It was his 75th birthday. Hundreds attended a VIP event featuring music, belly dancers, and speakers honoring Ed Paschke's life’s work. The public opening of the Ed Paschke Art Center in Jefferson Park drew thousands from the neighborhood. Ed Paschke was celebrated in style. The only thing was, he wasn’t there. Paschke died suddenly about a decade earlier. 

After years of decline, water levels in Lake Michigan are on the upswing. However, the recent surge in water levels has environmental experts warning that extreme weather requires improved infrastructure and a new long-term view of how we manage our water systems.

The American Institute of Architecture releases its third edition of the “AIA Guide to Chicago.” We explore how the city's architecture has evolved and whether Chicago remains as one of the leading cities in architecture.

We share what you had to say about recent stories when we read some of our viewer feedback.

Police Supt. Garry McCarthy says his force "lost it" this weekend, and he’s trying to figure out why. Paris Schutz has the reaction from a deadly Fourth of July weekend.

On Thursday, July 3, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled 6-1 that subsidized health care benefits of retired state employees are protected by the state. We discuss the decision and its implications with a panel of experts.

We take a look at a new book that sheds light on one of the most horrific plane crashes, 25 years after the accident. 

In four years since Illinois passed an adoption law, more than 10,000 adult adoptees have received their original birth certificates.

Chicago chefs are rallying against the use of antibiotics in livestock. We revisit the discussion we had with our panel about what this means for city consumers and diners.

No more pencils, but plenty of books. With summer underway and the holiday weekend ahead, we revisit our discussion of hot reads for the season with our literary panel.

July 1 was V-Day in Chicago. Ventra is the only pre-paid fare system for all CTA buses and trains. We'll tell you what riders think of Ventra more than six months after its botched rollout.

CPS officials say they will close a massive budget gap this year with an accounting change that will result in a $650 million windfall. Paris Schutz has more on how that works and reaction from the teacher’s union.