Students from some of Chicago's most dangerous neighborhoods were given good jobs and mentors to guide them through. The effects continued well beyond the end of the program. Read more
By most measures, Jude Baar Topinka, the state treasurer and sometime accordion player, is the most successful Republican politician in Illinois. Read more
A Cook County judge sent eight men to jail for wearing their pants too low in her courtroom. It's not the first time her temperament has raised eyebrows, but worse behavior hasn't led to consequences from voters. Read more
In the 1970s, an experiment with a negative income tax in the Indiana city led to positive outcomes. It's a policy that's seen renewed interest during the Great Recession. Read more
