Stories by Shanika Gunaratna

Now that House Minority Leader Tom Cross has decided to step down, GOP members of the House need to choose a new leader. Today, they meet to start this process. In what direction might the party pivot? We chat with Amanda Vinicky, statehouse bureau chief at Illinois Public Radio and WUIS.

We talk with Rep. Brad Schneider and Rep. Bill Foster about Syria, the debt ceiling, immigration reform and more.

It’s the start of fall semester and freshmen are entering the vaulted halls of universities for the first time ever. Professor Jon Gould's new book, How to Succeed in College (While Really Trying), offers advice. Read an excerpt and a tip sheet.

We take a look at a hip-hop music program that helps kids strengthen their voice and discover the power of the written word. Read an interview.

We revisit a story about two families and the medical director at a burgeoning new clinic for kids questioning their gender at Lurie Children's Hospital. Read an article and watch a web extra video.

We revisit an inside look at one of Chicago’s most famous families. Ezekiel Emanuel, the eldest of the three brothers, talks about his new memoir: Brothers Emanuel. Read an excerpt and view a slideshow.

We share what you had to say about Metra's new interim executive director and about the 50th anniversary of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s March on Washington in tonight’s viewer feedback.

After the messy ouster of his predecessor, Metra's new interim executive director Donald Orseno tells us how he intends to drive the scandal-ridden commuter rail agency forward.

Where does the nation – and the city of Chicago – stand on this 50th anniversary of the March on Washington? What might Martin Luther King Jr. think of the state of racial equality in Chicago? Elizabeth Brackett and her guests discuss the past, and more importantly, the future.

Term limits on Illinois legislators are back in the news. Polls show a majority of voters favor term limits. But will they alleviate the gridlock in Springfield, bring new blood and fresh ideas to state government, and reduce the power of lobbyists and entrenched staffers? And what is the likelihood such reform could be adopted in Illinois? We take a closer look.

What is a Bitcoin? Where do they come from and how are they used? And why are more and more governments taking a careful look at this first-ever cyber currency?

Actress, comedian, and Saturday Night Live veteran Nora Dunn returns to the Chicago stage with Mythical Proportions, a one-woman, multi-character show that reflects on her Chicago upbringing and her up-and-down journey through show business. Watch video clips from Dunn's show and a web extra conversation.

Chicago area temperatures left students and teachers hot and miserable in classrooms without air conditioning across the city. Elizabeth Brackett reports.

The U.S. and its allies are gearing up for a military response against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s alleged use of large-scale chemical weapons against his own people in Syria’s ongoing civil war. We take a closer look at the escalating tensions.

What's in store for the closed Chicago Public Schools buildings? The chair of a new committee shares some details about what's ahead.

We look at a pair of artists who met, married and lived at Jane Addams’ Hull House during the Depression era. Their works are currently on view at the Koehnline Museum on the campus of Oakton Community College in Des Plaines. Read an interview and view a slideshow.

We take a look at the new criminals of the internet age -- and the technology police use to catch them. Read an excerpt from The Internet Police: How Crime Went Online and the Cops Followed.

Dennis Paige brought native Illinois prairie plants to his suburban condo development. They're not just beautiful; experts say native plant gardens are great for the environment. We revisit Jay Shefsky's profile.

It's the first day of school for most Chicago Public Schools students. Elizabeth Brackett has more on the impact of nearly 50 school closings and the effectiveness of Safe Passage.

Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett joins us to grade the first day of school.

We take a closer look at the new-look Chicago Public Schools with Andrea Zopp, a Chicago Board of Education member who voted to shutter 49 schools, the former interim CPS CEO Terry Mazany, as well as Wendy Katten of Raise Your Hand, and Jitu Brown of Journey for Justice.

Dan Parizek is a “Honeybee Rescuer." If you’ve got a beehive in the walls of your home, Dan will relocate it so it won’t be destroyed by an exterminator. With Colony Collapse Disorder destroying some 10 million beehives since 2007, Dan and others say we can’t afford to lose any more hives. Jay Shefsky has a profile. Read an article, watch a web extra video, and learn more about Colony Collapse Disorder from local scientists.

Dr. Corrie Moreau, Assistant Curator of Insects at the Field Museum and Karen Kramer Wilson, Living Invertebrate Specialist at The Chicago Academy of Sciences and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, share their thoughts on the impact of Bee Colony Collapse Disorder.

In Expecting Better, University of Chicago economics professor Emily Oster argues that much of the conventional wisdom about pregnancy isn’t supported by data. She joins us to pinpoint the most egregious myths. Read an excerpt.

We share what you had to say about McCormick Place expansion, the RTA audit of the recent severance package given to ousted Metra CEO Alex Clifford, and the recent indictment of the former Chicago comptroller for bribery and money laundering in tonight’s viewer feedback.

Joel Weisman and his panel of journalists discuss the week's top headlines.