Stories by paul caine

Yevgeny Prigozhin is pictured near a tank. (CNN)

Recently Returned From Ukraine, CEO of Rotary International Sees Wagner Mutiny as Sign of Russian Disarray

John Hewko, a Ukrainian-American, recently returned from a trip to Ukraine.  As a lawyer working in Ukraine in the early 1990s, he helped the working group drafting the country’s first post-Soviet constitution.

(WTTW News)

Week in Review: Chicago Summer Violence Surge; State Cuts to Health Care for Undocumented Residents

The search for a new police superintendent hits a snag as Chicago suffers a violent holiday weekend. NASCAR racecourse taking shape with the race one week away. And new ethics questions dog the U.S. Supreme Court.

(WTTW News)

Argonne Scientists Partner with Chicago Community Organizations to Track Climate Change Impacts

The impact of climate change is being felt across the planet in ways large and small. But it is increasingly clear that the impact of climate change is not felt equally.

(U.S. Capitol surveillance video)

UChicago Survey Finds Millions of Americans Support Violence to Achieve Political Goals

More than two and a half years after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, a new study estimates some 12 million Americans would support violence to restore former President Donald Trump to power.

(WTTW News)

Illinois Ranks First in the Nation in Units of Local Government. How Much Is Too Much?

Illinois has more units of local government than any other state. That fact has some critics asking the question: how much is too much?

Week in Review: Trump Becomes First Ex-President to Face Federal Charges; Bears Restart Stadium Dialogue with City

Donald Trump makes history as he becomes the first former U.S. president to face federal charges. That story and the other biggest news items of the week. 

More than a decade ago, the University of Chicago made quantum technology a focus in establishing the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering. (Jean Lachat / University of Chicago)

UChicago Forges ‘Quantum Alliance’ with Japan’s Tohoku University as the Transformational Technology Quickly Progresses

Quantum research and technology is fast developing but still in its infancy. However, its impact is ultimately expected to be transformational.

Urban Prep’s Englewood campus. (artistmac / Flickr)

With Charter Revoked, Urban Prep Academies Fighting for Survival

After allegations of sexual and financial misconduct, the Chicago Board of Education voted to revoke Urban Prep’s charter. The state school board denied an appeal, and a CPS takeover looks imminent.

(WTTW News)

Week in Review: Johnson’s First City Council Meeting; State Budget Deal

Officials try to clamp down on holiday weekend crime. Mayor Brandon Johnson passes first City Council test. State lawmakers have a budget — we think. And a damning report on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.

Argonne National Laboratory is pictured in May 2023. (Credit: Argonne National Laboratory)

Argonne National Laboratory’s Particle Accelerator Is a Crucial Tool for Researchers. It’s Getting an $815 Million Upgrade

Argonne National Laboratory has been at the cutting edge of molecular scale research for almost three decades. At the heart of that research is the Advanced Photon Source, a huge particle accelerator. 

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle appeared on “Chicago Tonight” on May 11, 2023. (WTTW News)

Preckwinkle Slams Texas Governor Over Continued Busing of Migrants: ‘If There’s a Hell, He’ll Go to It’

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle was unsparing in her criticism of Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott for continuing to bus thousands of migrants to Democratic cities such as Chicago and New York.

Charlie Beck appears on "Chicago Tonight" on May 9, 2023. (WTTW News)

Former Interim Top Cop Charlie Beck: CPD Needs to Embrace Consent Decree, Brown’s Leadership Came Up Short

Charlie Beck previously served as Los Angeles’ police chief and Chicago’s interim police superintendent. He said Chicago’s next top cop will need to make some big changes.

U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson appears on “Chicago Tonight” on May 4, 2023. (WTTW News)

US Rep. Jonathan Jackson Says Solution to Debt Ceiling Standoff in Speaker McCarthy’s Hands

Freshman U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson, who succeeded longtime U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush in Illinois’ 1st Congressional District, said the debt ceiling debate has already gone on too long and threatens the standing of the dollar as the world’s reserve currency.

(WTTW News)

Human Composting Could Soon Be Coming to Illinois

Most people are either buried or cremated when they die, but there is another practice that’s gaining steam. It’s called natural organic reduction or “human composting.” Illinois is poised to become the seventh state to approve the practice.

Halas Hall in Lake Forest. (Courtesy of Chicago Bears)

Bears Pass on Carter, Take Tennessee Offensive Tackle Wright in NFL Draft First Round

James “Big Cat” Williams, who played offensive tackle for the Bears from 1991 to 2002 and is co-host of the No Name Football podcast, give “Chicago Tonight” his assessment of the Bears’ draft moves.

(agilemktg1 / Flickr)

Hundreds of Thousands of Medicaid Recipients in Illinois at Risk of Losing Coverage

Emergency measures designed to ensure people didn’t lose their health care during the COVID-19 pandemic are now being phased out. People must once again prove their eligibility for the government=-backed insurance program.

An aerial rendering of a proposed Chicago Bears stadium and entertainment district in Arlington Heights. (Credit: Hart Howerton / Chicago Bears)

New Bill Aims to Jump-Start Bears Stadium Negotiations

One of the key elements of the bill is a $3 per person admission tax on all entertainment and sporting events within what the bill calls the Arlington Megaproject to help pay down debt related to the renovation of Soldier Field.

Ald. James Cappleman (46th Ward) and Ald. Harry Osterman (48th Ward) appear on “Chicago Tonight” on April 20, 2023. (WTTW News)

Outgoing Alderpeople Discuss Lightfoot Legacy, Challenges Ahead for Johnson

The last Chicago City Council meeting of this term is in the books, and for a dozen Chicago alderpeople, it was their last council meeting ever.

Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County Iris Martinez appears on “Chicago Tonight” on April 17, 2023. (WTTW News)

More Than 50 Employees at Cook County Court Clerk’s Office Leave Amid COVID-19 Fraud Probes

The employees were found to have defrauded the Paycheck Protection Program designed to help businesses stay afloat amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

(WTTW News)

Week in Review: Chicago to Host 2024 Democratic Convention; Ex-ComEd CEO Takes the Stand

Chicago nabs the 2024 DNC golden goose. Former ComEd CEO takes the stand in her own bribery trial. Cook County defendants wait years to get their cases heard. And the Blackhawks wave goodbye to Jonathan Toews.

(WTTW News)

Spotlight Politics: CEO to Testify as ‘ComEd Four’ Defense Begins; Johnson Names Transition Team

The prosecution rests its case in the corruption trial of the “ComEd Four.” The challenges facing Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson. And Chicago is named to host the DNC in 2024.

The University of Chicago’s Oriental Institute will now be known as the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures, West Asia and North Africa. (WTTW News)

The OI Gets Rebranded, Drops ‘Oriental’ From Name

“The new name is the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures, West Asia and North Africa,” said Theo van den Hout, the museum’s interim director.

Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas at campaign events. (WTTW News)

Latino Voters Overlooked by Campaigns Could Swing Mayoral Election

Latino voters could be the crucial swing vote that decides who will be Chicago’s next mayor, but according to a recent poll, many Latinos said they haven’t heard from either of the candidates ahead of Tuesday’s runoff election.

(WTTW News)

Public Safety a Top Issue for Chicago Business Leaders in Mayor’s Race

The Chicago business community has been battered a bit over the past few years — from COVID-19 closures to fleeing corporate headquarters. For many business leaders, public safety weighs heavily in the conversation about Chicago’s business future.

Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson will compete in the mayoral runoff. (WTTW)

Latest Poll Shows Chicago Mayor’s Race Too Close to Call

The race for Chicago mayor enters its final stretch. Political speechwriter, debate strategist and senior lecturer at Northwestern University Jason DeSanto breaks down the latest developments in a tightening race.

University of Chicago paleontologist Neil Shubin is gearing up for his next expedition. (Courtesy of Neil Shubin)

Chicago Paleontologist Neil Shubin Prepares for Return to the Arctic

The long-delayed trip is a return to the Canadian Arctic and an area where University of Chicago paleontologist Neil Shubin made a career-defining discovery back in 2004.