Stories by WTTW News

A House Committee has passed a temporary fix to the state budget shortfall so day care providers and prison guards will be paid. Chicago Tonight Springfield reporter Amanda Vinicky has the details.

Last week’s election in Israel has brought strong reactions from many quarters and especially from American Jews -- with opinions ranging from strong support for the outcome to blistering criticism. A panel of Chicago-area rabbis with diverse views on Israel and the election joins us.

Incumbent 36th Ward Ald. Nicholas Sposato decided to run in a different ward after the 36th was re-mapped. Four candidates ran to take over his seat, which covers parts of Belmont Cragin and Portage Park. Two candidates made it to the April runoff: former congressional staffer Omar Aquino and consultant Gilbert Villegas. They join us.

An exhibition at the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian in Evanston looks at the "haute couture" that has long existed in Native American communities. We get a preview.

Robert Putnam -- Harvard professor, political scientist, and author of the acclaimed Bowling Alone -- is back with a new book that charts the decline of the American Dream in his hometown of Port Clinton, Ohio. Putnam joins us to discuss his new book: Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis.

Two years ago, Lyric Opera of Chicago presented what was called the world's first mariachi opera. It was well-received and a big hit with audiences--so much so that it spawned another mariachi opera. This time around it's a Lyric Opera commission that has brought back together the same creative team and many of the same performers from the previous work. Its title is El Pasado Nunca Se Termina or The Past Is Never Finished, and it's receiving its world premiere here in Chicago.

Early voting starts today in the mayoral runoff election. We get an update on the campaigns from our news panel.

Support in the predominantly Hispanic 31st Ward is splitting between longtime Ald. Ray Suarez and former TV reporter, Milly Santiago. They meet on Chicago Tonight to talk about the issues.

Public schools nationally are at a crossroads, according to Joel Klein. After serving as chancellor of the New York City Department of Education for eight years, Klein took on unions, politicians, and the status quo to improve public education and give students and parents more choice. He joins us.

Homeless youth are one of Chicago’s most vulnerable populations. Estimates vary, but roughly 2,000 Chicago teens are thought to be homeless each night. But homelessness for youth often looks very different than it does for adults. Advocates call it "housing instability." We visit one program trying to prevent these teens from becoming chronically homeless adults.    

The head honchos at The Second City discuss their book about the importance of improv in everyday life.

Joel Weisman and his panel of journalists discuss the heated runoff campaign debate between Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Jesús "Chuy" García, U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock’s resignation, and the sale of the Willis Tower.

Joel Weisman and his panel of journalists discuss the impact Gov. Bruce Rauner's proposed budget would have on public transportation.

Taste what Chicago has to offer; hear Chicago stories; and listen to the sounds of Chicago blues. Chicago Tonight has your weekend picks.

A video made by a group of young Chicago filmmakers is an official selection of the 2015 White House Student Film Festival. It was one of 15 selected from 1,500 entries and it will be honored at the White House on Friday.

Local transit officials are pushing back against major transit funding cuts proposed in Gov. Bruce Rauner's budget. Will fares go up? We have the details.

Expulsions and out-of-school suspensions in Chicago Public Schools saw a drop in the 2013-2014 school year, but a recent study suggests troubled students are still vulnerable. We discuss school discipline with our panel.

The 24th ward will have a fresh face representing the Lawndale neighborhood in City Council. Will it be the son of the former president of the Chicago Board of Education or a businesswoman who worked her way up from receptionist to vice president of a tool distributor?

Geoffrey Baer's latest documentary exploring the career of the winner of the Richard H. Driehaus Prize at the University of Notre Dame is Street Smarts: Architect David M. Schwarz.We get a preview.

Historian Alice Dreger's new book, Galileo's Middle Finger: Heretics, Activists, and the Search for Justice in Science, is a funny, surprising story of Dreger's career as an activist, researcher, and advocate for evidence-based activism. She joins us.

Meet the self-taught Chicago artist who could make dazzling art out of anything he found. Known as Mr. Imagination, he turned bottlecaps, mirrors, and scraps of wood into delightfully original works of art.

A swath of public parkland now belongs to the Obama Presidential Library Foundation, if it chooses to locate here. We have the latest on that, and other news from Chicago City Council.