A Chicago Public Schools program that gets students into better colleges and helps them stay there is expanding. Elizabeth Brackett has the story.

Despite ongoing negotiations, WTTW11 has learned the Chicago Teachers Union plans to take a strike authorization vote next week. School reform advocates say this would circumvent state law. Elizabeth Brackett has this Chicago Tonight exclusive.

Chicago's homicide rate is up nearly 50 percent from last year at this time. What can be done to deter the escalating violence? Elizabeth Brackett and her guests discuss the issue.

He grew up the son of a New York city doorman, and was brought to Chicago as an outsider. Elizabeth Brackett takes a look back at how Patrick Fitzgerald got here.

Chicago aldermen have a better pension deal than city police, firefighters and other city workers. We hear about these generous pensions, reported by WGN and the Chicago Tribune.  

The car of the future, the all-electric Think car was supposed to bring Elkhart, Indiana's battered economy back. Instead, it's the old-fashioned RV that has turned the economy around. Elizabeth Brackett reports.

Lon Monk, top aide and close friend of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is sentenced for his role in the Blagojevich corruption scandals. Elizabeth Brackett reports.

Illinois voters are weighing in on presidential nominees in the Republican primary, and congressional and legislative races. Elizabeth Brackett reports.

Rod Blagojevich addresses a throng of reporters and supporters before heading off to Colorado on Thursday to begin serving a 14-year prison sentence. Elizabeth Brackett reports.

The University of Illinois Board of Trustees held an emergency meeting to discuss recent questions that have arisen about the job performance of Michael Hogan, president of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Elizabeth Brackett reports.

Despite pleas from the teachers union, school activists and parents, the Chicago School Board approved plans to turnaround, phase out or close 17 Chicago Public Schools. Elizabeth Brackett reports.

The mayor wants to save money by putting fewer firefighters on a truck,  but firefighters say that would compromise safety. Elizabeth Brackett and her panel take up the issue.

Elizabeth Brackett and her panel of journalists discuss the week's top headlines.

We meet two men playing in the ice sheets of Lake Michigan in Hyde Park on their daily swim. Elizabeth Brackett reports.

Chicago protesters file for permits to demonstrate against the G-8/NATO summits. But some of the "temporary" rules appear to be permanent. Elizabeth Brackett reports.

Suburban poverty has exploded over the last 10 years. Census data now shows there are more poor people in the suburbs in the Chicago metropolitan area than in the city. Elizabeth Brackett looks at what that means for the newly poor, and for the public and private agencies trying to meet their rising needs.