Stories by WTTW News

Crain’s Headlines: Tribune Stock Soars After Alden Global Purchase

Tribune Publishing stock soared as much as 15% Wednesday after Alden Global, a hedge fund known for making deep cuts to newsrooms, bought out Tribune’s largest stockholder.

World Record Attempt: 31 Hours In, Hula-Hooper is Sore But Optimistic

Jenny Doan is planning to hula-hoop for 100 hours straight in order to break the Guinness World Record. We check in with her 31 hours into the challenge. “It’s been tiring,” said the 29-year-old Wicker Park resident.

State Board of Education Calls for End to Student Isolation Following Investigation

An emergency action from the state board of education comes a day after a Tribune-ProPublica investigation revealed thousands of cases in which schools put students into seclusion. We speak with two of the reporters behind that story.

November 20, 2019 - Full Show

Watch the Nov. 20, 2019 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

10 Things to Do This Weekend: Nov. 21-24

Holiday lights, art fairs, new toys and hot rods usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

Smollett Says He Was Maliciously Prosecuted in Counterclaim Against City

Former “Empire” star Jussie Smollett has filed a federal counterclaim against the city of Chicago claiming he owes the city no more money and was maliciously prosecuted for the alleged hoax attack police say he orchestrated on himself.

AMA Calls for Total Ban on All E-Cigarette, Vaping Products

The group adopted the sweeping stance at a policy-making meeting in San Diego. It aims to lobby for state and federal laws, regulations or legal action to achieve a ban, but the industry is sure to fight back.

Sondland Faces Tough Questions About Trump and Ukraine

Ambassador Gordon Sondland, the most anticipated witness in the impeachment inquiry, will confront questions Wednesday about his evolving accounts of the Trump administration’s dealings with Ukraine. Watch live.

Chicago Dance Companies Unite for Black Dance Legacy Project

Eight of the city’s most prominent dance companies are coming together for a one-night-only concert this week with a single mission: to celebrate the legacy of black dance in Chicago.

NYT Reporters Reveal New Details in ‘The Education of Brett Kavanaugh’

A new book from reporters Robin Pogrebin and Kate Kelly offers a detailed look at Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh a year after his tumultuous Senate testimony.

Housing Department Launches Affordability Task Force

For the first time in over a decade, Chicago has a stand-alone Department of Housing dedicated to providing affordable options for city residents. How that department plans to increase affordable housing and fight segregation. 

Local Nun Leads Chicago Marathon Team

In college, Stephanie Baliga was the sixth-fastest freshman in the nation. Now 31, the local nun is still running, but her goal isn’t the Olympics. It’s raising money for the religious community she serves.

Takeaways From Day 3 of House Impeachment Hearings

A career Army officer. A career foreign service official. Both had a consistent message during Day 3 of the House impeachment inquiry, and each was troubled by the phone call between President Donald Trump and the president of Ukraine. 

Grading Local Government: City Bureau Releases ‘Open Gov Report Card’

How transparent is local government? See which agencies made the grade in a new report from nonprofit journalism lab City Bureau. Reporter Sarah Conway tells us more.

Crain’s Headlines: Fresh Start for Iconic Cosmetics Brand Fashion Fair

A group of familiar faces has bought Fashion Fair out of bankruptcy for nearly $2 million. The iconic cosmetics brand designed for women of color is now owned by two former Johnson Publishing executives and the CEO of Magnetar Capital.

Trump Backing Off Banning Vaping Flavors Popular with Teens

Two weeks ago, President Trump was poised to give final approval to a plan that would ban most flavored e-cigarettes, but he has since backed off after hearing a ban could alienate some voters, according to White House and campaign officials.

Expungement Request Denied for Ex-CPD Detective Dante Servin in Rekia Boyd Case

The family of Rekia Boyd erupted into applause Tuesday after a judge denied a request from the man who was charged and acquitted in her killing – a former Chicago police detective – to expunge any record of his criminal case from the public’s view.

‘The Wickhams’ Puts a Beguiling Twist on a Jane Austen Sequel

Northlight Theatre’s production of “The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley” has a playfully feminist spirit that Jane Austen surely would have appreciated, but it also remains true to its Regency era mentality. 

Chicago to Offer Free Home Nursing Services to Families with Newborns

A new initiative called Family Connects Chicago will provide free home nursing services to families with newborns, offering “support that is so vital in those first few weeks of a baby’s life,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Tuesday.

November 19, 2019 - Full Show

Watch the Nov. 19, 2019 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx Will Seek Re-Election in 2020

In her first campaign ad for 2020, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx acknowledges missteps in the Jussie Smollett case and calls out critics like President Donald Trump and the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police.

White House Officials to Kick Off Big Trump Impeachment Week

Two top national security aides who listened to President Donald Trump’s July call with Ukraine’s president are preparing to testify Tuesday at House impeachment hearings as the inquiry reaches deeper into the White House. Watch live.

Race to Replace: Who Will Be the Next Illinois Senate President?

Senators have been scrambling since Senate President John Cullerton made a surprise announcement that he’ll resign in the new year, leaving vacant one of the most powerful positions in state politics.

Shedding Light on Sundown Towns: ProPublica Illinois Investigates

The term “sundown town” is familiar to many African Americans. A new ProPublica Illinois story examines the legacy of one sundown town in Southern Illinois named Anna.

Slow Start on Reform at the Chicago Police Department

An independent federal monitor tasked with overseeing the reform of the Chicago Police Department says the department is already falling behind on its efforts. Is this a sign of growing pains or the sheer difficulty of changing the police department?

The Pros and Cons of New Health Care Price Transparency Rule

The Trump administration aims to make prices more transparent when it comes to medical services – but could it also raise the cost of care?
 

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