Stories by taurean small

The Silver Lining in Breast Cancer

Hollye Jacobs was a nurse, social worker and child development specialist, when she found herself moving into the role of a patient. We look at her journey through surviving breast cancer and her new book, The Silver Lining, a supportive guide to help other cancer survivors. Read book excerpts, view a slideshow, and read an interview with the book's photographer.

Weekend Events Around Town: 4/18 - 4/20

An Easter-themed party, a photography class and classic musical; Chicago Tonight knows what’s going on this weekend.

"The Sound of Music"

Rodgers and Hammerstein hit the opera house when Lyric Opera stages The Sound of Music. We hear from two stars and get an in-studio performance of “Climb Ev’ry Mountain.” Read an interview with the actress who plays Maria in the musical, Jenn Gambatese.

Rep. Quigley on Ukraine, Minimum Wage & More

Rep. Mike Quigley talks with Carol Marin about the situation in Ukraine, minimum wage, the upcoming Senate election, and more. View a timeline of Rep. Quigley's career.

Chef Rick Bayless Ramps Up for Spring

Chef and restaurateur Rick Bayless stops by to share some delicious springtime dishes. Check out two recipes and view a behind-the-scenes slideshow.

"The Trials of Muhammad Ali"

A documentary airing on WTTW11 Monday titled The Trials of Muhammad Ali profiles the boxing legend's years in exile and court fight for freedom. Director Bill Siegel joins us. View a timeline of Ali's career.

Weekend Events Around Town: 4/11 - 4/13

ReptileFest, a women's film festival, and a fashion show; Chicago Tonight knows what’s going on this weekend.

ReptileFest

ReptileFest returns to the University of Illinois at Chicago this weekend, bringing with it hundreds of species of reptiles and amphibians from all over the world. Chicago Herpetological Society president John Archer and "Frog Lady" Deb Krohn visit our studios to give us a preview of some of the creatures we can expect to see this weekend. View an interactive graphic and behind-the-scenes slideshow of reptiles.

Ambulance Shortage

The Chicago City Council has ordered the Chicago Fire Department to investigate an apparent shortage of ambulances and paramedics. We talk with former Chicago firefighter Ald. Nick Sposato (36th) about the order. Read an interview with Better Government Association investigative reporter Patrick Rehkamp about the implications of fewer ambulances in the city.

Energy Tech Startups

We sit down with Jason Blumberg, CEO of the Energy Foundry, a venture capital fund established as part of the $3.2 billion smart grid law that aims to invest in technology companies that will transform the energy landscape. Read an interview with Samir Mayekar, Co-Founder and CEO of SiNode Systems.

Weekend Events Around Town: 4/4 - 4/6

A festival of colors, a spring craft show, and a canine carnival; Chicago Tonight knows what’s going on this weekend.

"Marketing on the Moon"

When Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon's surface on July 20, 1969, it was one of the biggest news stories of all time about an event that forever changed mankind. But how was our understanding of that event shaped? A new book, Marketing the Moon, tells the behind-the-scenes story of how those missions were marketed to Americans and the world. One of the book's authors Richard Jurek joins us. Read an interview, view a slideshow of images, and watch web extra video of the Apollo 11 mission.

Millennials and Money

We talk with Charisse Conanan Johnson of Smarteys and Martin Dasko of Studenomics to find out the financial woes that are facing today’s young people. View a graphic of data on credit card debt, student loans and unemployment for millennials in Illinois.

David Miliband

Former British Foreign Secretary David Miliband joins us to discuss his life in politics and his new job as chief of the International Rescue Committee. View a timeline of Miliband's political career.

Aspire of Illinois

An innovative training program in suburban Chicago helps individuals with developmental disabilities enter the workforce. We visit Aspire of Illinois to get a firsthand look at its Career Link program. Read an interview with an Aspire candidate's mother about how the program has changed her son's life.

Lake Michigan Oil Spill

BP says all the oil  from last week's spill is now cleaned up. But activists worry about the possibility of future spills. Elizabeth Brackett has the latest details. View a graphic on the Lake Michigan oil spill compared to the 10 biggest U.S. oil spills by volume.

Weekend Events Around Town: 3/28 - 3/30

A nature exhibit, a World's Fair Show and an iconic musical; Chicago Tonight knows what’s going on this weekend.

Babe Ruth’s “Called Shot”

One of the most famous home runs in baseball history is also one of the most controversial. In the 1932 World Series between the Cubs and the Yankees, Babe Ruth came to bat with the score tied. As Cubs players and fans taunted him, Ruth is said to have pointed to centerfield and then hit a 500-foot home run to that very spot. Did he call his shot? If not, how did the story get going? Chicago sportswriter Ed Sherman has written a new book on the legendary baseball moment. He joins us. Read an interview with Sherman, an excerpt from the book, and watch a Chicago Stories episode about "The Called Shot."

College Football Allowed to Unionize

The National Labor Relations Board ruled that Northwestern University football players are employees and can unionize. Sports attorney and IIT Chicago-Kent adjunct professor Eldon L. Ham joins us to talk about the NLRB ruling. Read an interview with Chicago Sun-Times Sports Columnist and former Northwestern University football player Rick Telander about the ruling.

Web Extra: Tips for Unemployed Workers

Read an interview with Darryl Lane, Senior Talent Acquisition Lead at Skills for Chicagoland’s Future, about employment tips, and view a graph of Chicago’s unemployment rate compared with state and national levels.

PTSD Service Dog

Vietnam veteran Lon Hodge struggled for years with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder until he got a PTSD service dog named Gander. Lon says that Gander has saved his life. Now, Lon and Gander help other vets and work to raise awareness about PTSD, veteran suicide and service dogs. We revisit Jay Shefsky's profile. Read an interview with Fran Menley, Service Dog Trainer at Freedom Service Dogs of America, about how they rescue, train and pair dogs with veterans and people with disabilities.

Weekend Events Around Town: 3/21 - 3/23

A magic show, an art exhibit and a spring food tasting event; Chicago Tonight knows what’s going on this weekend.

"One Doctor"

Dr. Brendan Reilly describes himself as a dinosaur in the medical field, and in his new book One Doctor: Close Calls, Cold Cases and The Mysteries of Medicine, he tells the stories of some of his most memorable patients, the changes that have taken place in practicing medicine, and why he’s a dying breed. He shares all that and unveils the mysteries of medicine. Read an article and a book excerpt.

Legislative Term Limits

As we race closer to the November election, one item that’s being pushed to be on the ballot is legislative term limits. Joining us to discuss the pros and cons of term limits and how they work are Director of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs Chris Mooney and UIC Political Science Professor Dick Simpson. Read an interview and view a map on term limits in the United States.

Hedy Weiss: Theater Reviews

Chicago Sun-Times Theater Critic Hedy Weiss reviews plays currently on Chicago area stages. Watch web extra video reviews.

"My Florence: Photographs by Art Shay"

The dean of Chicago photojournalists, Art Shay, shares pictures of his beloved wife Florence, who died in 2012 after 67 years of marriage. We revisit a preview of the exhibit, My Florence: Photographs by Art Shay. Read an interview with Ann Nathan, a gallery owner who currently represents Shay.