Stories by Paul Caine

Author Steve Levine had fly-on-the-wall access for two years to "the battery guys" at Argonne National Laboratory -- America's team in an international competition to build a battery that will change the world. Levine joins us to talk about his new book, The Powerhouse.

Mayoral candidate Jesús "Chuy" García's strong showing has forced an unprecedented runoff election against incumbent Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Proco "Joe" Moreno won 50.9 percent of the vote in the 1st Ward in Tuesday's election, but his challenger Anne Shaw won’t concede until all the absentee ballots are counted. Ald. Nick Sposato won 54 percent of the vote in the 38th Ward; and Carlos Ramirez-Rosa won 67 percent in the 35th Ward and was the only candidate to oust an incumbent. The three winning aldermen join us.

Voters in more than a third of Chicago’s 50 wards will head to the polls again in April. In Tuesday’s election, no clear winner emerged in 19 races for alderman across the city. 

The people have spoken as incumbent candidate Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Cook County Commissioner Jesús "Chuy" García will face off again April 7 in a runoff vote.

Voters across Chicago overwhelmingly support an elected school board, according to results of a non-binding referendum that appeared on the ballot Tuesday in 37 of the city’s 50 wards.

In recent weeks, the Chicago Board of Education has received letters from both the state Board of Education and the U.S. Department of Education threatening the loss of more than $1 billion if Chicago Public Schools fails to administer the controversial standardized test, PARCC. Wednesday's meeting is the Board's first since those communications from the state and federal governments. Find out what, if any, action they take. We also have reaction to the referendum on an elected school board, and information on what actions the school board is considering to save $10 million.

This week, there was another new discovery of footage from Chicago's Eastland Disaster. 

Mayor Rahm Emanuel faced four challengers—Ald . Bob Fioretti, Cook County Commissioner Jesús "Chuy" García, businessman Willie Wilson, and William "Dock" Walls—in the Municipal Election.  

Polls have closed for Chicago’s Municipal elections. Find out which aldermanic candidates won their races and which ones are headed to a runoff.

Polls have closed for Chicago’s Municipal elections. Find out which aldermanic candidates won their races and which ones are headed to a runoff.

Polls have closed for Chicago’s Municipal elections. Find out which aldermanic candidates won their races and which ones are headed to a runoff.

Polls have closed for Chicago’s Municipal elections. Find out which aldermanic candidates won their races and which ones are headed to a runoff.

Polls have closed for Chicago’s Municipal elections. Find out which aldermanic candidates won their races and which ones are headed to a runoff.

The race for Mayor of Chicago will go on for another six weeks as Mayor Rahm Emanuel failed to secure a majority of votes needed to avoid a runoff.

The Associated Press reported that U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) spent taxpayer and campaign funds on private planes owned by some of his key donors. Peoria Journal Star assignment editor and political reporter Chris Kaergard, who’s covered Schock since 2008, talks with us about the latest Schock-related headlines.

Gov. Bruce Rauner nominates Ramon Cepeda and Jill Smart for openings on the University of Illinois’ Board of Trustees.

It's cold. Really cold. WGN's Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling tells us if we are heading towards record-breaking weather.

A local filmmaker was honored with an Academy Award nomination for the documentary, Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall. Though the film buzz has ended, its creator is on a mission to bring more inmate-operated hospice care to prisons all over the country. We talk with him about his efforts and the prison hospice system in Illinois.

We discuss the recent changes in dietary guidelines and how they affect the way we're supposed to eat.

Paris Schutz will join us after the polls close with the latest details on Election Day.

Bison are once again roaming Illinois prairies. It's been more than 175 years since the last wild bison died in this state, but as of October they are back, thanks to The Nature Conservancy project in western Illinois called Nachusa Grasslands.

The mayoral and aldermanic candidates enter the home stretch. But are some of Mayor Rahm Emanuel's allies now backing away from him? We have the details.