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Weekend Warmup Is Great Timing To Get Out and Enjoy Peak Fall Color

Chicagoans get to experience two seasons simultaneously this weekend: summer-like temperatures hitting the upper 70s and peak fall color.

Ex-AT&T President Pleads Not Guilty to Charges He Tried to Illegally Influence Michael Madigan

Paul La Schiazza, 65, entered the plea through his attorneys during a brief hearing Friday morning, one week after federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy and other crimes.

Bannon Gets 4 Months Behind Bars for Defying 1/6 Subpoena

Steve Bannon, a longtime ally of former President Donald Trump, was convicted in July of two counts of contempt of Congress: one for refusing to sit for a deposition and the other for refusing to provide documents.

Online School Put US Kids Behind. Some Adults Have Regrets.

There are fears for the futures of students who don’t catch up. They run the risk of never learning to read, long a precursor for dropping out of school. They might never master simple algebra, putting science and tech fields out of reach. The pandemic decline in college attendance could continue to accelerate, crippling the U.S. economy.

Oct. 20, 2022 - Full Show

Proposed changes to the SAFE-T Act gather momentum. The future of the financial district. New guidance for detecting anxiety in kids. With winter comes road salt — and some ecological problems.

‘Chicago Tonight’ In Your Neighborhood: City Aiming to Breathe Life Into Financial District

As firms and other businesses have started locating their offices in other parts of town, and with the massive shift in work patterns driven by COVID-19, the eight-block stretch has become home to more vacancies than any other part of downtown. Now, the city has an ambitious plan to spur development.

US Health Panel Recommends Kids Ages 8 and Older Be Screened For Anxiety

In another move signaling the nation’s ongoing mental health crisis, a national panel of health care professionals is recommending all kids get screened for anxiety, starting as young as 8 years old.

Chicago Photographer Captured Communal Magic of City Festivals

What do the Greek Independence Day Parade, the Bud Billiken Parade and the Mexican Civic Society Parade all have in common, aside from being parades of course? Well, they were all photographed by Greek photographer Diane Alexander White.

Changes Likely to SAFE-T Act as State’s Attorneys Raise Concerns

Changes are coming to the SAFE-T Act, the new law that, among many other things, does away with cash bail starting in the new year. It's become a political flashpoint in the race for governor and took center stage at the last debate.

Police Board Will Consider Firing Officer Who Shot Adam Toledo Over Top Cop’s Objection

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability, known as COPA, recommended that Officer Eric Stillman be fired for shooting Toledo in the instant that the 13-year-old turned toward him and put his hands in the air, according to the video of the incident.

7 Chicago-Area Residents Charged in $16M COVID Relief Scheme

Feds allege they used shell companies to draw CARES Act funds

According to a 33-count indictment, the defendants paid to have previously dissolved businesses reincorporated in order to use them as shell companies through which they could apply for small business loans and grants under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.

Truss Quits, but UK's Political and Economic Turmoil Linger

Truss became the third Conservative prime minister to be toppled in as many years, extending the instability that has shaken Britain since it broke off from the European Union and leaving its leadership in limbo as the country faces a cost-of-living crisis and looming recession.

The Great Lakes' Lowly Sucker Is Now Swimming in the Big Leagues, Research-Wise, Thanks to a Shedd Scientist's Constant Efforts

Shedd researcher Karen Murchie has been singing the praises of suckers for years in service of drawing more attention to the overlooked fish. Now the broader scientific community is taking note. 

Oct. 19, 2022 - Full Show

Federal student loan forgiveness applications are open. Our Spotlight politics team breaks down last night’s gubernatorial debate. Comedian and actor Jeff Garlin joins us. And the author of the book “Black Skinhead.”

Chicagoans Have Been Engaging in Protest of Iranian Regime

Human rights groups say more than 100 people have been killed in Iran since the death of a 22-year-old woman who was in the custody of police. Iranian Americans in Chicago have a message they want everyone to hear: “Stand with Iranian women.”

New Book Explores Perspectives of Black Voters Disillusioned With Democratic Party

Black Americans have historically been the most reliable voting block for the Democratic Party for decades. But in her book, “Black Skinhead: Reflections on Blackness and Our Political Future,” Chicago native and Harvard research director Brandi Collins-Dexter says the picture is much more nuanced.

Investors ‘Exploiting’ Illinois’ Property Tax Law at Expense of Black, Latino Communities: Study

Thanks to a “little-known loophole,” hedge funds, private equity firms and real estate investors have “siphoned” approximately $280 million from schools, parks, libraries, fire departments and other government agencies between September 2015 and September 2022 in Cook County. 

Comedian and Actor Jeff Garlin on His ‘Goldbergs’ Departure, Mental Health and Next Steps

Comedian and actor Jeff Garlin is back home in Chicago. He’ll be appearing at the Chicago Humanities Festival this weekend for an event titled “Jeff Garlin: Our Man in Chicago.”

Spotlight Politics: Pritzker and Bailey Spar in Final Debate Before Election

The final debate in the race for governor turns out to be short on substance but high on name-calling. Our politics team weighs in on that story and more.

Everything to Know to Apply for Student Loan Forgiveness

Borrowers who apply before mid-November should see forgiveness before Jan. 1, when payments on loans are scheduled to restart after a pause during the pandemic.

Illinois Takes Center Stage in Battle Over Union Rights Vote

With U.S. union ranks swelling as everyone from coffee shop baristas to warehouse workers seeks to organize, Illinois voters will decide next month whether to amend their state constitution to guarantee the right to bargain collectively.

Chicago Police Warn of Numerous Armed Robberies Stemming From Online Marketplace Scam

According to a community alert issued by Chicago police, there have been 19 such robberies reported — many of which have occurred in the 6700 block of South Elizabeth Street — between July and October.

Biden to Release 15M Barrels From Oil Reserve, More Possible

The president will also open the door to additional releases this winter in an effort to keep prices down. But administration officials would not detail how much the president would be willing to tap, nor by how much they want domestic production to increase to end the withdrawals.

Oct. 18, 2022 - Full Show

Chicago’s top doc on upping the vaccine booster rate. Why Mayor Lori Lightfoot is sitting on federal COVID relief money. A look at why Cook County Forest Preserves is asking voters for a small tax hike. And Hedy Weiss reviews new productions.

After 2-Year Hiatus, 'The Catacombs' Haunted House Prepares to Scare Again

The tunnel of gory scenes snaking through the northwest side church basement is one of, if not the, longest-running haunted house experiences in Chicago. What began in 1979 with just a few classic horror characters in the St. Pascal’s boiler room has transmogrified into a 15-minute tour of terror run entirely by volunteers in support of the parish school.

Theater Critic Hedy Weiss on Must-See Plays, Ballet Program

Hedy Weiss joins “Chicago Tonight” to preview a new program from Joffrey Ballet, Goodman Theater’s production of “Swing Stat” and to recap the Joseph Jefferson Awards. 
 

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