Stories by Alexandra Silets

A new ordinance has been introduced in City Council to severely reduce farm animal adoption in Chicago. We discuss the proposal with Ald. Raymond Lopez and Laura Calvert of Advocates for Urban Agriculture.

Albert Woodfox was held in solitary confinement for decades in Louisiana before his release in 2016. Now, he’s written a book about his experiences. He joins us to discuss “Solitary.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has honed in on another powerful elected official from Chicago, but it isn’t saying why.

Two groundbreaking novels – E.M. Forster’s “Howards End” and D. H. Lawrence’s “Sons and Lovers” – are currently receiving world premiere productions on Chicago stages. And despite their creation more than a century ago, they remain exceptionally timely.

Although proficient on a number of instruments including guitar, violin, cello and trumpet, Robert Hunter, whose songs included such classics as “Truckin’” and ‘‘Uncle John’s Band,” never appeared on stage with the Grateful Dead.

Watch the Sept. 24, 2019 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

Less than 1% of Chicago crosswalks have accessible pedestrian signals. A new lawsuit filed against the city claims that’s indicative of a “systemic failure.”

The number of vaping-related illnesses in the U.S. could soon climb much higher, a public health official said Tuesday.

After the Chicago Bears’ offense was slow to get going this season, Mitchell Trubisky was excited to speed things up.

It’s Banned Books Week, an annual event organized by the Chicago-based American Library Association to highlight the threat of censorship. Find out which books were challenged most in 2018.

In a recent op-ed published in the Chicago Sun-Times, Ald. Anthony Beale outlined his frustrations with Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Beale joins “Chicago Tonight” in conversation.

U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley announces $100 million in federal funding for a major Chicago Transit Authority project. The most visible portion of the project – the Belmont Avenue flyover – is scheduled to begin within days. 

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has been critical of the vaping industry, and now Illinois lawmakers are considering statewide action.

A suburban high school district that’s faced years of court battles over equal locker room access is considering a big policy change.

North America’s skies are lonelier and quieter as nearly 3 billion fewer wild birds soar in the air than in 1970, a comprehensive study shows.

Steady rain throughout much of the spring led to the state’s worst flooding in more than 25 years, according to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. More than two dozen counties can now apply for federal funding to help with recovery efforts.

President Donald Trump made his political priorities clear Monday within an hour of arriving at the United Nations for a three-day visit: He breezed by a major climate change summit to focus instead on religious persecution.

Watch the Sept. 23, 2019 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

Michael Blackman, 45, was charged Monday with five counts of attempted murder. He remains hospitalized after he was shot multiple times by arresting officers over the weekend.

The planet is getting hotter, and tackling that climate peril will grab the spotlight as world leaders gather for their annual meeting at the United Nations this week.

A man suspected of shooting and wounding a Chicago police officer on Saturday and of being the bicyclist who shot a woman in broad daylight near downtown days earlier has been captured, police said.

Magnificent. That is the most fitting description of Thursday evening’s program at Symphony Center that marked the start of Maestro Riccardo Muti’s 10th season as music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

The mayor proposes to exclude marijuana sales in the Loop. A proposed ban on e-cigarettes leads to a testy debate in City Council. Climate change prompts a massive walkout. And the Cubs’ playoff hopes are on life support.

Some 2,200 nurses at the University of Chicago Medical Center walked off the job Friday, citing staffing shortages and forced overtime. “The reason we are striking is for our patient safety and our staff safety,” said one nurse from the picket line.

Protesters marched from Grant Park to Federal Plaza on Friday to demand action on climate change. The youth-led event was one of several in Chicago, and one of many dozens throughout the world. 

President Donald Trump irritably defended himself Friday against an intelligence whistleblower’s potentially explosive complaint, including an allegation of wrongdoing in a reported private conversation Trump had with a foreign leader.