Stories by Amanda Vinicky
Chicago Police Consent Decree Approaches 1-Year Anniversary
| Amanda Vinicky
At a community meeting Thursday in Humboldt Park, several dozen people spoke about their interactions with police. Sunday marks one year since a consent decree governing the department’s conduct took effect.
Meet the ‘Mystery Man’ Behind Blago’s Commutation
| Paris Schutz
Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich referred to Mark Vargas as the “mystery man” that led the effort to get him out of prison. But who is he? And why did he want to take on that case?
Fired Leaders of Lincoln Park High School Speak Out
| Paul Caine
Former school administrators John Thuet and Michelle Brumfield were ousted amid “multiple allegations of serious misconduct.” But in an exclusive interview with “Chicago Tonight,” they say CPS has told them nothing about those allegations.
Million-Dollar Comics: Collector of Rare Comic Books in Chicago for C2E2
| Marc Vitali
With a comic convention in town this weekend, we welcome comic book dealer Vincent Zurzolo – and his million-dollar collection.
Ask Geoffrey: The Old Kenwood ‘L’ Line
| Quinn Myers
Chicago’s “L” lines are today operated by the centralized Chicago Transit Authority. But for many years, private companies actually ran and managed individual branches. Geoffrey Baer has the story of one of them.
Black Fire Brigade Offers Free Training for EMTs, Paramedics and Firefighters
| Jay Shefsky
The Chicago Fire Department has long been overwhelmingly white, but that’s changing, in part due to discrimination lawsuits and, more recently, with the help of group that mentors and trains young first responders.
Cook County Jail Inmates Develop Plans for Business – and Life
| Brandis Friedman
If you needed to build a business, how quickly could you pull together a plan? What if you had to do it without access to the internet? These men did just that – in an atypical setting. Here’s how.
Jordan Peele’s ‘Candyman’ Trailer Has Dropped. Can You Spot the Chicago Locations?
| Patty Wetli
A “spiritual sequel” to the 1992 horror flick of the same name, “Candyman” filmed all around Chicago last summer and fall. Anything look familiar?
Crain’s Headlines: McDonald’s Fulton Market HQ for Sale
| WTTW News
Chicago real estate developer Sterling Bay is looking to cash out on the fast-food giant’s headquarters.
February 27, 2020 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Watch the Feb. 27, 2020 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”
Learn All About Raising Backyard Chickens, Bees, Goats and More at Urban Livestock Expo
| Patty Wetli
A family friendly expo Saturday offers workshops, a resource fair and more for those curious about raising livestock in the city.
About 40% of US Adults Are Obese, Government Survey Finds
| Associated Press
About 4 in 10 American adults are obese, and nearly 1 in 10 is severely so, government researchers said Thursday.
Prosecutors Reject Plea Deal in Case of Slain Chicago Police Cmdr. Paul Bauer
| Matt Masterson
Jury selection is underway in the trial of a 46-year-old man charged with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Paul Bauer, a 31-year police veteran near the Thompson Center in 2018.
Jimmy John’s Sprouts Linked to E. Coli Infections
| Kristen Thometz
Clover sprouts served at Jimmy John’s restaurants have been linked with an E. coli outbreak that has sickened 14 people in five states, including six people in Illinois. The company said it is no longer serving sprouts.
CPS Board OKs Change to Indigenous Peoples Day; Citywide Ordinance Languishes
| Patty Wetli
Members of Chicago’s Native American community were surprised in the best kind of way on Wednesday when the Chicago Board of Education approved the change of Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day in its school calendar.
Lee Phillip Bell, Co-Creator of Popular Soaps, Dies at 91
| Associated Press
Lee Phillip Bell, who co-created “The Young and the Restless” and “The Bold and the Beautiful” and hosted her own daytime talk show in Chicago for 33 years, has died. She was 91.
Trump Urges Calm Even as US Reports Worrisome New Virus Case
| Associated Press
President Donald Trump declared that a widespread U.S. outbreak of the new respiratory virus sweeping the globe isn’t inevitable even as top health authorities at his side warned Americans that more infections are coming.
Coronavirus Rattles Markets: What it Means for the Economy
| Alexandra Silets
Global stock markets lost more than $3 trillion in value this week as investors fled amid growing concerns of a coronavirus pandemic. So what’s the outlook for the U.S. economy?
Spotlight Politics: Countdown to the March 17 Primary
| Paris Schutz
In less than three weeks, Illinois voters will go to the polls. Will the state have a big role in weeding out the Democratic presidential field? And how will the contentious race for Cook County state’s attorney shake out?
Immigrant Seeking Asylum Finds ‘Second Mom’ in High School Counselor
| Amanda Vinicky
We meet an immigrant teen seeking asylum, and the suburban community that’s lending a hand.
Search for ET Gets Boost From a Very Special Telescope
| Paul Caine
Are we really alone in the universe? A new effort to search for extraterrestrial life is underway.
CPS: Watchdog Report Highlights Need for Standardized Test Improvements
| Brandis Friedman
Whether or not Chicago Public Schools students are gaming a standardized test system was the topic of debate during Wednesday’s CPS board meeting.
Chinese Artworks Share Thoughtful Approach to Uncommon Materials
| Marc Vitali
Spectacular artwork from China fills not one, but two Chicago museums. We visit the Smart Museum of Art and Wrightwood 659 for a look at “The Allure of Matter.”
Keep Scooters Off Sidewalks, Aldermen Say, as Second Pilot Ramps Up
| Nick Blumberg
At a hearing Wednesday, Chicago aldermen voiced their concerns and hopes for the city’s second round of electric scooter testing that’s expected to kick off this summer.
10 Things to Do This Weekend: Feb. 27-March 1
| Kristen Thometz
Superheroes and villains, an icy dip in the lake, backyard chickens and winter ales usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.
House Makes Lynching a Federal Crime, 65 Years After Emmett Till
| Associated Press
Sixty-five years after 14-year-old Emmett Till was lynched in Mississippi, the House has approved legislation designating lynching as a hate crime under federal law.
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