Stories by Amanda Vinicky

Illinois’ female state senators announce their informal tribe will operate as an official, bipartisan caucus devoted to advancing legislation to empower women. But hours later, the chamber kills a measure on gender pay equity.

Monarch butterfly populations have dropped by more than 80 percent over the past two decades. A bill approved this week aims to boost the monarch’s recovery by protecting milkweed, a plant that serves as the butterfly’s only source of food. 

A tech billionaire with a famous name talks about bringing his “real food” movement to the Windy City. 

When Helen Lambin got a small tattoo for her 75th birthday, she had no intention of ever getting another. But the experience “made me feel sort of adventurous and wild,” she remembers.

Yingying Zhang disappeared in June. Now, attorneys for the man accused in her kidnapping and death are requesting a delay in the trial, in part because they want to investigate possible sightings of the victim.

Northwestern University scientists believe they may have found the “Achilles’ heel” of cancer. In a recent study, researchers were able to almost completely eradicate the disease in laboratory cell cultures.

The EPA likely won’t be able to determine the source of a late October oil spill in the Chicago River because the agency was notified about the spill two days after it occurred, the EPA said Tuesday. 

A Chicago Public Schools watchdog report recommended her termination just two months ago, but on Thursday, York Alternative High School Principal Sharnette Sims received an apology from the district and was told she’ll be reinstated to her position, effective immediately.

It’s not mandatory by law yet, but Illinois legislators began formal lessons Wednesday on how to conduct themselves without “unwelcome” behavior and contacts that could be perceived by victims as sexual harassment. 

The city’s military academies help some Chicago Public Schools students reach new heights. We visit Air Force Academy High School.

Grammy winner and Chicago native Chance the Rapper showed up at Wednesday’s City Council meeting to give aldermen—and Mayor Rahm Emanuel—a piece of his mind.

Watch the Nov. 8, 2017 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

The city’s former deputy mayor in charge of neighborhood redevelopment talks about her new role as CEO of World Business Chicago.

President Donald Trump this week again claimed—erroneously—that Chicago has the “strongest gun laws in our nation,” pushing back against the idea the tough legislation will reduce gun violence.

Geoffrey Baer gets ready for a new voyage along the Chicago River with viewer questions about the history of our city’s favorite Y-shaped waterway.

He holds the American record for most consecutive days in space. Retired astronaut Scott Kelly discusses the incredible mission described in his new book, “Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery.”

Veterans Day salutes, rock ‘n’ roll movies, “rebellious” artists, indigenous cuisine, top-notch dancers and wild animals usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in Chicago.

Responding to local officials’ call for restrictions on opioid prescriptions, the American Dental Association outlines the steps it’s taking to address the opioid epidemic. 

Sexual harassment has been part of the way of life at the Illinois state capital for decades. Lawmakers on Tuesday spent much of the day decrying that culture and approving measures intended to root it out.

It’s Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the city of Chicago vs. Ald. Ed Burke and President Donald Trump, so to speak.

Watch the Nov. 7, 2016 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

While it may have seemed taboo 15 or 20 years ago, online dating is now a courtship commonplace. We explore the growing prominence of dating in the digital world.

President Donald Trump again says Chicago has the nation’s toughest gun laws. While that’s not true, local prosecutors and gun control advocates say it’s because of holes in the law that getting a gun here is so easy. Lawmakers are now considering tighter regulations in Illinois.

You’ll need to look closely to spot Lincoln Park Zoo’s new baby monkey. The infant, born Oct. 15 to first-time parents, is barely visible as it clings to its mother’s neck.

Tempers flare in Congress as House Republicans move quickly to overhaul the nation’s tax system. A look at the economic politics and policies at play.

Could the deadly mass shooting inside a Texas church on Sunday have been predicted? Yes, a Northwestern professor argues, if only more attention had been paid to the gunman’s history of domestic violence.