A swath of public parkland now belongs to the Obama Presidential Library Foundation, if it chooses to locate here. We have the latest on that, and other news from Chicago City Council.

City Council takes the first step paving the way for an Obama Presidential Library on public parkland. But does it assuage the concerns of park preservationists?

Aldermanic races around the city are heating up, with candidates getting kicked off the ballot, charges of intimidation, and packed fields of contenders. With less than six weeks until the municipal election, we check in on some of the races with our panel.

Chicago may soon require many gas stations to sell gas with a higher blend of ethanol.

The minimum wage in Chicago is about to go up. A plan to increase it by about $1 each year for the next five years overwhelmingly passed City Council today, despite objections that it will force jobs out of the city, and threats from business groups that they could still undo today's action.

City of Chicago property taxes will not be going up next year, but a host of other fines and fees will as part of Mayor Rahm Emanuel's 2015 budget. City Council approved the budget today by a 46-4 vote.

A debate rages in City Council over whether or not Chicago Public Schools can recover millions lost in toxic bond deals, in light of the Chicago Tribune's investigation. Paris Schutz has the details.

Is Chicago finally ready for reform? An ordinance to put aldermen under the watch of Inspector General Joe Ferguson gets introduced today.

Today is the first day to start circulating nominating petitions in the race for mayor and City Council.

The City Council’s watchdog says he will run out of money to investigate aldermen within the next two weeks. Paris Schutz has the latest in the ongoing heated debate over who polices aldermen.

Aldermen vote to drastically reduce oversight of their campaign fundraising. Is it a sign that City Council still isn't ready for reform?

City Council members move forward on a plan to ban plastic bags at grocery stores. Paris Schutz has the latest. 

We share what you had to say about our discussion with Ald. George Cardenas on the city's proposed plastic bag ban when we read some of our viewer feedback.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel introduced an ordinance in today's Chicago City Council meeting banning new petroleum coke facilities and blocking expansion of existing facilities. The ordinance is co-sponsored by Ald. Edward Burke (14th) and Ald. John Pope (10th). Elizabeth Brackett has the details on that, and other City Council news.

Joel Weisman and his panel of journalists debate whether crying babies should dine at high-end restaurants. The hot topic was prompted by the recent tweet by Alinea owner Grant Achatz, who took to social media to share his dilemma. Also, they discuss the recent City Council action to ban e-cigarettes in restaurants. Watch the web extra video.

We speak with medical and policy specialists regarding the City Council ordinance passed Wednesday to regulate e-cigarettes as tobacco products. Read an interview.