Stories by Amanda Vinicky

Chicago students returned to their classrooms this week, but there are early signs they could be back on break come early October. Our politics team takes on that story and more in our weekly roundtable.

Organic gardener Jeanne Nolan and chef Nicole Putzel show us what’s possible (and delicious) for local gardeners – even if you don’t have much space.

The new Clean Water Workforce Pipeline program will train workers for water-related jobs, such as those required for treating wastewater and replacing lead pipes. 

What if instead of hailing a cab or a private car to get to O’Hare or Midway from downtown Chicago, you could hail an airplane? Geoffrey Baer is here with the story of a company that once offered that very service. 

The battle over the massive $6 billion Lincoln Yards development is far from over. We discuss the controversial project with Aneel Chablani, chief counsel of the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, and 2nd Ward Ald. Brian Hopkins.

Street festivals, retro tunes, cultural celebrations, opera under the stars and a jump in the river usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

Are the Bears’ kicking woes a thing of the past? Former Bears offensive lineman and WTTW News football analyst James “Big Cat” Williams kicks off the season with a preview of the Bears-Packers showdown.

This fall, students at the Illinois Institute of Technology will be among the first in the country to have the option of pursuing an undergraduate degree in AI. Aron Culotta, director of the new program, tells us more.

Watch the Sept. 4, 2019 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

Attorneys for the former “Empire” actor claim that simply filing a police report doesn’t typically result in an investigation as extensive as the one Chicago police undertook earlier this year, which cost $130,000.

A day after the most powerful hurricane on record ever to hit the country finished mauling the islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama, emergency workers had yet to reach some stricken areas.

A judge has set an April 27, 2020 trial date in R. Kelly’s federal case in Chicago that accuses the R&B star of child pornography and obstruction of justice.

Walmart has won praise from gun control advocates for its decision to discontinue sales of certain gun ammunition and request that customers no longer openly carry firearms in its stores. But whether the moves will translate into fewer guns on the street remains an open question.

Facebook says it is ending its practice of using face recognition software to identify users’ friends in uploaded photos and automatically suggesting they “tag” them. Facebook was sued in Illinois over the feature.

He’s been playing the guitar for as long as he can remember. The musical journey that’s led Isaiah Sharkey to share the stage with some of the world’s most prominent stars.

A new office aims to examine policy with equity and racial justice in mind. We speak with Candace Moore, who is leading the office.

City Council members are still digesting Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s “State of the City” address, in which she revealed an $838 million budget shortfall. We get reaction from Alds. Raymond Lopez and Nicholas Sposato.

On Tuesday, Chicago Public Schools will welcome the inaugural class of students to Englewood STEM High School, 18 months after the district voted to close four other local high schools.

What is the connection between mental health, trauma and Chicago’s high homicide rate? A new book by Jonathan Foiles aims to answer that question.

A Mexican artist who died 100 years ago still influences popular culture. Inside the exhibit “Jose Guadalupe Posada: Legendary Printmaker of Mexico.”

Chicago photographer Brad Temkin offers a rare look at the hidden network of tunnels and infrastructure designed to deliver water, including Chicago’s 109-mile Deep Tunnel.

As highly animated as the show might be, “Lil Pine Nut: The Learning Curve of Pinocchio” is no Disney-style version of a universally popular story. 

Watch the Sept. 3, 2019 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

Hurricane Dorian pounded away at the Bahamas for a day and a half, devastating thousands of homes, trapping people and crippling hospitals. Atmospheric scientist Scott Collis of Argonne National Laboratory weighs in.

Wealthy businessman and Chicago pastor Willie Wilson announced Tuesday he’ll run as an independent against U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin. “As an independent Democrat I want to go into the belly of the beast in Washington, D.C.,” Wilson said.

More than 40 people were shot in Chicago, eight fatally, over Labor Day weekend. Despite that, police say the total number of shootings and murders for August are at their lowest point since 2011.