Michael Madigan, who served as speaker of the Illinois House for 36 years, led a criminal enterprise disguised as a political organization that was devoted to enriching himself and his associates, prosecutors alleged Wednesday.

Previewing President Biden’s State of the Union during an international crisis. Plus, the latest from Ukraine, Chicago’s history storing Nike missiles on the lakefront, celebrating paczki day and more.

Russian forces stepped up their attacks on crowded urban areas Tuesday, bombarding the central square in Ukraine’s second-biggest city and Kyiv’s main TV tower in what the country’s president called a blatant campaign of terror.

Geoffrey Baer joined “Chicago Tonight” for this week’s Ask Geoffrey, about old Nike missile bases in Chicago.

A library filled with collections of people’s stories is coming to life in a new podcast series called “Unboxing Queer History.”

Cook County is now at the lowest level of COVID-19 risk, under new guidance set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Both locally and nationally, carjackings are on the rise. In Chicago, they have tripled over the last decade, according to the Cook County sheriff’s office. Other cities including New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. have also seen similar upticks.

Facing disquiet at home and danger abroad, President Joe Biden will deliver his first State of the Union address at a precipitous moment for the nation, aiming to navigate the country out of a pandemic, reboot his stalled domestic agenda and confront Russia’s aggression.

An embattled Ukraine moved to solidify its bond with the West on Monday by signing an application to join the European Union, while the first round of Ukraine-Russia talks aimed at ending the fighting concluded with no immediate agreements.

Illinois and Chicago go maskless. Plus, the latest on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and heightened nuclear tensions, inside the local effort to unionize Amazon workers, and a local study connects better sleep with weight loss.

New reports from insurance company State Farm signal just how much the pandemic has upended the auto insurance industry; the Old Post Office welcomes another tenant; and the St. Regis tower sees its highest-priced sale so far.

In Chicago, a group of workers called Amazonians United Chicagoland says it’s seen success from its organizing efforts. 

Getting a full night’s sleep could help one lose weight, according to a recent study by University of Chicago and University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers.