Chicago magazine's March issue hits newsstands Thursday, February 14. To schedule an interview with one of our writers or editors, please contact Allison Roche at aroche@chicagomag.com.

The Power 100 (Cover Story) – The cards in the city’s power deck have been given a thorough shuffle in the 12 months since our inaugural list of the 100 most powerful Chicagoans. One thing that hasn’t changed on The Power 100 this year is the No. 1 name: Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who has held power despite leading the city through a year marked by high crime and a bitter teachers’ strike. He’s joined in the top five by No. 2 Michael Madigan, speaker, Illinois House; No. 3 J.B. Pritzker, managing partner, Pritzker Group; No. 4 Miles White, chairman and CEO, Abbott Laboratories; and No. 5 Jerry Reinsdorf, chairman, Chicago Bulls and White Sox, and co-owner, United Center. 

The full list is dominated by chief executives, but it also gauges clout held by leaders outside the traditional power structures of business and politics, ranking dining trendsetters, theatre standouts, and influential intellectuals. Some of the heavy hitters from our 2012 list have been knocked down (No. 99 Anita Alvarez, Cook County state’s attorney, followed by No. 100 Andrew Mason, Groupon founder), while others are out completely (injured Bulls star Derrick Rose, No. 7 in 2012, and former U.S. attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, previously No. 2).

When Autistic Children Are Children No More Across the country, an estimated 300,000 kids with autism will hit adulthood in the next decade. It’s a social crisis in the making, with few resources currently available to help autistic adults become self-sufficient after they age out of government-funded services. Only about 6 percent of adults with autism work full-time and many lack the skills to live alone, so the burden falls on parents and grandparents to find adequate support services for their loved ones. We look at three pioneering Chicago-area families who are rolling up their sleeves to create a better future for developmentally disabled adults.

Can’t This Man Get Any Respect? – After two consecutive jailed governors, you’d think Illinoisans would love smart, honest, and well-meaning Pat Quinn. But after four years in office, he’s hugely unpopular (not to mention that he only ranks as No. 70 on our Power 100 List). What’s he doing wrong?

Spring Fashion 2013 – We chose four Chicagoans—ranging in age from 27 to 64—to show how to adapt some of the best trends from the spring runways into sophisticated weekend looks that any woman of any age can wear. From stripes to patchwork, we pick 22 pieces to freshen up your closet this season.

Chicago River 2.0 – Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s latest pet project is a grand river walk on the downtown riverfront. But before the project gets underway, he’d do well to learn from what worked—and what didn’t—in three other cities that have undertaken similar waterfront projects.