pro-bowl lineman James “Big Cat” Williams joins Ann Kreiter to kick off another season of Big Cat and the Bears. Watch a web extra video.

With regimes toppling in the Middle East and new global powers emerging, political transformations are challenging the notion of democracy as the best system of governance. In his new book, Intelligent Governance for the 21st Century, “homeless billionaire” Nicolas Berggruen explores perceptions and practices of both the East and West to find what constitutes good governance. Read an excerpt and an interview.

How do tech incubators work, and what’s the real story behind this growing scene in Chicago? Our panel of experts – from both universities and private incubators -- weigh in. View a map of tech incubator locations in Chicago.

We share your thoughts on Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak's visit to Chicago in tonight's viewer feedback.

Eddie Arruza and his panel of journalists discuss the week's top headlines.

Eddie Arruza and his panel of journalists discuss the impact of TV host Stephen Colbert comparing Syrian violence to Chicago's. Also, they talk about the challenges and questions facing Illinois congressional members as they vote whether to authorize military action in Syria. Watch the web extra video.

A craft fair, classical music, and a half marathon in Jackson Park; Chicago Tonight knows what's going on this weekend.

On this edition of Chicago Tonight's Field Trip, we hit the road with The Field Museum’s Fossil Invertebrates Collections Manager to hunt for fossils from a time when Chicago was a tropical reef. Watch the video and view a slideshow.

We talk with Chicago Tribune reporter Bill Ruthhart about his story detailing business ties between a top aide in Mayor Emanuel’s office and the indicted city comptroller. Read Ruthhart's full story.

The Mayor of Minneapolis, R.T. Rybak, has come to Chicago to invite same sex couples to marry in his city. We talk with him about the unusual campaign, as well as his thoughts about Chicago's mayor.

Five alleged victims have now come forward in a growing hazing scandal at Maine West High School in the northwest suburbs. This latest victim claims he too was sexually assaulted in a hazing ritual led by seniors on the school’s soccer team – a ritual sanctioned by the team’s coaches.

While NASA astronauts were lauded as American heroes, it was up to their wives to present the facade of a perfect family life. In her new book, The Astronaut Wives Club, author Lily Koppel tells the story of the dozens of women who tried to maintain normalcy as the nation scrutinized their every move. We revisit a conversation with Koppel. Read an article and an excerpt.

A festival brings the love to Ludwig van Beethoven. Artists from a dozen countries converge on Chicago for 100 events that celebrate this giant of classical music in surprising ways. Read an interview with the festival's art director and view a slideshow.

We share what you had to say about our panel on Syria and our interview with former Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady in tonight’s viewer feedback.

The announcement to bring a Whole Foods Market to Englewood has angered some local residents. Paris Schutz explains the controversy, and has more on Mayor Rahm Emanuel's decision to keep Chicago Inspector General Joe Ferguson for another year.

According to new data released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four cardiovascular deaths – that is, 200,000 of 800,000 – are completely preventable. What more can be done to save these lives? We gather some leading experts for a frank assessment of heart disease in America. View graphs of data on heart disease.

Former Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady has a new gig. He is going to lobby state lawmakers to pass same-sex marriage on behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union. He talks about this next chapter.

A $50 million renovation and restoration project for the Illinois Capitol building is nearly complete. But are all the improvements justified given the state’s fiscal woes? We have analysis. Read the project description and historical decisions document from the architect.

The new Art Institute of Chicago exhibition, Impressionism, Fashion, and Modernity, is the first of its kind to look exclusively at the ways in which the Impressionists used fashion to communicate the idea of "modern." View a slideshow and read excerpts from the fashion catalogue.